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Web resources & interesting links


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Accessibility news

Advocacy groups

  • AAPD The American Association of People with Disabilities is the largest national nonprofit cross-disability member organization in the United States, dedicated to ensuring economic self-sufficiency and political empowerment for the more than 56 million Americans with disabilities. AAPD works in coalition with other disability organizations for the full implementation and enforcement of disability nondiscrimination laws, particularly the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.
  • American Council of the Blind- The ACB strives to improve the well-being of all blind and visually impaired people.
  • AFB- The American Foundation for the Blind is the organization to which Helen Keller devoted her life-is a national nonprofit whose mission is to ensure that the ten million Americans who are blind or visually impaired enjoy the same rights and opportunities as other citizens.
  • ATIA- Assistive Technology Industry Association - The mission of ATIA is to serve as the collective voice of the Assistive Technology industry so that the best products and services are delivered to people with disabilities. ATIA represents the interests of its members to business, government, education, and the many agencies that serve people with disabilities.
  • CAST Team is a nonprofit organization that works to expand learning opportunities for all individuals, especially those with disabilities, through the research and development of innovative, technology-based educational resources and strategies.
  • Center for the Partially Sighted- A nonprofit agency dedicated to helping people of all ages with impaired sight live full and productive lives.
  • CNIB Canadian National Institute for the Blind
  • Independent Living Institute - A site to learn more about the institute's work for equal opportunities, self-determination and self-respect of disabled people.
  • Freedom Scientific (JAWS) - develops, manufactures and markets innovative technology-based products and services that those with vision impairments and learning disabilities use to change their world.
  • HAMER (HECORP) - Hamer Enterprises' corporate vision is to be the provider that is held in the highest regard for their premier application software solution, consulting services and Internet services in the elections, supervision, collections and appraisal environments for state and local governments throughout the United States.
  • GW Micro (Window-Eyes Product) - Since 1990, GW Micro has listened to screen-reader users and incorporated many of their suggestions into one powerful product: Window-Eyes. The result- A wide variety of speech features and the flexibility needed for running many of today's most advanced Windows applications.
  • Liberated Learning is a key consortium for Universities dedicated to the deaf and deaf technologies.
  • NFB - The National Federation for the Blind is a national organization with fifty thousand members, and has affiliates in all fifty states plus Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico.
  • NinSight - creates and develops subtitling software including Ayato Composition V1.19, Protitle, and Ayato Subtitler.
  • WGBH NCAM (National Center for Accessible Media) - captioning leader and STEP methodology.

General Resources

  • Alliance for Technology Access- connecting children and adults with disabilities to technology tools
  • AT Network- dedicated to expanding the accessibility of tools, resources and technology that will help increase independence, improve personal productivity and enhance the quality of life for all Californians.
  • Boulevard Disability Resource Center- directory of products and services for the physically challenged, elderly, caregivers and healthcare professionals
  • Captioned Media Program is a resource for captioning information and captioned educational media.
  • CSUN Center on Disabilities - offers programs of student service, education, and research to help change the world for people with disabilities.
  • Disability Resource Center- directory of products and services for the physically challenged, elderly, caregivers and healthcare professionals
  • Disability Statistics Center- produces and disseminates statistical information on disabilities and the status of people with disabilities in American Society and establishes and monitors indicators of how conditions are changing over time to meet their health, housing, economic and social needs.
  • Don Johnston, Inc.- products that help people discover potential and experience success. Creators of Ke:nx, Co:Writer, and Write:OutLoud.
  • Jim Mullen Foundation- a non-profit organization that provides free technology to people who have a special need.
  • Montrose Secam Limited - Distributor for the IBM Assistive Mouse Adapter for people with hand tremors.
  • National Council on Disability
  • NIH Senior Health- Low vision resource
  • Telecommunications Act of 1996 is the first major overhaul of telecommunications law in almost 62 years.
  • U.S. Department of Education has released a 56-page guide called "Disability Employment 101: Learn to Tap Your 'HIRE' Potential" to acquaint business leaders with programs and resources available to assist them in hiring people with disabilities.
  • US General Services Administration (GSA) has released a new electronic tool for prioritizing Web site accessibility problems. STEP508(Simple Tool for Error Prioritization for Section 508 compliance) is available as a free download.
  • WGBH NCAM National Center for Accessible Media
  • International Center for Disability Information

IBM Resources

Other interesting links for people with disabilities