January 1, 2005 (Vol. 5, Issue 3)

In This Issue:

UPCOMING EVENTS

1. Performance Measurement for Information Technology in Government (Jan. 25-27, 2005)
2. ATIA 2005 Conference, (January 19-22, 2005), Orlando, FL

FCC TELECOMMUNICATIONS/REGULATIONS

1. Request for Clarification & Petition for declaratory Ruling: Two-Line Captioned Telephone Voice Carry Over Service
2. FCC Announces Re-Chartering and Solicitation of Members for Consumer Advisory Committee
3. TRS & Speech Services for Individuals with Hearing and Speech Disabilities

FOR YOUR ACTION/INFORMATION

1. OMB Creates Single Policy Document for Web Requirements
2. Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Disability in Air Travel
3. Precedent-Setting Decision on Emergency Evacuations for People with Disabilities Issued in Maryland. [Savage v. City Place Limited Partnership, et al., Civil No. 240306]

ARTICLES/PUBLICATIONS

1. National Council on Disability Releases "Righting the ADA"
2. "Speegle - A Talk Search Engine"
3. "Setting Standards for Fair Elections"

PAST EVENTS

1. OSEP's 7th Annual Technology Innovators' Conference

RESOURCES

1. ITTATC Website publishes latest report on State E&IT Accessibility Initiatives
2. Zoom Begins Shipping the V3, Zoom's Second Major VoIP Product
3. The myReader Low Vision Auto Reader

UPCOMING EVENTS

1. PERFORMANCE MEASUREMENT FOR INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY IN GOVERNMENT - LINKING YOUR IT INITIATIVES TO YOUR AGENCY'S STRATEGIC PLANS AND OBJECTIVES TO DRIVE RESULTS

January 25-27, 2005, Washington, D.C.
www.aliconferences.com/conferences/governmentitperformance/105.html

This conference will address best practices for measuring and monitoring IT strategic plans "to ensure innovative, efficient government and to manage for results." Courses, in part, include:

"Using technology to collect, process, and disseminate information in ways that improve the delivery of products, goods, and services to customers

Focusing on citizen-centered e-gov that will result in deliverable service improvements . . .
Dedicating future IT investments to ensure interoperability between and amongst other agency's systems . . .
Complying with various performance-based reporting requirements, including the President's Management Agenda (PMA), Government Performance & Results Act (GPRA), the Clinger-Cohen Act (CCA), & OMB Circulars A-130, A-11, & Exhibit 300’s"

2. ATIA 2005 CONFERENCE
January 19-22, 2005
Orlando, FL

The Assistive Technology Industry Association (ATIA) will be holding its 6th annual conference showcasing excellence in assistive technology, at the Caribe Royale All-Suites Resort in Orlando, Florida, January 19-22, 2005. This will bring together the Assistive Technology community for top-notch education and an exhibition showcasing the latest in Assistive Technology.

ITTATC and CATEA staff from Georgia Tech will be presenting and exhibiting at the conference and exhibit hall during this four day event. For details on the conference, including a listing of pre-conference seminars and more than 250 educational sessions and 20 hands-on labs, visit: www.ATIA.org or call 1-877-687-2842.

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FCC TELECOMMUNICATIONS/REGULATIONS

1. REQUESTS FOR CLARIFICATION & PETITION FOR DECLARATORY RULING: TWO-LINE CAPTIONED TELEPHONE VOICE CARRY OVER SERVICE

The FCC announced that Ultratec, Inc., Sprint and Hamilton Relay, Inc. have filed a request for clarification in a proceeding about two-line voice carryover service.

Ultratec and Sprint are "seeking clarification that a two-line voice carryover (VCO) service called two-line captioned telephone VCO service is a form of telecommunications relay service (TRS) eligible for reimbursement from the Interstate TRS Fund."

The National Exchange Carrier Association is seeking a declaratory ruling so that "ten percent of the inbound two-line captioned telephone VCO service minutes would be allocated for payment from the Interstate TRS Fund."

The proceeding, "Request for Clarification Filed by Ultratec, Inc., Sprint Corp. & Hamilton Relay, Inc., and Petition for Declaratory Ruling Filed by the National Exchange Carrier Assoc., Inc. Concerning Two-Line Captioned Telephone Voice Carry Over Service, A Form of Telecommunications Relay Service" (DA No. 04-3921, Dec. 16, 2004), may be accessed at the links below.

Public comment is open until January 7, 2005.

Word: http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-04-3921A1.doc
PDF: http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-04-3921A1.pdf

2. FCC ANNOUNCES RE-CHARTERING, AND SOLICITATION OF MEMBERS FOR CONSUMER ADVISORY COMMITTEE

The FCC is seeking nominations for membership on the Consumer Advisory Committee (CAC). The CAC was established in November 2000 by the FCC "for the purpose of making recommendations regarding consumer issues within the jurisdiction of the Commission and to facilitate the participation of consumers (including people with disabilities and underserved populations . . .) in proceedings before the Commission."

Applications for nominations are due by January 31, 2005.

For more information, access:

FCC, Announcement of Rechartering, and Solicitation of Members for Consumer Advisory Committee (DA 04-3892, Dec. 14, 2004),

Word: http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-04-3892A1.doc
PDF: http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-04-3892A1.pdf

3. TRS & SPEECH SERVICES FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH HEARING AND SPEECH DISABILITIES

Telecommunications Relay Services & Speech Services for Individuals with Hearing and Speech Disabilities. Adopted Order Modifying TRS Compensation Rates for 2004–2005 (DA No. 04-4063).

This order retroactively applies the following recalculated compensation rates for TRS services. Effective between July 1, 2004 and June 30, 2005, "the TRS compensation rates shall be as follows: for eligible traditional TRS and IP Relay, $1.398 per minute (an increase of $0.049); for eligible STS, $1.596 per minute (an increase of $0.156); and for eligible VRS, $7.596 per minute (an increase of $0.303). As a result of this adjustment to the TRS compensation rates, NECA is directed to make such supplemental payments to the providers for services compensated under the initial rates adopted in the 2004 Bureau TRS Rate Order so that the providers’ compensation for services rendered beginning July 1, 2004, will be consistent with the rates adopted in this Order."

For more information:

WORD: http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-04-4063A1.doc
PDF: http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-04-4063A1.pdf
Text: http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-04-4063A1.txt


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FOR YOUR ACTION/INFORMATION

1. JASON MILLER, OMB CREATES SINGLE POLICY DOCUMENT FOR WEB REQUIREMENTS
Government Computer News
Dec. 21, 2004
http://www.gcn.com/vol1_no1/daily-updates/31407-1.html

The Office of Management and Budget has issued 10 requirements for federal agency websites aimed at promoting "a more citizen-centered government." Among the requirements are the need to "Communicate with citizens and state and local governments to meet their information needs . . . [and to] [m]aintain accessibility for persons with disabilities."

2. NONDISCRIMINATION ON THE BASIS OF DISABILITY IN AIR TRAVEL
69 Fed. Reg. 64,363–64,395 (Nov. 4, 2004)
http://www.regulations.gov/freddocs/04-24371.htm

The U.S. Department of Transportation has "propose[d]" to revise its rule requiring nondiscrimination on the basis of disability in air travel to update, reorganize, and clarify the rule and to implement a statutory requirement to cover foreign air carriers under the Air Carrier Access Act." The public may make comments as to proposed revisions until February 2, 2005.

For more information, visit the link above.

3. PRECEDENT-SETTING DECISION ON EMERGENCY EVACUATIONS FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES ISSUED IN MARYLAND
[Savage v. City Place Limited Partnership, et al., Civil No. 240306]

For the first time, a court has declared that the Americans with Disabilities Act (the ADA) requires places of public accommodation to consider the needs of people with disabilities in developing emergency evacuation plans. This groundbreaking decision – issued on December 28, 2004 by Judge John W. Debelius III of the Circuit Court for Montgomery County, Maryland – means that shopping malls, stores, restaurants, movie theaters, museums, and other private entities subject to the ADA throughout the country, whether landlords or tenants, must now seek to accommodate people with disabilities in the development and modification of emergency evacuation procedures.

This case was handled by the Washington Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs and the firm of Hogan and Hartson, LLC.

To see the full text of the press release about this decision, access:
http://www.washlaw.org/news/releases/010405.htm

To review the opinion in the case, access: http://www.washlaw.org/pdf/Opinion_12_28_04.pdf

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ARTICLES/PUBLICATIONS

1. NATIONAL COUNCIL ON DISABILITY RELEASES "RIGHTING THE ADA"
www.ncd.gov/newsroom/publications/2004/pdf/righting_ada.pdf

"Over the past two years, NCD conducted an in-depth analysis of the Supreme Court's interpretations of the ADA. NCD has determined that, while some of the Court’s decisions have clearly liberated people with disabilities, e.g., Tennessee v. Lane, Martin v. PGA Tours, and Olmstead v. L.C., several of the Court’s rulings involving the ADA depart from the core principles and objectives of the ADA. NCD’s [December, 2004] report Righting the ADA, . . . provides an analysis of the problematic rulings, describes the resulting impact on people with disabilities, and offers legislative proposals designed to restore the ADA to its original intent."

Source:
Press Release, alphaOne, NCD Calls on Congress and Bush Administration to Make Changes (Dec. 2, 2004). http://www.alphaonenow.com/index.php?page=news&story_no=5461

PAST EVENTS

1. OSEP'S 7th ANNUAL TECHNOLOGY INNOVATOR'S CONFERENCE

For the second year in a row, ITTATC sponsored the web cast of several sessions from the annual IDEAS Conference. ITTATC sponsored the web cast of session from "IDEAS 2004: the Interagency Disability Educational Awareness Showcase," held on November 2-3, 2004. The sessions were web cast as live events, and they also are available for viewing from the archives.

The National Center for Technology Innovation has made available to the public the 7th Annual conference proceedings, including "keynote addresses, panel discussions, and breakout sessions," from the November 16–17, 2004 event.

Among the many proceedings are:

Keynote Address by Tom Wlodkowski, Director of Accessibility at America Online – "Accessibility: Where Are We Going?"
"Legally Speaking: Issues for Product Development"
"National Instructional Materials Accessibility Standards (NIMAS): What It Is and Potential Benefits" by Chuck Hitchcock, Director, National Center on Accessing the General Curriculum (NCAC), Center for Applied Special Technology (CAST).


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RESOURCES

1. ITTATC WEBSITE PUBLISHES LATEST REPORT ON STATE E&IT ACCESSIBILITY INITIATIVES

ITTATC recently published to its website the latest report on State Electronic and Information Technology (E&IT) Accessibility Initiatives. The report, which may be accessed at: http://www.ittatc.org/laws/report_August_2004.cfm#con, focuses on state initiatives in the areas of websites, E&IT procurement, and application development.

The information in the report supplements the resources provided in ITTATC's database on "State Accessibility Laws, Policies, Standards and Other Resources Available On-line" which can be accessed at

http://www.ittatc.org/laws/stateLawAtGlance.cfm

2. ZOOM BEGINS SHIPPING THE V3, ZOOM'S SECOND MAJOR VoIP PRODUCT
Press Release, Zoom Technologies, Nov. 12, 2004)
http://www.zoom.com/about/news04_07.html

Zoom Technologies is now marketing its Zoom V3. "The V3 allows people to make or receive phone calls by using their broadband service, providing a ‘second phone line’ while allowing users the benefits of conventional phone service for 911 emergency dialing, toll-free number dialing, or in the event of a power failure. The V3’s TelePort also allows conventional phone service to be used for local calls or any other call the user chooses." The V3 further offers "[c]ompatibility with any operating system that supports an Internet browser and Java script, including Windows, Macintosh and Linux." Frank Manning, Zoom’s President and CEO adds that "Zoom’s TelePort lets customers choose whether they want to use VoIP or conventional phone service on a per call basis; and Global Village lets customers choose the language, currency, and billing plan that’s right for them.

For more information, visit the link above.