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Interregional
Seminar and Regional Demonstration Workshop on Accessible Information and Communications
Technologies (ICT) and Persons with Disabilities |
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Interregional
Seminar and Regional Demonstration Workshop on Accessible Information and Communications
Technologies (ICT) and Persons with Disabilities |
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Daily Summaries: Day 1, March 3 Day 2,
March 4 Day 3,
March 5 Day 4,
March 6 Day 5,
March 7 |
The seminar had strong participation from countries in Asia. Representatives from both South and Southeast Asia included senior governmental officials (e.g., a secretary for social affairs from Bangladesh and under-secretary for social welfare and development from the Philippines), programme managers as well as members from civil society. A total of twenty-one delegates, seven observers, and six resource persons attended the meeting. All contributed fully to the proceedings.
The meeting was organized in three issue clusters, responding to policy issues related to accessible ICT, structural and institutional aspects, and technology aspects. A strategy and applications cluster involved group work on accessible Web design, and formulation of a strategic plan to promote and realize accessible ICT for all.
During the five-day seminar / workshop, much was accomplished. Detailed daily summaries
are also available (see Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 |
Day 5).
During the opening ceremonies, Director Ma. Alicia S. Bonoan, Programs & Projects Bureau, DSWD provided a brief overview of the seminar and workshop and introduced the Delegates, Observers, Resource Persons, Guests and members of the National Organizing Committee. Welcoming Remarks were delivered by Mr. Terence D. Jones, UNDP Resident Representative, whose message focused on the themes of peace, poverty reduction and action on preventable disabilities. The Hon. Corazon Juliano-Soliman, Secretary, Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) delivered the Keynote Speech. Her remarks directed special attention to the question of accessible ICT and persons with disabilities (PWDs) in developing countries.
Following a presentation on the programme design, Mr. Mateo Lee, Deputy Executive Director III of the National Council for the Welfare of Disabled Person (NCWDP), an attached agency of DSWD presented his paper, "Disability Issues in Information Communication and Technology Development in the Philippines." Atty. Richard Arsenio, Commissioner on PWD Sector - National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC) provided the group with a brief introduction to the first session of the UN Ad Hoc Committee to consider a new international convention on the rights of persons with disabilities. Mr. Clinton Rapley, United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs representative provided further background on the convention process and the recommendation of the first session of the Ad Hoc Committee on "accessibility with measurable accommodation."
Ms. Cynthia Waddell, JD, resource person on accessible ICT, provided an overview of action in the United States to empower persons with disabilities through accessible electronic technology and standards included in "Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act Amendments of 1998." Ms. Maria Cristina Sara-Serrano, resource person on norms and standards, delivered (using CD ROM-based multi-media) a presentation on an introduction to the United Nations Standard Rules on the Equalization of Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities, and how they relate to accessible ICT.
During the afternoon, participants presented and discussed country experiences relating to accessibility policy and legislation.
A panel composed of Mr. John Mathiason (AIMS), Ms. Maria Cristina Sara-Serrano (AIMS) and Mr. Leo Valdes (Vision Office) discussed the policy dimension of accessibility, and the need to consider both access and accessibility.
Mr. Charles Kuhlman, Telecommunications Director of New York University delivered the presentation on the Four Forces of the Communications Revolution using an accessible multi-media presentation.
During the afternoon, Ms. Nieva Neri of the Philippine National Computer Center lead a roundtable discussion on ICT issues at national levels. This was followed by a demonstration of assistive technologies used in the region. Mr. John Javier, an observer from the Philippines demonstrated to the group the use of JAWS software: a screen reader application for the visually impaired person. Mr. James Lee, observer from South Korea, demonstrated another screen reader called EVE (Etrek's Vocal Eyes) for Windows. Ms. Roselle Ambubuyog, who is visually impaired, demonstrated the use of a Notetaker that produces Braille notes.
Mr. Leo Valdes made two presentations: (a) Design Considerations for Delivering Online Information, focused on the considerations in developing an accessible web sites such as: content (timely, reliable, and appropriate); aesthetics; accessibility; usability; and sustainability; (b) Accessible Information and Communication Technology (ICT) topics discussed were: accessibility, email accessibility, assistive technology, web accessibility and making web pages accessible.
In the afternoon, participants divided into four groups and, as part of the planning workshop, produced extensive plans, which defined target audiences and key messages. This was followed by a hands-on workshop on the development of accessible web pages using HTML.
A guest speaker, Ms. Venus Ilagan, the first woman chairperson of Disabled Persons International (DPI) gave a brief background on the proposed International convention to promote and protect the rights and dignity of persons with disabilities. An extensive discussion on the proposed convention took place. Strategies on how the results of these discussions and the results of the seminar/workshop could be raised to the forthcoming regional meetings and second Ad Hoc meeting.
For the rest of the day, participants developed country or regional strategic plans for the promotion of accessible ICT. Participants chose to work in three groups, and they provided three strategic plans at the end of the day. In parallel, the international presentation team discussed functional approaches to accessible ICT and developed two outcome documents for consideration by participants.
As an output of the previous day's workshop, each group presented their strategic paper containing the Strategic Frameworks on Building Capacities for Accessible ICT for All. The first group was composed of four (4) Filipinos representing the different islands of the Philippines (Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao). This presentation focused on the development of an information web site which will be made available in order to disseminate information concerning Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) in the Philippines. The second group was composed of delegates from Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam. They identified four (4) types of audiences -- government, PWDs, NGOs, and Community and Society -- and they formulated specific objectives and strategies for each target audience. Delegates from Bangladesh, Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Pakistan and Philippines took part in the third group. Their main goal is the promotion of accessible Information and Communication Technology (ICT) for all towards poverty reduction.
Representing the resource team, Ms. Cynthia Waddell presented the two (2) outcome documents -- Manila Declaration on Accessible Information and Communications Technologies (ICT) and Manila Accessible ICT Design Recommendations for comments of the group. Participant comments were noted, reviewed and incorporated in the two final outcome documents.
During the closing, Secretary Abdul Jabbar of Bangladesh and Ms. Sivila Chanhpheng of Lao PDR shared their reflections relative to the workshop/seminar. Undersecretary Lourdes G. Balanon and Mr. Clinton Rapley distributed the Certificates of Participation to the delegates. Undersecretary Lourdes G. Balanon delivered the Closing Remarks. She emphasized the importance of the Manila Declaration which will be the policy paper/advocacy document to advocate accessible ICT for all with special attention to persons with disabilities. She also encouraged all to use various channels to bring attention to the outcome documents, and to provide input to the regional meetings and second Ad Hoc meeting for the consideration of a convention to promote and protect the rights and dignity of persons with disability.
Outcomes
During the final plenary session, participant teams presented their respective strategic plans, which were all of high quality, logical and respond to national priorities and conditions.
The international resource team produced two outcome documents: the "Manila Declaration on Accessible Information and Communications Technologies" and companion "Manila Accessible ICT Design Recommendations". The "Manila Declaration" focuses on normative aspects of accessible ICT and notes that accessibility is part of broad rights based approaches to development because it empowers and enables persons with disabilities to participate on the basis of equality in social life and development. The companion "Manila Accessible ICT Design Recommendations" set forth functional design principles and recommendations for a "minimum threshold" that would provide flexibility in accommodating each user's needs and preferences for Web-based information goods and services.
Participants received a CD-ROM, compiled by the digital content specialist of the international team, which contains all pre- and in-session meeting materials, which are also available on the Internet site established by the international presentation team for the meeting: http://www.worldenable.net/manila2003/.
