September, 2007 Technology and Disability Highlights
Volume: 7.08 September, 2007
Other Available Formats
Contents:
- Overview
- Legislative / Policy Activities
- Regulatory Activities
- Reports / Studies / Publications
- Other Activities and Items of Interest
- RERC Updates
- Upcoming Events
Overview
The Minority Serving Institution Digital and Wireless Technology Opportunity Act of 2007 [H.R. 694] was passed in the house this month and is intended to provide an enhanced educational experience though the use of digital and wireless networking technologies to improve the quality and delivery of educational services. The Community Connect Broadband Grant Program (Program), administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, finalized the Program’s rules increasing the number of communities eligible for funding to receive grants for build-out of broadband infrastructure.
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) certified two companies that provide Video Relay Services (VRS) and Internet protocol relay (IP relay) services as eligible to receive compensation from the Interstate Telecommunications Relay Service Fund. The Commercial Mobile Service Alert Advisory Committee (CMSAAC) is winding down their year long process and preparing to submit their final recommendations to the Commission regarding mobile service providers electing to transmit emergency alerts to their subscribers.
Legislative / Policy Activities
No Opposition to Community Connect Broadband Grant Program’s Revised Rules
09.17.2007 – The Rural Utilities Service (RUS), an agency delivering the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development Utilities Programs like the Community Connect Broadband Grant Program (Program), published in the Federal Register that they received no adverse comments regarding amendments to regulations to update eligibility criteria for the Program, therefore confirming the effective date of the direct final rule. The revisions were designed to increase the number of communities eligible for grant funding. The test for economic hardship no longer compares an applicant community’s per capita personal income to the national per capita personal income; it was resolved that a better quantifying yardstick would be a comparison of the applicant community’s median household income to that of its state. Other modifications to the program regulations expand the resource material used to identify eligible communities. Expanding the scope of eligible communities to receive investment capital for build-out of broadband infrastructure reaffirms the RUS agency’s commitment to ensuring access to affordable, reliable advanced communications services. Broadband deployment to underserved areas, ultimately reaches underserved populations, as well as people with disabilities and low-income families.
[Source: Federal Register]
[http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20071800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2007/E7-18272.htm]
Wireless Technology and Education Meet to Provide Greater Opportunity
09.04.2007 – The Minority Serving Institution Digital and Wireless Technology Opportunity Act of 2007 [H.R. 694] passed in the House by roll call vote with 331 ayes, 59 nays and 42 present/not voting. The Act’s purpose is to establish a Minority Serving Institution Digital and Wireless Technology Opportunity grant program to assist eligible institutions in acquiring and augmenting their use of digital and wireless networking technologies to improve the quality and delivery of educational services. Funds may be used to purchase hardware, software, network technology and infrastructure build-out; provide training, education and professional development for students, faculty and staff; to obtain capacity building technical assistance, and more.
[Source: Library of Congress]
[http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/D?c110:7:./temp/~c110WNoTOZ::]
Commercial Mobile Service Alert Advisory Committee Update
09.19.2007 – At the FCC’s CMSAAC meeting on September 19, 2007 the Committee scheduled their final meeting for Wednesday, October 3, 2007 when they will vote on the technical recommendations for mobile service providers electing to transmit emergency alerts to their subscribers. The CMSAAC has been drafting technical standards, protocols, procedures and requirements for just under a year and are expected to successfully meet the October 12, 2007 deadline imposed by the Warning Alert and Response Network Act (WARN Act) passed in Congress in the Fall of 2006. The Act’s purpose is to establish a unified national alert system that incorporates a wide variety of media, including wireless telecommunications, for delivering alerts to multiple forms of technology (also, including wireless handsets), and contains mechanisms for ensuring access to alerts by people with disabilities. The meeting materials and transcript from the September 19th meeting have yet to be posted online, however some of the recommendations revealed during the webcast are as follows: (1) Text on handsets will display alert elements in order of, what, where (area), action to take, expire time and sender, (2) warnings will be distributed on a county wide basis for now (geo-specific warnings require further study), (3) messages will contain different language codes (codes to be determined), and (4) alert tones are EAS tones with cadence (vibration) in on off sequence. The Commission intends to issue a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking based on the CMSAAC recommendation and FCC staff study subsequent to their receipt of the final report.
[Source: FCC]
[http://www.fcc.gov/pshs/cmsaac/Welcome.html]
New Forms of TRS Eligible for Compensation from the TRS Fund
09.21.2007 - The Commission certified two providers of Internet protocol relay and (IP Relay) and Video Relay Service (VRS), as eligible to receive compensation from the Interstate Telecommunications Relay Service Fund (TRS Fund). Both CSDVRS, LLC and Hawk Relay, LLC will be able to recover the costs of providing TRS, a vital service to the Deaf, hard of hearing and speech impaired community; and for Hawk Relay, the Deaf Blind community, as well, with their innovative Deaf Blind Relay Service (DBRS) that employs the use of communication facilitators. Prior to the advent of IP Relay and VRS, TRS required users to purchase a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) also known as a teletypewriter (TTY). Whereas now the service can be accessed through the use of a personal computer or mobile device providing consumers with more choice with regard to the type of service they use, as well as the device they employ to access the service.
[Source: FCC & Hawk Relay, LLC]
[http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-07-3998A1.doc]
Regulatory Activities
DTV Consumer Transmission Eligible for Compensation from the TRS Fund
09.21.2007 - The Commission certified two providers of Internet protocol relay and (IP Relay) and Video Relay Service (VRS), as eligible to receive compensation from the Interstate Telecommunications Relay Service Fund (TRS Fund). Both CSDVRS, LLC and Hawk Relay, LLC will be able to recover the costs of providing TRS, a vital service to the Deaf, hard of hearing and speech impaired community; and for Hawk Relay, the Deaf Blind community, as well, with their innovative Deaf Blind Relay Service (DBRS) that employs the use of communication facilitators. Prior to the advent of IP Relay and VRS, TRS required users to purchase a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) also known as a teletypewriter (TTY). Whereas now the service can be accessed through the use of a personal computer or mobile device providing consumers with more choice with regard to the type of service they use, as well as the device they employ to access the service.
[Source: FCC & Hawk Relay, LLC]
[http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-07-3998A1.doc]
Reports/Studies/Publications
DTV Consumer Education Initiative Faces Many New Challenges
09.19.2007 – The Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a report “Testimony Before the Senate Special Committee on Aging,” including a statement of Mark L. Goldstein, Director, Physical Infrastructure Issues, concerning the digital television (DTV) transition consumer education initiative. The report concludes that there are still many challenges that organizers of the consumer education campaign need to settle in order to ensure that consumers will have access to the digital broadcast signal when analog sets go dark in February 2009. According to the report, challenges include earmarking resources to target the right audience, consumer education, reaching underserved populations and coordinating stakeholders for a concerted effort. “Overall, a challenge of consumer education is that those households in need of taking action may be the least likely to be aware of the transition,” reads the testimony regarding reaching underserved populations: e.g., people with disabilities, senior citizens, non-English speaking households and people living in rural communities. The report acknowledges the need to provide DTV transition information to consumers in a wide variety of formats, including text, video, voice and Braille; and to use multiple avenues to reach them. Whereas currently, many groups are reaching out to consumers only via the Internet.
[Source: GAO]
[http://www.gao.gov/htext/d071248t.html]
Forum Highlights: Modernizing Federal Disability Policy
09.01.2007 – The GAO convened a forum “Modernizing Federal Disability Policy” to address why the largest federal disability programs have not kept up with the societal, economic, medical, and technological changes taking place that have afforded people with disabilities heightened inclusion and independence in mainstream society. The forum report highlights what participants’ believed to be working well and what should be improved in federal disability programs. Notably, assistive technologies were acknowledged as successful in facilitating people with disabilities in the workplace. Also, collaborative research demonstration projects received high marks for making an impact in the disability community. However, participants’ felt that increased emphasis on public-private partnerships is needed to coordinate and maintain high value, mutually beneficial services for people with disabilities.
[Source: GAO]
[http://www.gao.gov/htext/d07934sp.html]
Other Activities and Items of Interest
AT&T Awards $20,000 Grant to Improve Access to Technology
09.13.2007 – The AT&T Foundation, AT&T Tennessee and the Community Technology Center’s Network (CTCNet) granted the East Tennessee Technology Access Center (ETTAC) $20,000 to upgrade technology services and capacity to benefit people with disabilities at the Community Technology Center in Knoxville. The cash grant comes with an educational component that bequests ETTAC with 30 hours of technical assistance from the Alliance for Technology Access (ATA) to assist ETTAC leadership with selecting the appropriate assistive technologies, services and curricula. ETTAC is one of fourteen community technology centers that receives funds from the $1 million grant to CTCNet.
[Source: AT&T Foundation]
Grant Program: Integrating Wireless Technology into Education Delivery
09.12.2007 – The AT&T Foundation will award one-time, wireless technology grants ranging from $2500 - $25,000 to help non-profits deliver educational content and create learning opportunities in the communities they serve. Grant proposals must be received no later than October 19, 2007. For more information on submission guidelines visit: [www.att.com/foundation].
National Expert on Disability Rights Nominated for the Office of Disability Rights
09.12.2007 – Washington, D.C. Mayor Adrian M. Fenty nominated Eve Hill as director of the new D.C. Office of Disability Rights (ODR). Hill served as executive director of the Disability Rights Legal Center (DRLC), an advocacy organization, for nearly 10 years. Prior to joining DRLC, Hill worked as an attorney with the Disability Rights Section of the U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division where she assisted state governments in amending codes to achieve American with Disabilities (ADA) Act equivalency, investigated and practiced disability rights enforcement and created the ADA Mediation Program. Hill also taught Disability Rights Law and Special Education Law at Loyola Law School. The disability community and the DC Council collaborated to create ODR and Mayor Fenty introduced the bill to form the office while on the city council. ODR is responsible for ensuring that the District Government abides by the guidelines set forth in the federal ADA Act and other disability rights laws.
[Source: District of Columbia, Mayor’s Office]
[http://dc.gov/mayor/news/release.asp?id=1149&mon=200709]
Provider of Assistive Technology Receives Award
09.19.2007 – Dinah F. B. Cohen, Director of the Computer/Electronic Accommodations Program (CAP) at the U.S. Department of Defense, received the Service to America Medal (SAMMIES) for her work in leading the world’s largest assistive technology program. CAP has filled more than 60,000 accommodations requests for federal employees with disabilities since it’s inception in 1990. CAP buys, pays for and delivers hardware, software and services people with disabilities need to remove barriers to employment. The program mitigates both the cost prohibitive and technological complexity of providing assistive technologies in the workplace.
[Source: Service to America Medals]
[http://servicetoamericamedals.org/SAM/recipients/profiles/csm07_cohen.shtml]
Speech Recognition Software for Bluetooth Headsets
09.18.2007 – Sensory, Inc. released the speech recognition software that makes mobile devices paired with a Bluetooth headset accessible to people who are Blind or have low vision, and people with limited manual dexterity (Bluetooth headsets have notoriously tiny buttons and mobile devices in general follow the trend of being small and lightweight). Voice activated features include initial device pairing, call control and dialing, battery level and connection checks, audio settings adjustment, playback and control of music, real-time voice prompts and confirmations, and a customizable user interface.
[Source: Sensory, Inc.]
[http://www.sensoryinc.com/company/pr07_04.html]
Visual Voicemail Interoperable with All Major U.S. Carriers
09.20.2007 - Simulscribe’s voicemail-to-text service converts voicemail messages into text messages and sends them to mobile phones, blackberries, Goodlink enabled phones and/or e-mail accounts and is interoperable with more than 50 U.S carriers and networks including Alltel, Sprint, AT&T, Skype, T-Mobile and Verizon. Similar to the Spin-my-Vmail service provided by SpinVox (see May 2007 Issue of TDPH), both services provide voicemail accessibility to people who are Deaf or hard of hearing (HoH) because not only are voicemails transcribed, but users of the service can reply with a text message, as well. Simulscribe’s service, however, offers voicemail box unification, meaning the subscriber can have their mobile, home and work numbers’ voicemails sent to one inbox with unlimited voicemail storage. Though Simulscribe did not design this service specifically to enable accessibility of voicemail for the Deaf/HoH community, this is an instance where the trend to simplify and update an existing technology has a direct benefit to people of all abilities.
[Source: Simulscribe]
[http://www.simulscribe.com/products_index.php]
RERC Updates
Student Project Ideas Published
The Wireless RERC provides opportunities for advanced-level research training on accessibility and usability of mobile wireless technologies by people with disabilities. A new opportunity includes student project ideas in a variety of fields related to wireless engineering and disability. Students are frequently not aware of the current needs of different user populations and they have little access to domain experts or to disabled users that can impact their designs and projects. The Wireless RERC maintains a list of student projects linked to specific researchers interested in working with students. Students can find out about relevant projects, and be linked up with an expert who can guide their work and can make sure that user-centered design practices are used. The results are student research projects that are useful and relevant to the communities they are meant to help.
These projects typically fall into the domain of computer science (CS), human-computer interaction (HCI), psychology (PSYCH) and Public Policy (PP). While most of the projects could be approached with any of these disciplines in mind, many are more suited to a particular area. Therefore, each project is marked with the domains that it is most suited for. To view a complete list of projects visit [www.wirelessrerc.org] and go to the “For Students” section. If you are a researcher in rehabilitation or accessibility and would like to submit a project idea, please send an email to: [Maribeth@imtc.gatech.edu].
Upcoming Events
8th NCTI Technology Innovators Conference
The National Center for Technology Innovation (NCTI) will bring together innovators, researchers, entrepreneurs and policymakers for the 8th NCTI Technology Innovators Conference in Washington, DC on November 15-16, 2007. Session topics include Trends in Wireless and Portable Assistive Technology and Commercialization: From Research to Market Reality. Participants will have the opportunity to network with venture capitalists, public and private grant makers, and public policymakers as they examine ways to establish R&D priorities, shape the market, increase product demand, and monetize innovation. There will also be a Technology Expo. For more information and to register visit:
[http://www.nationaltechcenter.org/]
CTIA Wireless I.T. & Entertainment 2007
CTIA WIRELESS I.T. & Entertainment 2007 will take place in San Francisco’s Moscone Center on October 23-25, 2007, and brings together audiences such as enterprise users, solution providers, content owners and mobile distribution channels together to form strategic partnerships, service industry needs and create new innovations in wireless data. For more information and to register visit [http://www.wirelessit.com/].
IDEAS 2007
IDEAS 2007 is the federal government’s annual conference on Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1998, presented by the General Services Administration (GSA). This event will take place October 31 – November 1, 2007 at the Washington, DC Convention Center. The Act requires Federal agencies to make their electronic and information technology (ENIT) accessible to people with disabilities. Section 508 was enacted to abolish barriers to ENIT, create new opportunities for people with disabilities, and to promote the development of technologies that will facilitate the achievement of these goals. For more information and to register visit [http://www.ideas508.com/].
Information Communication Technologies (ICT) Study Group
The Center for Advanced Communications Policy and the Internet and Public Policy Project located at Georgia Tech’s School of Public Policy (SPP) is hosting an ICT Study Group session titled “Accessibility in Municipal Wireless Networks: System Implementation and Policy Considerations” on Tuesday, October 2, 2007. The ICT Study Group conducts, synthesizes and disseminates multi-disciplinary research, sponsors periodic forums and speakers, and provides objective analysis for current policy debates. The talks are open to all. For more information on this and forthcoming ICT Study Group sessions in the series visit [http://www.cacp.gatech.edu/docs/ICTFlyer11-2.doc].
Tutorial on Wearable Computing for Persons with Disabilities
This half-day tutorial will take place at the IEEE International Symposium on Wearable Computers, October 11-13, 2007 in Boston, MA. The goal of this tutorial is to provide attendees with a survey of issues related to wearable computing for persons with disabilities. Topics to be covered will include a discussion of why accessibility and universal design are important, along with information on current accessibility techniques and relevant legislation. The research activities of the Wireless Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center (RERC), which focuses on wireless and mobile devices for people with disabilities, will be summarized. There will also be a detailed look at previous wearable research in the disability domain. The process of designing a wearable system for persons with disabilities will be discussed along with relevant case studies that illustrate some of the unique challenges in this type of research. A set of guidelines and tips drawn from the experiences of experts in several domains will help the attendees prepare to perform user centered design projects with populations of users with disabilities. Lastly, the tutorial will focus on the future directions that wearable computing for disabilities can take with the goal of motivating attendees to consider these issues while carrying out their research. The intended audience for this tutorial includes researchers and developers in wearable or mobile computing who are interested in learning more about how their work can aid those with disabilities. However, a high level of technical knowledge will not be necessary to benefit from this tutorial. For more information about this event and to register visit [http://www.iswc.net/].
WEC Files Comments Regarding Service Rules for Public Safety Spectrum
ASSETS 2008
