IT Accessibility Review
Volume 1, Number 4
IT Accessibility Legal Briefs
Bid Protest-- CourtSmart Digital Systems, Inc.-- Section 508 Evaluation
CourtSmart Digital Systems, Inc., B-292995.8, December 09, 2004. Digest:
- Protest that awardee´s quoted software does not satisfy a solicitation requirement is denied, where the parties disagree as to the interpretation of this requirement and, even accepting the protester´s interpretation, the protester is not prejudiced by the agency´s waiver of this requirement.
- Protest that awardee did not demonstrate that its offered software was part of a product line installed and operational in 100 court or hearing rooms, as required by the solicitation, is denied, where agency reasonably determined that offered software was an upgraded version of software within an existing product line that satisfied the solicitation requirement.
- Awardee´s software was reasonably found to be more access compliant under Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act, 29 U.S.C. Sect. 794d (2000), where awardee´s software received a higher compliance test score than the protester´s software, and the solicitation stated that the overall test scores would establish the comparative degree of compliance with the standards.
On our site at:
http://www.pubklaw.com/gao.html#b2929958
Section 508 to Apply to Small Purchases Starting April 1, 2005
Section 508 to Apply Even to Small Purchases Starting April 1, By Jason Miller, Government Computer News, Nov. 3, 2004.
http://www.gcn.com/vol1_no1/accessibility/27814-1.html
In an article posted by GCN, it was reported that the Federal Acquisition Council would remove the exemption of federal IT purchases that are less than $2,500 from Section 508 procurement requirements on April 1, 2005. Lesley Field, Chairwoman of the Section 508 Working Group, noted that three-and-a-half years have been enough time for industries to adjust to 508.
The Office of Federal Procurement Policy and the General Services Administration (GSA) are developing "outreach and training sessions to help federal employees meet the mandate," and the GSA´s Buy Accessibility Wizard offers contracting officers and federal employees guidance for complying with 508.
To link to the Wizard, visit this link:
http://207.72.6.51/AccessibilityForum_beta2/Main.jsp
Dept. of Transportation Nondiscrimination On Air Travel - Web Accessibility
The Department of Transportation proposes to revise its rule requiring non-discrimination in air travel based on an individual´s disability. It is their intent to update, reorganize, and clarify the rule and to implement a statutory requirement to cover foreign air carriers under the Air Carrier Access Act.
"Proposed paragraph (b) is new, and concerns the accessibility of web sites, which have become an increasingly important means through which the public obtains information from and makes reservations with air carriers. Not only is using an airline web site often the fastest and most convenient way for consumers to learn about and book flights, but these web sites are also often the only places where passengers have access to certain fares or specials. At the time the Department originally issued Part 382, the internet was not yet an important means of interaction between airlines and their customers."
Setting Standards for Fair Elections
The Election Assistance Commission, a federal agency, has designated the Technical Guidelines Development Committee responsible for developing and proposing federal electronic voting standards for Congress in Spring 2005.
These standards will be submitted in the Spring of 2005. Critics anticipate that the committee will look for guidance on technical standards from a non-profit association of engineers, computer scientists, and other professionals with strong ties to the voting machine industry. This editorial expresses concern for the safety and accuracy of voting data, especially in the absence of a paper record of votes cast.
National Council on Disability Releases "Righting the ADA"
"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."
www.ncd.gov/newsroom/publications/2004/pdf/righting_ada.pdf
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
OMB Creates Single Policy Document for Web Requirements
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] maintain accessibility for persons with disabilities."
Automated Postal Kiosks Include UW-Madison Accessibility Feature
MADISON-- Postal patrons tired of standing in long lines to mail their holiday packages now can save time when they use one of the U.S. Postal Service´s new automated postal centers (APCs) to conduct transactions themselves. But, while the kiosks offer most customers a level of convenience they´ve come to expect in today´s world, APCs also give many people with visual, cognitive, and physical impairments the kind of independence they rarely find. The kiosks incorporate the University of Wisconsin-Madison Trace Research and Development Center´s EZ Access features. The features are a simple set of interface enhancements that manufacturers can integrate into electronic products and devices such as public information kiosks, ATMs and cellular phones so more people, including older people and those with disabilities, can use them.
Funded by the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research, Trace researchers developed EZ Access during the past six years as an outgrowth of ongoing research and development on how to design standard information systems and products so that they are accessible for people with disabilities. With the addition of just a few buttons and voice output, a touch-screen product becomes usable by people who cannot see, read, reach the screen, or make fine movements with their arms, hands or fingers. The APC includes audio prompts, a headphone jack, and a special keypad. In addition, it is accessible to people in wheelchairs and others who have limited reach.
"As a person who is blind, I have always depended on the clerk to assist me with my postal transaction," says Neal Ewers, a senior instrument specialist with Trace. "I was delighted to discover that I could do everything I needed to do totally on my own by using the same device that everyone else uses. Its power was even more apparent when I discovered that many people would be able to look at the screen while also listening to the audio output. This will be a real benefit for people who are dyslexic, people who are just learning English, and people with low vision." At the kiosk, customers can use debit or credit cards to purchase stamps, mail envelopes and packages weighing up to 70 pounds, dispense a variety of mailing indicia, look up ZIP codes, prepare several forms., and more.
Using the Trace technologies, IBM developed the APC, which the Postal Service is initially installing in 2,500 post offices around the country, with more to follow. Earlier this year, Kiosk magazine gave the APC an award for best retail kiosk application. This is an award, says Trace Center Director Gregg Vanderheiden that illustrates how accessible designs can be better designs. "This is a great example of how accessibility can be seamlessly incorporated into a product making it easier for everyone," he says. Vanderheiden, also a professor of biomedical engineering and industrial engineering, says he is delighted the Postal Service chose to include EZ Access technologies in the APC. "It is very encouraging to see this widespread dissemination of the EZ Access features," he says. "And the USPS Automated Postal Center, with its very user-friendly interface, is an excellent product to demonstrate them."
-- Renee Meiller (608) 262-2481, meiller@engr.wisc.edu
