FCC's "Developing with Accessibility" Event - September 6-7

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC)’s Accessibility and Innovation Initiative (A&I) has planned an event called “Developing with Accessibility,” at the FCC’s headquarters on September 6 and 7, 2012.  The event is designed to spur increased collaboration on accessibility solutions among developers from industry, consumer, and government sectors.  The event will encourage the use of accessibility APIs (application programming interfaces), as well as publicly available data sets, in order to build accessible apps for mobile phones and websites.  A key objective is to promote the concept and practice of developing applications with regard for generally-accepted accessibility guidelines, thereby maximizing their usability for everyone, including persons with disabilities.

The event will offer training on development topics, in-person collaboration on programming projects, and professional networking among developers.  As important as the actual event itself will be collaborative activity in electronic spaces before, during, and after the event.  Rather than limit this to accomplishments that can be achieved during a single, in-person event, this Developer event is not intended to be an end in itself, but will instead serve as an organizing opportunity to create mechanisms for ongoing collaboration among developers who are interested in building accessible technology solutions.

It is also a goal of the A&I to make smart use of new media tools to create electronic spaces for such collaboration.  We encourage others to also activate online collaboration spaces associated with this effort.  To this end, we suggest use of a particular abbreviation, “DevAcc,” as an electronic tag that facilitates searching and coordination toward these objectives.

Please pre-register for the event by sending your name, affiliation, and contact information to devacc@fcc.gov by August 31, 2012. Also send disability accommodation requests to FCC504@fcc.gov.

If there are particular ways that you’d like to participate, or related activities that you’d like to inform us about, also feel free to write to devacc@fcc.gov.

The meeting site is fully accessible to people using wheelchairs or other mobility aids. Open captioning and assistive listening devices will be provided on site. Other reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities are available upon request. Include a description of the accommodation you will need and tell us how to contact you if we need more information. Make your request as early as possible. Last minute requests will be accepted, but may be impossible to fill. Send an e-mail to: fcc504@fcc.gov or call the Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau at 202-418-0530 (voice), 202-418-0432 (TTY).

The general session of the event will be webcast with open captioning at http://fcc.gov/live

IMPORTANT ACCESSIBILTY LINKS:

Accessibility and Innovation Initiative: http://www.broadband.gov/accessibilityandinnovation

Accessibility Clearinghouse: http://apps.fcc.gov/accessibilityclearinghouse/

Implementation of the Communications and Video Accessibility Act: http://transition.fcc.gov/cgb/dro/cvaa.html

For more information, visit http://fcc.gov/disability

Source: GAATES

New Program for the Blind Receives Prestigious Certification

Hawaii’s Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) and Services for the Blind Division has received national recognition for a unique training program called “New Visions,” which is offered to people who are blind and low vision.

In June 2012, the National Blindness Professional Certification Board (NBPCB) recertified Hawaii’s New Visions program as a Structured Discovery Cane Travel (SDCT) program.

Hawaii is one of only three state agencies to hold this prestigious certification. The others are Nebraska and New Mexico. There are three private certified centers in Louisiana, Colorado, and Minnesota.

”This is a rigorous certification process. I am pleased to say we passed with flying colors!” said Lea Grupen, Administrator of the Hoopono Branch, which oversees Hawaii’s New Visions Program. “Evaluators were complimentary of Hawaii’s center, staff and students, and to quote from their report,” she said, “It is training centers like yours that lend essential credibility to the Structured Discovery Process.”

Launched in November 2002, New Visions offers a curriculum of effective blindness skills, methods and techniques that lead to increased self-confidence, empowerment and competitive employment.

The curriculum includes classes in Braille (alternative communication), computer and assistive technology, orientation and mobility, personal and home management, and woodworking.

New Visions serves clients with a range of visual disabilities ranging from no light perception, to reading only large print at a comfortable distance.

The New Visions program requires students to commit to full-time participation in classes that run between 6 and 9 months in duration. Students may request additional skill-building time if it is necessary.

New Visions classes are held on site at Hoopono so consumers can share experiences and engage in peer mentoring and support. Hoopono also leases several nearby apartments for neighbor islander and Pacific Islander students and Oahu students who wish to practice their New Visions program skills in a home setting.

The goal of Hoopono’s Services is to enable people who are blind and low vision, age 14 and older, to attain maximum vocational and functional independence. Consumers work with a team of skilled professionals who provide varied services to meet the participant’s individual needs.

Training can take place in individual homes and communities, or in the New Visions’ Liliha centre.

The State’s Vocational Rehabilitation Division, Hoopono Branch, provides comprehensive services and specialized services to Oahu and neighbor island consumers to meet the varied needs of people who are blind, deafblind or low vision, regardless of race, color, national origin, sex, age, religion or disability.

There is no fee for services.

For more information on the program, call 808-586-5269 or visit www.hawaiivr.org/hoopono

Source: GAATES

TIGAR Project Accelerates Book Accessibility for People with Print Disabilities

Launched in November 2010, the Trusted Intermediary Global Accessible Resources (TIGAR) Project continues to accelerate. The aim of the TIGAR project is to increase the number of accessible books available worldwide; specifically, to provide access to copyright-protected works in accessible formats for people with print disabilities across borders. Participants include WIPO, publishers and collective management organizations, and organizations that provide specialized library services for people with print disabilities.

Participation of accessibility organizations in Australia, Brazil, Canada, Denmark, France, Jamaica, Norway, the Netherlands, New Zealand, South Africa, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United States.We are also in conversation with countries in Africa and Asia to extend our participation further into developing countries.

TIGAR’s key achievements to date include:

Participation of more than 30 leading publishers and collective rights management organizations.

Books in an array of languages are available through the TIGAR network. The first international exchange of accessible books took place in October 2011 between organizations in Canada, Denmark, and France. Since that time more than 500 have been selected by participating organizations from the thousands available and shared for cross border exchange.

“The real impact of the TIGAR Project is the impact it makes in the lives of people with print disabilities”, said François Hendrikz of the South African Library for the Blind. “For example, one of the titles we selected was a book by Erik Orsenna, a French novelist and member of the Académie Française. The book, “L’Entreprise des Indes” is highly recommended as a ‘coup de coeur’ and thanks to the TIGAR project it was available to readers with print disabilities in Canada at the same time as it was available to sighted readers.”

For further information, visit http://www.tigarnetwork.org

Source: GAATES

HumanWare Unveils Communication App for Deafblind People

HumanWare, in partnership with Institut Nazareth et Louis-Braille (INLB), has unveiled the HumanWare Communicator, the first multilingual face-to-face conversation app for people who are deafblind. This unique app will help people who are deafblind communicate on an everyday basis by connecting a HumanWare Braille device (BrailleNote Apex or Brailliant) with an iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch.

New HumanWare iPhone app will get deafblind and sighted people talking. Photo: HumanWare

HumanWare is the leader in digital communication for people who are deafblind, introducing DBC, the first portable face-to-face chat solution in 2008. The system combined the simplicity and portability of the popular BrailleNote with a companion visual interface running on a cell phone. For the first time, a deafblind person had portability and independence when having a face-to-face conversation, and since a familiar cell phone keyboard was used, the sighted individual had a very small learning curve to engage in a conversation.

“With the popularity and inclusion of assistive technology features in Apple’s iOS devices, HumanWare has received a high demand to bring the face-to-face concept of the popular Deaf-Blind Communicator to the popular Apple devices. “The HumanWare Communicator app breaks everyday face to face communication down to its simplest form and will get everyone talking,” says Greg Stilson, HumanWare product manager.

In 2000, HumanWare introduced the first BrailleNote. In 2005, the BrailleNote mPower was launched bringing USB connectivity and increased speed and efficiency to this range of productivity tools. Launched in December of 2009, the BrailleNote Apex, with a completely redesigned look, while maintaining the successful ergonomic design of past BrailleNotes, saw HumanWare pack the most powerful BrailleNote into the thinnest package available.

The HumanWare Communicator app will be available for standard download from Apple’s app store at the end of July 2012. This app marks a major step forward in using mainstream technology to bring everyday communication to the deaf-blind population.

For more information, visit www.humanware.com

Source: HumanWare, GAATES

Transport App Cab:App to Assist Wheelchair Users During London 2012 Paralympic Games

WheelPower, the National Disability Sports Charity and Smart Phone application, cab:app have joined forces to improve access for persons with disabilities using public transport in London during the Paralympic Games.

The partnership will add a Wheelchair Assistance button to its taxi app, encouraging wheelchair users and persons with disabilities to take advantage of the large amount of space and availability of access ramps in black cabs this summer.

To celebrate the partnership, a competition to design a wheelchair and disabled assistance button for the app has been launched. The design must be an iconic and eye-catching so that it is easily recognisable to both passengers and drivers.

The winner of the competition will win a paid trip from anywhere in UK to London for two people which includes a two night stay in the Belgraves-Thompson hotel, a dinner for two at HIX restaurant, a London Eye champagne experience for two and a night time guided tour of London given by the creator of cab:app.

cab:app will donate £1 from every cab:app journey taken during the Paralympic Games to WheelPower.

“We are delighted that cab:app is supporting WheelPower’s work to transform the lives of persons with disabilities. “By providing persons with disabilities a simple, fast and easy to use mobile phone app to hail black cabs, cab:app is transforming access to transport for many persons with disabilities.” Paul Rushton, Head of Fundrasing at WheelPower said,

After the 2012 Paralympics, cab:app and WheelPower want to promote black cab travel to passengers with disabilities as a long term initiative.

For more information, visit www.cabapp.net or www.wheelpower.org.uk

Source; GAATES

Obama Signs Landmark Accessible Prescription Drug Label Bill

On July 9, President Barack Obama signed into law the Food and Drug Administration Safety and Innovation Act, which brings us a step closer to ensuring Americans with vision disabilities have access to the important information on their prescription labels. The Act includes provisions that establish national best practices for retail and other pharmacies to use in providing accessible prescription drug labeling to customers with vision disabilities. This includes proper dosage, the name of the medication, accompanying information about possible side effects, and more.

“We applaud President Obama and Congress for taking this important step,” said Carl R. Augusto, president and CEO of the American Foundation for the Blind (AFB). “AFB has been working on this issue for many years and we’re thrilled that this is now a reality.”

The American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) has long championed safe and effective ways to address the significant public health challenge of inaccessible prescription drug labeling. Past studies have shown the dangers posed by the inability to access necessary instructions that accompany prescription and over-the-counter medications, including illness, emergency room visits and the reliance upon sighted companions—or even strangers.

“The significance of this measure cannot be understated,” said Mark Richert, Director of Public Policy at the American Foundation for the Blind. “For the more than 20 million Americans living with vision loss, being unable to read drug container labels and package inserts is a scary reality.”

The provisions in the Food and Drug Administration Safety and Innovation Act will serve as a valuable supplement to existing requirements under the Americans with Disabilities Act and other federal and state laws imposing obligations on pharmacies to ensure effective communication and barrier removal for people with disabilities. Whether this new legislation entails that medication instructions and inserts be available in large print, braille, or via an assistive technology device remains to be seen.

Source: AFB, GAATES

Kurzweil Educational Systems Releases Firefly App for iPad

Kurzweil Educational Systems®, a division of Cambium Learning Technologies, announced on July 9 the release of the Kurzweil 3000® – firefly app for the iPad.

The Kurzweil 3000 - firefly iPad app provides mobile access to digital content and powerful literacy tools to enable individuals with the cognitive ability, but not the literacy skills, to achieve their academic and personal goals.

Kurzweil 3000 is a text-to-speech based technology solution that enables struggling readers to learn at grade level. Research has shown the program to be particularly appropriate for students with learning disabilities such as dyslexia, those who require reading intervention, students struggling with reading comprehension, and English Language Learners (ELL).

“We are delighted to be releasing our first mobile app,” said Alex Saltonstall, general manager, Kurzweil Educational Systems and IntelliTools. “Individuals rely on Kurzweil 3000 every day to enable them to succeed at their level of academic interest.  Increasingly our customers have access to iPads, and the firefly iPad app will now give them even more access to the content they are reading and the literacy support tools they rely upon.  Whether downloaded to a school or personal iPad, we believe our free app will extend learning on this engaging and mobile platform.”

iPad app benefits for students and teachers:

• Mobile access to instructional materials
• Free to Kurzweil 3000 customers, the iPad app is simple to install and use
• Modern and engaging user interface
• Accessible to many students with physical disabilities

The firefly iPad app is free and can be downloaded from the iTunes App Store by searching the education category using “firefly Kurzweil”.

To learn more go to www.kurzweiledu.com/fireflyapp.

For more information, visit www.cambiumtech.com, www.cambiumlearning.com.

Source: Kurzweil Educational Systems; Cambium Learning Technologies, GAATES