The Addis Ababa University’s Department of Linguistics yesterday graduated 150 students trained in sign language and deaf culture in non-formal education program for one semester.
Linguistics department deputy head, Dr Binyam Sisay, on the occasion said the department has launched bachelors of art degree in sign language and deaf culture for the first time this academic year by enrolling 26 students.
THE Eastern Cape Development Corporation has joined hands with the Chinese government to build a prosthetics factory in the province.
The move follows the Department of Health dropping out of initial plans to establish the plant.
An American Prosthetics, (limb fabrication organisation), has chosen Ghana as its centre in the West African sub-region to provide free care to thousands of patients in dire need of artificial limb fitting services
The Insurance Sector Education and Training Authority (Inseta) has exceeded the targets set by the Department of Labour for training people with disabilities by 299% during the past financial year, according to Inseta performance information released this week.
Inseta also far exceeded targets in several other areas during 2008/09, with a total of 7464 workers entering learning programmes, and 22 364 workers completing learning programmes.
"Blade Runner" Oscar Pistorius uses about the same amount of energy, and gets as tired as comparable able-bodied athletes, but the mechanics of his sprinting are markedly different, according to the results of a comprehensive laboratory test just published.
In an attempt to make their sites accessible to all, more and more websites are now offering text-only versions of their sites. With the huge number of inaccessible websites out there, any attempt to make a website accessible to one and all is highly commendable. But is text-only the way forward? The W3C have this to say about alternative accessible sites: And if all else fails... If, after best efforts, you cannot create an accessible page, provide a link to an alternative page. Hmmm, so according to the W3C a separate accessible site is OK, but they do use some pretty strong language to suggest that this should be avoided wherever possible. They're probably right too, given the disadvantages of going down the text-only route: Text-only version may not be accessible. The most ironic thing about text-only versions, is that often they don't even offer full accessibility.
Project GOALS (Gaining Online Accessible Learning through Self-study) is developing an Action Paper created to help university administrators to understand the importance of, and to promote web accessibility across their institutions and a set of
Institutional Indicators which provide an outline of best practices for enterprise-wide web accessibility. These materials are in the final stages of development and ready for review. We are seeking comment on the Action Paper and the Institutional Indicators. We welcome any thoughts or comments you may have. If you are interested in evaluating these documents, please contact Heather Mariger or Cyndi Rowland .
Bookshare, the world's largest accessible online library for people with print disabilities, and Hachette Book Group (HBG) have entered into a partnership to make thousands of books available to people with print disabilities. This partnership breaks new ground in the publishing industry. Hachette will donate digital files for all 1,700 currently digitized frontlist and backlist titles and refer service requests for accessible books to Bookshare for fulfillment.
In what could be a first-of-its-kind statewide initiative, California education leaders are working together to compile a list of free, open digital textbooks that meet state-approved standards and will be available to high school math and science classes this fall. At the request of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, Secretary of Education Glen Thomas will work with State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell and State Board of Education President Ted Mitchell to develop the list of standards-aligned, open educational resources. The advisory report is scheduled to be released by Aug. 10. Digital textbooks could be useful for students with disabilities, allowing them to access them in a manner that best suits their needs - but only if the materials are designed accessibly.
