Japan to Introduce Smartphone App for People with Vision Disabilities to Read Currency
Japan will be releasing a free smartphone app that can read the denomination of money for people who are blind and low vision. The new app can help people with vision disabilities to identify Japanese currency. After taking a photograph of a bank note, the app will inform the holder via sound whether it is a ¥5,000 or a ¥10,000 bill. The National Printing Bureau will develop the app for Apple’s iPhone, but one for Google’s Android smartphones is also under consideration, ministry and Bank of Japan officials said.
From http://globalaccessibilitynews.com/2013/04/29/japan-to-introduce-smartphone-app-for-people-with-vision-disabilities-to-read-currency/, April 29, 2013
CNIB Offers Diners a Blind Taste Test
The Canadian National Institute for the Blind is holding a fundraising dinner that will help patrons experience what it is like to be a blind person at such an event. Dining in the Dark is scheduled for The Gypsy Tea Room in St. John's on May 29. Guests will be offered a multi-course gourmet meal to eat while they are blindfolded.
From http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/story/2013/04/26/nl-cnib-dining-dark-427.html, April 29, 2013
Technology Makes Higher Education Accessible to Disabled Students
There are over 11 million people with a limiting long-term illness, impairment or disability in the UK. Many of them are using educational resources and completing university courses. Universities have a responsibility to provide these students, and all students, with the necessary learning materials regardless of their accessibility needs.
From http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2013/apr/28/disabled-students-use-e-textbooks, April 29, 2013
Opening Session of the CRPD Committee´s 9th Session
The opening of the 9th session took place this morning in a public session from 10am to 1pm. Five new members (Martin Babu Mwesigwa, Monthian Buntan, Laszlo Lovaszy, Diane Mulligan and Safak Pavey) pronounced their solemn declaration to formally join the Committee. Ron McCallum stepped down from his position as Chair and Maria Soledad Cisternas Reyes was elected by an overwhelming majority as the new Chair. She is the first woman Chair of the Committee. Ron McCallum, Theresia Degener and Carlos Rios Espinosa were elected as new Vice Chairs and new Committee member Martin Babu Mwesigwa was elected as new Rapporteur of the Committee by acclamation.
From http://www.internationaldisabilityalliance.org/en, April 28, 2013
USA: Manitoba Presses Ahead with Accessibility Legislation
As was mentioned in the Winnipeg Free Press, the Manitoba government announced that it is introducing legislation today designed to remove or eliminate barriers that those with disabilities in our community face in accessing buildings, services and jobs. The legislation will set the foundation for requirements to be established that businesses in both the public and private sectors will need to meet to ensure that their organizations are as open and accessible as possible to persons with disabilities whether they engage with the business as customers, clients or current or prospective employees.
From http://donnaseale.ca/manitoba-presses-ahead-with-accessibility-legislation/, April 26, 2013
Recruitment and Retention of Older Workers: Considerations for Employers
The National Center on Workforce Development/Adult (NCWD/A), funded by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP), undertook a one-year project that examined practices and strategies implemented by U.S. companies seeking to recruit and retain older workers. This brief presents themes that emerged from phone conversations with employees at 18 companies in 13 states. Five of those companies subsequently participated in more in-depth, in-person visits. NCWD/A staff held phone conversations with human resource or diversity program representatives; during in-person visits, researchers had discussions with a wide range of informants, from company leadership to frontline supervisors/managers and older workers themselves.
From http://www.communityinclusion.org/article.php?article_id=231&type=topic&id=18, April 26, 2013
Accessibility Upgrade: EPUB, Libraries, and Ebook Accessibility
During a visit to Egypt two years ago, George Kerscher, Secretary General of the Digital Accessible Information System (DAISY) Consortium, found that the country’s major libraries had only a very small collection of books available for print-disabled patrons. And while staff and volunteers were working to make more books accessible, output was limited to only a handful of titles each year.
From http://lj.libraryjournal.com/2013/04/technology/ebook-accessbility/, April 24, 2013
USA: Promoting Accessible Technologies in the Workplace
The Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) released the report ODEP Accomplishments 2009—2012, highlighting ODEP’s progress in ensuring that individuals with disabilities are considered and included when improving the job opportunities for American workers.
From http://www.wirelessrerc.org/content/newsroom/promoting-accessible-technologies-workplace, April 24, 2013
Samsung Demonstrates Tablet That Can Be Controlled By Brain
Samsung has taken the mobile industry by storm in the last couple of years with its very successful Galaxy S III phone and the Galaxy Tab/ Note tablets. Competitive pricing and an easy to use UI (besides the world famous brand) are what set them apart from the rest. It is now planning to take regular tablets into a different realm by allowing a new way of communicating with its tablet devices - brainwaves (mind control!), a feature that people with impaired mobility will definitely appreciate.
From http://www.assistivetechnologyblog.com/2013/04/samsung-demonstrates-tablet-that-can-be.html, April 24, 2013
European Innovation Partnership on Active and Healthy Ageing at eHealth Week
eHealth Week 2013 will bring together two main events: the High Level eHealth Conference co-organised by the European Commission and the Irish Presidency of the Council of the European Union, and WoHIT (World of Health IT Conference & Exhibition). The Partnership will be present in a specific track in the programme that will bring an overview of the six Action Plans and their links to ICT.
From http://ec.europa.eu/digital-agenda/en/news/european-innovation-partnership-active-and-healthy-ageing-ehealth-week-13-15-may, April 22, 2013
