The main objective was to educate university teaching and training staff working in communication on accessible content publishing and how to provide a more inclusive teaching experience in communication programs. The specific objectives included: 1. Analyzing the current situation and bridging the gaps regarding the accessibility training needs of university teaching and training staff in the field of communication. 2. Identifying higher education courses and programs related to the field of communication where there is an opportunity to include accessibility in the curricula. 3. Improving the accessibility knowledge of university teachers and trainers in communication. 4. Facilitating access to the labour market for students of higher education in communication. 5. Stimulating the uptake of accessibility in the higher education communication curricula in European universities. The ADORE project also established a partnership between higher education institutions, training organizations, and the private sector, mainstreaming accessibility skills in higher education curricula for communication disciplines and training teaching staff on publishing accessible content on the internet for all users.
The prevalence of disability among the world population, coupled with a shift towards providing and consuming information in digital formats, has increased the need for accessible content publishing. The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic has magnified this need, as public authorities are compelled to deliver crisis information in a digital format. It is essential that this information is accessible and reaches all citizens, including underrepresented groups such as People with Disabilities, older adults, and immigrants, leaving no one behind. The term 'accessible content publishing' refers to the generation of information that can be used by people from a population with the widest range of user needs, characteristics, and capabilities. The project encompasses bachelor's, master's, and PhD programs or courses at European universities that focus on communication and include modules such as communication leadership and management, communication strategy, public relations, digital communication, media, and marketing, among others. The EU's Web Accessibility Directive obliges public sector websites and apps to comply with accessibility requirements. However, most digital content is still not accessible to all users.