KUALA LUMPUR: The National Council for the Blind Malaysia (NCBM) has helped many people with disabilities (PwD) to improve their skills in accessing accessible technology and publications.
Its president Datuk Rosalind Chew said access to information was one of the basic rights of an individual, including the PwDs as stated in the Person with Disabilities Act 2008.
"NCBM has been engaging with Women, Family and Community Development Ministry in our effort to make sure that the PwDs have access to information."
"As a result, infographics that do not have audio previously have started to contain sound to aid the visually impaired in understanding a video content.
"Subtitles and a Malaysian sign language interpreter are also now being included in the video," she said after the launch of a seminar on disability inclusive digital accessibility for blind people and people who are otherwise print disabled here, today.
Chew said they were redoubling their efforts to protect the welfare of the visually impaired and to ensure that they would not be left behind in the country's development.
"We want them to be a part of society just like everyone else and if they are blind or disabled, they can still access information, especially in this digital era," she said.
In the past, she said, most websites in Malaysia were built without following the Web Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1. that had been adopted globally.
Such a non-compliance had affected the PwD's ability to gain information and perform regular activities via the website.
"NCBM has successfully trained 23 PwDs, who are competent in assuring WCAG compliance."
"I also like to urge all publishers to ensure that the publications they manage will be accessible to all," she said.
NCBM together with the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) has rolled out a project called Protecting and Empowering Persons with Disabilities in The Midst of Covid-19.
Chew said NCBM had successfully implemented this project and achieved all the expected outcomes.
She also expressed her gratitude to the government for signing the Marrakesh Agreement, adding that such an action was very beneficial for the visually impaired and the print disabled in facilitating access to published works.