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EUD Members News |
Flemish Sign Language (VGT) unanimously recognised |
On 26th April 2006 the Flemish Parliament unanimously voted the recognition of the Flemish Sign Language (VGT). Over 300 deaf and hearing people were present during this historical event at the parliament.
The struggle for the recognition of VGT has been conducted for years. Because of the political complexity of language laws in Belgium, it turned out to be a fierce struggle. During years of lobbying the Federation of Flemish Deaf Organisations (Fevlado) did raise awareness of VGT in society at large. As a consequence deaf people in Flanders already profit from the implicit acceptance of VGT. Deaf persons get a limited amount of interpreting hours financed by the government, some services are accessible through sign language and some deaf schools use VGT in the education of deaf children.
In 2004 the actions concerning the recognition of VGT happened in quick succession. First of all Deaf member of Flemish Parliament, Helga STEVENS, put the recognition of the sign language of 10000 Flemish citizens on her electoral programme.
During the electoral campaign of 2004 Fevlado contacted all democratic political parties in Flanders asking their support for the recognition of VGT. All parties responded positively.
At the end of 2004 a group of young deaf and hearing friends established Deaf Action Front (DAF). Their first accomplishment was a very successful petition asking the recognition of VGT. Over 70000 Flemish citizens signed and supported this demand.
In response, Helga STEVENS started to work on a proposal of decree concerning the recognition of Flemish Sign Language. Together with four other members of parliament this proposal was motioned in the Flemish Parliament.
The decree asks a cultural recognition of VGT as the first or preferred language of the Deaf community in Flanders. Consequently the Flemish government will form a committee of experts advising the government concerning policies related to Flemish Sign Language. Additionally a new centre will be established stimulating research on VGT.
On 26th of April the Flemish Parliament expressed its commitment to this decree when it voted unanimously in favour of the recognition of Flemish Sign Language.
During his speech the minister of Culture, Bert ANCIAUX, made it clear that it is the intention of the Flemish Parliament to respect the cultural identity and language of the Deaf community in Flanders. Being the proper authority he expressed the wish to implement the cultural recognition into concrete actions. |
Written by Isabelle HEYERICK, Fevlado (Federation of Flemish Deaf Organisations)
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Digital TV in Greece |
The first Greek National Digital TV Channel named “PRISMΑ+” began transmitting on 25th March 2006.
The Hellenic Broadcasting Corporation S.A. (E.R.T.) based on the directive of E.U. "Television without borders" and in collaboration with the Hellenic Federation of the Deaf (H.F.D.) transmits all programs accessible to Deaf and Hard of Hearing.
Up to October 2006 a 7-hour program (17:00-24:00) will be transmitted, afterwards even more hours will be available.
The program includes children's emissions, documentary, magazines, interviews etc with subtitles and Hellenic Sign Language (H.S.L.) interpretation, films with subtitles and also the evening bulletin of news (21:00 -22:00) is transmitted in direct transmission with live H.S.L. interpretation. |
Source: HFD (Hellenic Federation of the Deaf)
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New members for the Hellenic Federation of the Deaf |
Two new members have been registered at the Hellenic Federation of the Deaf (H.F.D.), 1) the Association of Hard of Hearing of Northern Greece and 2) the Panhellenic Association of Hard of Hearing with cochlear implant. Despite the various particularities, all people accept the necessity of Hellenic Sign Language use and for that reason all the Associations of Deaf, Hard of Hearing and Hard of Hearing with a cochlear implant became full members of H.F.D. |
Source: HFD (Hellenic Federation of the Deaf)
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New service for Finnish Texttelephone Relay Service users |
On 2nd May 2006 the internet portal of Texttelephone Relay Service, http://www.tekstipuhelu.fi/ was opened. Through the internet portal a hearing-impaired or speechimpaired person is able to contact Texttelephone Relay Service without any separate texttelephone or separate modem. An ordinary computer with internet connection will be enough.
The launching period of the service is from the 2nd of May to the 1st of October, 2006.
The service time is daily from 8.00 am to 8.00 pm. The service languages are Finnish, Swedish and English. Every agent has professional confidentiality.
During the launching period the service consists of usual calls in Finland and calls to cellular phones, no calls to foreign countries or to chargeable service numbers. The speech connection (the deaf person speaks and the answer of the hearing person will be written) does not work in the internet service so far. During the launching period the service payment for Internet Textphonecalls will not be charged.
After the launching period the service will be chargeable and a new agreement will be made with every user. The payments and the invoicing will be informed later. |
Source: Finnish Deaf Association
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New website on Sign Language in Belgium |
FFSB (Fédération Francophone des Sourds de Belgique) has created a new website with information about (and in) LSFB (Langues des signes de Belgique Francophone – French Belgian Sign Language).
Have a look at www.lsfb.be |
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EUD News |
EUD Seminar on Multiple Discrimination: 12th May 2006, Vienna (Austria) |
A Seminar report will follow in a special edition of EUD Update at the beginning of June. |
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EUD Leadership workshop: 11th May 2006, Vienna (Austria) |
A report on the Leadership workshop will also be available in the special edition of EUD Update. |
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EDF News |
Political agreement by EU Ministers of Economy and Finance about to change the lives of millions disabled people |
For the first time in the history of the EU, the principle of accessibility for disabled people becomes a requirement for the Member States to obtain EU public funding.
The political agreement was finally reached on 5th May 2006 at Council level by the EU Ministers of Economy and Finance. The compromise includes the five Regulations constituting the cohesion policy legislative package and representing one third of the Union’s overall budget, the equivalent to 336.1 billion euros.
In particular, article 14 of the General Regulation, establishing the criteria for the allocation of the Funds, includes the first specific reference to the accessibility for disabled people as a requirement to use EU public funding.
“We are extremely satisfied with this decision and in particular with the key and active support of the European Parliament since we initiated this important campaign. The potential impact of this political agreement is so significant that it will change the face of our cities, our public buildings and transport systems”, said the President of the European Disability Forum(EDF), Yannis VARDAKASTANIS.
For EDF, the representative organisation of 50 million disabled people in Europe the successful agreement is the first result of an intensive lobbying campaign that will be now carried at the Member State level. “Our task is now to guarantee that the operational programmes to be developed in the 25 Member States will respect the accessibility and non-discrimination principles included in the Regulation. Today, we must act as watchdogs, but we are confident that in a very short future the rights of disabled people will be naturally part of all EU initiatives, policies and funding“,
stressed VARDAKASTANIS.
The ECOFIN’s agreement will be voted by the European Parliament in July 2006.
The regulations should enter into force by the end of the same month, followed by the discussion and approval of the Community strategic guidelines. The discussions and Commission’s approval of the Member States’ operational programmes is expected by November 2007, putting and end to the procedure. |
Source: EDF Press Release
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European Union News |
European Parliament adopts “Citizens for Europe” programme |
MEPs recently voted a programme promoting EU citizenship that earmarked seven pan- and pro-European think tanks and NGOs to participate in the big projects it will cover.
Following the EU attempt to get closer to its citizens the title of the programme was changed from 'Citizens for Europe' to 'Europe for citizens.' The programme follows the Council decision from January 2004 establishing a EU programme as legal basis for subventions for active citizenship for the transitory period 2004-2006.
The European Commission proposed three actions: “Active citizens for Europe”, “Active civil society for Europe” and “All together for Europe”. European Parliament added a fourth action, “An active European memory”. However, opinions on the programme are divided among MEPs and thus British eurosceptic MEP Thomas Wise considers the programme as “blatant propaganda."
You can find the programme here:
http://www.europarl.eu.int/omk/sipade3?PUBREF=-//EP//NONSGML+REPORT+A6-2006-0076+0+DOC+PDF+V0//FR&L=FR&LEVEL=2&NAV=S&LSTDOC=Y&LSTDOC=N |
Source: EDF Weekly Mailing 15/2006
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eAccessibility testing and evaluation |
The COST 219ter workshop on eAccessibility testing and evaluation took place in March 2006. The workshop’s objectives were to provide a global overview on both research and industry experiences with practical examples on testing experiments.
The presentation on ‘End User Evaluation of Mobile Phone Accessibility’ by the Royal National Institute of the Blind (RNIB) showed surprising results. The primary aim of their project was to determine whether a set of heuristics (or guidelines) on mobile phone accessibility developed by RNIB’s expert match what end users say they need in order to have an accessible mobile phone.
A panel of 32 participants from different user groups (blind and partially sighted people, deaf and hard of hearing, people with learning difficulties and with limited dexterity) and various countries took part in this evaluation. Preliminary results show that mobile phones present software language problems, hearing aids interferences, inaccessible instruction manuals and button configuration inadaptations.
Thus, the guidelines written by experts do match the mobile phone requirements of users with disabilities. However before these guidelines can be adopted they need to be reviewed and amended to include the findings of this project. COST 219ter members agreed that any testing should be valid, transparent, reliable and objective, with a combination of expert testing, panel testing and automatic testing.
The issue of testing integrated products (for example planning an accessible journey from information on the web to navigation on the street) was regarded as particularly challenging for research and testing laboratories.
http://www.anec.org/anec.asp?rd=57951&ref=02-01&lang=en |
Source: EDF Weekly Mailing 15/2006
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Uniaccess: Towards universal accessibility in public transport |
Uniaccess is a European funded project under the 6th Framework Programme. It promotes and supports the networking and coordination of research and innovation activities in the field of universal design of accessibility systems for public transport with a view to achieving equal access to public transport in the EU.
Uniaccess project organizes a European conference, ‘Towards universal accessibility in public transport’ at the Committee of the Regions in Brussels the 9 November 2006.
The conference will present the results of the Uniaccess project, notably the shared vision of a fully accessible public transport system and the research and development that is needed to help realise this vision.
For more information on this Conference and on Uniaccess in general , visit: http://www.uniaccessproject.org/. |
Source: Uniaccess Press Release
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Deaf News around Europe and the World |
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Teachers training in LIBRAS (Brazilian Sign Language) |
The Federación Nacional de Educ. Integracao dos Surdos – FENEIS (Brazilian Association of the Deaf) met with success in its effort to lobby the Brazilian Ministry of Education in late 2005 for teachers to be trained in LIBRAS (Brazilian sign language). These courses in sign language will be provided by the National Institute of Education for the Deaf, collaborating with the Ministry of Education to teachers and interpreters. |
Source: WFD Members’ Circular May 2006
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Other News |
Handbook: Making PRSP (Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper) inclusive |
The PRSP (Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper) handbook presents experiences, proposes ideas, and comments on how people with disabilities may enter and participate in national PRSP processes.
This handbook is now available by clicking this link or Handicap International's website:
http://www.handicap-international.de/projekte/prs01.html
It will be available also in French and Portuguese in the future. |
Source: World Federation of the Deaf
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Call for international sign interpreters |
The World Federation of the Deaf (WFD) and WASLI are compiling a list of potential International Sign Interpreters to work at the 15th World Congress of the World Federation of the Deaf to be held in Madrid, Spain, 16-22 July 2007.
The work to compile a list of potential interpreters has started and includes names of interpreters who have already worked in a variety of international conference situations. The WASLI contact liaison person with WFD will approach the National Deaf Associations and ask them to submit names.
The WFD philosophy over the past years is that in each International Sign Team, opportunity is given to ‘new’ potential interpreters to work alongside more experienced people.
The WASLI Board has agreed that a “Call of Expression of Interest” be sent out to those on our contact list to ask for names to be submitted of people with the relevant skills and experience, who may wish to considered for inclusion in this list of potential candidates for employment as International Sign Interpreters.
In the absence of any formal accreditation, ‘relevant skils and experience’ means that the interpreter has had at least 2 years experience in working in international conference settings using International Sign.
DEADLINE: If you would like to express an interest as a potential candidate, please send an email, subject EXPRESSION OF INTEREST IS TEAM to Liz Scully lizabeth.scully@bristol.ac.uk and copy to the WASLI President Liz Scott Gibson lsg@deafaction.org by 31 May 2006. |
Source: WASLI Update 005
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SOURCE and HANDICAP INTERNATIONAL launch new online Directory on disability, inclusion and development |
A new directory of key information resources on disability, inclusion and development, is produced by the Source International Information Support Centre and Handicap International.
The directory is available online at : http://www.asksource.info/res_library/disability.htm
The directory aids the sharing of high quality, appropriate and up-to-date information that reflects developing country experience and trans-national good practice. It is vital for practitioners, programme managers, policy makers and other people involved in the disability sector.
The directory presents details of over 300 information resources, organised by topic and including clear abstracts and details of distributors. Most entries include links to the full resource online. For people with limited access to the Internet, the directory is available in print with a CD-ROM, which holds the full = text of many resources in a fully searchable and browseable interface
Topics include:
- Disability and society : Disability and human rights, Mainstreaming and disability, Inclusive education, Poverty reduction and disability, Emergencies and disability, Disability and adolescence, Gender and disability, Disability and sexuality
- Management issues : Planning and evaluation of disability in development, Disability and statistics
- Rehabilitation and health : Community based rehabilitation, Mental health, Child development for community health workers, Nutrition and child health, HIV/AIDS and disability
Source is an international information support centre designed to strengthen the management, use and impact of information on health and disability information worldwide. It is a collaboration of three partners: the Centre for International Child Health (a research and teaching organisation working on child health), Handicap International (an international disability and development NGO), and Healthlink Worldwide (a health communication NGO). |
Source: http://www.asksource.info/res_library/disability.htm
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Forthcoming Events/Agenda |
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Editorial note
EUD Update is published by EUD in English with support from the European Community – the European Union against discrimination.
The information contained in this publication does not necessarily reflect the position or opinion of the European Commission, nor the official policy of EUD. The publication is for information only. Readers are invited to reproduce the information provided the source is quoted.
If you wish to receive EUD Update, please send us an email at: info@eudnet.org.
Should you wish to make any contribution or notify any e-mail address modification, please do not hesitate to contact the EUD secretariat, Fax: +32 9 225 08 34, E-mail: info@eudnet.org.
Editors: Mairead O'LEARY and Karin VAN PUYENBROECK. |
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