Accessible News no. 1 — January 1997

Should you be using these old newsletters, please bear in mind that the web addresses were correct when the newsletter was created but that they may not be accurate now. We do not plan to change the back issues of the newsletters.

Contents: 

• So, What's the Assistive Devices Industry Office, Anyway?

• National Access Strategy

• Assistive Devices Industry Association

• Web Site

• Advisory Committee on Assistive Devices

• Project Support

• Some Useful Sources of Information

• Where to Find Us

So, What's the Assistive Devices Industry Office, Anyway?

Let's start by making it very clear that the Assistive Devices Industry Office doesn't provide equipment or purchasing assistance to individuals. That sort of activity comes under the authority of provincial governments.

What we do is support the businesses that develop and produce affordable communications or informatics devices and systems that help people with disabilities live more independently. We work to promote accessibility for people with disabilities in a number of other ways too.

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National Access Strategy

The Office is an active participant in the development of a National Access Strategy for Canada's Information Highway. Its intent is to enable Canadians to access electronic information and services, regardless of where they live, or their level of ability. This will help to ensure Canadians with disabilities have access to the same Information Highway as everyone else.

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Assistive Devices Industry Association

We are laying the groundwork for the establishment of a national Assistive Devices Industry Association. There are many good reasons to form such an association, not the least of which is the opportunity to provide people in the assistive devices industry with a strong voice in government, financial and other circles. Such an association will provide Canada's growing Assistive Devices (AD) industry with a forum for information exchange and enhance contacts, both within the AD industry itself and also with so-called mainstream businesses. When it is up and running, responsibility for the Web site currently under development in the Office and our industry database will be turned over to the Association.

To find out what kinds of benefits or services people would like to see offered by an Assistive Devices Industry Association, we are conducting a survey of potential members. Those of you who have already identified yourselves as part of the assistive devices industry will find it enclosed with this newsletter. If you didn't get a copy, but think you should, please contact us at the address found at the end of this newsletter . For those of you who can access HTML forms, it will also be available at our Web site.

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Web Site

Progress has been made on the development of an industry database, the design of the Web site. The Web site will enable users to get information from our industry database. It will also provide links to other useful sites on the Web. A set of rules for posting material on the Web site will be provided, to ensure that users get information in the most accessible formats possible. These rules are based on the guidelines that have been established by the Treasury Board of Canada for Internet postings.

The Web site will be available at http://www.starlingweb.com/adp/

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Advisory Committee on Assistive Devices

An Advisory Committee on Assistive Devices has been formed to provide the Minister of Industry, the Honourable John Manley, with advice on how to support the advancement of assistive technologies in Canada. The Committee's first meeting was held in Ottawa, October 31 — November 1. Members of the Committee were chosen for their expertise and experience, rather than as representatives of specific organizations. Many of the members are themselves people who have disabilities, including blindness, deafness, mobility and speech impairments.

The Advisory Committee has a unique opportunity to provide Industry Canada with pragmatic advice on access issues that concern the department. It has already begun by suggesting specific actions the department can undertake in support of recommendations contained in the report of the Task Force on Disability Issues. The Committee has also indicated that it looks forward to participating in the development of the National Access Strategy.

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Project Support

As for funding assistance, the Assistive Devices Industry Office has a modest amount of project money available this year. Several projects are receiving partial support from the Office and more proposals are under review, but we still welcome new ideas for assistive communications and informatics products and systems.

Projects will be considered eligible for funding only if:

• the proposal comes from a Canadian entity;
• there is a clearly identified end-user community supporting the project's concept; the proposal demonstrates a unique and innovative application of an advanced technology product, system or service which is not available commercially at a reasonable cost;
• the proposal demonstrates potential for a commercial or self-sustaining service or product; and
• the applicant is willing to underwrite a significant proportion of the project costs, which can take the form of in-kind support.

Before you spend a lot of time drawing up a formal proposal, we recommend that you call or send us a brief message, telling us what kind of project you have in mind.

A listing of projects completed under the National Strategy for the Integration of Persons with Disabilities or now underway is being updated. Should you wish a copy, please contact us.

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Some Useful Sources of Information

There are a number of Web sites that you may find generally useful. Here's a sample of what's available: 

• Strategis: Industry Canada's primary business site for providing business information (http://strategis.ic.gc.ca)

• Canada Business Service Centres:  offering a variety of products and services to help clients obtain quick, accurate and comprehensive business information, while minimizing telephone runaround, inadequate or incorrect information and duplication of government services (http://reliant.ic.gc.ca/english/index.html)

• Consumer Connection:  Industry Canada's online consumer information service(http://strategis.ic.gc.ca/sc_consu/consaffairs/engdoc/oca.html)

• Small Business Loans Administration:  provides information designed to help new and existing small business enterprises to obtain term loans directly from authorized lenders, towards financing the purchase and improvement of fixed assets (http://strategis.ic.gc.ca/sc_mangb/smallbus/engdoc/sbla.html)

• Business Development Bank of Canada:  Canada's small business bank, delivering timely and relevant financial and management services, with particular focus on the emerging and exporting sectors of the economy (http://www.bdc.ca)

• CANARIE:  the Canadian Network for the Advancement of Research Industry and Education, which is a consortium of government, business and public institutions (http://www.canarie.ca)

• Information Highway Advisory Council:  the group formed to advise the government on how to plan and implement Canada's information highway (http://info.ic.gc.ca/info-highway/ih.html)

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Where to Find Us

For more information, to discuss a project idea or to get on our mailing list, please contact:

Mary Frances Laughton or Deb Finn
Assistive Devices Industry Office
Industry Canada
P.O. Box 11490 Station H
Ottawa, Ontario
K2H 8S2

Phone: 613-990-4316 or 613-990-4297
Fax: 613-998-5923
Internet: laughton@crc.ca or finn.deb@ic.gc.ca

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Posted: January 3, 1997