The overall aim of this case study is to show, that Usher patients (about 25.000 in Europe) suffering from a combined visual and hearing impairment, as well as their relatives and support groups can profit from a specialised web-based information system. The European Usher website was constructed in the framework of the EU project TEN-CARE aiming at the initiation and evaluation of telecommunication-based home care services for European citizens.
The Usher Europe website has the following key features:
The following accessibility criteria were implemented in accordance with the Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) of the world wide web (W3) consortium: universal design; easy usability; identical layout and navigation principles; all graphics or pictures with alternative text; Cascading Style sheets. Contents, layout and accessibility features of the website have generally received recognition by Usher patients. This was also due to the early involvement of user groups in the contents, structuring and design process. There are clear indicators that the Usher Europe web site did have a positive impact on the targeted groups. Marketing of the web site was and still is the main problem. The organisation responsible for the development of the web site is commercially oriented and had to stop further updating and design activities for the web site once the EU funded project was completed. The average number of 10 to 20 hits per day justifies the continuous support and updating of the web site by its owner even after completion of the EU TENCARE project. However, in the long run, a national or European Usher patient organisation needs to take over the web site or it will otherwise loose connection to the real world and finally die.
last update 2002-03-18