Wireless RERC - disabilities

Project Civic Access Settles with Jacksonville

mz22 — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 20:30:36 +0000

April 19, 2013 — The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) entered a settlement agreement with the City of Jacksonville, Florida in April. The DOJ Project Civic Access initiative is a wide-ranging effort to ensure that communities comply with the ADA by eliminating physical and communication barriers that prevent people with disabilities from participating fully in community life. The DOJ evaluated 64 of the city’s facilities and identified deficiencies at each location. Under the five year agreement, Jacksonville is required to “review and correct identified deficiencies” at the 64 facilities evaluated, in addition to hundreds of other facilities. The DOJ will continue to monitor Jacksonville’s compliance. Eve L. Hill, Senior Counselor to the Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division notes the importance of the city’s commitment to compliance, as “access to your city is a basic civil right, and the doors to government programs, services and activities must be open for people with disabilities.”

Making Emergency Information via Video Programming Accessible

mz22 — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 13:38:47 +0000

text-to-speech

Emergency Communications

accessibility

disabilities

Report and Order and Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (FCC 13-45)

April 08, 2013— The Federal Communications Commission (Commission) released a Report and Order and a Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (FNPRM) (FCC 13-45) related to the accessibility of emergency information provided in video programming. The Report and Order requires that emergency information communicated via video programming is accessible to individuals who are blind or visually impaired. This includes the requirement of an aural presentation of the emergency information on a secondary audio stream that must be conveyed at least twice in full. The use of text-to-speech (TTS) technologies is permitted for providing the aural presentation. In addition, the Report and Order also establishes apparatus requirements for the transmission of emergency information and video description to individuals with disabilities. Specifically, the apparatus is required to “receive, play back, or record video programming transmitted simultaneously with sound.” TTS capability is permitted, but not required.

The Commission also seeks comments on whether a multichannel video programming distributor (MVPD) service should be covered by the emergency information rules adopted in the Report and Order and required to comply specifically when their subscribers are provided access to linear video programming that contains emergency information via tablets, laptops, personal computers, or smartphones. In addition, comments are sought regarding the requirement for broadcast receivers to “detect and decode audio streams marked for the visually impaired” and whether covered entities should be required to assist individuals who are blind or visually impaired in traversing between main and secondary audio streams.

NIDRR’s Long Range Plan for 2013-2017

mz22 — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 12:28:14 +0000

National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR)

Department of Education

disabilities

research

NIDRR’s Long Range Plan for 2013-2017

April 2013 — The Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, Department of Education released a Notice [FR Doc No: 2013-07879] of the publication of the final Long-Range Plan for Fiscal years 2013-2017 for the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR). The goals and objectives of NIDRR, as outlined in the publication, include: the creation of a portfolio of research, development and other activities that have a balanced focus on employment, community living and participation, and health and function, as they relate to individuals with disabilities; supporting centers and projects conducting relevant research and development; promoting the effective use and accessibility of NIDRR research to individuals with disabilities and their families; and improving program administration. The plan will be effective on May 6, 2013.

Next Emergency Access Advisory Committee Meeting On June 14, 2013

mz22 — Mon, 01 Apr 2013 16:46:34 +0000

Emergency Access Advisory Committee (EAAC)

Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Accessibility of 2010 (CVAA)

Next Generation 911 (NG911)

disabilities

Public Notice

March 2013 — The next Emergency Access Advisory Committee (EAAC) meeting will be held at the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) headquarters on June 14, 2013 from 10:30 AM to 3:30 PM (EST). The EAAC is an advisory committee established on December 7, 2010 under the Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act of 2010 (CVAA) that focuses on evaluating and determining the most effective technologies that enable individuals with disabilities access to Next Generation 911 (NG 9-1-1). The agenda for the upcoming EAAC meeting includes discussion from EAAC subcommittees on reports and related activities.

A Toolkit to Improve the Accessibility of Social Media in Government

mz22 — Tue, 05 Mar 2013 21:18:05 +0000

Toolkit launch Posting

Evolving Accessibility Tips Document

February 28, 2013— The U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy launched the new Federal Social Media Accessibility Working Group whose initiative is to evaluate and provide solutions for overcoming the challenges of accessibility of social media platforms and the content posted on same. The first resource developed and released by the working group is an evolving toolkit that provides guidance and baseline standards for agencies and companies to ensure their social content is accessible to all individuals, including those with disabilities. An initial list of accessibility and usability tips has been developed but this is an evolving document. Therefore, the Social Media Accessibility Working Group encourages agencies, organizations and citizens to provide feedback and comments in order to “collectively advance towards better accessibility to public services and programs for citizens.”

Mobile Apps for People with Disabilities at ATIA Conference

mz22 — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 22:06:27 +0000

Assistive Technology Industry Association

Publication Type:

John Morris, a Wireless RERC research scientist attended the Assistive Technology Industry Association’s 2013 Conference where he participated in the panel “Mobile Apps for People with Disabilities” at the Research Symposium on IDevices, Apps & the Cloud. The conference provided a forum for professional practitioners serving those with disabilities to communicate and participate in educational sessions. There were over 2,000 attendees for the more than 200 educational sessions at the conference, held in Orlando, Florida from January 30 to February 2, 2013.

Next FCC Open Meeting on February 20

mz22 — Fri, 15 Feb 2013 21:09:53 +0000

Commission Meeting Agenda

Online Broadcast of Meeting

February 13, 2013 — The next Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Open Meeting will be held on Wednesday, February 20, 2013. The agenda items include: consideration of a Report and Order that would adopt new technical and operational requirements for signal boosters to enhance wireless coverage for consumers; and a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that would increase the amount of unlicensed spectrum available, resulting in the expansion of Wi-Fi technology to provide consumers with faster Internet speeds and less congestion. The enhancement of wireless coverage and the expansion of Wi-Fi technology will be of benefit to all individuals and their daily activities, including those individuals with disabilities, specifically those that rely on IP-based communication methods. The meeting will start at 10:30am and can be viewed online via a live broadcast on www.fcc.gov/live.

FCC’s Progress in the Accessibility of Advanced Communications

mz22 — Wed, 13 Feb 2013 20:25:53 +0000

Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act of 2010 (CVAA)

disabilities

Advanced Telecommunications

Hearing Aid Compatibility (HAC)

FCC FY 2012 Annual Report

February 2013 — The Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) Fiscal Year (FY) 2012 Annual Performance Report was released in early February and summarizes the FCC’s work on accomplishing strategic goals and meeting performance commitments established in the FCC FY 2012 Annual Performance Plan. Some of the areas in which the FCC focused on included: promotion and adoption of spectrum for broadband; launching the Connect America Fund and reforming the Lifeline program; promotion of competition in the interest of the public; empowerment and protection of consumers; and agency process and regulatory reform. With specific regards to disabilities, the FCC continued to implement the Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act of 2010 (CVAA) and enforce their hearing aid compatibility rules to ensure equal access to advanced telecommunications for individuals with disabilities. In addition, the FCC adopted rules requiring that all broadcast video posted on the Internet include closed captioning.

Improving Implementation of Section 508

mz22 — Fri, 01 Feb 2013 19:25:26 +0000

Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act

Electronic and Information Technology (EIT)

disabilities

accessibility

Strategic Plan

Section 508 Information

January 24, 2013 — The Office of Management and Budget released a strategic plan for improving the management and implementation of Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 across all federal agencies. The strategic plan aims to address the need for an increase in transparency and access to government information, data, and electronic and information technology (EIT) for all individuals, including those with disabilities. In addition, the plan focuses on strengthening the accountability of federal agencies and improving collaboration with regards to accessible EIT. Provisions of the strategic plan include: agency websites providing standard feedback to the public; making www.section508.gov the primary resource for agencies regarding Section 508 management and implementation information; identification of the Section 508 leader within each agency; measuring progress of Section 508 implementation; administering continuous Section 508 learning and fostering collaboration between agencies.

2012 Annual Compendium Briefing and Research-to-Policy Roundtable

mz22 — Tue, 23 Oct 2012 21:15:41 +0000

The release of the 2012 Annual Compendium of Disability Statistics and the Second Annual Research-to-Policy Roundtable will both take place on November 28, 2012 in Washington, D.C. The briefing on the 2012 Annual Compendium will include a one-hour workshop on the sources and uses of disability statistics. The Compendium is a web-based tool that pools disability statistics published by various federal agencies. The Research-to-Policy Roundtable event will “provide an opportunity for disability advocates, policymakers, and researchers to discuss ways that research can assist policymakers in developing programs, policies, and legislation that support people with disabilities”.

A live webcast of the 2012 Annual Compendium Briefing will be available online for those individuals that are unable to attend in person. It is presented by the Kessler Foundation in partnership with the Institute on Disability / UCED at the University of New Hampshire.

Start Date:

Wednesday, November 28, 2012 - 8:30am

Additional Information:

Event Page

Registration

2012 Annual Compendium of Disability Statistics

Second Annual Research-to-Policy Roundtable

disabilities