EBU NEWSLETTER
No 52, September 2006

Published quarterly by the EBU Office


With the financial support of
DG Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities
of the European Commission
 


EBU Commissions and Working Groups in brief :

Announcements :

[ The opinions expressed in this Newsletter are those of the writers and do not necessarily reflect the views of the EBU. ]





UN adopts its Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Rights and Dignity of Persons with Disabilities

On Friday 25 august 2006, the UN Ad Hoc Committee adopted the text of a convention to protect the rights of disabled people. This text now goes to another UN committee concerned with human rights that may make drafting alterations, without amending the meaning. It will then be placed before the UN General Assembly for ratification in October and will be subsequently open for signature by States.

Colin Low, EBU President, commented : « It's been an exhaustive process lasting over five years, but EBU has played a crucial part in making sure that the Convention which has finally emerged takes account of the needs of blind and partially sighted people. We will now be using the Convention as a framework for monitoring how far national governments are according disabled people the rights which are due to them as equal citizens with non-disabled people ».

The EBU Rights Commission has developed a strategic approach for EBU and its national members to promote the implementation and monitoring of the Convention. The strategy is based on a three-fold objective : declaration on needs and characteristics of blind and partially sighted people ; collection of information about legislation ; review and re-focussing of the Network of HERMES Link Officers (the HERMES Network was set up by EBU to promote the exchange of information and expertise on blind or partially sighted people’s rights).



Attachment 1 : Convention and Optional Protocol, 25 August 2006.
Attachment 2 : EBU Strategic approach to promoting and monitoring the implementation of the Convention.


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EU Regulation concerning the rights of disabled persons when travelling by air

Its impact on the visually impaired

by Mokrane Boussaid
Director, European Blind Union



1. Background

The European Parliament and the Council adopted on 9 June 2006 a Regulation concerning the rights of disabled persons and persons with reduced mobility (PRMs) when travelling by air, (CE) No 1107/2006. This was published in the Official Journal of the EU on 26 July 2006.

Contrary to a directive, a regulation is directly applicable in the national legislation of all the Member States of the European Union.

This Regulation shall apply in 2008, two years following the day of its publication. Articles 3 and 4 on non-discrimination shall apply in 2007.



2. Why this paper ?

The Regulation applies to all disabled passengers travelling by air, and more generally to PRMs. This paper intends to highlight the main provisions in the Regulation and to spell out their specific impact on blind or partially sighted people.



3. Purpose and Scope of the Regulation

The purpose of this Regulation is clearly set out in its Article 1 : it is to protect disabled persons and PRMs travelling by air against discrimination and to ensure that they receive the assistance they need.

Its rules shall apply to commercial air passenger flights on departure from, transit through or arrival at an airport situated in the EU.

Definitions relevant to this Regulation are provided in its Article 2. In particular"disabled person" or "person with reduced mobility" refers to "any person whose mobility when using transport is reduced due to any physical disability (sensory or locomotor, permanent or temporary), intellectual disability or impairment, or any other cause of disability, or age, and whose situation needs appropriate attention and the adaptation to his or her particular needs of the service made available to all passengers".

Note that this paper will only refer to disabled passengers.



4. Non discrimination

In its Article 3, the Regulation establishes rules to prevent the refusal of carriage of a disabled passenger on the grounds of his/her disability. A disabled passenger cannot be denied a reservation for a flight departing from or arriving at an airport covered by this Regulation, or boarding such a flight if he/she holds a valid ticket and reservation.

All along, this has been a controversial issue. Airlines have argued that safety should be paramount. On the other hand, the representatives of the disability movement have expressed concerns that safety reasons have too often been used to avoid the carriage of a disabled passenger. The legislator has had to strike a difficult balance between the need for airlines to provide safe travel to all passengers, including passengers with disabilities, and the requirement that disabled passengers should not be discriminated on grounds of their disability. This has led to a number of derogations to Article 3 set out in Article 4.

Experience shows that people with seriously reduced mobility are those most exposed to denial of reservation or boarding, and, by and large, blind or partially sighted people have been relatively less affected by refusal of carriage, except in situations of group travel.

Derogations to Article 3 have to do mainly with safety requirements. The representatives of the disability movement have claimed that the proliferation at international, national and airline level of safety rules that are not always consistent with each other have led to disabled passengers being treated differently from one air operator to the other. Lack of transparency has paved the way to the development of discriminatory practices against disabled people.

Although the disability movement would have liked the Regulation to go further in clearly identifying what safety rules are genuine, it is comforting to note that Article 4 provides that carriage can only be refused to meet safety requirements established by international, Community or national law or by the authority that issued the air operator's flying certificate. This clearly excludes the possibility for airlines to put forward their own safety standards to justify the denial of reservation or boarding.

Paragraph 2 of Article 4 : "... an air carrier or its agent or a tour operator may require that a disabled person or person with reduced mobility be accompanied by another person who is capable of providing the assistance required by that person" has aroused concerns that this should apply to passengers who are blind or partially sighted.

In fact, this provision should be put in context and considered against the rest of the Regulation. It is intended to allay the concerns of airlines when
having to handle disabled passengers who are heavily dependent and who
require intense or specialized assistance.

Of course the odd airline may try and deliberately use Paragraph 2 to prevent a blind person from travelling without an accompanying person. It will then be the role and duty of disability organisations to bring the case before the bodies to be set up under this Regulation to receive complaints or before the courts of justice. This Regulation as any piece of legislation is likely to give rise to diverging interpretations, and what is important is to make sure that jurisprudence rules in our favour.

Paragraph 3 of Article 4 puts an obligation on air carriers or their agents to make the safety rules that they apply to the carriage of disabled persons publicly available and in accessible formats (this also applies to tour operators). Here, the legislator has made a good attempt to ensure more transparency and avoid misuse of safety rules by those airlines which are not very keen on carrying seriously disabled passengers.

Paragraph 3 is strengthened by paragraph 4 : in case of refusal of carriage, the air carrier is under the obligation to immediately inform the disabled person of their reasons. Upon request, these reasons will have to be communicated in writing within five working days of the request.

If Article 3 affirms the principle of non-discrimination, derogations in Article 4 may give the impression that air carriers are given enough scope to evade their responsibilities. But one can reasonably assume that the last two paragraphs in Article 4 provide a safety net against discriminatory practices.

I think the major weakness of Articles 3 and 4 is that they fail to address the fact that there are far too many safety regulations and that these are not always consistent with each other. This means that this Regulation will not ensure equal treatment to all disabled passengers across the EU. At a recent meeting of the ECAC PRM sub-group (European Conference of Civil Aviation), the European Commission representative gave assurances that they will continue to encourage civil aviation authorities and other stakeholders to streamline their safety requirements, which should contribute to a more harmonised facilitation of disabled passengers across the EU.



5. Seamlessness

After a lengthy and controversial debate, the Commission came to the conclusion that, to ensure maximum seamlessness, assistance to disabled passengers should be provided centrally under the responsibility of airports. Provisions to ensure seamless travel are to be found mainly in Articles 5 and 7 of the Regulation.

Article 5 is of particular relevance to blind and partially sighted people. Those of you who travel on their own will have found that, in most EU airports, assistance is provided from the point of check-in. This means that the visually impaired passenger has to walk at times long distances from the point of set-down (train station, taxi rank, bus stop) to the check-in point before he/she can be given the assistance needed. With this Regulation, the disabled passenger will no longer have to go and fetch the assistance he/she needs. Rather, assistance will start from his/her point of arrival at a given airport.

In substance, Article 5 provides that, taking account of local conditions, airports shall designate points of arrival at which disabled persons can, with ease, announce their arrival at the airport and request assistance. It also provides that this will be done in cooperation with, i.a, "relevant organisations representing disabled persons".

Recital 5 provides guidance as to where these designated points should be located : "...These points should be designated at least at the main entrances to terminal buildings, in areas with check-in counters, in train, light rail, metro and bus stations, at taxi ranks and other drop-off points, and in airport car parks... "

It is essential that organisations of the visually impaired monitor closely the implementation of this provision. They should make sure that as many points as possible are designated within the airport boundary so as to cover all modes of transport linking to that airport. So, do not hesitate to approach managing bodies of airports in your country, including the regional and local ones, to offer your advice and make sure Article 5 is implemented to the best of blind or partially sighted passengers' interests.

The services to be rendered under the responsibility of airports and on board aircrafts are detailed in Annexes I and II of the Regulation. In particular, airlines are under the obligation to carry recognised assistance dogs in the cabin. EBU had to wage a hard fought battle to counteract the original proposal of the Commission which limited carriage to flights not exceeding five hours. However, the provision as its stands now is not fully satisfactory as carriage in the cabin is subject to national regulation. Organisations of blind and partially sighted people must continue fighting at national level to make sure guide dog users can travel safely with their guide dogs in the cabin.

Article 7 provides that the provision of special services by airports and airlines is subject to the notification by the disabled passenger of his/her assistance needs at least 48 hours before departure. All along, air operators, national civil aviation authorities and the Commission have insisted that rights often entail obligations. If disabled passengers want quality service, they should notify their needs in advance so that air operators can plan the provision of assistance. Notification is understood to cover the two legs of a return flight, if these have been contracted with the same airline.

In the absence of notification, the disabled passenger may not benefit from all the services specified in Annex I but all reasonable efforts to accommodate his/her needs will be made.

If no time is stipulated in advance by the airline, the disabled passenger has to present him/herself at check-in point at least one hour before departure ; or at other designated points at least two hours before departure. The representatives of the disability movement have tried hard to reduce these specified times, but the Commission lent a sympathetic ear to claims by airports that these were justified when handling disabled passengers needing heavy and specialized assistance. Although Article 7 recognizes the specificity of the needs arising from the different types of disabilities, it has not been possible to set different times for each group of disabled passengers.



6. Cost of assistance

In its Article 8, the Regulation stipulates that assistance should be provided free of charge. This is a major breakthrough in the face of discriminatory practices by low-cost airlines whereby disabled passengers have been charged for the escort or wheelchair they needed. This has now clearly become illegal.

But assistance has a cost to it. To cover this cost, Article 8 also provides that an airport may set up a central fund. Airlines shall contribute to the fund an amount proportional to the number of all passengers (not just disabled passengers) carried to and from that airport. This reference to « all » passengers is important because limiting the scope of this provision to the sole passengers with disabilities might have prompted a number of airlines to resort to covert practises to deter disabled passengers from traveling with them.



7. Quality standards and training

The Regulation asks Airports whose annual traffic is more than 150 000 passengers to set quality standards for the services detailed in Annex I in cooperation with, among others, organisations representing disabled passengers, and to publish them.

To guarantee quality service, airlines and airports are required by the Regulation to ensure that :

(a) all personnel providing direct assistance to disabled persons are trained to meet the needs of persons with disabilities ;

(b) all personnel dealing directly with the traveling public receive disability awareness training ;

(c) all new employees attend disability-related training upon recruitment and all personnel receive refresher training courses.

Here again organisations of the visually impaired have a crucial role to play in making sure that the needs of blind or partially sighted people are given proper consideration by air operators when setting quality indicators and when devising disability training programmes for their staff.



8. Complaint procedure

A disabled person who considers that the Regulation has been infringed may bring the matter to the attention of the airport or the air carrier concerned. If satisfaction is not obtained, he/she can turn to the national body designated to monitor the enforcement of the Regulation.

Although Member States are asked to take appropriate steps to inform disabled persons of their rights under this Regulation, organisations of the visually impaired should be ready to help the individual blind or partially sighted passenger to find his way through the complaint procedure. More generally, they should encourage their members to report any infringement and pass this information on to the national body responsible for the enforcement of the Regulation. This information will be important when reviewing the Regulation.


Attachment 3 : Regulation (EC) No 1107-2006 of the European Parliament and the Council of 5 July 2006 concerning the rights of disabled persons and persons with reduced mobility when traveling by air (PDF format).


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EBU Statement on
Violence against Blind and Partially Sighted People

by Tony Aston,
Chair, EBU Commission on the Rights of Blind and Partially Sighted People

 

1. PURPOSE

Between 2003 and 2006 the EBU carried out two separate but related projects on the violence against blind and partially sighted people. These were the EBU/EU Daphne Project and the EBU Survey on Violence experienced by blind and partially sighted people. This document summarises the results of these projects and identifies seven key recommendations for action by EBU member organisations and the Board of EBU that are drawn from the projects' results.



2. THE DAPHNE PROJECT

The Daphne Project was undertaken with European funding by five EBU member organisations - France, Italy, Netherlands, Spain and Sweden, in 2003. The Project had included a survey of blind and partially sighted women in these countries, discussion groups, self defence classes for blind and partially sighted women and a range of other support initiatives for blind and partially sighted women who were experiencing, or had experienced violence. The following observations and information are drawn from the reports prepared by the five EBU national participating organisations. It summarises the qualitative data derived principally from the discussion groups, draws on the quantitative data presented in the summaries of questionnaire responses and highlights some of the support initiatives that formed a key part of the Project.

This text is not intended to represent a report of the Daphne Project.


2.1 Violence - its nature and location

These reports explain the very wide range of violence experienced by blind and partially sighted women and girls. This includes verbal, psychological, physical and sexual violence. This can take place in the home, involving family and friends, in the street, involving strangers, or in schools, rehabilitation and training centres, involving professional and care workers. It can have a deep, long term adverse emotional and psychological effect on those who experience it.


2.2 Violence - its extent

The information that can be derived from the Daphne Project should be studied carefully. There is considerable variation in the sample sizes for the five participating countries. There is no information available about the way in which the samples were drawn. No comparative data exists for the nature and extent of violence experienced by women in these countries who are not blind or partially sighted. However, the incidence of reported violence must be a cause for considerable concern by EBU and its member organisations, especially if it is considered in the context of the reports on the discussion groups and the case studies included in the Project reports. These indicate that the violence experienced by many of the women participating in the Project was often related directly to their blindness or partial sight.

The following information drawn from these reports illustrates the variation in sample size and describes the percentages of blind and partially sighted women in the five participating countries who have experienced either psychological or physical violence. The name of the participating country is followed by the number of respondents, the percentage of these who have experienced psychological (psy) violence and the percentage of respondents who have experienced physical (ph) violence :

France                 81              psy         54             ph             27
Germany             12              psy         42             ph             33
Italy                     448             psy         19             ph               9
Netherlands        25             psy         72             ph             52
Spain                2100             psy         17.1          ph               6.2
Sweden              188             psy         26              ph            12


2.3 Violence - reducing impact and alleviating its effects

An important element of the Daphne Project was the support initiatives that were developed. Clearly the women who participated in the self defence courses considered these to be of significant value. There was also enthusiasm for the provision of telephone help lines and other personal support facilities. These initiatives clearly help blind and partially sighted women to be better able to cope with the substantial psychological and emotional difficulties they experience as a direct result of the violence they have experienced.



3. SURVEY ON VIOLENCE AGAINST BLIND AND PARTIALLY SIGHTED PEOPLE

At the beginning of the work period 2000-2003, the Board of EBU asked the EBU Commission on Human and Social Rights to consider the evidence of violence directed against blind and partially sighted people because of their disability, and to advise what action should be taken to combat such violence. The Board wish to ascertain :

Whether there is evidence of a higher incidence of crimes of violence against blind and partially sighted people, especially women and girls.

Whether legislation exists in some countries that imposes higher penalties on the perpetrators of violence against disabled or blind and partially sighted people.

Whether law enforcement agencies provide sufficient protection to blind and partially sighted people, especially women and girls.

Whether there are examples of good practice in the provision and implementation of legislation.

The Commission carried out a short survey on the violence experienced by blind and partially sighted people in EBU member countries.

Questionnaires were developed and circulated via e-mail to the EBU members in 44 countries in 2003. 14 responses were received.


3.1 Evidence of a higher incidence of crimes of violence against blind and partially sighted people, especially women and girls

All 14 respondents stated that no surveys had been undertaken that specifically established the incidence of violence against blind and partially sighted people, though research had been, or was being, undertaken in Norway and the UK at the time the survey questionnaires were being completed.

Albania stated that statistics collected indicate the incidence of violence is lower for blind and partially sighted people compared with the general population. UK explained that information had recently begun to be collected by the police in the London area on incidents of hate crime experienced by disabled people.


3.2 Legislation that imposes higher penalties on the perpetrators of violence against disabled or blind and partially sighted people

Albania, Italy, Lithuania and the UK have legislation that imposes more severe penalties on the perpetrators of violence against blind and partially sighted people. Italy and Lithuania have legislation that relates to disabled people in general. UK has legislation that makes hate crime an aggravating factor in relation to criminal offences against disabled people. Hungary has legislation on violence that encompasses the general population and that imposes more severe punishments where crime 'abuses the situation of others'.


3.3 Law enforcement agencies provision of sufficient protection against violence for blind and partially sighted people, especially women and girls

Albania, Finland, Germany, Hungary and the Russian Federation considered that law enforcement agencies protection was either good or adequate. All other countries' respondents considered the protection to be poor or very poor.


3.4 Examples of good practice in the provision and implementation of legislation to combat violence against blind and partially sighted people

Albania quoted a law relating to crimes of violence against disabled people. UK referred to legislation that makes hate crime an aggravating factor in relation to criminal offences against disabled people.

Hungary and Switzerland referred to effective legislation for the general population.

Germany and UK gave examples of good practice by the police.

The UK government planned to issue guidance on the application of voice identity parades when blind or partially sighted people were called upon by the police to identify crime suspects.


3.5 Violence as an issue for EBU member organisations

Albania and UK stated that violence had been an issue for their organisations in the past. Italy, Norway and UK recognised violence as a current issue for their organisations.

Albania, Italy, Lithuania, Norway and UK gave examples of actions currently being taken to address violence experienced by blind and partially sighted people. These included :

. Initiating a special 'safety' course for blind and partially sighted people - Lithuania
. Girl Defend Yourself Project - Norway
. Providing support for a prosecution - Albania
. Utilising statistical information obtained from collecting data on hate crimes - UK



4. RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ACTION

Whilst the responses received to these studies do not establish conclusively that blind and partially sighted people, especially women and girls, are subjected to a higher incidence of violence compared with the rest of the population in Europe, there is sufficient anecdotal evidence to suggest that levels of violence should be a cause of considerable concern to representative organisations of blind and partially sighted people. This is because blind and partially sighted people are in an especially vulnerable position when they are recipients of violence. They may not be able to physically identify their attacker. They may not be aware that there are any witnesses to the attack that they are experiencing. They may not have the information they need to seek help if the violence they are experiencing is being perpetrated by a relative, friend or acquaintance.

Seven recommendations are made below. These are grouped in three categories - campaigning, service activities for EBU member organisations and a recommendation for the EBU Board to consider.


4.1 Recommendations for campaigning activities by EBU member organisations

4.1.1 Collecting statistical information
The first action that EBU Member organisations ought to consider taking is to urge the relevant authorities in their countries to collect, collate and publish statistical information on the incidence and nature of violence experienced by blind and partially sighted people. This information is vital if the anecdotal and statistical information that we have collected is to be verified. Many governments may be reluctant to take measures to deter acts of violence against blind and partially sighted people unless there is clear evidence that the incidence of violence is higher than for the rest of the population of their country.

4.1.2 Reporting incidents of violence
It will also be important for EBU Member organisations to encourage blind and partially sighted people to report acts of violence that they experience to the relevant authorities. Otherwise, statistical records could underestimate the true incidence of violence experienced by blind and partially sighted people.

4.1.3 Priority for data collection and apprehending suspects
The reports of the Daphne Project vividly demonstrate how vulnerable some blind and partially sighted people, especially women and girls, are to violence. Sometimes this is sustained over long periods of time, especially in domestic settings. It seems that some perpetrators of violence may be more likely to attack blind and partially sighted people because their victims are more vulnerable and less likely to be in a position to make charges or recognise their attacker. For these reasons, it is important for EBU member organisations to urge governmental agencies to give priority to collecting information about the nature and incidence of violence experienced by blind and partially sighted people and to apprehending suspects.

4.1.4 Stiffer penalties
It is also important for the courts to be in a position to administer punishments that are appropriate to crimes of violence against blind and partially sighted people. In instances where the attacker takes advantage of their victims inability to recognise them or to protect themselves because of their visual loss, or where the crime is attributable to the defendant's attitude towards blind or partially sighted people, the courts must be in a position to administer harsher punishments. EBU member organisations should consider campaigning for changes in legislation and/or the sentencing guidance given to criminal courts.

4.1.5 Identification of suspects by voice and touch
There have been instances where the evidence of blind and partially sighted witnesses and victims has not been accepted because of their inability to visually identify suspects or defendants. However, there are circumstances where blind and partially sighted victims or witnesses have heard attackers speak and would be in a position to make a positive identification of suspects and defendants by listening to their voices. It may also be possible in some circumstances for a blind or partially sighted victim of violence to identify their assailant by tactual identification of physical characteristics. These means of identification should be legally recognised as admissible evidence in a court of law, providing the same safeguards are taken to ensure an objective identification as are taken when witnesses are called upon to identify suspects or defendants by their visual appearance. EBU member organisations may need to campaign to persuade government agencies to introduce changes to make these methods of identification legally accepted.


4.2 EBU member organisations' services and activities

4.2.1 Supporting victims
The reports from the participating countries in the Daphne Project have amply demonstrated how useful the Project's supportive activities were for blind and partially sighted women and girls who participated. Some of these initiatives were designed specifically for blind and partially sighted people. Self defence instruction is an example. In other instances, blind and partially sighted women and girls were able to access facilities that were provided for other women who are subject to violent attacks. The use of refuges is an example. It is therefore suggested that EBU member organisations should consider establishing and publicising the existence of a range of supportive services and activities designed to assist blind and partially sighted women and girls who are experiencing or are threatened with violence. This may require active collaboration with organisations that provide shelter, counselling/listening services or other support services for women who are victims of violence.


4.3 Action for the EBU Board to consider

4.3.1 Blind and partially sighted children and young people
The specific needs and circumstances of blind and partially sighted children and young people who are experiencing or threatened with violence may require special consideration. The Daphne Project and the survey on violence have identified some issues that may be specific to blind and partially sighted children and young people. They may be particularly vulnerable to violence or abuse from relatives, carers or professional staff because of their visual impairments. They may be especially vulnerable to bullying or harassment from their normally sighted peers. It should be kept in mind that many blind and partially sighted children and young people have additional sensory, physical, learning and/or emotional disabilities that can increase their vulnerability to abuse and violence. It is recommended that the Board of EBU considers whether further action is required in this area.


Attachment 4 : Results of survey on violence against visually impaired people

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CSUN 2006, Los Angeles
and
Sight City, Frankfurt

By Dr. Mike Townsend Member, EBU Technology Working Group

 

The Technology and Persons with Disabilities Conference is an annual event covering ICT and other technology for people with disabilities. There is always a comprehensive programme of presentations, workshops and seminars. These range from the esoteric to the obvious, boring to the illuminating, and intriguing to incomprehensible. I managed to attend one of each type ! The best part of CSUN is always the booths where vendors present products old and new. In this article I present material from the seminars, booths and also the exhibition at Sight City Frankfurt which took place in May just as I was completing this article.


Operating systems : You may think this is the boring part of this article. Well don't. Read on, because operating systems are the parts of computers that make everything else work. If they are designed well, and the right tools are provided, then they work well for blind people. But if they are designed without access in mind, or there are no tools to interpret them, then operating systems can be the terminus for blind people.

Microsoft : We had a pre-view of the next MS Windows operating system known now as Vista. (If you have been waiting for Longhorn, then Vista is it. I have no idea why Microsoft products always get two names. It's a bit like pharmaceuticals with two names for every drug !

Accessibility architecture is available to all applications developers. Speech recognition : Perhaps the most impressive demonstration at CSUN was that of the speech recognition features of Vista. You might say that Microsoft is just playing catch up with Dragon, but there were some really new ideas here which could assist us with previously inaccessible applications.

The aim of the speech recognition is to give real "hands free" computing. (Although there is a hot key that can be used to turn recognition on and off which is Control Windows key). The user is in speech control of the keyboard and mouse all the time. So you don't need to use the keyboard to switch speech recognition on and off, you just say "start listening" and "stop listening". There is no command or dictation mode, you can do anything with your voice that is normally possible without thinking about special modes. The system is designed to be easy to learn and use. There is an interactive speech tutorial which trains the speech engine to your voice as you learn. Special commands such as combination keystrokes can also be trained at this point. Accuracy depends on the subject matter. Correcting mistakes using your voice ensures that the mistakes will not be repeated. Screen navigation is the really clever part. There are several ways to do this. If the application is Windows compliant, then commands such as "Move to this" are possible. Say what you see, click what you see. Highlighting using vocalized mouse and keystrokes is straightforward. If the application is not very Windows compliant or more difficult to control, then object numbering and a mouse grid can come into play. All objects recognized on the screen are given a unique number, and a mouse grid with numbered locations can also be placed over part or all of the viewable area. Using these methods, any area of the screen can be activated by voice. It's an obvious idea when you have thought of it. But, as often is the case, great ideas are hard to think up but seem obvious afterwards. Vista speech recognition is being made accessibility compatible, so these methods could help to make some pretty inaccessible programs usable. A macro facility is being planned to build complex commands, with variable input, to control the more complex tasks such as reading email and preparing and printing labels. English, German and Japanese are currently supported, though other languages are planned. MICROSOFT Active Accessibility is used, but Narrator is not supported. So you will need to use your regular access technology.


Installation : As soon as you install a new version of Vista you will be presented with the "Ease of Access Centre." This is a questionnaire page which immediately starts talking using Narrator. In fact the whole installation process will be speech guided. Narrator will be available in a number of languages, but the exact list is not yet published. The questionnaire introduces people to the various access features of Vista. You can tell the system that you can't use the screen, or have difficulty seeing it. At the end, after you select "Done", there will be new settings for Windows Vista and some recommendations about third party software and equipment that might help. Narrator is compliant with SAPI speech engines, so, if you have other voices available, they can be used. The new Magnifier gives up to 16 times enlargement. It can be set to follow the mouse, adjust the colours, has keyboard control, and is much smoother. Narrator and Magnifier will work within office applications and internet explorer. But they are not seen as replacements for third party items such as screen readers. Microsoft has not taken the Apple route.


Apple : Talking of Apple, I spent an interesting, though in some ways frustrating, morning with an Apple Mac. Some of the frustration sprang from my MS Windows background. Apples work differently. The current version of Apple's operating system is named "Tiger" and it has accessibility built in. As soon as you turn on a new Apple Mac, Voice-Over is there, and, if you want it, a voice and magnified guided installation takes place. This includes an introductory tutorial. If you had never used MS Windows, Voice-Over would still be a rather complex system to drive. The keyboard user interface is rather tough on the memory and the fingers. For many of the activities four keys need to be pressed simultaneously, and there are a lot of key combinations to remember. The supplied voice is not very distinct. But you can always get used to even the most strange sounding synthetic speech. Apple provides a low cost way to get started with computers as a blind person, but their solution is not for the faint hearted.

Linux : For the first time ever, I have actually seen Linux seriously working with access for blind people. Using the Orca screen reader, I was able to do some word processing and spreadsheet activity with speech and braille output. It was a fairly basic access, very similar to very early Jaws for Windows versions. I believe you still need to be a pretty dedicated Linux user to persist with it. But there is hope. Mozilla Firefox is also becoming usable with WINDOWS Screen readers and self voiced third party add-ons. Learn Star is a PDA with docking station based on Linux. It is still under development, but will have all the functionality of other PDA's, but with talking Linux.


Computers

Is it a computer or is it a phone ? Differentiating amongst desktops, laptops, personal digital organizers, games machines and phones is becoming ever more difficult. An informative overview of the issues was presented by a couple of speakers. Blind and partially sighted people need to use what the market provides. New devices are arriving everyday. The latest smartphones can carry out most of the tasks that used to be reserved for laptops and desktop. The Microsoft Origami tablet type book reader comes alongside Sony's paper white screen book reader. Are they also talking books ?

Which way should access manufacturers go ? Should they supply special devices such as the Packmate, Braille Sense and Braille Note ? Do we need special operating systems and software like Maestro and Keysoft ? Should we use mainstream products with screen readers such as Pocket HAL and Mobile Speak Pocket ?

 am writing this article on a recently acquired Braille Note PK. The software is Ok, and I like writing in braille on the best keyboard available. Connections to the outside world are a bit more tricky. But, I know this device will soon be outdated. I well remember my favourite PC, a David from Baum. It was a dedicated braille laptop. But along came Windows ! So I have two languishing in my study. I haven't got the heart to throw them away ! It costs a lot of money to develop special hardware and the associated software.

A recent approach has been to split the functions. This means providing special software for PDA's and smartphones, and developing the hardware to go alongside. The simplest example of this approach is the Maestro with physical overlays and separate keyboards running special software for the blind. I saw this idea taken forward at Sight City. Baum have developed a range of « brailliant » braille displays with the keyboards and layouts of the Braille Note PK (German pronto) on top. They are known as the "connect" series. HumanWare are then planning to supply Keysoft, that special suite of programs for blind people, to run in a PDA or Windows Smartphone. I just must have the new Baum Connie. 12 braille cells, Braille Note PK keyboard and it will slip into your shirt pocket ! Connie is much smaller than the soon to be released Easylink 12 cell braille display from Optelec. I didn't think braille devices could get that small. These displays link to a PDA via Bluetooth running Keysoft, Pocket HAL or Mobile Speak Pocket. So now we get to the next stage of mainstreaming. Don't create special software suites, but make current software accessible through screen readers. Then add any special devices that are required such as braille displays. This was the route I thought I would go. It would then be easy to upgrade the computer thing (whatever it might be) and keep the braille display. But when I contemplated what you could describe as "a pocket full of devices" I didn't go that route. In fact that didn't describe the half. Because everything has its own power supply. We need to keep the users right at the front of our developments. Can we actually cope with all this stuff ? Some users will need a piece of kit that can carry out the limited range of tasks required. Other users will always be pushing the frontiers.

The Small Talk Ultra is a tiny notebook PC running Windows XP. In fact it is the OQO notebook available in the stores but with GW Micro's window Eyes screen reader pre-loaded. The keyboard is poky, but you can run a separate Bluetooth QWERTY keyboard. It is speech only, but runs your regular applications.

At Sight City I was able to use a fully working Braille Data Assistant from Soneil. It is the same size as a braille Note PK. It has a 20 cell braille display with whiz wheels either side and braille keyboard. Two tiny built-in speakers give stereo sound. What sets it apart from the rest of the specially developed equipment for blind people is that it runs Windows XP professional. So, using your regular screen reader, you have all your familiar programs. I asked Soneil if it could become another David, filling up a smaller space in my study. They have planned upgradeability right into the product from the start. These are exciting times.

Keep going, don't give up ! Employment is a huge issue for blind and partially sighted people. Canon have developed a talking processor which fits on to their high end multifunction systems. With it, I was able to control the number of copies, density of print, and the collating and binding process. Many companies have this type of office digital printer and so the talking add-on extends employment opportunities for blind people. With the coming removal of the passporting of blind people to Incapacity Benefit, this kind of adaption will be an important aspect of increasing the numbers of blind people in employment.

More screen readers are appearing for mobile phones. Agnota Merca has an open API, so other programs can easily link into it. It speaks English and has an easy to use recorder called Remember. Currently it links of a Global Positioning System giving rudimentary route details. It can remember a route you take with voice tags. I thought it would be a great idea to be able to email these routes to folk so that they could get to your house for example.

See 4 me brings a pair of eyes into your home. It works over the internet. Your "Net Eye" can look at your letter, cooker display or computer screen. The image can be sent using a scanner, webcam or mobile phone camera. This is a great way to bring personal support into your home. You can find out more, with a free download, by going to www.see4me.com



Reading machines

The previously discussed Canon multifunction systems are also high end bulk scanners which can feed fast recognition systems for turning print into alternative formats such as speech and braille. If your requirements are of a more modest personal reading nature then the new Plustech Book Reader Bat from Taiwan may be just the thing. It is a genuine book edge scanner. This means that you don't have to break the backs of your precious books to read them. It is extremely easy to use, with large brailled buttons and excellent synthetic speech to read the material to you. I particularly liked the "Daniel" UK English voice. All the power of Abbeyy's Fine Reader powers this reading system. I think Plustech's Reader Bat will be a winner for libraries wishing to meet the needs of blind people. Their books will remain undamaged by the scanning process. The US price is 699 dollars.

CSUN always has some nice little secret surprises, especially if you hunt for them ! This year's lurked in the audience of a presentation on the future of computing for blind people. Carl Smith is an ambassador, not for a country, but for an amazing little device. The NFB reader is a hand portable reading system which you can take anywhere. The National Federation of the Blind in America have invested significant funds and joined Ray Kurzweil, the original "reading machines" man, to develop and bring to market this really useful device. The NFB Reader comprises a standard personal digital assistant with an off the shelf Canon digital camera strapped to the back. The secret is in the software that runs on the PDA. You hold the camera about a foot away from what you want to read, take a picture, and that image is then processed by the small computer. After about 30 seconds the machine reads the material back to you. Carl has used it to read menus in restaurants, hotel bills, and look at books. One of the CSUN delegates got Carl to read her business card which she had been handing out all through the conference. The NFB Reader read the card perfectly. The shock was that the lady had been handing out, not her own business cards, but those of a colleague ! The reader has functions to help you take a good picture of the material you want to read. It can say whether the whole of the document is in focus, or that it can only see the bottom and left edges. It also tells you the skew. If your picture is skewed it will take longer to process. Plans are in hand to make it also a barcode reader and a currency recognizer. This last is very important in the States as all bank notes are exactly the same size. 400 NFB Readers are out on trial, and we hope to get some for evaluation in the UK. The product should be fully launched in the autumn.

Getting around was a major theme this year. The most elaborate to be shown is part of a four year research project in Japan. This combines all the available methods and was field trialed at the World Expo in Tokyo. Global Positioning System satellites (GPS) get you to the expo. Tactile guidance plus FM radio moves you through to the main gate. Infrared activated sensors tell you what's around such as the lift or shops. Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tells exactly what you are at and dealing with. One of the key features of the experiment has been a study of the amount of information given to the user and at what distance. When you are rushing to the loo, you don't want to know about all the shops in the vicinity ! RFID tags speak whether you are at the gents or the ladies. (On more than one occasion I have caused screams of consternation as I have rushed into the ladies. "It's a good job I am blind !" I say.) The Japanese have attached RFID readers to the tips of long canes so that only the actual items pointed to are spoken out, rather than all the tags in the area. I am not sure what that would do for my guide dog Tom. Perhaps it would be interesting to attach the RFID detector to his tail !


The unit to activate this vast array of guidance tools is quite bulky. It contains a PDA, a mobile phone, an infrared detector and an FM radio receiver. Thank goodness the RFID detector is on the cane. The whole system proved a very effective method for guiding blind people, and is a marvellous test bed for the various options. But there is absolutely no hope that any large area will be fitted out with all this expensive equipment, or that blind people will be able to have and use such a complex set of systems to carry around. I think the training necessary would also be degree level. My experience of travelling is that you need the information you get to be simple, easy to use, clear, unambiguous and presenting only what you need to know at the time. The American Printing House showed two guidance products : the Miniguide and the Kay Sonar. Both operate on the sonic detection principle employed by bats. The KaySonar provides a rich sound and vibrating experience of the environment, but seems quite complex to use as a mobility aid. The Miniguide, on the other hand, just vibrates at different rates depending on the distance to the object it is pointing at. The Miniguide will supplement other mobility aids such as the long cane or guide dog, and it is available from the RNIB.

Have you wondered what it is like for those media stars travelling in limos ? Well, one afternoon I went for a limo ride. We sat down in the plush seats, and the champagne popped ! This is the life ! We were on a GPS guided tour provided by Mike May of Sendero Systems. This GPS works in the BrailleNote family of PDA's supplied by Humanware. Sendero is unlike other GPS navigation systems in that it has a "Look around" feature. As a blind person, I feel quite isolated inside a car. Sighted people see what's around outside, but, when the windows are up, all I know is what's inside the vehicle. Sendero tells you what's out there. "Fueerino Dental Practice !", "Budget Rentacar !", "M C Donalds !" (I think that's a burger place !) and "Signorita Sonia's massage parlour !" Well we didn't have time for that. "You are travelling at 42 miles per hour !" Well you've got to keep a handle on these speedy drivers. I love technology, so I asked "Where's the nearest Fry's Electronics ?" Swoosh, Swoosh, the sound of the systems searching. "Fry's electronics, 9,2 miles !" Well that's too bad it's too far. I have an awful lot more products at CSUN to look at ! The Sendero system is available in the UK through Humanware. It is being updated to cope of our British inconsistencies. In the US, all the odd house numbers are always on one side of the road (I can't remember if odd is to the left), and all the evens on the other. We don't care. In fact sometimes we do crazy things like having all the numbers running consecutively along each side. They are also extending the feature for inputting post codes. We entered the ZIP code for the Los Angeles Airport Marriott, and were talked home through the complex road system. It works just as well for pedestrians, but I don't think the champagne is supplied !


Victor Trekker, another GPS navigation system from Humanware, has had a make over. It is now supplied in the same device as the Maestro. This means that the controls are easier to use, and there is a Bluetooth wireless connection to the actual receiver which you can keep in your pocket or bag. The maps for the UK are being changed so that you can get the whole of the country into the computer instead of just a region. You can now calculate a route from John o' Groats to Landsend, and Trekker will guide your walk all the way ! They told me that Dublin was a bit more complicated. For a bit more money, you can have all the features of the Maestro including word processing, Internet browsing and email.

When you are getting around, crossing the road can be a challenge. Polara Engineering showed an excellent crossing control system, the Navigator APS. It makes a continuous sound which varies in volume depending on the ambient noise. The push button has an arrow in the direction of crossing. When you push it, there is an announcement stating "waiting to cross" followed by the street name. When the lights are in your favour the button vibrates, the sound changes, and an announcement tells you that you can cross the named street. The equipment is robust to the extreme, contrasting a rather light German model I saw at Sight City. The Navigator survives in New York.


At Sight City, I tried the Naviwalk from Id Fone made in Korea. It is a long cane with built in speech and vibrator. RFID tags are installed in the floor. When the cane detects one, it vibrates and announces a pre-encoded message using text to speech. I found the whole experience slightly unnerving, but it is yet another way of presenting location information in the environment.

That is just some of the highlights from the Spring conferences this year. Please contact me if you want to know more at ebuoffice@euroblind.org

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EBU Commissions and Working Groups in brief

Tell people across Europe of our achievements

As a result of an initiative led by the EBU Rehabilitation, Vocational Training and Employment WG, the EBU website is offering you the opportunity to tell visually impaired people, employers and policy makers across Europe about the huge range of jobs undertaken by visually impaired people.

There are two ways you can take part :

1. Draw our attention to websites that provide information about jobs that visually impaired people are doing ; and/or

2. Provide some examples that will be posted on EBU website.

We need your contribution in a specific format and in English, but the amount of information is short and should not be difficult to provide. For the format details, look at the template attached. We would also welcome digital photographs wherever possible.

If you have any questions, please contact Penny Melville-Brown at ebuoffice@euroblind.org and quote "EBU Employment Website" in the subject line. She is responsible for editing the contributions and will make sure that the translations use good English - but she will consult you before any changes are finalised.

Take this opportunity to tell others about the success of visually impaired people at work in your country - that employment is possible, fulfilling and helps with independence.


Attachment 5 : Template

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EBU-ONCE International Co-operation and Development Conference

The EBU Co-operation and Development Commission and the Spanish National Organisation of the Blind (ONCE) are holding a major conference on the involvement of the visually impaired in EU’s international co-operation and development policy, to be held in Madrid on 20-22 October 2006. Staging this event is being made possible thanks to the financial support of the European Commission and of public agencies in Spain.

The main purpose of the conference is to fulfil a three-fold strategic objective EBU has set itself for the work period 2003-2007 : to enhance the participation of our community in international co-operation and development ; to establish common guidelines for the promotion and implementation of co-operation programmes for people with disabilities ; and to raise policy makers' awareness of the needs and priorities of blind or partially sighted people.

Conference Secretariat : rgaliano.viajes@once.es  


Attachment 6 : Programme
Attachment 7 : Registration form

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Television Without Frontiers Directive

The EBU Commission for Liaising with the EU has been actively lobbying the European Parliament on the Television Without Frontiers Directive. The Culture Committee of the European Parliament, which is leading on the Directive, has issued its draft report.

This report includes all the main points we have been calling for, i.e prohibition of discrimination on the basis of disability and accessibility of audiovisual media services. This is reassuring - we had heard earlier that there was some reluctance in the Culture Committee to take our concerns on board.

The report will be voted on in the Culture Committee at the end of September. The plenary vote is due in December. We will need to keep lobbying to ensure that the Parliament does indeed adopt our amendments and that subsequently there is sufficient support among Member States for these.

More information is available from Dan Pescod, European and International Campaigns Manager, RNIB :
ebuoffice@euroblind.org


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Youth Networking

Too often information strands somewhere on the way to young people, and the result of this is wasted initiatives and working hours at all levels. To spread relevant information about exchanges and other youth activity, the EBU Youth WG has set up an e-mail network. It is hoped that all 44 EBU national members will join the network and appoint a young person aged up to 30 who will act as an interface between the European and national levels for the dissemination of youth information. If your organisation has not done so yet, please fill in the attached three short tables and return them at your earliest convenience to the EBU Office : ebuoffice@euroblind.org

The Youth WG has also formed a less formal e-mailing list for all blind youth to join. To subscribe to the list, send an e-mail to : ebu_youth-owner@yahoogroups.com


Attachment 8 : Registration form (html format)   or  Registration form (Word format)


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Announcements

WBU CEO : Appointment of Dr Penny Hartin

Negotiations have successfully been concluded for the appointment of Dr Penny Hartin of Canada as the first CEO of the World Blind Union, with effect 30 October 2006. Penny will be based in the WBU Permanent Office currently under establishment at the premises of the Canadian National Institute for the Blind in Toronto. She takes up her duties before the end of October in order to be able to attend the forthcoming WBU Committee and Officers meetings (Caracas, Venezuela, 2-5 November). The elected leadership of WBU and all its members greatly look forward to supporting Penny in her new role and assisting her to take the Union to an even higher level of excellence.



IBSA takes 2006 UEFA Monaco Award

At an Executive Committee meeting held last July in Berlin, UEFA, the governing body for football in Europe, decided to grant its 2006 Monaco Award to IBSA for the development of blind futsal in Europe over the next three years.

The 2006 Monaco Award is worth one million Swiss Francs and will provide a major boost to football for the blind in the Old Continent. IBSA has been given the sponsorship for a three-year project aimed at developing a series of coaching and refereeing seminars all over Europe, supplying countries with the equipment needed to develop the game nationally and editing a series of teaching DVDs focussing on specific aspects of the game.

UEFA support confirms IBSA’s leading role in developing football and other sports for the blind and partially sighted and the Federation’s position as one of the most active players in sports for people with disabilities.

The cheque for the Monaco Award was handed over to IBSA in the centre circle prior to the 2006 UEFA Supercup Match between Barcelona and Seville in Monaco on Friday, 25th of August.

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Coming Events

EBU Board

30 September / 1 October 2006, ZURICH (Switzerland)

9 -11 February 2007, Italy

1 - 3 June 2007, France

Contact : Vaclav Polasek, EBU Secretary General
Email : polasek@sons.cz
 


EBU Commissions


22 - 25 September 2006, VILNIUS (Lithuania)
EBU Rights Commission
Contact : Tony Aston
Email : tony.aston2@btinternet.com


19 - 20 October 2006, MADRID (Spain)
EBU Commission for Liaising with the EU
Contact : Rodolfo Cattani
Email : inter@uiciechi.it


20 - 22 October 2006, MADRID (Spain)
- EBU Commission on Cooperation with Blind and Partially Sighted People in Developing Countries
Contact : John Heilbrunn
Email : jh@dkblind.dk


- EBU-ONCE International Co-operation and Development Conference “EU International Co-operation Policy : the Involvement of the Visually Impaired Movement”
Contact : Conference Secretariat
Email : rgaliano.viajes@once.es


9 November 2006, LARNAKA (Cyprus)
EBU Working Group on Employment, Rehabilitation and Vocational Training
Contact : Unn Ljoner Hagen
Email : unn.hagen@blindeforbundet.no



16 - 17 December 2006, ROME (Italy)
EBU Commission on Activities of Deafblind People
Contact : Sergey Sirotkin
Email : sukhov@vos.org.ru



____________________________________________________________

Other organisations


27 - 28 September 2006, LONDON (United Kingdom)
Braille requirements for medicinal products : One Year On, Where are we now ?

Contact : Nick Pycraft on +441483 730071 or
nick@management-forum.co.uk



18 - 20 October 2006, STRASBOURG (France)
International Colloquium « The right to employment of disabled workers in Europe – Some worthy examples for the public services ? »

The Colloquium will aim at drawing up an inventory of normative initiatives at Community and Member State level regarding non discrimination in employment.

Contact : Centre des Etudes Européennes de Strasbourg / ENA
s.roman-hayet@cees-europe.fr
or a.bucaille@cees-europe.fr
www.cees-europe.fr



9 November 2006, BRUSSELS (Belgium)
Uniaccess European Conference - Towards universal accessibility in public transport

The conference will provide an opportunity to present the results of the Uniaccess project, in particular the shared vision of a fully accessible public transport system and the research and development that is needed to help realise this vision.

Contact : Ophélie Spanneut on +32 2 500 56 78 or polis2@polis-online.org
www.uniacessproject.org



10 - 11 November 2006, LARNAKA (Cyprus)
International Employment Conference :
Plan Early, Act Right, Achieve High - Designing steps towards an inclusive labour market for people with a visual impairment

Contact : Pancyprian Organisation of the Blind on pot@logos.cy.net
www.designingsteps.com



16 - 17 November 2006, BRUGGE/Gits (Belgium)
Universal Design of Buildings : Tools and Policy

This international Conference will present the results of the following two projects : POLIS, which objective was to develop an innovative means of measuring accessibility ; and BAS, which created an Orange Book illustrating examples of accessible services around Europe.

www.polis-ubd.net/conference



23 - 24 November 2006, BRUSSELS (Belgium)
OSSATE Conference « Europe for All »

This international conference presents “Europe for All” – the new e-service for accessible tourism information in Europe developed by the OSSATE consortium.

www.ossate.org



27 November - 1 December 2006, HONG KONG (China)
12th International Mobility Conference : Orientation and Mobility in an Inclusive Society.

www.hksb.org.hk



 

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