The companies are backing E-Access Bulletin in partnership with Ability Magazine, which focuses on access to technologies by people with a disability, for one year.

Both companies have departments dealing with product accessibility. BT set up its BT Age and Disability Unit some 22 years ago and in 2002 undertook a digital inclusion campaign that found some 51 per cent of adults are digitally excluded. More recently, the unit has begun work with the Centre for Inclusive Design to develop a toolkit for product designers and developers.

Ford Accessibility Services provides PC based assessments to identify customers' software needs. It also has a Mobility For All group researching the needs of disabled motorists which feeds into its product design.

As part of the agreement, which runs initially for one year, BT and Ford supported the major annual conference hosted by E-Access Bulletin, e-Access'06 .

Headstar is hugely grateful to the two companies for their support in this vital field, and they join RNIB which has supported the Bulletin's work since its inception.