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October 2008 Technology and Disability Highlights

Volume: 8.09 October, 2008

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Contents:

Overview

Legislative and regulatory activity slowed down a bit during October in anticipation of the 2008 Presidential election.  A key piece of legislation, the Broadband Data Improvement Act [Public Law No. 110-385] was signed into law this past month.  The Act seeks to improve broadband deployment throughout the nation, especially in underserved areas by advancing federal data collection efforts to inform subsequent legislation and regulatory rulemakings.  In addition, the law has the aim of enhancing economic development, furthering public safety in communities, improving health care and educational opportunities, and providing a better quality of life for all Americans through more comprehensive deployment of broadband services.


The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has implemented the New and Emerging Technologies 911 Improvement Act [Public Law No. 110-283] with the adoption of a Report and Order putting the law into effect.  The Act provides the FCC with statutory authority to impose 911 and Enhanced 911 (E-911) mandates on interconnected voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) carriers.  Also this month the FCC released a report suggesting the potential use of “white spaces,” or unused portions of the broadcast spectrum, for free broadband Internet services.


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Legislative Activities

Broadband Data Improvement Act Signed into Law

10.13.2008 – The Broadband Data Improvement Act [Public Law No. 110-385] was signed into law by the President this past month.  The new law directs the FCC to conduct annual studies into the deployment of advanced telecommunications services throughout the nation, thus improving national data collection efforts.  The Act also directs the Census Bureau to include a question on the American Community Survey (ACS) to assess residential computer use and broadband internet subscribership, and it directs the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to design metrics that can inform consumers of actual broadband connection costs and capability.  Gathering accurate and detailed data will allow for better assessment to target underserved areas and improve the process for comparing broadband penetration in the United States with other countries.  In addition, the new legislation aims to secure the competitiveness of the United States and the proliferation of the benefits of broadband technology such as “enhanced economic development and public safety for communities across the Nation, improved health care and educational opportunities, and a better quality of life for all Americans.”



Additional Information:


[Sources:  Library of Congress]

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Regulatory Activities

NET 911 Act Implemented by FCC

10.21.2008 – The FCC issued a Report & Order (FCC 08-249) that implements the New and Emerging Technologies 911 Improvement Act of 2008 (NET 911 Act) [Public Law No. 110-283].  This new law provides the FCC with statutory authority to impose 911 and Enhanced 911 (E-911) mandates on interconnected voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) carriers.  Prior to the passage of the law, the FCC passed its rulings in the absence of such a mandate.  But the new Act amends the Communications Act to require VoIP carriers to provide 911 and E-911 services to customers, in accordance with FCC regulations.  The legislation and subsequent Commission rulemakings will help ensure that all Americans, regardless of the type of telecommunications service they use, will have access to reliable emergency services.


Despite action to implement the NET 911 Act, FCC Chairman Kevin Martin has expressed his own concerns that the law may not go far enough to meet the needs of mobile VoIP phone users who might roam outside their service providers’ footprint.  Martin has suggested that more effective rules would also take into account “last known cell” information that could be passed onto emergency operators and local public safety officials.


Additional Information:

[Source:  FCC]


USF Needs to Be Expanded to Include Broadband, Group Contends

10.07.2008 – The Computer and Communications Industry Association (CCIA) recently filed a petition with the FCC, asking the Commission to consider a rulemaking proceeding to expand the definition of universal service to provide Lifeline and Link-Up support for low-income consumers’ access to broadband services.  The Lifeline and Link-Up programs are part of the FCC’s Universal Service Fund (USF) programs that subsidize telecommunications services for low-income consumers throughout the nation.  In its petition, the CCIA noted that there is a national interest for improving broadband subscription rates among low-income Americans, but that the FCC’s USF programs still do not permit this group to obtain discounted broadband access.


The CCIA’s petition comes as the FCC has recently released a report concluding that the use of empty airwaves in the broadcast spectrum, called “white spaces,” for services such as free Internet would not cause interference for surrounding services.  The FCC has suggested that it might open up the white spaces in the coming months for such applications.  Meanwhile, the major wireless carriers, such as T-Mobile, Verizon, and AT&T have countered that using this spectrum will, in fact, interfere with their own broadband services operating in the adjacent spectrum.  While it is unclear that the FCC will take up the CCIA’s suggestion, the provision of white spaces for free broadband services may help to serve those constituents, including people with disabilities, who rely on subsidies for other telecommunications services.


Additional Information:


[Sources: FCC, CCIA, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal]

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Other Items of Interest

Advocate for People with Disabilities, IT Access Honored in Florida

10.05.2008 – Carlos Montas of Miami, Florida, was honored by Gov. Charlie Crist as that state’s weekly “Point of Light” for outstanding volunteerism in honor of National Hispanic Heritage Month.  Montas is an advocate for people with disabilities who helped to draft language for the state’s Accessible Electronic Information Technology bill that was later signed into law as part of efforts to improve the accessibility of information to people with disabilities.  Montas also serves on the Governor’s Commission on Disabilities.  He has been a mentor for the Hispanic community. While a student at Florida State University, he served the Student Government Association as the Deputy Secretary of Disabled Affairs. He also co-founded the Association for Creating Community Equality for Seminole Students (ACCESS) and served as the Tallahassee chapter president for the National Federation of the Blind (NFB).


Additional Information:

[Source: Government Technology]


ITIF Report Spotlights Benefits of IT Revolution on Lives of People with Disabilities

10.03.2008 – The Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF) released a report, entitled “Digital Quality of Life: Understanding the Personal Benefits and Social Benefits of the Information Technology Revolution,” that spotlights the role of information technology in improving the lives of people with disabilities, among other things.  Chapter 7 of the report, “Accessibility for People with Disabilities,” discusses the role of what author Daniel D. Castro terms “assistive technology,” “adaptive technology,” and “accessible technology,” in meeting a wide variety of needs, ranging from text-to-speech conversion to electronic voting.  Despite the potential of such technologies to overcome a number of physical and social barriers to full inclusion, Castro cites the problems of high prices for a population that tends to be “generally poorer and has a higher rate of unemployment than the general population” as one problem that must be overcome.  He also notes a need for designers to better consider the needs of people with disabilities when designing such technologies.


In addition to considering people with disabilities specifically, the report also engages other areas of related interest, such as health care, personal safety, and public policy to address the digital divide and general accessibility of information technology.


Additional Information


[Source: ITIF]

Sprint Nextel Expands Hearing-Impaired Cellular Service

10.20.2008 – As part of an effort to expand its services for hearing-impaired customers, Sprint Nextel has launched a new captioning service.  Sprint WebCapTel On the Go is a free mobile, Web-based service that displays word-for-word captions on devices with Windows Mobile 6 web browsers.  The application will run on devices such as the HTC Diamond and Mogul, Palm Treo 800w, and the Motorola MOTO Q9c.  Sprint notes that the service will work with either Windows Mobile 6 or Apple Safari Web.


WebCapTel On the Go permits customers to make calls by using two phones, one for reading the captions, while speaking and listening is done on the other handset. This new service is an upgraded and more portable version of Sprint’s existing WebCapTel product.  The original version did not work on two handsets; a customer had to read the captions on a computer with a Web browser. To launch the captions for the On the Go service, users must log on to [http://www.sprintcaptel.com] on one of their phones before making a call.


Additional Information:

[Source: RCR Wireless]


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Wireless RERC Updates

RERC Participates in European Commission Ministerial Conference

10.20.2008 - The European Commission, Directorate-General Information Society and Media, ICT for Inclusion, is hosting the “European Ministerial e-Inclusion Conference” in Vienna, Austria, at the end of November. This “personal invitation only” event brings together European Ministers and select delegates to discuss inclusive technology, measure progress on e-accessibility environments, and share insights on leading edge initiatives. Dr. Helena Mitchell, Executive Director of CACP and co-Principal Investigator of the Wireless RERC, has been invited as an invitational delegate to the conference. In particular she will be involved with the sessions that address policies and practices that need to be undertaken to ensure a global inclusion information society; how users and industry are working together to design accessible devices; and how to sustain accessible ICT as the norm rather than the exception. In 2004, CACP provided the Directorate-General, Elderly and People with Disabilities Unit, with a report on U.S. wireless policy and people with disabilities.  This is the first event since then to readdress issues that were raised on a global level regarding ICT and accessibility.


Save the Date!  Wireless RERC State of the Technology Conference Planning Underway

9.18.2008 – The Wireless Emergency Communications State of the Technology (SOT) Conference has been scheduled for September 21-23, 2009 in Atlanta, Georgia.  This event will bring together stakeholders in a think tank environment to examine the potential of wireless communications technology for improving support and assistance for persons with disabilities before, during and after a natural or manmade disaster.
 
The Wireless RERC is currently seeking input on the selection of important topics and potential speakers for plenary sessions and workshops.  The target audience is the wireless industry, emergency management and public safety officials, broadcast and cable industry, individuals with disabilities, disability organizations, and researchers working on issues of emergency communications.   

For further information and/or to submit recommendations contact:

Salimah LaForce

Conference Coordinator

404-894-8297 (office)

404-791-9692 (mobile)

Wireless RERC Project Awarded Supplemental Funding

9.26.2008 – The WEC project received additional funding from NIDRR to field test the accessibility provisions of the FCC’s Commercial Mobile Alert System (CMAS).  WEC will specifically address the new CMAS rules which will require that: (1) CMAS messages have a limit of 90 characters, (2) not permit URL’s, (3) have volume limits, employ specific vibrating cadences and alert tones, etc.  Other areas which WEC believes are most relevant in another field test examination are: (1) Relationship between CMAS and the Emergency Alert System (EAS); (2) Alert Classifications; (3) Standardized alert messages; (4) Geo-targeting CMAS alerts; and (4) Notification to existing subscribers, millions of which are people with disabilities.  This work plan will provide important information to help guide CMAS rulemakings regarding individuals with disabilities.

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Upcoming Events

10th Georgia Digital Government Summit

The 10th Georgia Digital Government Summit will be held in Atlanta, Georgia on November 20-21, 2008.  Session topics include new technologies, digital government trends, security, green IT, document management and Web 2.0.


Additional Information:

10th Georgia Digital Government Summit

[http://www.govtech.com/events/georgiadgs2008]


2008 Technology Expo

The 2008 National Center for Technology Innovation (NCTI) Conference will be held in Washington, DC, on November 20-21, 2008.  Topics include global computing, gaming, distance learning, assistive technologies and public/private partnerships.


Additional Information:

DTV Transition

On February 17, 2008, all full-power broadcast television stations in the United States will stop broadcasting on analog airwaves and begin broadcasting only in digital.


Additional Information:


i-CREATe 2009

The Third International Convention on Rehabilitation Engineering & Assistive Technology (iCREATe) 2009 will be held in Singapore, April 22-26, 2009.  The convention promotes aging and disability technologies.  This year’s theme is “Accessible Tourism” centered around universal design and assistive technologies introduced in the environment.  The convention includes a three day exhibition and a student design challenge.


Additional Information:

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Technology and Disability Policy Highlights reports on national and local public policy events and recent wireless technological advances and political activities; and tracks emerging issues of interest to individuals with disabilities. Technology and Disability Policy Highlights is published monthly by the Wireless RERC. The Wireless RERC is a research center promotes universal access to wireless technologies and explores their innovative applications in addressing the needs of people with disabilities.

For further information on items summarized in this report, or if you have items of interest that you would like included in future editions, please contact this edition’s editor, Nathan W. Moon [nathan.moon@cacp.gatech.edu] or Paul M.A. Baker, Ph.D., AICP, CACP Director of Research [paul.baker@cacp.gatech.edu].

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