San Diego, California – September
1, 2001 – Today Pangea Foundation
announced that it has been awarded $300,000 by
CommerceNet to accelerate the development efforts
of its Abilities Networks Web platform.
Abilities Networks is a comprehensive program
to research, design, and implement information
technologies aimed at ensuring the participation
of people with disabilities in the digital economy.
This initiative uses the Next Generation Internet
to create a series of online information management
tools and assistive technology applications that
enhance Internet capabilities for people with
disabilities. Abilities Networks provide a framework
for community organizations, government agencies,
businesses, educational institutions and other
public entities to meet important national goals
related to developing accessible Web applications.
According to Kristin Berry, Founder and Executive
Director of Pangea Foundation, “The goal
of Abilities Networks is to accelerate the development
and implementation of information technologies
that are accessible to all users, including people
with and without disabilities.”
The grant to Pangea Foundation is one of nine
grants being awarded by CommerceNet to California-based
businesses, foundations, and organizations. Combined,
CommerceNet has awarded more than $2 million to
these organizations to further the advancement
of the Next Generation Internet. The grants were
awarded based on the application’s ability
to benefit individual industry sectors, influence
the growth of the digital economy, increase corporate
productivity, improve competitiveness and innovation,
and enable the use of emerging Next Generation
Internet-enabled technologies by non-high-technology
industries.
About Pangea Foundation
Pangea Foundation was created with one goal in
mind: To bring state-of-the-art technology to
community organizations. These groups are historically
among the last to receive breakthrough technologies.
Our goal is to change that. Since its inception
in 1996, Pangea Foundation has been developing
solutions that ensure all segments of the community
enjoy the vast benefits of technology, particularly
those underserved by traditional institutions.
We work closely with community organizations to
implement technology solutions that strengthen
their efforts to serve their communities. For
more information, please visit www.pangeafoundation.org.
About CommerceNet
CommerceNet is a global, not-for-profit organization
of leading business, government, technology
and academic minds working together on the
advancement of eCommerce worldwide. As guided
by its partners and sponsors, CommerceNet
focuses on Evolving Supply Chains and the
Next Generation Internet. In these areas CommerceNet
is developing important new technologies and
practices that will chart the course for the
way companies conduct business. Learn more
about CommerceNet at www.commerce.net.
