Blind/vision impaired Digital Technology & Online Media news

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Nokia assistive app competition

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Smartphone company Nokia and the Royal National Institute for Blind People in the UK have partnered in a competition for apps which assist people who are blind or vision impaired.

Eligible apps must be compatible with Windows 8 and Nokia Lumia phones. While there’s a broad range of assistance apps available on Android and Apple iOS phones, options for blind and vision impaired Windows users are far more limited. The Nokia Create: Do Good Mission aims to help remedy this.

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An accessible smartphone for under $200

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Motorola has produced a smartphone that for $US179 carries all the accessibility features of premium models.

The Moto G, an Android phone, runs on Jelly Bean 4.3, but Motorola has stated that it will be upgraded to the most recent version, KitKat, in January. This means that the phone includes accessibility features such as Android’s built-in screen reader and screen magnifier. In addition, other apps can be installed to help you customise the phone to suit your needs.

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US air travel access rules will affect Australian airlines

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In a ruling issued last week by the US Department of Transportation, airlines servicing the US will need to improve access to core travel information and services on their websites and airport kiosks.

The new rule is part of the Air Carrier Access Act of 1986 and will come into effect on 12 December 2013. Airline website pages for booking and changing reservations will need to be accessible. Within two years, these pages must meet the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.0 AA, with entire website compliance required within three years.


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Is access to the internet a human right?

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The Australian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) held a public talk on Thursday which explored the issue of access to the internet and the web as a human right. Among the speakers was our deputy CEO Natalie Collins, who spoke on how people with disability rely on the internet.

The Rights Talk was well attended with approximately 50-60 people filling the room at the AHRC offices. Disability Discrimination Commissioner Graeme Innes chaired the event and began by introducing the concept of human rights and how the internet and access to it is integral for society.

He asked Collins and other panel members if they perceived internet access as a human right.


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