In September 1997, leaders from Maine State government, business, education, and the non-profit community gathered for the conference, Maximizing Economic Potential. They set out to explore how Maine can develop the information technologies the state needs to be globally competitive. Sponsored by the MaineCITE Coordinating Center and the Maine Department of Education, the conference looked at how government and education can lead the way in ensuring that information technologies accommodate differing needs and provide access for everyone. The following Ten Guiding Principles of Universal Access to Information are a result of that conference 1.
All citizens have a right to access Maine's information resources.
To achieve and maintain independence in a changing world, every citizen needs information that is usable, understandable, and affordable. Maine State government's facilities, technologies, and services that are sources of information must be designed to provide universal access. By incorporating universal design, information systems can accommodate the many different individuals see, hear, talk, move, and think. Universal design of Maine's information resources has the potential to benefits all citizens. An information system that is accessible to everyone is essential for Maine to be globally competitive.