Press Release: Nonprofit Launched to Bring Free Accessibility Worldwide
Nonprofit Launched to Bring Free Accessibility Worldwide
The AIR Foundation committed to 'accessibility is a right'
Media Contact:
Janelle Schulenberg
Tacet Consulting
612-720-1068
janelle@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Orlando, Florida - January 31, 2008 - The AIR Foundation, a nonprofit
organization headquartered in Minneapolis, Minn. was announced today at a
press conference
held during the Assistive Technology Industry Association (ATIA) 2008
National Conference at the Caribe Royale Resort in Orlando, Florida. The
mission
of the foundation is to promote universal accessibility so that every
blind
and low-vision person in the world has access to digital information over
the
Internet and Worldwide Web.
The foundation's executive director, Art Schreiber, also announced that
the
organization's first offering will be free usage of a Web 2.0 accessible
screen
reader. The product is provided through an exclusive license in perpetuity
granted to The AIR Foundation from Serotek Corporation, the leading
provider
of Internet and digital information accessibility software and services.
The
screen reader is called SA To Go and is powered by Serotek's award-winning
System Access software which provides immediate text to speech, magnified
visual, and Braille access to digital information presented through the
Web
or
other means, while the user is directly connected to the Internet. The
software does not remain resident on the user's computer when the
connection
to
the Internet is interrupted or terminated. Users can obtain access to the
free software by calling 877-369-0101 or visiting
www.AccessibilityIsaRight.org.
"The basic tenet of The AIR Foundation is that accessibility is a
fundamental human right, regardless of financial or geographic
constraints"
said Art
Schreiber, executive director of The AIR Foundation, "by allowing the
blind
and visually impaired to have equal access to computer and Internet
information
through the free use of an advanced screen reader like SA To Go, we have
already taken great strides toward our mission."
The AIR Foundation will solicit funds and contract development of product
enhancements including availability in other languages. The organization's
first
priority is to make SA To Go available in Mandarin Chinese.
"SA To Go is highly intuitive and requires minimal training to use," said
Serotek CEO, Mike Calvo, "the user not only has access to information
displayed
on Web pages, but to Web-based applications such as Internet telephone
service, and to applications resident on the host computer. The user can
also access
PDF files, fill out forms, and otherwise interact with information with
the
same facility as a sighted person."
The AIR Foundation will operate through the generosity of organizations
donating their time, expertise, and funds. It invites other nonprofits,
assistive
technology vendors, mainstream hardware and software companies and anyone
interested in promoting accessibility as every person's right, to align
with
the AIR team.
The AIR Foundation
The AIR Foundation is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to
advocate,
teach, and deliver information accessibility tools. We focus on the
accessibility
needs of blind and low-vision people. Our mantra is "accessibility is a
right" and we work with corporations and agencies worldwide to deliver
free
accessibility
to all. For more information, call 877-369-0101 or visit
www.AccessibilityIsaRight.org.
Serotek Corporation
Serotek Corporation is a leading technology company that develops software
and manufactures accessibility solutions. Committed to the mission of
providing
accessibility anywhere, Serotek launched the first online community
specifically designed to meet the needs of people with disabilities. Since
then, Serotek
has introduced several powerful, affordable solutions that require minimal
training and investment. For more information, visit www.serotek.com.
Posted by Serotek Team at
10:23 AM
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