The nine characteristics of a national e-accessibility policy

Based on an analysis of best practices, national e-accessibility policy should be the following:

1. Responsive

The national e-accessibility policy must directly benefit persons with disabilities by fulfilling their needs to use digital content and access public and private services.

2. Beneficial to all

The policy must allow all persons with disabilities to access digital content and services on an equal basis with all other individuals, without discrimination or marginalization on any grounds such as economic status, sex, age, or physical location (namely, urban versus rural).

3. Profitable

The policy must generate the desired revenue, promote social cohesion, strengthen confidence in Government activities overall, and achieve economic returns by including a significant number of persons with disabilities in the economy, thus boosting their integration and productivity and ensuring a return on the State’s investment.

4. Cost-effective

The policy must be based on realistic objectives and aligned with budgets that can be tracked by the Government in the short, medium and long term.

5. Sustainable

The policy must include specific components to ensure the sustainability of e-accessibility projects in terms of both financial and human resources. The policy should involve a range of agencies including governmental departments, the commercial services sector and specialist civil society organizations that represent persons with disabilities of all ages and genders.

6. Integrated

For all implementing agencies and beneficiaries of the policy, training must be provided, concepts must be explained, and promotion activities must be carried out so as to ensure progressive uptake of the policy, which is a key performance indicator.

7. Governable

The policy must include a governance system that uses policy tools supported by data, statistics and surveys, and includes performance indicators that can be measured regularly to gauge the success of the various components of the policy, both by results area and overall. It must also include a performance monitoring and evaluation structure, with clearly defined responsibilities and accountability for policy implementation.

8. Flexible

The policy should be equipped with tools for continuous improvement, and each component should be modifiable based on implementation data and results analysis.

9. Participatory

Expert, public and stakeholder opinion on the e-accessibility policy should be surveyed at every stage (including design, implementation and improvement) as part of the progress measurement system.