Cost 219ter

The Nordic Forum for Telecommunication and Disability (NFTH)

Erland Winterberg, Chairman of NFTH

PURPOSE
The purpose of NFTH is to deal with relevant areas of telecommunication that concern disabled people and to support efforts in the Nordic countries to integrate disabled people into society

TASK
The task of NFTH is activities with a common Nordic relevance and tasks where joint efforts can have a lasting, significant impact

WORK
In NFTH we exchange information on services, research and projects, we produce recommendations guidelines, which deals with existing problems and problems expected to arise.

NFTH is established in 1987 by The Nordic Cooperation on Disability (NSH) under the Nordic Council of Ministers. The Nordic countries represented in NFTH are Denmark, Finland, Greenland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden.

ORGANISATION
Each country is represented by representatives (more or less on equal terms) appointed by the predominant national telecommunication company, the minister of Social Affairs and the minister of telecommunication.

MEETINGS
NFTH have meetings twice a year and the meetings are shifting between the countries. National user representatives are invited to a special session in the meeting.

CONFERENCES
In connection with each meeting is arranged a one day conference by the host country. The subject of the conference is of common interest. Speakers and guests from outside NFTH are often invited.

NEWSLETTER
Twice a year after the two biannual meetings an electronic newsletter is sent out. All who are interested in the activities of NFTH can get the newsletter free of charge.

WORKINGPROCEDURE
A typical example:

The topic is discussed at a NFTH meeting
A structure of the document is worked out
The document is filled in with information from the different countries. Members of NFTH and/or external specialists is volunteering to work with the document.
The document is discussed at one or more NFTH meetings and is completed.
The document is sent into hearing with the relevant user organizations.
Comments from the hearing are discussed at a NFTH meeting.
Relevant comments are added to the document.
The document is published

FUNDING
The NFTH secretariat is paid by NSH and each member organization is paying the cost of its own representative. Publication production is paid by NSH, and al external documents can be found on the web-page of NSH, www.nsh.se/nfth.htm

EXAMPLES OF NFTH-PRODUCTS

Nordic guide to Video Telephony and Video Relay Service.
Regulation and Financing of telecommunication services.
Nordic Guide to Text Telephony.

ONGOING TASKS
We are in the moment working on the following documents:

Overview Telecommunication in the Nordic countries for people with disabilities
Regulation and financing of telecommunications services
Telecommunication legalisation
Nordic guide about cell phones for disabled people

UPCOMMING TASK
We have planed to work with the following documents:

Nordic Guidelines for Telecommunication Relay Service for Text Telephones.
Nordic Guide to Text Telephony.
Web based special solutions for people with functional limitations
Overview, E-accessibility activities in the Nordic countries.
Discussion of problems concerning the lack of possibility for people with functional limitations to send and to receive alarm signals over the telecommunication-network

All publications can be downloaded from www.nsh.se/nfth.htm

CONTACT INFORMATION

NFTH secretariat
Danish Centre
Att.: Connie Zäll
P.P. Oerumsgade 11, bygn.3
DK-8000 Århus C
Denmark
www.nsh.se/nfth.htm
Email: cza@hmi.dk
Phone: +45 87.41 24 15

Erland Winterberg
Chairman of NFTH
Email: ewi@hmi.dk
Telephone: +45 40 15 33 66