IT Funk: Research, development and innovation to promote information and communication technology for the disabled – and for all.

In 1998, the Research Council of Norway was commissioned by the Norwegian government to set up a R&D program on information technology for the disabled (acronym IT Funk). The program was funded by the Ministry of Social Affairs and the Ministry of Trade and Industry with approx.7 MNOK every. A similar amount is raised from other sources, primarily as matching funds from participating firms.

In 2005, IT Funk was evaluated and found to be a very useful tool in improving access to the information society for people with a disability, by supporting R&D on accessible ICT-based products and services. The government has decided to prolong the program for a new 6-year period, 2007-2012, with a gradual increase in government funding.

The purpose of IT Funk is to:

• Contribute to accessibility for all, including the disabled, to information and communication technology (ICT) and to society through the use of ICT.

The strategy of IT Funk is to:

• promote the use of universal design principles in research and development of ICT and ICT-based products and services, for both the public and private sector,
• support development of assistive technology which complements and interacts smoothly with standard technology,
• promote Norwegian participation in relevant international R&D and standardisation programmes and projects,
• require the use of standards and guidelines for accessibility to ICT-based products and services in all projects funded by the Norwegian Research Council and other public bodies,
• promote broad-based user participation in research, development and implementation of ICT-based solutions everywhere in society,
• pay special attention to areas where accessibility issues impact on a person's life chances, in particular education and training, the workplace and basic services to citizens.

IT Funk targets businesses and institutions that research, develop, produce and distribute ICT-based products and services of importance for accessibility in society. Without their active involvement from the early stages of development, the vision of a barrier-free society will not materialize. In collaboration with other R&D-programs, IT Funk provides financial support to projects based on universal design-principles and to projects on assistive technologies. Enterprises in the ICT sector are in charge of most of the projects, so that the products and services developed will be updated and available in the market in the future. It is also expected that the knowledge acquired in the project will spread, increasing the use of universal design-principles in the company as a whole.

“As information and communication technology permeates all aspects of society, we are becoming more dependent on the qualities of the ICT-based products and solutions for our inclusion into society – or our exclusion from it. New barriers may be erected when a new product is introduced, giving the term “killer application” a new and negative meaning. Others may experience a dismantling of barriers when new solutions are adopted. Which way it goes is not decided by fate, but by man. The truth is that inclusive and user-friendly products are an advantage for all, not just for the disabled. As citizens, we have a right to participate in society and make our voice heard. In the marketplace, we have fewer rights and must show the business community that improving accessibility and ease of use is a good investment also for them. Also in Europe, the ICT-industry is now becoming aware of this, both because of the new focus on universal design in public procurement, and because of increasing political awareness of accessibility issues in general. The UN has adopted a new convention on the rights of persons with disabilities, and in EUs new framework program for research and innovation, ICT for Independent Living and Inclusion is one of the main challenges. These are encouraging developments, providing inspiration for all who work to promote e-accessibility and inclusion of all in the information society”, says Maja Arnestad, who is in charge of the IT Funk project in the Norwegian Research Council.

Visit IT Funk's home page at www.itfunk.org

Contact person: Maja Arnestad, maja.arnestad@arnestad.no