Info Bits - from the G3ict World Digital Accessibility Report Oct /Nov 2009
Posted on November 12, 2009
Vice President, Institutional Relations, G3ict
- Accessible DVDs - The Media Access Group at WGBH, which creates both the closed captioning and Descriptive Video Service/DVS via its Motion Picture Access (MoPix) effort, acknowledges Universal Pictures for joining Sony Pictures in committing to release DVD and Blu-Ray disks with Descriptive Video Service/DVS as an option.
- World Deaf Information Resource Project - A new initiative launched by Gallaudet University enables users to find deaf organizations and schools in 149 countries around the world.
- The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) held a field hearing at Gallaudet University on Nov 6 on broadband access for Persons with Disabilities in the development of the FCC's National Broadband Plan, which will be submitted to U.S. Congress in February 2010.
- 4.6 billion mobile subscriptions by the end of 2009 - The latest ITU statistics reveal a thriving global ICT industry, driven by the mobile sector, but also highlight the digital divide.
- Digital Britain Report - U.K. Consumer Expert Group (CEG) to report on the specific issues facing disabled persons using the Internet.
- Current U.S. legislation - Minnesota proves successful in getting a Technology and Web Accessibility Standards Bill passed and signed into law. The bill, requiring that technology be made accessible, is based on Section 508 and Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.0 (WCAG 2.0).
- Tayloring Technology for the Seniors - U.K. Telecom TV video investigates what types of communication devices are out there for the senior market. Interviews with Emporia Telecom, Doro and MyJoice.
- The Right to Read campaign - India offers an excellent model aimed to accelerate change in copyright law, raise public awareness on the issue of access to reading for the print-impaired; and gather Indian support for the Treaty for the Blind proposed by the World Blind Union at the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO).
