ITU Telecom World 2009 In Review SPECIAL SESSIONS SpS.1 - ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY: ACCESSIBILITY AND E-HEALTH Although innovative technologies have provided substantial benefits to modern society, a large number of people have difficulty in accessing the benefits of ICTs due to a lack of accessibility features. This session sought to discuss the current trends, status and future evolution of accessible ICTs and greater ac-cess to e- health through assistive technologies. By making ICTs and e-health more accessible through assistive technologies, persons with disabilities (both temporary and permanent) and older persons with age related disabilities would be able to achieve greater independence at all levels in their daily lives. This also included women who if disabled in the developing world are the last to be helped and educated. This session provided a platform to share experi-ences and best practices. For the development of accessible ICTs including suggested polices, strate-gies and services that could improve the lives of persons with varying disabili-ties from all walks of life. Key questions: –– What are the key issues when implementing ‘assistive technology solu-tions’ for people with disabilities in developing countries? –– What can be done to create an effective policy framework to ensure inclu-sion of people with special needs to benefit from the knowledge society? –– Why do industry and governments need to consider Accessibility to as-sistive technology and ICT’s as a priority and invest in that? –– Given the complexity of the issues at hand, how can governments de-velop effective policies covering all the aspects of the ICT accessibility agenda of the Convention? –– How do we send clear messages to industry in order to push them to finally consider Accessibility as a priority and invest on that; and how do 143 Forum Summary Report