Margareta Wahlström, UNISDR chief, highlighted that the 2013 Global Platform will “give special attention to three critical areas. The first is private sector investment in disaster risk management – an opportunity to create shared value for businesses and corporations as well as for society. The second is the work of local communities, networks and supporting policies in building resilience. The third is local and national governments, and their take on implementation of the HFA as well as on an action agenda for building disaster resilience in a post 2015 successor framework.”

The event is an important milestone before the 2015 World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction in Japan in 2015.

The official agenda will be from Tuesday 21 to Thursday 23 May.

Key outcomes to achieve during the Fourth Session:

• A stronger and more sustainable ISDR movement world-wide that leads to increased responsibility for reinforcing resilience to disasters.
• A dynamic and trend-setting forum for decision makers, partners, experts and practitioners to announce initiatives, launch products, share information, promote campaigns, and provide evidence around disaster risk reduction.
• Directions and new alliances for the development and use of new tools and methodologies aimed at understanding and applying the economics and investment in disaster risk reduction.
• A forum to discuss progress and consult over a post-Hyogo Framework of Action (HFA).
• Events that follow-up and progress on the 2011 Global Platform (examples may include an update on disaster loss in schools and hospitals, accounting for disaster losses, the status of National Platforms, and progress of the Children’s Charter for Disaster Risk Reduction).
• Priorities and directions reflected in the outcome document – the Chair’s Summary.

]]> http://globalaccessibilitynews.com/2013/05/21/4th-global-platform-for-disaster-risk-reduction-2013/feed/ 0 http://globalaccessibilitynews.com/2013/05/21/spain-to-improve-accessibility-of-national-parks/ http://globalaccessibilitynews.com/2013/05/21/spain-to-improve-accessibility-of-national-parks/#comments Tue, 21 May 2013 03:47:58 +0000 aqureshi http://globalaccessibilitynews.com/?p=5485 Spain is working to make sure its National Parks offer nature for all. Installations are being adapted for people with disabilities, including information panels and leaflets for people who are blind, guides who work with sign language. The aim to make sure people can all enjoy these stunning ecological riches.

Spain has fourteen national parks. A total of over 325,000 hectares of enormous ecological value in which constant improvements are being made to ensure that everybody can enjoy this immense natural heritage. The Spanish office of Europarc (the European Federation of Nature Reserves and National Parks) has published a catalogue of good practices carried out in Spain’s parks. These initiatives have removed barriers and continue to operate to make Spain’s National Parks a natural resource for everyone to enjoy.

The Timanfaya National Park in Lanzarote, one of the seven Canary Islands, is an excellent example of an accessible park. Improvements carried out have made the park into a volcanic paradise which is accessible to anyone with a disability. Educational material includes information in Braille in several languages, and audiovisual productions incorporate sign language.

In Tenerife, also in the Canary Islands, the Teide National Park, which has the UNESCO World Heritage designation, has a guide service for people with disabilities. This means that by booking in advance every people with disabilities can discover the park’s huge biodiversity and enjoy spectacular views of the Teide from its viewing point. The Tablas de Daimiel park in Castile–La Mancha offers a similar service. Its La Laguna observatory adapts each group visit according to members’ disabilities.

National Parks are working towards overall conversion to allow full access for people with disabilities. Hence, accessible parking spaces have been provided for people with disabilities, and some parks offer direct vehicular access, such as Doñana (Andalusia), which has the UNESCO World Heritage designation, or the Aiguestortes i Estany de Sant Maurici Park, in Catalonia.

National Parks continue to improve, bringing nature to everyone. More spacious facilities and trails that are suitable for people with disabilities. Non-slip, compact materials are used for the paths; they are non-reflective to avoid visual problems; hand rails and double-height windows have also been installed… minor details with major repercussions to make nature more universal than ever.

Source: Spain Tourism

The conference will take place on Wednesday, May 22 in the George Marshall Center, starting at 8:45am. It will include 34 disability rights advocates from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, the Philippines, Tajikistan, and Uganda who are here for one-month fellowships in cities across the United States.

Special Advisor for International Disability Rights at the U.S. Department of State Judith Heumann will provide opening remarks at the conference. The event will feature clips from the documentary film “Lives Worth Living” followed by an open discussion with leading disability rights advocates. John L. Wodatch, who wrote the first federal disability rights regulations in the 1970s and helped draft the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), will participate.

At its conclusion in the fall of 2013, the EMPOWER program, conducted in partnership with U.S. administrating organizations American Councils for International Education, Discovering Deaf Worlds and Global Deaf Connections, will have brought an estimated 75 foreign disability rights leaders from every geographic region to the United States for two-to-four week professional development programming, and sent approximately 60 American stakeholders abroad for reciprocal exchanges.

The opening and panel discussion are open press. Those members of the press interested in attending the EMPOWER Conference, please RSVP to Anna Griffin at GriffinAL@state.gov by 4pm Tuesday, May 21.

To learn more about disabilities and U.S. Department of State exchange programs, visit http://eca.state.gov/programs-initiatives/disabilities-exchange-programs.

]]> http://globalaccessibilitynews.com/2013/05/21/u-s-department-of-state-hosts-empower-conference-to-advance-disability-rights-worldwide/feed/ 0 http://globalaccessibilitynews.com/2013/05/21/w3c-workshop-on-referencing-and-applying-wcag-2-0-in-different-contexts-may-23/ http://globalaccessibilitynews.com/2013/05/21/w3c-workshop-on-referencing-and-applying-wcag-2-0-in-different-contexts-may-23/#comments Tue, 21 May 2013 00:22:21 +0000 aqureshi http://globalaccessibilitynews.com/?p=5326 BRUSSELS, BELGIUM: Registration is now open for the W3C Workshop on Referencing and Applying WCAG 2.0 in Different Contexts on 23 May 2013 in Brussels, Belgium.

This Workshop will explore approaches for using Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0 and its supporting resources in different policy settings and contexts.

It is open to policy-makers, users, developers, accessibility experts, researchers, and others interested in adopting, referencing, and applying WCAG 2.0. Registration is open until 7 May 2013, or until spaces are filled. Learn more about the Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI).

The upgrades to the website were made possible through Georgia Power’s involvement in an international coalition led by eSSENTIAL Accessibility™. The coalition of businesses was developed to help diverse companies engage with and better serve the disability community, as well as connect and assist companies that are actively working to reach those with disabilities.

“We are a diversity-minded company dedicated to serving all of our communities,” said Moanica Caston, vice president of diversity and inclusion for Georgia Power. “Our participation in this coalition is one of the newest ways we’re engaging with our customers, underscoring our commitment to meeting their needs.”

Georgia Power, as part of the company’s continued dedication to diversity as a core value, also worked with eSSENTIAL Accessibility to develop a custom brand channel to provide customers and business partners with information about the company’s diversity and inclusion strategies, inclusive hiring efforts, supplier diversity programs, special services, community partnerships and more.

“The disability marketplace consists of 57 million people in the U.S. and $270 billion in buying power. Brands that lead in this space are poised for growth,” added Simon Dermer, managing director of eSSENTIAL Accessibility. “We look forward to helping Georgia Power discover new opportunities for engaging with the people in this important marketplace.”

Georgia Power is the largest subsidiary of Southern Company, one of the nation’s largest generators of electricity. The company is an investor-owned, tax-paying utility with rates below the national average. Georgia Power serves 2.4 million customers in all but four of Georgia’s 159 counties.

Source: Georgia Power

It allows you to magnify materials to a more comfortable size or change the high contrast viewing modes with just one button.

To activate the speech feature, touch the screen and instantly enjoy listening to magazine articles, letters and books with a natural sounding voice and full page overview.

Watch the video below:

For more information, visit http://www.optelec.com

AudioEye’s technology allows the University to meet the required criteria and standards of the 21^st Century Communications Act and the needs of persons with disabilities, elderly people, even internet novices and the growing number of mobile users.  The patented technology delivers an Internet solution that automatically converts and indexes Internet content, automates multi-format publishing and provides a free accessible player for all end users with several specifically designed modes for alternative content consumption.

“The feedback and collaboration over the past four years of work and investments of time from the team and faculty of MIS department has been inspiring,” stated Paul Lyons, VP of Business Development at AudioEye. “The International teams from the MIS master degree program at the University of Arizona have been invaluable to us in our creation of an accessible, interactive and talking campus website platform. AudioEye has enabled instant delivery of voice content for incoming students and mobile solutions for the entire campus website addressing a host usability and mobility solutions on campus to serve users content of the site without requiring the use of vision, monitor or a mouse. It’s liberating and opens up a lot of possibilities on campus as we continue to learn and implement together.”

Sean Bradley, AudioEye’s Chief Technology Officer, stated “The adoption of our platform by the University of Arizona’s MIS department is not only further validation of the importance of our patented accessibility technology, but also of the increasing trend of publishers addressing compliance needs. Creating a dialogue between the users, students, faculty, and the campus website becomes the web development of the future that is unlocked by our AudioEye development platform and we’re excited about what this implementation represents. We believe, AudioEye will provide the UofA MIS campus an advantage over static competing sites by communicating in native languages, to international audiences who are selecting their IT or MIS destination and investment. Using our technology the entire MIS website can be read to prospective students in their native language, engaging them in a conversation about their future, while leveraging state-of-the-art technology.” Sean Bradley currently serves as a UofA Honors Corporate Board Member and obtained his BA from Arizona International College at the University of Arizona, graduating Summa Cum Laude and with highest academic distinction.

AudioEye is developing a dedicated initiative targeted at over 10,000 educational institutions in the United States.  Annual Audio Internet platform licensing fees are beginning to be offered at $7,500.00 up to $150,000.00 per campus website depending on website size.

AudioEye’s project with the University of Arizona MIS department was the subject of award consideration by the 2013 Edison Universe innovation awards.  On April 25, 2013 AudioEye was awarded the Gold Edison Award in the category of “social impact” and the sub-category of “quality of life”. 2013 winners of the Gold Edison award included 3M, AT&T, and the Boeing Company Design Team.

For more information, visit http://www.audioeye.com, www.mis.eller.arizona.edu

Source: AudioEye, Inc.

]]> http://globalaccessibilitynews.com/2013/05/20/university-of-arizona-mis-department-launches-talking-campus-website-with-audioeye/feed/ 0 http://globalaccessibilitynews.com/2013/05/20/call-for-papers-for-the-disability-experience-conference/ http://globalaccessibilitynews.com/2013/05/20/call-for-papers-for-the-disability-experience-conference/#comments Mon, 20 May 2013 04:13:35 +0000 aqureshi http://globalaccessibilitynews.com/?p=5471 The Students for Disability Advocacy, a newly formed student group at the University of Pittsburgh whose mission is to advocate for students with disabilities, will be holding a conference  October 31st and November 1st, 2013 at the University of Pittsburgh William Pitt Union entitled The Disability Experience:  State of the Arts in Research, Scholarship and the Arts.

The conference will focus on panel presentations by students with faculty respondents.  A variety of submissions will be accepted from students with and without disabilities at the University of Pittsburgh and around the country. Panel presentations will draw from a variety of disciplines including: Assistive Technology across disability, Health & Wellness (disparities), Employment, Policy and Law, the Arts, Education, History, Philosophy, and English. A faculty-student round-table discussion is the final event of the conference with discourse concerning relationships between faculty and students with disabilities. Limited scholarships for travel may be available and food will be available free at the conference.

Purpose and objectives of the conference:

The aim of this first ever disability studies conference at the University of Pittsburgh is to bring together a wide spectrum of faculty, students, and other individuals – especially those from the University and its communities – whose interests capture the experience of disability and who wish to advance disability-related fields and further their integration into the curricula and in community life.  The conference will:

• Invite students to present their field-specific disability-related work from across the curricula of science, the arts and the humanities to an interdisciplinary audience
• Promote discourse across disability-related fields in order to integrate disability studies into the curricula
• Provide networking opportunities by encouraging and enabling attendees to establish connections with individuals of varying fields
• Create dialogue between students and faculty about issues and experiences students with disabilities have and to identify mechanisms for resolution of problems.

Submissions:

Abstract submissions should be no more than 500 words and up to three keywords for the paper.  Submissions must include 1) your name, contact information and discipline  2)  title of your presentation and 3) the panel (e.g. Assistive Technology, Health & Wellness, Employment, Policy and Law, Education, History, Philosophy, or English and the Arts) in which you would like to be included.  There will be three accepted abstracts for each panel.  Papers will be shared with other panelists in mid-September and power points will be due two weeks before the conference.    The authors will be asked to make a 15 minute presentation with 5 minutes for Q and A. If you want to display art or show a film, provide a description as well as space and other requirements.

Please submit abstracts by July 1st to Jonathan Duvall at sorc+disability@pitt.edu. Authors of accepted abstracts will be notified by August 15, 2013. Direct any questions or inquiries to Jonathan Duvall at sorc+disability@pitt.edu.  Please feel free to share this announcement with anyone who might be interested in participating.

This conference is supported by University of Pittsburgh, Students for Disability Advocacy and other organizations.

The device provides three types of communication for people who are deafblind users: face-to-face, TTY and SMS Texting. (Other more powerful features can be activated by the user if desired).

The device consists of two separate components that users who are deafblind users can easily carry wherever they go. The main unit is the DB BrailleNote which is a BrailleNote mPower (Perkins and QWERTY models available) with special deafblind software installed in it.

The companion unit is the DB-Phone which is a special cell phone with a visual display and a QWERTY keyboard that also has unique deafblind software installed in it. These two components communicate wirelessly with each other using Bluetooth.

By Aqeel Qureshi

It said a survey conducted in the West Mamprusi and Mamprugu Moadurigu districts revealed that some 1,080 persons with disabilities, aged 19 years and below, lived under appalling conditions and stressed the importance of urgent steps by government to ameliorate the situation.

The ISODEC made the appeal in a communiqué issued on Friday in Walewale in the West Mamprusi District and read by Mr Eric Kavaarpuo, Co-ordinator of  Ibis, a partner organization.

The communiqué was issued based on a research finding which indicated that out of the 1,080 persons with disabilities in the two districts, only seven received support with the rest left to their fate contrary to Act 715 of 2006.

ISODEC is implementing a project focusing on children with disabilities under the VSO Tackling Education Needs Inclusive (TENI) project, aimed at advocating for the needs of persons with disabilities in those districts.

The communiqué called for a full implementation of the Disability Act for the benefit of all persons with disabilities saying that the numerous social protection policies including the National Health Insurance Policy, Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty and the Capitation Grant, were not well co-ordinated to ensure that Ghana secured a better future for children with disabilities.

“There should be quality education and training for disabled children that empowers them to be active and responsible citizens. Government, particularly the Ministry for Gender and Social Protection, must work at harmonizing all social protection policies to better target the poorest of the poor and ensure that the needs of children with disabilities are well catered for,” it said.

The communiqué also called for the strengthening of the Department of Social Welfare to make it more responsive in providing social welfare services to the vulnerable in partnership with communities and agencies.

It called on the media and civil society organizations to amplify the welfare of persons with disabilities in a positive way, in view of existing low public knowledge and awareness of the Disability Act and socio-cultural practices which infringed on the rights of persons with disabilities.

“The stakeholders further strongly recommend that civil society and NGOs do more to support children with disabilities through public education on potentials and capabilities of such children; supporting them with training and engaging vigorously in advocacy work to reverse discrimination and stigmatization against children with disabilities,” it said.

Source: GNA