[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 61 (Thursday, March 28, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 13813-13814]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-7583]
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ARCHITECTURAL AND TRANSPORTATION BARRIERS COMPLIANCE BOARD
Telecommunications Act Accessibility Guidelines for Customer
Premises Equipment and Telecommunications Equipment
AGENCY: Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board.
ACTION: Notice of intent to establish advisory committee.
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SUMMARY: The Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board
(Access Board) announces its intent to establish a Telecommunications
Access Advisory Committee (Committee) to develop accessibility
guidelines under the Telecommunications Act of 1996 and requests
applications from interested organizations for representatives to serve
on the Committee. The Committee will make recommendations to the Access
Board on accessibility guidelines for telecommunications equipment and
customer premises equipment.
DATES: Applications should be received by April 29, 1996.
ADDRESSES: Applications should be sent to the Office of Technical and
Information Services, Architectural and Transportation Barriers
Compliance Board, 1331 F Street, NW., suite 1000, Washington, D.C.
20004-1111. Fax number (202) 272-5447. Applications may also be sent
via electronic mail to the Access Board at the following address:
cannon@access-board.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION 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 disc) upon request.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On February 8, 1996, the President signed
the Telecommunications Act of 1996. The Architectural and
Transportation Barriers Compliance Board (Access Board) is responsible
for developing accessibility guidelines in conjunction
[[Page 13814]]
with the Federal Communications Commission under section 255(e) of the
Act for telecommunications equipment and customer premises
equipment.1
\1\ The Access Board is an independent Federal agency
established by section 502 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as
amended, whose primary mission is to promote accessibility for
individuals with disabilities. The Access Board consists of 25
members. Thirteen are appointed by the President from among the
public, a majority of who are required to be individuals with
disabilities. The other twelve are heads of the following Federal
agencies or their designees whose positions are Executive Level IV
or above: The Departments of Health and Human Services, Education,
Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, Labor, Interior,
Defense, Justice, Veterans Affairs, and Commerce; General Services
Administration; and United States Postal Services.
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The term ``telecommunications equipment'' is defined as equipment,
other than customer premises equipment, used by a carrier to provide
telecommunications services, and includes software integral to such
equipment (including upgrades). Public Law 104-104, section
3(a)(2)(50). The term ``customer premises equipment'' is defined as
equipment employed on the premises of a person (other than a carrier)
to originate, route, or terminate telecommunications. Public Law 104-
104, section 3(a)(2)(38).
The Telecommunications Act requires the accessibility guidelines to
be issued within 18 months after the date of enactment. The Board is
also required to review and update the guidelines periodically. The
Board's guidelines for telecommunications equipment and customer
premises equipment are required to principally address the access needs
of individuals with disabilities affecting hearing, vision, movement,
manipulation, speech, and interpretation of information.
The Senate report to the Telecommunications Act directs the Board
to develop its guidelines by involving parties affected by the law.
``The Committee expects that manufacturers of equipment and providers
of service will be fully included in this process.'' S. Rept. 104-23,
at 53. Throughout the process of developing its guidelines, the Access
Board, in conjunction with the Federal Communications Commission,
intends to coordinate and consult with representatives of individuals
with disabilities and interested telecommunications equipment and
service providers to ensure that their concerns and interests are given
full consideration in the rulemaking process.
The Access Board will begin the process of developing the
accessibility guidelines by establishing a Telecommunications Access
Advisory Committee. The establishment of the Committee is in the public
interest and will support the agency in performing its duties and
responsibilities under the Telecommunications Act of 1996. The Access
Board believes that the Committee will facilitate the involvement of
individuals with disabilities and telecommunications equipment and
service providers in the development of the guidelines.
The Committee will make recommendations to the Access Board on
issues such as:
Types of equipment to be covered by the guidelines;
Barriers to the use of such equipment by persons with
disabilities affecting hearing, vision, movement, manipulation, speech,
and interpretation of information;
Solutions to such barriers, if known, categorized by
disability (different solutions may be needed for different
disabilities) and research on such barriers; and
Contents of the guidelines.
The Committee will be expected to present a report with its
recommendations to the Access Board within six months of the
Committee's first meeting. The Access Board requests applications from
organizations representing the following interests for membership on
the Committee:
Manufacturers of telecommunications equipment and customer
premises equipment;
Manufacturers and developers of peripheral devices or
specialized customer premises equipment commonly used by individuals
with disabilities to achieve access;
Organizations representing the access needs of individuals
with disabilities affecting hearing, vision, movement, manipulation,
speech, and interpretation of information;
Telecommunications providers and carriers;
Developers of telecommunications software; and
Other persons affected by these accessibility guidelines.
The number of Committee members will be limited to effectively
accomplish the Committee's work and will be balanced in terms of
interests represented. Organizations with similar interests are
encouraged to nominate a single organization to represent their
interest. Although the Committee will be limited in size, there will be
opportunities for the public to present written information to the
Committee, participate through the Internet and to comment at Committee
meetings.
Applications should be sent to the Access Board at the address
listed at the beginning of this notice. The application should include
a statement of the organization's interests and the name, title,
address and telephone number of the person who would represent the
organization on the Committee. The application should also describe the
person's qualifications, including any experience the person has had
with making telecommunications equipment and customer premises
equipment accessible to individuals with disabilities.
Committee members will not be compensated for their service. The
Access Board may pay travel expenses for a limited number of persons
who would otherwise be unable to participate on the Committee.
Committee members will serve as representatives of their organizations,
not as individuals. They will not be considered special government
employees and will not be required to file confidential financial
disclosure reports.
After the applications have been reviewed, the Access Board will
publish a notice in the Federal Register announcing the appointment of
Committee members and the first meeting of the Committee. The first
meeting of the Committee is tentatively scheduled for June 10-12, 1996
in Washington, D.C. The Committee will operate in accordance with the
Federal Advisory Committee Act, 5 U.S.C. app 2. Committee meetings will
be held in Washington, D.C. Each meeting will be open to the public. A
notice of each meeting will be published in the Federal Register at
least fifteen days in advance of the meeting. Records will be kept of
each meeting and made available for public inspection.
Judith E. Heumann,
Chairman, U.S. Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance
Board.
[FR Doc. 96-7583 Filed 3-27-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8150-01-P
