Title: Pushing the limits of service-oriented architecture and introducing accessibility terms into a public educational web interaction environment

Authors: Konstantinos Votis, Christos Alexakos, Spiridon Likothanassis, Dimtrios Tzovaras

Addresses: Pattern Recognition Laboratory, Computer Engineering and Informatics, University of Patras, Rio 26500, Patras, Greece. ' Pattern Recognition Laboratory, Computer Engineering and Informatics, University of Patras, Rio 26500, Patras, Greece. ' Pattern Recognition Laboratory, Computer Engineering and Informatics, University of Patras, Rio 26500, Patras, Greece. ' Centre for Research and Technology Hellas, Informatics and Telematics Institute, 6th Klm. Charilaou – Thermi Road, P.O. Box 60361 GR – 570 01, Thessaloniki, Greece

Abstract: The ever-increasing adoption of software technologies in government departments can bring closer services and information to citizens. However, because the amount of information in public administrations is huge and relies mostly on traditional systems, the information is often inaccessible. We present a web interaction environment based on an Educational Ontological Modelling Framework (EOMF) that has been implemented in order for Greek educational administrations to network. The proposed environment which assures a coherent integration is able to provide functionalities that enable (1) staff users to perform intelligent administrative decisions and (2) citizens (with activity limitations or not) to receive appropriate information and knowledge about the location of public school buildings and specific accessibility instructions for them. Based on this framework, we have expressed the implicit model of current educational processes in the Greek educational system and we propose a very promising experimental study to also be adapted from other educational governmental departments.

Keywords: service-oriented architecture; SOA; ontologies; accessibility; electronic learning; e-learning; electronic government; e-government; online learning; web interaction; educational ontological modelling; Greece.

DOI: 10.1504/IJKL.2008.022889

International Journal of Knowledge and Learning, 2008 Vol.4 No.6, pp.567 - 582

Published online: 31 Jan 2009 *

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