Trend research findings
As part of its accompanying research, the Prototype Fund took a closer look at what contribution FOSS makes and can make to digital accessibility. We have learnt the following:
Software has three points of reference to accessibility: (1) Software can break down existing social barriers. (2) Software itself can either create new barriers or it can be useable for everyone. (3) Software development can exclude individuals or enable greater participation through accessible design processes.
Widespread FOSS definitions abstract from the individual capabilities of those who use and develop software. In this respect, accessibility is not generally regarded as an integral principle of FOSS. In principle, however, FOSS has advantages over proprietary software when it comes to removing barriers:
- It tends to be easier for users to contribute to the development of FOSS projects, for example through bug reports. The division of labour in the FOSS development process also makes it easier for developers who need certain functionalities to implement those independently using existing software or to continue projects.
- Through the publication of its code, FOSS is more transparent and it is often less focussed on commercial interests and the hidden commercial analysis of user data. Users are therefore less often faced with the choice of either using software that promises participation or foregoing the protection of their own data.
- Free licences that allow the use, further development and distribution of the software make FOSS available at low cost. More people therefore have access in principle and the general public is relieved, to the extent that it is paying for accessible software.
Four primary factors can be identified as drivers of digital accessibility, although these are not always fully effective in FOSS projects:
- Laws are increasingly obliging state and private sector organisations to reduce barriers in software. However, these laws have not yet been implemented sufficiently.
- Standards specify how software, in particular web-based software, can be developed without barriers, although these standards are still incomplete and their content is little known.
- Awareness of the needs of people with disabilities and other limitations is slowly increasing in digital policy and in FOSS communities. However, as it is often difficult for these groups of people to participate in FOSS projects and there are only isolated and weakly organised interest groups, there is often a lack of expertise to implement digital accessibility.
- Commercial interests can motivate people to invest in the accessible design of software in order to reach larger user groups or avoid legal risks. Smaller, privately operated FOSS projects in particular often lack the necessary financial and human resources.
Software funding programmes can support digital accessibility through a range of measures, for example:
- defining accessibility as a selection criterion,
- obliging grantees to comply with accessibility standards,
- providing resources such as counselling, mentoring or auditing, or
- supporting the development of a user base and a business model in order to promote alignment with legal requirements and different user perspectives.
Projects on the topic of accessibility
Reduction of communicative and physical barriers in social life
- Accessy
- ML-based Translation for LibreOffice Writer
- ]OPEN THEATER[
- Sign Dict
- Symp-lator: Medical Symptom Translator
- The Open Hearing Project
Reduction of technical barriers in software
- a11yBuddy
- audilu - Audio Descriptions made simple
- CodeMirror
- CTRLABILITY – Kontroller für Menschen mit motorischen Einschränkungen
- EyeCaptain
- Hands-Free Phone
- Luna LMS – easy multimodal learning
- Psylink
- SemanticDocuments
- Transcribee
- Accesible and collaborative work with Emacspeak
- Voice-QL: Explore databases with spoken language accessibly