Author: Cynthia D. Waddell, Juris Doctor, International Center for Disability Resources on the Internet (ICDRI). Contributors: J. E. Baker, L. McArthur, J. Silva, J. Treviranus, Adaptive Technology Resource Centre, University of Toronto; Susan Schorr, Head  of ITU-D Special Initiatives.

As countries move forward to ratify and implement the Convention on Rights of Persons with Disabilities, the task before policy makers is to reflect on the obligations of the Convention in the State's national legal framework, including policies, development planning and budgeting.

The e-Accessibility Policy Toolkit provides guidance necessary to assess the state of e-accessibility legislation within a country and based on this develop effective policy.  This process is set out in the following 3 sections:

• the steps necessary for Identifying Priorities

Provides five steps for identifying policy priorities.  Includes examples of practices from around the world.

• identifies three Disability Policy Approaches

accessibility policies, mainstreaming ICT policies, and policies in support of civil society or non-government organizations.     

• reviews the complex components of Policy Development for successful implementation.

Process to identify the "owners" of each category of legislative and regulatory initiative. Examples of Good Practices to Establish Consensus and Foster Multi-Stakeholder Cooperation. Cooperation between government and the private sector.

The e-Accessibility Policy Toolkit also contains a number of other resources that will be useful in the development of e-accessibility policy including information on:

• an Overview of the Convention

• the demographics covered by e-accessibility legislation is covered in Who benefits?

• e-Accessibility basics looks at what is accessibility, some basic principles nad the role of standards and guidelines

• an introduction to and Technology Areas resources the accessibility of a range of technologies

• the role of Public Procurement is used to advance equality and non-discrimination for persons with disabilities

Additional resources on the text of the Convention, its definitions and meanings are contained at:

• Full text of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

• an Overview of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and its dispositions on ICT accessibility

• Definitions of disability, accessibility and other terms contained in the Convention

• the G3ict Self-Assessment Framework can be used to help countries and their citizens look across all components and facets of their States' public (and private) operations in an effort to ascertain ‘compliance' with the ICT accessibility provisions of the CRPD.