Qatar Assistive Technology Centre (Mada) is the official Accessibility Partner of QITCOM 2017, Qatar’s biggest digital event, taking place from 6-8 March at Qatar National Convention Centre (QNCC). To benefit persons with disabilities (PWD), Mada has been providing accessibility around the QITCOM venue throughout the event and will also be presenting its Innovation Programme aimed at developing the Assistive Technology Market in Qatar.
Mada CEO Maha al Mansouri said he was thankful for the opportunity QITCOM has given Mada as the event’s official accessibility partner.
As a nonprofit organisation, we are always looking for partners to join us bring awareness and support to PWDs and help them reach their maximum potential. QITCOM is a great event for us to demonstrate the importance of empowering people through the accessibility features we have put in place. We hope we may be able to encourage entrepreneurs create and develop Arabic-based assistive technology solutions for PWDs through our initiatives at QITCOM.
Mada ensured that the larger part of the QITCOM exhibition area is accessible. A special registration desk has been set up and made available to people with disabilities; a sign language interpretation was also set up during the event opening, in addition to the QITCOM website certification for being accessible.
Mada has also put its Innovation Programme into action at QITCOM, encouraging entrepreneurs in the region to create localised assistive technology solutions for PWDs, introduced through three award categories: Mada Award, Mada Direct Grant and Entrepreneur Grant. The innovation programme is also part of CodeCamp competition taking place at QITCOM. Teams of computer programmers and software developers from different high schools and universities together with professional coders, will compete to develop software solutions that will combat real life challenges including assistive technology for PWDs.
Through its garden theme, Mada stand this year focuses on ‘Growing Arabic Assistive Technology’ and Nurturing Accessibility’. Mada will also host an experiential session where students can experience the process of communicating using only assistive technology as their voice. Mada hopes that this demonstration and experience will help raise awareness about disability and the importance of assistive technology.
Mada’s strategic goals and operational focus revolve around three key areas: education, employment and community, in addition to its mission to help persons with disabilities stay connected with the world through assistive technology.
For more information on assistive technology and Mada’s programmes for persons with disabilities, visit mada.org.qa.
Related links:
event/qitcom-2017
accessible-qatar-receives-access-certified-accreditation-from-mada
mada-launches-innovation-programme-to-develop-ict-assistive-technology-market-in-qatar
