"Accessibility Workshops: Social Media Accessibility" Online Trainings Continue following the Opening Ceremony and Initial Training.

 The Ministry continues to expand the scope of the "Accessibility Workshops", organized with different themes since 2021 to increase the level of knowledge and awareness for the dissemination of accessibility practices. Within this framework, an important training series is being initiated by addressing the issue of "Accessibility of Social Media", one of the most important tools in "accessing information". The opening ceremony and the first training of the training series, brought to the public agenda for the first time with the aim of ensuring accessible posts on social media platforms by public institutions and organizations, was held on May 30, 2024.

All 3 of the online trainings were completed. The trainings were attended first by the employees of the press departments and social media managers of the General Directorates and then by governorships, district governorships and provincial organizations of the ministries.

    The Opening Ceremony and the initial training was held on May 30, 2024 at the State Council Training Facility with the press advisors and press teams of ministries and institutions. Dr. Yasin AKAR, Director General of Services for Persons with Disabilities and the Elderly, participated in the opening program and stated in his speech he hoped that the training on the accessibility of social media, which was discussed for the first time in the country, would lead to good services and that he believed that this study would make important contributions to everyone, regardless of disability and age, for persons to use their rights to access information.

   Steps Taken to Create and Disseminate a Culture of Accessibility

Emphasizing the expression "Accessibility is for all!", Dr. AKAR stated that the Ministry continued to work intensively and comprehensively to make accessibility widespread in the country: "Initial and fundamental regulations are made in the legislation. In 2005, with the Law on Persons with Disabilities, it has been made compulsory that buildings be opened to public use, open spaces such as sidewalks, pedestrian crossings, parks, public transportation vehicles and information and communication systems be accessible. In cooperation with the Turkish Standards Institute (TSE), the Ministry has prepared the national standards determining how the applications will be carried out. The Ministry has established Monitoring and Evaluation Commissions for Accessibility under the coordination of governorships in every province by issuing sanctions for the realization of legal obligations. It has been ensured that public institutions and private service providers accelerate their accessible practices thanks to the audits that have been continuing regularly since 2013. The Ministry has given an “Accessibility Certificate” to 3470 buildings, open spaces and public transport vehicles that are found to be accessible during the inspections.” .

Noting that the Ministry took implementation, training and awareness activities to the next level with the declaration of 2020 as the "Year of Accessibility" by H.E. Recep Tayyip ERDOĞAN, President of the Republic of Türkiye, Dr. Yasin AKAR continued his speech as follows: "In 2020 Accessibility Year, "Accessibility Awards" were organized. This year, "Accessibility Guide" and "Accessibility Animation" have been prepared and presented to the service of all designers. Instructional videos as an introduction to Turkish Sign Language are published by the Ministry of National Education on EBAtv and eba.gov.tr within the distance education program, and then sign language courses have started to be taught as a continuous course by the Ministry of National Education. Accessibility Evaluation Module-ERDEM, which enables self-assessment to make buildings accessible, has been launched."

He stated that "Accessibility Themed Competitions" were organized in the categories of poetry, painting and short film to raise awareness of primary, middle and high school children and young persons on the subject.  In 2021, Dr. Yasin AKAR stated that with the concept of "Accessibility Workshops" initiated in 2021, studies to increase the level of knowledge and awareness continued and said, "The Ministry has reached different units of municipalities in 71 workshops under the titles of 'Sidewalks', 'Pedestrian Crossings' and 'Stops', 'City Parks', 'Public Restrooms'."

Prof. Dr. Yasin AKAR said, "The Ministry has accelerated efforts on "information services as well as information and communication technologies", which have an important place in the accessibility agenda, during the past few years. In this context, the accessibility of websites and mobile applications continues to be a key focus of the efforts undertaken by the Ministry. The Ministry has organized "Web Accessibility Trainings" under the concept of "Accessibility Workshops" since 2021. In these workshops, training on web standards is provided. To date, 16 workshops have been completed. A Circular on the accessibility of websites and mobile applications is in preparation. The "Websites Accessibility Checklist" will also be included in the annex. The Ministry aims for this legislation to be a guide for all public institutions”.

“There is no doubt that when we ensure the accessibility of social media, we will also ensure that everyone has equal opportunities in the digital world. Accessibility is for All!"

Dr. Yasin AKAR underlined that web accessibility, subtitling applications, audio description and sign language interpretation were studied as separate areas of expertise in the country, and with the training initiated today, the issues were brought together for the first time in the country under the title of "accessibility of social media" and brought to the public agenda, and continued as follows.  “I hope that the trainings, in which it is aimed to ensure that accessible posts are made by public institutions on social media platforms, will make a great contribution to the spread of accessibility culture in the country. With these feelings, I hope that the training program will be instrumental in good services, and I would like to thank the trainers taking part in the program, you, esteemed institution representatives and everyone who contributed”.

 Following the Opening Ceremony, full-day face-to-face training was provided by expert academics for the participants. In the program, trainings on Introduction to social media accessibility, content, structure, visuals, introduction to multimedia, detailed subtitling in social media, audio description and voice over, and turkish sign language use and applications were held.

 The training on June 10 will be attended by representatives of governorships, district governorships and provincial institutions of ministries in all provinces, and the final training on June 11 will be attended by the press units of universities.