 |
||||
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
funded by:
(grant #H133A000405)
| 
|
*** ITTATC has reached the end of its 5-year grant, so (as of 5/15/06) this website is no longer being updated. Please be advised that the information on this site may be out of date. ***
April 1, 2004
ACCESS E and IT NEWS |
April 1, 2004 (Vol 4, Issue 6)
In This Issue:
- NASCIO 2004 Midyear Conference
- Fourth Annual City and County Innovations Summit
- Eighteenth Annual Government Technology Conference
- 2004 GSA Expos
- The Thirteenth International World Wide Web Conference
- Management Strategies for Results in Government
FCC TELECOMMUNICATIONS/REGULATIONS
- Call for Participation: Universal Design Survey
- 2004 NASCIO Recognition Awards
- 2004 TOP Grants Available
- New GSA Usability Training Team
- 2004 Digital States Survey
- Apple unveils Spoken Interface for Visually Impaired OS X users
- CSUN's 19th Annual Conference: Technology and Persons with Disabilities
- Archived Webcast of IDEAS 2003
- Homeland Security Webcast on Job Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities
- FCC Summit on Emergency Communications and Homeland Security: Working with the Disability Community
- Section 508 Buy Accessible Wizard
- FCC Maintains Section 255 Contact List
- Section 508 Acquiring Technology Training
- DO-IT Discussion Lists of Interest
| UPCOMING EVENTS |
1. NASCIO 2004 MIDYEAR CONFERENCE
The National Association of State Chief Information Officers (NASCIO) will be holding their midyear conference at the Hyatt Regency in Chicago, Illinois, April 25-27, 2004. Conference topics include: Tapping the Potential of Government Without Boundaries; Facilitating Regional and National Programs: The Business of State Collaboration; Chiefs of Staff Discussion: Public Policy Strategies, IT Instincts; and HAVA (Help America Vote Act).
For more information, including a conference agenda, registration and hotel information, access: http://www.nascio.org/events/2004MidyearConference/.
The NASCIO 2004 Annual Conference will take place this year in New Orleans, LA on September 19-22, 2004.
2. FOURTH ANNUAL CITY AND COUNTY INNOVATIONS SUMMIT
The fourth annual City and County Innovations Summit will take place April 28-30, 2004 at the U.S. Grant Hotel in San Diego, California. The summit will feature six tracks (including a track on information technology and e-government) and five workshops.
For more information and a full conference agenda, access: http://www.cityandcounty.org/ccis04/. You may also contact James Lewis at 703-894-0481.
3. EIGHTEENTH ANNUAL GOVERNMENT TECHNOLOGY CONFERENCE
The Eighteenth Annual Government Technology Conference (GTC West 2004) will take place at the Sacramento Convention Center in Sacramento, California, May 10-14, 2004 (exhibit dates: May 12-14).
The Government Technology Conference is the nation's largest and most respected technology conference for state and local government. Designed by Government-for-Government, GTC delivers a cutting-edge educational program addressing the most important policy, management and technology issues facing government today. GTC provides an unbiased forum for government professionals and the IT industry to openly discuss and develop solutions for the public sector.
GTC East 2004, Sixteenth Annual Government Technology Conference, will take place on September 27-30, 2004 at the Empire State Plaza in Albany, New York. For more information, access: http://www.govtech.net/events/.
4. 2004 GSA EXPO
The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) Expo 2004 will be held in Orlando, Florida on May 11-13, 2004 at the Orange County Convention Center. Admission is free to all federal and military personnel.
More than 200 hours of training courses will be offered. Attendees can earn Continuing Education Units (CEUs) for selected courses. The exhibit floor will have over 1,000 booths with companies exhibiting their newest products and services, which are all available to federal agencies through GSA.
For more information, including registration, exhibiting, training and lodging, access: http://www.gsa.gov/Portal/gsa/ep/contentView.do?pageTypeId=8199&channelId=-13257&P=FMC&contentId=14288&contentType=GSA_BASIC.
5. THE THIRTEENTH INTERNATIONAL WORLD WIDE WEB CONFERENCE
The 13th World Wide Web Conference will be held at the Sheraton Hotel in New York City on May 17-22, 2004.
Beginning with the first international WWW Conference in 1994, this prestigious series, organized by the International World Wide Web Conference Committee (IW3C2), has provided a public forum for the WWW Consortium (W3C) through the annual W3C track. The technical program will include refereed paper presentations, alternate track presentations, plenary sessions, panels, and poster sessions. Tutorials and workshops will precede the main program, and a Developers Day, devoted to in-depth technical sessions designed specifically for web developers, will follow.
For more information, including a conference program, schedule and registration, access: http://www.www2004.org/.
6. MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES FOR RESULTS IN GOVERNMENT
The Government Computer News (GCN) New Leadership Conference, Management Strategies For Results In Government, will take place on May 19, 2004 at the Marriott Wardman Park in Washington, D.C. This one-day conference provides answers and strategies on how to lead within government. Participants will gain real-world solutions from expert government peers who will discuss management cases and strategies. The conference will also include hands-on workshops and exercises on developing practical management skills.
During lunch, the GCN Management Leadership Awards will be presented to 10 government leaders. The GCN Management Leadership Awards program is designed to recognize government career workers whose exemplary record of performance and leadership has inspired others to high performance and resulted in extraordinary delivery on mission.
For more information, including an agenda and registration, access http://www.gcn.com/a?Leadership_01 or call 202-624-1756!
Back to top
| FCC TELECOMMUNICATIONS/REGULATIONS |
1. FCC INTERNET POLICY WORKING GROUP SUMMIT
On Friday, May 7, 2004, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Internet Policy Working Group (IPWG) will hold the second in a series of "Solutions Summits" at which government and industry leaders will discuss creative ways to address policy issues that arise as communications services move to Internet-based platforms. The meeting will focus on the ability of persons with disabilities to access services increasingly based upon IP (Internet Protocol) technologies. Participants will include members of the disability community, industry representatives, and FCC staff.
The event, which is open to the public, will be held at FCC headquarters, 445 12th Street, SW, Washington, D.C. starting at 9:00 am and ending at 1:00 pm. Further details regarding this event will be announced by a Public Notice in the near future.
The FCC Internet Policy Working Group was created by Chairman Michael K. Powell to assist the FCC in identifying, evaluating and addressing policy issues that will arise as more services move to Internet-based platforms. The cross-bureau and multi-disciplinary working group is directed by a steering committee comprised of senior management and staff from several Commission Bureaus and Offices, and is staffed as needed by attorneys, engineers and economists from across the Commission. This Working Group also interacts with key constituencies including state regulators, consumer groups and public safety organizations.
For additional information on the Working Group, access: www.fcc.gov/ipwg. For questions about the Disabilities Access Solutions Summit, contact Kelly Jones at (202) 418-7078 (voice), (202) 418- 7172 (TTY) or Kelly.Jones@fcc.gov.
2. HEARING AID COMPATABILITY REPORTING DATES
With this FCC Public Notice, which is dated March 8, 2004, the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau's Public Safety and Critical Infrastructure Division announces reporting dates in accordance with the FCC's August 14, 2003, Hearing Aid Compatibility (HAC) Report and Order.
The FCC's Report and Order modified the exemption for wireless phones under the HAC Act of 1988 to require that digital wireless phones be capable of being effectively used with hearing aids. Pursuant to the Report and Order, wireless carriers and handset manufacturers are required to report every six months for the first three years and then annually through the fifth year of implementation.
The reporting requirements are to assist the FCC in verifying compliance with the various benchmarks for handset compatibility. To minimize the reporting burden, digital wireless phone manufacturers and service providers may submit joint reports. The deadline for the first reporting requirement is May 17, 2004.
The Hearing Industries Association (HIA) has agreed to inform the FCC of hearing aid manufacturers' plans to label hearing aid models with their immunity levels. HIA is also encouraged to submit its report on May 17, 2004.
Future Reporting Dates are: May 17, 2004; November 17, 2004; May 17, 2005; November 17, 2005; May 17, 2006; November 17, 2006; November 19, 2007; and November 17, 2008.
The Alliance for Telecommunications Industry Solutions (ATIS) has developed a form so that manufacturers and carriers can submit collective reports through their organization. Participation in the ATIS reporting process is voluntary. More information can be obtained by accessing http://www.atis.org.
Back to top
| FOR YOUR ACTION/INFORMATION |
1. CALL FOR PARTICIPATION: UNIVERSAL DESIGN SURVEY
The Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI) requests your assistance in an important research project. GTRI is conducting a survey that is designed to address the Universal Design of consumer oriented products. The survey is sponsored by the Georgia Institute of Technology.
The purpose of the survey is to document the perceived accessibility of electronic and information technologies (E&IT) by people with various disabilities. The goal of the survey is to measure user perceptions of attempts at building accessibility features into products such as ATMs, cell phones, personal digital assistants (PDAs), on-line training software, distance learning software, voice recognition technologies, and televisions. Survey answers will assist GTRI in judging the impact of efforts of the Federal Government to promote accessible design practices.
The survey will take about 20 minutes to complete. An online version of the survey can be accessed at: http://aef.gtri.gatech.edu/universal_design.html.
If you have any questions or if you would prefer a paper copy of this survey, please email Dr. Brad Fain at brad.fain@gtri.gatech.edu or call 404-894-7261. Individuals who prefer to participate in this survey via telephone should email Tonya Whaley at tonya.whaley@gtri.gatch.edu or call 404-894-1038 to schedule a phone interview.
2. 2004 NASCIO RECOGNITION AWARDS
For the 16th consecutive year, the National Association of State Chief Information Officers (NASCIO) -- representing chief information officers of the states -- will honor outstanding achievements in the field of information technology through its Recognition Awards Program. Submissions are now being accepted. Emphasize will be placed on recognizing those information technology initiatives which best assist government officials in innovatively executing their duties and providing cost-effective service to citizens.
Nominations must be received by May 7, 2004. Recipients will be notified in July 2004. Awards will be presented during the annual conference in New Orleans, La., September 21, 2004.
For more information, including the 2004 nomination form; format and criteria; and 2004 categories, access: http://www.nascio.org/awards/.
3. 2004 TOP GRANTS AVAILABLE
The U.S. Department of Commerce's Technology Opportunities Program (TOP) has approximately $12.9 million available for grants in 2004. TOP provides matching funds for programs that bring technology to underserved communities.
The Technology Opportunities Program is a highly competitive, merit-based matching grant program that promotes the use of advanced telecommunications and information technologies in the non-profit and public sectors. TOP provides organizations with the opportunity to explore the possibilities that new interactive technologies offer to improve the provision of "educational, health care, or public information." These projects encourage the deployment of broadband infrastructure, services, and applications throughout the Nation.
With respect to educational information, TOP will support projects that expand training and learning opportunities or create innovative educational or training methods through the use of network technologies. In health care, TOP will support projects that use network technologies to improve the efficiency of, effectiveness of, or access to health-related services. TOP will support projects that enable the sharing and creation of a broad range of public information including, but not limited to, economic development opportunities; state, tribal, and local government services; community-based services; arts and humanities; and resources that promote self-sufficiency and an improved quality of life.
TOP projects demonstrate innovative applications of technology to pressing needs in the public and non-profit sectors. Rather than simply requesting funds to build capacity or upgrade existing equipment, each application must describe a project that pinpoints specific problems, proposes innovative solutions involving the application of telecommunications and information technologies, and provides realistic and measurable outcomes.
The Application Kit for FY04, including the Announcement and Guidelines, provides information on the program, rules for applying, suggestions for preparing an application and the standard forms you need to prepare a TOP application. The deadline for applications is April 27, 2004. Grant applications and guidelines are available at: http://www.ntia.doc.gov/otiahome/top/grants/documents/notice2004.html.
Back to top
| ARTICLES/PUBLICATIONS |
1. NEW GSA USABILITY TRAINING TEAM
[Taken from a March 1, 2004 article in Government Computer News (GCN)]
The General Services Administration (GSA) has kicked off a usability training project to improve Web design practices across the government. GSA formed the Usability Solutions Group within the Office of Governmentwide Policy.
The new group's director is Janice Nall, a former Web leader for the National Institutes of Health's National Cancer Institute.
To read the full GCN article, access: http://www.gcn.com/vol1_no1/accessibility/25099-1.html.
2. 2004 DIGITAL STATES SURVEY
The Center for Digital Government launched its new version of the Digital States Survey last month. Underwritten by Microsoft and HP, the Digital States Survey and its executive board of advisors and auditors will examine a whole new breed of IT as a tool for serving citizens and state governments' needs. The survey will also track government IT innovations that have been implemented to offset budget cuts.
Every state governor and CIO will be invited to participate in the Digital States Survey. Results will be announced in summer 2004, with special acknowledgments of the top-ranked states.
For more information and to view summaries from past Digital States surveys, access: http://www.centerdigitalgov.com/center/04sustained.php.
3. APPLE UNVEILS SPOKEN INTERFACE FOR VISUALLY IMPAIRED OS X USERS
Apple has introduced a new accessibility solution for visually impaired users that it will integrate with the next major release of Mac OS X. The new technology is called Spoken Interface for Mac OS X operating system. The Universal Access capabilities of Mac OS X will soon be enhanced with a spoken interface that provides multiple new ways, through speech, audible cues, and keyboard navigation, to access the Macintosh computer.
Spoken Interface provides a combination of speech, audible cues and keyboard navigation to help users who are blind navigate Mac OS X with the same ease of use as sighted users. Users can manage access to the Dock, menu items, tool bars, palettes and other on-screen objects, pressing buttons, activating sliders and checkboxes, selecting radio buttons, and using all the other interface elements of Mac OS X and its applications.
For more information on the new technology, Spoken Interface, access: http://www.apple.com/accessibility/spokeninterface/. To read the March 17th article from MacCentral about the product, access: http://maccentral.macworld.com/news/2004/03/17/interface/.
Back to top
| PAST EVENTS |
1. CSUN'S 19TH ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE: TECHNOLOGY AND PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES
Mimi Kessler, Project Director and Principal Investigator, for the ITTATC project, was one of several ITTATC staff members that attended and participated in the CSUN 19th Annual International Conference, which was held in Los Angeles on March 15-20. Mimi has provided the following summary of ITTATC's participation in this event for the newsletter.
The ITTATC project had the pleasure of holding four sessions at the 2004. Deborah Buck, Director of State IT Initiatives, hosted a Pre-conference session entitled "Implementing Section 508 At The State Level". Our sincere thanks to the guest speakers: Diane Golden from the State of Missouri, Kathleen Anderson from the State of Connecticut, Fred Difiore from the US Patent and Trade Office, and Harry Liebowitz from the Social Security Administration. We also thank GSA for participating. The feedback from the participants was very good, some even said it should have been longer!
Deborah Buck also presented during the General Sessions on Thursday morning. Her session was entitled "Developing Web Accessibility Policy: Improve Access and Ensure Implementation." During this session Deborah demonstrated a tool the ITTATC project is developing to assist with developing a policy or guideline that is obtainable and measurable. If you would like to be notified of the availability of this tool, please send an e-mail to mimi.kessler@ittatc.org and you will be added to the announcement list. For more information, please contact Deborah at 518-439-1263 or via e-mail to deborah.buck@ittatc.org.
Tim Creagan, Director of Consumer Training, also presented during the General Sessions on Thursday. His session was entitled "How to Find and Buy Accessible Information Technology." This presentation is the first of two modules released last month as consumer trainings. It was well attended and the feedback was also very positive. Tim is looking for volunteers who would like to offer these training modules to local groups in their area. For more information, contact Tim at tim.creagan@ittatc.org or 703-528-0883(voice) or 703-399-0113 (TTY).
Deborah Bursa, Director of Technical Assistance, offered a session early on Saturday morning which was remarkably well attended given the hour and the fact that it was the last day of the conference. Her session was entitled "Speaking Out About Inaccessible Technology," and featured the new consumer publication which guides users through the complex options for registering a complaint available under all the laws concerning disability. She also demonstrated sample letters where the consumer offers to participate in finding the solution. Hard copy books or CDs of "SPEAK OUT! About Inaccessible Information and Telecommunication Technology" are available by contacting ITTATC (866-948-8282) or on the web at http://www.ittatc.org/technical/speakout/index.cfm.
ITTATC also participated in the Georgia Tech booth as an exhibitor and displayed our product line of training products. Many of you on this newsletter list stopped by to talk with us, which was terrific. Thanks!
To learn more about our products, or to receive a copy of our catalog, please send an e-mail to mimi.kessler@ittatc.org.
2. ARCHIVED WEBCAST OF IDEAS 2003
On November 5th and 6th, 2003 the Interagency Disability Educational Awareness Showcase (IDEAS) was held in Washington, D.C. The conference offered sessions to help Federal and State Program Managers, IT Personnel, Web Masters, Procurement Officials, Program Analysts, Lawyers, EEOC and Disability Program Managers, and Human Resources Professionals understand the "how-to" of accessible electronic and information technology. Sessions focused on Section 508 updates, best practices for implementing procurement rules, and technologies that enable equal IT access for people with disabilities.
- If you were not able to attend the conference, which drew over 1,250 people, you can still see what you missed. ITTATC provided funding for TVWorldwide to capture selected sessions at the conference. Specifically, the following sessions are now available for viewing:
- Business Benefits of Accessible E&IT Design
- Enterprise Architecture and Enterprise Life Cycle: A Case Study
- How Does Reasonable Accommodation Fit in Section 508
- Implementation of Section 508 and Lessons Learned
- The Marriage Between Testing and Compliance
- The SSA 508 Procurement Wizard
- Telecommunications Accessibility: Invisible and Often Overlooked
To view the sessions, access: http://www.tvworldwide.com/events/ideas2003/031105/.
IDEAS was hosted and coordinated by the U.S. General Services Administration and an interagency planning committee. To find out more about IDEAS and stay on top of plans for next year's event, access: http://www.section508.gov/ideas/index.cfm.
3. HOMELAND SECURITY WEBCAST ON JOB OPPORTUNITIES FOR PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES
The TV Worldwide's Assistive Technology Internet TV Channel, AT508.com, hosted a live webcast on March 10, 2004, which featured Daniel Sutherland, Officer for Civil Rights & Civil Liberties at the Department of Homeland Security.
The webcast provided insight concerning the implementation of the Bush Administration's policies, as well as addressed audience questions on the Department's disability agenda for the year ahead.
To view the archive, along with the list of job opportunities, access: http://www.tvworldwide.com/events/dhs/040310/.
4. FCC SUMMIT ON EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS AND HOMELAND SECURITY: WORKING WITH THE DISABILITY COMMUNITY
On February 25, 2004, the Federal Communications Commission hosted a day-long Summit, "Emergency Communications and Homeland Security: Working with the Disability Community."
The Summit convened disability organizations, service providers, government agencies and other stakeholders for the purpose of developing recommendations to the FCC concerning communications barriers faced by people with disabilities during emergencies, and possible solutions to those barriers. The Summit provided an opportunity for representatives of the disability community to discuss communications barriers faced in emergency situations. It also gave the FCC and representatives from the telecommunications industry a chance to discuss actions, which can be taken to address those barriers.
For more information on the Summit, including a copy of the agenda, and a list of the speakers, access: http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-04-714A1.doc. To see the text of FCC Chairman Michael Powell's remarks, access: http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-245354A1.doc.
Back to top
| RESOURCES |
1. SECTION 508 BUY ACCESSIBLE WIZARD
The Section 508 Buy Accessible Wizard is sponsored by the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) and based on efforts of The Accessibility Forum. The Wizard is a tool to help the Federal Government determine which Section 508 provisions apply to a particular E&IT acquisition. The tool can also help E&IT providers understand which E&IT features are covered by Section 508.
To learn more about the Section 508 Buy Accessible Wizard, as well as to try it, access: http://www.accessibilityforum.org/wizard.html.
2. FCC MAINTAINS SECTION 255 CONTACT LIST
The Federal Communications Commission's Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau has an extensive list of Section 255 Service Providers and Manufacturers of Equipment listed on its website at http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/dro/section255_manu.html and http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/dro/service_providers.html, respectively.
If you do not see a company listed, please contact the FCC's Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau via e-mail at fccinfo@fcc.gov for assistance. If you encounter problems in contacting the company, please also contact the FCC at fccinfo@fcc.gov. The FCC updates the list periodically, in an attempt to keep these lists as up to date as possible.
Persons interested in receiving information containing more general FCC consumer information concerning issues of interest to people with disabilities are asked to click on www.fcc.gov/cgb/emailservice.html to subscribe.
3. SECTION 508 ACQUIRING TECHNOLOGY TRAINING
The Acquiring Technology training is a 3.5 hour course that provides an overview of the Requiring Official's role in the acquisition planning and preparation as it relates to Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act and explains how to determine requirements and prepare a solicitation using Market Research. The course content is grouped into the following sections:
Part 1: Procurement from the Section 508 Perspective
Part 2: Determining Requirements
Part 3: Conducting Market Research
Part 4: Developing and Completing the Solicitation
To download the training material and instructor guide, access http://www.section508.gov/index.cfm?FuseAction=Content&ID=5 and click on the link to 'Training Materials.' The material may be printed and tailored to your organizational environment.
4. DO-IT DISCUSSION LISTS OF INTEREST
The following are discussion lists related to technology and people with disability supported by DO-IT (Disabilities, Opportunities, Internetworking and Technology) at the University of Washington.
A. AccessWeb fosters ongoing discussion about accessible website design, policy, and practice. For more information about the list, access: http://mailman.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/accessweb/.
AccessDL is for discussion of issues related to creating accessible distance learning courses. For more information about the list, access: http://mailman.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/accessdl/.
AHEADtech is an electronic discussion list for AHEAD (http://www.ahead.org/) members to share information about postsecondary institutional policies and procedures regarding the provision of adaptive technology for students with disabilities and the development and procurement of accessible distance learning programs, web pages, videotapes, and other technologies. To subscribe to the list, send a blank mail message to aheadtech-subscribe@lists.ahead.org.
Doitsem is for the discussion of the use of technology and other strategies to promote the success of people with disabilities in challenging fields such as technology, science, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). For more information about the list, access: http://mailman.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/doitsem/.
Further information about DO-IT resources related to technology and universal design can be found at: http://www.washington.edu/doit/Resources/technology.html.
Back to top
Welcome to the distribution list for ACCESS E and IT NEWS…Promoting Accessible Information Technology and Telecommunications…e-news from the Information Technology Technical Assistance and Training Center (ITTATC).
ITTATC welcomes your suggestions, as well as your contributions of interest to members of this listserv concerning accessible electronic and information technology and telecommunications. All contributions must be received by the 25th of each month for consideration for the next month's newsletter. For questions, suggestions, or to submit a contribution, please contact Timothy P. Creagan, Esquire, ITTATC Director of Consumer Training, at tim.creagan@ittatc.org or Laura Farah, Program Associate, Law, Health Policy & Disability Center, University of Iowa College of Law, lfarah@mail.law.uiowa.edu.
You can unsubscribe at anytime by sending a message to mimi.kessler@ittatc.org or reply to this message and in the subject line, place "unsubscribe".
Similarly, anyone can subscribe to the newsletter by sending a message to the same address by placing "subscribe" in the subject line.
Feel free to visit the ITTATC website at http://www.ittatc.org. Past copies of ITTATC Newsletters will be archived on the ITTATC Website.
This is a publication of the Information Technology Technical Assistance and Training Center (ITTATC) which is funded by the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research of the U.S. Department of Education under grant number H133A000405. The opinions contained in this publication do not necessarily reflect those of the Department of Education.
Information Technology Technical Assistance and Training Center
Center for Assistive Technology and Environmental Access
Georgia Institute of Technology
490 10th Street NW · Atlanta, GA 30318
Telephone: 1-800-726-9119 (Voice/TTY) · Fax: 404-894-9320 · Email: ittatc@ittatc.org