Rule 1 addresses the issue of awareness raising. This involves the awareness of the government, of the general public and of persons with disabilities themselves. It involves understanding which problems exist and who should be responsible for addressing them.
There are several elements to improving levels of awareness. The first is the provision of information about the issues. In the case of the Internet, it means telling how the Internet can benefit persons with disabilities and what are the current obstacles to using it.
The second is mainstreaming disability issues in education. The school curriculum has to include undertanding of disability, and teachers have to be trained to present this.
There have to be efforts at consciousness raising through mass media and the work of non-governmental organizations.
