NIC hosts accessibility event

North Idaho College will host its third annual Pave the Way to Global Accessibility Awareness Day today.

The free event is open to the public and will run from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Lake Coeur d’Alene Room in the Edminster Student Union Building on NIC’s main campus in Coeur d’Alene.

The event hosts informational exhibits that showcase accessibility solutions and technology available at NIC, including braille embossing, 3D printing for accessibility, disability simulator and virtual reality tools and resources.

Exhibitors include the Idaho Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired, Coeur d’Alene public Library and artificial vision technology company OrCam.

NIC Accessibility Coordinator and event organizer Jeremy Seda said the hands-on event encourages attendees to engage with accessibility resources and tools.

“Accessibility is something that we see and use in our everyday lives without realizing it,” Seda said. “These exhibits will show you just how prevalent accessibility can be and how important it is, even to those without disabilities.”

The annual event is a precursor to the Global Accessibility Awareness Day, which is observed the third Thursday in May to raise awareness on how to make the internet available to people with different disabilities and why it is important. Global Accessibility Awareness Day is May 19 this year.