Target Groups

AEGIS addresses 2 categories of end users:

• Developers of ICT infrastructure, applications and services—referred to hereinafter as “developers”
• People with disabilities—referred to hereinafter as “end users”—who experience one or more of the following mild to severe impairments
  1. Blind and low-vision users
  2. Motor impairment users
  3. Cognitive impairment users
  4. Hearing impairment users
  5. Speech impairment users

It is worth noting that the target end user groups include also the elderly, given that the vast majority of elderly people experiences one or more of the above impairments.

These people have the competence, in most cases, to lead independent and active lives, but, are at risk of exclusion due to the impairment(s) that they are experiencing, as well as the complexity and lack of utility, accessibility and usability of ICT. It is worth noting that people with disabilities represent at least 16% of the overall EU working age population, but only 40% of persons with disabilities are employed compared to 64.2% of non disabled persons. This gap often exists because of a lack of properly adapted working environments (both in terms of hardware or software).

People with disabilities included in the main AEGIS end user group are supported through a multitude of stakeholders that are duly considered and supported by the AEGIS Open Accessibility Framework, such as:

• ICT providers (industrial players and SMEs)
• National, local and regional authorities
• Teachers / tutors / trainers/ formal informal care-givers
• Disability groups, forums and Associations
• Family members
• Mobile service providers
• Public / private Social security service providers and insurance companies
• Web service providers
• Health care and emergency support service providers
• Policy makers / standardisation bodies