September-October 1996

OPEN LINE
The Technology Policy Newsletter of the World Institute on
Disability

Open Line, the newsletter of the World Institute on Disability's
Technology Policy Division, is published six times a year to
inform recipients of significant developments regarding
accessibility for disabled people to telecommunications and
information technologies.  Information, comments and suggestions
from the readership are most welcome.

World Institute on Disability
510 16th Street, Suite 100
Oakland, CA 94612

Betsy Bayha, Editor
Phone (510) 763-4100 Fax (510) 763-4109 TTY (510) 208-9496


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" 'Report Card' on Telecom Accessibility Gives Good Marks,
Identifies New Issues"

"People with disabilities, their advocates, government and
industry have indeed built a framework for more complete access
to telecommunications and information technology than has ever
been achieved so early in an industry's development." This is the
conclusion of the 25-page "Report Card on Telecommunications
Accessibility" recently released by the World Institute on
Disability's Blue Ribbon Panel Project.
The evaluation of progress made since the Project's publication
of its 1994 report, "Building the Framework," goes on to say:
"This effort represents a huge step forward in allowing people
with disabilities to participate fully in all aspects of society,
and all participants can be proud of their roles in making it
happen.
     "At the same time, they must continue their work, to prevent
new barriers from arising, and to cement the achievements they
have made together so far."
     The Panel's 1994 report proposed the application of
universal design principles to product development and marketing,
and it recommended legislative and regulatory changes to assure
accessibility in a rapidly-changing environment.  Its
recommendations formed the backbone of public policy changes that
today are promoting broad accessibility to technologies that only
a few years ago were barely recognized by most U.S. consumers.
The newly issued Report Card singles out passage of the
Telecommunications Act of 1996 as "a monumental victory for
disability rights," noting that for the first time in history,
"access for people with disabilities was written into legislation
governing activity in a major sector of the national (and
international) economy." The communications and information
sector amounts to about $713 billion, or roughly 11 percent of
the U.S.  gross domestic product. (For WID's role, see OL
Mar.-Apr. '96.)
     A score of other notable areas of progress are mentioned in
the report, including these:
* The encouragement of universal design among designers,
developers and fabricators of telecommunications products.
* The creation in 1995 of the Federal Communications Commission's
Disabilities Issues Task Force by FCC Chairman Reed Hundt. (OL
Aug.  '95.)
* Calling attention to and encouraging efforts by industry to
resolve problems of hearing aid compatibility with the new
generation of digital cellular telephones. (OL Mar.-May '96)
* FCC's commitment to continue making ordinary telephone service
more accessible.
* The Telecommunications Act mandate for the FCC to set rules on
the use of closed-captioning and audio description in TV and
film.  The report says the impact of the 1994 "Building the
Framework" report was extensive, both on public and private
initiatives regarding disability access.
     "Since its publication," says the Report Card, "the use of
telecommunications to transmit information in various digital
forms
--   voice, text, graphics, audiovisual -- has exploded in the
marketplace.  Many people with disabilities are participating in
this technological explosion.  And technology is still creating
new opportunities for various isolated groups to participate more
easily -- including people with disabilities, but also people who
speak non-English languages, people with low literacy, and many
others."
     Looking ahead, the Report Card presents a formidable agenda
of issues, some old some new, where disability rights advocates
must direct attention:
* Development of detailed information on the market potential for
access features in new products and services -- including not
only persons with physical or mental impairments, but also others
that could benefit from the same features.  Demonstrating a broad
segment of people with interest would, it is hope, make such a
feature available at a reasonable price.
* Resolution of how new technologies can become economically
accessible to people with disabilities -- at present a "Catch 22"
situation from both the marketing and rehabilitation perspective.
* The development of pricing structures that ensure access to
basic telecommunications services without penalizing the disabled
customer.

For more information on the "Report Card on Telecommunications
Accessibility," get in touch with the WID Technology Policy
Division.

Cartoon: "Rhymes with Orange", Hilary B. Price 2 frames:
first--a drawing of a microchip with heading "Silicon Chip"
second-a drawing of a bowl of dip, with microchips around the
bowl, heading says "Silicon Dip"
copyright 1996 Hilary B. Price. Distributed by King Features
Syndicate, Inc.

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"Clinton Voices Support for Universal Design at InfoRamps '96
Conference"

Photo: John Lancaster, Esther Dyson and Tom Wheeler discuss
"Creating a New Paradigm of Universal Design Within Industry"

By Betsy Bayha

     What could be more promising than words of welcome from
President Clinton to launch the InfoRamps '96 conference?  The
President's remarks were read to an audience of some 150
attendees gathered in Washington, D.C. July 11-12 for two days of
plenary sessions, technology demonstrations and workshops to
learn the latest on universal design of information systems.

     President Clinton summed it up best by noting that,
"Universal design of our National Information Infrastructure will
give us the technology we want with the flexibility we need.  Not
only will it make information technology work better for us all,
but also it will make it easier for people with disabilities to
access and use the powerful new information tools of the future."

     In addition to garnering a strong endorsement from the White
House, InfoRamps '96 also featured participation from a number of
industry leaders who see universal design as a key to expanding
their markets and creating more user-friendly products.  Speakers
from industry included John Gage, chief scientist from Sun
Microsystems, Tom Wheeler, CEO of the Cellular Telecommunications
Industry Association, Carol Cody, community affairs director of
Pacific Telesis, Karin Krueger of the Motion Picture Association
of America and Esther Dyson, president of EDventure Holdings.

     The first day of the conference featured plenary discussions
on creating a new paradigm of universal design within the
industry, and a discussion of whether markets or mandates
encourage companies to pursue universal design.  There were also
technology demonstrations of captioned multimedia, accessible
World Wide Web pages and a talking touch-screen kiosk to show
attendees working examples of accessible information
technologies.

     The second day of the conference offered participants the
chance to roll up their sleeves and work together in smaller
breakout sessions focusing on Policy, the Public Sector, Business
and Marketing and Technical Research and Development.  Sessions
were kept to a small size to allow for give and take between
presenters and attendees.  Participants raved that these sessions
offered them in-depth, concrete information that they could take
back to their communities.

     And, thanks to the generous support of Bellcore and the
technical wizardry of conference partner Jim Tobias of Inclusive
Technologies, a number of folks attended InfoRamps '96 without
even coming to Washington, D.C.  They participated in the
"virtual" conference by tuning into a real-time audio broadcast,
reading uploaded transcripts on the World Wide Web and sending
their questions and comments in via e-mail and fax. Sharon
Huffman of Topeka said the conference was one of the best she had
ever "attended" and went on to add, "The virtual conference gives
me the opportunity to participate in a way that I could not
otherwise do because of my disability.  You have done an
excellent job!"

InfoRamps, '96: New Markets and Inclusive Communications was
funded by the Telecommunications Funding Partnership administered
by the Dole Foundation and was organized by WID, Inclusive
Technologies, the CPB/WGBH National Center for Accessible Media,
the Alliance for Public Technology, the Trace Research and
Development Center and the Information Technology Access Advisory
Group.

     Published proceedings will be forthcoming by year's end.
Contact WID's technology division for more information.

Photo: David Bolnick of Microsoft demonstrates new multimedia
captioning software as Gregg Vanderheiden, Director of the Trace
R & D Center (at left) and Larry Goldberg, Director of the
CPB/WGBH National Center for Accessible Media look on.

----------

"A Message from the Director"

     As competition heats up in the telecommunications
marketplace, consumers are likely to face a dizzying array of new
services and products, many provided by companies with little or
no track record or credibility.  Consumers caught up in this
onslaught would be wise to follow the age old credo, caveat
emptor.  The unsuspecting buyer who is not diligently wary could
become the victim of expensive and unscrupulous tactics.  In
California, thousands of customers have been taken in by a
practice known as "slamming."

     What is slamming?  It's basically stealing.  It happens when
a phone company, without your permission, changes your long
distance service.

How does it happen?  Usually through fraud and misrepresentation.


     Quite often, slamming occurs when a customer signs up to win
a free car or vacation in a sweepstakes. What looks like a
contest entry form turns out to be an authorization form allowing
a third party to change your long distance company.  But that
part of the bargain is usually written in the small print, or, in
more egregious examples, it's written in English on a Spanish
language sweepstakes entry form targeting customers with little
or no English ability.

     Usually, customers who've been taken in don't even know it
until the telephone bill arrives complete with exorbitant long
distance charges.  Slamming is illegal under federal law, and in
the state of California.  Investigations are under way to stop
the practice, but for now, it continues.

     How can consumers protect themselves?  As always,
information is power.  Read the fine print on sweepstakes forms
and unsolicited gifts. Study your phone bill carefully. And be
wary of offers that sound too good to be true.  In all
likelihood, they are.

Betsy Bayha
Acting Director
Division of Technology Policy

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"Need 'Open Line' in Another Format?"

     Many readers already receive Open Line in a format other
than this printed newsletter.
Alternatives available include:  Disk, E-mail, Braille, Large
Print or Audiotape.  If one of these formats would make Open Line
more accessible for you or someone you know, get in touch with:
Amy Gup at (510) 251-4317 or ajg@wid.org.

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"Flash From the Future

MIT Student Sees 'Wearable
Webcam' as Aid to Visually Impaired"

     Steve Mann is easy to spot around the campus of the
Massachusetts Institute of Technology and on the streets of
Cambridge.  He's a walking computer work station.  From the
beanie-mounted antenna, to the camera strapped to forehead, to
the "Star Trek" visor, to the wraparound computer at his waist,
Mann presents the image of an electronic eccentric.  But there's
a lot more to it.
     Mann is working towards his Ph.D. at MIT, in the Media
Laboratory, well known for its forward-looking work in computers.
With his carry-around equipment he can photograph and transmit
his in-transit experiences instantly to his World Wide Web site,
where anyone who is interested can see the world as Steve Mann is
seeing it.  Novel? Yes, but that's not the point.
     Mann hopes that more work with his "wearable wireless
webcam" may lead him down many useful paths, including a way to
help people with vision problems.
     The computer around his waist, which he works with a
palm-sized keyboard, does more than transmit pictures to the
Internet.  It enables him to see the pictures on a tiny computer
screen built into his visor.  He can walk the hallways and the
streets looking only at the computer monitor.
     The usefulness of such a system for people with some types
of visual impairment is obvious.  They would see, up close, what
the camera sees within a given range. Mann would like to take it
farther.  He hopes some day to provide people with retinal damage
with an image projected onto the working part of the retina -- a
large blessing, indeed, in terms of supplementing severely
limited vision.
     "It is very clumsy and awkward right now," says Mann, "but
as technology improves, this could provide a way for people to
see the world around them differently.  In addition to helping
the visually impaired, it can also help artists understand light
and shade in new ways by allowing them to live in alternate
visual worlds."
     Mann traces his early interest in such things to his high
school days in Toronto when he scavenged computer parts and toy
walkie-talkies in an effort to build a prototype.  For the past
year he has been studying with Professor Rosalind Picard in the
Media Lab's Perceptual Computing Group.  Picard says the work has
a long way to go before the technology is small enough and
unobtrusive enough to be widely accepted.
     But work is continuing.  Mann recently had success with an
improved antenna, this one affixed to an MIT baseball cap.
Meanwhile, Mann and his colleagues in the group can content
themselves with being able to cruise the Internet or read their
E-mail while standing in line at the ATM.
     (To see Mann's images for yourself, visit:
http://18.85.20.100 [for text only] or
http://18.85.20.100/index_graphical.html [with images])

Photo, copyright Webb Chappell 1995 of Steve Mann in front of
steps with M.I.T. sweatshirt, hat, antenna, glasses attached to
wires in large waist pack.

Photo of Steve's head with helmet, glasses, and antenna looking
out as behind him on computer screen is same image in front of
screen with same image, etc., etc.

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WID Blue Ribbon Panel Project
Members:
Lars Augustsson, TeleNova, Stockholm, Sweden
Frank Bowe, PhD, Hofstra University, Hempstead, NY
Jackie Brand, Alliance for Technology Access (retired), San
Rafael, CA
Dale S. Brown, President's Committee on Employment of People with
Disabilities, Washington, DC
Judy Harkins, PhD, Gallaudet Research Institute, Gallaudet
University,
     Washington, DC
June Kailes, National Council on Independent Living, Playa del
Rey, CA
Oral Miller, American Council of the Blind, Washington, DC
Mike Morris, Executive Director, United Cerebral Palsy
Association, Washington, DC
Tom Shworles, Committee on Personal Computers and the
Handicapped, Evanston, IL
Al Sonnenstrahl, Telecommunications for the Deaf, Inc. (retired),
Silver Spring, MD
Max Starkloff, Paraquad, Inc., St. Louis, MO
Rocky Stone, Self-Help for Hard-of-Hearing People, Bethesda, MD

Industry Supporters:
Ameritech
AT&T
Bell Atlantic
Bellcore
BellSouth
Electronic Industries Association
GTE
Interactive Services Association
MCI
Minitel U.S.A.
NYNEX
Pacific Telesis
Southwestern Bell
Sprint
U S West
WID
World Institute on Disability
Technology Policy Division
510 16th Street, Suite 100

Oakland, CA 94612


FIRST CLASS POSTAGE -
Address Correction Requested

(510)763-4100
(510)763-4109 Fax
(510)208-9496 TTY
E-Mail: OpenLine@wid.org

Staff:
Betsy Bayha
Acting Director,
Division of Technology Policy

Shelby Jones
Department Assistant
