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ABLE Summit 2022 

We’re Back!


Though the summit was postponed in 2020 and 2021 during crisis     

we finally have the chance to make it happen!

March 31 & April 1, 2022

Listen

Speakers

“What was impossible yesterday, is possible today with technology.” - ABLE Team.

 

Dr. Fadlo Khuri

Dr. Fadlo Khuri

President of the American University of Beirut

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Dr. Yousif Asfour

Dr. Yousif Asfour

Chief Information Officer at the American University of Beirut

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Maha Zouwayhed

Maha Zouwayhed

IT Business Development Manager at the American University of Beirut

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Humberto Insolera

Humberto Insolera

Executive Committee European Disability Forum

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Jeremy P. Seda

Jeremy P. Seda

IT Accessibility Coordinator at North Idaho College

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Myles Pilling

Myles Pilling

Council Member and Director British Assistive Technology Association

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Chris Gaulin

Chris Gaulin

Accessibility Advocate - #a11yTO Organizer

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Rami Farran

Rami Farran

IT Director at the American University of Beirut

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Abeer Obeid

Abeer Obeid

Instructional Design, AUB

Robin Christopherson MBE

Robin Christopherson MBE

Head of Digital Inclusion at AbilityNet

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Jennison Asuncion

Jennison Asuncion

Co-Founder, Global Accessibility Awareness Day & Engineering Manager, Accessibility LinkedIn

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Toufic Sbeiti

Toufic Sbeiti

Web Operations Manager at Canada Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship

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Michael Cyr

Michael Cyr

Group Leader, Educause IT Accessibility Community Group University of Maine System

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Samer Sfeir

Samer Sfeir

Director at Proabled

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Carrie-Ann Gibson

Carrie-Ann Gibson

International Education Manager at Texthelp

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Press Release

Check ABLE Summit 2022 Press Releases.

LBCI ABLE Summit 2022 Report

Summit 2022 Agenda

“Disability is not a brave struggle or ‘courage in the face of adversity.’ Disability is an art. It’s an ingenious way to live.”  Neil Marcus

Day 1 - March 31ST

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8:30 am – 9:00 am

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OSB Maamari Auditorium

Welcome Coffee and Registration

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9:00 am – 9:30 am

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OSB Maamari Auditorium

Opening Session

By:

  • Maha Zouwayhed, ABLE Organizer & Rami Farran, Director of IT Academic Services, AUB
  • Dr. Fadlo Khuri, President, AUB
  • Yousif Asfour, Chief Information Officer, AUB
  • Darren Walker, President of the Ford Foundation
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9:30 am – 10:30 am

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OSB Maamari Auditorium

 Plenary Session

Rights of Persons with Disabilities to Education

Humberto Insolera, European Disability Forum (EDF) Executive Committee, EUD Former VP

"The Prophet" Play Performance, artistic Greeting
Acsauvel

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10:30 am – 10:45 am

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OSB Maamari Auditorium

Coffee Break

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10:45 am – 12:15 am

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OSB Maamari Auditorium

Leading Practices and Trends

By Samer Sfeir, Jeremy Seda and Chris Gaulin

Inclusion of Inclusion in Donor Programs - Creating Job Opportunities

By Samer Sfeir, Director, ProAbled

Flow With the Go: Proactively Addressing Accessibility

By Jeremy Seda, IT Accessibility Coordinator North Idaho College (NIC)

Building the Pillars of an Accessibility Community

By Chris Gaulin, Accessibility Advocate - Co-organizer #a11yTO

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12:15 pm – 01:15 pm

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OSB Maamari Auditorium

Lunch Break

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01:15 pm – 02:45 pm

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OSB Maamari Auditorium

Abled Experience & Success Stories

By Chadi Abi Fadel, CCE, AUB

Yara Koborssy, Education Specialist

Dima Antar, Graphic Designer

Innovations and Assistive Technologies

By Adam Spencer and Myles Pilling

Smart Future for the Disabled

By Myles Pilling, Council Member for The British Assistive Technology Association (BATA)

A Beautiful design can also be accessible

By Toufic Sbeiti
#A11YOttawa Co-Founder & Web Manager at the Government of
Canada

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02:45 pm – 03:00 pm

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OSB Maamari Auditorium

Coffee Break

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03:15 pm – 04:15 pm

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OSB Maamari Auditorium

New Outlooks

By Robin Christopherson and Micheal Cyr

From AI to Robots, from Apps to Wearables - Let's Design for Everyone !

By Robin Christopherson, MBE, Head of Digital Inclusion AbilityNet

EEAAP Equally Effective Alternate Access Plan Online Event
Michael Cyr, Group Leader, Educause IT Accessibility Community Group
University of Maine System
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04:15 pm – 04:30 pm

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OSB Maamari Auditorium

Day 1 Closing

Day 2 - April 1ST

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8:30 am – 9:00 am

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OSB Maamari Auditorium

Welcome Coffee and Registration

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09:00 am – 09:15 am

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OSB Maamari Auditorium

Welcome Back Note

Artistic Greeting

By Dalia Friefer and Tony Jadeon

Making Everything 1% Better, Towards an Inclusive Tomorrow

Moderator: Chris Gaulin,

  • Dr. Anis Hroub, Education Dept
  • Hala Raad, AUBMC
  • Dr. Bassam Farah, OSB AUB
  • Amer Makarem, Youth Blind Association
  • Georges Saade Psychology Graduate, (AUB Student)
  • Rami Farran, IT Academic Services Director perspective
Mada Innovation Program Ecosystem Innovation for Accessibility Chellenge Annoucement

Al-Dana Ahmed Al-Mohannadi , ICT Access Innovation Researcher, Mada Innovation Center, Qatar

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09:15 am – 04:00 pm

Track 1 –Special Student Success

10:30 AM "Integrating Assistive Technology into Educational Settings - "Making the impossible possible"

By Myles Pilling, Council Member for The British Assistive (BATA)

11:30 AM "Tools and Techniques to Deliver Education for People with Hearing Challenges"

By Aya Al-Akkawi , Medical Audiology Science Programs (MAS), AUB

12:30 PM "Redefining Inclusion, Redesigning Learning"

By Carrie-Ann Gibson International Education Manager, Text Help, UK

2:15 PM Making Maths Accessible

By Sammy Lambert, Teaching & Learning Maths Specialist at Texthelp, UK

3:15 PM Delivering Teaching and Learning for Mentally Challenged Students

By Mona Maktabi, Program Director, Next Step Program

Track 2 - Governance and Regulations: governmental and institutional policies

10:30 AM Status and Challenges in Higher Education in Lebanon

Moderator: Rudy Shoushani, DXTalks, Founder

  • Dr. Yousif Asfour, TechCare Representative
  • Sumaya Al Majthoob, Social Affairs officer at ESCWA and Key Member in the ADIP Project
  • Rabih Baalbaki, President at Lebanese Association for IT Professionals, Board Member at PCA, Edtech & Innovation at DT Network Lebanon
  • Elie Ghoussoub, MSc., CPABE-II, Accessibility & Inclusion for People with Disabilities at DASS Solutions
  • Ibrahim Abdalla - Executive board Member of the National Council on Disability in Lebanon
12:30 PM Accessibility Conformance Report (VPAT)

By Jeremy Seda, It Accessibility Coordinator, North Idaho College (NIC)

Track 3 - E-Accessibility

10:30 AM Video Accessibility

By Jeremy Seda, It Accessibility Coordinator, North Idaho College
(NIC)

None of us are trying to create content with the intent of excluding People with Disabilities, but that is often the result. Learn more about the “five W’s” of Video Accessibility, and a few tips on how to make your video content more inclusive for everyone.
11:30 AM Microsoft Office Accessibility & Digital Inclusion

By Tarek El Bacha, Managing Director, Tablet Academy MENA - Microsoft Global in Education Training Partner

12:30 PM Accessible Content Authoring: A Better Way to Do Things

By Abeer Obeid, Instructional Designer, AUB

2:15 Web Accessibility Standards and Inclusive Design Tips
  • Jeremy Seda, It Accessibility Coordinator, North Idaho College (NIC) 
  • Chris Gaulin, Accessibility Advocate - Co-organizer #a11yTO
3:15 PM Alternative text to images

Moderator:Toufic Sbeity

Web Manager - PR team at Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada / Immigration, Réfugiés et Citoyenneté Canada

Track 4 - Independent Living

10:15 AM Inclusive Employment

By Samer Sfeir, Director, ProAbled

12:30 PM The Inclusion of Motor and Hearing Disabilities as Workforce in The Hospitality Domain
By Roger Obeid, Founder JOIN
2:15 PM Opening Eyes to Vision Impairment: Turning a Challenge to a Possibility
Nour Nahhas, Optometrist, Vision Rehabilitation Center
3:15 PM Employability and Life After Graduation

Moderator:Dr. Edgard Barakat Consultant, ProAbled

  • Charbel Daghfal, Wheel Chair
  • Omar Saker, President, Lebanese Mountain Tracks
  • Samer Tutunji, Founder, Eshmoun
  • Laudy Hakim, Employment Program, Arcenciel
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04:15 - 5:00 PM

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OSB Maamari Auditorium

Closing Remarks: Roadmap to Digital Accessibility in Higher Education in Lebanon

Discussion and recommendations by the ABLE Advisory Board

  • Moderated by: Maha Zouwayhed, ABLE Organiser, AUB
  • Myles Pilling, Specialist SEND ICT Consultant & Assistive Technologist British Assistive Technology Association (BATA)
  • Jennison Asuncion, Co-Founder, Global Accessibility Awareness Day, Engineering Manager- Accessibility, LinkedIn
  • Dr. Humberto Insolera, European Disability Forum - EDF Executive Committee, EUD Former vice-president
  • Jeremy Seda, IT Accessibility Coordinator, North Idaho College (NIC)
  • Chris Gaulin, Accessibility Advocate - Co-organizer #a11yTO

ABLE Summit 2022 Exhibitors

kam kalima logo

amkalima provides a holistic e-learning platform with purposeful technology and meaningful content to rewrite Arabic education in the 21st century.

We equip Arabic teachers with the resources and support to raise a generation of engaged and creative tech-driven students, and we inspire them to do what they do best, teach.

Click Here

The Tablet Academy is an independent organisation created to support educational institutions in transforming teaching and learning through the integration of new and existing technologies.Through high-level consultancy and training services our team of fully qualified educators support over 700 schools and train over 12,000 teachers a year.

  • Strategic Consultancy & Digital Skills Audits.
  • Professional Development, Online Training Platform &  Accredited Training.
  • Student Enrichment Workshops &  iDEA accredited programmes
  • Curriculum Development & Project Based Learning
  • Annual Support Packages.
  • Online Safety Support Services.
Click Here

Sustainability DASS Solutions is a company that is passionate about accessibility. We support, enable, and champion people of determination in any way that it can. DASS Solutions is the only turnkey accessibility expert in the Middle East, supporting public and private sector organizations from the moment accessibility is placed on the agenda and guiding their efforts throughout their journey to an inclusive workplace and society.

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Over the years we have acquired valuable knowledge on many of the challenges and issues that 100+ educational institutions face and provide state of the art solutions to address them.

We believe that education should not be limited to a certain curriculum, but is meant for learners to grow and develop on multiple aspects.

Click Here

ascuavel logo

 

ACSAUVEL, civil association for the safeguard of the human being in Lebanon, is a non-profit, humanitarian association that is recognized by the Lebanese Government under N. 127 dated 19/10/1979.

The first goal of our association is to develop the autonomy and social integration of every person that attends our center without any racial, political, or religious discrimination. Our association is currently in charge of 78 mentally-challenged children and adults. We offer them specialized education until they attain the age of 18 years, and at that stage, they move on to our workshops section to learn skills at a professional level. Their main activities are pottery, wicker workshop, sewing, cooking, and mosaic.

Our center was built and equipped during the war thanks to the generosity and the support of many international organizations such as: World Vision International, Misereor, MissionPontificale. Since then ACSAUVEL received support from the Embassies of France, England, Germany, Canada, Japan, and the USAID. Our head quarters are in Tamish, near Champville School in the Metn area.

Click Here

Awada vision

All consultations, measurement, and manufacturing of eye prosthesis, as well as low vision equipment showcase and trials, take place in the main center in Beirut Lebanon. Awada Vision Center is fully equipped with the latest technological tools and machines that provide the best and most adequate results.
Moreover, Mr. Hassan is a visitor ocularist at the Imperial Healthcare Insitute in Dubai and the Hamad Medical Hospital in Qatar. Also, he visits the Eye Speciality Hospital and the New Vision Center in Jordan. In addition to all that, Mr. Hassan works as well in France and Switzerland under the Eye Tech Vision and the Visionet names.

Click Here

 

Middle East Technology for Consultancy and Services (MET-CS) traces its roots back to the early 1990. Shortly after its establishment as a technology provider, MET-CS merged with a multinational Company until both companies split-up in 2010 and have since then operated independently.
At MET-CS we take pride in leveraging the vast knowledge and experience we gained over the many years we've successfully spent dealing with customers' needs related to data management, security and protection.
To be the best, we are currently focusing our efforts and resources into the following areas:

- Data Center design, consolidation, scalability, management, protection and security
- Cloud Computing
- Virtualization
- Consultancy Services

With the broadest range of capabilities, MET-CS offers clients the solutions they need to manage data complexity, focus on core business, collaborate with partners and clients and improve operations.

Click Here

cyber tech logo

Founded in 1996 and based in Beirut, Cybertech has developed a successful business through a commitment to rigorous professionalism and high efficiency, allowing for dedicated support to clients all over the Lebanese territory and abroad.

In 2008, after 12 years of successful business and growth, Cybertech changed its legal status to S.A.L.

Our mission is to provide organizations with IT Solutions, Professional Technical Support & Efficient Service, ensuring all business operations are running uninterrupted & greatly reducing downtime, thus allowing organizations to focus totally on their core business activities.

Click Here

 

picPAD is a portable device that helps blind people to perceive digital pictures using their tactile sense. By transforming digital pictures into 3D models, every blind person will have insight about the content of these pictures.

Click Here

ABLE aims at increasing the retention and success rates of students with disabilities and to support their readiness for life after university by developing and deploying accessibility to campus-wide IT resources.

ABLE scope covers assistive technologies (A.T), learning content, services, resources, policies, inclusive IT support, collaboration platforms, IT facilities and learning spaces.

Click Here

disability hub

This platform is the first of its kind in the Arab region. It aims to provide persons with disabilities, their families and caregivers as well as organizations, researchers and academic institutions various kinds of information related to disability. Additionally, the platform will assist in informing research to make the Arab world more accessible and inclusive. 

This platform contains:

  1. A depository of the literature and database research on disability in the MENA region
  2. A depository of directory and assistive technology services in the MENA region
  3. Awareness material on disability and inclusiveness
  4. A watchtower that will enable the public and organizations to report violations and successful initiatives in the field of disability through this forum. 
Click Here

mojitech

MOJITECH is now one of Lebanon’s leading computer companies and the proud business partner of many international NGOs, embassies, hotels, restaurants, and companies. But this is how it all started…

Remember the huge cell phones, Pentium processors, AIM and ICQ, the introduction of iMac, DVDs, Windows NT 3.1, 95 and 98 …?
Well, it’s the 90s we’re talking about with the groundbreaking boom of the technological revolution in the world; and, in a small corner in Lebanon, the dawn of MOJITECH.

MOJITECH started out as a small computer sales/repair shop in 1997 in the heat of technological breakthroughs. In 2004, what was originally a humble shop with a small showroom had already developed into a reliable computer (hardware and software) service provider, offering in-house and on-site computer facilities.

Some four years later, the company enlarged/renovated its space and broadened its business significantly to better serve its ever-growing clientele.

All through its ongoing growth, MOJITECH remained loyal to its basic work ethics: offering satisfactory SOLUTIONS and providing attentive CARE to each and every customer’s IT needs.

Click Here
ABLE Exhibitor booth
  1. Dell - MET CS
  2. CyberTech
  3. DASS Solutions
  4. Awada Vision
  5. Reach Up
  6. Kam Kalima
  7. Wheely Wheel
  8. Audio Conseil
  9. ProAbled
  10. Acsauvel
  11. Vision Rehabilitation Center
  12. ABLE Club
  13. Next Step
  14. Tablet Academy MENA - Microsoft
  15. Genius Mind Sense
  16. eFlow
  17. mltk
  18. disability Hub

ABLE Summit 2022 Sponsors

Sponsors

Partners

In Kind Sponsors 

Community Partners

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