FROM LEFT. Minister of Transport and Communications, H E Jassim bin Saif Al Sulaiti; Minister of Education and Higher Education, H E Dr Mohammed Abdul Wahed Ali Al Hammadi; Chief Executive Officer of Qatar Rail Eng. Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Subaie, and M
Minister of Transport and Communications, H E Jassim bin Saif Al Sulaiti, yesterday opened the Gulf Region Education Assistive Technology Conference (GREAT), emphasising the importance of supporting students with disabilities and provide them with mainstream education.
The first of its kind conference organised by the Qatar Assistive Technology Centre (MADA) is being held with a focus to education practices in Inclusive Computer Technology and Assistive Technology (AT) for the Gulf Region.
Minister of Education and Higher Education H E Dr Mohammed Abdul Wahed Ali Al Hammadi, several other officials, local and international experts, were present during the opening of two-day GREAT conference at the Qatar National Convention Center.
“This conference emphasises our commitment to provide a conformable life for people with disabilities and make them integrate into the community. In Qatar, we have implemented several remarkable initiatives to enhance lives of people with disabilities and it includes of launching the National Autism Plan and a drive to equip 53 school to facilitate students with autism,” said Al Sulaiti in his opening remarks.
“At the Ministry of Transport and Communications, we have several initiatives to support people with disabilities including MADA. We need to resort technology to the conventional methods as studies show the use of technology is more helpful for people with disabilities, and make the environment to be friendly and convenient for them,” he added.
Local, regional and international experts at the GREAT conference discuss and exchange information on the best practices in the field of AT. GREAT is taking place in two segments with two days of pre conference discussions and the two-day conference including the opening ceremony, panel discussions and educational workshops for participants.
“Professionals from different sectors such as education, health, communication and rehabilitation has come together to discuss challenges and look at opportunities that how technology will support people with disabilities in their daily work,” Maha Al Mansouri, CEO of MADA told The Peninsula.
“The conference is discussing about technology, best practices in Assistive Technology and how schools can implement technologies in class rooms. Also the discussions focus on best practices for work environments from around the GCC. We also aim at raising awareness about technologies that are available in Arabic,” she added.
Also several memorandums of understanding were signed between MADA and institutions in the field of communication, information technology and assistive technology, on sidelines of the conference. Agreements were signed with Sharjah City for Humanitarian Services from the United Arab Emirates and with the Assistive Technology Industry Association from the United States of America. The agreements will play an important role in the development of Qatar's Assistive Technology sector through implementing best practices in this field.
Also today MADA will sign an agreement with the Ministry of Education and Higher Education to train 40 professionals from schools on how to use technology and support students with disabilities.
