04 December 2008
DOHA: The visually challenged and others with disabilities can now browse and explore the ictQatar website to their heart's content.

And officials of the Supreme Council of Information & Communication Technology (ictQatar) reallly mean it, as the new website they launched yesterday at Sharq Village and Spa which coincidentally falls on the International Day of Persons with Disabilities will be already accessible to the widest possible audience including the blind, deaf and other persons suffering from cognitive impairments.

IctQatar formally upgraded from Web Accesibility Initiative (WAI) "A" to WAI "AA" which is a more advanced web technology using Web Content Accessibility Guidelines purposely to make it more accessible specially to people who lost their eyesight.

"Techonology is now everywhere in this evolving world and we believe the rights of knowledge and connectivity are fundamental to every citizen. Providing ICT access to the disabled serves the same role, offering the chance to compensate for physical or functional limitations," said Dr Hessa Al Jaber, ictQatar Secretary General, in her speech during the launch yesterday.

Working closely with the website developers, the upgrade featured a full review of the existing website code, updating items such as navigation skills and alternative image names . Multimedia content will be accompanied with text descriptions to ensure that all users will be able to understand the audio or visual content, regardless of their impairments.

The new website served as ictQatar's response to the International Telecommunication Union's pronouncement early this year on "equal ICT opportunities for all", pointing out on the urgency of developing special technology equipment, designed to provide differently-abled people with access to technology.

Yesterday's ictQatar's website launch also saw sharing of experiences among the blind themselves with the assistance of officials from institutions looking after their welfare.

Nooh Al Hadeedi considered in blogsites as champion of Nattiq Technologies , presented the many features of such technology which has been helping blind users in the Middle East up-to-date powerful tools used for complete access to standard computers and mobile phones.

Assisted by a person who helped him respond during a question and answer portion, a young blind man said the Nattiq Technologies-developed Hal Screen Reader gave him more convenience to learn everywhere he goes.

"When I was studying, I used Braille which needs big spaces to be able to read books", said the blind man citing an example like the Holy Quran which he said he needs to have six volumes in Braille while ordinary people only need one.

His companion who assisted him said there is still a great challenge for assistive technology to have access to printed matter like books and other publications.

By Chris V Panganiban

© The Peninsula 2008