mHealth: Remote Patient Monitoring Is on the Rise, with Smartphones Leading the Way
Early last year, PEW Research was already reporting that 17 percent of mobile phone users were using their devices to look up health and medical information, and Juniper recently estimated that 44 million health apps were downloaded in 2011. In turn, the amount and availability of health data is exploding in tandem with the growing adoption of health and medical apps and devices, thanks to the increasingly wearable and user-friendly devices that use smart sensors to capture and transmit a variety biometric data.
From http://techcrunch.com/2012/02/08/mhealth-remote-patient-monitoring-is-on-the-rise-with-smartphones-leading-the-way/, February 10, 2012
USA: Disability Rights Fund Releases First 2012 Request for Proposals
The Disability Rights Fund (DRF)—a grantmaking collaborative between donors and the global disability community which supports the human rights of persons with disabilities—today announced its first 2012 grants round, “Implementing Our Rights.” Grant making in this round will be targeted to disabled persons’ organizations (DPOs) in India, Indonesia, Lebanon, Mexico, and Ukraine.
From http://www.disabilityrightsfund.org/grantmaking, February 10, 2012
Call for Irish Government to Meet Educational Needs of Children with Hearing Disabilities
Mary Byrne from the National Council for Special Education said children with hearing disabilities should be able to reach their potential in the classroom. “Research is also telling us that children with hearing disabilities can achieve better academic outcomes, in line with their potential ability, if they have the right supports in place. “Our paper is outlining what sort of supports should be in place, and where the focus of these supports should be.”
From http://globalaccessibilitynews.com/2012/02/06/call-for-irish-government-to-meet-educational-needs-of-children-with-hearing-disabilities/, February 09, 2012
Students with Disabilities in Ghana Want Legislative Instrument to Enforce Disability Act
Students with disabilities of the University of Education, Winneba (UEW), have appealed to Government to put in place a Legislative Instrument to enforce the National Disability ACT (ACT 715) of 2006 to enable them access free education. Mr. Mark Akubire Attia, President of the Association, made the appeal when he addressed a forum to celebrate the world Disability Day at Winneba last Friday. It was under the theme: “Together for development for Better World including persons with disabilities on development.”
From http://globalaccessibilitynews.com/2012/02/06/students-with-disabilities-in-ghana-want-legislative-instrument-to-enforce-disability-act/, February 09, 2012
Motorola Mobility Foundation and Autism Speaks Partner in a Technology Project for Children with Autism
The unique technology project is increasing the level of communications among children with autism. The Motorola Xoom tablets were distributed last year to 25 families in San Diego and Chicago.“We put together the top 10 apps that are most frequently used and the ones that the kids seem to enjoy most. Among them, is Talking Tom. I’d say that’s number one, and Angry Birds is actually another one that children love because it’s got counting, it’s got a game, you know, coordination that’s needed to use it. And they can do it with their family,” said Eileen Sweeney, director of Autism Speaks.
From http://globalaccessibilitynews.com/2012/02/01/motorola-mobility-foundation-and-autism-speaks-partnered-in-a-technology-project-for-children-with-autism/, February 09, 2012
Assistive Technology Devices Distributed to Help Students with Disabilities in UAE
When Taleb Al Murri received his Braille Sense Plus 32 note taker last year, he was thrilled, thanks to the Abu Dhabi Education Council’s (ADEC) scheme to help mainstream school students with disabilities. This year the scheme has been widened to include more equipment and teaching software as well as training teachers to help students.
From http://globalaccessibilitynews.com/2012/02/06/assistive-technology-devices-distributed-to-help-students-with-disabilities-in-uae/, February 09, 2012
Tutorial: How to Caption A YouTube Video
YouTube is an extremely popular way to share videos online, with anyone able to upload a video once they have a free YouTube account. You can easily caption your YouTube videos to make them accessible to a wider audience, particularly the Deaf and hearing impaired, and increase your video’s search engine optimization. You can also add captions to an online video that is not your own on the Overstream website.
From http://www.mediaaccess.org.au/online-media/caption-online-videos, February 08, 2012
USA: GLAD vs CNN Closed-Captions Lawsuit
On Saturday a Californian court refused to dismiss a suit by the Greater Los Angeles Agency on Deafness (GLAD) against CNN for its refusal to add closed captioning to news video clips on its website (for more details see: CNN sued over lack of closed captioning on website). I’m in a privileged position to comment on this case as I was the manager behind delivering workflows to caption over 90% of BBC iPlayer’s programmes, and having worked with the BBC’s News site to investigate what they’d need to do to add captions (or subtitles as they are often called in the UK) to their news video clips.
From http://www.hassellinclusion.com/2012/02/glad-cnn-closed-captions-lawsuit/, February 08, 2012
Talking with Texts: How Cellphones Empower Deaf Children in Uganda
Kids text all the time – at school, on the bus, even when you’re trying to talk to them. It can be annoying. But imagine if a child couldn’t communicate at all – that’s when a mobile can become a lifeline. In some developing countries, children who are deaf don’t have access to special education, technology or even sign language teaching. In this edition of “Mobile Message”, Cambridge to Africa’s Sacha DeVelle, explains how her organisation has been using mobile phones in specially designed education programmes to help deaf children in Uganda communicate. By getting everyone in their schools to help out, the projects also happen to be making them the coolest kids in school.
From http://newswatch.nationalgeographic.com/2012/02/07/talking-with-texts-how-a-cellphone-empowers-deaf-children-in-uganda/#.TzQBIcly8FE.email, February 07, 2012
Apps That Aid the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities
A strange thing happened when the menus arrived at the table during Ilene Berman's 48th birthday dinner. It involved 10 women, five smartphones and an application called Mag Light. The dimly lit atmosphere at Cibo E Beve in Sandy Springs was momentarily interrupted as the women whipped out their phones to illuminate the very tiny light brown print on the cream-colored menus.
From http://www.ajc.com/lifestyle/apps-aid-aging-and-1326805.html, February 03, 2012
