Overview
As kids, "inclusion" meant letting everyone get in the game. For IBM and other companies in the business of accessibility, the definition hasn't changed much, we just use bigger words. Inclusion is about enablement—providing the services, technology, and tools to allow people to maximize their potential in work and life.
That's been the underlying theme of the Technology and Persons with Disabilities Conference, sponsored by California State University Northridge (CSUN), for 23 years. CSUN is the largest and longest–running university conference for businesses and individuals interested in the advancement of technology to support the needs of people across all ages, disabilities, employment, and levels of education and training.
This year the IBM Human Ability and Accessibility Center (HA&AC) has teamed up with IBM Software Group to show private– and public–sector leaders how integration and open collaboration can help them connect with the widest range of customers and constituents. A long–time sponsor of the event, IBM has significantly expanded its 2008 presence with 14 general sessions, three new research technology demonstrations, and one seriously innovative new accessible self–service kiosk solution for travel and transportation.
IBM general sessions at the event will cover a range of topics from new open source initiatives and the refresh of Sections 255 and 508 of the U.S Rehabilitation Act, to Web 2.0 mashups and virtual world accessibility for people who are blind. Subject matter experts from the HA&AC and Software Group will also discuss the evolution of developer tools including IAccessible2 and the Accessibility Tools Framework (ACTF), respectively donated by IBM to The Linux Foundation and Eclipse.org for collaborative development by the open source community. Scheduled throughout the conference from March 13 – 15, these 30–minute and hour–long sessions are designed to provide developers, IT professionals, and business and government leaders with a more technical perspective on a variety of accessibility–related projects, tools, and technologies.
At Marriott exhibit booths 269 and 270, conference attendees will have a chance to try one of the only solutions currently being marketed for accessible self–service in travel and transportation. The Accessible IBM Self–service Kiosk solution was developed by the HA&AC and IBM Global Business Services to help people with disabilities and mature travelers use self–service kiosks at hotels, airports, train stations, and other businesses. The solution may also help businesses address the requirements of California Civil Code 54.9, which calls for self–service kiosk in the state to be accessible to people who are blind or have low vision by January 2009. IBM will host special briefings on the solution in Marriott Executive Suite 1 for IBM sales and delivery teams, clients, and prospects. Interested attendees can contact Bill Curtis–Davidson for more details.
The IBM exhibit will also showcase the latest features of IBM Easy Web Browsing 2.0 for Web users with low vision; IBM Caption Editing System, a cost–effective captioning solution with the capability to quickly correct transcription errors; and Project Jumbo, a framework for real–time teleconference transcription that uses automatic speech recognition and individual laptop microphones to enable people who are deaf or hard of hearing to participate in teleconferences on IBM Lotus® Sametime®. Project Jumbo features and functionality will be discussed more extensively by the technology's developer, Ira Forman, during a Wednesday (3/12) general session and briefings in the IBM executive suite.
Invited guests at CSUN will also have the opportunity to learn a little bit more about global accessibility initiatives at the IBM–hosted International Reception on Thursday evening (3/13) in the Marriott Meridian ballroom. Frances W. West, director of the IBM Human Ability and Accessibility Center will welcome international attendees and give a brief overview of world standards development, the new IBM Human Ability and Accessibility Center in India, and new accessibility learning and speech technology advancements in China.
The ultimate objective of all planned activities at this year's event is to help businesses and governments broaden their definition of accessibility and explore solutions that go beyond basic access to create genuinely inclusive technology experiences for the greatest number of people. For IBM at CSUN 2008 the game is set and we're ready to play.