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Assistive Technology Links (AT-Links)

Accessible News #4 — December 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.

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Industry Association Incorporates

It's been a long road and a lot of work, but as of September, CanADIA, the Assistive Devices Industry Association of Canada, has been incorporated. On November 3 the Association's provisional Board of Directors met and chose its interim executive committee. Beverley Ostafichuk was named Chairman. The President is Brian McCarthy, the Vice-President is Gilles Pepin and the Treasurer is Rick Sinclair. Chuck Letourneau will act as Secretary and he will continue to be its main point of contact. CanADIA plans to hold its first Annual General Meeting in Spring 1998, probably in conjunction with National Access Awareness Week. At that time, the members will be called on to elect a new Board of Directors.

Two membership levels were agreed upon at the November 3 meeting:  a full membership at $195 per year, which will be open to developers and manufacturers who have been working in the assistive device field for at least two years; and associate (ie., non-voting) membership at $75 per year, which will be open to other interested organizations or individuals who have an interest in the AD industry. At its second meeting, the Board decided to also offer an educational membership at $25 for students interested in assistive devices and registered at an educational institution. A membership package is included with this newsletter and will be available on the Web site.

CanADIA will host a booth at CSUN in March 1998. Full association members in good standing will be invited to have their product literature displayed in the booth, for US$50. There will also be demonstration space in the booth for five companies, all of whom will be responsible for staffing their display. Exhibitors showing their products or systems in the booth will be doing so as members of the Association. Under the CanADIA banner, they will be showing examples of the kind of work Canadian companies are doing in the assistive devices industry. The cost for this booth space will be US$300.

In addition, the Association will offer a range of services for its members. In the first year, this will include the following:  an information clearinghouse, helping to keep its members and associate members informed of the latest developments in technology, marketing initiatives and funding sources; use of a version of Compusult's PODS filtering service for public tendering of contracts over the Web; letters to go to the Posts, Embassies and Trade Centres telling them about CanADIA and its purpose; and the provision of information to the general public on CanADIA's activities and on the activities of its members.

To get more info, contact Chuck Letourneau at 613-820-2272 or canadia@starlingweb.com, or contact the ADIO at the address at the end of this newsletter.

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Industry Minister Joins Cabinet Round Table on Disability

The Federal Government continues to recognize that people with disabilities are important to Canadian society. The Honourable Pierre Pettigrew, Minister of Human Resources Development, is the Chair of the Ministerial Round Table on Disability, a group of key Ministers responsible for major initiatives aimed at ensuring people with disabilities can participate fully in their community. Because of Industry Canada's demonstrated commitment to supporting the assistive devices industry and the steps the department has taken to ensure people with disabilities are not left at the roadside on the Information Highway, Minister Pettigrew invited Industry Minister John Manley to join the Round Table. The other member departments of this Round Table are: Finance (Paul Martin), Revenue (Herb Dhaliwal), Indian Affairs (Jane Stewart), Health (Allan Rock) and Justice (Anne McLellan). The eighth member of the group is Solicitor General Andy Scott, who was invited to join the group because he was the Chair of the ministerial Task Force on Disability and he has continued to demonstrate a personal interest in the topic. The Round Table will likely hold its first meeting early in the new year.

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Neil Squire Foundation's Executive Director Named B.C.'s Young Innovator of the Year

Dr. Gary Birch, the Executive Director of the Vancouver-based Neil Squire Foundation, was honoured as Young Innovator of the Year by the Science Council of BC, at a dinner on October 20. The BC Science & Technology Awards were instituted in 1980 to recognize outstanding achievements by BC scientists, engineers, industrial innovations and science communicators. Dr. Birch was recognized for the ground-breaking work he and his R&D team at the Foundation have undertaken in the development of new computer-based technologies and robotic systems for people with severe mobility disabilities. Dr. Birch, who is himself quadriplegic, earned his doctorate in electrical engineering at UBC in 1988, the same year he became head of the Foundation's R&D group. He has also been Executive Director of the Foundation since 1992.

Those who know Gary can attest to his absolute commitment to finding new and better ways to enhance the independence of people with disabilities. In addition to his work at the Foundation, he is also a member of the Premier's Advisory Council on Science and Technology, the Board of Governors of the BCIT, Industry Canada's Ministerial Advisory Committee on Assistive Devices and a founding member of CanADIA. He is also an adjunct professor at UBC and Simon Fraser University.

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What's New With the Web Accessibility Initiative and the Treasury Board's Access Working Group

Judy Brewer is the Director of the International Program Office of the World Wide Web Consortium's (W3C) Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI). She was in Ottawa in late November for discussions with the newly-formed Access Working Group (AWG) of the Treasury Board Secretariat's Internet Advisory Committee.

The Internet Advisory Committee is an interdepartmental forum bringing Webmasters, information technology and management specialists and policy makers together to share knowledge, best practices and guide the Government of Canada in its use of the Internet. Its Web-site is http://www.cio-dpi.gc.ca/ig-gi/.

The AWG meets regularly to discuss access-issues and challenges within the federal government, to offer expertise in accessible Web-page design, and to provide a point of contact for international programmes like the WAI. The Chair is Katherine Miller of the National Library of Canada. The AWG Web-site may be on-line by the time you receive this newsletter. If so, it will be on the Internet forum site: http: //www.cio-dpi.gc.ca/ig-gi/.

The WAI is an international program to foster awareness of Web-access issues and identify and to promote solutions within industry, government and the public sectors. The WAI is moving rapidly to develop comprehensive guidelines for universal and accessible design, not just for Web-page authors, but also for the developers of standard software like Internet browsers and the developers of assistive technology. Working together, the prospects for a more accessible electronic world are increasingly likely. Furthermore, the WAI has a strong influence on the W3C's technical working groups responsible for the development of the standard Web protocols and languages. New features that will permit Web-sites to be more accessible are being included in the emerging standards through the work of the WAI. The WAI's Web-site is: http: //www.w3.org/WAI/.

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New Strategis Sites for Small Business

Three new Web sites have been launched by Industry Canada, in support of small business. They are all part of Contact! The Canadian Management Network (http://strategis.ic.gc.ca/contact). The "$ources of Financing" site (http: //strategis.ic.gc.ca/sources) provides information on funding sources, including chartered banks, micro-lenders and venture capital companies. "Steps To Growth Capital" (http: //strategis.ic.gc.ca/growth) helps companies identify their financial needs and gives them advice on how to manage their relationship with an investor. It's a companion site for the Canada Community Investment Plan, which helps companies find investors and make deals. The third new site is "Steps to Competitiveness" (http: //strategis.ic.gc.ca/steps), which provides advice on marketing, human resources, business alliances and performance evaluation tips. Software vendors who want to promote their business management software tools or their educational audio-visual products relating to business management on Contact! should register with by sending product information to contact@ic.gc.ca or by going online at http://strategis.ic.gc.ca/sc_mangb/contact/engdoc/homepage.html

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More Info for Small Businesses

A new booklet, Guide for Canadian Small Businesses, will be available soon from Revenue Canada tax services office and at the Canada Business Services centres across the country. The booklet offers tax tips and customs information for setting up a business, plus import and export advice. It also tells you your entitlements and obligations, as a small business owner. The Guide is also on the Internet at http: //www.rc.gc.ca .

Contents.

Attention, Ontario Businesses!

Did you know that under the Ontario New Technology Tax Incentive, you can deduct 100% of the cost (up to $20 million) of buying technology-related intellectual property from unrelated third parties? This covers patents, licence permits and know-how purchased under contract entered into after May 6 1997 for costs incurred after August 12, but it does not cover trademarks, designs or copyrights.

Note To Readers In Other Provinces:  If you know of any similar tax incentives or programs in your province, let us know and we'll pass the information along.

Contents.

Your Export Business:  Give it a Boost

Under a new program, your firm can now team up with a young university or college graduate to launch or expand your business abroad. HorizonsPlus is an export development program introduced by the Alliance of Manufacturers and Exporters Canada and Industry Canada. Any small or medium-sized Canadian business, or clients of any export consultant, can join to get started in exports, or to broaden overseas markets. As a manufacturer or service provider, your firm can sign up for one of more than 580 projects which are proposed, including 220 for potential exporters, and 360 designed for export ready firms or established exporters. For details, call 1-888-467-4046, or visit the web site at

http: //www.palantir.ca/the-alliance/horizonsplus/.

NOTE:  We'd like to thank Maureen Ott for information about HorizonsPlus.

Contents.

Tash Unveils New Products

Tash International introduced five new products at the Closing The Gap conference in Minneapolis, this October. Closing The Gap is a major international conference on microcomputer technology for people with special needs and Tash is the Ajax Ontario-based company that's an industry leader in adaptive switch technology and related products.

The new products launched the Switch Click, for computer access; the ULTIMATE 8 and the Dubby, both for communication; and the Minirelax and Sicare Pilot, for environmental access. For information, contact Tash International Inc., Unit 1 91 Station Street, Ajax, Ontario L1S 3H2 tel: (905) 686-4129 fax: (905) 686-6895 or visit them on the Web at www.tashinc.com.

Contents.

Concert-O-Braille Now on Market

Concert-O-Braille musical transcription software is now available from Convert-O-Braille of Hull, Quebec. The software can transcribe a score with a melodic line, lyrics and piano accompaniment and allows the transcription of an unlimited number of Braille pages. Concert-O-Braille converts Midiscan and Lime files to NIFF format. Still to come: the capability to transcribe vocal music (SATB), wind and percussion instruments, string instruments, organ, accordion and instrumental scores. As soon as a new capability is implemented, you will be able to download a free update from Covert-O-Braille's Web site. For more information, contact Covert-O-Braille at 4 — 14 Colette, Hull, Quebec J8Y 1J6, tel (819): 770-2825, fax: (819) 770-9813, or e-mail: converto@converto.org.

Contents.

CNIB Chosen for Neighborhood Access Pilot

October 23 was the launch date for one of Industry Canada's special Neighbourhood Access pilot projects under the Community Access Program (CAP). The project is being carried out in partnership with the Canadian National Institute for the Blind Library (CNIB). The launch took place during the 1997 Braille Conference held October 23 and 24, at the CNIB BakerWood complex in Toronto.

In marking this event, Industry Minister John Manley said, "the Government of Canada wants to make the information and knowledge infrastructure accessible to all Canadians by the year 2000. This will make Canada the most connected nation in the world. CAP is playing an important role, helping blind and print disabled Canadians participate in a knowledge-based economy."

"The CNIB Library welcomes this important partnership to help blind and print disabled Canadians gain access to the Information Highway and the CNIB's virtual library VISUNET," noted Rosemary Kavanagh, Executive Director of the CNIB Library for the Blind. "Through this pilot project we can help develop the assistive skills and models for access to the Internet that our community needs to exploit the economic and social potential of information technologies."

Under CAP, the federal government promotes the economic and social development of rural and remote communities by helping them obtain affordable public access to the Information Highway. The program's goal is to link up to 5,000 rural and remote communities to the Information Highway by 2001.

CAP is a key component of the Canadian strategy for the information highway, which helps Canada create jobs, growth and other benefits associated with the development of information technology. In addition, CAP is integral to the federal Youth Employment Strategy, as CAP sites help develop job opportunities for young Canadians aged 15 to 30. For further information about CAP, call 1-800-268-6608, e-mail: comaccess@ic.gc.ca Web: http://cap.ic.gc.ca/.

Contents.

IHAC Releases Final Report

The final Information Highway Advisory Council report, "Preparing Canada for a Digital World", was released on September 10. The report contains more than 100 recommendations on information challenges Canadians need to meet. The focus is on building Canada's networks and network infrastructure, realizing the economic and social potential of the Internet, stimulating the production and distribution of Canadian content, accelerating access to the Information Highway, responding to changes in learning and the workplace and transforming government into a "model user" of the Information Highway. Some of these recommendations include specific reference to the recognition and inclusion of the needs of people with disabilities:

  • 4.4 The government, particularly through the CRTC, should monitor the way in which the market for Internet access develops, especially for people with low incomes, disabilities or living in geographically remote areas, and should take steps to correct access problems that emerge in such markets. To this end, Statistics Canada should develop measurements of such access and collect and publish statistics to make assessment easier of the nature and extent of any such problems. These statistics could be considered as "key indicators" in assessing Canada's progress toward a knowledge society.

  • 4.20 The government should monitor Internet developments and determine whether steps need to be taken to ensure access will be available, affordable and appropriate to people with disabilities. In particular, the requirements of people with disabilities should be considered at the design stage.

  • 4.21 As an incentive to the employment of universal design in communications, the government should fund an award program to honour achievements in the design of assistive devices for communications and in the application of the principles of universal design in communications products, systems and services.

Although it doesn't mention people with disabilities, it is worth noting that recommendation 4.10 suggested the creation of the Neighbourhood Access Program, the pilot program under which the CNIB Library project was launched.

  • 4.10 CAP should receive additional resources to extend community access sites on a sustainable basis to urban neighbourhoods that lack such sites.

You can access the IHAC report on the Web at http: //strategis.ic.gc.ca/IHAC, or you can get a copy in English or French from:

Distribution Services
Industry Canada
205D, West Tower
235 Queen Street
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0H5
tel:  (613) 947-7466 fax:  (613) 954-6436

The report is also available in an alternative format.

Contents.

FEDWEB '97

Governments in most developed countries are increasingly interested in "electronic governance". This is a concept which means not only providing government services on the Internet, but also giving individuals and communities a new means of participating in the actual workings of government.

From October 27-31, 1997, the U.S. Federal Government held a conference at the National Institute of Health in Bethesda, Maryland, called FedWeb '97. It is the U.S. equivalent of the Government of Canada's "Government on the Net" conference It brought together U.S. federal Webmasters, information technology and management specialists and policy makers from across the United States. Electronic governance was the major theme of this year's conference.

Major barriers to the participation of persons with disabilities (and many others) are those raised by standard and emerging technologies, economic factors and geographical location. To address some of these issues and to enlighten attendees, there were three sessions dealing primarily with access issues for persons with disabilities.

One half-day workshop and a two-hour panel discussion focused on solutions for crafting accessible web pages using existing techniques, and what to look for in the emerging HTML 4.0 and CSS2 standards from the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). Chuck Letourneau, a consultant who often works with our Office, is also the co-chair of the W3C's Accessible Markup Guidelines Working Group: he was asked to speak about that work. A third panel group discussed technical, social and geographical barriers to effective participation in electronic governance. Chuck was invited to give an overview of what is happening in Canada with respect to access to the Information Highway.

Chuck's presentations and links to the FedWeb '97 Conference Web site can be found at: http: //www.starlingweb.com/fedweb97/fedweb97.htm.

Contents.

News Briefs

  • Rosemary Kavanagh of the CNIB Library for the Blind, Gilles Pepin of Visuaide and Mary Frances Laughton attended the second meeting of the NISO Committee on the design of the new Talking Book Standards. They were also at the Salon de Livre in Montreal on November 21 for further discussions. Contact any of them for more info.

  • The first meeting of the Steering Committee of the Book and Periodical Council's project on electronic publishing standards met in Toronto on September 28. The next meeting is scheduled for December 8. For info, call Nancy Fleming at 416-975-9366.

  • On October 22, Euclid Herie, President of the CNIB and the World Blind Union was awarded the Order of Canada. That same day, the Royal Bank unveiled the world's first Talking Bank Machine in Ottawa. For more information contact TBASE at 613-236-0866.

  • The Industry Minister's Advisory Committee on Assistive Devices met in Ottawa on November 4-5.

  • ADIO is getting in touch with all the public libraries in Canada to survey their adaptive technology and public internet capabilities.

Contents.

Communications from ADIO

If you would prefer to receive our newsletter on disk or by e-mail, please contact us at the address below.

Contents.

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
Internete-mail: laughton@crc.ca or finn.deb@ic.gc.ca

Contents.

Date last modified: December 15, 1997

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Date Modified: 2010-03-01

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