About

The International Scientific Forum "Towards an Information Society for All" was a network for collaboration, discussion and exchange of experience and practice on the broad range of issues related to the accessibility, usability and ultimately of the acceptability of the emerging Information Society.

The objective of the International Scientific Forum (ISF-IS4ALL) was to promote the establishment of a favourable environment for the creation of an Information Society acceptable to all citizens.

The term Information Society, although difficult to define accurately, is frequently used to refer to the new status quo and the new socio-economic and technological paradigm likely to occur, as a result of an all-embracing process of change that is currently taking place; it is expected to affect the interaction in computer mediated human activities, the individual human behaviour, as well as collective consciousness, and to have major economic and social impact.

In this context, the ISF-IS4ALL promoted universal design in Information Society technologies, emphasising accessibility and high quality of interaction by the broadest possible end-user population, including disabled and elderly people. Accessibility is the right of citizens to obtain and maintain access to a society-wide pool of resources and information artefacts. High quality of interaction, on the other hand, implies quality in the use of information artefacts by humans in the various problem-solving, or information seeking activities.

In attaining its visionary goal, the ISF-IS4ALL co-operated in the international scene and established close links with other organisations concerned with universal design in Information Society technologies.

For comments or questionts please contact: ui4all-web@ics.forth.gr

Last updated June 5, 2002