January 1, 2004 (Vol 4, Issue 3)

In This Issue:

UPCOMING EVENTS

1. ITTATC Third Annual State EIT Accessibility Initiatives: State of the States
2. Fourth Annual Web-Enabled Government Conference

FCC TELECOMMUNICATIONS/REGULATIONS

1. Dr. Bonnie O'Day v. Audiovox Communications Corporation
2. Request for Exemption from FCC's Closed Captioning Rules
3. Internet Policy Working Group
4. TRS and Speech-to-Speech Services for Individuals with Hearing and Speech Disabilities

FOR YOUR INFORMATION

1. GSA Announces Continued Funding for the Accessibility Forum

ARTICLES/ANNOUNCEMENTS

1. 2003 Digital Cities Survey
2. Maximizing Revenues and Saving Costs Through E-Government: Success Stories in the Public Sector
3. Many Tools and Techniques Can Aid in Accessibility

PAST EVENTS

1. NIST Holds Symposium on Voting Systems
2. Presentations from the November Section 508 Coordinators Conference

RESOURCES

1. STEP508 Tool for Prioritizing Website Accessibility Problems
2. On-Line Guidance from the Access Board on Telecommunications Products
3. Grants.Gov
4. Start-Up Manual for Community Technology Centers
5. HAVAccess Newsletter
6. The Talking Checkbookr

 

UPCOMING EVENTS

1. ITTATC THIRD ANNUAL STATE EIT ACCESSIBILITY INITIATIVES: STATE OF THE STATES



On January 26, 2003 the Information Technology Technical Assistance and Training Center (ITTATC) will offer an audio conference to provide information on state approaches to electronic and information technology accessibility and the adoption of Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended.

The Audio Conference, Third Annual State Electronic and Information Technology Accessibility Initiatives: State of the States, will provide information on laws, policies, and programs and processes that have been implemented at the state level. Panelists will address strategies implemented at the State level to improve IT accessibility - laws, policies and programs. They will also address the benefits and expectations of implementing IT accessibility policies; the role of stakeholders in implementing IT accessibility policies; and the successes, challenges, and ongoing needs.

Panelists will include the State Government IT Accessibility Coordinator for the State of Maine's Office of Chief Information; a representative from the State of Indiana's Information Technology Oversight Commission; a Policy Analyst from the Kentucky Assistive Technology Services; and the manager of the Technology Investigation Center for the State of Arkansas. The panel will be moderated by Deborah Buck, Director of State IT Accessibility Programs for ITTATC, and Michael Morris, Chair of the ITTATC State IT Initiatives Workgroup.

The Audio Conference will be held on January 26, 2004 from 2:00-4:00 PM EST. Register now to participate at www.ittatc.org.

1. Strategies for designing effective Web-Enabled environments, and what makes managing these programs different from traditional projects.
2. What makes an application successful with a specific target audience, how to avoid common pitfalls, and how to leverage the experience of others in this operation.
3. How to ensure applications are compliant with developing regulations.
4. How to incorporate innovative technologies and practical strategies to improve customer satisfaction with high-performance, secure web-based services.

 

FCC TELECOMMUNICATIONS/REGULATIONS

1. DR. BONNIE O'DAY V. AUDIOVOX COMMUNICATIONS CORPORATION

In this Order, the FCC grants the Joint Motion to Dismiss with Prejudice filed on December 17, 2003, by Complainant Dr. Bonnie O'Day and Defendant Audiovox Communications Corporation. With the mediation assistance of FCC staff, O'Day and Audiovox have settled the first formal complaint filed with the Commission pursuant to Section 255 of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended. The FCC finds that granting the parties' Joint Motion to dismiss the formal complaint will ensure the most efficient use of the parties' and the FCC's resources without materially prejudicing either party.

Background:
On February 21, 2003, pursuant to Section 255 of the Act and the FCC's implementing rules and orders, Dr. Bonnie O'Day filed a formal complaint against defendant Audiovox Communications Corporation. In her complaint, O'Day contended that Audiovox violated Section 255 of the Act by, among other things, failing to make features of the wireless telephone handset that Audiovox manufactured accessible to O'Day, a visually-impaired user. O'Day requested that the FCC require Audiovox to make available for downloading into O'Day's wireless telephone the software needed to deploy "text to speech" capability. O'Day contended that such software would allow the essential functions and services available through a wireless telephone's visual menu to be accessible to her through audio prompts.

On April 1, 2003, Audiovox filed a Motion to Dismiss the formal complaint and an Answer denying the allegations in O'Day's complaint. O'Day filed a Reply to the Answer and an Opposition to Audiovox's Motion to Dismiss. In her Reply, O'Day proposed that the FCC hold a technical conference at which the parties, together with their engineering and legal personnel, could discuss accessibility issues at length. FCC staff convened such a conference on June 12, 2003.

Since the technical conference, O'Day and Audiovox have engaged in extensive settlement discussions, with assistance from Commission staff, to resolve the disputed issues raised in O'Day's formal complaint. As a result of these discussions, the parties recently executed a settlement agreement and filed the above-referenced Joint Motion for dismissal of O'Day's formal complaint against Audiovox.

To read the full FCC Order, access: http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-03-4116A1.doc or http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-03-4116A1.pdf.

2. REQUEST FOR EXEMPTIION FROM FCC'S CLOSED CAPTIONING RULES

The John Ankerberg Show has filed a petition for exemption from the closed captioning requirements, pursuant to Section 79.1 of the FCC's rules, 47 C.F.R. § 79.1. The television program is aired on the Daystar and Inspirational Networks. Petitioner claims that compliance would impose an undue burden, as defined in Section 79.1(f) of the Commission's rules, 47 C.F.R. § 79.1(f).

Comments and oppositions are due within 30 days from the date of this public notice, which was filed on December 22, 2003. Petitioner's reply is due 20 days thereafter. Please place the case identifier, CSR 6263, on all filings.

The petition is available for public inspection in the Commission's Reference Information Center:

445 12th Street, S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20554
202-418-7092

The petition is also available to individuals with disabilities requiring accessible formats (electronic ASCII text, Braille, large print, and audiocassette) by contacting Brian Millin at (202) 418-7426 (Voice), (202) 418- 7365 (TTY), or by sending an email to bmillin@fcc.gov.

 

FOR YOUR INFORMATION

1. GSA ANNOUNCES CONTINUED FUNDING FOR THE ACCESSIBILITY FORUM

[Taken from the Accessibility Forum website.]

The General Services Administration (GSA) announces continuing funding for the Accessibility Forum. The award to the partnership of ATI and Altarum was made on November 3, 2003 for product development and program support through the end of FY 2004 with options for the FY 2005 and 2006.

The Accessibility Forum began in May of 2001 as an ongoing collaboration among stakeholders affected by Section 508 including user, industry, government, and other communities.

The Accessibility Forum focuses on long-term solutions. Consistent with its mission statement, projects are defined to produce results that assist government in making informed decisions about Section 508 related procurement. The work of the Forum has had significant, positive effects on Government acquisition of accessible E&IT, due largely to the efforts of Forum members. Among other activities, the Forum has completed two projects for research on two high priority sets of issues - Objective measures for assessing compliance with the Access Board standard and AT/E&IT Interoperability between assistive technology products and mainline information technology products. The Forum also provides a means for government, industry, and users to communicate on issues and areas where further effort could enhance E&IT accessibility.

GSA funding will be used to support the development and deployment of the first two modules of the Buy Accessible Wizard demonstrated at the September 2003 meeting, the development and deployment of additional modules for the Wizard, and other projects that support these development and deployment activities and rely on the network of expertise and experience so prevalent in Forum activity to date.

For more information about the Accessibility Forum, access: www.accessibilityforum.org.


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ARTICLES/PUBLICATIONS

1. 2003 DIGITAL CITIES SURVEY

The Center for Digital Government, Digital Cities Survey, examined and assessed how city governments are utilizing information technology to operate and deliver quality service to their customers and citizens. Mayors, chief information officers and city managers at over 300 of the nation's cities were invited to participate.

Launched in June, the Digital Cities Survey examined and assessed how city governments are progressing in utilizing information technology to streamline operations and deliver quality service to their citizens. Officials responded to a set of 16 questions and ranked their jurisdictions according to a four-point scale, providing website addresses and background data for final verification and validation.

For more information, access: http://www.centerdigitalgov.com/center/03digitalcities.phtml.

The Center for Digital Government launched its 2003 iteration of the Digital States Survey in August, ITTATC will share information on its findings as it becomes available.

2. MAXIMIZING REVENUES AND SAVING COSTS THROUGH E-GOVERNMENT: SUCCESS STORIES IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR
by the National Electronic Commerce Coordination Council

[The following is excerpted from the National Electronic Commerce Coordination Council White Paper on E-Government.]

The National Electronic Commerce Coordinating Council (NECCC) has been tracking the evolution of ecommerce and e-government initiatives, and publishing white papers for several years. The NECCC discusses past trends in e-government then looks at current practices. They conclude that current e-government practices are "…characterized by public sector organizations putting online only those services with a compelling business case. Prioritization among many good ideas, based on criteria set forth in a business case, is the norm."

To see the full text of the white paper, as well as examples of e-government projects that demonstrate successful business cases, access: http://www.ec3.org/Downloads/2003/RevMax.pdf.

3. MANY TOOLS AND TECHNIQUES CAN AID IN ACCESSIBILITY


The December 5, 2003, Section 508 Update of Government Computer News discusses new tools and techniques to help people with disabilities. Federal IT specialists working to make websites and other electronic documents accessible to people with disabilities have an increasing range of tools and techniques to help them.

To read the full GCN article, access: http://www.gcn.com/eletters-archive/s508/2138.html.

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PAST EVENTS

1. NIST HOLDS SYMPOSIUM ON VOTING SYSTEMS

The Help America Vote Act, passed by Congress in 2002, establishes requirements for voting systems used in Federal elections that will allow voters to verify and correct their selections before casting a ballot, remove language barriers, and ensure access for persons with disabilities. Under the law, every precinct in the country must have at least one voting machine or system accessible to persons with disabilities, including those with vision impairments, by January 1, 2006.

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), which has key responsibilities under the Act, held a symposium on building trust and confidence in voting systems at its Gaithersburg, Maryland headquarters in December. Founded in 1901 as the nation's first federal physical science research laboratory, NIST develops and promotes measurement, standards and technology to enhance productivity and to facilitate trade. Under the new law, NIST will assume a key role in the development of standards for voting systems which will include provisions for accessibility. It will chair a committee charged with making recommendations on the standards which will include representation from the Board.

The symposium featured panel discussions on various aspects of voting systems, including computer security and openness, specification and testability, and usability and accessibility. Participants included state and local election officials, academic researchers, voting systems vendors, disability advocates, independent testing authorities, election lawyers, and voting rights activists. As part of its work under the new law, NIST also has undertaken a study on the usability and accessibility of voting systems and the impact of human factors on the effectiveness of election-related technologies. A report on this study will be issued by NIST in coming weeks. For more information, contact Allan Eustis of NIST at voting@nist.gov (e-mail) or (301) 975-5099 (phone). Information on the symposium is posted on NIST's website at http://vote.nist.gov.

2. PRESENTATIONS FROM THE NOVEMBER SECTION 508 COORDINATORS' CONFERENCE

Presentations from the November Section 508 Coordinators' Conference in Gettysburg can be found in the "Communications/Media" section on the Section 508 website under Presentations - Section 508 Coordinators' Conference or by accessing: http://www.section508.gov/index.cfm?FuseAction=Content&ID=77.

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RESOURCES

1. STEP508 TOOL FOR PRIORITIZING WEBSITE ACCESSIBILITY PROBLEMS

STEP508, the Simple Tool for Error Prioritization for Section 508 compliance, is a new electronic tool that prioritizes the repairs made to ensure that a website is compliant with the accessibility requirements of Section 508 and provides the metrics to report progress in improving the accessibility of a site over time.

STEP508 uses the output of accessibility evaluation tools (such as Bobby, LIFT, WebKing etc.) and compares the results of these evaluations (how a site performed on Bobby vs. LIFT, WebKing, etc.). It prioritizes the errors/accessibility problems that were identified (identifies the errors that are most critical to fix to make a site accessible). STEP508 also tracks the progress of accessibility repair efforts over time (gives a baseline "score" and provides metrics to quantitatively monitor/report improvements).

For more information and to download a free copy of the software, access: http://www.section508.gov/index.cfm?fuseaction=content&id=155.

2. ON-LINE GUIDANCE FROM THE ACCESS BOARD ON TELECOMMUNICATIONS PRODUCTS

Since issuing its standards for electronic and information technology under section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act, the Access Board has maintained a program of continuing on-line guidance and training on compliance with the standards. The Access Board recently released an on-line guide on provisions in the standards for telecommunications products.

These provisions are designed primarily to ensure access for people who are deaf or hard of hearing and address compatibility with hearing aids, cochlear implants, assistive listening devices, and TTYs (devices that provide access to telephones for persons with hearing or speech impairments). Specifications address adjustable volume controls for output, TTY connections, product interface with hearing technologies, and the usability of keys and controls. The new guide explains these provisions in detail and clarifies how they can be met.

The information from this guide will serve as the basis for an upcoming web-based tutorial. This course will be the last installment in a series of tutorials on the 508 standards which is available free through the Federal Information Technology Accessibility Initiative's "508 Universe" program at www.section508.gov. The program includes existing tutorials on other sections of the 508 standards, as well as a user-friendly introduction to the law and information on buying compliant products.

To see the full text of the new guide on telecommunications products, access: www.access-board.gov/508.htm.

3. GRANTS.GOV

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Tommy G. Thompson unveiled a single, comprehensive website that will contain information about finding and applying for all federal grant programs. The website, http://www.grants.gov/, makes it easier for organizations to learn about and apply for federal grants. Its launch marks an important milestone in President Bush's Electronic Government (E-Gov) Initiative.

Grants.gov is a key element of President Bush's E-Gov initiative, which aims at harnessing Internet-based technology to make it easy for citizens and businesses to interact with the government, save taxpayer dollars and streamline citizen-to-government communications. The White House Office for Management and Budget named HHS as the lead agency for this Grants.gov initiative. HHS awards more than half of all the competitive grants across the federal government.

HHS led the development of the cross-agency website, which now has information about more than 800 available grant programs involving all 26 federal grant-making agencies. These agencies together award more than $360 billion in grant funds. The site provides information in a standardized format across agencies and includes a "Find Grant Opportunities" feature to help applicants find potential funding opportunities.

The site also contains an "Apply for Grants" feature that greatly simplifies the application process by allowing applicants to download, complete and submit applications for specific grant opportunities from any federal grant-making agency.

4. START-UP MANUAL FOR COMMUNITY TECHNOLOGY CENTERS

First published in 1997, the Community Technology Centers' (CTC) Center Start-Up Manual is widely recognized as a principal guide for establishing CTCs and serves as an organized patchwork of CTC experiences. Toni Stone, founder of CTCNet, was principal author of previous editions of the Manual. With support from the Surdna Foundation, the manual has been updated by CTCNet to reflect developing CTC experiences and needs and this version was completed in January 2003.

While the sequence of the manual is designed for start-up centers, there is plenty of material that is applicable to centers already in some stage of operation.

The purpose of the Community Technology Centers (CTC) program is to assist eligible applicants to create or expand community technology centers that will provide disadvantaged residents of economically distressed urban and rural communities with access to information technology and related training.

To view the CTC Center Start-Up Manual and link to its table of contents, access: http://www.ctcnet.org/toc.htm.