International Day of Persons with Disabilities

"Let us spare no effort to ensure that policies, programmes, guidelines and 21st century technologies are accessible to persons with disabilities, and sensitive to their perspectives and experiences". Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon."

                     

International Day of Persons with Disabilities (December 3) is an international observance promoted by the United Nations since 1992. It has been celebrated with varying degrees of success around the planet. The observance of the Day aims to promote an understanding of disability issues and mobilize support for the dignity, rights and well-being of persons with disabilities. It also seeks to increase awareness of gains to be derived from the integration of persons with disabilities in every aspect of political, social, economic and cultural life. It was originally called "International Day of Disabled Persons". Each year the day focuses on a different issue.

Theme for 2014: Sustainable Development: The Promise of Technology

Throughout human history, technology has shaped the way people live. Today information and communications technologies in particular have impacted a lot of people’s daily lives. However, not all people have access to technology and the higher standards of living it allows. With an estimated one billion people worldwide living with a disability, and 80% of them living in developing countries, access to technology is key to help realise the full and equal participation of persons with disabilities.(UN)

At UN Headquarters, this year’s commemorative events will be organized by the Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN-DESA). Representatives from Member States, UN system, civil society, the private sector and others will discuss how advances in technology can be utilized to improve the lives of persons with disabilities, with three different sub-themes:

·         Disability-Inclusive Sustainable Development Goals

·         Disability and Disaster Risk Reduction / Emergency Responses

·         Creating Enabling Work Environments

More information of the various events is available on  UN Enable

Even as we celebrate today, Microsoft is not left out in the bid to assist  persons with disabilities.

Every student brings his or her own unique experiences, talents, and challenges into the classroom, including those students with special education needs. December 2nd marks Special Education Day in the U.S. - because each child's learning style is different, teachers must strive to support their students' unique learning styles while balancing the demands of larger classrooms, standardized testing and changing curricula. With this in mind, we're sharing stories of teachers and educators who are using technology in inventive ways to instruct students with a variety of learning styles and disabilities.

To learn more about how teachers are using Microsoft Tools to instruct students with disabilities: click on link below 

Personalize Learning for Students with Special Education Needs Using Windows and Office including OneNote and Lync

Microso

ft Education Team 

5 Empowering Technological Breakthroughs for people 

with with disabilities

Eyegaze offers a selection of machines, including desktops and tablets, to empower both adults and children. The technology can be used to provide education, write books, draw and even generate speech by typing a message or selecting phrases. Other eye-tracking developments include software that allows a person to do day-to-day tasks, such as opening curtains.    SMART belt, iBot stair-climbing wheelchair, Google's driverless car, DEKA robotic arm