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Techshare 2012
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Monday, February 06, 2012:
How difficult is it for a person on a wheelchair to use a lift in most commercial buildings that have a short flight of stairs to enter?How difficult is it for a visually challenged person to visit a corner bookstore?In a country like India where barrier free infrastructure is a struggle, how do people with disabilities shop for books, movies etc.? This is a time for a paradigm shift; look at people with disability as a resource and invest in them. Have expectations; hold them accountable, provide access. This change in approach will make people with disability active citizens of society who are productive and independent.
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Welcome to Techshare. Brought to India by BarrierBreak Technologies, National Centre for Promotion of Employment for Disabled People (NCPEDP), Royal National Institute of Blind People (UK) Techshare is one of Europe's biggest technology events to promote accessible technology for people with disabilities. Techshare 2012 is sponsored by Microsoft. Since 2008, Techshare India has brought many conversations to the forefront from web accessibility to digital talking books, from patient moving hoists to accessible ATMs, from screen readers to sign language interpreter relay services, from AAC devices to reading writing tools.
Shilpi Kapoor, Founder BarrierBreak Technologies and Organiser Techshare 2012 says,
“We believe that while we are working on all of these areas, it is time to now look beyond! It's time to look at entertainment and how people with disabilities can enjoy the experience. It is about television and movies. It is about games; whether web based, arcade games or gaming devices. People with disabilities have an equal right to enjoy these too!”
Techshare India 2012 will build awareness, identify needs, and provide solutions and implementation strategies to create an inclusive environment for people with disabilities. Javed Abidi, who was elected World Chair of Disabled Peoples International (DPI), in October 2011, and is also Honorrary Director of NCPEDP says, “The biggest boon that technology has brought worldwide is in the lives of people with severe disabilities. Yet, the vast and exciting work of Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) is not just unchartered in India but is mostly relegated to labs with no plans of upscaling or mass production. Whatever little is available is so expensive that its beyond the means of an average family.” Hence the importance of resource centres. Less than 1% of India’s disabled have acccess to assistive technologies. The Knowledge Commission website clearly states that India is planning to set up 54000 libraries over the next two years. These libraries should have dedicated sections for persons with disabilities.
Stephen King,Group Director,Prevention & International Affairs, Royal National Institute of Blind People says, “This is a vital part of our collective effort to challenge and support governments and business to deliver the promises in the UN Convention on the rights of people with disabilities.”
Rob Sinclair, Chief Accessibility Officer Microsoft will be delivering the keynote address at Techshare 2012. Sinclair has served on a number of advisory boards and currently chairs the steering committee of the Accessibility Interoperability Alliance (AIA) – an organization he helped to create and that later became the engineering division of the Assistive Technology Industry Association (ATIA).
"Our mission in Microsoft’s Accessibility Business unit is to ensure access to services and devices by all people, while respecting their unique level of physical and cognitive abilities.” Sinclair says.
Some of the other key speakers at the conference will be P J Mathew Martin, Ali Yavar Jung National Institute for Hearing Handicapped (AYJNIHH), Shalini Khanna, NAB and Kiran Kaja, Accessibility Engineer, Adobe Systems. (Detailed agenda and exhibitors guide provided)The two day exhibition and conference will witness participation from more than 500 delegates from government and non-profit organizations, educational institutes and corporate sectors from across the globe; where more than 50 speakers will address the issues related to accessibility standards and law. The exhibition will have more than 25 stalls that will display different IT hardware and software products and services for people with disabilities.
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