Interest Inventory Summary

The following areas are contained in the interest-inventory. Clicking on an area will bring you to the inventory page, where you can fill out your selections based on your interests.Please note that you will be prompted to log in or to create a new account if you you don't already have one.

1. Identification & Discussion of Needs & Solutions

This program area, "Identification and Discussion of Needs and Solutions," consists of programs and projects that bring together consumers, experts, and others to explore accessibility issues, identify new approaches, share ideas, and act as a consumer+expert resource to all of the other programs and projects in RtF.

Needs and Solutions Discussion/Review Groups
Special Topic Discussion Groups
RtF Needs and Features Masterlist
Other Comments

2. Research

The research area is focused on exploring new ideas and approaches. Some of the research projects may result in immediate applications, such as a few feature or changing the way a feature is implemented or delivered. Other projects may be exploring more fundamental question and it may be 10 years before they have direct impact on consumers. For example one research project focused on converting text into pictures may have both short and long term implications.

Text-to-Picture Synthesis Project
Specific Research Project

3. Individual Solutions for Consumers

This program area is focused on identifying existing ready to use free and open source accessibility solutions as well as the development of new solutions. It includes identification, development, and distribution efforts (efforts to develop user support mechanisms are covered in their own effort area).

Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) Resource List
'Distribution Hardening' of FOSS Solutions
RtF Free-Store of Accommodation Software
Identifying Mainstream WebApps that Need Accessibility
Cross-Disability Telecollaboration Tools
Library & Public-Access-Point Packages
Simple Alternate Web Apps
Do-It-Yourself Solutions
Specific FOSS Accessibility Solution Projects
Other Comments

4. Unified Component and Delivery Infrastructure

This program area is focused on the development of a unified architecture that can facilitate the development of solutions for a broad range of different disability, language, and literacy levels from a common set of components or libraries. The goal here is to eliminate the duplication of effort in developing similar tools for different groups that occurs when they are all done as separate activities.

There are two major areas of effort:

A unified architecture that can allow for the development of solutions for a broad range of different disability, language, and literacy levels from a shared set of components and services. This architecture will support solutions that use a number of different approaches (models) from download-and-install solutions through network based services.

A unified delivery architecture that will allow for the mixing and matching of different features (public and commercial) as needed by people with different types or combinations of access barriers.

Unified Architecture Task Force
Interoperability Standards for Components and Services
Personalization/Preference Task Force
Wizards and Recommendation Tools
Security and Privacy Task Force
Assistive Technology Manufacturer Collaboration/Exploration Team
Commercial AT Virtualization & Support
Unified Update Identifier/Installer
Cycle Sourcing Options Task Force
Accessibility Crowdsourcing
Other Comments

5. User/Peer Support for RtF Solutions

This program area is focused on developing mechanisms to provide support to users of free and open source software. This would include both commercial support mechanisms and free, peer-based, support mechanisms for those who do not have, and cannot secure funding, for paid support mechanisms.

Development of a Peer Support Network
Developing and Maintaining Online Support Materials
Specific Peer Support Projects
Other Comments

6. Awareness & Dissemination & Business Cases

This program area seeks to help design and manage an innovative outreach program that can ensure that users are aware of what is available to them and all stakeholders are aware of RtF and its potential in their area.

Statistics and Studies Collection
Outcome Measures/Business Cases
Development of Outreach Materials
Outreach Activities
Other Comments

7. Legal & Policy

This program area is focused on exploring and addressing the policy and legal issues around access to IT (Information Technology) based information and services.

Create and Maintain a Policymaker's Toolbox
Copyright Taskforce
Other Comments

8a. Developer Tools (Assistive Technology and User Agent)

This program area is focused on the identification and development of tools, software libraries, and other components that can be used by developers in creating new free and open source accessibility solutions.

RtF Toolbox - of existing FOSS (Free and Open Source Software) Tools and Components
Distributed Team Collaboration Tools
Designer's Toolkit for Mainstream Application Developers
Mainstream Developer's Hotline and Café
Specific FOSS Developer Tool Projects
Other Comments

8b. Content Author (and post author) Tools

This program area is focused on the identification, cataloging, and development of tools to help authors create more accessible content, or to help third parties create supplemental materials and resources that can be used to make existing sites more accessible. This includes crowdsourcing tools.

Resource List of Existing Content Authoring Tools and Services
Specific FOSS Authoring Tool Projects
Other Comments

8c. Researcher Tools

This program area is focused on the development of tools and resources that can be used by researchers interested in working in the area of information and communication technology (ICT) accessibility. Of particular interest are tools and resources that would be helpful to new researchers who want to enter this field, and to researchers from smaller universities or programs.

Needs Analysis – Researcher Tools
New Researcher Orientation Materials Development
Consumer Input and Testing Network Development
Remote User Data Collection / Participation Tools Development
Other Comments

9. Organization and Sustainability

Activities in this area are focused on the organization and sustainability of Raising the Floor. This includes liaisons with other groups, fundraising, overall organization, documentation of procedures and policies, etc.

Grant Writing Team
Revenue Models Exploration
In Kind Donations
Operation and Procedure Documentation for RtF
Other Comments