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Accessible News #36 - Spring 2009
Contents:
- T-Base Communications
Acquires CNIB's Autobill Service
- May is Spinal Cord Injury
and CPA Awareness Month
- Canadian Transportation
Agency Releases Guide for Travellers with Disabilities
- New
Products
- Upcoming Conferences in
Canada
- News
Bits
- Our Web
Site
- Communications From
ADIO
- Where To Find
Us
T-Base Communications Acquires CNIB's Autobill Service
On February 10, T-Base Communications (www.tbase.com)and CNIB (www.cnib.ca) announced the signing of an agreement under which T-Base will acquire CNIB's Autobill technology and assume immediate responsibility for the continued delivery of alternative format statements for CNIB's Autobill clients.
With the acquisition of CNIB's Autobill program, blind, deafblind and partially sighted consumers unable to read conventional print are assured access to the most secure, private, and reliable alternative format reporting available in the market today.
"We see this as a very positive development for CNIB and our Autobill customers," said Margaret McGrory, Vice-President, Information Systems and CIO and Managing Director, CNIB Library. When CNIB embarked upon the Autobill project, it was to fill an important void in the market. The emergence of world-class companies such as T-Base to serve this market need is great news for CNIB's commercial customers. "This will allow the CNIB Library to re-focus on its core business – ensuring a sustainable alternative format collection and library service for persons with print disabilities" added McGrory.
This type of venture is not new to T-Base, which works closely with several not-for-profit organizations to offer secure statement processing more broadly, providing quality and timely delivery of sensitive, personal consumer information in alternative formats. "We are thrilled to add CNIB to this list of such relationships," stated Sharlyn Ayotte, President and CEO of T-Base. "Our business reach, scale, and growing customer list ensures that this vital service is available to all blind and partially sighted consumers across Canada, regardless of who they bank with or which telecommunication or utility service provider they may choose."
May is Spinal Cord Injury and CPA Awareness Month
For almost seven decades, The Canadian Paraplegic Association (CPA: www.canparaplegic.org) has been delivering peer support assistance to Canadians with disabilities arising from spinal cord injuries.
Throughout the month of May, CPA will hold a number of events across Canada to build disability and accessibility awareness of the impact of spinal cord injury (SCI) and of the CPA's activities and services, starting with a signature event on Parliament Hill. Several Members of Parliament and Senators will spend May 7 in wheelchairs, conducting their normal working day while making time allowances for simple things like finding wheelchair accessible shuttles and washrooms. They will be allowed to leave their chair while in the House of Commons, because there is only one wheelchair accessible spot on the floor, for the Parliament Hill Event Co-Sponsor, the Honourable Steven Fletcher.
On the morning of May 7, the Human Resources, Skills Development and Status of Persons with Disabilities Committee will receive presentations on poverty and disability, with the CPA presenting on poverty as it affects people with spinal cord injuries. Later in the day, MPs and special celebrities will take part in wheelchair races in front of Parliament Hill, starting with a manual wheelchair race that will feature Chantal Benoit from the Canadian Women's Paralympic Basketball team and Steven Daniel from the Canadian National Adaptive Rowing team. Minister Fletcher, who uses a head controlled motorized wheelchair, has also issued a challenge to MP Justin Trudeau and CPA Ontario's Peer Support Coordinator, Madelyn Scanlan, to a motorized race.
For more details on events taking place across the country to mark SCI and CPA Awareness Month, visit the CPA web site.
Canadian Transportation Agency Releases Guide for Travellers with Disabilities
On March 30, the Canadian Transportation Agency released the new publication "Take Charge of Your Travel" at its Accessibility Advisory Committee meeting in Ottawa.
This free guide provides information for persons with disabilities that will help plan their travel and make it easier to get from point A to point B. It describes accessible services and features for travellers with disabilities who use airplanes and trains, as well as passenger ferries and buses that cross a Canadian or provincial border.
"The guide is going to help travellers with disabilities take charge by anticipating and addressing the challenges that travel can present," said the Agency's Chair and CEO Geoff Hare.
"Take Charge of Your Travel" replaces the Agency's popular guide to accessible air travel, of which the Agency has distributed over 60,000 copies. The new guide will better meet the needs of more travellers since it now covers all federally regulated modes of transportation. The content of the guide was developed in consultation with representatives from associations of persons with disabilities and the transportation industry.
It has been organized in a reader friendly way by taking the reader from start to finish of a trip and is written in plain language. Other features are the "useful information sources" section, a key words index for quick and easy searches, and a detachable "Reservation Checklist" tool. The Checklist sets out some 60 possible services relating to travel such as accessible seating, requesting assistance, and service animal information. It can be used by travellers, travel agents and transportation service providers to plan trips and ensure that accessibility needs are met
The release of "Take Charge of Your Travel" is one of a recent series of significant achievements in the area of accessible transportation. For example, the Agency has produced five codes of practice on accessibility, the most recent focussing on passenger terminals and which will come into effect in June. All five codes are now supported by a new Agency monitoring methodology with a view to fostering greater industry compliance with their provisions. The Agency has also issued major decisions on undue obstacles to mobility, such as its "one person, one fare" ruling regarding persons with disabilities who require additional seating on domestic flights operated by Air Canada and WestJet, and its final judgment on the use of medical oxygen by some persons in order to travel by air.
The Agency is undertaking a distribution of the guide to the transportation industry, travel agencies and associations of persons with disabilities. The guide is available in both official languages, online through the Agency's Web site, and in multiple formats upon request.
For copies of "Take Charge of Your Travel" and the "Reservation Checklist", please contact the Agency:
Canadian Transportation Agency
Ottawa, ON K1A 0N9
Tel.: 1 888 222
2592
Fax: 819 997 6727
TTY: 1 800 669 5575
CTA Web Site: (www.cta.gc.ca)
email CTA: info@otc-cta.gc.ca
New Products
Since the last issue of Accessible News, a number of Canadian companies have announced the launch of new products, new versions of existing products or launched new Web sites. Here's a brief summary. The companies have been presented in alphabetical order.
HumanWare (www.humanware.com) and ReadHowYouWant are partnering to help readers who have a visual impairment to find the book reading device and format that's right for their needs. ReadHowYouWant offers thousands of books in accessible formats, including 24pt. large print, braille and DAISY files and HumanWare makes and sells playback devices that can be used with braille or DAISY files, including the Victor Reader line of book readers. As of April, readers will be able to go to the HumanWAre website to download free, first chapters of 20 bestselling ReadHowYouWant titles each month as part of the "Free Chapter Download Program". The first chapters are from popular adult and young adult books from a variety of well-known publishers including Wiley, Random House Australia, Murdoch Books and Weekly Reader. After enjoying the complimentary first chapter, readers may visit ReadHowYouWant's (www.readhowyouwant.com)website to purchase the entire file.
Stoveguard International (www.save-on-security.com) has now begin delivery of its Stove Guard for Gas stoves. This is the first such product designed to prevent fires caused by accidentally leaving a burner on and unattended on a gas range and joins the company's Stove Guard for electric ranges, which is already popular in the marketplace. For more information, visit the Stoveguard web site, call them in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan at 306-931-3707 or email Stoveguard sales: sales@save-on-security.com .
Upcoming Conferences in Canada
Here's what's happening in Canada
between May 1, 2009 and June 30, 2009. Please note that the language in each of
the following entries is the language in which the conference was submitted to
the conference list:
May 1-2, 2009
Louis Braille: From Literacy to
Liberty 2009 - CANADIAN FEDERATION OF THE BLIND CONVENTION
Victoria,
British Columbia
Contact: Canadian Federation of the Blind
Tel:
250-598-7154 or 1-800-619-8798 (toll-free)
Tel: 905-890-0140, Ext.
24
E-mail: send email to CFB
info@cfb.ca
URL: www.cfb.ca
May 1-3, 2009
Inclusion Today -
Alliance for Equality of Blind Canadians National Conference
New
Westminster, British Columbia
Contact: Alliance for Equality of Blind
Canadians
Tel: 1-800-561-4774
URL:
www.blindcanadians.ca
May 21-24, 2009
2009 CHHA
Conference & AGM
St. John's, Newfoundland
Contact: National
Office
Canadian Hard of Hearing Association
205-2415 Holly
Lane,
Ottawa, Ontario, K1V 7P2
Tel: 1-800-263-8068 or 613-526-1584
Fax:
613-526-4718
E-mail:
conference@chha.ca
URL:
www.chha.ca/index2.php
May 22-23, 2009
Pathways - Learning
Disabilities Conference
Sudbury, Ontario
Contact: Marlene
McIntosh
Cambrian College
The Glenn Crombie Centre
1400 Barrydowne
Road
Sudbury, ON P3A 3V8
Tel: 705-566-8101 x 7219
FAX:
705-566-5452
E-mail:
marlene.mcintosh@cambriancollege.ca
URL:
http://homepages.cambrianc.on.ca/gcc/pathways
May 25-26, 2009
2009
Canadian Disabilities Studies Association Conference
Ottawa,
Ontario
Contact: Canadian Disability Studies Association - Association
Canadienne des Études sur l'Incapacité
E-mail:
cdsa-acei@gmail.com
URL:
www.cdsa-acei.ca/conference2009.html
June 4-6, 2009
Bringing the Pieces
Together - BC Association for Community Living's Conference and
AGM
Victoria, British Columbia
Contact: Karla Verschoor
227 - 6th
Street,
New Westminster, BC, V3L 3A5
Tel: 1-604-777-9100
FAX:
1-604-777-9394
E-mail:
kverschoor@bcacl.org
URL:
www.bcacl.org/
June 10, 2009
Creating an
Accessible Community - Let's Plan for It!
Sudbury Ontario
Contact:
Natasha James
The Enterprise Centre, Cambrian College
1400 Barrydowne Road
Sudbury, On P3A3V8
Tel: (705) 524-7391
FAX: 705-566-5492
TTY: (705)
560-1889
E-mail:
natasha.james@cambriancollege.ca
URL:
www.theenterprisecentre.com/accessibility_conf.htm
For more conference listings, including what's coming up in other countries, see the "Calendar of Events in Disability, Rehabilitation and Assistive Technology" link on the ADIO web site: www.at-links.gc.ca/as/zx20000E.asp . This is also the link you should use to submit your conference (Canadian or international) for inclusion in the listings.
News Bits
- In July, 2008, Surrey, B.C.'s Cougar
Mountain Marketing Corporation (www.telestik.com) was
awarded the Best in Show prize at the AUTONOMIC'Innov 2008 trade show in
Paris, France for their TeleStik. Portable Reacher. This extendable reacher is
designed for use by those with limited hand strength, including people with
MS, arthritis and some degree of quadriplegia. The goal of AUTONOMIC'Innov is
to promote new assistive technologies for people with disabilities and older
adults to users, professionals and the media. To find out more about TeleStik,
visit the Cougar Mountain Marketing web site.
- In January, the global alliance on
Accessible Technologies and Environments (GAATES:
www.gaates.org) announced that the publication,
"International Best Practices in Universal Design: A Global Review" was named
as one of the world's "100 Best Practices" for 2008 by the United Nations –
Habitat - Dubai International Award for Best Practices. In a press release
marking the Dubai Award GAATES, a Canadian based NGO, noted that this
publication has been distributed to more than 5,000 people worldwide and its
comparative data on accessibility codes and standards from around the world
have been used by such international donor organizations as the World Bank to
ensure that the built environment is accessible and usable by everyone,
including people with disabilities. The document was funded by a consortium of
Canadian and International organizations, led in Canada by the Canadian Human
Rights Commission. It is available in English, French, Arabic, Spanish,
Serbian and in the alternate DAISY format.
- The Learning Disabilities Association
of Canada (LDAC: www.ldca-acta.ca) launched its new web
site for students with learning disabilities at an event at Carleton
University in Ottawa on March 24. The site, youth2youth.ca
(www.youth2youth.ca) provides students who have learning
disabilities with the information they need to achieve success in their
education and work lives. It helps them understand their learning profiles and
provides them with strategies to communicate their learning needs so that they
can obtain the necessary accommodations and supports. The web site has three
main sections: Getting Ready, which explores the challenges students with
learning disabilities face in preparing for post-secondary studies; Being
Here, which examines their strategies for adapting to post-secondary life; and
Moving On, which explains the next steps in making the transition to work
life.
- In April, Motion Specialties Incorporated and March of Dimes Canada
announced the launch of a new program called MODmobility®. It's an on-line
store where people can donate and purchase accessibility devices. Please visit
the MODmobility website
(www.modmobility.ca) to learn more about this exciting
program.
- Also in April, the Canadian Abilities Foundation announced the launch of a
new on-line job board to assist workers with disabilities in finding
employment. This initiative, which has been undertaken in partnership with the
Workopolis NicheNetwork is called jobs.abilities.ca
(http://jobs.abilities.ca) and is open both to employers who
wish to fill positions in their organizations and to job seekers who are
looking for employers who value diversity, equity and accessibility in the
workplace.
- Congratulations to Mary Frances Laughton, the recently-retired Chief of
the Assistive Devices Industry Office at Industry Canada. She has been named
as one of this year's recipients of the Public Service Award of Excellence, in
the Outstanding Career category. The award will be presented on June 18, as
part of the National Public Service Week observances.
- Ottawa-based web specialists Further Ahead have launched into their 2009
workshop series. Derek Featherstone, founder and owner of Further Ahead will
present his workshop "Real World Accessibility for Ajax and Web Apps", in
Ottawa on June 15. home to Ottawa. This workshop is for those in the public
sector who are working towards or are considering moving their service
applications online. The full-day workshop is filled with practical tips and
demonstrations of development and design techniques and testing strategies for
all members of a project team and will provide participants concepts,
strategies and code that will help them provide their services online to
citizens of all abilities. More information on the workshop can be found at
the Further Ahead
website (http://furtherahead.com/workshops/ottawa2009/) .
- ATIA, the Assistive Technology Industry
Association (www.atia.org) has announced its first-ever
conference in Chicago, Illinois, to be held this October. This is in addition
to the annual ATIA conference which takes place in Orlando, Florida every
January. The Chicago event will be held at the Renaissance Schaumburg Hotel
and Convention Center. A day of pre-conference seminars will be held on
October 28 and the conference itself runs from October 29-31. For more
information, visit the ATIA web site or email
ATIA: atia@atia.org
Our Web Site
Our Web site can be found at http://www.at-links.gc.ca/. At this site are all our old newsletters as well as different listings and links to other sites of interest. Should you be using these old newsletters, please bear in mind that the web addresses were correct when the newsletter was created but that they may not be accurate now. We do not plan to change the back issues of the newsletters.
Communications From Us
If you would prefer to receive our newsletter on disk or by e-mail, please
contact us at the address below.
Where To Find Us
For more information or to get on our mailing list, please contact:
Deb Finn
Industry Canada
300 Slater Street
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0C8
Tel: 613-990-4297
fax: 613-957-4076
TTY: 613-998-5923
email: deb.finn@ic.gc.ca
