Students Provide Practical Insights for Lebenshilfe Austria

But what does that mean specifically for people with intellectual disabilities? Students explored this question as part of a course in the Public & Nonprofit Management specialization in cooperation with Lebenshilfe Austria.

A particularly effective method: The students conducted one-on-one sessions with people affected by these challenges, sat down with them at a computer or smartphone, and systematically documented the barriers they encountered when using real websites and online stores. They also documented the extent to which the legally mandated complaint procedure is practically usable for those affected. Supplemented by a legal analysis and supervised by course instructor Michaela Neumayr, they derived concrete recommendations for practical action: recommendations on how to raise awareness of the complaint procedure, how those affected can make better use of it—and which requirements regarding comprehensibility, readability, and technical accessibility of websites are still frequently not met.

In time for the first anniversary of the Accessibility Act on June 28, 2026, this project clearly demonstrates how university teaching addresses relevant issues and creates tangible benefits. Many thanks to the students for their outstanding commitment!

https://lebenshilfe.at/aktuelles/news/barrierefreiheitsgesetz/