November 2008 Technology and Disability Highlights
Volume: 8.10 November, 2008
Other Available Formats
Contents:
- Overview
- Legislative Activities
- Regulatory Activities
- Other Items of Interest
- Wireless RERC Updates
- Upcoming Events
Overview
Legislative and policy activities slowed somewhat during the month of November, as national attention was directed toward the 2008 Presidential election. In this month’s issue of the TDPH, we highlight several developments related to the election and impending changes in the national government. Among them, the Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities (CCD) issued a report that discussed some key priorities regarding telecommunications and technology for people with disabilities in preparation for the presidential transition and 111th Congress. In addition, several National Public Radio (NPR) affiliates, in collaboration with key research partners, hosted a historic test of captioned radio on election night. The successful event anticipates the possibility that deaf and hard of hearing individuals might be able to participate more fully in receiving radio broadcasts in future.
Other developments were directed mainly at the pending digital television (DTV) transition, now less than three months away. The Senate unanimously passed a bill that would extend analog broadcasts for 30 days after the DTV deadline on February 19, 2009. The broadcasts would enable those who failed to make the transition successfully to receive important public safety announcements and information on the steps required to receive DTV programming. In addition, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) adopted a rule making to clarify closed captioning rules for DTV. Finally, the American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) undertook an evaluation of DTV converter box accessibility for the blind and individuals with visual impairments.
Legislative Activities
Bill to Extend Analog Broadcasts for One Month Passed in Senate
November 20, 2008 – The Senate unanimously passed the “Short-term Analog Flash and Emergency Readiness Act” [S. 3663]. Sponsored by Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D-WV) and Sen. Byron Dorgan (D-ND), the bill would provide a short-term extension of analog television broadcasting in order to provide crucial public safety announcements and information on the digital television (DTV) transition. The 30-day extension is designed for the benefit of those individuals who failed to successfully make the transition from analog to digital television reception, in order to provide them with crucial emergency information during that time and inform them of the steps they will need to take in order to receive television programming again.
Sen. Rockefeller explained that he introduced the bill out of a
belief that the nation was still not completely ready to make the
transition to digital broadcasting on February 19, 2009, and that a
stop-gap measure was needed to deal with possible consumer confusion
associated with the DTV transition. A similar bill has also been
introduced in the House, but it has not yet been up for a vote.
Additional Information:
[Source: Library of Congress]
Disability Policy Recommendations Released for Presidential Transition and 111th Congress
November 17, 2008 – The Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities (CCD) has released a report entitled “Disability Policy Recommendations for Presidential Transition and 111th Congress,” in anticipation of the upcoming changes in the leadership of the federal government. Founded in 1973, the CCD is a coalition of over 100 national consumer, advocacy, provider, and professional organizations that works to advocate for “federal disability policy that ensures the self determination, independence, empowerment, productivity, integration, and inclusion of children and adults with disabilities in all aspects of society.”
The report, which is organized alphabetically by topic, contains a
section on telecommunications and technology policy. The CCD
notes that federal statutes with technology provisions for people with
disabilities “have not been fully appropriated or implemented, or need
revision and updating in light of new technologies or medical coding
practices.” The Coalition also contends that “policies that act
as barriers to accessible, usable, and affordable technology for people
with disabilities must be removed.” In line with this broad
position, the CCD has identified 16 specific priorities it believes
legislators and policymakers should consider. Among the most
important considerations are the transport of assistive technology (AT)
in emergency planning and response protocols, reimbursement plans for
lost or damaged AT as part of emergency relief packages, and the
incorporation of the technology needs of people with disabilities in
training for federally-funded agencies and first responders.
Additional Information:
[Source: Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities]
Regulatory Activities
Closed Captioning Rulemaking for DTV Released by FCC
November 07, 2008 – The FCC adopted and released a Declaratory Ruling, Order, and Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (FCC 08-255) regarding the closed captioning of DTV for the benefit of all Americans, including those who are deaf and hard of hearing. In the Declaratory Ruling, the FCC clarified a number of points related to the obligations of video programming distributors to provide closed captioned digital programming under Section 713 of the Communications Act. In particular, the Commission ruled that, barring a specific exemption, all digital programming, including high definition (HD) programming, must be captioned according to the benchmarks for that type of programming. There is no “digital exemption” to the obligation to caption digital programming.
In its Order, the FCC amended its rules to provide for more
efficient complaint processes and methods for consumers to contact
video programming distributors with concerns about closed
captioning. Finally, the Commission requests comment on how the
FCC should proceed regarding Section 79.1(d)(12) of its rules
establishing very specific guidelines for the exemption of certain
channels from closed captioning requirements.
Additional Information:
[Source: FCC]
David Capozzi Named Executive Director of Access Board
November 24, 2008 - David M. Capozzi was named the new Executive
Director of the federal Access Board at its most recent meeting.
Members of the Board approved the selection in a unanimous vote.
Capozzi, previously the Director of the Board's Office of Technical and
Information Services for over 16 years, succeeds Lawrence W. Roffee,
who retired in August. Capozzi had served as Acting Executive Director
in the interim. Prior to joining the Board in 1992, Capozzi worked at
the National Easter Seals Society as vice president of advocacy and
director of Project ACTION. He also served as national advocacy
director at the Paralyzed Veterans of America.
In his remarks to the Board following its vote, Capozzi expressed his
pride at being named the Board’s new director and vowed to work to meet
and exceed members’ expectations. Observing that while the Access
Board has made many accomplishments over the years, he conceded that
much remained to be done. In particular, Capozzi noted, “I have a
vision of a higher performing agency that will grow to meet the demands
of our complex society, and I look forward to working with all of you
to tackle some important issues in the coming years.”
Additional Information:
[Source: Access Board]
White Spaces to Be Opened for Broadband Internet Use, FCC Rules
November 04, 2008 – The FCC voted unanimously on its Second Report and Order [FCC 08-260] that would permit use of empty airwaves in the broadcast spectrum, called “white spaces,” for services such as free wireless Internet, after concluding that such applications would not cause interference for surrounding services. As reported in last month’s TDPH, major wireless carriers such as T-Mobile, Verizon, and AT&T have countered that opening this portion of the spectrum will, in fact, interfere with their own broadband services operating in the adjacent spectrum. Likewise, a coalition of interested parties, including broadcasters, Broadway theater producers and sports franchises, also argued against the FCC’s decision. They have claimed that their own transmissions, either from television signals or from wireless microphones used in live music performances, could face interference from new devices that use the white spaces. Nevertheless, the FCC responded that enough testing had been done to assure them that interference was not a major risk. In making its decision, the Commission pointed to the potential of white spaces to increase broadband access and better help to serve those constituents, including people with disabilities, who rely on wireless Internet services.
Additional Information:
[Sources: FCC and New York Times]
Other Items of Interest
AFB Article Focuses on DTV Transition for People with Visual Impairments
November 01, 2008 – The American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) has
published an article in this past month’s issue of AccessWorld entitled
“TV or Not TV: The Accessibility of Digital Television Converter
Boxes.” The article seeks to alleviate some of the fear and
confusion associated with the mandated conversion to DTV by discussing
precisely who will be affected and the availability of coupons from the
federal government to offset the cost of converter boxes for those who
may need them. Of greater interest to the blind and individuals
with visual impairments is an evaluation of the accessibility of
converter boxes available in retail stores. AFB TECH purchased
converter boxes from four retailers: Best Buy, Circuit City, Wal-Mart,
and Radio Shack. Each store had one box available for purchase,
with manufacturers including Digital Stream, Insignia, Zenith, and
Magnavox.
In its assessment of the four converter boxes, the AFB TECH group
considered the initial setup process, access to the menu system,
pass-through of video description, and the tactile nature of the remote
control. In addition, consideration was given to compatibility
with “smart antennas” and the accessibility of the documentation
included with each box. The evaluation team found that none of
the boxes performed optimally and it faulted the National
Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), in
particular, for many problems: “These converter boxes were not
designed the way we would have preferred them to be, and some features
are not accessible at all. However, they can be used effectively after
some initial assistance from a sighted person with the setup process.
That being said, it is obvious that NTIA did not consider people with
visual impairments when it set the standards for these boxes and really
does not get it when it comes to accessibility for people who are blind
or have low vision.” Despite the low marks from the evaluation
team, it was noted that boxes would still work, but that assistance
from a sighted individual in the initial setup process might be
required.
Additional Information:
[Source: American Foundation for the Blind]
Captioned Radio Highlighted During Election Night, Results Successful
November 04, 2008 - - On election night 2008, National Public Radio
(NPR) undertook the first nationwide test of “captioned radio” for deaf
and hard-of-hearing individuals. For the first time ever, hearing and
deaf audiences had simultaneous access to the same live radio
broadcast. While radio for the deaf may seem paradoxical, the
captioned broadcast was made possible via a live scrolling transcript
of a radio broadcast that can be displayed on a webpage or on screens
in specially equipped HD radio receivers. NPR and Boston station
WGBH’s Carl and Ruth Shapiro Family National Center for Accessible
Media hosted the election night captioned broadcast, which was
developed through a joint effort between NPR, Harris Corporation,
Towson University, and WGBH. The election broadcast was the latest
event coordinated by the International Center for Accessible Radio
Technology (ICART), which was launched earlier this year and is
headquartered at Towson University in Towson, Maryland.
On election night, November 4, between 8-11 p.m. ET, WGBH’s Media
Access Group’s stenocaptioners monitored NPR's live coverage to create
instantaneous speech-to-text transcriptions. These transcriptions were
routed to NPR in Washington, D.C., which then transmitted the feed via
the Public Radio Satellite System to KCFR Denver, WAMU D.C., WGBH
Boston, and WTMD Baltimore, as well as a captioning demonstration page
on NPR.org. These HD transmissions were picked up by receivers
placed at live private demonstrations being held at KCFR, WTMD, WGBH,
and, through WAMU’s HD transmission, at NPR’s DC headquarters. At each
live demonstration, closed to the general public, deaf and
hard-of-hearing individuals viewed different representations of
captioned radio via the HD broadcast and web distribution and rated the
usefulness of the experience. Responses to surveys indicated that
captioned radio could become a popular broadcast format for deaf and
hard-of-hearing users: 95 percent of participants were happy with
the level of captioning accuracy, a crucial aspect for readability and
comprehension. Seventy-seven (77) percent said they would be
interested in purchasing a captioned radio display unit when it becomes
available, while 86 percent indicated they would be interested in
purchasing a 'dual-view' screen display for a car (which would enable a
deaf passenger to see the captioned radio text while the driver listens
to the radio).
Additional Information:
- International Center for Accessible Radio Technology
- Press Release Regarding Election Night Captioned Radio Test
[Sources: National Public Radio, Portland Business Journal, and ICART]
Wireless RERC Updates
Collaborative Policy Networks Working Paper Released by CACP, Wireless RERC
October 01, 2008 – A newly issued working paper by CACP, in collaboration with the Wireless and Workplace Accommodations RERCs, addresses key factors and practices that can be used to develop a set of virtual interactive tools which support a community of practice focusing on disability and technology policy. It probes online contexts that can leverage the research, academic, and advocacy nodes of the disability community into effectual policy-making. It also provides a brief review of three distinct bodies of literature: policy networks, online social networking, and communities of practice.
Additional Information:
Save the Date! Wireless RERC State of the Technology Conference Planning Underway
September 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.
Additional information and/or to submit recommendations
contact:
Salimah LaForce
Conference Coordinator
salimah@cacp.gatech.edu
404-894-8297 (office)
404-791-9692 (mobile)
Upcoming Events
Call for Papers and Presentations: NARRTC 2009 Annual
Conference
The National Association of Rehabilitation Research and Training
Centers (NARRTC) has released a Call for Papers and Presentations for
its upcoming 2009 Annual Conference. All NIDRR grantees are
invited to submit a paper and present at the upcoming conference.
Presentations can be based on new evidence and insights gained through
such NIDRR grant work. In particular, conference organizers are
looking for submissions that engage the following topic areas:
- Establishing Best Practices in Disability and Rehabilitation
- Knowledge Translation Research Findings and Needs
- Qualitative Disability Research Data Analysis
- Rigor and Relevance of Disability Research Evidence
- Strategies for Using Research Evidence in Policies and Practices
- Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Disability and Rehabilitation Research
- Value and Relevance of High Quality Single Case Study Design
The conference is scheduled for May 4-5, 2009, at the Holiday
Inn National Airport Hotel, in Arlington, Virginia. The
theme of the upcoming conference will be “Better Research, Better
Evidence, Better Practice,” to be presented through plenary and
concurrent sessions. For more information on the conference,
including the submission requirements, selection criteria, proposal
instructions, obligation of presenters, location, and registration,
please visit the below website. The deadline to respond to the
Call for Papers and Presentations is December 15, 2008.
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 on universal design and assistive technologies introduced in the environment. The convention includes a three day exhibition and a student design challenge.
Additional Information:
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 writer/editor, Salimah Major, Information Analyst [Salimah.major@cacp.gatech.edu] or Paul M.A. Baker, Ph.D., AICP, CACP Director of Research [paul.baker@cacp.gatech.edu].
Congratulations go to Brian Coppola!
Assistive Technologies Showcase at Abilities Expo - Atlanta 2012
