Last Friday the Foundation for Information Technology Accessibility held an event entitled Empowering People through ICT in which the Foundation provided an overview of its key operations during 2010. It also marked the closure of the Disability Week 2010 in Malta.

The event, presided over by Parliamentary Assistant for Infrastructure, Transport and Communications Charlò Bonnici, was well attended by government and industry representatives as well as a number of disable persons and their parents.

FITA, which during 2010 has helped over 130 clients, has always kept disabled persons at the centre of its activities. It strives to deliver a personalised service to individuals who wish to make more effective use of the possibilities which ICT and improvements in technology are able to provide.

Claudio Grech, chairman of FITA, said that ICT is seen as a very valid tool by which governments can improve the quality of life of all citizens. He added that through help by MITC and the Malta Information Technology Agency the future of FITA holds a whole range of promising new programmes and initiatives which will definitely aid in the improvement in the quality of life of FITA’s clients. He also encouraged private industry and NGOs to develop a closer cooperation with the Foundation for the benefit of all parties involved.

FITA is finalising the work on three educational software products and a sneak preview of each product was given during the event. This software was developed by FITA in collaboration with a number of disabled clients, MITA, Kummissjoni Nazzjonali Persuni b’Diżabilita’ (KNPD), the Directorate for Educational Services and Dar tal-Providenza.

Stanley Debono, FITA’s CEO, said that the Foundation would be able to launch these three educational products early in 2011.

www.knpd.org/mittsfita