Information from Disabled People International
http://v1.dpi.org/lang-en/index

This week, the United Nations announced the theme for the 2006 
celebration of International Day of Disabled Persons.  This year´s 
December 3rd celebrations will focus on "E-Accessibility" - improving 
access to new information technology for persons with disabilities.  

While access to information and communication technology has created 
opportunities for everyone, many persons with disabilities are unable to 
take full advantage of the Internet, thanks to inaccessible designs, formats, 
and training venues.  

Since we live in a world that increasingly relies on access to information 
technology, this is an important issue for the international community of 
people with disabilities, and we are excited to see it highlighted for this 
year´s IDDP.  For more information on this development, you can read the 
Media Advisory in this week´s additions to the DPI website (available in 
English only),
or visit the UN Enable website at 
http://www.un.org/esa/socdev/enable/disiddp.htm, or contact the UN at 
[log in to unmask] (see text below)

On a related note, the theme for the next issue of our quarterly publication, 
Disability International, is technology and people with disabilities.  It will be 
released in mid-August.  Please contact DPI Headquarters in order to 
obtain a copy of the technology-themed Disability International, or to order 
a subscription.

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Information provided by Disabled People International
E-Accessibility to be theme for International Day of Disabled Persons 2006: 
http://v1.dpi.org/lang-en/resources/details.php?page=667 

E-Accessibility to be theme for International Day of Disabled Persons 2006

UNITED NATIONS, 26 July 2006

Improving access to new information technology for persons with 
disabilities will be the focus of this year's International Day of Disabled 
Persons, the United Nations announced today.

The Day, which is marked on 3 December, seeks to promote the integration 
of people with disabilities into society.

Although access to information and communication technology (ICT) has 
created opportunities for everyone, these advances have been particularly 
meaningful for persons with disabilities, allowing them to overcome the 
societal barriers of prejudice, infrastructure and inaccessible formats that 
stand in the way of participation.

But, many persons with disabilities remain unable to take full advantage of 
the Internet, because most websites are inaccessible to the blind and 
visually impaired, heavily dependent on using the mouse, and because 
training is often conducted in inaccessible formats and venues.  Most 
persons with disabilities do not have access to new information technology 
at all.

"The new computer-based information technologies have the potential for 
opening up a world of new opportunities for persons with disabilities," said 
Sarbuland Khan, Executive Coordinator of the Secretariat of the Global 
Alliance for ICT and Development.  "The problem is that new obstacles are 
preventing many of these people from reaching their potential.  We want to 
promote good website design that allows all people to benefit from the new 
technology, and we want product developers to consider the needs of the 
disabled in their new designs."

Governments, at the first World Summit on the Information Society in 2003 
in Geneva, committed themselves to building a people-centred, inclusive 
and development-oriented information society, where everyone can create, 
access, utilize and share information and knowledge.  By focusing on e-
accessibility, this year"s Day of Disabled Persons is intended to mobilize 
action to allow persons with disabilities to participate in that global vision.

Persons with disabilities are at a considerable disadvantage by not being 
able to access information technology.  For instance, as education 
becomes increasingly dependent on information technology, not being able 
to access the Internet limits the learning potential of persons with 
disabilities.

Several places already have legislation and regulations requiring websites 
to be fully accessible.  Global standards and guidelines on website 
accessibility are being developed.  Once adopted and ratified, the 
International Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities will 
require that persons with disabilities can access information technology.  It 
specifies that certain measures should be introduced to eliminate obstacles 
and barriers to information and communication, and to promote access for 
persons with disabilities to ICT, including the Internet.

"Making information technology available to persons with disabilities is not 
only a matter of human rights -- it also makes good business sense," Mr. 
Khan said.  "Studies suggest that accessible websites appear higher up the 
page rankings of search engines and can save costs on web maintenance."

But many websites remain inaccessible for the visually impaired and the 
blind.  A recent study of the FTSE 100 companies in the United Kingdom 
showed that around three quarters of company websites did not achieve 
basic levels of accessibility.  By not making their websites accessible, 
British companies are forfeiting £80 million a year ($147 million) in lost 
revenue.

For further information, please contact Edoardo Bellando at the 
Department of Public Information, 212-963-8275, [log in to unmask]


2006-07-28 00:00:00