eAccess 12 set for 28 June – access to ICT for all in a Paralympics year

Covering all aspects of access to ICT, digital TV, smartphones, tablets and all digital technologies by disabled people, the event is firmly established as the UK's leading event on e-accessibility policy and strategy for organisations of all kinds and sizes.

The event is co-hosted by Headstar with the UK's newly formed network bringing together all sectors to call for true digital inclusion: the One Voice for Accessible ICT Coalition.

Speakers this year include Ed Vaizey MP, Minister for Culture, Communications and the Creative Industries; Paul Edwards, Programme Manager - Paralympics 2012 Online, Channel4; and Jean Irvine OBE, Equality and Human Rights Commissioner.

Topics to be covered include education, training and professionalism - building accessibility into ICT education and professional training.

This year's closing plenary session is a Question Time style panel session headed "Cloud, mobile and consumerisation: a problem explodes".

The session will consider accessibility in a world where wireless broadband, mobile devices and cloud computing are driving the consumerisation of software and content, exploding access and business models into a million pieces. For the disabled user, there are both new opportunities, such as increased personalisation of access devices, and new barriers, like the obsolescence of trusted technologies. How do we deal with an exploding problem?

The conference will feature an exhibition area with engaging demos from suppliers and a wide range of workshops and round table discussion sessions will cover topics including open source and accessibility; accessibility testing;   mobile apps for inclusion and assistance; access to government digital services; access to e-learning and online education; and access to computer games.

Robin Christopherson, Head of Digital Inclusion at the UK's leading e-accessibility support charity AbilityNet, will discuss exciting developments in 'The Conversational Internet': the futuristic ability to interact naturally with computers and have them respond intelligently with information or by performing a task. Robin will discuss this topic and demonstrate advances such as Apple's Siri and speaking apps for Android phones that are turning this fantasy into reality.

For more information and to secure your place at this unique event, visit:

http://www.headstar.com/eaccess12/