Announcements
Abilities Magazine
| November 24th, 2004 | |
The ForumToronto Dominion BankSummer 1999. Issue 39: p. 33 Forumby Joanne Dibenedetto and Diane Packer On June 16, 1999, TD Bank Financial Group and Cadillac Fairview will host the 11th annual Access-Ability Day in the TD Centre Courtyard. The event highlights the abilities of persons with disabilities and accommodations available to ensure an accessible workplace. We expect as many as 10,000 employees and employers from surrounding towers to attend. A number of the major tenants of the TD Centre Complex are committed to being associate sponsors of the event. Perhaps unique because of its setting in the heart of corporate Canada, the event’s program provides an opportunity for many organizations and agencies to highlight leading technology for accommodations and accessibility in the workplace. Last year, the 10th Anniversary Access-Ability Day showcased an "Accessible Workplace" model in a 65-foot trailer. This trailer featured three workstations: a mobility workstation, a sight substitution workstation and a sight enhancement workstation. Some of the equipment interactively displayed included Dragon Dictate Naturally Speaking Deluxe, a voice recognition software that types a message by voice recognition; a Positron Keyboard, a telecommunication device for people who are deaf; JAWS, a screen-reading system that reads information from a screen and sends to a speech synthesizer; a printer that prints documents automatically in Braille; and a Closed-Circuit Television and Zoom Text Magnification Program that magnifies information on a computer screen. Some of the equipment was provided by Microcomputer Science Centre and was displayed on accessible furniture provided by Steelcase Canada Ltd. Other exhibitors who have participated in the past include Ontario March of Dimes, Canadian Mental Health, The Migraine Foundation, ABILITIES Magazine, Ontario Special Olympics, George Brown College, Learning Disabilities Association, Metro Toronto Association for Community Living, Gage Transitional Living, The Arthritis Society, Multiple Sclerosis Society, WheelTrans, Handidactis, Training Coordinating Group, Canadian Paraplegic Association, Genienne�s Food for You, Canadian Hearing Society, New Visions Homes and Design Exchange. Over the years, we have had the pleasure of welcoming various special guests, government officials and dignitaries who have had the opportunity to say a few words. Isabel Bassett, Ontario Minister of Citizenship, Culture and Recreation, Roberta Jamieson, Provincial Ombudsman, Henry N.R. Jackman, Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, June Rowlands, former Mayor of the City of Toronto, Sigmund Reiser, Commissioner, Canadian Human Rights Commission, Ceta Ramkhalawansingh, Manager, Equal Opportunity, City of Toronto, and Bob Tomlin, Acting District Manager, Metro York and Ontario Region, Human Resources Development Canada, are just some of the guests who have participated in previous Access-Ability Day events. The event has had the honour of welcoming David Onley from City-TV as the master of ceremonies for the past several years. This year’s event promises to be an exciting one! Once again we will feature the �Accessible Workplace� model as well as a number of other interactive and interesting exhibits, including TD’s Barrier Free Survey and demonstrations of TD Access Banking. We invite you to join us as we promote workplace accessibility for people with special needs.
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