YouTube Channel Highlights Technology for Deaf People

YouTube has a new channel called DeafTechNews that features short videos on how deaf people can use mainstream technology, news about captioning and relay, etc.


Source: www.atcoalition.org

Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission Studies Telecom Technology for the Disabled

The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission is taking further steps to improve telecommunications services for Canadians with hearing and speech disabilities.

Canada’s telecom regulator announced Friday that it is conducting a detailed study into video relay services, which enables people to use sign language rather than typed text, to communicate over the telephone.

 “Text relay services available nationwide meet the needs of the vast majority of people with such disabilities. However, people with disabilities who use a sign language as their first or primary language have submitted that video relay, a sign-language service, would better meet their needs,” the CRTC said in a press release.

“The CRTC has decided that further study is required to better understand the different projections regarding use and cost of the service.”

In particular, the CRTC said it is trying clarify “discrepancies” between two reports submitted by BCE Inc.  and Telus Corp.  “regarding the projected use and cost of video relay service.” BCE and Telus conducted separate studies on the issue.

As part of its assessment, the CRTC also plans to probe international programs, while examining new technologies designed to make telecom services more accessible for consumers with hearing and speech disabilities.

This latest “fact-finding” mission flows from the regulator’s 2009 commitment to make communications services easier to use for the more than four million Canadians living with disabilities.

In February, the CRTC announced it was conducting a three-month trial that will use text messaging to improve the accessibility of 911 emergency services for people with hearing or speech disabilities.

That trial project was the result of a collaboration by public safety experts, telecom companies and individuals with hearing and speech disabilities following the regulator’s accessibility decision in 2009.

Source: http://www.theglobeandmail.com

50 Great Resources for Using iPads in Classrooms

ZDNet posted a great collection of tutorials, lesson plans, and apps that illustrate integration of the iPad in the classroom.


Source: Accessible Technology Coalition

Firefox Accessibility Add-ons

Here is a list of 29 Accessibility add-ons for Mozilla's popular web browser Firefox. If you use Firefox, try some of these add-ons to improve your web-browsing experience. If you don't use Firefox but like the add-ons, download Firefox and try some of them out!

https://addons.mozilla.org/en-us/firefox/collections/-Ken-Saunders-/accessibility/?page=1

Apps for the Deaf and Hearing Impaired

Every day the iPhone is helping people live better lives. We have found some amazing apps that are focused on helping those who are deaf or hard of hearing communicate, network, and enjoy entertainment more.


Please see this link for more information:
http://appadvice.com/applists/show/apps-for-the-deaf

Source: AppAdvice.com

W3C Mobile Accessibility Online Symposium

W3C, the Web Accessibility Initiative, will host an online Mobile Accessibility Symposium on June 25, 2012.

Mobile devices are becoming increasingly important and are already the primary form of accessing the Web in many parts of the world. However, persons with disabilities experience many difficulties when they access the web with mobile devices.
The symposium will discuss the accessibility of mobile devices and “aims to bring researchers and practitioners together to discuss these challenges and possible solutions, and develop a road map for future research and development in the field.”
W3C has also issued a call for papers relating to current mobile accessibility standards, technical challenges of accessibility, and new interaction models to enhance accessibility.

For more information, please visit Mobile Accessibility Online Symposium

By Aqeel Qureshi, www.globalaccessibilitynews.com

RIM Launches BlackBerry Screen Reader for Customers with Visual Impairments

May 7, 2012 -- Research In Motion (RIM) today launched BlackBerry® Screen Reader, a free software application that helps customers who are blind or visually impaired operate their BlackBerry® smartphone.
BlackBerry Screen Reader provides an audible output based on visual information displayed on a BlackBerry smartphone.
“We are excited to introduce BlackBerry Screen Reader as part of our suite of accessibility solutions for BlackBerry smartphones,” said Greg Fields, Senior Product Manager. “BlackBerry Screen Reader helps customers with visual impairments stay connected with the people and information that matter most to them, and is representative of RIM’s continuing commitment to support customers with disabilities.”
Key features of BlackBerry Screen Reader include:

• Support for core applications – Users can easily access core BlackBerry applications including email, calendar, phone calls and more.
• Speech settings – users can customize the text-to-speech settings (volume, pitch and speech rate) and preferences for punctuation, verbosity and password security.
• Keyboard shortcuts – Users can set speech and audio preferences quickly and easily through (physical) keyboard shortcuts
• Accessible documentation – User Guide available in accessible HTML through a desktop web browser.

BlackBerry Screen Reader is available now as a free download from www.blackberry.com/screenreader for the BlackBerry® Curve(TM) 9350, 9360 and 9370 smartphones. The application is available in English, French, Italian, German and Spanish.
For information about BlackBerry accessibility solutions for customers with disabilities, visit www.blackberry.com/accessibility.