Published monthly by G3ict, a Flagship Advocacy Initiative of the United Nations Global Alliance for ICT and Development (UN-GAID)
The Access Line by Axel Leblois, Executive Director, G3ict This past Friday, President Obama formally announced that the United States will sign the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Our readers will find hereafter excerpts of his remarks, a link to his full proclamation, a report by Ambassador Luis Gallegos, G3ict Chairman, who attended the ceremony at the White House, and an analysis of next steps to be expected. President Obama: The United States will join 140 other nations and sign the Convention on the Rights for Persons with Disabilities, an “extraordinary treaty ” “I'm proud to announce that next week, the United States of America will join 140 other nations in signing the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, the first new human rights convention of the 21st century. This extraordinary treaty calls on all nations to guarantee rights like those afforded under the ADA. It urges equal protection and equal benefits before the law for all citizens; reaffirms the inherent dignity and worth and independence of all persons with disabilities worldwide. I've instructed Ambassador Susan Rice to formally sign the Convention at the United Nations in New York next week, and I hope that the Senate can give swift consideration and approval to the Convention once I submit it for their advice and consent”. Read the full Proclamation of President Obama G3ict Chairman, H.E. Luis Gallegos, Ambassador of Ecuador to the United States and past Chair of the UN General Assembly Ad-Hoc Preparatory Committee for the Convention, gives a first-hand account on the July 24 ceremony at the White House. An Emotional Moment “It was emotional for me to witness this decision. We were amongst friends that have tried to advance the cause of disability worldwide and called for the United States to sign the Convention. President Obama spoke eloquently of the importance of inclusion and the elimination of segregation and discrimination. Secretary of State Clinton expressed the importance of the UN Convention and the world wide reach of human rights. The next step is the ratification by the Senate. For me, as first Chairman of the Ad Hoc Committee of the General Assembly of the UN that drafted the Convention, the announcement by the President reflected the enormous success of the disability community that has moved the U.S. to recognize the importance of a universal rights based convention. After six years of intense negotiations and hundreds of activities all over the world, the U.S. will join 140 states signatories on the 30th of July in NY. I remember that in March of 2004 I was invited by Representative Tom Lanthos to speak about the United Nations Convention at a briefing of the House of Representatives. I often had to leave the negotiating room at the United Nations to foster the Convention process in many capitals of the world. I also remember the disability community representatives who came into the rooms of the United Nations to speak with one voice and left with a new universal language of disability rights. Many of them were at the White House today. Fabiola and I were honored to be there amongst our American friends. We began as negotiators and diplomats, we became activists and believers. It has been a wonderful endeavor." In attendance at the ceremony were leaders of U.S. advocacy organizations supporting the cause of persons with disabilities, Members of Congress and of the executive branch as well as government and civil society leaders who supported the signature by the United States of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Ambassador Gallegos and his spouse Fabiola were honored to be the only foreign diplomats invited to the ceremony and congratulated by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. G3ict’s Analysis: ICT Accessibility in the Context of the United States Commitment to the CRPD By announcing the signature by the United States of the Convention on the occasion of the 19th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) enacted on July 26, 1990, President Barak Obama fulfilled his campaign promises. While taking a clear and strong position in support of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, President Obama emphasized accessibility Rights including to technology applications and services in the context of education and employment. “As we reflect upon the past and look toward a brighter future, we recognize that our country has made great progress. More than ever before, Americans with disabilities enjoy greater access to technology and economic self-sufficiency. More communities are accessible, more children with disabilities learn alongside their peers, and more employers recognize the capabilities of people with disabilities. Despite these achievements, much work remains to be done. People with disabilities far too often lack the choice to live in communities of their choosing; their unemployment rate is much higher than those without disabilities; they are much likelier to live in poverty; health care is out of reach for too many; and too many children with disabilities are denied a world-class education.” Next Steps: While President Obama has fulfilled his promise of having the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities signed by the United States, it will now need to go through the ratification process. The U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations chaired by Senator John Kerry will review the Convention and among many factors, consider its implications for U.S. laws and regulations. Towards the end of last year, the National Council on Disability published an analysis of the gaps between the dispositions of the Convention and U.S. laws and regulations. Asked about his opinion at the recent G3ict Steering Committee meeting, John Kemp, Chair of the G3ict Research Committee and a prominent Advocate of the Disability Rights stated his belief that those are entirely manageable. At the IEEE meeting in Boston last week, it also became apparent that those circumstances may in fact constitute an opportunity in the specific field of ICT accessibility: lots of technology advances have occurred over the past few years and many more solutions exist today in the field of digital accessibility and assistive technologies which could benefit from a fresh look at current dispositions. From a global perspective, the United States are a very important player in the ICT industry and in the area of ICT accessibility in particular. At a time when many countries look towards adopting new ICT accessibility policies and programs, the United States may be in a position to adopt innovative assistive and accessible technologies programs and solutions as part of President Obama’s ambitious program. And with the Convention calling for international cooperation to promote new solutions, all stakeholders could benefit: disabled persons around the world, the ICT industry, standard development organizations, large users of ICT applications, employers and education institutions among many. In this context, President Obama’s mention of technology, employment and education is a promising indicator of what the near future may hold for ICT accessibility programs and innovations in the United States. A very encouraging sign indeed which all G3ict Stakeholders from around the world very much welcome. On the Move As of July, 140 states around the world have signed the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities; 62 states have ratified it, with the latest additions of Georgia, the Syrian Arab Republic and Burkina Faso. Find detailed information and lists of disability organizations, with contact information, for each of the signatory states, as well as basic ICT factors. Burkina Faso Syrian Arab Republic More country profiles	Blogs 2009 IEEE Conference: Accessing the Future by Dr. Michael Lightner, 2009 IEEE Conference co-Chair, Professor and Chair, Department of Electrical, Computer and Energy Engineering, University of Colorado at Boulder IEEE and IBM partnered on a new conference: Accessing the Future: A Global Collaborative Exploration for Accessibility in the Next Decade. This conference was held at Northeastern University in Boston, MA on July 20, 21. There were 150 participants including leaders from government, industry, consumer and advocacy organizations and academia. The focus of the conference was to identify key emerging technologies that would present barriers to people with disabilities and ask how to get ahead of the technology development so that they were accessible when available and not retrofit after introduction, as is mostly the case now. (more) (L-R): 2009 IEEE Conference co-Chairs, Ms. Frances West, Director, IBM Human Ability & Accessibility Center and Dr. Michael Lightner, University of Colorado at Boulder UNIC Moscow Director Alexandre Gorelik Calls for More ICT Accessibility Programs to be Included in Russia’s National Action Plan for 2009-2011 From 2-3 July a Socio-Economic Forum "The Information Society – 2009" was held in the city of Tver', halfway between Moscow and St. Petersburg. More than 1000 delegates discussed a broad range of issues related to the ICT role as a key factor of the national economy, its profound influence on social evolution and day-to-day life in Russia. (more) Spotlight G3ict and City of Chicago Cooperation Fosters Accessible Technology Guided by a city-commissioned study that says that 40 Percent of Chicagoans have limited or no Internet access, Chicago's Mayor Richard Daley has recently launched a new Initiative aimed at eliminating the "Digital Divide" in Chicago neighborhoods. In this context, the new "Digital Excellence Action Agenda 2009" lays out a framework of 32 steps, including accessibility for persons with disabilities. As outlined in the text of the Agenda, "the City’s efforts to foster accessible technology received a boost in May 2007, when Chicago hosted a special session of G3ict focused on the wireless Internet opportunity for disabled persons and other new horizons for assistive technologies... Based on the success of the session and the high level of interest from the local disability community, the City created a permanent Accessible Technology Advisory Committee. Members of the committee continue to work with the City to identify priority areas and best practice strategies for increasing inclusiveness of technology in Chicago." Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities (MOPD) Commissioner Karen Tamley, a G3ict Research Committee member, has been since instrumental on this front. The Action Agenda and technology use study are available at http://www.cityofchicago.org/digitalexcellence Info Bits Irish NCBI Centre for Inclusive Technologies (CFIT) Launches new Web site, with regular news and commentary on digital accessibility and inclusion New Prototype – An ‘iPhone’ for the Visually-Impaired: B-Touch Cell Phone with Braille Touchscreen In Memoriam: Harold W. Snider Harold W. Snider held local and federal government positions and aided in the creation of an audible newspaper service for the blind. Advocate for Blind Helped Craft Disabilities Law ictQATAR video interview with Harold Snider, National Federation of the Blind, discussing Web accessibility In the News Keep abreast of the latest headlines on ICT and accessibility: Assistive Technology Industry Association Expands Educational Offerings DiversityInc.com Launches New E-Accessibility Feature for People With Disabilities Robotic Technology Puts the Blind in the Driver's Seat Leading Accessibility Providers Partner to Offer End-to-end Software and Testing Solutions Throughout India Company Helps Disabled Compete in the Job Market Guest Commentary: Georgia's Tourism Initiatives for the Disabled Tounge Driven Wheelchairs More headlines Global Digital Accessibility Agenda CALENDAR August 25-27 ITU/ESCAP Asia-Pacific Regional Workshop on Mainstreaming ICT Accessibility for Persons with Disabilities, Bangkok, Thailand August 31-Sept 1 ITU-T Kaleidoscope 2009, "Innovations for Digital Inclusion," Mar del Plata, Argentina September 2-4 GAID and Global Forum: ICT and Innovation for Education, hosted by Indigo Brainmedia and the Government of Mexico, Monterrey, Mexico September 15-18 USBLN® 2009 Annual Conference "Connecting the Dots: Business Solutions," Washington, D.C., U.S.A. September 22-23 AccessIT Awards Competition, London, U.K. October 2 "Technology and Disability in the Developing World" Workshop, University of Washington, Seattle, U.S.A.
ABOUT G3ict G3ict -The Global Initiative for Inclusive ICTs, is a flagship advocacy initative of the United Nations Global Alliance for ICT and Development (UN-GAID). Initiated by the Wireless Internet Institute, G3ict is a 501(c)(3) not for profit corporation dedicated to facilitate the implementation around the world of the Digital Accessibility Agenda defined by the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Submit papers, articles, comments to the Editor Francesca Cesa Bianchi fcesabianchi@g3ict.org © 2009 G3ict. All Rights Reserved. Forward this message to a friend \| G3ict.org

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July 2009
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The Access Line

by Axel Leblois, Executive Director, G3ict

This past Friday, President Obama formally announced that the United States will sign the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Our readers will find hereafter excerpts of his remarks, a link to his full proclamation, a report by Ambassador Luis Gallegos, G3ict Chairman, who attended the ceremony at the White House, and an analysis of next steps to be expected.

President Obama (center) reacts after signing a proclamation celebrating the 19th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act in the East Room at the White House in Washington Friday, July 24, 2009.(AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

President Obama: The United States will join 140 other nations and sign the Convention on the Rights for Persons with Disabilities, an “extraordinary treaty ”

“I'm proud to announce that next week, the United States of America will join 140 other nations in signing the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, the first new human rights convention of the 21st century.

This extraordinary treaty calls on all nations to guarantee rights like those afforded under the ADA. It urges equal protection and equal benefits before the law for all citizens; reaffirms the inherent dignity and worth and independence of all persons with disabilities worldwide. I've instructed Ambassador Susan Rice to formally sign the Convention at the United Nations in New York next week, and I hope that the Senate can give swift consideration and approval to the Convention once I submit it for their advice and consent”.

Read the full Proclamation of President Obama

G3ict Chairman, H.E. Luis Gallegos, Ambassador of Ecuador to the United States and past Chair of the UN General Assembly Ad-Hoc Preparatory Committee for the Convention, gives a first-hand account on the July 24 ceremony at the White House.

An Emotional Moment

“It was emotional for me to witness this decision. We were amongst friends that have tried to advance the cause of disability worldwide and called for the United States to sign the Convention. President Obama spoke eloquently of the importance of inclusion and the elimination of segregation and discrimination. Secretary of State Clinton expressed the importance of the UN Convention and the world wide reach of human rights. The next step is the ratification by the Senate.

For me, as first Chairman of the Ad Hoc Committee of the General Assembly of the UN that drafted the Convention, the announcement by the President reflected the enormous success of the disability community that has moved the U.S. to recognize the importance of a universal rights based convention.

After six years of intense negotiations and hundreds of activities all over the world, the U.S. will join 140 states signatories on the 30th of July in NY.

I remember that in March of 2004 I was invited by Representative Tom Lanthos to speak about the United Nations Convention at a briefing of the House of Representatives. I often had to leave the negotiating room at the United Nations to foster the Convention process in many capitals of the world. I also remember the disability community representatives who came into the rooms of the United Nations to speak with one voice and left with a new universal language of disability rights. Many of them were at the White House today.

Fabiola and I were honored to be there amongst our American friends. We began as negotiators and diplomats, we became activists and believers.

It has been a wonderful endeavor."

In attendance at the ceremony were leaders of U.S. advocacy organizations supporting the cause of persons with disabilities, Members of Congress and of the executive branch as well as government and civil society leaders who supported the signature by the United States of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Ambassador Gallegos and his spouse Fabiola were honored to be the only foreign diplomats invited to the ceremony and congratulated by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

G3ict’s Analysis: ICT Accessibility in the Context of the United States Commitment to the CRPD

By announcing the signature by the United States of the Convention on the occasion of the 19th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) enacted on July 26, 1990, President Barak Obama fulfilled his campaign promises. While taking a clear and strong position in support of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, President Obama emphasized accessibility Rights including to technology applications and services in the context of education and employment. “As we reflect upon the past and look toward a brighter future, we recognize that our country has made great progress. More than ever before, Americans with disabilities enjoy greater access to technology and economic self-sufficiency. More communities are accessible, more children with disabilities learn alongside their peers, and more employers recognize the capabilities of people with disabilities. Despite these achievements, much work remains to be done. People with disabilities far too often lack the choice to live in communities of their choosing; their unemployment rate is much higher than those without disabilities; they are much likelier to live in poverty; health care is out of reach for too many; and too many children with disabilities are denied a world-class education.”

Next Steps:

While President Obama has fulfilled his promise of having the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities signed by the United States, it will now need to go through the ratification process.

The U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations chaired by Senator John Kerry will review the Convention and among many factors, consider its implications for U.S. laws and regulations.

Towards the end of last year, the National Council on Disability published an analysis of the gaps between the dispositions of the Convention and U.S. laws and regulations. Asked about his opinion at the recent G3ict Steering Committee meeting, John Kemp, Chair of the G3ict Research Committee and a prominent Advocate of the Disability Rights stated his belief that those are entirely manageable.

At the IEEE meeting in Boston last week, it also became apparent that those circumstances may in fact constitute an opportunity in the specific field of ICT accessibility: lots of technology advances have occurred over the past few years and many more solutions exist today in the field of digital accessibility and assistive technologies which could benefit from a fresh look at current dispositions.

From a global perspective, the United States are a very important player in the ICT industry and in the area of ICT accessibility in particular. At a time when many countries look towards adopting new ICT accessibility policies and programs, the United States may be in a position to adopt innovative assistive and accessible technologies programs and solutions as part of President Obama’s ambitious program. And with the Convention calling for international cooperation to promote new solutions, all stakeholders could benefit: disabled persons around the world, the ICT industry, standard development organizations, large users of ICT applications, employers and education institutions among many.

In this context, President Obama’s mention of technology, employment and education is a promising indicator of what the near future may hold for ICT accessibility programs and innovations in the United States. A very encouraging sign indeed which all G3ict Stakeholders from around the world very much welcome.

On the Move

As of July, 140 states around the world have signed the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities; 62 states have ratified it, with the latest additions of Georgia, the Syrian Arab Republic and Burkina Faso. Find detailed information and lists of disability organizations, with contact information, for each of the signatory states, as well as basic ICT factors.

Blogs

2009 IEEE Conference:
Accessing the Future

by Dr. Michael Lightner, 2009 IEEE Conference co-Chair, Professor and Chair, Department of Electrical, Computer and Energy Engineering, University of Colorado at Boulder

IEEE and IBM partnered on a new conference: Accessing the Future: A Global Collaborative Exploration for Accessibility in the Next Decade. This conference was held at Northeastern University in Boston, MA on July 20, 21. There were 150 participants including leaders from government, industry, consumer and advocacy organizations and academia. The focus of the conference was to identify key emerging technologies that would present barriers to people with disabilities and ask how to get ahead of the technology development so that they were accessible when available and not retrofit after introduction, as is mostly the case now. (more)

2009 IEEE co-Chairs Frances West, IBM Human Ability & Accessibility Center and Michael Lightner, University of Colorado at Boulder

(L-R): 2009 IEEE Conference co-Chairs, Ms. Frances West, Director, IBM Human Ability & Accessibility Center and Dr. Michael Lightner, University of Colorado at Boulder

UNIC Moscow Director Alexandre Gorelik Calls for More ICT Accessibility Programs to be Included in Russia’s National Action Plan for 2009-2011

From 2-3 July a Socio-Economic Forum "The Information Society – 2009" was held in the city of Tver', halfway between Moscow and St. Petersburg. More than 1000 delegates discussed a broad range of issues related to the ICT role as a key factor of the national economy, its profound influence on social evolution and day-to-day life in Russia. (more)

Spotlight

G3ict and City of Chicago Cooperation Fosters Accessible Technology

Guided by a city-commissioned study that says that 40 Percent of Chicagoans have limited or no Internet access, Chicago's Mayor Richard Daley has recently launched a new Initiative aimed at eliminating the "Digital Divide" in Chicago neighborhoods.

In this context, the new "Digital Excellence Action Agenda 2009" lays out a framework of 32 steps, including accessibility for persons with disabilities. As outlined in the text of the Agenda, "the City’s efforts to foster accessible technology received a boost in May 2007, when Chicago hosted a special session of G3ict focused on the wireless Internet opportunity for disabled persons and other new horizons for assistive technologies... Based on the success of the session and the high level of interest from the local disability community, the City created a permanent Accessible
Technology Advisory Committee. Members of the committee
continue to work with the City to identify priority areas and best practice strategies for increasing
inclusiveness of technology in Chicago."

Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities (MOPD) Commissioner Karen Tamley, a G3ict Research Committee member, has been since instrumental on this front.

The Action Agenda and technology use study are available at http://www.cityofchicago.org/digitalexcellence

Info Bits

Irish NCBI Centre for Inclusive Technologies (CFIT) Launches new Web site, with regular news and commentary on digital accessibility and inclusion
New Prototype – An ‘iPhone’ for the Visually-Impaired: B-Touch Cell Phone with Braille Touchscreen

B-touch cell phone with Braille touchscreen

In Memoriam:
Harold W. Snider

Harold W. Snider held local and federal government positions and aided in the creation of an audible newspaper service for the blind.

In the News
Keep abreast of the latest headlines on ICT and accessibility:

Assistive Technology Industry Association Expands Educational Offerings
DiversityInc.com Launches New E-Accessibility Feature for People With Disabilities
Robotic Technology Puts the Blind in the Driver's Seat
Leading Accessibility Providers Partner to Offer End-to-end Software and Testing Solutions Throughout India
Company Helps Disabled Compete in the Job Market
Guest Commentary: Georgia's Tourism Initiatives for the Disabled
Tounge Driven Wheelchairs
More headlines

Global Digital Accessibility Agenda

CALENDAR
August 25-27
ITU/ESCAP Asia-Pacific Regional Workshop on Mainstreaming ICT Accessibility for Persons with Disabilities, Bangkok, Thailand
August 31-Sept 1
ITU-T Kaleidoscope 2009, "Innovations for Digital Inclusion," Mar del Plata, Argentina
September 2-4
GAID and Global Forum: ICT and Innovation for Education, hosted by Indigo Brainmedia and the Government of Mexico, Monterrey, Mexico
September 15-18
USBLN® 2009 Annual Conference "Connecting the Dots: Business Solutions," Washington, D.C., U.S.A.
September 22-23
AccessIT Awards Competition, London, U.K.
October 2
"Technology and Disability in the Developing World" Workshop, University of Washington, Seattle, U.S.A.

ABOUT G3ict
G3ict -The Global Initiative for Inclusive ICTs, is a flagship advocacy initative of the United Nations Global Alliance for ICT and Development (UN-GAID). Initiated by the Wireless Internet Institute, G3ict is a 501(c)(3) not for profit corporation dedicated to facilitate the implementation around the world of the Digital Accessibility Agenda defined by the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.