Austin Rallies for Universal Accessibility in Knowbility AIR Program; Seventh Annual AIR Highlights Universal Design, Technology Advancement.AUSTIN, Texas -- Knowbility, Inc. will today announce the seventh annual Accessibility Internet Rally for Austin (AIR-Austin), a challenge to the technology sector to learn to design for convergent media while meeting the accessibility needs of tech users with disabilities. This year's challenge will highlight the role accessibility plays in enabling accessibility through convergent technologies (company) Convergent Technologies - A company formed by a small group of people who left Intel Corporation in 1979. Convergent Technologies' first product was the IWS (Integrated Workstation) based on the Intel 8086, which ran Convergent Technologies Operating System - their first , such as wireless devices and cell phones.
When: Accessibility Challenge will be issued 2 p.m. Wednesday,
August 18, 2004
Where: Texas House of Representatives, Speaker's Committee Room
(CAP2W.6)
"Accessibility techniques designed for persons with disabilities are entering a whole new era and are increasingly easy to implement," stated Dr. Alex Cavalli, Deputy Director of the IC2 Institute at the University of Texas and 2004 AIR-Austin Chair. "Combing combing, process that follows carding in the preparation of fibers for spinning, lays the fibers parallel, and removes noils (short fibers). The modern combing machine is a specialized carding machine. convergent, ubiquitous media and accessible technology, we can overcome disability on a daily basis, everywhere, so millions more people can work, shop and learn on an equal basis using the same tools that benefit everyone." A recent study from the Forrester Group found that over 60% of individuals are likely to benefit from accessible technology. Yet, less than 10 percent of internet and computing applications are accessible today. The value of these techniques extends beyond the traditional Internet; new wireless technologies and convergent media are enabled through these accessibility techniques -- benefiting everyone. The nationally recognized AIR program delivers valuable training in accessible design techniques in the context of a fun, friendly web design contest. Through the AIR-Austin program, local Internet design teams develop web sites that meet federal and industry accessibility guidelines guidelines, n.pl a set of standards, criteria, or specifications to be used or followed in the performance of certain tasks. . Once trained, web professionals will attend a web-raising "Rally" on October 2, 2004 and donate their accessible design work to benefit educational entities and community nonprofit organizations Nonprofit Organization An association that is given tax-free status. Donations to a non-profit organization are often tax deductible as well. Notes: Examples of non-profit organizations are charities, hospitals and schools. . Teams can sign up for AIR at www.knowbility.org. AIR creates unique partnerships among tech sector businesses, academia, and community groups. The AIR effort has already produced more than 350 accessible web sites and is expanding to more than 16 cities nationwide. AIR Partners include: IBM (International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY, www.ibm.com) The world's largest computer company. IBM's product lines include the S/390 mainframes (zSeries), AS/400 midrange business systems (iSeries), RS/6000 workstations and servers (pSeries), Intel-based servers (xSeries) , Dell, Grande Communications About Grande Communications is a United States telecommunications firm, based out of San Marcos, Texas, that uses a deep-fiber optic network for broadband services. In 1999, the company was established when the largest single round of venture capital funding in Texas was raised, , the Texas Council on Developmental Disabilities developmental disabilities (DD), n.pl the pathologic conditions that have their origin in the embryology and growth and development of an individual. DDs usually appear clinically before 18 years of age. , the City of Austin's Grant for Technology Opportunities, Usablenet, the University of Texas, and other local leaders. Note to editors: Photo opportunities at the press conference include demonstrations of people using assistive technology Hardware and software that help people who are physically impaired. Often called "accessibility options" when referring to enhancements for using the computer, the entire field of assistive technology is quite vast and even includes ramp and doorway construction in buildings to support , and using next-generation wireless devices. About Knowbility Founded in 1999, Knowbility is a national non-profit organization A non-profit organization (abbreviated "NPO", also "non-profit" or "not-for-profit") is a legally constituted organization whose primary objective is to support or to actively engage in activities of public or private interest without any commercial or monetary profit purposes. whose mission is to support the independence of children, youth and adults with disabilities through barrier-free technology applications. Knowbility programs successfully engage the technology sector, university, government and non-profit communities to improve technology access. More information online www.knowbility.org. |
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