Conference
Each year the Round Table runs a conference to facilitate and influence the production and use of quality alternative formats for people with print disabilities. Conferences showcase examples of best practice in the provision of accessible information to people with a print disability in the workplace and the community centre, including businesses, agencies, tertiary institutions, libraries, Commonwealth, State and local government.
2008 National Conference
- Dates: Friday 11 April to Monday 14 April 2008
- Venue: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Registration form (doc 82 kb) or Registration form (txt 9 kb)
Revised Program as at 31st March 2008
MS Word Program (doc 78 kb) or Plain Text Program (txt 7 kb)
Alternative formats
Should you have any queries or require the conference documentation in an alternate format please do not hesitate to contact the Round Table Administrative Officer.
Conference theme
The theme for the 2008 national Conference is "Power of Cross Sector Collaboration: Investigating working relationships across the private, public, government and not-for-profit sectors".
With a greater awareness of people with print disabilities and their need to access both services and information in all sectors of their life, it is encouraging to see an emerging increase in Cross-Sector Collaborations. The role of the specialist disability service provider is changing in today's "inclusive society". This in turn creates opportunities to increase working relationships with the non-disability sector.
Estimates still state that as little as 3% of the world's information material is accessible to people with print disabilities. With rapid changes in the technology sector over the past 25 years, the level of inequity in information access has reduced for some, but increased for others, leaving a considerable amount of work still to be done.
A rise in the number of people with a print disability is likely to continue globally, with an ageing population being one factor. Consequently, the current disparity in access to information and services in all areas of life is an extremely important issue.
People with a print disability require information in a timely manner and in the format of individual choice. Advancing changes in technology requires consideration be given to ensure people with a print disability access services and information in a manner which assists not hinders, includes not precludes, access. Strategic cross-sector collaboration will support this.
Proceedings and papers from past conferences
2007 - Adelaide Print Disability: Developing Individual Lifestyles in a Technological Age
2006 - Brisbane Realising the vision for accessible information: The way forward
2005 - Sydney The Vision for accessible information: Celebrating Achievement, seeking fulfilment
2004 - Sydney Information Access - Global Trends & Local Innovations