IT Accessibility Review
Volume 1, Number 5
Accessibility Resources
Universal Design: A Commitment to Accessible Software from SAS Institute
To read the full text of this SAS White Paper, follow this link:
http://www.sas.com/govedu/accessibility_white_paper_040505.pdf
TTY Phone Pal
"The TTY Phone Pal program is one where deaf and hard of hearing volunteers work with their local 9-1-1 centers to conduct test calls to help improve dispatcher proficiencies on the TTY equipment.How this is handled will depend upon the PSAP, but there is an explanation and examples of how to implement this type of program at http://www.access4911.org/outreach_programs.htm."
Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.0
The W3C, the publishers of the original Web Content Accessibility Guidelines in 1999, are soon to publish version 2.0 of the guidelines. The original guidelines, which are generally regarded as the de facto guidelines for creating accessible websites, have often been criticized for being difficult to interpret and confusing. The new, user-friendly guidelines will be released later this year.
Check them out at http://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG20/.
Helping Hand for Those with Shaky Hands
While attending a workshop of IBM researchers who were trying to come up with new technologies for the elderly, inventor Jim Levine remembered the day his Uncle Murray tried to use his personal computer. Levine´s uncle was about 70 years old. His hand was shaking so much that he simply couldn´t navigate the screen with a mouse. Remembering his uncle´s difficulties led Levine to come up with a device that helps the elderly and anyone with illnesses that cause their hands to shake, such as Parkinson´s. IBM expects to unveil a mouse adapter that filters out the shaking movements of the hand to enable a user to navigate a PC screen more smoothly. The device is plugged in between the mouse and the PC and works like the stabilization systems found in many camcorders. There are about 76 million aging Baby Boomers and 54 million people with disabilities living in the United States, the company said.
Cathy Bodine, a professor of medicine at the University of Colorado said the IBM mouse adapter is geared specifically to people who suffer from essential tremor, which afflicts about 10 million people. She cited figures from the International Essential Tremor Foundation. (San Francisco Chronicle 03/14/05)
Technology: Brain Wave Cap: Look Ma! No Hands! No Joystick! No Implant! Just My Thinking Cap!
New York, New York-- Scientists are one step closer to devising a way for people to control objects using brainwaves without the need for intrusive electronic implants or surgery.
Researchers at the New York State Department of Health and the State University of New York have designed a system that monitors electrical impulses from the brain. It uses a super-sensitive cap with 64 electrodes, much like those used in a typical Electroencephalogram (EEG).
The cap sends information about the brain impulses to a computer that translates them into direct action, such as moving a curser on a computer screen or perhaps directing a prosthetic or robotic hand, or guiding a motorized wheelchair.
More work must be done to make the software more powerful and reliable: So far, it has only been tested successfully on four people, two of whom have spinal cord injuries. Developers said that once it is perfected the new technology might allow people who cannot move to live more independently.
Scientists at Cyberkinetics, Inc., have been working to perfect a system intended to achieve the same results. However, their system uses a device the size of an M&M candy that is surgically implanted into the brain. Many hope the new technology will replace the need for implants.
"It is an impressive achievement," said John Donoghue, a senior neuroscientist at Brown University who was not involved in the New York project. "Such a device has great potential to improve the lives of paralyzed individuals."
"´Brainwave´ cap controls computer" (BBC News)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/4074869.stm
"Paralyzed patients use brain waves to move" (USA Today via Arizona Republic)
http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/1206brainwaves-ON.html (Archive Only)
Source:
Inclusion Daily Express
December 10, 2004
This article is reproduced here under special arrangement with Inclusion Daily Express Disability Rights Email News Service. http://www.InclusionDaily.com ©Copyright 2004 Inclusion Daily Express. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, redistributed in any form or displayed on a web site without prior approval from Inclusion Daily Express. News@InclusionDaily.com.
Assistive Technology Spells Access
Take a virtual tour of AT possibilities with "The Assistive Technology Exploration and Training Center," two CD-ROMs that walk through computer devices and software, plus communication technology, for pre-service training, teachers and therapists. Special offer of both CDs for $99.00.
See http://www.disabilitytraining.com/ates.html.
Let users demonstrate everyday benefits of assistive technology in "The Gate: Guide to Assistive Technology Experiences," a CD-ROM featuring preschoolers to seniors. (See http://www.disabilitytraining.com/gate.html.) Or, let children interact with all the assistive tech devices in Forrest´s animated world in the CD "Forrest ´Center Stage´," featured at http://www.disabilitytraining.com/fcs.html.
New Online ADA Video for Small Business
DOJ´s new video, "10 Small Business Mistakes," is now available at:
http://www.ada.gov/videogallery.htm
ODEP Electronic Newsletter
The Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) in the U.S. Department of Labor has launched a new electronic newsletter that highlights initiatives and developments in employment & disability policy and programs. Subscriptions are free.
For more information:
www.dol.gov/odep/pubs/newsletter/200502.htm
The Learning Technology Standards Observatory Website
The Learning Technology Standards Observatory is a handy website
http://www.cen-ltso.net/Users/main.aspx
Here is the information on the site:
The CEN/ ISSS Learning Technology Workshop was launched in February 1999. Its main objectives are:
- To encourage participation in global initiatives in order to ensure that diverse European requirements are properly addressed by those global initiatives.
- To create specifications, agreements, guidelines, or recommendations where appropriate.
- To provide a forum for the development and implementation of requirement-driven learning technologies.
- To carefully examine and take into account the various effects on learning and training technology standards that are due to the diversity of cultural backgrounds and languages that exists within Europe.
- To publicize the Learning Technologies Workshop´s activities and results to relevant European projects, technology developers, and end users.
- To provide a forum for discussion for European project initiatives.
Their Accessibility section is located at:
http://www.cen-ltso.net/Users/main.aspx?put=202
They have an events calendar of all the meetings scheduled around Europe. For example, the TechDis meeting covering eLearning and accessibility in March in York, England:
http://www.cen-ltso.net/Users/main.aspx?event=196.
An event scheduled for April in London, hosted by the RNIB, was billed as "the world´s largest conference on issues concerning people with sight problems."
http://www.cen-ltso.net/Users/main.aspx?event=200
You can view the site in one of 11 different languages.
Contributed by: Karen Mardahl
National Council on Disabilities Launches New Disability Listserv
The National Council on Disability (NCD) recently launched a new disability listserv that will provide critical information on issues affecting people with disabilities, including a monthly newsletter known as the NCD Bulletin, news releases, legislative updates, and other newsworthy items.
The NCD listserv will be maintained by the U.S. Government Printing Office (GPO), which currently operates 19 government listservs (http://listserv.access.gpo.gov/). Use of GPO as the site administrator will help maintain system integrity.
To subscribe to the NCD´s listserv, send the following command:
SUBSCRIBE NCD-NEWS-L (FIRSTNAME LASTNAME) to LISTSERV@LISTSERV.ACCESS.GPO.GOV
or go to http://listserv.access.gpo.gov/ and click on Online mailing list archives, then select NCD-NEWS-L and complete the short subscription form.
NCD is an independent federal agency making recommendations to the President and Congress to enhance the lives of people with disabilities and their families. In 1986, NCD first proposed and then drafted the original ADA.
For more information, contact Mark Quigley or Martin Gould at 202-272-2004
