EDF hosted a joint online event with Oracle on 11 September 2025 to discuss the practical implementation of accessibility in ICT products and services. The chat took place between:
- Chuck Adams, Senior Principal of Accessibility Standards at Oracle Accessibility Program Office.
- Catherine Naughton, Executive Director of the European Disability Forum.
Summary
Conclusions from the meeting included:
- Accessibility must be more than a checklist point, and become a sustained practice within companies and organisations.
- Legislative advances such as the European Accessibility Act are important and it is recommended that organisations actively participate in the development of standards and practices.
- It is essential to work closely with persons with disabilities and their representative organisations, especially when developing emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence.
Legislative advances
Daniel Casas, The Forum’s Accessibility Officer and moderator of the event, set the scene by explaining recent developments in terms of accessibility law:
- Entry into application of the European Accessibility Act
- Upcoming revision of the European Electronic Communications Code and the Audiovisual Media Services Directive.
- Negotiations for the next EU Budget 2028-2034.
- Second phase of the EU Strategy for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities 2021-2030.
Implementing accessibility successfully
The speakers recognised that legislation is only the start of the accessibility journey.
Chuck Adams shared his experience at Oracle. He highlighted that accessibility is not only about checklists and technical fixes, but about a sustained approach inside the company. From Oracle’s side, this includes:
- participation in the development of accessibility standards;
- adoption of internal accessibility practices;
- training of staff;
- user testing and feedback;
- cooperation with organisations of persons with disabilities.
Catherine Naughton shared the perspective of organisations of persons with disabilities and complemented Chuck’s points by referring to the:
- importance of a dedicated budget;
- need for a diverse workforce;
- awareness of accessibility as a driver of innovation, creating a better experience for all users.
Catherine asked how long Oracle has been involved with accessibility, and Chuck answered that Oracle is celebrating 25 years of accessibility at Oracle.
Cooperation with organisations of persons with disabilities
Chuck shared the benefits of cooperating with the disability community, including direct user insights on the current needs and potential solutions. He described Oracle’s cooperation with the U.S National Federation of the Blind, the Hearing Loss Association of America and the European Disability Forum.
European Accessibility Act (EAA)
The speakers then focused on the European Accessibility Act, as most provisions entered into application this year. This means that many new products and services must become accessible.
Catherine stressed how important this legislation is for persons with disabilities. She shared:
- The Forum’s work to support our members during the transposition of the Act into national laws.
- Our call to create an EU Accessibility Agency
- Concerns about the current gaps in the law, especially regarding accessibility of transport and the built environment.
Chuck explained how companies like Oracle implement accessibility legislation. More specifically, he talked about Oracle’s accessibility journey, and Volunteer product accessibility templates (information about the accessibility features of Oracle’s products and services).
Artificial Intelligence
The two speakers concluded the ‘fireside chat’ by discussing Artificial Intelligence and its impact on the disability community.
Chuck provided practical examples of how Artificial Intelligence can remove barriers for persons with disabilities. He specified AI speech services, including those that can translate speech into text and vice versa.
Catherine explained the main positions from the disability community:
- Need to prohibit systems that can discriminate against persons with disabilities, such as those used in employment, education or access to social benefits.
- Need for accessibility of AI systems, so they do not create new barriers for persons with disabilities.
Discussion with participants
The event ended with participants taking the floor to highlight several points, including
- Co-creation in the design of products and services;
- AI as a tool to improve but not replace existing services;
- Economic costs that come with inaccessibility;
- Mainstreaming of accessibility in general education.