[vicsireland] FW: Press Release: Nonprofit Launched to Bring Free Accessibility Worldwide
- From: "Tim Culhane" <tim.culhane@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <vicsireland@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Fri, 1 Feb 2008 08:24:18 -0000
Some might find the below interesting.
Tim
-----Original Message-----
From: Accessibility Is a Right Foundation
[mailto:announce-owner@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]
Sent: 31 January 2008 23:32
To: announce@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Press Release: Nonprofit Launched to Bring Free Accessibility
Worldwide
NEWS RELEASE
Media Contact:
Janelle Schulenberg
Tacet Consulting
612-720-1068
<mailto:Janelle@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> janelle@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Nonprofit Launched to Bring Free Accessibility Worldwide
The AIR Foundation committed to 'accessibility is a right'
Orlando, Florida - January 31, 2008 - The AIR Foundation, a nonprofit
organization headquartered in Minneapolis, Minn. was announced today at a
press conference held during the Assistive Technology Industry Association
(ATIA) 2008 National Conference at the Caribe Royale Resort in Orlando,
Florida. The mission of the foundation is to promote universal accessibility
so that every blind and low-vision person in the world has access to digital
information over the Internet and Worldwide Web.
The foundation's executive director, Art Schreiber, also
announced that the organization's first offering will be free usage of a Web
2.0 accessible screen reader. The product is provided through an exclusive
license in perpetuity granted to The AIR Foundation from Serotek
Corporation, the leading provider of Internet and digital information
accessibility software and services. The screen reader is called SA To Go
and is powered by Serotek's award-winning System Access software which
provides immediate text to speech, magnified visual, and Braille access to
digital information presented through the Web or other means, while the user
is directly connected to the Internet. The software does not remain
resident on the user's computer when the connection to the Internet is
interrupted or terminated. Users can obtain access to the free software by
calling 877-369-0101 or visiting www.AccessibilityIsaRight.org
<http://www.accessibilityisaright.org/> .
"The basic tenet of The AIR Foundation is that accessibility is a
fundamental human right, regardless of financial or geographic constraints"
said Art Schreiber, executive director of The AIR Foundation, "by allowing
the blind and visually impaired to have equal access to computer and
Internet information through the free use of an advanced screen reader like
SA To Go, we have already taken great strides toward our mission."
The AIR Foundation will solicit funds and contract development of product
enhancements including availability in other languages. The organization's
first priority is to make SA To Go available in Mandarin Chinese.
"SA To Go is highly intuitive and requires minimal training to use," said
Serotek CEO, Mike Calvo, "the user not only has access to information
displayed on Web pages, but to Web-based applications such as Internet
telephone service, and to applications resident on the host computer. The
user can also access PDF files, fill out forms, and otherwise interact with
information with the same facility as a sighted person."
The AIR Foundation will operate through the generosity of organizations
donating their time, expertise, and funds. It invites other nonprofits,
assistive technology vendors, mainstream hardware and software companies and
anyone interested in promoting accessibility as every person's right, to
align with the AIR team.
The AIR Foundation
The AIR Foundation is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to advocate,
teach, and deliver information accessibility tools. We focus on the
accessibility needs of blind and low-vision people. Our mantra is
"accessibility is a right" and we work with corporations and agencies
worldwide to deliver free accessibility to all. For more information, call
877-369-0101 or visit www.AccessibilityIsaRight.org
<http://www.accessibilityisaright.org/> .
Serotek Corporation
Serotek Corporation is a leading technology company that develops software
and manufactures accessibility solutions. Committed to the mission of
providing accessibility anywhere, Serotek launched the first online
community specifically designed to meet the needs of people with
disabilities. Since then, Serotek has introduced several powerful,
affordable solutions that require minimal training and investment. For more
information, visit www.serotek.com <http://www.serotek.com/> .
###
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