”Select ALL” e-Accessibility Assessment Report for South Eastern Europe
gets worse at higher levels of education. Furthermore, the small number of people with disabilities that are ICT-trained can be a selffulfilling prophecy: it can be used to support the argument that there is little demand for Internet-based services (including e-Government services) and adaptation for people with disabilities, since so few people will take advantage of it. Second, ICTs are used in other areas such as education, hence ICT training can offer distinct opportunities to enable people with disabilities overcome precisely some of the underlying factors that lead to their exclusion and disadvantage, and to gain access to their full human rights. The use of ICTs in education, for instance through distance education allowing work from the home or local centres; and in employment by eliminating entirely the disadvantage of some disabilities; and in the delivery of e-Government services directly to the home, all mean that ICTs can play a critical role in reducing disadvantage and in supporting the rights of people with disabilities. There is thus a strong case that ICT training, far from being neglected, should be significantly prioritized for people with disability. Overall, it must be concluded that the provision of ICT training for people with disabilities is very limited in the countries of South Eastern Europe. This applies to dedicated training centres for people with disabilities, as well as to the adaptation of general ICT training and education facilities for people with disabilities. In Serbia, an NGO has run ECDL courses over a ten-year period for disadvantaged groups, including different groups with disabilities. In Montenegro, the Ministry of Information Society and Telecommunications ran an ECDL course dedicated to people with disability. Many of these countries are in the process of reviewing and revising the wider educational and employment policies, institutions and opportunities for people with disabilities, at all levels. The issue here is whether the skills required to use ICTs are to be included in this wider picture. Below are some more recent and notable projects and policy initiatives in the SEE region:
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In Macedonia, some 82 assistive technology packages are to be distributed to schools. Separately, local NGOs, with external aid, have already delivered assistive devices and educational software to 21 mainstream primary schools, including extensive teacher training.
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In Romania, the Ministry of Education, Research, Youth and Sports has launched a 5m programme to support the education of children with special needs, especially with intellectual disabilities. It includes the development and implementation of a curriculum for ICT skills including use of the Internet.
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Also in Romania there are plans to extend an existing programme to open over 250 ICT