Blog
September 27, 2008
AYJNIHH – venue for Techshare India 2008 Roadshow, Mumbai – an initiative to create awareness about accessibility and assistive technologies
Filed under: Techshare India — Shilpi Kapoor @ 11:25 amHi all,
Techshare India 2008 Roadshow will now be held at Ali Yavar Jung National Institute for Hearing Handicapped on 4th November, 2008.
This one day event will consist of 3 major tracks with 12 presentations and state-of-the-art Experience Zone showcasing different assistive technologies that benifit people with disabilities.
Visit Techshare India Website for further details and to register for Techshare India 2008 Roadshow.
No CommentsSeptember 25, 2008
Adhering to Web Standards important to meet Accessibility – Opera’s Web Standard Curriculum
Filed under: Authoring Technologies, General — Shilpi Kapoor @ 12:38 pmI’ve been conducting accessibility training in India for the last 4 years. One of the first questions i ask participants is “does your document have a doctype?” At most times the answer i get is “What is a doctype?”
I think the first step is to explain to the developers the need to adher to web standards. Opera’s Web Standard released in association with the Yahoo! Developers Network is a complete course to teach you standard based web development including HTML, CSS, Javascript.
I hope people make good use of this curricilum. So head over to http://www.opera.com/wsc
No CommentsSeptember 17, 2008
Software Accessibility Lawsuit Settled – State of Arkansas vs SAP
Filed under: General — Shilpi Kapoor @ 5:01 pmIn 2001, the National Federation of the Blind of Arkansas claimed the state’s ERP system was inaccessible to the blind. The State inturn filed a case against SAP
Under the settlement, SAP has agreed to upgrades that include text-to-speech screen-access technology. SAP will provide licenses, customization, consulting and maintenance to make the new technology work.
The upgrades are to be done by Aug. 1, 2009.
The state will keep $2 million that it had withheld from SAP. SAP will pay the state $250,000 in cash and give the state a 50 percent discount on software maintenance fees for three years.
This case is a good legal precedence for software accessibility. Software companies will hopefully start to take accessibility seriously!
No CommentsSeptember 16, 2008
a3 – ability, adaptability, accessibility Magazine – Another Stepping Stone for BarrierBreak Technologies
Filed under: Techshare India — Shilpi Kapoor @ 4:25 pmAt the Techshare India 2008 Roadshow that was held at Bangalore , BarrierBreak Technologies launched a magazine a3 – which would focus on ability, adaptability, accessibility as one of their initiatives to break the barriers for people with disabilities. a3 is designed to include articles from experts in the area of accessibility and disability such as Brian Hardy of Vision Australia, Henny Swan of Royal National Institute of the Blind People, UK, Andrew Kirkpatrick of Adobe etc., information on latest assistive technologies, reviews, tips etc that can spread the awareness on how technology can empower people with disabilities.
Visit http://www.a3.barrierbreak.com for Online version of a3 Magazine that is available in following formats:
- Accessible HTML
- Accessible PDF that can be downloaded
Presentations at Techshare India 2008 Roadshow Bangalore – Insights from the experts
Filed under: Techshare India — Shilpi Kapoor @ 3:00 pmIn a first of it’s kind activity in South India, Techshare India 2008 highlighted the importance of implementing accessibility standards and complying to different accessibilities laws.
The presentations of the road show were divided on the basis of three tracks- The Road Ahead – Envision the Accessibility Road Map, Making a Difference, and Bridging the Digital Divide.
During the presentations there were sign-language interpreters to assist the hearing impaired in understanding the presentations. In addition to the conference, delegates further had the opportunity to visit the experiential lab where every one could get a first hand feel what it is to have a disability.
No CommentsMy Story Session – Sensitizing and Energizing
Filed under: Techshare India — Shilpi Kapoor @ 1:47 pmBefore Techshare India Road Show started its proceedings with presentations, it gave its 120 plus delegates one of the most stimulating experiences of life time of understanding the needs of people with disabilities and how technology can help them lead an independent life in the society.
Techshare India made a conscious effort of bringing together two such individuals who have made their own path way and achieved success through their abilities.
Kameshwari, who works as systems operations specialist with IBM in Bangalore shared that “Now I don’t feel that I am disabled person, I manage my works without much problems.” Kameshwari is from Hyderabad and trained in computer and other soft skills after she completed her BCom by Enable India, which focuses on employment, pre-employment services and supplemental education for people with disability.
Deepa S, a graphic designer with EMC said “My strength is my fingers, said the girl who is suffering from Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) and cannot move without a wheel chair.”
No CommentsExperience Zone – Showcasing Technologies Empowering People with Disabilities
Filed under: Techshare India — Mamta Tandel @ 12:54 pmBarrierBreak Technologies believes that people with disabilities have a different kind of ability too. And that level of ability was highlighted in the road show, which also had on display different means of assistive technology that help them be part of the mainstream. From a wide range of power wheelchairs to a set of software that help people with disabilities in professional front, especially IT sector.
Shilpi Kapoor’s main objective of having an Experience Zone was to highlight a point “In India, aids and appliance are restricted to hearing aids and wheelchairs and government funding does not seem to go beyond that. We have to look at other technology that may be cost effective but which people are not aware of. Only if there is awareness will disabled people have access to technology”
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