Inputs from Indigenous Telecom Equipment Manufacturing Sector September 2011 Stakeholders' Meeting on USOF's Pilot Project Scheme for Persons with Disabilities

The society we live in should be judged by the way we treat the weak, the disabled, and minorities

Close to 70 million Disabled People live in India. Encouraging persons with disabilities to enter the job market is not only a question of their self sufficiency or promoting inclusivity at work, but also of utilizing a vast pool of potentially productive human resource capital. People with disabilities continue to face challenges in accessing the full range of opportunities available to people without disabilities. People with a range of physical disabilities can use and should have equal access to telecommunication equipment and services.

People with disabilities face challenges in accessing standard telecommunications equipment. For example, a person who is hard of hearing might require amplification to hear people speaking on a telephone; someone who is deaf cannot hear them at all. An individual who cannot speak cannot participate in voice communication, unless alternatives are provided. Someone who is blind cannot access the visual content of a videoconferencing class. And, an individual with limited hand function cannot press the keys on a standard telephone system.

Telecommunications products have become essential tools in education, employment, and recreation. Today, telecommunications products are used for routine daily activities like telephones are used for making appointments with doctor, ticket reservations, ordering take-out food, calling relatives, communicating with customers and colleagues, participating in conference calls at work or in school, and making emergency telephone call services. In addition, a wide range of specialized telecommunications tools are used to access distance learning, telecommuting, and videoconferencing

Operating Bluetooth car kit system to make and receive calls via speakerphone and voice recognition technology on the phone Using Infrared Phone to make, receive and terminate calls Using PDA and a mobile phone incorporated into one device to communicate via the speakerphone function of the device

EuroAble is a call centre run exclusively by people with physical challenges in Mumbai. EuroAble is Eureka Forbess inbound call center

A cell phone has been developed for blind and partially sighted people. It has no visual display at all but uses a speech synthesiser to read everything that would normally appear on the screen. As well as giving audio feedback from button presses, the phone can send and receive text messages and will speak the name or number of incoming callers.

Wearable GPS Path Finder system communicates a language of vibrations to the user to guide them. The vibration comes from two vibrating pager motors located on the users triceps. Whenever they need to turn, whichever vibrator is closest to the turn angle will vibrate. Then, the user stops and rotates in that direction, until they feel the vibration from both vibrators. This indicates the user is facing the right direction and should move forward. This signal is repeated every 20 seconds as a reassurance to the user that they are going in the right direction and should continue forward.

A dedicated call center for People with Disability in Korea helps a speech impaired person to communicate through touch on an end devices with him to reach a call center employee who translates it into sign language to a normal call center employee, to deliver the message.

Camel Internet Shyam is not limiting its novel interpretation of mobility just to voice services nor to tricycles. The company's latest innovation is a camel equipped with a wirelessly connected computer, for use in the desert, though just two animals are currently in commission at present. And after discussion with the drivers, Shyam is also planning to add internet-ready laptops to the rickshaws.

Conclusion The Industry wholeheartedly thank USOF for taking such a proactive initiative in accentuating the lives of Persons with Disability Factor and would work shoulder to shoulder with the Governments objective. The Industry would continue to encourage and extend all help and assistance to ensure Persons with Disability Factor are facilitated to work shoulder to shoulder with other walks of the Society.

WORKING TOWARDS REDEFINING PERSONS WITH DISABILITY TO DIFFERENTLY ABLED PERSON!