Government of Canada Launches Call for Proposals to Improve Accessibility

Organizations can now apply for funding for projects that will create or enhance accessibility for people with disabilities in Canadian communities through the Government of Canada’s Enabling Accessibility Fund.

Dr. Kellie Leitch, Parliamentary Secretary to the Honourable Diane Finley, Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development, today invited organizations to submit funding applications for small projects. These may include renovations, construction and retrofitting of buildings, modification of vehicles for community use or enhancements to make information and communication technologies more accessible.

“The Government of Canada recognizes the abilities of all Canadians and is committed to removing barriers for people with disabilities,” said Dr. Leitch. “Through the Enabling Accessibility Fund, our Government is improving access to facilities, activities and services to enable all Canadians to participate more fully in society.”

Eligible organizations can submit applications until October 5, 2012, and can receive up to $50,000 per project.

Dr. Leitch also highlighted four Enabling Accessibility Fund projects in New Brunswick that were selected for funding through the 2011 call for proposals: Community Industries Employment Vocational Association, in Woodstock, to construct an entrance vestibule to increase safe access at their facility; Restigouche Community Business Development Corporation, to install an elevator at their facility; Club d’âge d’or de Shemogue, to replace a ramp, widen a door and improve lighting for their recreation centre; and Le Phare des services communautaires, in McIntosh Hill, to install an exterior ramp, automated door openers and accessible door handles and to create an accessible washroom.

To find out how to apply for funding or for more information about the Fund, visit www.hrsdc.gc.ca/disability or call 1-866-268-2502.

Source: GAATES

Verizon Introduces Mobile Accessibility App for Users with Visual Impairment

Verizon Wireless on August 17 announced a suite of services for Verizon Wireless Android™ smartphones running Android 2.2 or higher to help customers who are blind or have low vision perform ordinary wireless tasks in a simple, intuitive way.  Mobile Accessibility is a suite of 10 accessibility apps, from speech recognition to text-to-speech technology, and offers customers who are blind an innovative way to use their smartphones.

The Mobile Accessibility suite, running on the nation’s largest 4G LTE network and largest, most reliable 3G network, features intuitive touch screen navigation, speech recognition and voice synthesis powered by Nuance’s Vocalizer® text-to-speech technology, as well as Braille output.  Customers get automatic access to all of the features once the app is downloaded and do not have to launch each app individually from within the suite.

To experience the full functionality of their Android smartphones, customers can use the touch QWERTY keyboard with voice synthesis or the voice recognition technology to perform a variety of tasks, including:

• Phone: Make calls, answer calls, hear the caller ID and manage call log
• Contacts: Manage contacts, even those from social networks
• SMS: Compose and read text messages
• Alarms: Set alarms
• Web: Full Web-browsing experience with the ability to navigate faster to content of choice (links, paragraphs, headings, forms, etc.) and bookmark favorite webpages
• Calendar: Create, edit and delete a calendar entry
• Email: Compose and send emails
• Where am I?: GPS app that gives updates on current location
• Settings: Change ringtone; configure feedback and notifications (vibration or audio); configure keyboard echo, punctuation verbosity, speech pitch and rate, etc.
• Quick access: Locate date and time, phone status information such as battery level and network coverage, number of missed calls and unread messages, etc.

Customers can download Mobile Accessibility in Verizon Apps under Productivity and Tools > Utilities on Android smartphones with operating systems Android 2.2 or higher.  There is no charge to download the app, but a Verizon Wireless data plan is required and usage may count towards a customer’s data allowance.

For more information about Mobile Accessibility, please visitwww.aboutus.verizonwireless.com/accessibility/index.html.

For more information, visit www.verizonwireless.com

Source: GAATES

Call for Proposals for Accessible Mobile Applications

The Wireless RERC is now inviting experienced developers to submit proposals for 2012-13 financial support to develop assistive and/or accessibility apps for mobile platforms (e.g., Android, Blackberry 10, iOS, Windows Phone).

Developers may also request partial funding for apps that already enjoy partial support from other sources, or for adaptation of existing apps to additional platforms.  Completed apps will be released through the appropriate mainstream marketplace (App Store, Blackberry App World, Google Play, Nokia OVI Store, or Windows Phone Marketplace), or through the RERC’s App Factory.

For more information, visit App Factory 2012-13.pdf

Source: GAATES

Accessible, Affordable Housing Steadily Out of Reach for Disabled Persons

Persons with disabilities face a significant problem – the lack of affordable, accessible housing. Approximately 54 million Americans have at least one disability, constituting the largest minority group in the nation. And persons with disabilities often spend a disproportionate share of their income to secure housing that is both safe and suitably accessible.

Federal guidelines define housing as “affordable” if total costs, including rent/mortgage, utilities, insurance and taxes, don’t exceed 30 percent of a renter’s or homeowner’s household income. Individuals currently eligible for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) in California receive $854.40 per month, while couples receive $1,444.20. Under the 30 percent housing affordability guidelines, an individual living solely on SSI should pay no more than $256.32 per month for housing and a couple no more than $433.26. With this in mind, affordable housing is nearly impossible for people with disabilities to find and thousands and thousands of names are on waiting lists throughout the state.

“The reality is that most all of us will experience a disability within our lifetime, which may prompt the need for affordable, accessible housing,” said Bob Hand, Executive Director of Resources for Independence, Central Valley. “However, for people with permanent disabilities, the need is “now” and affordable housing resources simply aren’t available.”

Affordability is just one problem. Accessibility also is a challenge. Several California communities are trying to address the lack of accessibility by, among other things, adopting the state’s Universal Design Model Ordinance. The intent of the ordinance is to increase opportunities for persons with temporary, developing or permanent disabilities to “age in place.”

“Trying to decipher the maze of information and resources can be overwhelming,” said Hand, “and that’s where independent living centers (ILCs) come into play. ILCs provide a number of services to persons with disabilities, including educating them about housing options as well as assisting them in negotiating rents and working with landlords. But more needs to be done.”

According to experts in the industry, education is the key to making a difference. Individuals need to be made aware of programs and agencies that are working with lenders, housing authorities and service providers in creating innovative housing options, such as “smart-home” technology, within their locale. Experts also believe it’s imperative for persons with disabilities to talk to elected leaders about their real-life experiences and the need for policies that improve affordability and accessibility.

“We are committed to supporting people living with disabilities in getting their voices heard,” said Elsa Quezada, Chair of the California State Independent Living Council. “By providing people with timely and pertinent information, training and education, we can arm them with the tools they need   to live independently and not take “no” for an answer.”

The California State Independent Living Council is an independent state agency which, in cooperation with the California State Department of Rehabilitation, prepares and monitors the State Plan for Independent Living. SILC solicits continual public feedback on the effectiveness of independent living services and coordinates with similar agencies and councils at the state and federal levels to increase communication and help assure that services to persons with disabilities are delivered effectively.

Source: California State Independent Living Council, GAATES

Robotic Suit Helps Poeple with Disabilities Walk Again

Ekso Bionics on August 9 announced that it has begun shipping an upgraded version of Ekso™, the bionic suit that powers people with spinal cord injuries and pathologies up to get them standing up and walking again. Each Ekso now comes equipped with three new walking modes for progressive rehabilitation options, in addition to EksoPulse™, a wireless networked usage monitor.

Ekso, the battery-powered robot suit.

Ekso is a ready-to-wear, battery-powered bionic suit – or exoskeleton – that is strapped over the user’s clothing.

The device transfers its 45 lb. load directly to the ground, so the patient doesn’t bear the weight. Each Ekso can be adjusted in a few minutes to fit most people weighing 220 pounds or less, and between 5’2” and 6’2”, with at least partial upper body strength. The patient provides the balance and proper body positioning, and Ekso facilitates walking over ground with reciprocal gait.

“With this upgrade, clinicians using Ekso can now empower their patients even more by teaching them to control the suit autonomously, thereby giving them greater independence,” said Eythor Bender, Ekso Bionics’ CEO.

“As the patient gains confidence and familiarity with walking, Ekso now permits them to graduate to a next level, and then another,” explained Darrell Musick, clinical director at Ekso Bionics. “This comfortable experience-based progression allows for sequentially- increased freedom and better control. The patients love it.”

Ekso Bionics – headquartered in Richmond, California with offices in London, UK – is a designer and maker of bionic suits.

Source: GAATES

Adobe Released New Standard for PDF Accessibility

Adobe releases new standard for PDF accessibility after many years of work on August 7, 2012 publication of ISO Standard 14289-1, better known as PDF/UA, marks one of the most significant developments in the evolution of the popular and widely used Portable Document Format (PDF).

The publication and availability of PDF/UA will encourage the production of PDF files that are more consistently accessible to persons with disabilities.

Initially referred to as PDF/Access in 2004 by the AIIM standards committee, PDF/UA was conceived in response to the proliferation of PDF documents that were valid according to the PDF specification, but were insufficiently accessible to persons with disabilities. To meet the needs of the widest possible audience, the producers and viewers of PDF content needed a common standard.

The main PDF standard, ISO 32000, already defines the format’s accessibility features. What PDF/UA does is to clarify and demonstrate how those features should be used, for both producing and consuming PDF documents.Also, any features which are allowed in ISO 32000 but which inhibit accessibility are prohibited in PDF/UA.

It’s important to note that PDF/UA is neither a spec to measure PDF content, like the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), nor an everyday authoring guide. It focuses on giving developers of PDF authoring tools and viewers, as well as vendors of assistive technologies that support PDF, critical information on how to build and present PDF content more accessibly. The goal is to make accessible PDFs easy to author and use, however they are produced. While PDF/UA contains great information for authors on how to meet the needs of users with disabilities (and also to address most WCAG success criteria), much of that work should really be done by tools and read by assistive technology, so PDF/UA support will mean authors do less work and get more accessible content.

If you are interested in PDF accessibility and PDF/UA, here’s two suggestions for you to learn more:

• View our training materials for Acrobat and PDF accessibility. These resources offer information about how to use Acrobat to produce or repair PDF files for accessibility. WCAG Techniques for PDF are also available and provide useful information for authors looking to meet WCAG 2.0.
• Check out the PDF/UA standard. The document itself can be purchased directly from ISO (You don’t have to buy this standard if you just want to author accessible PDF files. However, you should encourage authoring tool makers, PDF viewer makers, and AT vendors to buy it, read it, and support it.)

 Source: Adobe, GAATES

Affordable Housing Becoming Less Accessible for People with Disabilities

Persons with disabilities face a significant problem – the lack of affordable, accessible housing. Approximately 54 million Americans have at least one disability, constituting the largest minority group in the nation. And persons with disabilities often spend a disproportionate share of their income to secure housing that is both safe and suitably accessible.

Federal guidelines define housing as “affordable” if total costs, including rent/mortgage, utilities, insurance and taxes, don’t exceed 30 percent of a renter’s or homeowner’s household income. Individuals currently eligible for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) in California receive $854.40 per month, while couples receive $1,444.20. Under the 30 percent housing affordability guidelines, an individual living solely on SSI should pay no more than $256.32 per month for housing and a couple no more than $433.26. With this in mind, affordable housing is nearly impossible for people with disabilities to find and thousands and thousands of names are on waiting lists throughout the state.

“The reality is that most all of us will experience a disability within our lifetime, which may prompt the need for affordable, accessible housing,” said Bob Hand, Executive Director of Resources for Independence, Central Valley. “However, for people with permanent disabilities, the need is “now” and affordable housing resources simply aren’t available.”

Affordability is just one problem. Accessibility also is a challenge. Several California communities are trying to address the lack of accessibility by, among other things, adopting the state’s Universal Design Model Ordinance. The intent of the ordinance is to increase opportunities for persons with temporary, developing or permanent disabilities to “age in place.”

“Trying to decipher the maze of information and resources can be overwhelming,” said Hand, “and that’s where independent living centers (ILCs) come into play. ILCs provide a number of services to persons with disabilities, including educating them about housing options as well as assisting them in negotiating rents and working with landlords. But more needs to be done.”

According to experts in the industry, education is the key to making a difference. Individuals need to be made aware of programs and agencies that are working with lenders, housing authorities and service providers in creating innovative housing options, such as “smart-home” technology, within their locale. Experts also believe it’s imperative for persons with disabilities to talk to elected leaders about their real-life experiences and the need for policies that improve affordability and accessibility.

“We are committed to supporting people living with disabilities in getting their voices heard,” said Elsa Quezada, Chair of the California State Independent Living Council. “By providing people with timely and pertinent information, training and education, we can arm them with the tools they need   to live independently and not take “no” for an answer.”

The California State Independent Living Council is an independent state agency which, in cooperation with the California State Department of Rehabilitation, prepares and monitors the State Plan for Independent Living. SILC solicits continual public feedback on the effectiveness of independent living services and coordinates with similar agencies and councils at the state and federal levels to increase communication and help assure that services to persons with disabilities are delivered effectively.

Source: California State Independent Living Council, GAATES