AFB Launches Rx Label Campaign
The American Foundation for
the Blind (AFB) has just launched a new campaign—the RX Label
Enable Campaign—to ensure that people with vision loss have
ready access to the vital information available to all consumers
via prescription labeling and related documentation, enabling them
to take medications safely, effectively and independently. To achieve
this goal, AFB is reaching out to all stakeholders, including consumers
experiencing vision loss, policymakers, federal regulators, doctors,
the pharmaceutical industry, retailers, assistive technology providers
and public as well as private insurers; this outreach is an effort
to build consensus and take action.
AFB is asking individuals
who have had trouble reading prescription or over-the-counter medication
information to tell AFB their stories by answering a short survey,
available using the link on the Senior Site Web page entitled, “Call
to Action: Are you Having Trouble Identifying your Medications?” For
more information about the campaign, visit www.afb.org/Section.asp?SectionID=329 ![]()
Source: Radio Talking Book
Radio News
Governor’s Council Wins Award for Achievements with Technology
The
Minnesota Governor’s Council on Developmental Disabilities
has received a top state award for its innovative and exceptional
conversion of the classroom Partners in Policymaking leadership training
program to five Web-based, self-directed online courses. The 2007
Minnesota Government Information Technology Recognition Award was
presented at the annual state IT symposium.
Accepting the award on behalf of the Governor’s Council, Chair
Shamus O’Meara noted that there are 54 million people with
disabilities in the U.S. and 700,000 in Minnesota, making the online
availability of the classroom program especially important. “The
Partners in Policymaking program empowers people with disabilities
and their families to speak out, not only on behalf of themselves
but for others who do not have the opportunity to speak,” he
said.
The Minnesota award follows
the Council’s earlier recognition
from the Center for Digital Government, a national organization focusing
on information technology and best practices in state and local government.
The Council’s 2007 Best of Web and Digital Government Achievement
Award was given for accomplishments in government-to-citizen communications.
In responding to the national
award, Minnesota Administration Commissioner Dana Badgerow, whose
agency houses the Governor’s Council,
said its Partners online courses again “demonstrate Minnesota’s
commitment to delivering effective, efficient and economical government
services.”
The easy-to-navigate leadership courses can be accessed through
the Council and Partners in Policymaking Web sites, www.mnddc.org and www.partnersinpolicymaking.com, respectively. ![]()
Source: The Wallace
Group
McCollum Secures Earmark
for
Minnesota Disability Rights
Advocating Change Together,
the St. Paul-based disability rights organization, has received federal
funding in the latest health education and labor appropriation bill,
sponsored by Congresswoman Betty McCollum. McCollum, who was a strong
supporter of ACT’s many
past efforts when she was a member of the state of Minnesota legislature,
explained that, “Respect for human rights is fundamental to
a just society. Through its training initiative, Advocating
Change Together is empowering individuals to bring about societal
change necessary to protect human rights for all people.”
The bill was passed by Congress
last month and signed by the president. The
one-time, $95,000 earmark will be used by ACT to support the six
regional chapters of the new statewide network. ACT will provide
Self-Advocates Minnesota (SAM) chapters with training materials such
as video libraries, along with training sessions on how to use the
materials to broaden the work for civil and human rights for persons
with disabilities. ![]()
Source: ACT
Headwaters Foundation’s Walk for Justice Ends
After 12-year Run
After an extensive evaluation process, the Headwaters
Foundation for Justice Board of Directors came to a unanimous decision
to bring the foundation’s 12-year-old Walk for Justice to an
end last month. The Walk was the largest grassroots gathering in
the state, providing a mechanism for social justice groups to raise
money and visibility, while creating a unique opportunity for the
progressive community to come together and celebrate their work.
Changing times, new resources and opportunities have placed Headwaters
in a unique position to support the social justice movement in more
strategic ways. “So like many great programs that had served
their purpose, this one too had to end,” said board member
Brandon Lacy Campos. “Putting on a special event is expensive
and the resources raised have not kept pace with the costs. As an
organization we felt our resources could be best utilized by helping
groups learn and use new techniques to raise money in more cost effective
ways.”
“Some groups have participated in every Walk—raising
it a dollar at a time,” said Monica Bryant, Headwaters program
officer. Bryant also said Headwaters is working with social change
groups to take advantage of the new tools available for fundraising
and for increasing visibility. “We will continue to bring the
community together in a variety of new ways,” she said.
Headwaters will be hosting
a community gathering on January 17th at the Neighborhood House,
179 East Robie Street, Room 212, in St. Paul from 5:00 to 6:30 p.m.
All former Walk participants are invited to attend. Headwaters staff
will report findings and explore various avenues that would more
effectively accomplish the Walk’s goals.
A group discussion will follow the presentation. ![]()
Source: Headwaters
Foundation for Justice
AT&T Expands Wireless Offerings for
Customers with Disabilities
AT&T Inc. announced recently that
they are planning on launching two new applications that will increase
usability for wireless customers who are blind or have low vision.
AT&T is partnering with Code
Factory to offer Mobile Speak and Mobile Magnifier, both for Windows
Mobile and Symbian Series 60 operating system devices.
“At AT&T, using technology to increase mobile accessibility
for all individuals is a priority,” said Carlton Hill, vice
president of Product Management for AT&T’s wireless unit. “We
work closely with organizations that are committed to serving seniors
or people with disabilities to help us better understand the unique
needs of our customers. AT&T is excited to make it easier for
all individuals to enjoy a digital lifestyle when they’re on
the go.”
Mobile Speak is a powerful, full-fledged screen reader with an easy-to-learn
command structure, intuitive speech feedback in several languages
and Braille support, which can be used with or without speech. Unlike
other screen readers for mobile phones, Mobile Speak automatically
detects information that the blind user should know, just as a user
with sight would easily find highlighted items or key areas of the
screen at a glance. Supported applications and functions include:
speed dial, call lists and contacts; text messaging; an internet
browser; and Word, Excel and PowerPoint.
Mobile Speak is also offered with a choice of three Text-To-Speech
engines, Fonix, Acapela or Loquendo, allowing the phone to speak
English, Spanish or both.
The second device Mobile Magnifier is a flexible, full-screen magnification
application that supports low- and high-resolution screens and can
be used with or without speech feedback. Magnification software is
compatible with a wide range of mobile devices. Unique features include:
magnification levels from 1.25x to 16x; font-smoothing for easier
readability; and automatic panning and cursor-tracking.
Mobile Speak and Mobile Magnifier
are each available for a one-time charge of $89, which is billed
directly to the customer’s credit
card. For more information about wireless product or service offerings
for those with disabilities, visit www.wireless.att.com/ ![]()
Source:
AT&T
