Cost 219ter

COST 219ter
"Accessibility for All to Services and Terminals for Next Generation Networks"

Patrick Roe
Chairman COST 219ter
LEMA-Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne
patrick.roe@epfl.ch

Background to COST

COST stands for European Cooperation in the field of Scientific and Technical research and It was set up as an intergovernmental co-operation in 1971 with 17 scientific and technical domains.

There are currently 34 Member States and one cooperating country (Israel). International organisations and research establishments from non-COST countries can participate in COST Actions as well as the European Commission. There are currently over 200 COST Actions running in the following 17 domains:

Figure 1: number of COST Actions running per domain at 31.12.2003

The main characteristics of the pan-European COST networking and co-ordination framework are that it involves fundamental research at a "Non-competitive" stage, and, most important of all, with a bottom-up, flexible approach. In practice this means that it is the researchers themselves who identify an area where research is needed and put together a proposal. All proposals are reviewed by a Technical Committee (TC) of the relevant domain. Once a proposal has been approved by the TC and then By the Committee of COST Senior Officials (CSO) the Action can begin as soon as five countries have signed the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).

It is not by chance that an initiative or project such as COST 219 started under the framework of COST some twenty year ago but is due, to a great extent, to the bottom-up, flexible approach of COST.

COST 219ter, "Accessibility for All to Services and Terminals for Next Generation Networks"

Background

The initial COST 219 Action "Future Telecommunications and tele-informatics facilities for disabled people and elderly" started in 1986 and lasted 10 years. (1986-1996).

The follow-on Action COST 219bis "Telecommunications: Access for disabled and elderly people" (1996-2001) was technically speaking a new Action but retained the number 219 due its visibility and reputation within the field.

This strategy has been retained for the new 4-year COST 219ter Action "Accessibility for All to Services and Terminals for Next Generation Networks" which is due to run until January 2007. There are currently 19 countries participating as well as the following international organisations: GSA Information Consultants (Aus), Trace Center (USA).

Aim of the Action

The aim of the Action is to ensure that disabled and elderly people are able to share in the benefits of next generation networks and services.

In order to achieve its objective, the Action has adopted a three-track approach whereby inclusive design or "Design for all" is the preferred option whenever possible. The next option is to adapt a piece or equipment or service and when neither of these approaches are feasible a special solution has to sought.

Most COST Actions are mainly research oriented, but due to the human and societal aspects of COST 219ter the Action activities also include the monitoring of, standards, legislation and the writing of guidelines. All the COST 219 Actions have made numerous publications which can be found on its website (www.cost219.org).

Scientific Programme

The scientific programme includes monitoring and information gathering activities (updating of information on technical solutions, identification of gaps, monitoring of standardisation), carrying out of studies (user accessibility to mobile services and content, assessment of augmentative and alternative mobile services) as well initiating and continuing existing dialogues with service providers and other relevant organisations and bodies working in the field (ETSI, ITU, ISO, CEN, W3C, EC, AAATE, EDF, ETNO, NFTH, ANEC, EDEAN, etc.). A further activity relates to the dissemination of information through workshops and publications.

Organisation chart

In order to carry out its scientific programme the Action is structured as shown in the chart below. The structure is quite typical of COST Actions with the work divided up into 4 working groups. What differs from other COST Actions is the inclusion of an advisory group of people with disabilities and elderly people as well as the existence of national reference groups. Both these groups enable the Action to be in touch with the users and user organisations and also enable the work to be co-ordinated at a national level.

Figure 2: Organisation chart of COST 219ter

WG1 Information Collation

Chairman: John Gill, RNIB

Working Group 1 plays the role of co-ordinating all information gathering as well as the editing and dissemination of publications. For example, the Chairman of this working group, John Gill, is currently co-ordinating the writing and editing of two glossy booklets, "Equal Measures - Closing the Accessibility Gap" and "Making Life Easier - How new telecommunications services could benefit people with disabilities", that are due to be published early in 2005.

This working group is also responsible for monitoring and co-ordinating any input from the Action into relevant standardisation bodies.

WG2 Accessibility of Emerging Information Society Technologies

Chairman: Prof. Georgios Kouroupetroglou, University of Athens

The task of this Working Group is to Address R&D issues pertaining to the accessibility challenges of emerging IST. A scenario based approach has been selected whereby the ISTAG (IST Advisory Group) and Siemens Horizon 2020 scenarios are being adapted to include people with disabilities.

WG3 Testing for Accessibility

Co-Chairs: Anna-Liisa Salminen (STAKES), Steve Tyler (EDF), Nick Young (T-Mobile)

The first objective of Working Group 3 is to identify the accessibility testing capabilities of next generation telecom devices and services in Europe. A first questionnaire was sent out in September 2004 to which some 30 responses have been received and a second, more detailed questionnaire is due to be sent out. The second objective is to refine an accessibility testing procedure by using the network of testing laboratories within the Action.

WG4 Smart Houses and Home Networking

Chairs: Ad van Berlo, Ilse Bierhoff (Smart Homes)

The aim off WG4 3 is to stimulate and monitor R&D relating to accessibility to services for disabled and older people, to give input to CENELEC within European Smart House standardization in eEurope context and to find new business cases and expose business opportunities.

Planned Workshops/Conferences

The next workshop entitled "eAccessibility Legislation and Policy, the Role of Standardisation" is to be held on the 8th of March 2005 in Florence.

Further Information

Further information about COST 219ter can be found at the Website:
www.cost219.org

More general information about COST and how to participate in a COST Action can be found at the website:
cost.cordis.lu

 

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