Comcast NBCUniversal & The Arc Launch Multi-Million Dollar National Partnership to Enhance Technology Access and Education for People with Disabilities
(PRWEB) February 25, 2014 -- The Arc, an advocate for the rights of the disabilities community, and Comcast Corporation today announced they have formed an exciting new national partnership to support and expand digital technology opportunities for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD).
Through a three-year commitment, Comcast and NBCUniversal will provide The Arc with $3.7 million in cash and in-kind support, including airtime, to promote The Arc’s public service announcements on cable and broadcast channels and xfinity.com. The Comcast Foundation is also providing $400,000 to support The Arc’s national digital training program and improve technology access and services by launching up to 12 Comcast and NBCUniversal Digital Literacy Learning Labs in major metropolitan U.S. cities.
The Arc will use the new funding to design an online resource center for cataloguing and rating apps, software and other digital resources. The 700 local chapters of The Arc nationwide will participate in designing and contributing resources to the online resource center.
“Thanks to Comcast and NBCUniversal, The Arc has a tremendous opportunity to raise awareness across the country about The Arc and the population we work with, and this partnership affords us the ability to launch an exciting new program that could change the lives of people with I/DD. By learning how to get online, people with I/DD are in a better position to gain employment, expand their social circle, and be a part of the increasingly growing community that exists online,” said Peter Berns, CEO of The Arc.
“We believe that technology, and the doors it opens, can be a game changer for the disabilities community,” said Charisse R. Lillie, Vice President of Community Investment for Comcast Corporation and President of the Comcast Foundation. “Through this new partnership with The Arc, we hope to connect and empower this community with technology that can improve their lives.”
Digital literacy is an important area of focus for the disabilities community and The Arc in this increasingly digital and online world. The majority of people with I/DD have limited or no access to contemporary and comprehensible information and communication technologies. In The Arc’s nationwide survey, Family and Individual Needs for Disability Supports (“FINDS”) in 2010, only 32 percent of people with I/DD were reported to be using computers; 13 percent communication devices; 4 percent GPS; and 6 percent video communications. This partnership will focus on assisting people with I/DD to gain access to and make effective and safe use of the Internet, including social media.
“Online safety is a big issue for all of us, and as more people with I/DD get online, it’s incredibly important that they learn to do so in a manner that protects them while allowing them the freedom to explore the online world. Our chapters are poised to provide this opportunity to people with I/DD, and I’m looking forward to witnessing how this program impacts their lives,” said Berns.
In early 2014, The Arc will be adding a new staff member to lead this new initiative. Look for updates on The Arc’s website, http://www.thearc.org, throughout the year as we build this resource.
Editor’s Note: The Arc is not an acronym; always refer to the organization as The Arc, not The ARC and never ARC. The Arc should be considered as a title or a phrase.
About The Arc
The Arc advocates for and serves people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD), including Down syndrome, autism, Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders, cerebral palsy and other diagnoses. The Arc has a network of 700 chapters across the country promoting and protecting the human rights of people with I/DD and actively supporting their full inclusion and participation in the community throughout their lifetimes and without regard to diagnosis. Visit http://www.thearc.org for more information.
About Comcast Corporation
Comcast Corporation is a global media and technology company with two primary businesses, Comcast Cable and NBCUniversal. Comcast Cable is the nation's largest video, high-speed Internet and phone provider to residential customers under the XFINITY brand and also provides these services to businesses. NBCUniversal operates 30 news, entertainment and sports cable networks, the NBC and Telemundo broadcast networks, television production operations, television station groups, Universal Pictures and Universal Parks and Resorts. Visit http://www.comcastcorporation.com for more information.
Kristen McKiernan, The Arc of the United States, +1 (202) 534-3712, [email protected]
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