Services for the public

Augment How is it possible for people with disabilities to participate in society and make the region more accessible?

DESCRIPTION OF THE INITIATIVE KEY FIGURES Region: () Augment started out as a research and development project Population: 152 000 inhabitants in collaboration between the regional university and one of the 5 municipalities – , , five municipalities in the region (Ronneby). In 2010 a , Sölvesborg and Olofström proof-of-concept project was initiated and the services further Area: 2 941 km² developed. Augment is currently being tested on local, regional Density: 51 inhabitants/km² and national levels by a number of user groups. In the first Main economies: Manufacturing industry, IT implementation the services have been developed for a website and telecom industry, tourism and fishing and as a mobile application for Android. The accessibility industry content is user-driven and relies on the active participation and interest of the users of the services. Citizens can easily get KEY WORDS RELATING TO THE timely and accurate information about the status of PROJECT accessibility in a specific location and also contribute by Location-based services, accessibility, updating the information. social media, user-driven content, participatory design, disability services MAIN RESULTS

l Augment web-site created CONTEXT AND OBJECTIVES l Augment mobile service created Until now mobile technologies have not been used for improving accessibility in the region. Augment provides l Citizens and tourists in Blekinge have easy access to public location-based mobile services for interactive accessibility places and environments information. l Accessibility hindrances can easily be located and removed Main objectives of Augment : or reduced by the responsible authority based on citizens evaluation and prioritising l Creating possibilities for disabled to share and co-create information and knowledge about accessibility resources and l Augment is contributing to standardisation and integration hindrances of local information with a national accessibility database

l Augment creates possibilities for integration of social media l Establishing mapping and visibility of accessibility resources and hindrances in the region as communication tool with map-based services on accessibility issues l Improving the regional informational capacity and infrastructure by supporting both web and mobile access to accessibility l Provides platform for interaction between citizens, disability information agencies and public administration concerning accessibility issues

l Augment contributes to full participation in society for people l Improving the communication between municipality and with disabilities inhabitants concerning accessibility issues l Developing the capacity for community-building among « AUGMENT CONTRIBUTES TO FULL PARTICIPATION disabled individuals and groups in the region IN SOCIETY FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES, AND MAKES THE REGION MORE ACCESSIBILITY FOR l Offering accessibility information for tourists EVERYONE ».

www.interreg-immodi.net KEY FACTORS IN SUCCESS POSSIBLE IMPROVEMENTS

Augment is developed through collaboration between Augment is based on user-generated content and are intended academia, civil society and public administrations. This is an for continuous design in use and collaboration around example of successful combination of competences and accessibility issues partnerships with an aim to join forces in order to minimise hindrances for disabled people and their opportunities to live a full and active life. THE PROJECT IN FEW WORDS…

The service contributes to e-Inclusion through opening up CONTEXT opportunities for co-design of local and regional accessibility. Location-based mobile services providing interactive accessibility information REQUIREMENTS AIMS Responsible public administrations in the Importing Region Creating possibilities for the disabled to should agree to support the services and further user-driven share and co-create information and iterative development and updating of the accessibility status. knowledge about accessibility resources Appropriate technical conditions are also a prerequisite for the and hindrances best practice transfer. Active collaboration with local and regional disability agencies will enhance the successful transfer PROJECT of the services. Development of supportive services for improved accessibility GOVERNANCE MAIN RESULTS

l Web-site and mobile service created The project was governed by the regional university with l Accessibility hindrances can easily be support of public administrations in the region. The local located and removed or reduced by the disability organisation (HSO), the county council, the project responsible authority based on citizens x-Ovation and BTH Innovation have been actively involved in evaluation and prioritising supporting and contributing to the realisation of the initiative. l Provides platform for interaction between citizens, disability agencies and public administration concerning COMMUNICATION accessibility issues The Augment project was communicated and popularised for BUDGET the broad audience by means of public presentations for Cost not appointed yet various groups such as hospital staff and administrative personnel. The project has also been presented during public events. There have been several academic publications and presentations of the project. Test sessions and demonstrations CONTACT for groups of disabled people have been conducted. Project responsible : Dr. Annelie Ekelin Blekinge Institute of Technology SE-371 79 Karlskrona, Sweden [email protected] or [email protected] www.bth.se/com

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