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    • Best Practices on Collaboration with APCD
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• Video

Refresher Training on Accessible Web-based Information Networking
31 October - 10 November 2006

A Refresher Training on Accessible Web-based Information Networking (WBIN) was held from 31 October to 10 November 2006, at the APCD Training Building, Bangkok, Thailand with 9 participants from 8 countries namely Bangladesh, Cambodia, Fiji, Nepal, Pakistan, the Philippines and Thailand.

Objectives of the training were to strengthen national and regional information networking on disability and establish more active information network in an accessible way, especially through accessible websites. Nine participants spent 11 days to learn how to establish and strengthen active information networking at rural, national and regional levels.

Ms. Kamolpun Punpuing, Mahidol University and APCD resource person for information networking, presented refreshing ideas on information networking. Ms. Lan Anh, Disability Forum Communication Officer, Viet Nam, and assistant resource person, presented case studies of Vietnam information networking.

Ms. Kamolpun and Ms. Lan Anh facilitated group discussions concerning rural, national and regional information networking. If the level of network is different, methods, targets, languages and contents would be different based on the nature of the network.

Participants learned about grass-roots networking from 2 Thai resource persons; Ms. Poungkeo Kichtham, Thai Disabled Development Foundation (http://www.tddf.or.th/) and Mr. Sombat Boongamanong, Mirror Art Group (www.bannok.com). Both presented knowledge and experience of how to expand/activate information network at the grass-roots level, and emphasized the potential of ICT for the network.

Regarding regional/international network, APCD invited Ms. Debra Perry, Senior Specialist, ILO - EASMAT and Ms. Aiko Akiyama, Disability Expert, UNESCAP. ILO has an accessible website, entitled "Ability Asia", which provides much information on employment and vocational training for persons with disabilities in Asia and the Pacific region. UNESCAP has just published the "Disability at a Glance", which provides an overall picture of the disability situation in 28 countries in Asia and the Pacific. Both are eager to know the progress of the disability movement at the grass-roots level.

Ms. Wantanee Panthachat, National Electronic and Computer Technology Center, Thailand, prepared a lecture on her activities of assistive devices for persons with disabilities. Mr. Monthian Buntan, President of Thailand Association of the Blind and Member of APCD Executive Board, shared the current progress of information accessibility for persons with disabilities in the frame of the Convention of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

For the second week, participants reviewed the web accessibility through the Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI). They first checked accessibility of their website, and APCD resource person, Mr. Raksak Chairanjuansakun, the Bangkok School for the Blind, instructed them how to make an even more accessible website. Participants tried to develop the website as accessible as possible during the 3 days hands-on session.

Participants began each day by giving a summary of the day before to review what they had learned the previous day. Mr. Akram Muhammad, Pakistan, gave sign language training every morning which proved to be valuable to our training and communication among participants.

In conclusion, all participants presented their action plan at 3 levels on how to strengthen a more active information network in their countries; grass-roots, national and regional information networking through a variety of methods such as a website, email, newsletter, radio, annual report, workshop, training and seminar. They emphasized workshops and trainings at the grass-roots level, where access to ICT is limited.