Microsoft holds "Accessibility Summit" in India to boost tech access for disabled people

Tech giant Microsoft on Tuesday hosted its first "Accessibility Summit" here to enhance technology access for people with disabilities. The summit featured unique technology-based projects that empower people with disabilities. These included innovations from non-profit organisations, assistive technologies developed by Microsoft partners as well as Microsoft solutions."The summit is a significant step forward in advancing our efforts towards sensitising stakeholders and partners on the need for the business and social value of accessibility," said Madhu Khatri, Associate General Counsel and Accessibility Lead, Microsoft India, in a statement. The event brought together leaders from the government, filmmakers, entrepreneurs and budding technologists to present their views and best practices around accessibility and technology's potential in aiding inclusion."The Microsoft 'Accessibility Summit' provides an ideal platform to bring together policymakers and influencers to understand the policy environment and chart a direction for making life, experiences and opportunities accessible to all," noted Jayesh Ranjan, IT Secretary, Telangana government.This comes when Microsoft announced earlier a brand new addition to the Surface lineup called the ‘Surface Laptop’. The new machine is aimed at students running on Microsoft’s new Windows 10 S operating system.