CILS

CILS Production and Request Trends for Jan 30, 2012

2012-01-30T09:08:00.000-08:00

As of Jan 30, 2012
--- we have 40 books in (or awaiting production)
--- We have a total of 176 ongoing requests (which will be fulfilled from the CILS collection, production, or loan from CILS partners)

At this time of year it is important to alert us to any change in a student's requirements. Please go to CILS FAQs at http://www.langara.bc.ca/cils/FAQs.html to learn morn about Formats, Technology, Production, etc.

CILS production and request trends for Jan 23, 2012

2012-01-23T09:17:00.001-08:00

Trends

As of today
--- we have 31 books in (or awaiting production)
--- we have been informed that 16 more books are being sent for in production
--- we have 89 requests that are awaiting a response
--- We have a total of 175 ongoing requests

At this time of year it is important to alert us to any change in a student's requirements. Please go to CILS FAQs at http://www.langara.bc.ca/cils/FAQs.html to learn morn about Formats, Technology, Production, etc.

Comments From Clients
"Thank you to all the CILS Team for their hard work and dedication to our students!"

Thanks again for supporting CILS

CILS production and request trends for Jan 16, 2012

2012-01-16T08:59:00.000-08:00

Trends

As of today
--- we have 44 books in (or awaiting production)
--- we have been informed that 21 more books are being sent for in production
--- we have 92 requests that are awaiting a response
--- We have a total of 201 ongoing requests

CILS production and request trends for Jan 09, 2012

2012-01-09T08:28:00.000-08:00

Trends
As of today
--- we have 31 books in (or awaiting production)
--- we have been informed that 33 more books are being sent for in production
--- we have 81 requests that are awaiting a response
--- We have a total of 183 ongoing requests

At this time of year it is important to alert us to any change in a student's requirements. Please go to CILS FAQs at http://www.langara.bc.ca/cils/FAQs.html to learn morn about Formats, Technology, Production, etc.

Thanks again for supporting CILS

CILS production and request trends for Jan 03, 2012

2012-01-03T08:20:00.000-08:00

Happy New Years from CILS

Trends
As of today
--- we have 42 books in (or awaiting production)
--- we have been informed that 45 more books are being sent for in production
--- we have 85 requests that are awaiting a response
--- We have a total of 200 ongoing requests

CILS textbook reimbursement policy

2011-12-06T13:44:00.000-08:00

As of April 1, 2012, CILS will no longer offer textbook reimbursements.

Although CILS is not mandated to provide reimbursements for textbook purchases, the reimbursement program was begun six years ago to help students who were not able to receive funding from other sources. In recent years, however, the reimbursement program has become difficult to sustain because of budget constraints: CILS has not received a budget increase since 2008 despite that over the same period the number of productions completed by CILS has almost doubled.

This decision was made to ensure our ability to fulfill our mandate of providing accessible learning materials to BC post secondary students, and we hope that individual institutions can find it in their own accommodations budgets to provide funding for second copies of textbooks, when required.

Currently some of the institutions CILS works with are themselves able to provide textbooks for students, in other cases financial assistance may be available through Financial Aid BC.

In order to mitigate the impact on students who also use hard-copy books, upon request we will return the textbook to the student after we have scanned it. In these cases, the returned text will have had its spine removed as part of the production process.

Please contact us if you have any questions.

CILS production and request trends for Dec 05, 2011

2011-12-05T08:30:00.000-08:00

Trends
As of today
--- we have 19 books in (or awaiting production)
--- we have been informed that 9 more books are being sent for in production
--- we have 84 requests that are awaiting a response
--- We have a total of 153 ongoing requests

Thanks for supporting CILS

CILS production and request trends for Nov 28, 2011

2011-11-28T08:54:00.001-08:00

Trends
As of today
--- we have 17 books in (or awaiting production)
--- we have been informed that 7 more books are being sent for in production
--- we have 78 requests that are awaiting a response
--- We have a total of 124 ongoing requests

Thanks for supporting CILS

CILS production and request trends for Nov 7, 2011

2011-11-07T08:51:00.000-08:00

Trends
As of today
--- we have 23 books in (or awaiting production)
--- we have been informed that 11 more books are being sent for in production
--- we have 50 requests that are awaiting a response
--- We have a total of 100 ongoing requests

Thanks again for supporting CILS

CILS production and request trends for Oct 31, 2011

2011-10-31T09:28:00.000-07:00

Trends
As of today
--- we have 25 books in (or awaiting production)
--- we have been informed that 16 more books are being sent for in production
--- we have 64 requests that are awaiting a response
--- We have a total of 123 ongoing requests

Thanks again for supporting CILS and happy Halloween.

View from CILS at Langara College on Oct 24, 2011

2011-10-24T09:33:00.000-07:00

CILS production and request trends for Oct 24, 2011

2011-10-24T09:25:00.000-07:00

CILS is embarking upon sharing our production and request trends online. We feel it is important to keep our clients informed as much as possible. If you think any other statistical information would be valuable please let us know.

Trends
As of today
--- we have 34 books in (or awaiting production)
--- we have been informed that 15 more books are being sent for in production
--- we have 64 requests that are awaiting a response
--- We have a total of 132 ongoing requests

Thanks again for supporting CILS

eBooks for blind and partially sighted people

2011-10-17T14:01:00.000-07:00

A video produced by the RNIB which has blind and partially sighted people talking about why e-books have transformed their reading; and about some of the challenges still to be solved.

The video is available at:

http://youtu.be/16krEX-4UJ4

Read2Go Iphone and Ipad DAISY Reader

2011-10-07T14:45:00.000-07:00

For those of you who have an iphone or Ipad Read2Go enables reading of DAISY books

The cost as of Oct 2011 is $19.99. If any of you out there have tried it we would love to hear what you think.

Visit the following links for more information

http://read2go.org/

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/read2go/id425585903?mt=8

Accessibility Camp Seattle

2011-03-28T09:59:00.000-07:00

Accessibility Camp Seattle is dedicated to the simple premise that “digi-

tal inclusion” is fundamental to our digital age. Much as disability advo-

cacy has transformed our physical world we now must look critically at

how we are building the digital world so that it welcomes and empowers

everyone. We will bring together the thinkers, the coders, the students,

the teachers, the visionaries, the pragmatists, the designers, the writ-

ers, the readers, the dreamers and you to actively engage on this critical

topic. This event embodies the “nothing about us, without us” rallying cry

from the disability rights movement.

What To Expect: Accessibility Camp Seattle is a community facilitated,

participant-driven event. It is different from a standard conference in that

a conference has a set agenda with speakers at the front of the room

and attendees listening from the audience; the information flows from

the speaker to the attendees. For our event, the agenda is set by you

and all attendees are encouraged to speak and listen. In other words,

we want the information to flow multiple ways! We want to hear what

you have to say. We want you to find other people who care about the

same things you do and for you to start talking at this UNconference…

and then to keep talking and building after the event is over. We believe

that by getting the right people together to talk and brainstorm, we plant

seeds of collaboration that will bear fruit outside of this event.

Where: Seattle Public Library, Central Branch

When: May 20 & May 21, 2011

Website: www.a11ysea.org

Facebook: www.facebook.com/a11ysea

Email: a11ysea.org

Twitter: follow #a11ysea

Phone: 800-248-9965 ext 102

Cost: FREE !

To attend you must register at the website: www.a11ysea.org

Langara College Job Action

2011-03-25T09:02:00.001-07:00

CILS is located at Langara College and all CILS employees are employees of Langara College. Currently, the Langara Faculty Association (LFA) as served the college with 72-hour strike notice. Any job action undertaken by the LFA could affect CILS' service. For more information on job action at Langara, check the Langara webpage or the LFA webpage.

Creating Accessible Content

2011-02-15T11:29:00.000-08:00

Recently we gave a webinar on creating accessible content. In this presentation we looked at the legal and moral reasons content creators should bother with accessibility, accessibility principles, and specific advice on making web content, Word documents and PDFs more accessible.

It seems that the webinar was well received, and we look forward to speaking more on this subject, but for now if this piques your interest, you can check out our slides. If you have any questions or comments about this, feel free to get in touch via email at CILS@langara.bc.ca.

Recommendations for the Provision of Accessible Resources to BC Trades Students

2010-11-23T08:45:00.000-08:00

CILS Research Paper Available Online

The goal of this applied research project, which was funded by a grant from BCcampus,
is to help instructors and institutions to build capacity and improve the delivery of
trades education by providing resources, strategies and data that promote not only the
goals of universal design, but also the inclusion of a growing segment of the population:
disabled individuals.

Go to
http://www.langara.bc.ca/cils/documents/Recommendations_for_the_Provision_of_Accessible_Resources_to_BC_Trades_Students.pdf

to view

Canada's First Full Season of Audio Description for Live Theatre

2010-10-04T14:42:00.000-07:00

One of our narrators here at CILS is involved in an exciting project that is bringing audio description to theater.

Kickstart has collaborated with five of Vancouver’s finest theatres to offer an ambitious schedule of live audio description for theatrical performances. Contact our partners at Vancouver Playhouse, The Arts Club, Gateway Theatre, Presentation House and Touchstone Theatre to book your seats for their audio described performances! From classics like Death of a Salesman and musicals like The Fantasticks and Hairspray to perennial favourites like Brighton Beach Memoirs, EarSighted’s inaugural theatre season has everything a theatre lover could ask for.

For more information check out the Kickstart Arts website.

CILS Production Update as of Sept 20, 2010

2010-09-23T10:56:00.000-07:00

Hi All,

Please check out CILS production and request trends.

Trends
As of Sept 20, 2010
--- we have 85 books in (or awaiting production)
--- we have been informed that 28 more books are being sent for in production
--- we have 71 requests that are awaiting a response from you
--- We have a total of 260 ongoing requests

At this time of year it is important to alert us to any change in a student's requirements. Please go to CILS FAQs at http://www.langara.bc.ca/cils/FAQs.html to learn morn about Formats, Technology, Production, etc.

Thanks again for supporting CILS

CILS FAQ

2010-08-03T13:18:00.000-07:00

Would you like more information about CILS? Will you be starting with CILS next semester? Are you interested in learning more about Alternate Formats or Technology? If so, why not take a look at our new FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) Page.

SEVA Canada fundraiser: "Little Voices" by Lucas Foss

2010-04-26T10:22:00.001-07:00

SHOW DESCRIPTION:
This wry and charming one-man play explores the inner dialogue of a "40-50 something" couch potato trying to make something more of himself. Caught between his voice of comfort and his voice of truth, he asks himself the big questions: Can he find love, and still get home in time for his favorite TV shows? Should he spend his money on cigarettes - or that copy of Soulful Sex at the alternative bookstore? As he proceeds on his plodding but highly amusing journey, hazarding relationship counselling with his girlfriend, Cheryl, and coming face-to-face with his deepest fears at a men's retreat, our very ordinary "hero" discovers his true, and not-so-ordinary, self.

THE ACTOR – LUCAS FOSS
Lucas had well received performances of “Little Voices” at Presentation House, Western Edge Theatre in Nanaimo, the NAC- 4th Stage in Ottawa, on Hornby Island, and the Performing Arts Festival at the Gibsons Playhouse Theatre. He debuted at the the UNO Festival in Victoria and at Capilano College. Lucas performed “Little Voices” at Seacoast Studio and twice at the Harmony Arts Festival in West Vancouver. Earlier on, Lucas performed “Little Voices” at The Havana, The UBC Summer Festival, and at the Vancouver Fringe Festival. He has been invited to perform and do Q&A at Theatre Programs at various Colleges including Studio 58, Douglas and Capilano College. He also has performed “Little Voices” at personal growth retreats and at conferences.

Thurs, May 27, 2010
8:oo pm • 95 minutes
Capilano University Performing
Arts Theatre, Birch Building

Admission is by donation, with all proceeds going to SEVA Canada. SEVA Canada's mission is to restore sight and prevent blindness in the developing world.

Public Library Service for Peolple with Print Disabilities

2010-03-19T11:54:00.000-07:00

A recent statement from the Initiative for Equitable Library Access (IELA) at the Canadian Library Association (CLA) proposes a bold vision for accessibility: "Our Vision is that anyone with a print disability can join their local public library and access or obtain materials in an alternative format that is appropriate for their needs."

They also go on to list a number of specific alternate formats and adaptive resources they they would like to be available through Public Libraries across Canada, including screen readers, Braille translation, scanners, and even Braille embossers.

If this vision interests you, why not check out their document here.

Largest book in the world

2010-02-03T08:53:00.000-08:00

The Guardian writes that Largest book in the world goes on show for the first time. According to the article,

[The Klencke Atlas] takes six people to lift it and has been recorded as the largest book in the world... It is almost absurdly huge – 1.75 metres (5ft) tall and 1.9 metres (6ft) wide – and was given to the king by Dutch merchants and placed in his cabinet of curiosities.

CILS has never had to make anything this big accessible, but it's fun to think about how we might go about it. Of course you could transcribe it into etext and describe the images, but if the issue is that the book is simply too big to use, it might be best to scan it into an accessible PDF. You can use accessible PDF to generate audio through text-to-speech programs, or you can use it to look at the book on your computer screen without having to handle what in this case is a very heavy book. Of course, the best way to look at a PDF of the Klencke Atlas might be on a large screen TV!

For more on using PDFs, why not check out the tutorial section on our website.

CILS 2010 Production Request Levels

2010-01-25T14:23:00.000-08:00

CILS is on track to match our production request level for the same time last year. In Jan 2009 CILS had over 90 Production rquests in the queue for January. We expect to come close to that this year. Currently, we have 73 requests for production and expect at least 10 more books to arrive this week.

CILS Closed for the Holidays

2009-12-23T11:53:00.000-08:00

CILS will be closed for the Holidays starting on December 24. We will reopen on January 4.

Have a great holiday!

New version of AMIS DAISY player released

2009-12-21T10:32:00.000-08:00

The DAISY Consortium has announced the release of new AMIS software. AMIS is a free, open source software application for reading DAISY books. AMIS 3.1 supports multi-volume DAISY 2.02 books and can be downloaded from the AMIS project page.

Vancouver Education & Career Fair

2009-12-14T08:35:00.000-08:00

Organized by Canada Student Loans Program which provides loans and grants to Canadians attending a University, College, Trade School, or Vocational School, if they need help financing their education. CanLearn.ca is the primary on-line resource for information on student loans and grants. CanLearn's tools and information will help students and parents save, plan and pay for post-secondary education.

For more information visit www.educationcareerfairs.com.

Repaying a Canada Student Loan for Borrowers with Permanent Disabilities

2009-12-08T08:21:00.000-08:00

Borrowers should contact the National Student Loan Service Centre (NSLSC) at 1-888-815-4514 or TTY 1-888-815-4556 if they are experiencing financial difficulty. Staff can help them understand the repayment assistance measures available. For example:

The Repayment Assistance Plan for Borrowers with a Permanent Disability (RAP-PD) helps borrowers manage their student loan debt by only paying back what they can reasonably afford. The Repayment Assistance Estimator is an online tool for students to estimate the repayment assistance they may receive.

The Permanent Disability Benefit provides loan cancellation for borrowers with severe permanent disabilities who are prevented from working and going to school and will never be able to repay their loans.

Signing up for an National Student Loan Service Centre (NSLSC) online account will help borrowers check the status of their loan, review account history, and ensure that the NSLSC has up-to-date contact information.

For provincial student loan information, the borrower should contact their Provincial and Territorial Student Financial Assistance Offices at www.canlearn.ca/eng/main/help/contact/cao.shtml.

Visit CanLearn.ca for more information.

Happy International Day of Persons with Disabilities

2009-12-03T09:25:00.000-08:00

This year's theme for International Day of Persons with Disabilities is "Making the MDGs Inclusive: Empowerment of persons with disabilities and their communities around the world."

Information is powerful, and few things are as empowering as the the ability to access the information you need in the format you need, so Happy International Day of Persons with Disabilities, everyone!

For more information on the background and observance of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, visit the UN website.

CILS Wins Applied Research Grant from BCcampus.

2009-12-01T14:50:00.000-08:00

CILS is pleased to announce that is has won a $10,000 Applied Research Grant from BCcampus. This project will be entitled “Recommendations for the Production of Accessible Alternate Format Resources for Apprenticeship Students with Print Disabilities.” The results of this research may be used to develop training for educational developers, instructors, tutors and support service providers to ensure that all courses are produced, delivered, and supported with appropriate services for student success. The study will also provide information to instructors on the types of support services available in the system.

The results of this applied research will be available on the CILS website and at BCcampus.ca by May 2010.

Article about blind entrepreneur

2009-11-20T09:12:00.000-08:00

Recently I came across an article about a blind entrepreneur. Here's a section of the article:

One of the ways I’ve learned to manage the demands of my work day is to become meticulously well-organized. Another is to rely on the ingenious assistive technologies that enable me to accomplish daily tasks.

Genuine accessibility, whether it is attained through the use of technology or realized by way of excellent customer service, is what makes the difference between achievement and aggravation.

For the full article, click here.

Equity Through Education Student Awards

2009-11-16T09:14:00.000-08:00

The National Educational Association of Disabled Students (NEADS) is now accepting applications for the NEADS Equity through Education Student Awards Program. These awards are being offered to encourage full access to post-secondary education for persons with disabilities enrolled in undergraduate, graduate or professional degree programs at recognized Canadian universities, or in certified diploma programs at Canadian colleges. Up to 20 outstanding applicants, who meet the criteria of the program, will be receiving an award in the amount of $3,000 to support the costs of their tuition and student fees.

Funding for these awards is provided by BMO Capital Markets' Equity Through Education Program, a charitable initiative aimed at creating a more diverse workplace by offering educational opportunities to people who are most in need of support. In May 2006 NEADS became one of four Canadian recipients of donations from the second Equity Through Education trading day. At that time, NEADS announced the Equity Through Education Student Awards program.

"We at NEADS are very proud of the Equity Through Education Student Awards Program, and our 21 recipients over its first three years," said Mahadeo Sukhai, NEADS' Past-President. "This program is the first of its kind in Canada, and was created to celebrate overall excellence among students with disabilities in all aspects of post-secondary education. Our winners to date all embody the very best qualities of academic and community involvement. We hope that the program continues to grow, and we look forward to this year's crop of outstanding applicants."

For more information on the program please contact the NEADS office: National Educational Association of Disabled Students (N! EADS), Rm. 426 Unicentre, Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario, K1S 5B6, tel. (613) 380-8065, or go directly to our Equity Through Education Student Awards website:
http://www.neads.ca/en/about/projects/ete2/scholarship/

Want to help Google test for usability?

2009-11-06T13:12:00.000-08:00

Google seeks people with vision loss for new product usability testing. Click here!

Hellen Keller Day in Second Life

2009-06-23T08:49:00.000-07:00

Press Release:

Contact person: Saxet Uralia

The 24-hour event PDT will be held all day Saturday, June 27 at The Ye, Olde, Supporte, Faire sims. (http://slurl.com/secondlife/Faire/20/222/38)

Linden Lab is collaborating with and assisting Virtual Helping Hands and a coalition of community volunteers who are proud to announce Helen Keller Day in Second Life. Helen Keller Day is a community-event exploring how and why to employ, educate, entertain, and engage everyone through virtual worlds.

Helen Keller Day is a day that is set aside for information acquisition, education, exploration of employment opportunities, social engagement, and enjoyment of arts and entertainment... There will be vendors, employers, presentations, and pure, unbridled fun.

It's a day dedicated to raising our level of awareness for our fellow Second Life residents who cope with disabilities. At some time in our lives, we've all felt what it feels like not to be able to participate... not to be included. Knowing how to include someone with a disability, and make them feel welcome, is an important social skill, and a small but significant kindness that we can all benefit from and feel good about.

Participants will meet people learn things, get freebies, and be entertained for their efforts.

You will hear keynote speakers Keller Johnson Thompson, the great grandniece of Helen herself and Linden Labs Education and Healthcare Developer, John Lester, aka Pathfinder Linden. You will hear from experts in the fields of virtual education, employment, social engagement and entertainment. There will be building contests featuring skilled builders doing accessible builds before our virtual eyes. There will be a world premier "movie" featuring "Max," the virtual guide dog developed in Second Life for SL users who are blind or sight impaired. Also featured will be an exhibition of Max's abilities, a fashion show, chess, a Braille chat display, dancing, singing quests and storytelling... even a virtual goldmine!

The Importance of Headings for Accessibility

2009-05-22T08:57:00.000-07:00

Here's a great article on the importance of headings for accessibility:

According to a screenreader survey, 76% of screenreader users use headings to navigate either ‘often’ or ‘all the time’. With that statistic we can’t argue how important headings are especially for people with disabilities.

One way to make your site more accessible is through the use of headings. Headings in HTML are created with the h1-h6 elements and they should be used as headings just like the ones you see in newspapers, books and other print documents.

For the full article click here.

Accessible Twitter

2009-05-01T09:42:00.000-07:00

For individuals who use a screen reader or other text-to-speech (TTS) application to navigate the internet there is now a an accessible Twitter client. Twitter is a micro blogging platform that allows users to post brief updates of 140 characters or less.

To join Twitter, click twitter.com. To check out the Accessible Twitter, visit www.accessibletwitter.com.

Basic Computer Literacy Training

2009-04-22T08:57:00.000-07:00

Canadian Council of the Blind
Basic Computer Literacy Training
Spring and summer, 2009

The Canadian Council of the Blind (CCB) is conducting basic computer literacy training courses throughout Western Canada, and it is coming back to BC with five sessions from April 27 to August 21, 2009. The program is partially funded by the Federal Department of Human Resources and Social Development Canada, with the rest being contributed by the CCB.

It is free for participants!

Participants will learn basic computer literacy with both ZoomText and JAWS, with the main focus on getting access to the computer through the keyboard. The program starts out teaching keyboard access to the Start Menu and the Desktop, then to basic editing and file management processes, then to using email and the internet, all with less reliance on vision and the mouse. Basic typing skills will also be taught.

This program is hosted by the Canadian Council of the Blind, and will be held in the following five locations:

Vancouver:
April 27 to May 8, starting at 1:00 PM on first day
9:00 AM to 4:00 PM Monday to Friday
CNIB Auditorium, 5055 Joyce Street

Abbotsford:
May 11 to 22, starting at 1:00 PM on first day
9:00 AM to 4:00 PM Monday to Friday
Columbia Bible College, Board Room, 2940 Clearbrook Rd

Coquitlam:
May 25 to June 5
9:00 AM to 4:00 PM Monday to Friday
209 Lebleu St, Condo Common Room
Near Brunette and Lougheed,

Prince George:
June 15 to 26
9:00 AM to 4:00 PM Monday to Friday
Kiwanis Resource Centre, 490 Quebec St

Courtenay/Comox Valley:
July 6 to 17
9:00 AM to 4:00 PM Monday to Friday
North Island College, Tyee Room 204, 2300 Ryan Road

North Vancouver:
August 10 to 21, starting at 1:00 PM on first day
9:00 AM to 4:00 PM Monday to Friday
Silver Harbour Senior's Center, 144 East 22nd Street

For further information or to book your seat, contact;

Albert Ruel
404-335 St James St
Victoria BC V8V 4S8
Telephone: 250-590-8085
E-mail: aruel@ccbnational.net
www.ccbnational.net

WCAG 2.0 Theme Song

2009-02-10T09:27:00.000-08:00

David MacDonald created a YouTube music video with people with disabilities and the voice from JAWS doing a rap for the new WCAG 2.0 web accessibility guidelines.

For more on Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0 go here.

One Passenger One Fare Communication Bulletin

2009-01-14T08:18:00.000-08:00

This just in:

Air Canada
Susan Welscheid
Vice president, Customer Service - In-Flight Call Centres and Customer
Relations Centre Air Canada 1290 C.P. 14000, Succursale Aéroport Dorval QC
H4Y 1H4

January 8, 2009

Dear Madam/Sir,

In accordance with the Canadian Transportation Agency's ruling dated January
10, 2008, Air Canada is pleased to communicate the amendments to its
policies with regard to passengers with disabilities.

Beginning January 9, 2009, eligible customers with disabilities booking
flights for domestic itineraries will qualify for extra seating for
themselves or an attendant at no additional charge. This service will be
offered for flights on all Air Canada, Jazz and Tier 3 airlines that fly on
Air Canada's behalf, although you should be aware the configuration of
certain smaller aircraft may not allow this in all cases.

For flights to and from the United States, Air Canada will continue to offer
a 50 per cent discount off certain fares for an extra comfort seat or for
attendant travel.

People with disabilities, including by reason of obesity, are advised to
make the airline aware of their special needs at the time of booking.
Generally, Air Canada will require 48 hours' notice in advance of travel
but in some situations may require 72 hours. In cases where the airline
receives less notice, Air Canada will make all reasonable efforts to fulfill
the request. Taxes, fees and charges will not apply to the free extra seats
used by the disabled person. However, for the attendant, fees and charges
imposed by the Government and by the Airport authorities (with the exception
of Gander Airport, Nfld.) Will have to be charged. No advance seat
selection is permitted when requesting extra seating.

In order to be eligible for extra seating at no charge, passengers will be
required to submit a doctor's certificate of the individual's disability.
Passengers will also require medical approval demonstrating fitness to
travel. For passengers requesting extra seating for reasons limited to
obesity, the airline will retain the information on file and the
authorization for extra seating will remain in effect for two years in order
to facilitate future travel.

Eligible customers requiring additional space for their own use will be
assigned a single reservation and ticket. Their seats will be assigned in
advance of their flight by the Air Canada medic al Services desk so
that their disabilities can be best accommodated. Additionally, such
passengers should be aware that extra seating is not available on Beech
aircraft and in Executive Class, and may be restricted on CRJ regional jet
and Embraer aircraft.

For passengers requiring an attendant, Air Canada will also require the
disabled passenger to obtain a medical certificate and medical approval to
travel. Customers who are non-ambulatory and non-self reliant and those who
have vision, hearing or cognitive impairments that make them unable to
receive safety related messages at critical stages of flight must be
accompanied by an attendant. In eligible cases, one free seat will be
provided for an attendant.

For ease of reference, we attach a copy of our web pages and revised form.

For more information about this new service and the broad range of other
services Air Canada offers people with disabilities, customers should go to
www.aircanada.com and then look under "Information and Services", where they
will find a section on "Customers with Special Needs" under the "Travel
Information" heading. Also, customers can contact Air Canada Reservations
or their travel agent.

Thank you for choosing Air Canada.
Signed by Susan Welscheid

Web Content Accessibility Guidelines Version 2

2008-12-18T13:34:00.000-08:00

http://www.w3.org/2008/12/wcag20-pressrelease.html

W3C Web Standard Defines Accessibility for Next Generation Web

Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.0 defines how to make Web content more accessible to people with disabilities, and older people with changing abilities due to ageing

WCAG 2.0 has many benefits:
- International standards cooperatively developed,
- Criteria is clearer and easier to test,
- Applicable to more advanced Web technologies,
- Support materials and practical guides for implementation are available.

WCAG 2.0 explains how to make content:
- Perceivable (for instance by addressing text alternatives for images, captions for audio, adaptability of presentation, and color contrast);
- Operable (by addressing keyboard access, color contrast, timing of input, seizure avoidance, and navigability);
- Understandable (by addressing readability, predictability, and input assistance);
and
- Robust (for instance by addressing compatibility with assistive technologies).

For quick answers go to: WCAG FAQ - http://www.w3.org/WAI/WCAG20/wcag2faq

ACCESS/MEDIA: TV Channel For The Blind Launched In Canada By AudioVision

2008-12-03T11:20:00.000-08:00

Accessible Channel Launches with 'Open Format' Descriptions

The Accessible Channel is launching across Canada on December 3rd, 2008,
providing television for the vision-impaired.

On the current basic cable TV set-up, people with vision loss who want to
access description must change the audio settings of their televisions to
S.A.P. (Secondary Audio Programming). This process can be difficult, if not
impossible, as it often works through a series of on-screen menu prompts.

In a decision issued July 24th, the CRTC approved an application from The
National Broadcast Reading Service (NBRS) for The Accessible Channel (TAC),
furthering the unique charity's mission to make media accessible. Since
then, NBRS has been working on their promise to deliver programming
accessible to all.

The Accessible Channel's "open format" makes description available on the
primary audio setting and the only soundtrack provided is the described
track. The Accessible Channel will also provide closed captioning for 90% of

its program schedule, which is in compliance with current CRTC regulations.

"People shouldn't be excluded from media just because they are
vision-impaired," says John Capobianco, Chair of the National Broadcast
Reading Service. "NBRS was created two decades ago with a mandate to enhance

media access for millions of vision-restricted Canadians. On December 3rd
The Accessible Channel will take a step farther to ensure everyone is
included".

Orville Parkes, Chair, The Accessible Channel added, "This is not only about

convenience, but a key to social integration. The Accessible Channel will
make broadcasting history allowing millions of visual impaired Canadians to
be included in everything that was and is television".

With over 500 films, countless television programs, and current events,
news, and entertainment, there is now a channel that includes every one: The

Accessible Channel.

AudioVision is a description pioneer and continues to offer quality
described products and services. AudioVision description lets people who
have vision restrictions "see" the action in movies and TV programs. Many
people have said what description does for the vision-impaired is what
closed-captioning does for people with hearing loss. It makes on-screen
entertainment more accessible.

AudioVision and VoicePrint are divisions of The National Broadcast Reading
Service Inc. (NBRS) a registered charity that provides news, information and

entertainment to 4.5 million Canadians who have vision loss or are
print-restricted.

Rob Trimbee | Director, AudioVision Operations | National Broadcast Reading
Service Inc.

416-422-4222, ext. 228 | ?416-422-1633 | 303-1090 Don Mills Road, Toronto,
Ontario M3C 3R6

Toll-free: 1-800-567-6755

NBRS through VoicePrint and AudioVision - "Making Media Accessible"

NEADS and BMO Capital Markets Equity through Education Student Awards: Deadline Fast Approaching!

2008-12-03T11:19:00.000-08:00

OTTAWA, November 24, 2008 - The National Educational Association of Disabled Students (NEADS) is accepting applications for the NEADS Equity through Education Student Awards Program until December 17th 2008. These awards are being offered to encourage full access to post-secondary education for persons with disabilities enrolled in undergraduate, graduate or professional degree programs at recognized Canadian universities, or in certified diploma programs at Canadian colleges. Up to six outstanding applicants, who meet the criteria of the program, will be receiving an award in the amount of $3,000 to support the costs of their tuition and student fees.

Funding for these awards is provided by BMO Capital Markets' Equity Through Education Program, a charitab! le initiative aimed at creating a more diverse workplace by offering educational opportunities to people who are most in need of support. In May 2006 NEADS became one of four Canadian recipients of donations from the second Equity Through Education trading day. At that time, NEADS announced the Equity Through Education Student Awards program.

"We at NEADS are very proud of the Equity Through Education Student Awards Program, and our 11 recipients over its first two years," said Mahadeo Sukhai, NEADS' President. "This program is the first of its kind in Canada, and was created to celebrate overall excellence among students with disabilities in all aspects of post-secondary education. Our winners to date all embody the very best qualities of academic and community involvement. We hope that the program continues to grow, and we look forward to this year's crop of outstanding applicants."

For more information on the program please contact the! NEADS office: National Educational Association of Disabled Students (NEADS), Rm. 426 Unicentre, Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario, K1S 5B6, tel. (613) 380-8065, or go directly to our Equity Through Education Student Awards website:
http://www.neads.ca/en/about/projects/ete2/scholarship

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About Equity Through Education

The Equity Through Education charitable program was launched by BMO Capital Markets in 2005 to support the notion that gaining an education is a means of improving lives. Funds raised through Equity Through Education are donated to charitable organizations whose mission includes improving access to education and training for bright, deserving people who otherwise might not have the opportunity. To date, Equity Through Education has raised $3.2 million.

LibriVox

2008-11-06T11:41:00.000-08:00

Recently we came across this article about LibriVox, a project that seeks to record and freely make available public domain works on the internet. We speak from personal experience when we say that LibriVox is a good way to fill your MP3 player and catch up on some classics for during your commute.

Why DAISY makes reading easier.

2008-10-27T12:45:00.000-07:00

Check out this short video to understand why DAISY makes reading easier.

TEST

2008-10-21T14:37:00.001-07:00

This is a test