How to use assistive technology in School, TAFE and University

Technology in the Education Environment forum 2002

Opening Address by Lee Rhiannon, GREENS (NSW) MLC

The Greens Party has a passionate interest in social justice and the environment.

Thank you for the invitation to speak today. Assistive Technology, AT, is exciting, as it can assist people with disabilities to lead more independent lives, to undertake courses, to surf the World Wide Web and to enjoy life.

The applications keep on expanding in areas of study, work, communications, banking, shopping, keeping informed, and travel and in so many daily tasks. In assessing the benefits of this technology we need to ensure it's inclusive of all people with disabilities. Otherwise we can have a system that holds hope but doesn't deliver for the majority. Costs and bureaucracy are two of the common complaints. Cost is related to availability. It's worth remembering most AT can cost 2 or 3 times or in some cases even more than the standard model.

There are government schemes that assist employers but these schemes are often subject to deterring bureaucratic processes. The Greens believe they should be fast tracked by government. The issue of access needs to be considered when we first start talking about AT. While there have been many advances for students with disabilities, AT is out of reach for so many people and institutions. Public education is under funded because of policies at State and Federal levels. So it's not hard to guess what will be one of the first things to lose out - a program for students with disabilities.

Then there is the problem that technology is available but few training courses are available. People with disabilities can be understandably frustrated. They see the potential of this technology but they also see the benefits slipping away. AT in the form of electronic text users hold hope for so many. However if computer programs and websites fail to meet the criteria, the technology is rendered useless. There are thousands of inaccessible websites and sadly it still includes government websites. This denies people with disabilities access to the information and services on these sites.

We need programs and websites with accessibility for all, in mind from the beginning, otherwise accessibility tools have limited application. Government websites need to take the lead. Though most have taken some steps towards accessibility, we all know progress is slow, sometimes even backwards. Sydney buses upgraded their website - its now inaccessible. This means a blind commuter can no longer independently check a timetable even with state of the art AT on their computer.

AT can only reach its potential if funding is provided, access issues are addressed and training developed. We need to raise awareness of the benefits of AT, we are doing that today; we need to ensure all people with disabilities have access to the technology. Most of the technology we are talking about is developed overseas so we need to encourage local research and manufacture. A bit of government funding wouldn't go astray.

We need to acknowledge there is a gap between people with disabilities who can afford the technology and those who can't. AT can perpetuate inequality. We need to shift our thinking.

Universal accessibility must be our goal. The Greens know this proposal will cost a considerable number of dollars but it needs to be our goal. Rather than seeing that as an add on it needs to be integral to the technologically integrated world we live in.

Our objective, universal accessibility, is the language we need to use whenever we consider this. Accessibility for everybody can only be achieved if from the design to marketing stage technology is developed with the understanding that people with various disabilities need to be able to use it and have the right to do so.

A microwave has been developed and targeted to blind people; it costs 2 to 3 more than the regular microwave on market. It means a blind person can only use a specifically designed microwave. If all microwaves were designed with accessibility at design stage the cost would be minimal and blind people could use any microwave rather than being limited to the one at home. At work a blind person should be able to use the microwave in the canteen independently.

If voice feedback was a standard feature in all mobiles the cost would come down and blind people could access all features on all phones. If all public phones had TTY, deaf people could use any phone. This is not such a radical idea. We once designed buildings with steps and no ramps. The concept of accessible buildings became law. Now architects are aware. We have some way to go but you get my point of the need to shift thinking.

AT for the moment is exciting. We will know when AT is working for all when it is no longer exciting because it has in fact become so ordinary, when it has become an everyday occurrence.

The Greens Party has a passionate interest in social justice and the environment.

Thank you for the invitation to speak today. Assistive Technology, AT, is exciting, as it can assist people with disabilities to lead more independent lives, to undertake courses, to surf the World Wide Web and to enjoy life.

The applications keep on expanding in areas of study, work, communications, banking, shopping, keeping informed, and travel and in so many daily tasks. In assessing the benefits of this technology we need to ensure it's inclusive of all people with disabilities. Otherwise we can have a system that holds hope but doesn't deliver for the majority. Costs and bureaucracy are two of the common complaints. Cost is related to availability. It's worth remembering most AT can cost 2 or 3 times or in some cases even more than the standard model.

There are government schemes that assist employers but these schemes are often subject to deterring bureaucratic processes. The Greens believe they should be fast tracked by government. The issue of access needs to be considered when we first start talking about AT. While there have been many advances for students with disabilities, AT is out of reach for so many people and institutions. Public education is under funded because of policies at State and Federal levels. So it's not hard to guess what will be one of the first things to lose out - a program for students with disabilities.

Then there is the problem that technology is available but few training courses are available. People with disabilities can be understandably frustrated. They see the potential of this technology but they also see the benefits slipping away. AT in the form of electronic text users hold hope for so many. However if computer programs and websites fail to meet the criteria, the technology is rendered useless. There are thousands of inaccessible websites and sadly it still includes government websites. This denies people with disabilities access to the information and services on these sites.

We need programs and websites with accessibility for all, in mind from the beginning, otherwise accessibility tools have limited application. Government websites need to take the lead. Though most have taken some steps towards accessibility, we all know progress is slow, sometimes even backwards. Sydney buses upgraded their website - its now inaccessible. This means a blind commuter can no longer independently check a timetable even with state of the art AT on their computer.

AT can only reach its potential if funding is provided, access issues are addressed and training developed. We need to raise awareness of the benefits of AT, we are doing that today; we need to ensure all people with disabilities have access to the technology. Most of the technology we are talking about is developed overseas so we need to encourage local research and manufacture. A bit of government funding wouldn't go astray.

We need to acknowledge there is a gap between people with disabilities who can afford the technology and those who can't. AT can perpetuate inequality. We need to shift our thinking.

Universal accessibility must be our goal. The Greens know this proposal will cost a considerable number of dollars but it needs to be our goal. Rather than seeing that as an add on it needs to be integral to the technologically integrated world we live in.

Our objective, universal accessibility, is the language we need to use whenever we consider this. Accessibility for everybody can only be achieved if from the design to marketing stage technology is developed with the understanding that people with various disabilities need to be able to use it and have the right to do so.

A microwave has been developed and targeted to blind people; it costs 2 to 3 more than the regular microwave on market. It means a blind person can only use a specifically designed microwave. If all microwaves were designed with accessibility at design stage the cost would be minimal and blind people could use any microwave rather than being limited to the one at home. At work a blind person should be able to use the microwave in the canteen independently.

If voice feedback was a standard feature in all mobiles the cost would come down and blind people could access all features on all phones. If all public phones had TTY, deaf people could use any phone. This is not such a radical idea. We once designed buildings with steps and no ramps. The concept of accessible buildings became law. Now architects are aware. We have some way to go but you get my point of the need to shift thinking.

AT for the moment is exciting. We will know when AT is working for all when it is no longer exciting because it has in fact become so ordinary, when it has become an everyday occurrence.