A paradigm change led to a range of important law initiatives. While for many years a welfare approach determined the legislation for disabled people in the meanwhile civil rights prevail the laws and initiatives. In this context high importance is attached to barrier-free access including information technologies and also to the use of electronic assistive devices. This becomes obvious in political statements, laws and a range of initiatives and measures in an implicit but also in an explicit way. In the draft bill of the anti-discrimination bill a political strategy for anti-discrimination is anchored for the first time. This was demanded from organisations of disabled people for a long time.
The importance of speeding up Germany's way towards an Information Society and of facilitating the access to the ICTs for all societal groups now is a central element in the political discussion on Federal, Laender and local level. Federal government also intends to prevent a digital divide in Germany and therefore pursues a policy on supporting all citizens to take an active part in economical and social life. Target group of various initiatives and projects is the so called societal group of disadvantaged people in general. Altogether one could say that a variety of initiatives and projects has been initiated with the objective of meeting the problem of information-exclusion.
In 1994 the fundamental law of the Federal Republic of Germany (Grundgesetz, GG) was changed in such a way that a sentence was added to article 3 which said, that nobody may be discriminated because of his or her disability.
Another important law for the integration of disabled people was launched in October 2000: The law for the prevention of unemployment for severely handicapped people (Gesetz zur Bekämpfung der Arbeitslosigkeit Schwerbehinderter (SchwbBAG)). Manifold measurements like better recruitment conditions, the development of in-house prevention, better information, consulting services and co-operation with relevant cost units lead to a welcomed development that the number of unemployed severely handicapped people could be decreased.
In Germany there are further laws regulating the rights of disabled people. The draft bill for a 'Law for Mainstreaming Handicapped people' has the aim to eliminate the discrimination of disabled people and regulates the life without barriers. Within the framework of the initiative "Internet für Alle" there is an action called "Internet without barriers" which is especially addressed to disabled people in Germany. Different actions were carried out in order to help disabled people getting access to the internet. The liability for the employment of disabled people pushes indirectly the usage of IT.
In principal all ex-ante listed ICT, which are available in Germany can be financed in the frame of the German legislation. The systems and adaptations have to fulfil the condition of compensating a hindrance and fulfil the purpose of social, health-related or vocational rehabilitation of disabled people. Supposition for financial support often is a special notification about the approval of being disabled. Only adaptations which compensate a disability are normally reimbursable. Conflicts with the cost unions can arise, if a general-purpose ICT will be used for rehabilitative matters.
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