07/25/08: Assistive Technology in the Caribbean: Past, Present and Future
Category: General
The following article is presented as a brief summary of the history of assistive technology in the Caribbean region.
Within the past decade assistive technology has gained greater local and regional recognition and acceptance both in and out of the disabled community. Much of this has occurred as a direct result of the pioneering efforts of non-governmental organizations like the W. R. Torres Foundation for the Blind.
In January 2000 the Torres Foundation established the Blind Independence through Technology (BITT) program. It was the first state-of-the-art assistive technology computer literacy training program for people who are blind in Trinidad and Tobago. Since then several blindness organizations around the country and in the Caribbean region introduced similar computer literacy training programs.
In March 2003 the National Library and Information System Authority (NALIS) opened its new high-tech headquarters building in Port-of-Spain. This opening represented a major milestone in the history of persons with disabilities in Latin America and the Caribbean region. This was the first time that a public library or any public facility was adapted with a substantial number of technology solutions to accommodate persons with disabilities in this part of the world. In terms of the high-level of assistive technology public accommodations, NALIS has no equal in the Caribbean or South and Central America. The system design and implementation were completed by the Torres Foundation.
In 2004 NALIS adopted BITT, and later on that year NALIS received the Prime Minister's Innovating for Service Excellence Award for that program.
In August 2004 the Foundation received the Humming Bird Medal Gold for loyal and devoted service to Trinidad and Tobago. Both awards were significant because it was the first time that assistive technology received national recognition from a Caribbean government.
Since the NALIS project several other islands in the Caribbean have introduced assistive technology in their schools and libraries. In September 2006 the Barbados National Library began a pilot project to adapt two computers with assistive technology systems to accommodate persons with several different disabilities.
In March 2007 Jamaica was the first country to sign the United Nations Convention on Persons with Disabilities. This August, the Jamaica Library Service will have a screen reader for the blind installed on at least two computers at 19 of their public libraries.
The University of the Virgin Islands is currently developing and implementing policies and hosting workshops to increase awareness and explore new avenues for integrating persons with disabilities in the classroom and workplace.
There are two assistive technology projects currently being developed to facilitate students with disabilities at public and special schools in Trinidad and Tobago. In addition, NALIS is in the final stages of establishing a high-tech music studio designed and configured with assistive technology for people who are blind.
In February 2005 the Torres Foundation hosted “CariATech”, the first assistive technology conference ever to be held in the Caribbean. Representatives from several government ministries, business entities, educational institutions, NGOs, and libraries attended the conference.
As a direct result of increased awareness and successful deployment of assistive technology in Trinidad and Tobago, there have been positive developments. Persons with disabilities, especially in the blind community, are gradually reentering the classroom; retaining mainstream competitive employment despite vision loss; and exploring new careers. Within the past 5 years there have been at least 4 disabled individuals who have been appointed as senators around the Caribbean. The current Deputy President of the Barbados upper house is blind. The honorable senator has attributed assistive technology as being a major factor in making it possible to successfully pursue her educational and career goals.
Over the past year the Torres Foundation has been actively lobbying the banking industry to make ATMs accessible for persons with disabilities. The Foundation has written articles, run commercials, and submitted a white paper on the topic, but there has been a reasonable amount of resistance and foot dragging by the industry. Thus far, only Republic Bank appears to be seriously looking into the matter. However, the Foundation believes that it is only a matter of time before ATMs will be widely accessible to the disabled in Trinidad and Tobago.
In closing, after several decades of neglect of the special needs and rights of persons with disabilities by government and private institutions in the Caribbean, people in the disabled community are cautiously optimistic. There is a major paradigm shift taking place in effectively dealing with disability issues. For the first time disabled persons are not simply seen as hapless individuals who are only deserving of pity and handouts, but citizens with equal rights to education, transportation, employment, and full integration in the society and national economy.
Assistive technology is arguably the central component in this process of integration that will allow us to chart a new course for growth, prosperity, and independence for the differently able in the Caribbean.
Within the past decade assistive technology has gained greater local and regional recognition and acceptance both in and out of the disabled community. Much of this has occurred as a direct result of the pioneering efforts of non-governmental organizations like the W. R. Torres Foundation for the Blind.
In January 2000 the Torres Foundation established the Blind Independence through Technology (BITT) program. It was the first state-of-the-art assistive technology computer literacy training program for people who are blind in Trinidad and Tobago. Since then several blindness organizations around the country and in the Caribbean region introduced similar computer literacy training programs.
In March 2003 the National Library and Information System Authority (NALIS) opened its new high-tech headquarters building in Port-of-Spain. This opening represented a major milestone in the history of persons with disabilities in Latin America and the Caribbean region. This was the first time that a public library or any public facility was adapted with a substantial number of technology solutions to accommodate persons with disabilities in this part of the world. In terms of the high-level of assistive technology public accommodations, NALIS has no equal in the Caribbean or South and Central America. The system design and implementation were completed by the Torres Foundation.
In 2004 NALIS adopted BITT, and later on that year NALIS received the Prime Minister's Innovating for Service Excellence Award for that program.
In August 2004 the Foundation received the Humming Bird Medal Gold for loyal and devoted service to Trinidad and Tobago. Both awards were significant because it was the first time that assistive technology received national recognition from a Caribbean government.
Since the NALIS project several other islands in the Caribbean have introduced assistive technology in their schools and libraries. In September 2006 the Barbados National Library began a pilot project to adapt two computers with assistive technology systems to accommodate persons with several different disabilities.
In March 2007 Jamaica was the first country to sign the United Nations Convention on Persons with Disabilities. This August, the Jamaica Library Service will have a screen reader for the blind installed on at least two computers at 19 of their public libraries.
The University of the Virgin Islands is currently developing and implementing policies and hosting workshops to increase awareness and explore new avenues for integrating persons with disabilities in the classroom and workplace.
There are two assistive technology projects currently being developed to facilitate students with disabilities at public and special schools in Trinidad and Tobago. In addition, NALIS is in the final stages of establishing a high-tech music studio designed and configured with assistive technology for people who are blind.
In February 2005 the Torres Foundation hosted “CariATech”, the first assistive technology conference ever to be held in the Caribbean. Representatives from several government ministries, business entities, educational institutions, NGOs, and libraries attended the conference.
As a direct result of increased awareness and successful deployment of assistive technology in Trinidad and Tobago, there have been positive developments. Persons with disabilities, especially in the blind community, are gradually reentering the classroom; retaining mainstream competitive employment despite vision loss; and exploring new careers. Within the past 5 years there have been at least 4 disabled individuals who have been appointed as senators around the Caribbean. The current Deputy President of the Barbados upper house is blind. The honorable senator has attributed assistive technology as being a major factor in making it possible to successfully pursue her educational and career goals.
Over the past year the Torres Foundation has been actively lobbying the banking industry to make ATMs accessible for persons with disabilities. The Foundation has written articles, run commercials, and submitted a white paper on the topic, but there has been a reasonable amount of resistance and foot dragging by the industry. Thus far, only Republic Bank appears to be seriously looking into the matter. However, the Foundation believes that it is only a matter of time before ATMs will be widely accessible to the disabled in Trinidad and Tobago.
In closing, after several decades of neglect of the special needs and rights of persons with disabilities by government and private institutions in the Caribbean, people in the disabled community are cautiously optimistic. There is a major paradigm shift taking place in effectively dealing with disability issues. For the first time disabled persons are not simply seen as hapless individuals who are only deserving of pity and handouts, but citizens with equal rights to education, transportation, employment, and full integration in the society and national economy.
Assistive technology is arguably the central component in this process of integration that will allow us to chart a new course for growth, prosperity, and independence for the differently able in the Caribbean.
