Barrierefreiheit auf Webseiten von Gebietskörperschaften: ein Vergleich zwischen Deutschland, Italien und den Niederlanden

Accessibility of Local Authorities’ Websites: a Comparison Between Germany, Italy and the Netherlands – Abstract Inclusion and accessibility have been important issues on the political agenda in many European countries, at least since the adoption of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in 2006. Although a European Accessibility Act has yet to be enacted, several countries are rapidly moving towards an inclusive society, not only by eliminating physical obstacles, but also by enhancing the accessibility of information and communication. New technologies as well as comprehensibility of discourse make the difference in the field of eaccessibility. Against this background, we will investigate how communicative adequacy and inclusion are attempted in three European countries, Germany, Italy and the Netherlands. Further, we will discuss to what extent multilingual and intercultural experts, translators included, might play a role in this inclusion process. In a previous study (Magris/Ross in press), we have explored web communication for people with disabilities in these three countries focusing on airport, hospital and library websites, with a special focus on e-accessibility and non-discriminatory language. In the present paper we extend our analysis to city websites and web communication by other local authorities. Particular emphasis is placed on the use of plain and easy-to-read language, with a comparison of the situations in Germany, Italy and the Netherlands.