European Parliament Sends a Strong Message to Member States
During a workshop organized on 8 May by EDF and MEP Danuta Hübner (EPP, Poland), the European Parliament sent a strong message to the Members States: the removal of crucial conditionalities is not acceptable: the future Cohesion Policy 2014-2020 will have to include persons with disabilities.
From http://bit.ly/J5pCTO, May 14, 2012
India: Gender, Disability Top HR Focus at Most Firms
couldn't get better for women working in corporate India. For, 91 percent of the companies surveyed by global human resource firm Mercer, have listed ‘gender' as a top focus area, and said they would make efforts to give more leadership roles to women.
From http://tinyurl.com/7ygjx9z, May 14, 2012
Philippines: Lack of Prosthetic Limbs for 80% of Country's Amputees
About 80 percent of the country’s amputees do not have prosthetics or artificial limbs, according to a study conducted by the College of Allied Rehabilitation Sciences (CAReS) of the University of the East Ramon Magsaysay Memorial Medical Center (UERMMMC). This is due to the fact that a prosthetic limb is very expensive and there is little access to facilities and professional technicians.
From http://tinyurl.com/7tqluh4, May 14, 2012
New Zealand: Two-year Project to Prepare Online Accessible Community Directory
Wellington City Council and the Capital and Coast District Health Board are working in partnership to produce an accessible community directory for the region. The two-year project involves expanding and widening access to the Council’s online community directory. The Council’s community directory is consistently popular, attracting about 17,000 visits per month.
From http://globalaccessibilitynews.com/2012/04/15/two-year-project-to-prepare-online-accessible-community-directory/, May 14, 2012
UK: Cutting Back on Disability Living Allowance is Right in Principle. But It Will Be a Political Disaster
Just to be clear, this has little to do with "welfare dependency". It's explicitly about saving money. The Disability Living Allowance isn't an out-of-work benefit – it's a payment made to help people cope with the extra costs of living with a disability, regardless of whether or not they work. One of the consequences of that is that it is very rarely taken away – according to Mr Duncan Smith, 70 per cent of claimants have a lifetime award. Once someone is classed as disabled, they can claim the benefit indefinitely, and so inevitably the bill keeps rising.
From The Telegraph, May 14, 2012
USA: Commentary: User-Friendly Products Help People with Disabilities
Kel Smith, a blogger, consultant and founder of Philadelphia-based technology accessibility company Anikto, LLC, has been studying technology shifts like this one for a book he’s working on, “Digital Outcasts: Moving Technology Forward Without Leaving People Behind.”
It revolves around “accessibility,” the idea that websites, apps, hardware and other technology should be designed in ways that do not shut them out to those with disabilities, from blindness to hearing loss to other physical limitations.
From Dayton Daily News, May 13, 2012
France: In France, App Opens Doors for Disabled City Dwellers
PARIS – A team of innovative French students has created new technology to make life easier for urbanites with disabilities. Their project, called CapStreet won two gold medals at France’s Imagine Cup, a contest sponsored by Microsoft that pits students against each other to design new innovative services. Their product consists of a website and application designed to map out entirely accessible routes for people with disabilities.
From CBS Interactive, May 11, 2012
USA: Benetech Releases Image Description Tool to Improve Accessibility of Graphical Content for Students with Print Disabilities
The Benetech DIAGRAM Center has released an open source web application for creating and editing crowdsourced image descriptions in books used by students with print disabilities.
From SFGate, May 11, 2012
Hong-Kong: Exhibition Showcases Technology-Based Assistive Tools for Persons with Disabilities
Hong Kong (HKSAR) - The Office of the Government Chief Information Officer (OGCIO) today (May 11) launched a four-day exhibition to showcase assistive tools and application systems developed for persons with disabilities with support from the Development of Assistive Technology for Persons with Disabilities Fund.
From 7th Space Interactive, May 11, 2012
USA: SAT Prep Expert Megan Dorsey Says Kids with Learning Disabilities Can Get Good SAT Scores
HOUSTON, May 9, 2012 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- Children who have learning disabilities can get good SAT scores thanks to a new online SAT preparation course, "SAT Success Coach," designed by SAT Prep Consultant Megan Dorsey, who served as a college counselor at Westside High School, where she developed the SAT and college planning curriculum for the Houston Independent School District (HISD).
From Market Watch, May 09, 2012
