The MCU contributes to European Commission Social Inclusion Workshop
Added on Monday 28 Jul 2003
As a representative of the Making Connections Unit I was invited to Brussels to attend a workshop to discuss how 'Cultural and Memory Organisations' (i.e. Libraries and Museums) can use digital technologies to increase social and economic inclusion. The workshop and research is being carried out by Ecotec Research and Consulting on behalf of the European Commission. I was invited to provide my expertise in relation to accessibility issues.
The main objectives of the study are:
- To identify where cultural and memory organisations (CMOs) already contribute to social and economic inclusion, using digital technologies; and
- To specify which issues deserve particular attention for new or further research, taking into account the needs of CMOs in a European context and the development of content-based services for all sectors of the community.
The study will lead to recommendations for CMOs in Members states and the EU in relation to building new services and applications.
Unfortunately, from my point of view, there wasn't much of a focus on how the web could be used to promote social and economic inclusions. Perhaps if there had been more time (a wide range of topics were covered) we could have talked in more detail about the role of the web and the issues of accessibility.
If you have any thoughts in relation to this I am happy to pass them along the study (please add your comments below).