Global Alliance on Accessible Technologies and Environments Formed

Youth with disabilities who are excluded from the mainstream due to lack of access to the urban environment,  children who do not receive information on health promotion in an appropriate format and developers who are involved in re-building and re-construction are now working with the help of a new organization, the Global Alliance on Accessible Technologies and Environments, GAATES.

GAATES is a leading international organization that brings together experts in accessibility of electronic and communication technologies and accessibility of the built environment.

GAATES has an International presence in 6 regions: the Asia-Pacific, Arab, North America, South America, European and African Regions.  GAATES has members in over 100 countries that include technical experts, individuals, organizations of people with disabilities, companies involved in information and communication technologies, architects and interested supporters.

Members of GAATES have worked extensively with UN agencies including a recent presentation by the Chair, Betty Dion at the UN during the final discussions for the Ad Hoc Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, the World Summit on the Information Society, and the World Urban Forum.

From the left: Bob Topping, Mukhtar Al Shibani, C.J. Walsh, Betty Dion, Phillip Thompson, Joseph Kwan

GAATES membership includes some world leaders in the field of accessibility of the built environment.  They have developed local, national and international accessibility guidelines and recently published the International Best Practices in Universal Design: A Global Review for the built environment.

GAATES members have demonstrated expertise in all aspects of access to electronic, information and communication technologies.  This includes, but is not limited to expertise in assistive technologies (design, implementation, and training), workplace/home/public space adaptations, accessible Web site design, accessible multimedia production, etc.

Contact us for further information at: gaates@bdel.ca

GAATES
458 Melbourne Ave.
Ottawa, ON
K2A 1W3
CANADA

 printer-friendly format