The ÆGIS project seeks to determine whether 3rd generation access techniques will provide a more accessible, more exploitable and deeply embeddable approach in mainstream ICT (desktop, rich Internet and mobile applications). We develop and explore this approach with the Open Accessibility Framework (OAF) through which we address aspects of the design, development and deployment of accessible mainstream ICT. The OAF provides embedded and built-in accessibility solutions, as well as toolkits for developers, for "engraving" accessibility in existing and emerging mass-market ICT-based products, thus making accessibility open, plug & play, personalised & configurable, realistic & applicable in various contexts; ÆGIS is placing users and their needs at the centre of all ICT developments.

Based on a holistic UCD, AEGIS identifies user needs and interaction models for several user groups, (users with visual, hearing, motion, speech and cognitive impairments as well as application developers) and develops open source-based generalised accessibility support into mainstream ICT devices/applications: A) desktop, B) W3C/WAI standards-abiding accessible rich web applications and C) embedded generalized accessibility in terms of user interfaces and applications running into standard (CDLC and CDC) as well as rich features cell phones and PDAs.

All developments are iteratively tested with hundreds of end users, developers and experts in three phases and 4 Pilot sites Europewide (in Belgium, Spain, Sweden and UK). The project includes strong industrial and end users participation (the participating Industries are among the market leaders in the corresponding mainstream ICT markets).