Carlos Duarte, LASIGE’s integrated researcher and leader of the Inclusive Human-Computer Interaction research line, participated in the final meeting of the COST Action LEAD-ME, which took place on 25 September in Brussels, Belgium. The event focused on promoting media accessibility for individuals with disabilities throughout Europe.

The meeting brought together participants from the LEAD-ME Action with key stakeholders, including Members of the European Parliament, Representatives from the European Disability Forum, and Media figures from organisations such as TV2 Scole, RBB, and the European Broadcasting Union. The event highlighted the slogan “Nothing about us without us”, emphasizing the importance of involving people with disabilities in decision-making processes that affect them.

A high-profile panel discussion featuring MEP Katrin Langensiepen, Yngvar NordBerg from TV2 Skole, Rahel Luder from the European Broadcasting Union, Alejandro Moledo from the European Disability Forum, and Carlos Duarte from LASIGE addressed key issues. The panel explored topics such as strategies for the European Commission and European Parliament to enhance accessibility, the specific challenges encountered by disabled people and potential solutions to overcome those challenges, approaches to improve the quality and quantity of media coverage, and the role of academia in research in ensuring the uptake of accessible technology by the society at large.

The most notable output of LEAD-ME is the publication of the open-access book “Transforming Media Accessibility in Europe”, edited by Ann Marcus-Quinn, Krzysztof Krejtz and Carlos Duarte. This book explores media accessibility from various perspectives, including legal, technological, psychological, and societal viewpoints. It covers topics ranging from legal frameworks and new technologies to practical applications in education, culture, and smart city development.