Communications Access for All!

As the founder of Caption First, Patricia Graves is one of the pioneers in the field of assistive technologies for persons with disabilities.

Her company applied the basic concept of court reporting in an innovative way to help persons with hearing impairments actively engage in a variety of situations - from business meetings to classrooms. And as the technology has evolved, it has even helped break down language barriers, proving that assistive technologies benefit all, not just persons with disabilities.

Graves was recently honored by Telecommunications for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, Inc. (TDI) with the Robert H. Weitbrecht Access Award. In presenting her with the award, TDI said "We selected you for this year's award in recognition for your contributions over the years in the field of providing Communication Access Real-Time Translation (CART) services. You were one of the early pioneers in this field, and with your leadership and substantial efforts, CART services are recognized on their own as an accessibility service that is essential for effective communication and information exchange for many deaf and hard of hearing Americans."

ictQATAR had an exclusive interview with Graves at the ITU Telecom World 2009 in Geneva last October.

Read the full interview in ictQATAR's latest e-newsletter issue: http://www.ictqatar.qa/output/Page1591.asp