Designing a global library for persons with print disabilities - a keynote for “DAISY 2009” September 2009, Leipzig - Hiroshi Kawamura President, DAISY Consortium web: Phone/fax: c/o Assistive Technology Development Organization , Wakaba-cho, Chofu-shi, Tokyo, Japan

2 DAISY Consortium members in the world

DAISY Standards development DAISY Next 2010 (EPUB Standard maintenance, 2009-) (SMIL 3.0, 2008) (MathML in DAISY Modular Extension, 2007) DAISY 3, Release 2005 (DAISY 2.02 Skippable Structures Recommendation) DAISY 3, Release 2002 DAISY 2.02 (2001), Out dated: 2.0 (1998), 2.01 (1999) 3

Article 2: Definitions For the purposes of the present Convention: “Communication” includes languages, display of text, Braille, tactile communication, large print, accessible multimedia as well as written, audio, plain-language, human-reader and augmentative and alternative modes, means and formats of communication, including accessible information and communication technology; “Reasonable accommodation” means necessary and appropriate modification and adjustments not imposing a disproportionate or undue burden, where needed in a particular case, to ensure to persons with disabilities the enjoyment or exercise on an equal basis with others of all human rights and fundamental freedoms; “Universal design” means the design of products, environments, programmes and services to be usable by all people, to the greatest extent possible, without the need for adaptation or specialized design. “Universal design” shall not exclude assistive devices for particular groups of persons with disabilities where this is needed. UN Convention on the right of Persons with Disabilities

UN Convention on the right of Persons with Disabilities Article 2 “ Communication” includes languages, display of text, Braille, tactile communication, large print, accessible multimedia as well as written, audio, plain-language, human-reader and augmentative and alternative modes, means and formats of communication, including accessible information and communication technology;

“Reasonable accommodation” means necessary and appropriate modification and adjustments not imposing a disproportionate or undue burden, where needed in a particular case, to ensure to persons with disabilities the enjoyment or exercise on an equal basis with others of all human rights and fundamental freedoms;

“Universal design” means the design of products, environments, programmes and services to be usable by all people, to the greatest extent possible, without the need for adaptation or specialized design. “Universal design” shall not exclude assistive devices for particular groups of persons with disabilities where this is needed.

World Summit on the Information Society

Bridging the Digital Divide: WSIS WSIS Disability Caucus held Global Forum on Disability in the Information Society in Geneva and Tunis. The forum successfully addressed Internet access, education and training, mobile phone technologies, employment, capacity building, global library of knowledge sharing, social inclusion, multi- stakeholder partnership, accessible multimedia for reading and writing, disaster preparedness, indigenous persons with disabilities, etc, and adopted the Tunis Declaration. 9

Tunis Declaration (WSIS Global Forum) 1. Call upon all governments, private sectors, civil society and international organizations to make the implementation, evaluation and monitoring of all WSIS documents, both from the first and second phase, inclusive to persons with disabilities; 2. Strongly urge that persons with disabilities and our needs be included in all aspects of designing, developing, distributing and deploying of appropriation strategies of information and communication technologies, including information and communication services, so as to ensure accessibility for persons with disabilities, taking into account the universal design principle and the use of assistive technologies; 3. Strongly request that any international, regional and national development program, funding or assistance, aimed to achieve the inclusive information society be made disability-inclusive, both through mainstreaming and disability-specific approaches; 4. Urge all governments to support the process of negotiation, adoption, ratification and implementation of the International Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, in particular through enactment of national legislation, as it contains strong elements concerning information and communication accessibility for persons with disabilities. 10

11 2. Strongly urge that persons with disabilities and our needs be included in all aspects of designing, developing, distributing and deploying of appropriation strategies of information and communication technologies, including information and communication services, so as to ensure accessibility for persons with disabilities, taking into account the universal design principle and the use of assistive technologies;

In the “Tunis Commitments”: 18. We shall strive unremittingly, therefore, to promote universal, ubiquitous, equitable and affordable access to ICTs, including universal design and assistive technologies, for all people, especially those with disabilities, everywhere, to ensure that the benefits are more evenly distributed between and within societies, and to bridge the digital divide in order to create digital opportunities for all and benefit from the potential offered by ICTs for development

13 Regional Support Centers: Bangkok, New Delhi Focal Points: Bangladesh, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Kasakhstan, Laos, Malaysia, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam AMIS development and localization in more than 20 languages. WSIS /IGFcommitment Implementation of WSIS Plan of Actions and UN Convention of Persons with Disabilities Phuket initiiatives DAISY for All Project funded by the Nippon Foundation

Eu-Japan ICT collaboration event 14

Tsunami disasters can be prevented through:  sharing of knowledge and best practices on Tsunami and other disasters,  strong commitment and active participation for contribution of all stakeholders including in particular persons with disabilities to eliminate the loss of lives,  local community-based initiatives for disaster preparedness and  infrastructure building including Tsunami early warning system at all levels to disseminate timely disaster warning to all people concerned,  building of disability friendly infrastructure addressing accessibility issues in all phases of disaster management. Phuket Declaration, January 2007

In a knowledge-based society, ICT development, which includes assistive technologies and universal design concept, will contribute to the success of disaster preparedness development that will meet the diverse needs of all people including those of persons with disabilities and other vulnerable people including women, children, old people, cultural minorities, tourists, etc. in the community. Such ICT development should be based on internationally-recognized standards that are open, non-proprietary, and have proven track record of accessibility.

17 ITU World Telecommunication and Information Society Award 2008 & Tech Award (equality) 2008 Beneficiaries of DAISY: – Persons with print disabilities – Speakers of minority languages – Speakers of indigenous languages without written scripts – Those who are illiterate

DAISY Players around the World 18

19 DAISY is the Best way to Read and Publish  Vision: Everybody in the world including persons with print disabilities have equal access to information and knowledge, without delay or additional expenses.  Mission: To develop and promote international standards and technologies which enable equal access to information and knowledge by all people including those with print disabilities and which also benefit the wider community.

Conclusion The Global Library for persons with print disabilities need to be developed by all stakeholders ; ▫ based on Open, non-proprietary, inter- operable, free of charge and accessible standard, ▫ in collaboration with libraries, publishers, civil society, governments, UN Agencies, and above all people with all types of disabilities, ▫ to ensure full and equal participation of everybody in the society 20