Interregional Seminar and Regional Demonstration Workshop on Accessible ICT and Persons
with Disabilities
Bayview Park Hotel, Manila, Philippines
March 3-7, 2003
OVERVIEW
 The
interregional seminar and regional demonstration workshop will provide forums for
intensive exchanges of knowledge and experience in promoting awareness, planning and
developing accessible ICT solutions in the context of sustainable and equitable
development for present and future generations.
The seminar will consider international policy and programmatic frameworks related to
ICT, the global Internet in particular. It will review and discuss issues and trends in
Internet-enabled services and the role of ICT in development and identify options to
promote and implement measures to achieve reasonable levels of accommodation in ICT
solution, Internet-enabled services in particular.
The workshop will provide a forum for both advocates and practitioners to review and
discuss issues, trends and best practices in the design and development of accessible
ICT-Internet accessibility in particular. The workshop will review, test and evaluate
pilot training and resource materials related to analysis, planning and development of
accessible Internet-enabled content, and will identify recommendations on training and
skills development strategies appropriate to countries. The workshop will review and
discuss content development and management and the role of participatory institutions in
promoting awareness and support of accessible ICT for all. The workshop will produce a set
of tested substantive materials on Internet accessibility for all for use by interested
parties in promoting accessible ICT and digital connections for all.
Seminar and workshop participants will submit recommendations for further action,
including practical recommendations on effective means to achieve reasonable levels of
accommodation in the design and development of accessible ICT, Internet-enabled services
in particular, as requested in the recommendation of the Ad Hoc Committee.
Seminar and workshop participants are expected to formulate a “strategic
framework” on promoting awareness and policy support for accessible ICT for all as an
essential component of broad rights-based approaches to sustainable and equitable
development. Special attention will be directed to persons with disabilities in least
developed countries, low income countries and countries with economies in transition.
The seminar and workshop will contribute to establishment and development of networks
of excellence to further exchanges of knowledge and expertise to build national capacities
for accessible ICT in support of implementation of the Millenium Development Goals and to
further a broad rights-based approach to development as recognized in General Assembly
resolution 56/168.
The project outcome is expected to contribute to implementation of the poverty
eradication-related Millenium Development Goals by virtue of the focus on education,
training of trainers and providing practical methods to promote, plan and achieve
accessible information and communication technologies for all. Follow-up could include
regional and national demonstration training workshops to promote awareness, formulate
strategic options as well as identify technical co-operation needs to build national
capacities and participatory institutions for accessible ICT.
The seminar and workshop would
involve participants in their individual capacity from governmental bodies and
organizations concerned with ICT and national development as well as representatives of
professional bodies, academic institutions and the non-governmental community,
organizations of persons with disabilities in particular. Priority in participant
selection will be accorded to participants with personal experience or direct knowledge of
disability. |
