G3ict is the Global Initiative for Inclusive ICTs

EZ Access^® is a simple set of interface enhancements which can be applied to existing electronic products and devices to increase accessibility. EZ Access enhancements can be applied to a wide range of interactive electronic systems – from public information and transaction machines, such as kiosks, to personal handheld devices like cellular phones. By using EZ Access, developers can create products and devices that are more usable in a wider range of environments and contexts. The blue diamond EZ Help button only appears on devices that have approved implementations of access features and techniques belonging to the EZ Access system.

The British-based Ace Center Advisory Trust has developed a program called GameON!, which gives children with disabilities the ability to play computer and video games in the same way that their friends without disabilities do. GameON! provides accessibility information on games, adapts them for use by children with disabilities, and offers support and information about parallel technologies, such as joysticks, rollerballs, speech recognition software, etc.

The principal issue with the gaming software that is currently on the market is that, before purchase, insufficient information is available about the level of the game's accessibility. As such, many consumers are forced to buy the game, only to subsequently realize that it is missing functions necessary for a disabled child's use.

GameON!'s service is centered around a website which contains a huge database of accessibility information on pre-existing games and numerous downloadable games specifically formatted for use by children with certain disabilities, as well as reviews of games and devices written by the GameON! team and by the users themselves. GameON! was designed as a three-year initiative (from 2004-2007) and remains active thanks to donations from individuals and organizations. Responsibility of the project is now handed over to the new charitable organisation, SpecialEffect.

The GDRL is a joint initiative of the United States International Council on Disabilities (USICD) and the University of Iowa’s WiderNet Project. The project is a global effort to enable disability rights advocates to transform society. The GDRL team is working to build a large collection of digital knowledge on disability rights and related topics for its library. This library will be an enhanced version of WiderNet’s eGranary Digital Library, an off-line information storage and collaboration platform that provides Internet-like access to digital resources without requiring Internet connectivity.  

An eGranary is a 2-terabyte server or hard drive about the size of a paperback book that contains many websites, electronic publications and videos, and other materials. The eGranary can be connected to a single desktop or laptop computer, to a LAN network to be shared with a university, or even connected to a wireless router to function as a free public wireless library for an entire community. People with disabilities in developing countries are a crucial audience for the GDRL. To accommodate a wide range of needs, the GDRL will include open source software to meet the accessibility needs of people with a wide range of disabilities. For example, screen readers for people with print disabilities and software designed for people with mobility impairments. We welcome suggestions for additional accessibility software programs to include in the GDRL.

The GDRL may be deployed in a wide range of contexts, including at disabled people’s organizations (DPOs), universities, government agencies, and other places. Users will include people with all disabilities, policy makers, government personnel, employers, students, educators, businesses, and families of people with disabilities.

Historically, being a person with a disability in Israel has meant extremely limited access to accessible technology, including access to Internet-based resources. In 2004, Microsoft launched the “House of Windows” program in Israel to make existing community technology centers (CTCs) accessible for persons with disabilities. The program outfits these existing centers with the technology (i.e. special hardware to promote comfort, software for those with visual or hearing disabilities, etc.), and computer and Internet training programs which provide individuals with disabilities access to technology that had previously never been available to them.

Open to the public and serving individuals with a wide range of disabilities – from autism to physical and age-induced handicaps – the centers have provided hundreds of citizens with the skills and knowledge to participate effectively in modern society. Currently in five CTCs throughout the country, Microsoft provides funding and software while partnering with Access Israel and the Israel Association of Community Centers to aid the estimated 13% of the population with disabilities.

Built from a concept originally conceived by the European Space Association, HumanWare’s Trekker is a revolutionary new travel tool for the blind that uses GPS and talking menus to give directions, pinpoint user location, and provide real-time information on surroundings. The Trekker is the first GPS-based product to offer digital maps to the visually impaired in a fully portable application. The device is made up of a lightweight pocket PC comfortably worn over the shoulder on a strap. It announces the names of streets, intersections, addresses, stores, businesses, restaurants, and area attractions as they come up. There is also a search function and a “where am I?” key that can pinpoint one’s location. The Trekker even warns of dead ends and allows the user to take notes through a built-in microphone or Braille entry, which are then stored for future reference. The Trekker is the most widely used GPS system for the blind today.

The first ever Inception Workshop on Disability took place on the 2^nd of May, 2003 at the MCR HRD Institute (Dr Marri Channa Reddy Human Resource Development Institute) in Hyderabad, India. This workshop brought together a total of 63 participants, including District Project Managers of Disability in the Velugu Districts (the largest poverty project in India), representatives from local NGOs chosen by the regions, and 18 selected leaders with disabilities from Kosgi, Karimnagar, and Hyderabad.

The workshop evolved as a forum for the discussion of social problems for individuals with disabilities and their families. A need for a state-run program on disability was overwhelmingly noted – whether in the form of social mobilization or rehabilitation services. The key tenet of self-advocacy by persons with disabilities and their families was particularly encouraged.

Shri Heeralal Samaria, the Chief Executive Officer of the Indian Administration Service, opened the conference by emphasizing the Service’s dedication to the promotion of the welfare of persons with disabilities and to that of their families through employment, inclusive building strategies, and the promotion of community-based rehabilitation programs to promote the basic livelihoods of persons with disabilities.

In a country with more than 1,600,000 deaf-mutes, Telecom Italia teamed up with the cooperation of ENS (National Agency for Deaf-Mutes) to allow the use of cellular phones and mobile telephony services in sign language free of charge in Italy.The project, named Mobile Care, has been in operation since December 2005.

Through the project, the user connects to Mobile TV and selects a function. Then, a virtual assistant displayed on the screen of the mobile phone uses Italian Sign Language to provide information concerning the use of mobile phones and relevant services. As a result of Mobile Care, Telecom Italia Mobile (TIM) has improved the accessibility of display panels and services, such as video calls and mobile Internet connection for the hearing- and speech-impaired.