The here mentioned barriers do exist in many countries of the European Union. Through its E-Accessibility program the EU has now made steps at the community level. However, much remains to be done and it is a responsibility of designers and developers of technology and services to take into account the guidelines that do exist. In the chapters eight and nine will therefore attention be paid to the needs of ‘special’ users, especially persons with mobility impairments, in order to meet their demands.
Specifically on the use of e-Learning for e-Inclusion several specific mental barriers do exist. Some of them, like lack of trust or lack of motivation, are directly user related aspects, but there are also barriers included in the production of the e-learning system. Such barriers are formal approaches, non adaptive technologies, lack of meaningful context and generalist methodologies which do not pay proper attention to the social and cultural context of the use of the materials (4).
Specific advantages
E-Learning has numerous specific advantageous aspects for mobility impaired persons. Just to mention some of the most important aspects:
· The first advantage has to do with the fact that e-Learning is a form of distance learning. Learning can be done at virtually any location where the person lives or stays (place independence). There is a limited need for physical mobility.
· The second major advantage has to do with the fact that e-Learning is less dependent of strict school hours and can be done at almost any time (time independence). Disabled persons, due to other working methods or fatigue, often have a need to do things in their own pace. Apart from that they often have an agenda in which personal care is consuming much time and needs to be done at strict times.
· Another big advantage is the fact that, thanks to available modern technical aids and especially computer adaptations, materials can be made accessible to persons who could not handle these materials efficiently before or could not deal with them at all. For many of them it would for instance not be possible to make college notes without ICT use or handle printed materials.