FYi. COAT press release re Hearing May 1st
Jenifer Simpson <[email protected]> Wed, 30 Apr 2008 17:19:56 EDT
| Newsgroups | gmane.comp.accessibility.vision |
|---|---|
| Message-ID | <[email protected]> |
-------------------------------1209590396
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=20
Coalition of Organizations for Accessible Technology =20
________________________________________=20
Contacts:=20
Rosaline Crawford (NAD) 301-587-7730 =20
Karen Peltz Strauss (CSD) 202-363-1263=20
Jenifer Simpson (AAPD) (202) 457-0046 =20
Eric Bridges (ACB) (202)-467-5081=20
Adrianna Montague-Gray (AFB) (212) 502-7675=20
Celebrity & Hero Witnesses Support Equal Access =20
To Communications and Video Technologies =20
To Provide Critical Testimony Today=20
Washington, D.C., Thursday, May 1, 2008 =E2=80=93 The Coalition of Organiza=
tions for=20
Accessible Technology (COAT) is pleased to announce that celebrity and hero=
=20
witnesses will testify at a House Subcommittee on Telecommunications and th=
e =20
Internet hearing on draft legislation, =E2=80=9CEnhancing Access to Broadban=
d =20
Technology and Services for Persons with Disabilities.=E2=80=9D =20
These witnesses include: Jamaal Anderson, defensive end and 2007 first=20
round draft pick of the NFL Atlanta Falcons whose father is a leading deaf=20
educator and former board member of Gallaudet University; Russell Harvard,=20=
a deaf=20
Hollywood actor appearing in the double-academy award winning movie =E2=80=
=9CThere=20
Will Be Blood=E2=80=9D; and Sergeant Major Jesse Acosta, a distinguished ar=
my veteran=20
whose vision was seriously injured in Iraq.=20
The three witnesses will testify to the need for passage of legislation to=20
ensure that, as our nation migrates from legacy telephone and television=20
products to more versatile and innovative digital and Internet-based=20
communications and video programming, people with disabilities must benefit=
like everyone=20
else. In addition to generally requiring access to Internet-based=20
communications services for people with disabilities, legislative action is=
needed to=20
achieve the following:=20
* Extend the closed captioning mandates to certain Internet-based=20
video programming;=20
* Require video devices with screens smaller than 13-inches to displa=
y=20
captioning;
* Mandate video description on television so people who are blind can=
=20
have access to program content and visual emergency information;=20
* Require accessible user interfaces/menus on video programming=20
devices such as TVs, VCRs, and DVR players;=20
* Mandate hearing aid compatibility on =E2=80=9CSmart=E2=80=9D or Int=
ernet-enabled=20
phones;=20
* Allow eligible consumers with disabilities who must use broadband=20
for phone calls to apply their Universal Service Fund (USF) discounts to hi=
gh=20
speed Internet service; and=20
* Allocate USF funds for the distribution of specialized equipment=20
needed to provide telecommunications access for individuals who are deaf-bl=
ind.
The Coalition of Organizations for Accessible Technology, or COAT, has=20
nearly 200 national, regional, state, and community-based affiliates. More=20
information at _http://www.coataccess.org_ (http://www.coataccess.org/) .=20
**************Need a new ride? Check out the largest site for U.S. used car=20
listings at AOL Autos. =20
(http://autos.aol.com/used?NCID=3Daolcmp00300000002851)
VICUG-L is the Visually Impaired Computer User Group List.
Archived on the World Wide Web at
http://listserv.icors.org/archives/vicug-l.html
Signoff: [email protected]
Subscribe: [email protected]
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<DIV>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><B=20
style=3D"mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 18pt; COLOR: #3366ff; FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'"><o:p>=
</o:p></SPAN></B></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><B=20
style=3D"mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 18pt; COLOR: #3366ff; FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'">Coali=
tion=20
of Organizations for Accessible Technology=20
________________________________________</SPAN></B><SPAN=20
style=3D"COLOR: black"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN=20
style=3D"COLOR: black"><o:p><FONT face=3D"Times New Roman"=20
size=3D3> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 2.5in; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"=
><SPAN=20
style=3D"COLOR: black"><FONT size=3D3><FONT=20
face=3D"Times New Roman">Contacts:<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3D3><FONT=20
face=3D"Times New Roman"><SPAN style=3D"LAYOUT-GRID-MODE: line; COLOR: black=
"><SPAN=20
style=3D"mso-tab-count: 6"> &=
nbsp;  =
; &nb=
sp; &=
nbsp;  =
; =20
</SPAN>Rosaline Crawford (NAD) 301-587-7730</SPAN><SPAN=20
style=3D"COLOR: black"><SPAN style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes"> =20
</SPAN><o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></FONT></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style=3D"COLOR: bla=
ck"><FONT=20
size=3D3><FONT face=3D"Times New Roman"><SPAN=20
style=3D"mso-tab-count: 6"> &=
nbsp;  =
; &nb=
sp; &=
nbsp;  =
; =20
</SPAN><SPAN style=3D"LAYOUT-GRID-MODE: line">Karen Peltz Strauss (CSD)=20
</SPAN>202-363-1263<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style=3D"COLOR: bla=
ck"><FONT=20
size=3D3><FONT face=3D"Times New Roman"><SPAN=20
style=3D"mso-tab-count: 6"> &=
nbsp;  =
; &nb=
sp; &=
nbsp;  =
; =20
</SPAN>Jenifer Simpson (AAPD) (202) 457-0046<SPAN=20
style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes"> =
=20
</SPAN><o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style=3D"COLOR: bla=
ck"><FONT=20
size=3D3><FONT face=3D"Times New Roman"><SPAN=20
style=3D"mso-tab-count: 6"> &=
nbsp;  =
; &nb=
sp; &=
nbsp;  =
; =20
</SPAN>Eric Bridges (ACB) (202)-467-5081<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style=3D"COLOR: bla=
ck"><FONT=20
size=3D3><FONT face=3D"Times New Roman"><SPAN=20
style=3D"mso-tab-count: 6"> &=
nbsp;  =
; &nb=
sp; &=
nbsp;  =
; =20
</SPAN>Adrianna Montague-Gray (AFB) (212)=20
502-7675<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; TEXT-ALIGN: center"=
=20
align=3Dcenter><B style=3D"mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><o:p><FONT=20
face=3D"Times New Roman" size=3D3> </FONT></o:p></B></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: center"=20
align=3Dcenter><B style=3D"mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><FONT size=3D3><FON=
T=20
face=3D"Times New Roman">Celebrity & Hero Witnesses Support Equal Access=
=20
<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></B></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: center"=20
align=3Dcenter><B style=3D"mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><FONT size=3D3><FON=
T=20
face=3D"Times New Roman">To Communications and Video Technologies=20
<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></B></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: center"=20
align=3Dcenter><B style=3D"mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 14pt"><o:p><FONT=20
face=3D"Times New Roman"> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></B></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: center"=20
align=3Dcenter><B style=3D"mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><FONT size=3D3><FON=
T=20
face=3D"Times New Roman">To Provide Critical Testimony=20
Today<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></B></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style=3D"COLOR: bla=
ck"><FONT=20
size=3D3><FONT face=3D"Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></SPA=
N></P>
<P class=3DMsoPlainText style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'">Washington, D.C.,=20
Thursday, May 1, 2008 =E2=80=93 The Coalition of Organizations for Accessibl=
e Technology=20
(COAT) is pleased to announce that celebrity and hero witnesses will testify=
at=20
a <SPAN style=3D"COLOR: black">House Subcommittee on Telecommunications and=20=
the=20
Internet hearing on d</SPAN>raft legislation, =E2=80=9CEnhancing Access to B=
roadband=20
Technology and Services for Persons with Disabilities.=E2=80=9D<SPAN=20
style=3D"COLOR: black"> <o:p></o:p></SPAN></SPAN></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN=20
style=3D"COLOR: black"><o:p><FONT face=3D"Times New Roman"=20
size=3D3> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3D3><FONT=20
face=3D"Times New Roman"><SPAN style=3D"COLOR: black">These witnesses includ=
e: <SPAN=20
style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN></SPAN><SPAN class=3Dbig1><SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bid=
i-font-size: 12.0pt">Jamaal=20
Anderson, defensive end and 2007 first round draft pick of the NFL Atlanta=20
Falcons whose father is a leading deaf educator and former board member of=20
Gallaudet University;</SPAN></SPAN> Russell Harvard, a deaf Hollywood actor=20
appearing in the double-academy award winning movie =E2=80=9CThere Will Be B=
lood=E2=80=9D; and=20
Sergeant Major Jesse Acosta, a distinguished army veteran whose vision was=20
seriously injured in Iraq.</FONT></FONT></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p><FONT face=3D"Times=20=
New Roman"=20
size=3D3> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3D3><FONT=20
face=3D"Times New Roman">The three witnesses will testify to the need for pa=
ssage=20
of legislation to ensure that, <SPAN style=3D"COLOR: black">as our nation mi=
grates=20
from legacy telephone and television products to more versatile and innovati=
ve=20
digital and Internet-based communications and video programming, people with=
=20
disabilities must benefit like everyone else. <SPAN=20
style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>In addition to generally requiring=20=
access=20
to Internet-based communications services for people with disabilities,=20
legislative action is needed to achieve the=20
following:<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></FONT></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN=20
style=3D"COLOR: black"><o:p><FONT face=3D"Times New Roman"=20
size=3D3> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<UL style=3D"MARGIN-TOP: 0in" type=3Ddisc>
<LI class=3DMsoNormal=20
style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5=
in"><SPAN=20
style=3D"COLOR: black"><FONT face=3D"Times New Roman" size=3D3>Extend the=20=
closed=20
captioning mandates to certain Internet-based video=20
programming;</FONT></SPAN></LI>
<LI class=3DMsoNormal=20
style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5=
in"><FONT=20
size=3D3><FONT face=3D"Times New Roman"><SPAN style=3D"COLOR: black">Requi=
re video=20
d</SPAN>evices with screens smaller than 13-inches to display=20
captioning;</FONT></FONT></LI></UL>
<UL style=3D"MARGIN-TOP: 0in" type=3Ddisc>
<LI class=3DMsoNormal=20
style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5=
in"><FONT=20
face=3D"Times New Roman" size=3D3>Mandate video description on television=20=
so=20
people who are blind can have access to program content and visual emergen=
cy=20
information;</FONT></LI>
<LI class=3DMsoNormal=20
style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5=
in"><FONT=20
face=3D"Times New Roman" size=3D3>Require accessible user interfaces/menus=
on=20
video programming devices such as TVs, VCRs, and DVR players;</FONT></LI>
<LI class=3DMsoNormal=20
style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5=
in"><SPAN=20
style=3D"COLOR: black"><FONT face=3D"Times New Roman" size=3D3>Mandate hea=
ring aid=20
compatibility on =E2=80=9CSmart=E2=80=9D or Internet-enabled phones; </FON=
T></SPAN></LI></UL>
<UL style=3D"MARGIN-TOP: 0in" type=3Ddisc>
<LI class=3DMsoNormal=20
style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5=
in"><FONT=20
face=3D"Times New Roman" size=3D3>Allow eligible consumers with disabiliti=
es who=20
must use broadband for phone calls to apply their Universal Service Fund (=
USF)=20
discounts to high speed Internet service; <SPAN=20
style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>and</FONT></LI>
<LI class=3DMsoNormal=20
style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5=
in"><FONT=20
face=3D"Times New Roman" size=3D3>Allocate USF funds for the distribution=20=
of=20
specialized equipment needed to provide telecommunications access for=20
individuals who are deaf-blind.</FONT></LI></UL>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p><FONT face=3D"Times=20=
New Roman"=20
size=3D3> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal=20
style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0.3in 0pt 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none"><FONT=20
size=3D3><FONT face=3D"Times New Roman"><SPAN style=3D"COLOR: black">The Coa=
lition of=20
Organizations for Accessible Technology, or </SPAN><B=20
style=3D"mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN=20
style=3D"COLOR: blue; mso-hansi-font-family: 'Times New Roman Bold'; mso-bid=
i-font-family: 'Times New Roman Bold'">COAT,</SPAN></B><SPAN=20
style=3D"COLOR: black"> has nearly 200 national, regional, state, and=20
community-based affiliates. More information at <A=20
href=3D"http://www.coataccess.org/">http://www.coataccess.org</A>.=20
</SPAN></FONT></FONT></P></DIV></FONT><BR><BR><BR><DIV><FONT style=3D"color:=
black; font: normal 10pt ARIAL, SAN-SERIF;"><HR style=3D"MARGIN-TOP: 10px">=
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