At some point, everyone needs accessible services, either for themselves, friends or relatives, but do not know where to easily find this information. Addressing this recurring difficulty is among the goals of the Foundation for Information Technology Accessibility (FITA), as part of our objective to continue to improve the quality of life of persons with disability.

We created a free crowd sourced platform named SPOT, where anyone seeking information concerning service quality and accessibility of venues across Malta and Gozo, can easily do so. More importantly they can add more information and share their own experience.

1) Funding partners
a) The Malta Information Technology Agency (MITA)
b) The Vodafone Malta Foundation
c) The Office of the Prime Minister - Financial Services and Identity

2) The Data providers
a) The Commission for the Rights of Persons with Disbality (CRPD)
b) The Malta Tourism Authority
c) Heritage Malta
d) Local Councils
e) The public in general, including you.

We designed SPOT to be inclusive and cater for everyone and not only for persons with disability. SPOT does not simply flag venues as accessible or inaccessible, since everyone’s accessibility needs may be different. User reviews within SPOT, implement a rating algorithm which converts simple Yes and NO answers, to a five star rating for service quality and accessibility. By using SPOT to gather information about accessibility, you need feel less weary about what to expect when visiting new venues.

This is equally valuable to big and small businesses that wish to promote their accessibility efforts and associated services. Through SPOT, they can share this information more directly with the different audiences that can benefit from it most.

The SPOT Accessibility Statement is accessible at http://www.fitamalta.eu/projects/the%20spot%20project/

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Tul ħajjitna, kulħadd jiġi bżonn servizzi aċċessibli, jek mhux għalina nfusna, għall-ħbieb jew nies li jiġu minna. Spiss ma nkunux nafu fejn ser niksbu dan it-tagħrif. Huwa wieħed mill-għanijiet tal-Foundation for Information Technology Accessibility (FITA) li nneħħu dan in-nuqqas sabiex nkomplu ntejbu l-kwalita’ tal-ħajja ta’ persuni b’diżabilita’.

Ħloqna pjattaforma li mżewqa mill-pubbliku li semmejna SPOT. Permezz tagħha, kull min jixtieq jikseb tgħarif dwar kwalita’ w aċċessibilita’ tas-servizz dwar postijiet differenti madwar Malta w Għawdex, b’mod faċli. Jistgħu wkoll iżidu aktar informazzjoni w jaqsmu l-esperjenzi tagħhom.

1) Msieħba li ħallsu għall-proġett
a) The Malta Information Technology Agency (MITA)
b) The Vodafone Malta Foundation
c) L-Uffiċju tal-Priministru – Servizzi Finanzjarji w Identita’

2) Msieħba li jiprovdu l-informazzjoni
a) The Commission for the Rights of Persons with Disbality (CRPD)
b) The Malta Tourism Authority
c) Heritage Malta
d) Kunsilli Lokali
e) Il-pubbliku in ġenerali, inkluż inti.

Iddisinjajna SPOT biex ikun inklużżiv w jaħseb għal firxa wiesgħa ta’ nies, mhux biss persuni b’diżabilita’. SPOT ma jimmarkax post bħala sempliċement aċċessibli jew mhux, għax n-natura w livelll ta’ aċċessibilita meħtieġa tvarja minn persuna għal persuna. Kummenti w marki li tħalli fuq SPOT jużaw sistema, fejn mistoqsijiet li twieġeb b’Iva je Le, jinqelbu f’punteġġ bi skala ta’ ħames stilel, dwar kwalita’s ta’ servizz u tipi differenti ta’ aċċessibilita’. Meta tuża’ SPOT biex tikseb tgħarif dwar l-aċċessibilita’, mgħandekx għalfejn tibqa tinkwieta dwar x’ser issib ma wiċċek meta żżur postijiet ġodda.

Dan huwa tajjeb wkoll għall-kummerċjanti kbar u żagħar, li jixtiequ jħabbru l-inizjattivi li jkunu wettqu favur aktar aċċessibilita’ w s-servizzi tagħhom. Permezz ta’ SPOT, jistgħu jaqsmu din l-informazzjoni b’mod aktar dirett man-nies li l-aktar jistgħu igawdu minnha.

Id-dikjarazjoni ta’ Accessibilita’ dwar SPOT tinsab fuq http://www.fitamalta.eu/projects/the%20spot%20project/