The Government of Canada Announces Funding to Expand the Use of Speech Recognition Technologies

Market Wire, July, 2008

Lynne Yelich, Parliamentary Secretary to the Honourable Monte Solberg, Minister of Human Resources and Social Development, today announced funding from the Government of Canada for a project led by Saint Mary's University that will expand the use of speech recognition technologies.

"Our government is working towards creating greater opportunities for Canadians with disabilities. This project will help not-for-profit organizations offer new services to support the full participation of people with disabilities," said Ms. Yelich.

Through the Social Development Partnerships Program - Disability Component, the Government supports not-for-profit organizations to benefit people with disabilities across Canada.

Saint Mary's University is receiving $229,951 to work in partnership with Trent University, IBM Research, the Canadian Hard of Hearing Association, the Learning Disabilities Association of Canada and the Neil Squire Society to expand the use of speech recognition technology in learning, workplace and social environments.

The Government of Canada recognizes the important social and economic role that the not-for-profit sector plays in strengthening the nation and assisting in enhancing the quality of life and the full participation of all Canadians.

For more information on the Social Development Partnerships Program - Disability Component, please visit www.hrsdc.gc.ca .

This news release is available in alternative formats upon request.

BACKGROUNDER

Social Development Partnerships Program - Disability Component

Supporting Community Not-For-Profit Organizations to Benefit People with Disabilities

The Social Development Partnerships Program - Disability Component (SDPP-D) aims to increase the effectiveness of the not-for-profit sector in meeting the social development needs and aspirations of people with disabilities, and to engage in innovative activities that improve the services and accessibility for people with disabilities.

The SDPP-D supports a range of community-based initiatives. These initiatives create opportunities and increase the effectiveness of the federal government and the not-for-profit sector in meeting the social development needs and aspirations of people with disabilities.

The 2008-2009 Call for Proposals had two funding streams:

1) Social Development Projects

2) Accommodation Fund

Stream 1, Social Development Projects, supports the full participation of people with disabilities and addresses one of the following three themes:

- Seniors with Disabilities;

- Youth with Disabilities; and

- Promotion of Accessibility.

Stream 2, the Accommodation Fund, enables people with disabilities to fully participate in conferences and other events by ensuring that events are accessible. This also includes accommodations such as sign language interpretation, real-time captioning, readers and scribes, support persons and interveners.

Universal Liberated Learning - Speech Recognition Technology

Saint Mary's University of Nova Scotia

Saint Mary's University is receiving $229,951 to work in partnership with Trent University, IBM Research, the Canadian Hard of Hearing Association, the Learning Disabilities Association of Canada and the Neil Squire Society to expand the use of speech recognition technology in learning, workplace and social environments. Based on the revolutionary "Liberated Learning" software, the project team will use speech recognition to automatically caption live speech and produce searchable multimedia transcripts, which will enhance information accessibility for various Canadians with disabilities.

Saint Mary's University will collaboratively implement and research emerging speech recognition technologies that can increase information accessibility for Canadians with disabilities. The project objective is to improve information accessibility in various learning and communication environments by integrating speech recognition technology.

The Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research at Saint Mary's University prides itself on its vast array of theoretical and basic research as well as on its research activities that link the University in practical ways to communities beyond campus such as government departments and ministries, private companies, industrial associations, citizen groups and associations, and international agencies and organizations.

Contacts: Office of Minister Solberg Pema Lhalungpa Press Secretary 819-994-2482 Human Resources and Social Development Canada Media Relations 819-994-5559