E- Learning and Accessibility for Cultural Heritage

The paper describes the results of two innovative projects, in the field of Cultural Heritage, carried on by HOC (http://hoc.elet.polimi.it) the multidisciplinary Laboratory of the Politecnico di Milano Department of Electronics and Information: SEE (advanced e-learning) and WED (accessibility to the web for blind users). SEE (Shrine Educational Experience; www.seequmran.it) project, the result of cooperation between Politecnico and the Israel Museum of Jerusalem, provides an educational experience concerning the Dead Sea Scrolls and related issues. Students of different classes meet in a 3D world, shared over the Internet, to discuss, learn and play together in an engaging intercultural exchange, creating bonds and understanding between different cultures. WED addresses the issue of accessibility to the Web for visually impaired users. The assumption is that the interaction between a human being and a machine can be compared to a sort of dialogue: studying its features and comparing them with efficient natural dialogues, it is possible to develop design guidelines in order to switch the interaction from the visual to the oral channel.