February 1, 2003 (Vol 3, Issue 4)

In This Issue:

UPCOMING EVENTS

1. Outlook in the States 2003
2. Web Enabled Government
3. 2003 Marketing to State Governments Meeting
4. Accessibility Forum 2003
5. ATIA 2003

PAST EVENTS

1. Accessibility Forum: 2003 Strategic Management Council

ARTICLES

1. Kennedy Hopes Accessible Site Leads Way
2. Web Consortium Captures Captioning
3. Computer/Electronic Accommodation Program
4. Accessible Technology For Students in Maryland
5. Assistive Technology V.2
6. Paula Translates Speech into Sign Language
7. Intercon Associates, Inc.

FOR YOUR ACTION

1. FCC Seeks Comments
1. Cable Consumer Electronics Agreement on “Plug and Play”
2. Applications for Telecommunications Relay Service Certification
2. GSA Proposed Rule with Request for Comments
3. FAR: Section 508 Micro-Purchase Exception Sunset Provision
4. Beaumont Foundation 2003 Grants

RESOURCES

1. Guide to Making Documents Accessible to People who are Blind or Visually Impaired
2. Viable Technologies, Inc.
3. Selected Bibliography of Publications
1. Library HiTech on Online Accessibility
2. The DePaul University American Sign Language Project

 

UPCOMING EVENTS

1. OUTLOOK IN THE STATES 2003
February 5
National Press Club
Washington, D.C.
http://governing.com/out3to.htm

Governing’s 11th annual executive briefing on state policy and politics for government affairs and government marketing professionals. Presented by Governing in cooperation with NCSL.

2. WEB ENABLED GOVERNMENT
February 10-12
Ronald Reagan Building
Washington, D.C.
http://www.e-gov.com/events/2003/we_gov/

Web-Enabling Government - transforming traditional government operations to integrated, Internet-based environments for improved public sector accessibility, efficiency, and customer service Ñ has become a primary objective for organizations across all levels of government. This conference program will focus on how to procure, build, and manage these programs, with an emphasis on public sector challenges and success stories.

3. 2003 MARKETING TO STATE GOVERNMENTS MEETING
February 23-25
Fairmont Hotel
Dallas, TX
http://www.naspo.org/education/

State governments, collectively, are the largest purchasers of goods and services in the country, spending billions of dollars each year! The NASPO Marketing to State Governments Meeting, developed and presented by state government purchasing officials, is designed to help companies, large and small, learn how to eliminate unnecessary roadblocks to doing business with the states. Average conference attendance consists of government representation from 40 states and 200-300 suppliers from the private sector. This program will lead participants through the purchasing process, offering an "insider's guide" on how companies can more effectively market their products and services to the states.

The educational program is centered on informing suppliers of the effective ways to do business with state governments. However, it's also an opportunity for state procurement officials to get feedback regarding what can be done to make the procurement process a better one for suppliers. By working together interested parties can act responsibly for the benefit of all involved.

The Marketing To State Governments Meeting also provides a unique opportunity for private-sector representatives to network with state procurement officials to discuss issues facing state procurement and alert them to products that are available for states to procure. A special session offering face-to-face meetings with state representatives is scheduled during the meeting for corporate attendees.

For more information, contact Lee Ann Pope at (859) 514-9172 or lpope@amrinc.net.

4. ACCESSIBILITY FORUM 2003
February 24-26
Cupertino, CA
http://www.accessibilityforum.org/meetings/feb2003/announcement.html

Announcing the Accessibility Forum meeting hosted by Apple Corporation in Cupertino, California, February 24 - 26, 2003. As we have for past meetings, we expect to broadcast plenary sessions via Webcast. We will begin first thing Monday morning and conclude at the end of the day Wednesday. There is no registration fee to attend this conference.

ITTATC’s Project Director, Mimi Kessler, will be offering an update on the ITTATC project. Her comments on Tuesday afternoon, February 25,2003.

For more information contact Accessibility Forum staff at 843-760-3310 or forumstaff@aticorp.org.

5. 18TH ANNUAL CSUN CONFERENCE: TECHNOLOGY AND PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES
March 17-22
Hilton Los Angeles Airport and Los Angeles Airport Marriott Hotels
Los Angeles, California
www.csun.edu/cod/

The Center has advanced to the stage of conducting the longest running and largest annual university sponsored conference on technology and persons with disabilities. This annual conference serves as a major training venue for professionals around the world involved in the field of disability and technology.

Contact: Center on Disabilities,
California State University-Northridge,
Tel: 818-885-2578
ltm@csun.edu

ITTATC is offering an introduction to its Training Program at CSUN. Please join us on Saturday morning March 22nd at 8am.

Back to top

 

PAST EVENTS

1. ACCESSIBILITY FORUM: 2003 STRATEGIC
http://www.accessibilityforum.org/council.html

The Council is comprised of members from each stakeholder constituency (approximately 4 to 6 E&IT industry representatives, 3 to 4 AT industry representatives, 3 to 4 user advocacy representatives, 3 to 4 government representatives, and 2 to 3 other representatives). On November 4, 2002 nominations were accepted for new council members. Access the URL for a list of the 2003 council members, as well as links to Council Meeting Minutes and Policy and Procedures.

Back to top

 

ARTICLES

1. KENNEDY HOPES ACCESSESSIBLE SITE LEADS WAY
David Becker, Staff Writer, CNET News.com
NY Times, Jan. 21

Sen. Edward Kennedy's office unveiled a revamped Website last week, one of the first congressional sites to fully comply with federal laws requiring accessibility for disabled users.

Ngozi Pole, office manager for the long-serving Massachusetts Democrat, said the office redesigns the Web site every few years, and the priorities this time were allowing nontechnical office workers to easily contribute to the site, and achieving full accessibility compliance.

Section 508 of the federal Rehabilitation Act requires that all government Web sites be fully accessible to users with physical, sensory and cognitive disabilities. Accessibility poses a number of challenges, such as making sure all relevant page content can be scanned by "screen readers," audio programs that read computer text out loud for blind users.

Sec. 508 went into effect last year, but a recent study by consulting firm PriceWaterhouseCoopers found that only 13.5 percent of federal sites were in compliance. Pole said that because Kennedy was an early backer of accessibility laws, it was important that his site set an example.

"The government sites in general were supposed to be 508 ready last year, and the legislative branch as a whole has not been really effective at that," Pole said. "The culture of this place tends to be one person does something, and it's a noble cause, and everybody else starts to say, 'Are we doing this?' We hope we can be a catalyst in that regard."

The Kennedy site was designed with Adobe Systems' GoLive Web authoring tool, a competitor to Macromedia's Dreamweaver, both of which include extensive tools for testing accessibility compliance.

GoLive also allowed the site to be built so that non-technical office workers could post announcements and other text without tampering with the site's overall design, site designer Chris Casey said. That means news gets posted much quicker than the old system, where everything had to be passed through a Webmaster.

"We're taking this to another level of giving people the actual template to publish something," Casey said. "It turns the site into more of a real-time tool for communicating with constituents."

2. WEB CONSORTIUM CAPTURES CAPTIONING

Paul Festa, Staff Writer, CNET News.com
NY Times, Jan. 22

The Web's leading standards organization launched a new group to bring text captioning to streaming media. The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) chartered the Timed Text Working Group (TTWG) to come up with a streaming text specification, based on XML (Extensible Markup Language), that will synchronize text with video or audio streamed over the Internet.

"Simply put, this is to have a broad standard for captioning on the Web," said W3C representative Janet Daly. "There's a lot of industry interest in this. The potential for entertainment is clear."

The W3C's timed text effort is not its first attempt to synchronize elements in multimedia presentations. One standard that has already reached the consortium's final recommendation status is the Synchronized Multimedia Integration Language (SMIL, pronounced "smile").

But SMIL describes how to coordinate diverse media types in general terms. Without a specification for text, proprietary methods have cropped up, leading to text captioning that is specific to a certain browser or device.

Daly said the application would prove useful both for people who want to play multimedia content silently, in a restrictive environment like an office, and for people who are hard-of-hearing.

"This is not just for the slacker in the office, but for people with disabilities to capture the information in the audio stream," Daly said.

The newly chartered working group will hold its first meeting at the W3C's Technical Plenary March 6-7 in Cambridge, Mass. The group plans to release its first working draft March 15, and to finalize its recommendation in July of next year.

3. COMPUTER/ELECTRONIC ACCOMMODATION PROGRAM

NASA joins with the Department of Defense to promote access to assistive technology devices and services for NASA employees with disabilities.

http://www.tricare.osd.mil/cap/
http://www.tricare.osd.mil/cap/services/services_employees.cfm

The Department of Defense established the Computer/Electronic Accommodation Program (CAP) to eliminate employment barriers for people with visual, hearing, dexterity and cognitive disabilities. CAP is the federal government's centrally funded accommodations program, providing assistive technology solutions at no cost to those other federal agencies that join the CAP initiative. NASA became the 53rd federal agency to join with CAP. This means that NASA employees with disabilities may receive assistance in assessment and training of their computer and electronic accommodations, and technology at no cost to the employee or NASA. The Department of Defense pays the bill to improve federal employment opportunities for people with disabilities not just at NASA, but each of the 53 agencies that choose to partner with CAP.

Much of CAP's success lies in the ability to provide reasonable accommodations to employees quickly and easily, which can increase employment and retention of employees with disabilities. CAP's purpose is to ensure that all DOD and Federal partner employees with disabilities get the equipment that best Suits their needs, at no charge to the employer or agency. CAP's mission is to provide assistive technology and accommodations to ensure people with disabilities have equal access to the information environment and opportunities in DOD and throughout the Federal government.

4. ACCESSIBLE TECHNOLOGY FOR STUDENTS IN MARYLAND
http://www.msde.state.md.us/technology/comar13a.htm

As schools work to integrate technology into the classroom, acquiring accessible technology for all students is a growing concern for educators.

Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) and the Maryland state legislature recently passed Code of Maryland's Regulation (COMAR) 13A.05.02.13H and Senate Bill 226. These regulations require that all schools (pK-12) consider accessibility when purchasing technology-based instructional products used by students.

The Mid-Atlantic Regional Technology in Education Consortium (MAR*TEC) in conjunction with the Maryland State Department of Education developed a checklist to help educators consider the accessibility of instructional software. The checklist is associated with a database of instructional software. Educators can use the online database to evaluate a specific piece of instructional software or to consider other practitioner's accessibility reviews. The checklist and accompanying online tutorial include a hypertext glossary of terms specific to Section 508 and technology related terms.

5. ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY V.2
http://www.colligo.us/colligo.us/

SEE DICK RUN. SEE JANE RUN. For many of us, these were the first words we learned to read. For many others, they see and read…SEE KICD NUR. SEE ENAJ NUR. While others can’t see or read DICK RUN at all.

“Though many children grow up hearing a broad vocabulary and being read to from infancy, others enter school without knowing the names of letters or how to count. For these children, reading and learning can be a struggle. If they are unable to overcome this obstacle, it affects a child's enthusiasm for learning, ability to interact with others and success in school and their loss affects all of society.” Letter from Mrs. Bush.

Colligo Corp announces development of Assistive Technology that aids many to not only read but also read better than their peers. All ages can be assisted, from school age to the graying baby-boomers. Those who suffer from many varieties of reading impairments, -the blind and visually impaired, individuals who suffer from dyslexia, scotopia and the learning disabled.

“Innovations of this nature that use readily available technology to improve access to the written word, provide knowledge, freedom and power. Without these basic rights, the ability to self advocate becomes very difficult, therefore hindering independence,” said Dr. Dean Stenehjem, Superintendent of the Washington State School for the Blind.

“Assistive technology, loaded on individuals’ computers, allows the written word from documents, books, and magazines, etc, to be spoken back and highlighted on the computer screen. For the blind and visually impaired this opens a new-found “information super highway”, for those with dyslexia, this creates a connection in the brain and allows the recognition of the word later.” states Doug Powles, President of Colligo Corp.

This technology is being made available to Libraries and all Government agencies who are complying with Section 508 of the Americans with Disabilities Act http://www.usdoj.gov/crt/508/508home.html, and educational facilities complying with “No Child Left Behind” http://www.nochildleftbehind.gov/.

For individuals with reading and/or vision impairments, Colligo greatly reduces the price of its technology.

More information and speaker availability is offered from the company’s web site, (http://www.Colligo.us) or by contacting Larry Tingley at 360 647-3404 or larryt@colligo.us.

6. PAULA TRANSLATES SPEECH INTO SIGN LANGUAGE
Source: DePaul University
http://asl.cs.depaul.edu

Paula is a computer-generated synthetic interpreter capable of translating spoken English into American Sign Language (ASL). Using speech recognition, the animated figure of Paula delivers the translation through hand gestures and facial expressions on the computer screen.

The DePaul University American Sign Language project combines computer technology and linguistics research to bridge the communication gap between the deaf and hearing worlds, its team of deaf and hearing researchers is working towards the realization of a digital English-to-ASL translator.

7. INTERCON ASSOCIATES, INC.
January 13, 2003
http://www.interconweb.com/pressthree.htm

Intercon, an 18 year electronic Document Solutions Provider, announces the sale of Accessible FormNet to The U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims. This new product was developed using critical input from Federal Government users of electronic forms to create a solution that meets today's electronic government initiatives and conforms to recent 508 legislation.

Anika Brice, a Computer Specialist, from The U.S. Court of Appeals for Veteran's Claims had this to say about Accessible FormNet." We bought the Accessible FormNet software because our previous form of software was obsolete and we needed a replacement. I tested several other products, but they were either too expensive for our small agency or the product was complex in the terms of creating in-house forms. I am also impressed with the product and the Intercon staff. It is not a high product but it is very efficient and economical.

Mr. John C. Paroda, President of Intercon said," We currently have over 18,000 Federal Employees and Public using the Accessible FormNet software representing many Agencies and the Department of Defense. We felt a fresh approach was needed especially for the 508 accessibility law, hence, the creation of the Federal Employee Team. Several members of the review team were visually impaired federal employees, who pointed out the importance of having one form for all users, weather visually impaired or not. Therefore, when the software detects a screen reader in use, it automatically decides how it is going to interact with the user. They insisted that there should be no requirements to use a particular screen reader or any need for special scripts, but that we should be compatible with any and all users. Their input to this fresh approach enabled Intercon to engage into a successful "Industry Partner" relationship that Government has been trying to encourage for some time now."

Intercon, founded in 1984, is a Rochester, New York based Company that has established itself as a leader in providing state-of-the-art software tools that facilitate automation of the document preparation, assembly and output processes.

Mr. John C. Paroda, President of Intercon said," We currently have over 18,000 Federal Employees and Public using the Accessible FormNet software representing many Agencies and the Department of Defense. We felt a fresh approach was needed especially for the 508 accessibility law, hence, the creation of the Federal Employee Team. Several members of the review team were visually impaired federal employees, who pointed out the importance of having one form for all users, weather visually impaired or not. Therefore, when the software detects a screen reader in use, it automatically decides how it is going to interact with the user. They insisted that there should be no requirements to use a particular screen reader or any need for special scripts, but that we should be compatible with any and all users. Their input to this fresh approach enabled Intercon to engage into a successful "Industry Partner" relationship that Government has been trying to encourage for some time now." Intercon, founded in 1984, is a Rochester, New York based Company that has established itself as a leader in providing state-of-the-art software tools that facilitate automation of the document preparation, assembly and output processes.

Back to top

 

FOR YOUR ACTION

1. FCC SEEKS COMMENT:

1. CABLE-CONSUMER ELECTRONICS AGREEMENT ON "PLUG AND PLAY"
   January 10, 2003
   http://www.fcc.gov/
   http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-230187A1.pdf (press release)
   
   CS Docket 97-80
   PP Docket 00-67
   
   Comments Due: 03/28/2003
   Reply Comments Due: 04/28/2003
   
   The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) took another step forward in the transition to digital television. The FCC seeks comment on proposed rules for “plug and play” cable compatibility, which is a key piece of the digital television puzzle. In a “plug and play” world, consumers will be able to plug their cable directly into their digital TV set without the need of a set-top box.
   
   On December 19, 2002, the cable and consumer electronics industries filed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) which details an agreement on a cable compatibility standard for an integrated, one-way digital cable television receiver, as well as other unidirectional digital cable products. The industries assert that unidirectional digital cable television receivers manufactured pursuant to the MOU would be capable of receiving analog basic, digital basic and digital premium cable television programming by direct connection to a cable system providing digital programming. Due to the unidirectional nature of this receiver specification, an external navigation device will still be needed to receive advanced features such as cable operator-enhanced electronic programming guides, impulse pay per view or video on demand. The MOU indicates that the industries continue to work on a bidirectional receiver specification that would eliminate the need for an external navigation device to receive advanced services.
   
   When the industry agreement was reached, FCC Chairman Michael K. Powell said, “Plug and play will be good for the future of these industries, good for the digital transition, and most importantly, good for consumers.”
   
   Today’s Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (FNPRM) seeks comment on the MOU and the proposed FCC rules contained therein, as well as its potential impact upon consumers, small cable operators and multi-channel video programming distributors (MVPDs) other than cable operators. The FNPRM also seeks comment on the jurisdictional basis for FCC action in this area, including the creation of encoding rules for audiovisual content provided by MVPDs. As to issues not addressed by the MOU, such as the down-resolution of programming, the FNPRM seeks comment on whether FCC action is needed and authorized.
   
   To access the Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (includes when, where and how to submit comments):
   http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/FCC-03-3A1.pdf.




2. APPLICATIONS FOR TELECOMMUNICATIONS RELAY SERVICE (TRS) CERTIFICATION
   January 21, 2003
   http://www.fcc.gov
   http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-03-99A1.pdf (press release)
   
   Comments Due: 2/17/2003
   Reply Comments Due: 3/03/2003
   
   Under Title IV of the ADA, states may receive certification to operate their own relay programs so long as they receive certification to do so from the FCC. Generally, the FCC grants certification to states in 5 year increments. This year and last many of these certifications expired, and states have been refiling applications for new certifications to continue providing relay services. The following is a notice about 12 applications filed for state certification of TRS. As you can see, comments are due on February 17, 2003, and reply comments are due on March 3, 2003.
   
   Copies of applications for certification are available for public inspection and copying during regular business hours at the FCC Reference Information Center, Portals II, 445 12th Street, SW, Room CY-A257, Washington, DC 20554. The applications for certification are also available on the Commission’s web site at http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/dro/trs_by_state.html. They may also be purchased from the Commission’s duplicating contractor, Qualex International, Portals II, 44512th Street, SW, Room CY-B402, Washington, DC 20554, telephone (202) 863-2893, facsimile (202) 863-2898, or via e-mail qualexint@aol.com.

2. GSA PROPOSED RULE WITH REQUEST FOR COMMENTS
http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/14mar20010800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2003/03-1536.htm

Comment Due Date: March 24, 2003

Public Meeting: A public meeting will be conducted starting at 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., local time, on February 4, 2003, to ensure an open dialogue between the government and interested parties on the proposed rule.

[Federal Register: January 23, 2003 (Volume 68, Number 15)] [Page 3220-3225]

General Services Administration Acquisition Regulation; Federal Supply Schedule Contracts--Acquisition of Information Technology by State and Local Governments Through Federal Supply Schedules

AGENCY: Office of Acquisition Policy, General Services Administration (GSA).

ACTION: Proposed rule with request for comments; notice of public meeting.

SUMMARY: The General Services Administration (GSA) is proposing to amend the General Services Administration Acquisition Regulation (GSAR) to implement section 211 of the E-Government Act of 2002. Section 211 authorizes the Administrator of GSA to provide for the use by States or local governments of its federal supply schedule for ``automated data processing equipment (including firmware), software, supplies, support equipment, and services (as contained in Federal supply classification code group 70).'' To facilitate an open dialogue between the Government and interested parties on the implementation of section 211, GSA will hold a public meeting on the proposed GSAR rule on February 4, 2003.

For more details, including meeting location and where, when and how to submit comments, please access the URL.

3. FAR: SECTION 508 MICRO-PURCHASE EXCEPTION SUNSET PROVISION
Interim Rule Extends Electronic, IT Micro-purchase Exception Until 2004
http://www.acqnet.gov/far/FAC/fac2001-11.pdf

[Federal Register: December 31, 2002 (Volume 67, Number 251)] [Page 80320-80322]

Comments on the interim rule are due 3/3/03

ACTION: Interim rule with request for comments.

SUMMARY: The Civilian Agency Acquisition Council and the Defense Acquisition Regulations Council (Councils) have agreed on an interim rule amending the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) to extend the electronic and information technology (Section 508) micro-purchase exception to October 1, 2004. This interim rule extends the electronic and information technology (EIT) micro-purchase exception until October 1, 2004. Previously, in incorporating the Access Board standards, the FAR provided an exception from the procurement regulations for micro-purchases until January 1, 2003. The Councils fully expected that many products would conform to the standards within that timeframe and be marketed and labeled by the manufacturer accordingly. However, industry is providing products at varying levels of conformance to the standards, and product packaging does not currently provide Section 508 conformance information, in most cases. The Government is continuing to make compliance a high priority, and the award of many Federal EIT procurements have hinged on accessibility. While the ‘‘Buy Accessible’’ information on the Section508.gov Web site is helpful, not all firms have templates completed for their products making it especially difficult for Government purchase cardholders who are not contracting officers to make informed EIT purchases through reasonable effort. Typically, Government personnel who are not warranted contracting officers use the purchase card to purchase commercial-off-the-shelf items. Use of the purchase card makes it generally impractical to comply with the EIT accessibility standards unless commercial-off-the-shelf products are labeled for Section 508 standards compliance. The Councils recognize the fact that almost all micro-purchases are made using the Government wide commercial purchase cards, but also recognize that the Government purchases $52 billion per year for EIT products and services, of which only a very small percentage are acquired through the micro-purchase process with credit cards. Most Government desktop personal computers and other infrastructure are purchased and controlled through large agency acquisitions.

For more details, including where, when and how to submit comments, please access the URL.

4. BEAUMONT FOUNDATION 2003 GRANTS
http://www.bmtfoundation.com/grants/

Application Deadline for 2003 grants: March 31, 2003

The Beaumont Foundation is giving out $350 million over the next five years in computer equipment to underserved populations, including people with disabilities. There are three types of grant programs (education grants for schools, community grants for 501(c)(3)'s, and grants for individuals -- roughly $2000 per individual). People with disabilities are especially encouraged to apply for the individual grants. For more information access the URL or call 1-866-505-COMP(2667).

Back to top

 

RESOURCES

1. GUIDE TO MAKING DOCUMENTS ACCESSIBLE TO PEOPLE WHO ARE BLIND OR VISUALLY IMPAIRED
http://www.acb.org/accessible-formats.html

A new publication issued by the American Council of the Blind (ACB) available for free on the ACB Web site. This document, written by Jennifer Sutton, contains a comprehensive discussion about how to make print and electronic information available to people with visual impairments in a variety of accessible formats.

2. VIABLE TECHNOLOGIES, INC.

Need a Winning Edge to Succeed in the Classroom, Conference/Seminar or in the Workplace? There is a Viable Solution!
http://www.viabletechnologies.com

Viable Technologies, Inc. introduces Viable Realtime Transcription (VRT), a high quality, patent-pending hi-tech innovated solution for equal communication access for deaf, hard-of-hearing, and hearing clients in educational, conference/seminar and business environments.

VRT has a 95% or better transcription accuracy compared to existing communication-related support services. VRT has the optional text-to-speech feature and can be used with or without sign language interpreting, or aural-oral & cued speech transliterating. VRT providers don't travel to your site because VRT service is done off-site using advanced remote technology.

In the educational setting, for example, the VRT system captures a lecture via a lapel microphone placed on the lecturer, and then transmits information to a remote site where a VRT provider, using Automated Speech Recognition (ASR) software and hardware, generates text captions by voice writing. Text captions are then sent through the Internet back to the classroom and displayed on the client's desktop or laptop computers via a Web browser --- all in realtime.

Viable transcripts are accessible 24 hours/7 days a week and are excellent for faculty, peer and co-worker collaborations.

Demonstrations are available by appointment. For more information visit http://www.viabletechnologies.com or email info@viabletechnologies.com.

3. SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY OF PUBLICATIONS

1. Library HiTech on Online Accessibility
   
   
   Vol. 20, No. 4, 2002, of Library Hi Tech has a special-theme section on online accessibility. This special-theme issue continues the series of articles published in Library Hi Tech earlier this summer (Vol. 20, No. 2).
   http://lucia.emeraldinsight.com/vl=24252938/cl=39/nw=1/rpsv/lht.htm
   (Scroll down and click on “Themed issue, Vol. 20, No. 4”)
   
   From the Table of Contents:
   
   Accessibility of Web-based information resources for people with disabilities (part two): introduction
   By Axel Schmetzke (pp. 397 - 398)
   
   Web access and the law: a public policy framework
   By Steve Noble (pp. 399 - 405)
   
   Web accessibility and the law: recommendations for implementation
   By Holly Yu (pp. 406 - 419)
   
   Distance learning: the library's role in ensuring access to everyone
   By Sheryl Burgstahler (pp. 420 - 432)
   
   Access to online learning: the role of the courseware authoring tool developer
   By Laurie Harrison (pp. 433 - 440)
   
   An evaluation of accessibility in online learning management systems
   By Ann Marie Johnson; Sean Ruppert (pp. 441 - 451)
   
   Virtually accessible: empowering students to advocate for accessibility and support universal design
   By Jo Ann Oravec (pp. 452 - 461)




2. The DePaul University American Sign Language Project
   http://asl.cs.depaul.edu/publications.html
   
   Jacob Furst, Karen Alkoby, Andre Berthiaume, Pattaraporn Chomwong, Mary Jo Davidson, Brian Konie, Glenn Lancaster, Steven Lytinen, John McDonald, Lopa Roychoudhuri, Jorge Toro, Noriko Tomuro, Rosalee Wolfe.
   Database Design for American Sign Language.
   Proceedings of the ISCA 15th International Conference on Computers and Their Applications (CATA-2000). 427-430.
   
   John McDonald, Jorge Toro, Karen Alkoby, Andre Berthiaume, Pattaraporn Chomwong, Juliet Christopher, Mary Jo Davidson, Jacob Furst, Brian Konie, Glenn Lancaster, Steven Lytinen, Lopa Roychoudhuri, Eric Sedgwick, Noriko Tomuro, Rosalee Wolfe.
   An Improved Articulated Model of the Human Hand.
   Proceedings of the 8th International Conference in Central Europe on Computer Graphics, Visualization and Interactive Digital Media. 2000. 306 - 313.
   
   Noriko Tomuro, Karen Alkoby, Andre Berthiaume, Pattaraporn Chomwong, Mary Jo Davidson, Jacob Furst, Brian Konie, Glenn Lancaster, Steven Lytinen, John McDonald, Lopa Roychoudhuri, Jorge Toro, Rosalee Wolfe.
   An Alternative Method for Building A Database for American Sign Language.
   "Technology and Persons with Disabilities" Conference 2000. California State University at Northridge, Los Angeles, CA March 20-25, 2000.
   
   Rosalee Wolfe, Karen Alkoby, Jamita Barnett, Pattaraporn Chomwong, Jacob Furst, Gary Honda, Glenn Lancaster, Frank "Tony" Lavoie, Steven Lytinen, John McDonald, Lopa Roychoudhuri, Carolyn Taylor, Noriko Tomuro, Jorge Toro.
   An Interface for Transcribing American Sign Language.
   SIGGRAPH 99 Sketches, August 11, 1999.
   
   Karen Alkoby and Eric Sedgwick,
   Using a Computer to Fingerspell.
   DeafExpo 99, San Diego, CA, November 19-22, 1999.