Google celebrated the Dec. 3 UN International Day of Persons with Disabilities with three new grants that total to $2.95 million and hearing from the members of its Disability Alliance.

These grants will make it possible for Isse Shapiro, an Israeli NGO to distribute an app called Sesame, that lets mobility-impaired people control a smartphone with their head movements; Wheelmap of Germany will globally expand its accessibility mapping and the Royal London Society for Blind People will develop Wayfindr, the project that helps those who are blind, "navigate the London underground."

A backstory of the IDPD on United Nations' site said the commemoration of the day started in 1992 "to promote awareness and mobilize support for critical issues relating to the inclusion of persons with disabilities in society and development.

The Day works to promote action to raise awareness about disability issues and draw attention to the benefits of an inclusive and accessible society for all."

This year's theme is "Inclusion matters: access and empowerment for people of all abilities."

The Internet search firm launched earlier this year its global project, "Google Impact Challenge: Disabilities," an initiative of the Google.org to put up "$20 million in nonprofits who are using technology to make the world more accessible for the 1 billion people living with disabilities."

As part of Google's commemoration of the IDPD, Google.org Director Jacquelline Fuller posted on the firm's official blog, some people from their Disability Alliance who shared what they are working on.

Associate Product Marketing Manager Aubrie Lee in Mountain View, said she spent most of her life as the minority, just like other disabled people. She wanted to create the feeling of being in the majority for other people with disabilities. She initiated Googler Disability Community which works on changing Google's workplace and environment systems to be truly inclusive.

Google Disability Alliance Member in London, Technical Program Manager Kiran Kaja, who is blind from birth, is working on the company's Text to Speech team in developing tech that can "talk to people with disabilities."

He is likewise helping enhance eyes-free voice action on Android not only for people with low vision to be able to do tasks by talking to their smartphone but also for those who are busy with other tasks like caring for an infant, cooking or driving.

Accessibility and inclusion advocate and Language Market Manager in São Paulo, Pablo Pacca, is in charge to ensure Google's products are "translated well into Brazilian Portuguese for the 180+ million Brazilians who don't speak English." He helps educate Googlers in People with Disabilities, Brazil, to "foster a more accessible office space and inclusive work environment across the company."

Google Disability Alliance member, Mountain View, California-based Legal Analytics Specialist Paul Herzlich, who uses a wheelchair due to an injury to his spinal cord, is working with others to develop a technology called SmartSeat, a device that informs a wheelchair user if he is sitting in the same position for too long via sensors that connect to a mobile app.