Qatar e-accessibility reach best in the world

The rate of e-Accessibility in Qatar has reached 91%, thus becoming the first among Arab and regional countries and the best in the world, HE the Minister of Transport and Communications Jassim Seif Ahmed al-Sulaiti said on Thursday.

The announcement came in a statement on the sidelines of the conclusion of the second edition of the three-day Gulf Region Education Assistive Technology Conference 2018 (Great 2018), organised by Mada Assistive Technology Centre.

“It is a matter of pride that Qatar spares no effort to invest in the field of technology not only for normal persons but also for people with disabilities who need these compensatory means to make their lives easier at all stages from childhood to the elderly,” HE the minister stated.

The ministry is moving rapidly on the path of investing in e-Accessibility and paying attention to all segments of society, whether in ordinary technology or Assistive Technology (AT), HE the minister pointed out.

HE al-Sulaiti lauded the innovative and locally produced programs and devices that were presented on the sidelines of the conference and involved Qatari youth from different bodies and institutions operating in the country.

Mada CEO Maha al-Mansouri praised the results of the conference and its role in bringing together experts and international actors in the field of Assistive Technology and e-Accessibility at the global level, stressing that the international participation reflects the advanced scientific level and the regional and global role played by Qatar.

The official highly valued the results achieved by Mada's partnership with the Ministry of Education and Higher Education, Qatar Foundation for Social Work and Hamad Medical Corporation, referring to the graduation of more than 67 students of the ‘AT Super Users’ programme for Assistive Technology.

During the closing ceremony of Great 2018, the Ministry of Interior was honoured for winning the first place in e-Accessibility, while the Ministry of Foreign Affairs came in second and the Ministry of Endowments (Awqaf) and Islamic Affairs third.

The design award was won by the Museum of Islamic Art, while 67 "AT Super Users" students from the Ministry of Education and Higher Education, Qatar Foundation for Social Work and Hamad Medical Corp graduated.

The conference witnessed 64 specialised training workshops and educational sessions presented by 55 experts and specialists. It was attended by more than 1,100 participants from within and outside Qatar.

The accompanying exhibition of the conference witnessed the participation of 14 local authorities and an international company that showcased their latest technological products and local and regional innovations.

There was also a theatre show that presented 12 unique performances from around the world on the latest assistive technological innovations and solutions.

In Mada area, the content of 16 best practices and projects in access and assistive technology were presented.

The second and third days of the conference were allocated for training workshops on Assistive Technology and its use in specific areas, including education, independent living, e-accessibility and innovation, e-Accessibility to entertainment, the efficiency of assistive technology in classrooms, the use of enhanced and alternative communication, the use of smart living technology and the latest international digital access standards. Many useful topics were presented and discussed by experts and specialists in workshops discussed during the conference.