OTTAWA – A new $22.3 million program will allow more Canadians with disabilities to have access to the digital tools they need to fully participate in society and get access to the well-paying jobs of today and tomorrow, says the federal government.
Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development, Navdeep Bains today launched the Accessible Technology Program, a new program that, over the next five years, will co-fund innovative projects to develop new assistive and adaptive digital devices and technologies, says the press release.
“The Internet is an important gateway to developing and maintaining professional, social, economic and cultural networks within the digital economy. However, many Canadians are still not taking full advantage of these benefits—not by choice, but because of significant barriers to accessing technology and the Internet. These barriers are particularly concerning for persons with disabilities, who already face limitations to their full participation in the workforce,” it reads.
The current level of support for the development and distribution of accessible technologies is insufficient given the needs of Canadians with disabilities. While mainstream technologies typically decrease in price and become more readily available, the opposite is true for assistive and adaptive devices, since they must be customized to the unique needs of their users.
The Accessible Technology Program aims to help overcome these barriers.
