ENCYCLOPEDIC EDITIONS AVAILABLE TO PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES: THE PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE

This paper presents a historical overview of encyclopedic works accessible to people with disabilities, the current situation and in-depth comparative analysis to determine which are the modern solutions that can be adapted to the needs encyclopedias such persons. Encyclopedias are transmitted summaries of knowledge to which the user can access in your home, in the workplace or through the Internet, without having to go to a distant library where you could spend a long time looking for the information. Throughout history encyclopedias are obijedinjavale entire world's knowledge, bringing it in the form of texts rich illustrations, maps, tables and bibliographic references. Consolidated global knowledge written on condensed and printed in several volumes. By using computers, information and communication technology encyclopedias are becoming more accessible and rich multimedia and interactive content. People with disabilities, particularly people with disabilities of sight to the emergence of computer, information and communication technology encyclopedias are used only with the help of others or following the intervention of others (printing in Braille). The first publicly available encyclopedia for the visually impaired is World Book Encyclopedia, published in Braille in 1961, and in 1980 published an encyclopedia in the form of voice recordings on cassette, accompanied by a reproducing apparatus, and indexation in Braille. New encyclopedic works in Croatia are now available online, published by the Lexicographic Institute "Miroslav Krleža". Proleksis encyclopedia and encyclopedia of Croatia are Croatian general and national online encyclopaedia in the Croatian language. They are available free of charge in the Croatian language, the editorial are monitored and open to external collaboration as well as the possibility of new communication. Besides Proleksis encyclopedias and Croatian Encyclopedia users are available various online encyclopedias, translations of foreign editions and Wikipedia on Croatian language. Integration of persons with disabilities in Croatia, and all Member States of the European Union, encouraged the lifelong learning. The electronic encyclopedia that is available online, open to external collaboration, allows people with disabilities to propose the necessary changes to current issues in order to appropriate information and accessibility to all users.