This report reveals that although online participation is increasing across Australia, gaps continue to exist- and widen- between those who are digitally “included” and “excluded”. The report found that Australians with low levels of income, education and employment are less digitally included – as well as Indigenous Australians and people with a disability.
Imagine being excluded from an inside joke shared among all your best friends simply because you can’t see the photo they’re laughing at.
It is estimated there are more than 30,000 people in Australia living with spinal cord injuries and amputations who could potentially drive modified vehicles. Paul Crake believes that number could be even greater when the needs of others who require modifications to drive are factored in. His company has a first for Australia: a van … Continued
The Australian government has put technology vendors on notice to make their software more accessible for public servants with disabilities. John Sheridan, the Australian government’s chief technology officer, has revealed that the Commonwealth is poised to launch a public consultation process in order to bring its ICT procurement standards for accessibility into line with European … Continued
This is the story of Sian. Sian is a deaf person, who can speak and hear quite well, and is having issues progressing in her workplace due to the unintentional barriers in place, that limit her ability to access vital information. This post also explores the identity issues she has faced in being a deaf … Continued
Two second-year university students in the US have developed a pair of gloves that can translate sign language into speech and text, a tool they hope will empower the deaf community.
Yesterday, Facebook announced the release of automatic alternative text – or automatic alt text – for images posted to Facebook. Automatic alt text uses object recognition technology to generate a description of a photo, processing each through Facebook’s artificial intelligence engine to establish image content.
We don’t need the Federal Government’s recent Innovation Statement that said advances in technology are transforming just about every part of our lives, from the way we work to the way we communicate and access services. It’s obvious and we are living it daily.
Web accessibility means that people with disabilities can use the Web. It also benefits others, including older people with changing abilities due to aging. Web accessibility encompasses all disabilities that affect access to the Web, including visual, auditory, physical, speech, cognitive, and neurological disabilities. The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) has compiled a comprehensive online … Continued
At 16, Bree Synot was feeling ready to give up on life. Born with osteogenesis imperfecta, or brittle bones, the prospect of finding a wheelchair-friendly house suitable for her needs was always going to be tough.
When, at 23, Joanne Webber was told she had a rare eye condition, she received lots of support. She was diagnosed for free at the Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital and was helped by the Royal Victorian Institute for the Blind. “I met with mentors of similar age to me and met people with … Continued
A striking lack of PDF files differentiates the Victorian Government’s Department of Primary Industries web site from just about every other government and business site in Australia. Since DPI Systems and Technical Manager Mark Bryant completed a PDF purge in July 2011 the DPI site has also registered an astonishing increase in page views – … Continued
Media Release, , 8 May 2012 Captioning levels on subscription television services will be increased over the next three years, under an agreement reached between the Australian Human Rights Commission and the Australian Subscription Television and Radio Association (ASTRA). The agreement was reached together with leading captioning expert body, Media Access Australia and … Continued
For many years, people who are blind or vision impaired have not had access to cinema or television. Audio description can change that. Senator Stephen Conroy last week announced that ABC1 will trial audio description in 2012, giving people who are blind or vision impaired access to something most of us take for granted. Movie … Continued
Stella Young, disability advocate, comedienne and editor of ABC’s Ramp Up website is about to take possession of a brand new top of the line wheelchair; something that has been a long time in coming. She has had the same wheelchair for 17 years but it is not without regret that she must let it … Continued