September 1999

Announcements

• VRI Trial Extended!
• American Sign Language Classes at UMES
• Kennard Speech at Capitol
• Capitol Interpreters
• Job Announcement
• Transportation Initiatives
• 17th International Seating Symposium

Maryland Relay VRI Trial Extended!

Maryland Relay is pleased to announce that the Video Relay Interpreting (VRI) Trial will be extended to October 15, 1999, adding an additional three months to the Trial's duration.

A toll-free (no charge) number (see below) is now available for anyone wanting to use VRI from their office, home or any other location where a videoconferencing system is available.

For video-conferencing systems using H.320 (typical systems include PictureTel, VTEL, Polycom, Cosmic) and ISDN, up to 384 Kbps, the telephone number is 1-888-874-8378.

For videoconferencing systems using H.324 (typical systems include C-Phone) and ISDN, up to 128 Kbps, the telephone number is 1-888-874-8379.

All VRI calls must have at least one of parties be located in Maryland. Eight public sites are also available for anyone to use VRI (see addresses below). The Trial's hours of Operation are Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays from 9 A.M. to 5 P.M EST and Tuesdays, Thursdays from Noon to 8 P.M. EST.

All local, toll, long distance and international calls made through MD VRI are still FREE. No "900" (pay-per-call) or incoming calls from standard phone user will be allowed through MD VRI.

Call the Maryland Relay Customer Service at 1-800-552-7724 TTY/Voice during business hours or visit www.mdrelay.org for more information.

For those that don't have their own video equipment, you can visit one of the following public locations listed below:

National Association of the Deaf (NAD)
Birnbaum Interpreting Services (BIS)

814 Thayer Avenue
8555 16th Street, Suite 300
Silver Spring, Maryland 20910
301-587-1789 TTY 301-587-8885 TTY/Voice
(Closed 5-8 PM Tues./Thurs.)

Deaf Independent Living Association (DILA)
110 Baptist Street
Salisbury, Maryland 21803
410-742-5052 TTY/Voice
(Closed 5-8 PM Tues./Thurs.)

Maryland Rehabilitation Center(MRC)
2301 Argonne Street
Baltimore, MD
410-554-9155 TTY
(Closed 5-8 PM Thurs.)

Hearing and Speech Agency (HASA)
2220 St. Paul Street
Baltimore, Maryland 21218
410-243-1275 TTY
(Closed 9 AM to 1 PM Fri.)

Maryland National Guard Armory
1100 Brown Avenue
Cumberland, Maryland 21502
410-576-1444 Voice
(Closed Mondays and 5-8 PM Tues./Thurs.)

Deafnet Association, Inc.
539 West Howard Street
Hagerstown, Maryland 21741
301-791-9020 TTY
(Closed 5-8 PM Tues.)

Charles County Public Library
2 Garrett Avenue
La Plata, Maryland 20646
301-934-9001 Voice
(Closed 9 AM to 1 PM Fri.)

American Sign Language Studies

The second sequence of the American Sign Language Studies (ASLS) concentration begins during the fall semester. The ASLS concentration begins every other year and is open to anyone who is interested in developing fundamental communication skills for interacting with individuals who are deaf. The ASLS course sequence includes the following courses:

Course	#	Title
ASLS	202	Orientation to Deafness
ASLS	203	American Sign Language I
ASLS	204	American Sign Language II
ASLS	307	American Sign Language III
ASLS	308	American Sign Language IV
ASLS	421	Practicum

Credit Hours are 3 hours each. Courses build on knowledge of each successive class. For more information call 410-651-6262

AT WHITE HOUSE FORUM, CHAIRMAN KENNARD REAFFIRMS COMMITMENT TO ADA FOR THE INFORMATION AGE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 26, 1999
News Media contact:
Audrey Spivack (202) 418-0500 TTY (202) 418-2555

Washington, D.C, .- Noting that "every time we make a telecommunications service accessible, it's like opening up a door of opportunity - unlocking our country's greatest asset-- the potential of our people,"William E. Kennard, chairman of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) reaffirmed the FCC's commitment to including people with disabilities in the information revolution,' Chairman Kennard spoke today at the White House Forum on Disability, and Cultural Diversity.

Chairman Kennard pointed out that at its July 14 meeting, the FCC adopted rules that will build the first curb cut on the Information Highway, ensuring accessibility for people with disabilities. There will now be access to products, access to Information about products, access to the choices that every American wants, needs and has a right to use, Chairman Kennard said.

He added that none of this would have been possible without the courage and commitment of the thousands of Americans with disabilities around the country who told the FCC what they needed. He cited examples such as the California woman who is hard of hearing and found that interactive menus that many companies use don't make her life easier, they make it more frustrating; a woman from Indiana who has difficulty in finding a cellular phone that can work with her hearing aid; and a deaf woman from Texas who can never find the Telephone Relay Service (TRS) number when she is travelling on business,

Chairman Kennard's statement is below:

STATEMENT OF FCC CHAIRMAN WILLIAM KENNARD
EMPLOYMENT PANEL
WHITE HOUSE FORUM ON DISABILITY AND CULTURAL DIVERSITY
MONDAY, JULY 26,1999

I am delighted to participate in today's Important White House initiative to take stock of the role that members of the disability community are playing in the working world, the progress that has been made, and what mqre needs to be done.

I believe It is particularly important to focus these questions on what is perhaps the fastest growing segment of the economy - both now and in the future - telecommunications.

The telecommunications segment has tremendous potential to employ some of the 1 6 million people with disabilities who are of working age, and who want to work, but are unemployed. And, accessible telecommunications can permit people with disabilities 16 be employed in a variety of fields, because they will have the telecommunications tools that are essential to almost any job.

The FCC is doing all it can to ensure that the new economy, an economy already defined by technology, is also defined as an economy with the ability to unlock the potential of Americans with disabilities. There are 54 million Americans with a disability of some kind. We can all agree that every America 'n deserves the chance to seize the opportunities of the Information Age. However, for the 26 million people with severe disabilities, unemployment is an even more serious problem, and hovers at a staggering 73 percent. In all areas of the economy, our challenge Is to focus on how to lower these unemployment numbers.

On this ninth'anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, let us make sure that the telecommunications revolution is reaching those who have historically been separated from common channels of communications and participation, such as people with disabilities and those from diverse cultural backgrounds, We cannot allow a digital divide to create information 'haves' and 'have knots based on minority or disability status, or a combination of both.

The FCC just completed a historic rulemaking under Section 255 of the Communications Act to require manufacturers and service providers to ensure that telecommunications products and services are accessible to people with disabilities, if readily achievable. Our action is the most important action for people with disabilities since passes of the ADA; in fact, this is the ADA for the Information Age.

Recently, I have been asked a number of times how much it will cost the economy to make that telecommunications is accessible to Americans with disabilities. My answer has been: if you want to talk about cost, think about the cost to our economy if we don't take steps make sure that all our members of society can access telecommunications - the costs to our productivity; the wasted potential; the loss to our society.

It makes no sense to invest billions of dollars to construct a grand new digital infrastructure for a high-tech economy it all Americans can't access these networks or use these wonderful new devices. The cost of not making telecommunications accessible - that is what we cannot afford.

Louisiana Advocacy Center Gets Award

The Louisiana Association of the Blind gave the Advocacy Center an award at its state convention in June for the Capitol Access Campaign. As a result of the campaign, Ron Delvisco, LAD Executive Director said it is now very easy for him to get interpreters at the Capitol. Nell Hahn, AC attorney, signed acceptance of the award on behalf of the Advocacy Center.

Job Announcement

THE FOLLOWING POSITION IS AVAILABLE

Assistive Technology Specialist
Independent Consultant to Accessible Systems Consulting

Accessible Systems Consulting has a requirement for assistive Technology specialists to assist the US Department of Education in Washington DC

With the infusion of modern assistive and adaptive technology into the Department's assistive technology and reasonable accommodation programs.

In addition to the required expertise the candidate must posses: a bachelors degree at minimum, troubleshooting experience with Windows 95/98 and a working knowledge of Window NT, working experience with assistive technology for blind, low-vision, mobility impairments, and hard-of-hearing and deafness.

The required expertise is necessary to provide expert consultation, assistance, and support on assistive technology issues.

Services and support activities needed under this requirement include, But are not limited to:

• Perform "needs analyses" for disabled employees and customers and produce a report providing assistive technology and user management a tool for determining a technology solution for the individual and the workplace in meeting reasonable accommodations.
• Identify and evaluate new assistive/adaptive technology hardware and software for the work place;
• Recommend and assist in identifying sources for obtaining or conducting orientation and training sessions on the use of new assistive technology.
• Provide assistance to disabled individuals in the use of assistive technologies in the workplace.
• Develop presentations and/or courses to be used to educate employees and customers on what are assistive technology issues, definitions and application.
• Identifying sources for obtaining assistive technology hardware, software, and training.
• Conducting orientation and training sessions on the use of assistive technology.
• Develop testing criteria and procedures and test new technology products in a "work environment", test bed configuration.
• Develop installation, implementation, and maintenance procedures for technical building support and others to migrate new technology to the user environment.
• Develop and maintain an automated Assistive Technology Case Log containing the date and relative issues of all activities associated with each individual assistance case.
• Assist the Department in identifying and maintaining the assistive technology products for the Product Support Plan.
• Provide hotline assistive technology telephone support.
• Provide hotline assistive technology on-site support.
• Develop and maintain an inventory database of assistive technology in use in the Department, returned equipment, surplus items and generate a monthly items needed list and the related order forms.
• Provide expert advise, assistance, and consultation to task forces, program offices, and technologists on the impact of assistive and adaptive technology and considerations for accommodating disabilities on policy, guidelines, procedures, standards, and other position statements and/or Department disability and accessibility related documents.
• Provide advise and suggestions on improving and/or enhancing products and services provided by the Assistive Technology Team.

Please contact:
Terri Youngblood
Terri@accessible-systems.com
With resume and salary requirements
No phone calls please!

Transportation Initiatives

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Office of the Secretary ~ Office of Public Affairs
Washington, DC 20590

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, July 26, 1999
Contact: Bill Adams
Tel.: 202-366-5580
DOT 109-99

U.S. Transportation Secretary Slater Marks ADA Anniversary, Announces Transportation Access Action Items, Over the Road Bus Grants Observing the ninth anniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), U.S. Secretary of Transportation Rodney E. Slater today announced a new departmental policy on accessibility as well as action items that will help ensure access to transportation for people with disabilities.

A departmental policy statement to ensure access for people with disabilities and access to all modes of transportation, including trails and walkways;

A ONEDOT accessibility task force comprised of representatives from all modes of transportation to develop programs and benchmarks to help ensure transportation access for all Americans;

An initiative on pedestrian access to improve design standards, clarify existing guidelines and ensure transportation planning processes and implementation address all applicable ADA requirements;

The distribution of new Department of Transportation publications outlining ways to achieve maximum access for sidewalks, trails and airports;

The U.S. Department of Transportation will partner with the U.S. Access Board to develop guidance on accessibility in pedestrian public rights-of-way starting in October 1999;

The unveiling of a new department website that provides information about transportation access issues. The website is http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/ada.

17th International Seating Symposium

February 22-24, 2001
Omni Rosen Hotel
Orlando, Florida

Seating & Mobility for People with Disabilities

For more information, contact:
Course Director Elaine Trefler, Assistant Professor, University of Pittsburgh
School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences
Department of Rehabilitation Science and Technology
Phone: 412-647-1270
Fax: 412-647-1277
TDD: 412-647-1291
E-mail: etrefler+@pitt.edu

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