AUSTRALIAN BLINDNESS FORUM and NATIONAL DISABILITY SERVICES ABF/NDS UPDATE MARCH 2010 Contents 1. News from ABF Committees, Members and Associates 2. Other Information, Publications 3. National Events 4. International: Other Items End Notes 1. NEWS FROM ABF COMMITTEES, MEMBERS AND ASSOCIATES ABF Overseas Aid Forum will be hosted by the Guide Dog Association of N.S.W. & A.C.T. 2 – 4 Thomas Street, Chatswood, Sydney, N.S.W. on Wednesday 31st March, 2010. The program includes speakers from World Vision, Ausaid, and World Blind Union, together with presentations on a range of innovative projects in the Asia Pacific Region. RSVP Tony Starkey: tstarkey@rsb.org.au The Program for the Forum can be downloaded at: http://www.australianblindnessforum.org.au/Resources/ABFOverseasAidForumDRAFTProgramMarch10.doc Around ABF Committees As members are aware the ABF has 7 separate committees that create and implement ABF Policies. The committees are created to address specific issues that affect people who are blind or vision impaired. The committees are: * Employment * Access to Equipment * Access to Information * Access to Premises * Braille Literacy, Numeracy and Information Access * Education and Children’s Services * National Vision Loss Rehabilitation Services Plan (NVLRSP) To assist with the sharing of information, each future issue will include a profile of a specific committee and examples of current initiatives. This issue, the Employment Subcommittee is highlighted. Employment Sub Committee (Subcommittee) This committee has been formed as a result of the appalling levels of employment of people who are blind or vision impaired in Australia. As a result, the Subcommittee has obtained research from DEEWR which, amongst other things, notes the poor participation rates of people who are blind or vision impaired in the Disability Employment Services (DES) Program. As a result, the Subcommittee and whilst not exhaustive has implemented the following initiatives: * Creating awareness of the needs and abilities of people who are blind or vision impaired amongst generic DES providers including abstracts being sent to ACE and NDS Employment Conferences. * An information package being prepared and in the near future sent to all school counsellors within Australia on how to assist a student who is blind or vision impaired seek employment. * Preparing information packages for people who are blind or vision impaired for parents, generic employment providers and potential employees. It is hoped these will be available later in the year. * Requests sent to Ministers Arbib and Shorten seeking five work experience places in each Department State office for a young person who is blind or vision impaired. * Writing to each Australian State Government seeking information on current levels of employment of people who are blind or vision impaired and disability employment policies within each State. * Created a partnership with DEEWR to improve access to Commonwealth Public Service positions, including accessibility to the Commonwealth Gazette, awareness training and review of the current system for applying for a position using software that is inaccessible. Members of this committee are: * Andrew Daly, Royal Society for the Blind of SA * Gary Voss, Vision Australia * Haroon Probst, Guide Dogs Queensland * Jane Brown, South Pacific Educators in Vision Impairment * Peter Hall, Royal Society for the Blind of SA * Robyn McKenzie, Blind Citizens If you would like to be involved please contact Tony Starkey at tstarkey@rsb.org.au BCA re-launches Postcard Campaign Blind Citizens Australia has re-launched its major campaign, ‘Its Our Turn Now’, to draw attention to the long overdue need for audio description of films in cinemas. Twelve thousand postcards are ready for distribution. To help with this, BCA welcomes the support of ABF member organisations to get the postcards out to as many people who are blind or vision impaired and their supporters as possible. Fifty percent of the postcards will be addressed to the Hon Peter Garrett, Minister for the Environment, Heritage and the Arts and the other fifty percent of the postcards will be addressed to the Hon. Stephen Conroy, Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy. All you need to do is simply sign the postcard, attach a 55 cent stamp and post it. Read more: BCA website at www.bca.org.au Blackstone audio gets daisy fever! Blackstone Audio, one of the largest producers of unabridged audio titles in the US, is proud to announce the introduction of DAISY books to their library customers. The move brings a higher level of accessibility to commercial publishing and expands opportunities for individuals and print disability agencies to purchase a growing range of books. Read more: What is DAISY? Vision Australia Library Vision Australia helps CFA to make fire information accessible Vision Australia's Accessible Information Solutions (AIS) team is working with the CFA (Country Fire Authority) to ensure their website and publications are accessible to people with disabilities. Read more: Vision Australia website As with last year and as a result of the Victorian bushfires, the ABF took the initiative and included South Australian local emergency services information for download on the ABF website. This has been updated with this year’s information. 2. OTHER INFORMATION, PUBLICATIONS Apple iPad launched with iPhone-like accessibility features Apple has announced the launch of its latest handheld device called the Apple iPad, a touch screen device that functions like an iPhone but is the size of a notebook, with a 9.7” screen. It also comes with the same suite of accessibility features that have been available on the iPhone 3GS. Read more: Apple iPad launched with iPhone-like accessibility features DVD distributors confirm their commitment to access The Australian Visual Software Distributors Association (AVSDA), representing the home entertainment film and TV industry, has announced that all major film distributors and some smaller Australian independents have committed to making audio description and captions available on the majority of theatrical films when released on DVD. Read more: DVD distributors confirm their commitment to access Digital Television Update This is currently being rolled out in Mildura. Senator Conroy has made determinations for switchover in regional South Australia and Broken Hill on 15 December 2010, Sunraysia on 30 June 2010, in Brisbane and Perth on 30 June 2013 and in Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney on 31 December 2013. Read more: www.digitalready.gov.au British firm develops the first accessible set-top box The British firm Ocean Blue Software, in collaboration with ST Microelectronics, TW Electronics and the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) has developed the world’s first ‘talking’ digital set-top box called the Chatterbox. Read more: British firm develops the first accessible set-top box Australia’s first audio described outdoor spectacular The 2010 Adelaide Festival hosts the first Australian outdoor spectacular to be audio described. The Adelaide Festival’s Artistic Director, Paul Grabowsky, says he’s delighted to make the opening weekend festival event A Little More Light more accessible to people with a disability Read more: Australia’s first audio described outdoor spectacular World’s first described Bollywood movie released My Name is Khan has become the world’s first Bollywood movie to be screened at the cinema with audio description in both English and Hindi. The premiere of the AD movie was on 19 February 2010 and it is playing at various locations across the UK.  Read more: World’s first described Bollywood movie released Human Rights Commission requests further information from cinemas The Australian Human Rights Commission is currently assessing an application from Hoyts, Greater Union, Village and Reading cinemas for a temporary exemption from the Disability Discrimination Act in relation to captioning and audio description while they expand the current accessible circuit from 12 to 35 cinemas. Read more: Human Rights Commission requests further information from cinemas Global Copyright Treaty On Access Formats Edges Closer An international treaty allowing people to share accessible versions of copyright works across national borders moved a step closer last month, with an agreement by the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) to consult on the issue. The 19th session of the WIPO Standing Committee on Copyright and Related Rights (SCCR), held in Geneva in December (http://bit.ly/cHnS2R), agreed to host a series of consultation meetings aimed at producing an international consensus. Car for the Blind A specially outfitted car now being tested could help give the blind more independence by allowing them to drive. A four-wheel dirt buggy retrofitted by a student team from the Robotics and Mechanisms Laboratory at Virginia Tech's College of Engineering in Blacksburg uses laser range finders, an instant voice command interface, and a host of other technology tools to guide blind drivers as they steer, brake, and accelerate. Read more: http://memagazine.asme.org/Articles/2009/October/Computing.cfm Links: Blind can take wheel with vehicle designed by university engineering design team http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2009-07/vt-bct071509.php Virginia Tech Blind Driver Challenge: http://www.me.vt.edu/blinddriver/ Blind Drivers Test Retrofitted Car (with video) http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/AheadoftheCurve/story?id=8233087&page=1 Braille Displays to Be Powered by Artificial Muscles The innovation could benefit the blind According to experts at the NASA-operated Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), in Pasadena, CA, artificial muscles could be one possible answer to the problems associated with creating a refreshable braille display. "I hope that sometime in the future we will have Braille on an iPhone. It will be portable and able to project a picture of a neighbourhood popping up in front of you in the form of raised dots. A digital Braille operated by artificial muscles could provide for rapid information exchange, such as e-mail, text messaging and access to the web and other electronic databases or archives," explains Yosi-Bar Cohen. Read the entire article at: http://news.softpedia.com/news/Braille-Displays-To-Be-Powered-by-Artificial-Muscles-119354.shtml Links: Yosi-Bar Cohen http://ndeaa.jpl.nasa.gov/nasa-nde/yosi/yosi.htm http://spie.org/app/profiles/viewer.aspx?profile=QAFMYV 3. NATIONAL EVENTS Arts Activated Conference – Arts, Access, Excellence will be held on 25-26 March 2010, Powerhouse Museum Sydney.  The Arts Activated Conference provides an opportunity for those passionate about the arts and disability sectors to come together to explore, debate, discuss and connect ideas and practice. The conference will also celebrate the accomplishments of, and provide showcase opportunities for, artists with disability.  The theme for the Arts Activated Conference for 2010 is ‘Arts, Access, Excellence’. The theme will be explored through the key focus areas of access and participation, arts practice, audience development and strategic development.  Jenny Sealey, MBE, will be the keynote speaker for the conference in 2010. Jenny is a UK based artist who is the Artistic Director of Graeae Theatre Company and Artistic Advisor to Unlimited, the UK’s largest ever disability arts program.  Registration for the conference is now open. For more information contact Jane Pollard, Education & Training Manager, on tel: (02) 9251 6499 or email: jpollard@aarts.net.au. http://www.aarts.net.au/arts-activated-conference-2010/ National Deafness Sector Summit: The sixth summit to be held on 23 and 24 April 2010 in Sydney. http://www.deafnessforum.org.au/index.php?q=national-deafness-sector-summit. The Eighth National DeafBlind Conference ‘Deafblindness in Australia: new ideas, directions and solutions’ will be held in Melbourne from 28 to 30 April 2010. The registration form can be completed online at http://www.ableaustralia.org.au/conference-registration-form.asp - the early bird discount operates until 12 February. For more information, go to http://www.ableaustralia.org.au/welcome.asp. Accommodation & Social Participation Conference 2010 ‘Moving On: Supporting People with Disability to Manage Change’ will be held on 6 and 7 May 2010 at Conrad Jupiters on the Gold Coast. The Call for Papers closed on 20 November 2009. For more information, please visit: http://www.nds.org.au/national/default.htm Australia’s Disability Employment Conference will be held at the Hotel Grand Chancellor Hobart 16th to 18th June, 2010. For more information contact: http://www.conferenceworks.net.au/ace/ NDS Employment Forum will be held at the Hilton the Park in Melbourne on 6 and 7 September 2010. Australian Orientation and Mobility Conference The 4th Australasian Orientation and Mobility Conference (AMC2010) will take place between 24-26 November 2010, and will be hosted by Guide Dogs NSW/ACT at The Women's College within the University of Sydney. This is a conference for the professional development of Orientation and Mobility specialists, including Guide Dog specialists and those with an interest in vision impairment. Invitations for the submission of abstracts are now open. Read more: www.guidedogs.com.au/amc2010   NDS CEO Meeting, held annually for NDS member decision-makers, will be held in Canberra on 6 and 7 December 2010. If any ABF member is looking to raise its profile, exhibiting and advertising opportunities exist at NDS conferences. For further details, contact Julie Walton on 02 9256 3115 or julie.walton@nds.org.au. SPEVI Conference 2011 will be held in Sydney from 16 to 21 January 2011. The call for papers will go out later this year. In the meantime, for more information, contact Tricia d’Apice at the RIDBC Teleschool by phoning 02 9872 0332 or emailing tricia.dapice@ridbc.org.au. 4. INTERNATIONAL: OTHER ITEMS Round Table 2010 Annual Conference, ‘Think Globally, Act Locally’, will be held in Auckland New Zealand for the first time from 23-25 May 2010. The conference will explore the role of both global and local achievements and their impact on the lives of people with print disabilities. For more information, go to http://www.e-bility.com/roundtable/downloads/conf10/callforpapers-rtconf2010.doc. Twelfth International Conference on Mobility and Transport for Elderly and Disabled Persons will be held in Hong Kong from 2 to 4 June 2010. The conference theme is ‘Sustainable Transport and Travel for All’. For further information, visit http://www.transed2010.hk. ICEVI 13th World Conference ‘Achieving Education for All Children with Visual Impairment: Strategies and Challenges’ will be held in Thailand in August 2010. There’s more information at http://www.icevi.org/13thWC/call_for_papers.html. ICEVI’s journal, The Educator, is also available on the ICEVI website at http://www.icevi.org/pdf/educator_january_2009.pdf. IFLA Annual Conference will be held in Gothenburg, Sweden, 10-15 August 2010 with a Theme "Open access to knowledge - promoting sustainable progress" For more information: http://www.ifla.org/en/annual-conference International Mobility Conference 2012, ‘Mobility Through the Ages, Up, Over and Down Under’ will be held in Palmerston North, New Zealand on 13 to 17 February 2012. The call for abstracts opens in February 2011 and closes 30 April 2011. To register your interest, go to http://www.imc14.com. End Notes If you require more information on issues in the ABF/NDS Update: Unless otherwise stated, please contact Tony Starkey, phone 08 8223 6222, email tstarkey@rsb.org.au. Reproducing information from the ABF/NDS Update: Anyone may reproduce any of the information in this Update but please acknowledge this source. About AUSTRALIAN BLINDNESS FORUM http://www.australianblindnessforum.org.au Australian Blindness Forum (ABF) was first formed as an unincorporated body in 1992, funded only by its members. In April 2007, the ABF became an Australian public company limited by guarantee, funded by its members and governed by a board of directors. The purpose of the ABF is to operate as a peak body representing the blindness sector for the benefit of people who are blind or vision impaired. The Interim Project Officer (Australian Blindness Forum) is located at the Royal Society for the Blind of SA – contact Tony Starkey, email tstarkey@rsb.org.au, phone 08 8223 6222. About NATIONAL DISABILTY SERVICES http://www.nds.org.au National Disability Services (NDS) is the national industry association for disability services, representing over 650 not-for-profit organisations. Collectively, NDS’s members operate several thousand services for Australians with all types of disability. NDS’s members range in size from small support groups to large multi-service organisations, and are located in every State and Territory across Australia. ?? ?? ?? ?? 8