The United Nations is observing “International Day of Persons with Disabilities” on Tuesday with a theme of “breaking barriers,” and Microsoft’s continued people-centric approach to technology is doing just that.
“We are opening doors by revolutionizing how people experience the world with beautiful and modern digital experiences that reflect and respect individual needs and preferences,” writes Rob Sinclair, Microsoft’s Chief Accessibility Officer, on the Microsoft Accessibility Blog.
“Our goal is to design technologies that adapt to a user’s surroundings and present information in ways that are relevant and consumable anywhere and on any device, regardless of ability.”
Microsoft Research centers around the world, for example, are working on accessibility challenges, he writes. “Our team in China, for example, recently unveiled an exciting prototype that uses Kinect to translate sign language into written and spoken formats.”
Microsoft is also building strong global partnerships that help the company understand individual needs and create new experiences. In Los Angeles and New York City, the company partnered with local governments and agencies on projects that help seniors use technology to enhance their fitness and wellness.
The company, Sinclair writes, is also supporting G3ict, The Trust for the Americas, and BarrierBreak in an initiative “that will construct an accessible technology training program for disabled persons organizations around the world.”
Also, last summer, Microsoft worked with six other organizations to produce “a plan for broad digital inclusion and then delivered it to the UN General Assembly.”
There’s much more that Microsoft is doing. To read Sinclair’s full post, head over to the Microsoft Accessibility Blog.
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Suzanne Choney
Microsoft News Center Staff