Hello,

Please contact Gary Annable [log in to unmask] with any questions about this
conference taking place in Winnipeg Canada.

Jennison



Jennison Asuncion
Co-Director, Adaptech Research Network
http://www.adaptech.org

From: Gary Annable <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Conference on Accessible Technology

HARD-WIRING INCLUSION
A Conference about Building an Accessible ICT World
October 26-27, 2006, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

Presented by the Dis-IT Research Alliance, HARD-WIRING INCLUSION will bring
together disability advocates, designers and product developers,
manufacturers and service providers, policy makers, and researchers to share
knowledge and develop strategies to mobilize that knowledge into action and
change.

For people with disabilities, information and communications technologies
(ICTs) offer the promise of greater access to information, communication,
education, employment, shopping, entertainment, etc. Unfortunately, many
ICTs do not create greater access; in fact, many create new barriers. The
Disability and Information Technologies (Dis-IT) Research Alliance is
studying what needs to be done to ensure that ICTs are accessible to and
inclusive of people with disabilities.

To provide plenty of opportunities for dialogue and interaction, most
sessions at HARD-WIRING INCLUSION will be moderated panel discussions
featuring diverse perspectives from industry, government, the disability
community, etc. Conference topics include:
.       strategies for encouraging the development of accessible ICTs
.       business benefits of designing accessible mainstream technologies
.       finding common ground between human rights and bottom lines
.       tools for engaging communities in accessible/inclusive ICTs

Conference sessions will address the accessibility of a variety of ICTs,
including:
.       wireless and IP-based telecommunications services
.       automated banking machines, point-of-sale terminals and other
self-service public and retail technologies
.       websites
.       eLearning technology and courseware
.       technology used as workplace accommodations

Who Should Attend?
.       representatives of companies that develop, manufacture, or market
mainstream or assistive technology hardware, software and services
.       activists from self-representational advocacy organizations of
people with disabilities
.       policy makers from federal, provincial and municipal governments
.       businesses that use technology as accommodations for employees
and/or customers with disabilities
.       rehabilitation professionals and other service providers who assist
people with disabilities to obtain technology
.       researchers and students in related fields (e.g., disability
studies, information technology, computer science, engineering)

Complete details about this conference will be posted at
http://www.dis-it.ca in July. For further information, contact Dis-IT's
Community Co-Director Gary Annable at (204) 947-0303 or [log in to unmask]