eAssistance

Abstract

Chapter 2 procures the basic principles for Web-based information and experience exchange. To this end, Sect. 2.1 outlines the most important Internet services. Trends in the Internet, known by the name Web X.Y, are displayed in Sect. 2.2; in addition to that, a classification of social software is given. In Sect. 2.3, a list of criteria for municipality Web sites allows to make an estimate of the content. A gross architecture for more ample eGovernment portals is presented in Sect. 2.4. The guidelines for barrier-free Web access were created by the W3C and constitute the basis for all publicWeb sites (Sect. 2.5), with the goal that people with mental or physical handicaps can profit from Web-based information and services as well. In order to assure quality in the Internet, there are criteria for usability, content and ethics to be taken into account, as displayed in Sect. 2.6. Section 2.7 contains bibliographical notes. Finally, the case study of the Web site of the Technical Secretariat for Inclusive Management in Disability of Ecuador (SETEDIS) is presented, in which different forms of access to the Web without barriers are considered.