[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 231 (Friday, November 29, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 60678-60679]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-30444]
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ARCHITECTURAL AND TRANSPORTATION BARRIERS COMPLIANCE BOARD
Telecommunications Access Advisory Committee; Meeting
AGENCY: Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board.
ACTION: Notice of meeting.
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SUMMARY: The Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board
(Access Board) gives notice of the dates and location of the meetings
of the Telecommunications Access Advisory Committee.
DATES: The Telecommunications Access Advisory Committee will meet on
December 16, 17, and 18, 1996 beginning at 9:00 a.m. each day.
ADDRESSES: The meetings will be held at the Steptoe & Johnson building,
1330 Connecticut Avenue, NW., Washington, DC on the concourse level.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information regarding the
meetings, please contact Dennis Cannon, Office of Technical and
Information Services, Architectural and Transportation Barriers
Compliance Board, 1331 F Street, NW., suite 1000, Washington, D.C.
20004-1111. Telephone number (202) 272-5434 extension 35 (voice); (202)
272-5449 (TTY). Electronic mail address: cannon@access-board.gov. This
document is available in alternate formats (cassette tape, braille,
large print, or computer disk) upon request. It is also available on
the Internet at http://www.access-board.gov/notices/taacmtg.htm.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On May 24, 1996, the Access Board published
a notice appointing members to its Telecommunications Access Advisory
Committee (Committee). 61 FR 26155 (May 24, 1996). The Committee will
make recommendations to the Access Board on accessibility guidelines
for telecommunications equipment and customer premises equipment. These
recommendations will be used by the Access Board to develop
accessibility guidelines in conjunction with the Federal Communications
Commission (FCC) under section 255 (e) of the Telecommunications Act of
1996. The Committee is composed of
[[Page 60679]]
representatives of manufacturers of telecommunications equipment and
customer premises equipment; organizations representing the access
needs of individuals with disabilities; telecommunications providers
and carriers; and other persons affected by the guidelines.
At its first meeting on June 12-14, 1996, the Committee took the
following actions:
The statutory definitions of telecommunications,
telecommunications equipment and customer premises equipment are to be
construed broadly.
Providing access is not a ``change in form'' of
information within the meaning of the statute's definition of
telecommunications and, therefore, not excluded.
A listserv was created through the Trace Center: l@trace.wisc.edu. To subscribe, send e-mail to listproc@trace.wisc.edu
with the message subscribe taac-l .
Accepted the application of the American Speech-Language
and Hearing Association and Motorola to join the Committee.
At its second meeting on August 14-16, 1996, the Committee
agreed on the following points:
In customer premises equipment (CPE), it is not always
possible to separate the effects of software from hardware and one
manufacturer may choose to perform the same function with one or the
other. Therefore, the guidelines must cover both.
It is not always possible to determine whether a
particular function resides with the CPE, the telecommunications
carrier, or the source material. Therefore, the guidelines will be
developed with the assumption that the function resides in the CPE and
urge the FCC to apply the same guidelines to entities and services
under its jurisdiction.
The Committee also agreed that the existing definitions of
CPE and telecommunications equipment are sufficient.
While the definition of ``readily achievable'' in the
Telecommunications Act is the same as in the Americans with
Disabilities Act (ADA), the term is applied differently. In the ADA,
the term applies to barrier removal in existing facilities whereas the
Telecommunications Act applies the term to the manufacture of new
equipment. An ad hoc task group was formed to develop criteria to
assess ``readily achievable'' in this new context.
Subcommittees on Compliance Assessment and Guidelines
Content were created. Discussions will be conducted primarily by e-
mail. To participate in a subcommittee, send e-mail to cannon@access-.
At its third meeting on September 25-27, 1996, the Committee took
the following actions:
Accepted the application of Microsoft to join the
Committee.
The subcommittee on Compliance Assessment reviewed and
revised a draft list of criteria for an effective conformity assessment
model, then developed consensus around fifteen of these criteria, with
another five criteria needing further clarification or discussion. The
subcommittee divided into two work groups: Consumer Information/
Verification and Coordination Point/Practitioners' Qualifications.
The subcommittee on Guidelines Content divided into two
work groups: Process Guidelines, and Performance and Design Guidelines.
Each work group developed a set of principles and criteria for further
discussion. Draft products are posted on a Trace- sponsored Web site.
Discussion will be by e-mail (via the main TAAC-L listserv) and by
teleconference call. The URL for the Web site is http://trace.wisc.edu/
taac/workdoc.htm.
At its fourth meeting on November 6-8, 1996, the Committee
took the following actions:
Accepted the application of Netscape to join the
Committee.
Agreed to exchange information with European experts
working on similar issues to help promote consistency.
The Compliance Assessment subcommittee worked through its
draft document and flagged and prioritized issues. Additional issues
were also raised and will be addressed in the coming weeks. Issues
include: (1) should the guidelines require manufacturers to follow
specific steps but give suggested strategies; (2) can the use of
``Access Engineers'' be required or only suggested; (3) how to make the
process clear and understandable; (4) content of a Declaration of
Conformity; (5) how to deal with the transition from now until ``Access
Engineers'' are available. The Process work group of the Guidelines
Content subcommittee met with the Compliance Assessment subcommittee to
discuss overlapping issues including documentation, product testing and
specialized CPE.
The Guidelines Content subcommittee draft contains
performance guidelines, including goals and strategies, followed by a
rationale. The document also includes definitions and suggested
techniques for providing access in specific cases. The document also
suggests a current list of strategies and techniques for access.
The Committee will meet on the dates and at the location announced
in this notice. The meetings are open to the public. There will be a
public comment period each day for persons interested in presenting
their views to the Committee. The facility is accessible to individuals
with disabilities. Sign language interpreters, assistive listening
systems and real time transcription will be available. The Committee
will meet for the final time on January 14-15, 1997 at a location to be
announced.
Lawrence W. Roffee,
Executive Director.
[FR Doc. 96-30444 Filed 11-27-96; 8:45 am]
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