November 1, 2002 (Vol 3, Issue 1)

In This Issue:

UPCOMING EVENTS

1. Web Design World 2002
2. IDEAS 2002--Innovations in Implementation: Managing Accessibility across the Federal Government
3. FCC Consumer/Disability Telecommunications Advisory Committee
4. Achieving and Maintaining an Accessible Web
5. Section 508 Coordinator Training Conference

PAST EVENTS

1. Web Design that Works for Everyone
2. State IT Accessibility Initiatives: A National and State Perspective Web Cast

ARTICLES

1. Ruling Doesn't Affect Section 508 Web Requirements, Board says
2. Tools To Unlock Section 508
3. Internet Access in U.S. Public Schools and Classrooms: 1994-2001
4. Giving Users a Virtual Hand

NOTABLE CASES

1. Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority
2. North Carolina Passes Legislation requiring Accessible Public Services
3. New ADA Lawsuit Tests Law's Application to Internet
4. Information Technology Used by the California State Government be Accessible to People with Disabilities

FOR YOUR ACTION

1. Information Technology and Disabilities: Call for Articles

RESOURCES

1. New Technology for the Blind
2. PDA for Blind: Cost Out of Sight?
3. New Products Promise Additional Independence for People with Disabilities
4. Section 508 and 255: Information Technology, Communication & Accessibility: A Technical Assistance CD-ROM
5. Hewlett Packard and Library Access
6. Leonardo's Laptop: Human Needs and the New Computing Technologies
7. Freedom Scientific Inclusive Tutorial

 

UPCOMING EVENTS

1. WEB DESIGN WORLD 2002
Presented by Thunder Lizard Productions
http://www.webdesignworld.com/boston/
http://www.webdesignworld.com/boston/wdwBOS02_brochure.pdf

Boston, MA
November 18-21, 2002

With new versions of the most popular Web development tools comes the need to sharpen your skills. Attend the Web Design World for sessions packed with tips on how to maximize these upgraded tools, delivered by the quality speakers you expect at Thunder Lizard events. Learn how to design and build expert web sites.

• Design and Architecture
• Web Standards & Accessibility
• Dreamweaver MX & Flash MX
• Web Technologies and Strategies
• Photoshop for the Web

2. IDEAS 2002--INNOVATIONS IN IMPLEMENTATION: MANAGING ACCESSIBILITY ACROSS THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
http://www.cessi.net/ideas/

Bethesda, MD
November 5, 2002

The annual Interagency Disability Educational Awareness Showcase (IDEAS) Conference date has been set for Tuesday, November 5, 2002. IDEAS is the only Federal-sponsored conference that is fully dedicated to disability awareness issues. At IDEAS 2002 you can expand your knowledge and find answers to your questions about disability legislation, assistive technology, and many workforce issues.

This year's theme, Innovation in Implementation, focuses on what is being done throughout the Federal government to create an operating and management environment that meets legislated requirements and enables people with disabilities access to information, programs, services and employment. Specifically, it will focus on Section 504 and 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and on issues affecting the workforce.

For more information contact 703-448-6155 x208 or e-mail: ideas@cessi.net.

3. FCC CONSUMER/DISABILITY TELECOMMUNICATIONS ADVISORY COMMITTEE
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-02-2664A1.pdf

November 8, 2002
9:00 AM - 4:45 PM

Federal Communications Commissions Headquarters Building
445 12th Street, S.W. Room TW-C305
Washington, DC

The meeting is open to the public.

The Committee will consider the Commission's proposed rules concerning the Telephone Consumer Protection Act; will receive an update regarding its recommendations concerning the Commission's consumer complaint process and outreach activities, and will receive and consider a report of an ad hoc working group on Sec. 255 of the Telecommunications Act of 1996. The Committee will also receive a report from its chairperson regarding activities since the June meeting and an update on the Committee rechartering process.

The Committee will also be updated on the Commission's Biennial Regulatory Review Process. Other working group reports will be received and considered if available. The Committee will make recommendations to the Federal Communications Commission as appropriate, and may also consider other matters within the mandate of its Charter.

Minutes of the meeting are available for public inspection at the FCC and are posted on the Commission's Website at www.fcc.gov/cgb/cdtac. The meeting is broadcast on the Internet in Real Audio/Real Video format with captioning at www.fcc.gov/cgb/cdtac. The meeting is sign language interpreted with real-time transcription and assistive listening devices available.

Meeting agendas and handout materials are provided in accessible formats. The meeting site is accessible to people with disabilities. Members of the public may address the Committee or may send written comments to:

Scott Marshall, Designated Federal Officer, Consumer/Disability Telecommunications Advisory Committee, Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau, Federal Communications Commission,
Room 5A824, 445 12th Street, SW
Washington, D.C. 20554
Telephone 202-418-2809 (voice) or 202-418-0179 (TTY)
Email: cdtac@fcc.gov.

4. ACHIEVING AND MAINTAINING AN ACCESSIBLE WEB
http://www.hisoftware.com/access/msaccessdays.html

November Dates: 6, 13, 20
Time: 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM EST / 10:00 to 11:00 AM PST
Register now at:
http://www.hisoftware.com/access/accessdayreg.htm

Microsoft Government and HiSoftware welcome U.S. Federal, State and Local Government customers to attend these Web Casts. If you are interested in participating in a Web Cast, but are not affiliated with a government agency, please send a request to: sessions@hisoftware.com

Has your organization developed a strategy for ensuring that your Web content is accessible to people using assistive technologies? Used together, Microsoft Content Creation tools, and HiSoftware's accessibility solutions enable developers and testers to configure, test and then view accessibility verification, enabling project teams to verify Web Site accessibility in compliance with Section 508 and W3C® "Priority 1-3" accessibility guidelines. These solutions provide organizations with a simple, cost-effective way to manage accessibility testing within their development environments.

The Web Casts will also cover .Net Integration of HiSoftware tools and the benefits for your organization.

Target audience:

• Section 508 Coordinators
• CIO's
• IRM's
• Government Procurement Officers
• Agency Technical Staff
• Webmasters
• Content Managers
• Others involved in Accessibility compliance.

5. SECTION 508 COORDINATOR TRAINING CONFERENCE

Gettysburg, Pennsylvania
November 20-22, 2002

The next Section 508 Coordinator Training Conference is being held on November 20-22, 2002 in Gettysburg, PA. If you are a Section 508 Coordinator or a back up and have not yet registered please contact Helen Chamberlain at helen.chamberlain@gsa.gov for further information.

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PAST EVENTS

1. WEB DESIGN THAT WORKS FOR EVERYONE
October 18-19, 2002
Rhode Island School of Design
Providence, RI
http://adaptiveenvironments.org/webconference/

Web Design that Works for Everyone took place October 18-19th at the Rhode Island School of Design in Providence, Rhode Island. The conference brought together the two worlds of digital design and accessible technology and delivered useful information about practice, policy, and tools, as well as served as a catalyst for innovative collaborations. The premise of the conference was that user diversity is the reality of an ever-expanding audience. By embracing the practical and valued role of information facilitator the designer can open new worlds for people previously excluded from the opportunities inherent in the world wide web: people with physical, sensory, and cognitive disabilities, older people, people with limited literacy, and people across the globe using all types of devices.

This conference was a very successful collaboration between the ITTATC project and the Northeast Disability and Business Technical Assistance Center (NEDBTAC). ITTATC cosponsored the event by sponsoring Shawn Lawton Henry's, who led an all day workshop on "Section 508 and Beyond: Web Accessibility for More People, More Situations." Ms. Henry helps organizations develop and implement strategies to optimize design for usability and accessibility. For over a decade, she has worked with international standards bodies, research centers, government agencies, non-profit organizations, education providers, and Fortune 500 companies to advance user interface design. ITTATC also provided funding for "scholarships" to help raise the attendance level.

2. STATE IT ACCESSIBILITY INITIATIVES: A NATIONAL AND STATE PERSPECTIVE
A Live Web Cast with Real-Time Captioning
October 22, 2002 from 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM ET
http://www.tvworldwide.com/event_021022_ittatc.cfm

On Tuesday, October 22nd, the ITTATC State IT Initiatives Workgroup held its second annual web cast to provide information from selected state stakeholders on current experiences with electronic and information technology (EIT) accessibility challenges related to Web Sites, Application Development, Procurement, and Places of Public Access. In addition, ITTATC shared some of the findings from its state needs assessment on IT accessibility "needs" and "barriers" as identified by State Assistive Technology Projects and State Offices of the Chief Information Officer.

The presentations from the panelists (listed below) were extremely dynamic and informative and provided information to encourage the audience to consider ways in which they can work on creating a culture of IT accessibility at the state level.

• Kathleen Anderson, Chair, CMAC Web Site Accessibility Committee, State of Connecticut
• Erin Labate, IT Policy, Pennsylvania Governor's Office for Information Technology
• Dr. Diane Cordry Golden, Director, Missouri Assistive Technology
• Mark Urban, Chair, North Carolina Governor's Advocacy Council for Persons with Disabilities

 

ARTICLES

1. RULING DOESN'T AFFECT SECTION 508 WEB REQUIREMENTS, BOARD SAYS
Copyright 2002 Post Newsweek Business Information, Inc.
10-23-2002
http://www.gcn.com/vol1_no1/s508/20325-1.html

by Dipka Bhambhani
GCN Staff

Government Web sites must still be accessible to people with disabilities, despite a recent court ruling and the ongoing debate over accessibility for commercial sites, according to the Access Board.

In October, a U.S. District judge in south Florida said the Americans with Disabilities Act applied only to physical spaces such as ticket counters, not cyberspace. The judge ruled against a blind plaintiff who had sued Southwest Airlines (see the section on "Notable Cases" for more information on this case), claiming the company's Web site was inaccessible.

"I don't think it [the ruling] has any impact at all on Section 508," said David Capozzi, director of technical and information services for the Access Board. Section 508, included in the 1998 amendments to the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, makes it clear that federal Web sites are mandated to be accessible, he said. "That shouldn't be open to interpretation." The Justice Department has fielded its own share of complaints against private enterprises that have not made their Web sites accessible, Capozzi said.

Nearly two years ago, a plaintiff with mental impairments filed a complaint with Justice, which eventually filed a brief that said public sites, including the Internet, are required to adhere to the ADA regulations.

2. TOOLS TO UNLOCK SECTION 508
Vol. 21 No. 31
10-21-02
http://gcn.com/21_31/buyers_guide/20275-1.html

by David Essex
Special to GCN (Government Computer News: http://www.gcn.com)

The article refers to compliance tools to help make systems compliant with Section 508, especially Web developers. Web developers can get help from Section 508 compliance tools, specialized programs that automatically detect and, in many cases, repair Section 508 violations. Although, the article states that these tools can't do the entire job. . "Much of Section 508 is open to interpretation, and no pattern-recognition software has perfect accuracy. Maybe 50 percent to 60 percent of accessibility issues can be caught with technology," said Randy Souza, an analyst at Forrester Research Inc. in Cambridge, Mass. At the end of the day, you're going to need human intelligence in place."

The leading products support not only Section 508 requirements but also the related and generally stricter Web Content Accessibility Guidelines of the World Wide Web Consortium. The W3C's rules are catching on with other national governments and with organizations that want to go the extra mile for accessibility. The compliance tools let you pick either test, and experts say the differences are manageable. They advise meeting Section 508 first, then working toward WCAG. "If you don't do anything beyond 508, you're still leaving up barriers that might make it difficult for people to access your site," said Judy Brewer of the W3C's Accessibility Initiative.

Section 508 compliance tools depend heavily on the willingness of certain Web applications-particularly those that provide dynamic content, such as Active Server Pages and JavaScript-to expose what they're doing. The relationship has historically been enough of a problem to cause the tools to balk when encountering dynamic content.

Vendors and analysts say the situation is improving with the emergence of standards such as Synchronized Multimedia Integration Language (SMIL). More important, makers of the major content-creation tools-notably Adobe Systems Inc., Macromedia Inc. and Microsoft Corp.-increasingly are adding accessibility hooks to their software. They also work closely with compliance tool vendors; some sell their plug-ins and are beginning to build Section 508 tools into their products.

Nearly missing from the current crop is help for the non-Web side of the Section 508 mandate. Crunchy Technology Inc.'s new WinScreamer does Windows, but it is geared to Windows software developers or agencies that develop applications in-house.

The software comes in four main flavors. The most capable standalone desktop tools, such as Crunchy's PageScreamer and SSB Technologies Inc.'s InFocus, are mainly for testing pages that are in development or already posted to sites. They bring pages into their own proprietary environments, make some changes automatically, or let you handle the remainder in built-in HTML editors.

Access the URL to read the full article.

3. INTERNET ACCESS IN U.S. PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND CLASSROOMS: 1994-2001
>From the National Center for Education Statistics
http://nces.ed.gov/pubs2002/internet/index.asp

This report presents key findings from the survey "Internet Access in U.S. Public Schools, Fall 2001." For selected topics, data from previous FRSS Internet surveys are presented as well. The findings are organized as follows:

• school connectivity
• students and computer access
• operating systems, memory capacity, and disk space
• special hardware and software for students with disabilities
• the Internet as a way to communicate with parents and students
• technologies and procedures to prevent student access to inappropriate material on the Internet.

4. GIVING USERS A VIRTUAL HAND
Federal Computer Week (FCW.com)
September 23, 2002
http://www.fcw.com/fcw/articles/2002/0923/tec-self-09-23-02.asp

by Ed McKenna

When visitors log on to the Defense Logistics Information Service Web site, they are greeted by the voice of "Phyllis" offering to answer their questions. A "virtual representative" with a computer-generated voice, Phyllis represents one of the various Web-based self-service applications - mostly voiceless - cropping up on government Websites to provide such services as advanced information searches and customized assistance to help users complete online transactions. Such applications were designed to keep call-center costs down and empower users, but they raise security, political and workplace issues.

With vendors ranging from niche provider NativeMinds Inc., which created Phyllis, to enterprise software vendors such as PeopleSoft Inc., self-service applications tallied $100 million in sales last year, according to Esteban Kolsky, a senior research analyst at Gartner Inc.

The Phyllis program was initiated to "strip away" frequently asked questions from operators, according to Raymond Zingaretti, the system's program manager at the Defense Logistics Information Service, a Defense Logistics Agency command responsible for managing logistics and supply data used by military services, contractors and international agencies. Phone calls handled by a person can cost $5 to $75, depending on their complexity, Schmitt said.

Much of that amount stems from high call-center staffing costs sparked by employee turnover and workforce training expenses, said Chris Olin, director of products at Kana Inc., a customer relationship management software vendor. In comparison, after a substantial upfront investment, each Web self-service interaction "literally costs pennies," Olin said.

The two main types of self-service applications are knowledge-based systems and transaction-management systems. The first type typically permits users to get answers to questions; the second allows them to interact online with agency applications, databases or representatives.

Access the URL to view the full article.

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NOTABLE CASES

1. METROPOLITAN ATLANTA RAPID TRANSIT AUTHORITY
Action Lawsuit filed by Atlanta-area people with disabilities against the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA)

"Judge Rules that Inaccessible Website Violates the ADA"
http://www.sedbtac.org/ed/whats_new/articles.cfm?id=2520
October 15, 2002

A federal judge ruled that the Atlanta mass transit agency violated the ADA by constructing a Website that was inaccessible for people with visual disabilities. This is one of the first cases to decide that the ADA requires online access for people with disabilities.

This decision came as part of a court order in a class action lawsuit filed by Atlanta-area people with disabilities against the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA). The plaintiffs in this case complained about numerous problems they experienced with accessibility in MARTA, including difficulties in obtaining schedule and route information in an accessible format. This information is available on the MARTA Website, but people with disabilities had to rely on cumbersome Braille schedules or through MARTA's telephone service.

MARTA staff testified that the MARTA Web Site (http://www.itsmarta.com) is not yet accessible for people with visual impairments. Since June 2002, MARTA has been working to improve the accessibility of its Internet site, but people who use screen readers to access the site still cannot get complete access to schedule and route information.

Judge Thomas W. Thrash, Jr. stated in his order that "MARTA can do a better job of making information available in accessible formats." The judge stated that although MARTA did provide information to people with visual impairments over the telephone, this service was not equivalent to that provided over the Internet to non-disabled passengers. Although MARTA is attempting to correct accessibility issues on its Internet site, Judge Thrash found that "MARTA must deliver on its promises". "Until these deficiencies are corrected," the judge stated, "MARTA is violating the ADA."

The judge ordered MARTA and the plaintiffs to work together to fashion a court order to remedy the violations of the ADA, including the accessibility of the MARTA Website, but did not order MARTA to make any specific changes to its Website. The court's order can be found in Adobe PDF at http://www.gand.uscourts.gov/documents/1001cv3255TWTinj.pdf.

(This summary was prepared by the Southeast DBTAC and has not been reviewed by any enforcement agency. The Southeast is authorized by the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR) to provide information, materials, and technical assistance to individuals and entities that are covered by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) under grant number H133D010207. However, you should be aware that NIDRR is not responsible for enforcement of the ADA The information, materials, and/or technical assistance are intended solely as informal guidance, and are neither a determination of your legal rights or responsibilities under the act, nor binding on any agency with enforcement responsibility under the ADA.)

2. NORTH CAROLINA PASSES LEGISLATION REQUIRING ACCESSIBLE PUBLIC SERVICES

"New Law will allow Persons with Disabilities into the 21st Century"
http://www.ncleg.net/html2001/bills/CurrentVersion/senate/sbil0866.full.html
October 10, 2002

The General Assembly passed Senate Bill 866, "Changes to Persons with Disabilities Protection Law," which guarantees the right of persons with disabilities in accessing electronic information, including Web sites, computers in public libraries, etc. The bill requires compliance by municipalities, counties, community colleges, universities and any agencies in state government. Now they must make electronic media accessible.

Senators Brad Miller, Bill Martin and Tony Rand introduced the bill, at the request of the Governor's Advocacy Council for Persons with Disabilities (GACPD). The council is the protection and advocacy organization for North Carolina; it has counterparts in every state, mandated by federal law. GACPD has responsibility for protecting the rights of all persons in North Carolina with disabilities.

SECTION 3. G.S. 168A-7 reads as rewritten: "§ 168A-7. Discrimination in public service. (a) It is a discriminatory practice for a State department, institution, or agency, or any political subdivision of the State or any person that contracts with the above for the delivery of public services including but not limited to education, health, social services, recreation, and rehabilitation, to refuse to provide reasonable aids and adaptations necessary for a known qualified person with a disability to use or benefit from existing public services operated by such entity; provided that the aids and adaptations do not impose an undue hardship on the entity involved. This subsection includes equivalent services provided via information technology.

3. NEW ADA LAWSUIT TESTS LAW'S APPLICATION TO INTERNET

"Suit Over Airlines' Websites Tests Bounds of ADA"
http://www.bytowninternet.com/southwest.html

ACCESS NOW INC., a Florida non-profit corporation, and ROBERT GUMSON, individually, Plaintiffs vs. SOUTHWEST AIRLINES, CO., a Texas corporation, Defendant.


THIS MATTER is before the Court on Defendant Southwest Airlines, Co.'s ("Southwest") Motion to Dismiss Plaintiffs' Complaint [DE-11]. Plaintiffs, Access Now, Inc. ("Access Now"), a non-profit, access advocacy organization for disabled individuals, and Robert Gumson ("Gumson"), a blind individual, filed this four-count Complaint for injunctive and declaratory relief under the Americans with Disabilities Act ("ADA"), 42 U.S.C. §§ 12101, et seq. Plaintiffs contend that Southwest's Internet website, southwest.com, excludes Plaintiffs in violation of the ADA, as the goods and services Southwest offers at its "virtual ticket counters" are inaccessible to blind persons. Southwest has moved to dismiss Plaintiffs' complaint on the grounds that southwest.com is not a "place of public accommodation" and, therefore, does not fall within the scope of Title III of the ADA. The Court has considered the parties' thorough papers, the extremely informative argument of counsel, and the exhibits presented during oral argument. The Court did grant Southwest's motion to dismiss.

BACKGROUND:
Southwest, the fourth largest U.S. airline (in terms of domestic customers carried), was the first airline to establish a home page on the Internet. See Southwest Airlines Fact Sheet, at http://www.southwest.com/about_swa/press/factsheet.html (Last visited Oct. 16, 2002). Southwest's Internet website, southwest.com, provides consumers with the means to, among other things, check airline fares and schedules, book airline, hotel, and car reservations, and stay informed of Southwest's sales and promotions. Southwest prides itself on operating an Internet website that provides "the highest level of business value, design effectiveness, and innovative technology use achievable on the Web today."

Despite the apparent success of Southwest's website, Plaintiffs contend that Southwest's technology violates the ADA, as the goods and services o offered on southwest.com are inaccessible to blind persons using a screen reader. Plaintiffs allege that although "southwest.com offers the sighted customer the promise of independence of on-line airline/hotel booking in the comfort and safety of their home...even if a blind person like [Plaintiff] Gumson has a screen reader with a voice synthesizer on their computer, they are prevented from using the southwest.com website because of its failure to allow access." Specifically, Plaintiffs maintain that "the southwest.com website fails to provide 'alternative text' which would provide a 'screen reader' program the ability to communicate via synthesized speech what is visually displayed on the website." Additionally, Plaintiff's assert that the southwest.com website "fails to provide online forms which can be readily filled out by [Plaintiffs] and fails to provide a 'skip navigation link' which facilitates access for these blind consumers by permitting them to bypass the navigation bars on a website and proceed to the main content."

Plaintiffs' four-count Complaint seeks a declaratory judgment that Southwest's website violates the communication barriers removal provision of the ADA (Count I), violates the auxiliary aids and services provision of the ADA (Count ll), violates the reasonable modifications provisions of the ADA (Count III) and violates the full and equal enjoyment and participation provisions of the ADA (Count IV). Plaintiffs asked the Court to enjoin Southwest from continuing to violate the ADA, to order Southwest to make its website accessible to persons who are blind, and to award Plaintiffs attorneys' fees and costs. Southwest has moved to dismiss Plaintiffs' Complaint pursuant to Fed. R. Civ. P. 12(b)(6). The Court has federal question jurisdiction over this matter pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1331.

CONCLUSION:
The Defendant Southwest's Motion to Dismiss Plaintiffs' Complaint [DE-11] was GRANTED, and this action is DISMISSED WITH PREJUDICE. All pending motions not otherwise ruled upon are denied as moot, and this case is CLOSED.

4. INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY USED BY THE CALIFORNIA STATE GOVERNMENT BE ACCESSIBLE TO PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES

"Governor Davis Signs Legislation that Increases Opportunities for Californians with Disabilities, Streamlines Services"
http://my.ca.gov/state/portal/myca_homepage.jsp
(Select "Government" from the left hand side of the screen. Select "The Governor and the Statewide Officials" then select "the Governor's Home Page " from the list. On the left-hand side of the screen select "Press Room," then "Press Releases" from the list. Scroll down and select the link to "September 2002".)
September 29, 2002

(The following information came from a press release dated 9/29/02 from the Governor's Office)

Governor Gray Davis has signed legislation that will markedly improve the lives of Californians with disabilities by creating more job opportunities and streamlining services.

SB 105, by Senate President pro Tempore John Burton (D-San Francisco), establishes the Division of Services for the Blind and Visually Impaired and Deaf and Hard of Hearing (Division) within the Department of Rehabilitation (DOR). This bill also ensures that information technology, such as, Web sites, computers, cell phones and other electronic devices created or used by the state government is accessible to people with disabilities. The creation of a separate division, under the direction of a deputy director who is selected because of his/her extensive background in delivering services to the blind and visually impaired, would focus and streamline the DOR's delivery of services to this community.

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FOR YOUR ACTION

1. INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AND DISABILITIES: CALL FOR ARTICLES

Special Issue of Information Technology and Disabilities (ITD): Public Policy Issues: Access to Information and Information Technology

ITD invites articles for a special issue to examine public policy issues relating to access to information and information technology for persons with disabilities. Articles submitted for this special issue should focus on current and emerging concepts of individual rights to accessible information and information technology within public policy, either at the federal or state levels. Some possible issues for consideration may include:

• The genesis and current implementation of federal Section 508 access standards
• A status report on state efforts to promote accessible IT laws
• An analysis of state accessible textbook laws
• The application of the ADA to accessible information issues
• An analysis of the proposed national Instructional Materials Accessibility Act
• An analysis of recent ADA based accessible IT court challenges
• An analysis of DOE OCR rulings on accessible educational IT
• Digital Rights Management copyright concerns vs. access technologies

 

RESOURCES

1. NEW TECHNOLOGY FOR THE BLIND
http://www.nfb.org/whatsnew.html

On October 24th, the National Federation of the Blind (NFB) and the U.S. Department of Commerce's National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST: http://www.nist.gov/) announced a partnership to collaborate on the development and first field testing of a prototype device that will allow the blind to "feel" electronic images and graphics. The new technology introduced by NIST and NFB is a device that brings electronic images to the blind and visually impaired in the same way that Braille makes words readable. The prototype conveys scanned illustrations, map outlines, and other graphical images to the fingertips, and it can translate images displayed on Internet Web pages or in electronic books.

The collaborative partnership between NFB, the nation's largest consumer organization of blind people, and NIST lays the foundation for technology development that will occur when NFB's National Research and Training Institute for the Blind opens its doors in 2003. Now under construction adjacent to NFB headquarters in Baltimore, the Institute "will become the international center for research, training, and new innovations designed to improve the lives of blind individuals," said NFB President Dr. Marc Maurer.

According to Dr. Maurer, the Institute will serve as a national hub for educational programs aimed at upgrading the skills of teachers of the blind, training programs that inform parents of blind children on the newest teaching techniques, and research designed to improve mobility for the blind. The Institute also will focus on new ways to access computer information with speech and Braille technology, and on methods that allow seniors who are losing their vision to learn Braille.

The inspiration for the prototype came from a "bed of nails" toy found in a novelty store. Watching the pins in the toy depress under fingers and then return to their original state started the NIST team thinking about how the principle could be applied to electronic signals. NIST originally pioneered a device known as the NIST Braille Reader as part of a NIST project to make electronic books more accessible to the blind. That earlier device uses a combination of disks, rods, and small motors to produce 64 different combinations of raised Braille characters.

The announcement of the prototype and the NIST-NFB collaboration came during Meet the Blind Month, a national campaign launched by NFB to dispel misconceptions about blindness. The campaign is designed to "create opportunities for Americans to meet blind people, to learn firsthand about their lives, and to recognize that blind people are pretty much just like everyone else," said Dr. Maurer. "Our goal," Dr. Maurer continued, "is to spread the word that the real problem with blindness is not lack of eyesight, but lack of information which, in turn, creates misunderstanding about blind people. Getting to know us a little better will expand everyone's lives."

Access the URL to view the full press release.

2. PDA FOR BLIND: COST OUT OF SIGHT?
Wired News
October 24, 2002
http://www.wired.com/news/business/0,1367,55915,00.html

by Elisa Batista

When David Engebretson goes on a job interview, he either takes notes on an antiquated Braille machine or attempts to retain everything by memory. Engebretson, an engineer, is blind -- job applications and business cards are useless for him. "I can go home, scan their business cards, and put it in my electronic Rolodex," Engebretson said. But that method isn't convenient for out-of-town interviews, he admits.

Given these obstacles, Engebretson and other developers have come up with a way to make the lives of blind professionals a little easier. Engebretson teamed up with Freedom Scientific, a company best known for software that reads computer screens to blind people, to develop the first handheld computer for the blind. The "PAC Mate," a personal digital assistant that runs on Microsoft's Pocket PC operating system, sells for $2,595.

The PDA, which begins to ship later this year, comes with an eight-dot Braille keyboard or a QWERTY-style keyboard. The PDA lets users tap into all the Windows applications, including Word documents, Outlook e-mail and Internet Explorer. Freedom Scientific sells a 56K or Ethernet modem for $119. The PAC Mate also comes with Freedom Scientific's popular "JAWS" software to read aloud any content brought up on the screen. A CompactFlash card expansion slot is included on the device for added memory.

Advocates for the blind have one reservation about the product: its price tag. While the PAC Mate's price is comparable to other computers for the blind, even those machines are considered expensive in a community that claims higher unemployment than the general population, said Andrew Imparato, president and CEO of the American Association of People With Disabilities. "The value (for the PAC Mate) will be mostly for blind folks who are working and can afford this," Imparato said.

But Freedom Scientific says its product is worth the money and may even ease unemployment among the blind. The PAC Mate can help blind people through the interview process and make them more productive at work, Meyers said. Imparato said some public programs provide blind people with low-interest loans to purchase a digital assistant. Also, Freedom Scientific offers a rebate of up to $800 to buyers who trade in their old digital Braille note takers.

For Engebretson, who slowly lost his vision over the last 10 years to a genetic disorder, money is not an issue with the PAC Mate. The gadget's speed and functions beat out the Braille computers he's had to use since entering the blind world. "It's somewhat a selfish thing, but I wanted to create products for myself," Engebretson said. "I ended up creating a product for every (other blind person), too."

(For more information on the PAC Mate mobile device see also: http://www.pcworld.com/news/article/0,aid,106349,00.asp.)

3. NEW PRODUCTS PROMISE ADDITOINAL INDEPENDENCE FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES
October 23, 2002
http://www.nod.org/cont/dsp_cont_item_view.cfm?viewType=itemView&contentId=1211

From John William's Column, National Organization on Disability

The potential to enhance independence for people with disabilities through assistive technology looks more promising all the time. Here are several new products from a leading assistive technology innovator, the Center for Assistive Technology at the University of Buffalo (http://cat.buffalo.edu/).

The *Magic Motion Doorknob* lets users open a door without twisting the knob. The knob can be pulled, pushed, or twisted to release the bolt from the strike plate. You can even bump the knob with your knee. Manufacturers are evaluating the device for market.

The *Kinetic Seating System (KSS)* is a posture system that addresses the capabilities of a wheelchair seating system and its impact upon the user's functioning limbs and joints. The KSS seat base moves as the wheelchair user makes postural changes, thus reducing the pressure in areas prone to decubitus ulcers or bedsores. The modular seat functions like an adjustable office chair, and the user can flex the seat back and change position. The retractable footrests have a locking mechanism permitting them to be held in place at various angles to the seat. Further development is being done before it has any market potential.

The *Expanded Keyboard* is an external keyboard attachment for the TI-73, TI-83 and TI-89 Texas Instruments calculators with internal Flash ROM. An enlarged lightweight, independently powered replica of the keyboard face of these calculators, the Expanded Keyboard is directly connected to the calculator through the latter's serial port. It is designed primarily for middle school, high school and college students lacking the fine motor skills to operate the smaller controls of the Texas Instrument graphing/ scientific calculators. The keyboard is awaiting development estimates for a pre-production prototype.

The *Tendon-Activated Pneumatic Hand (TAP Hand)* is a multi-fingered prosthetic hand that relies on a form of muscular memory. The wearer moves prosthetic fingers by activating the same tendons previously used to move the actual fingers. To achieve this functionality, foam TAP sensors are placed in specific locations within a smart prosthetic socket connected to a microprocessor. A user commands a particular finger to move, the limb sensor detect the resulting tendon twitch, the computer decodes the user's intent, and the finger moves. There is interest in proceeding with additional development of this product, and a visit to the inventor's lab is scheduled in the future.

The *Call Connect* is an electronic telephone accessory that responds when a phone is off the hook. This benefits individuals with spasticity or limited muscle control who might not always place the receiver in the cradle. The product not only reconnects a telephone, but also notifies a consumer, using built-in tonal and LED warning signals, that their telephone is off the hook and unable to receive calls. The connection is mounted where the phone line enters the residence, so all extensions can be routed through the Call Connect. Once it is in use, any extension left off the hook is disconnected from the system. However, the other extensions can receive calls, and the caller can call out. A prototype of the project may be available soon.

The *Little Fingers Computer Keyboard* is a fully functioning keyboard that has been scaled down to a 12.5-inch width to enhance young people's ability to learn proper computing and keyboarding skills. The keyboard may also be appropriate for small people. Already patented, it has won awards as the first keyboard designed for children's hands. The product comes in two versions. One is the standard model with a number pad, and the other is the Deluxe with a three-button trackball. Discussions are underway to bring the product to market.

4. SECTION 508 AND 255: INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY, COMMUNICATION & ACCESSIBILITY: A TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE CD-ROM
http:://www.NewEnglandADA.org

Available from the ADA & Accessible IT Center . The New England ADA & Accessible IT Center is one of ten regional disability and business technical assistance centers funded by the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR). The Center is a project of Adaptive Environments, Inc., a nonprofit organization.

The Section 508 & 255 CD-ROM contains helpful documents on:

• The Statues of Both Laws
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Standards Created by the U.S. Access Board

5. HEWLITT PACKARD AND LIBRARY ACCESS

• Library Technology Access initiative: http://www.hp.com/accessibility.
• HP s global citizenship efforts: http://www.hp.com/go/globalcitizenship/

On October 24th, HP announced the first round of libraries to become part of the Library Technology Access (LTA) initiative. The initiative is a strategic relationship that HP formed with the Association of Specialized and Cooperative Library Agencies -- a division of the American Library Association (ALA) -- to help develop accessible computer workstation solutions in libraries nationwide for people with disabilities.

The four public and two university libraries selected for the first phase of the LTA initiative are the Cleveland Public Library, Milwaukee Public Library, Johnson County Public Library (Kansas), San Diego Public Library, University of South Dakota and Arizona State University.

As a key part of this initiative, HP is donating 12 workstations to the six chosen libraries to demonstrate the solution. Future plans of the initiative call for the development of resources that further expand the pilot program in an effort to connect people with disabilities with the benefits and opportunities of the information revolution.

The LTA initiative's Internet-connected workstations will consist of ergonomic furniture, a Compaq Evo PC, an HP Scanjet scanner and HP LaserJet printer, Microsoft® Office software and a variety of assistive technology products that address the needs of library users with visual, hearing, mobility or learning disabilities.

In addition to the furniture and equipment, training materials are being developed for librarians and patrons. HP also will provide technical support services for the workstations. These barrier-free workstations were developed with input from ALA conference attendees, including hundreds of librarians, as well as community leaders who visited the HP Accessibility Pavilion at a focus group at HP s Palo Alto campus.

The HP and ALA partnership will improve services to patrons with disabilities in six libraries in the short-term and has the potential to affect library users with disabilities in libraries throughout the United States in the long-term, said Keith Michael Fiels, executive director, American Library Association. Equity of access is a key library function and we are pleased to work with HP to increase opportunities for people with disabilities to access library resources.

6. LEONARDO'S LAPTOP: HUMAN NEEDS AND THE NEW COMPUTING TECHNOLOGYIES
MIT Press $25
http://mitpress.mit.edu/catalog/item/default.asp?sid=5F089A18-F32A-4B18-A517-3488593C5350&ttype=2&tid=9091

by Ben Shneiderman

Ben Shneiderman's book dramatically raises computer users' expectations of what they should get from technology. He opens their eyes to new possibilities and invites them to think freshly about future technology. He challenges developers to build products that better support human needs and that are usable at any bandwidth. Shneiderman proposes Leonardo da Vinci as an inspirational muse for the "new computing." He wonders how Leonardo would use a laptop and what applications he would create.

Shneiderman shifts the focus from what computers can do to what users can do. A key transformation is to what he calls "universal usability," enabling participation by young and old, novice and expert, able and disabled. This transformation would empower those yearning for literacy or coping with their limitations. Shneiderman proposes new computing applications in education, medicine, business, and government. He envisions a World Wide Med that delivers secure patient histories in local languages at any emergency room and thriving million-person communities for e-commerce and e-government. Raising larger questions about human relationships and society, he explores the computer's potential to support creativity, consensus-seeking, and conflict resolution. Each chapter ends with a Skeptic's Corner that challenges assumptions about trust, privacy, and digital divides.

7. FREEDOM SCIENTIFIC INCLUSIVE TUTORIAL
http://www.freedomscientific.com/

Freedom Scientific has combined the latest technology advances in its JAWS screen reader with the most up-to-date version of Microsoft Internet Explorer to create its first audio tutorial for the Windows XP environment. This tutorial is for those users whose computers operate on the Windows XP operating system and want to browse Web sites using JAWS 4.5 and IE 6. Orders are being accepted for this tutorial, and will be released by the end of the year.

Packed onto four cassettes are "how to" lessons teaching everything a user will need to know to maximize their experiences surfing the Internet and using Outlook Express to organize emails. The functionality of JAWS 4.5 is explained in a systematic, easy-to-follow process that brings the Net alive.

This tutorial provides insight to Internet Explorer and instructs you how to use all of the great JAWS 4.5 features. As part of the instruction, you'll explore Freedom Scientific's HTML Challenge to learn first-hand how Web sites are designed and how JAWS organizes the information.

Here are some of the things you can expect to learn:

• How to download files from the Internet
• How to navigate Web sites
• How to use the JAWS virtual cursor
• How to move through links
• How to recognize parts of Web sites such as graphics, lists, forms and tables
• How to search the Net, set favorite links and return to recently visited links