Benefits and Costs of e-Accessibility (Business Case White Paper)

This G3ict White Paper seeks to document the discussions that took place at the 5th European e-Accessibility Forum (March 2011) organized by BrailleNet in Paris. It can be considered to be a first step toward defining new analytical approaches to improve our understanding of how to best promote sustainable e-accessibility models.

The key conclusions of this White Paper are the following:

• E-accessibility costs are highly dependent on the structure of the market and of supporting e-accessibility business ecosystems.
• Cost-benefit analysis can be applied to e-accessibility to demonstrate its socioeconomic benefits as well as to document the costs incurred by the lack of e-accessibility.
• Litigation influences the e-accessibility economy and can have a bearing on the costs involved.
• Standards can help incorporate e-accessibility widely in business and industrial practices so that products are accessible to everyone.
• Standards create a level playing field so that accessible products and services can compete effectively.

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