Disability news
Check here for disability news, media and press releases from across the disability sector, including topical announcements about innovative disability projects and research.
Web 2.0 Access Technologies
Research into accessibility of Web 2.0 technologies for people with vision impairment aimed at understanding the sighted user's experience and mapping this to audio for people who are blind.
RNIB Surf Right Toolbar
The Surf Right Toolbar is designed to make adjusting certain options within Internet Explorer quicker and easier, using either the mouse or keyboard.
Fair Trading Consumer Information
The New South Wales Government Office of Fair Trading has recently published a series of consumer information resources as audio files to assist people with print disability.
United Nation's Ratifies Disability Treaty
On 3 April 2008 the United Nation's Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) received the necessary 20 member state ratifications for the Treaty to become legally binding. Australia is a signatory and is considering the process for preparing a National Interest Analysis for the Convention including commencing pre-ratification consultation.
Synthetic speech feedback
EASI are requesting feedback on an initiative to incorporate synthetic speech as part of their online course slides. They are especially interested in hearing how people who do not have much experience with synthetic speech feel and react to it.
Mobile phone emergency call button
With a single SOS panic button, (MySpot software) can call up to 20 preconfigured phones, send email, SMS, instant and twitter messages with the current or last location of the user.
Airline passenger restrictions sough by Rex
The Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission has received an application from Regional express airlines (Rex) requesting exemption from the DDA for some passengers with disability …
Review of PADP - findings released
The review of PADP conducted by Pricewaterhouse Coopers has been released. A key recommendation is that all PADP functions be transferred from the current arrangements under 23 Lodgement Centres across NSW to one statewide administration …
Accessible polling places
The Australian Electoral Commission has published a search tool on its website that lists the polling places expected to be used in your electorate for the 2007 federal election, including accessibility information.
Mobility Cup 2008
An international regatta for people with significant physical disability will sail into Montreal, Canada, in 2008. The regatta is North America's flagship for sailors with disability and North America's biggest and longest-running adaptive sailing event.
World Usability Day announces 2007 healthcare focus
The focus for World Usability Day 2007 - November 8, 2007 - is healthcare. Whether it's new medical devices or technologies; drug research, approval, or delivery; patient forms or medical record sharing; emergency disaster planning; increasing the functionality of hospitals; or everyday healthcare delivery, everyone is affected by usability in healthcare.
Access to Premises Campaign Kit
The Access to Premises Campaign Kit launced by the Australian Federation of Disability Organisations provides information and tools to people with disability that will help them speak out about the lack of access to businesses and services that they face in their local communities.
Cultural Action Plan
Cultural Action Plans are currently being developed to review and develop arts and cultural opportunities for people with disability in NSW.
Have your say on mobile phones
NovitaTech is conducting a study to evaluate the usability and complexity of current mobile phones. They are particularly interested in the opinions of people over the age of 65 and people with a physical disability.
Ceiling Hoist users Club
Do you know of any accommodation or transport (ferries, cruise ships) that have fixed ceiling hoists? The Ceiling Hoist users Club have been working closely with Intercontinental Hotels Group in the UK who have recently installed hoists in 3 of their flagship London hotels and are collecting similar information from all around the world so that there is an online accommodation directory for ceiling track hoist users.
Good vision initiative 2007
The Optometrists Association of Australia is offering free materials to schools, parents and kids on vision, including how to identify children with vision problems and how to look after your vision.
Accessible Cinema: Sydney Film Festival
Sydney Film Festival in partnership with Accessible Arts have revealed an enticing and moving Accessible Cinema program as part of the upcoming festival next month. It is a fantastic program and covers a broad range of disabilities in a realistic and moving way.
Tourism survey
You are invited to take part in a research study conducted by the University of Technology Sydney on the tourism accommodation needs of people with mobility disabilities.
Accessible tourism in New Zealand
Launch of a report into "Tourism for Visitors to New Zealand with Mobility Problems: a West Coast perspective".
International Exhibition on the International Symbol of Access
An exhibition charting the disability access symbol's global spread and local evolution is being hosted by Disability Studies at Syracuse University and the organisers are calling for submissions.
Mobility Cup 2007
An international regatta for people with significant physical disabilities will sail into Halifax, Canada, in 2007.
Access to information technology
Access to information technology creates opportunity for all, especially persons with disabilities, UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan says in a message for the International Day of Disabled Persons, observed on 3 December under the theme "e-accessibility".
Disability blog carnival
A regular roundup and celebration of "bloggers writing great stuff on disability".
2007 Churchill Fellowships
If you have a great idea and want to make a difference, then you should consider applying for one of the 2007 Churchill Fellowships.
Braille - A New Way of Reading With Dots!
A person who is blind needs technology to write braille. Jot-a-Dot is an exciting new concept in braille writing that uses modern design principles and fabrication methods to achieve a small portable braille writing tool suitable for all blind people.
Children's Museum Initiative
For a children's museum to truly be an asset to the community, it must be designed to support the needs of a wide range of individuals. The Children's Museum Initiative will help to create environments where children and families of all abilities can participate side-by-side.
Wheelchair design and related transport issues
Greg Killeen from Spinal Cord Injuries Australia reports on the wheelchair transport and safety issues for people with disabilities, many of which were strongly debated at the 4th Symposium on Wheelchair Safety and Standards.
Sound Circles hits the access note in Sydney
Sound Circles, an exciting voice and movement program for people with disability, launched by Accessible Arts in association with Access Arts Queensland. Expressions of Interest by potential facilitators are welcome.
Historic wheelchair backflip
Wheelchair skateboarders do with their wheelchairs, what other athletes do with their skateboards. In July 2006 Aaron Fotheringham became the first person in history to do a back flip somersault in a wheelchair.
25th Anniversary International Day of People With a Disability (IDPWD)
December 3 each year is an opportunity to celebrate the abilities of millions of people with a disability and to challenge society's stereotypes around disability. Find out more about this year's events or submit an event and be part of the action.
Innovative art competition
What is the real vibe of Sydney? Artists, individuals, companies, local business and Sydneysiders with a disability can all participate in the Signature of Sydney Art Prize for free (normally $60).
Wheelchair accessible caravan and motor homes
An accessible vehicle and accessible accommodation in one package, with the freedom to follow your own itinerary, or simply explore Australia with no set agenda.
Accessible travel photos at Flickr
A new Flickr group gives travelers with disabilities, their travel companions, friends, and allies of the disability community a place to post travel photos.
Teaching students with sensory impairments
A free resource aimed at fully including students with sensory impairments within our education system.
eCensus web
An Internet version of the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) 2006 Census form is available at eCensus Web.
Google Accessible Search
The early Beta version of Google's new Accessible Search is an exciting project. Still in development its aim is to assist people with vision impairment in finding the most relevant, useful and accessible information as quickly as possible.
Wheelchair athletes
A free web collection of wheelchair sports videos, celebrating the talents of wheelchair athletes across a wide range of wheelchair sporting activities.
World eBook Fair sponsors free eBooks
1/3 of a million eBooks will be available for free download as Project Gutenberg and the World eBook Library act on their dreams of increased world literacy and education.
Educational scholarships for students with print disabilities
Freedom Scientific and Quantum Technology have pledged to make life a little easier for sixteen lucky students (eight students who are blind and eight students with learning disabilities) who will make the move into tertiary study in 2007.
The Unique! Programme
This programme is to educate young people in disability, equality and diversity. Course materials are available as a free downloadable resource for use by by groups, clubs and organisations.
Bundaberg Access Card
A number of venue/activity operators in Bundaberg have agreed to allow free admission for carers as part of a new initiative pomoting equity and community participation for people with a disbaility.
Shoes Without A Partner
Shoes Without A Partner (SWAP Shoes) is an exciting new resource for adults and children requiring single shoes or mismatched pairs for different sized feet.
Accessible Noosa
Noosa Shire has been recognised as one of Australia's most accessible and livable communities.
pole2pole: An extraordinary achievement!
History was made in January 2004 when Michael McGrath became the first person with a disability in the world to reach both the North and South Poles.
Devil's Playground
Tasmania to lead the nation in 'barrier-free tourism'.
Disability parking poster
Produced by the Bundaberg access committee in North Queensland for display in public areas, such as shop windows and medical waiting rooms.
Vexel Quovis comes to Australia
What would a vehicle designed for a wheelchair driver look like?
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