Source: https://www.access-board.gov/guidelines-and-standards/communications-and-it/about-the-ict-refresh/background/teitac-report/9-annexes
Timestamp: 2019-04-20 14:45:49+00:00

Document:
Andrew Kirkpatrick, Adobe Systems, Inc.
Greg Pisocky, Adobe Systems, Inc.
Mary Beth Janes, Apple, Inc.
Paul R. Michaelis, Avaya, Inc.
Aubrey Woolley, Canon USA, Inc.
Robert C. Nerhood, Dell, Inc.
Kate Walser, SRA International, Inc.
Michael Weinstein, SRA International, Inc.
Peter Korn, Sun Microsystems, Inc.
Michele Budris, Sun Microsystems, Inc.
Sections 508 and 255 are not the only Federal legislation intended to ensure access to ICT by individuals with disabilities. A number of Federal laws preceded this legislation, setting the stage for a barrier-free information age. Even where there is overlap with Sections 255 or 508, other Federal legislation establishing protections for people with disabilities remain in full force. The Committee could not reach consensus on if this additional information should be included in the report as there was concern it could cause confusion on how Sections 255 and 508 should be implemented. There was also concern by one member that it would imply agreement with each of these statues. While the Committee did take these statues into consideration, there was no specific discussion on each of them.
Rehabilitation Act of 1973 - The Rehabilitation Act of 1973, discussed briefly above, was the first piece of legislation designed to ensure that Federal agencies, its contractors, and its financially assisted programs and activities would provide access to their employees and beneficiaries. Section 501, for example, requires Federal employers to accommodate the individual access needs of their employees with disabilities when necessary for those employees to carry out the functions of their jobs, unless providing those accommodations would impose an undue hardship. Section 503 imposes similar access obligations on federal contractors, and Section 504 requires the provision of reasonable accommodations when needed to enable individuals with disabilities to participate in or benefit from federally assisted programs. Section 508’s requirements for accessible electronic and information technology facilitates compliance with the mandates of these various sections by providing federal agencies with some of the tools needed to provide these accommodations. Section 508 goes further, however, requiring federal departments or agencies that develop, procure, maintain, or use electronic and information technology to make sure that all such technology provides comparable access to and use of information and data, regardless of who may use it. Similarly, the availability of accessible information and data required under section 508 will assist Federal agencies charged with providing information to the public under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act.
Telecommunications for the Disabled Act - The first federal law to specifically address the need for access to telecommunications by individuals with disabilities was the Telecommunications for the Disabled Act of 1982 (TDA). Pub. L. No. 97-410, codified as amended at 47 U.S.C. §610 (1988). TDA directed that all “essential” telephones, both inside and outside the Federal government, be hearing aid compatible telephones and permitted telephone companies in the states to continue offering specialized customer premises equipment to individuals with disabilities at reasonable prices subsidized by their telephone services. In the TDA, Congress, already envisioning the dawn of major technological changes, proposed a new national policy to ensure access for people with disabilities as these changes occurred. This policy was announced in the House Report accompanying the bill: "[M]aking the benefits of the technological revolution in telecommunications available to all Americans, including those with disabilities, should be a priority of our national telecommunications policy." H. Rep. No. 888, 97th Cong., 2d Sess. 5 (1982). Setting the stage for Section 508 as well as other pieces of Federal legislation, the legislative history of the TDA revealed a new understanding by Congress that the costs to society of denying such access, by "depriv[ing] many individuals of the opportunity to have gainful employment" and "impair[ing] . . . the quality of life for disabled Americans" far exceeded the costs of ensuring such access. Id. at 4.
Hearing Aid Compatibility Act - The Telecommunications for the Disabled Act of 1982 was followed by two pieces of legislation in 1988 that again addressed the telecommunications access needs of individuals who are deaf and hard of hearing. The first of these, the Hearing Aid Compatibility Act, Pub. L. No. 100-394, codified at 47 U.S.C. §610 (1988), created a mandate for nearly all telephones made or imported into the United States after August 16, 1989, to be hearing aid compatible. Various FCC proceedings that followed produced rules that are intended to ensure nearly ubiquitous access to landline and wireless telephones by hearing aid wearers early in the twenty-first century.
Telecommunications Accessibility Enhancement Act - The second law enacted in 1988 was the Telecommunications Accessibility Enhancement Act (TAEA), Pub. L. No. 100-542, codified at 40 U.S.C. §762 (1988). TAEA created a Federal relay system for calls to, from, and within the Federal government. It also directed Congressional members to acquire TTYs for their offices, created a Federal directory of TTY numbers, and directed the FCC to complete an inquiry into the establishment of a nationwide interstate telecommunications relay system. TAEA’s provisions bear a relationship to the present Section 508 in that it was designed to specifically reduce technological barriers for Federal employees. Toward this end, the Senate’s Report on TAEA explained "[i]t has long been recognized that all employers should take whatever steps possible to fully integrate persons with physical impairments into the work force." S. Rep. No. 464, 100th Cong., 2d Sess. 2 (1988). Again, Congress concluded that the costs of installing accessible equipment and providing accessible telecommunications services were outweighed by the overriding benefits that such access created.
Americans with Disabilities Act -The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Pub. L. No. 101-336, codified at 42 U.S.C. §12101, et. seq., was passed in 1990. This landmark legislation created new and comprehensive civil right protections for individuals with disabilities in the private sector. Its provisions under Title IV mandate the provision of round-the-clock nationwide telecommunications relay services, designed to make our nation’s telecommunications networks more accessible to people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or speech impaired. Other parts of the ADA led to requirements for certain forms of telecommunications access, including requirements for hearing aid compatibility, volume control, and TTYs. They also provide standards on reach ranges, for access to fixed equipment control consoles and operable parts.
Television Decoder Circuitry Act of 1990 - The Television Decoder Circuitry Act, 47 U.S.C. §§303(u); 330(b), was passed in 1990. It requires all television receivers with picture screens 13 inches or larger to contain built-in decoder circuitry designed to display closed captioned television transmissions. The FCC has also applied this mandate to computers equipped with television circuitry that are sold together with monitors that have viewable pictures at least thirteen inches in diameter, digital television sets that have screens measuring 7.8 inches vertically (approximately the equivalent of a 13-inch diagonal analog screen), and stand-alone DTV tuners and set top boxes, regardless of the screen size with which these are marketed or sold. The Act also contains a provision directing the FCC to ensure that closed captioning services continue to be available to consumers as new video technology is developed.
Section 713 of the Communications Act - Section 713 of the Communications Act, added by the Telecommunications Act of 1996, 47 U.S.C. §613, requires video programming distributors to make their television programming accessible through the provision of closed captioning. In 1998, the FCC released a detailed schedule of captioning requirements that already require closed captioning on 100 percent of new, nonexempt English video programming. Other rules are in place for older and Spanish language programming. Exemptions are available for certain defined situations, for example, when the programming is primarily textual or primarily non-vocal music, and when compliance with the rule would result in an “undue burden,” meaning significant difficulty or expense.
Help America Vote Act -The Help America Vote Act (HAVA, Pub.L. 107-252) was passed in 2002. The relevant part of the law is "Subtitle A, Section 301 Voting System Standards (3) Accessibility for Individuals with Disabilities. The voting system shall: (A) be accessible for individuals with disabilities, including non-visual accessibility for the blind and visually impaired, in a manner that provides the same opportunity for access and participation (including privacy and independence) as for other voters."
1. PURPOSE: This charter establishes the “Telecommunications and Electronic and Information Technology Advisory Committee” (Committee) for the Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board (Access Board) in accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA), 5 U.S.C. App. 2, and the administrative guidelines issued by the General Services Administration's Committee Management Secretariat, 41 C.F.R. Part 101 6.
2. AUTHORITY: The establishment of the Committee is in the public interest and supports the Access Board in performing its duties and responsibilities under the Telecommunications Act of 1996 (47 U.S.C. § 255) and the Rehabilitation Act Amendments of 1998 (29 U.S.C. § 794 (d)).
3. SPONSOR AND OFFICE SUPPORT: The Committee shall report to the Access Board as its sponsor. Support services shall be provided or arranged by the Access Board.
4. SCOPE AND OBJECTIVES: The Committee shall advise the Access Board on issues related to revising and updating accessibility guidelines for telecommunications equipment and customer premises equipment and accessibility standards for electronic and information technology. The Committee shall act solely in an advisory capacity to the Access Board and shall neither exercise any program management responsibility nor make decisions directly affecting the matters on which it provides advice.
(e) contents of the revised and updated guidelines and standards.
6. MEMBERSHIP: The membership will be balanced in terms of points of view represented, including Federal agencies; the telecommunications and electronic and information technology industry, including manufacturers; organizations representing the access needs of individuals with disabilities; representatives from other countries and international standards setting organizations; and other organizations affected by the accessibility guidelines and standards. Representatives of each of these interests shall be selected by the Chairperson of the Access Board and appointed as Committee members for the duration of the Committee’s existence.
7. SUBCOMMITTEES: The Committee may form subcommittees for any purpose consistent with this charter. The subcommittees shall report to the Committee.
8. CHAIRPERSON: The Chairperson of the Committee shall be appointed by the Chairperson of the Access Board. The Chairperson of any subcommittees shall be appointed by the Chairperson of the Committee.
9. MEETINGS: Meetings shall be held as necessary at the call of the Chairperson of the Committee, with the approval of the designated Federal official. Meetings shall be open to the public and timely notice of each meeting shall be published in the Federal Register. Meetings shall be conducted and records of the proceedings kept, as required by applicable laws and regulations.
Committee and the Access Board determines that the member’s participation in the Committee is necessary to assure adequate representation of the various interests potentially affected by the accessibility guidelines and standards.
11. ESTIMATED ANNUAL COSTS: The costs for the Committee, excluding the cost of Board staff, are estimated at $105,000. No government staff positions are being allocated to the Committee on a full time basis.
12. DURATION: The Committee will terminate two years from the date of filing this charter with the appropriate Committees of Congress, unless the Committee is renewed or terminated sooner.
2 The Access Board’s Guidelines cover customer premises equipment and telecommunications equipment, but do not address services.
3 Section 508 requires the Access Board to review and update its regulations periodically. Similarly, Section 255 requires the Access Board to review and update its Section 255 guidelines periodically. Under both statues the timing of the review is left up to the Access Board.
5 We recognize that many stakeholders will not use the “raw” form of the regulations, but will create tools to help them focus on their specific accessibility obligations.
6 Section 3 of the Act defines "telecommunications" as "the transmission, between or among points specified by the user, of information of the user's choosing, without change in the form or content of the information as sent and received." The FCC adopted a Report & Order (FCC 99-181) on July 14, 1999, which determined that adjunct-to-basic services should also be covered by Section 255. Adjunct-to-basic services include such services as call waiting, speed dialing, call forwarding, computer-provided directory assistance, call monitoring, caller identification, call tracing, and repeat dialing. The FCC also asserted its ancillary jurisdiction to extend the accessibility requirements to providers of voicemail and interactive menu service, as well as to manufacturers of equipment that performs those functions. On May 31, 2007, the FCC adopted a Report & Order (FCC 07-110) to extend the disability access requirements to providers of “interconnected voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) services,” and to manufacturers of specially designed equipment used to provide those services.
7 The full FCC analysis of the readily achievable standard is contained at In the Matter of Implementation of Sections 255 Report and Order and Further Notice of Inquiry, WT Dkt 96-198, FCC 99-181, 16 FCC Rcd 6417 (September 29, 1999), ¶¶43-74; 47 CFR §§6.3(g); §7.3(g).
8 These examples are not exhaustive, nor do they indicate specific recommendations.
10 We also considered additional information for user activities, product characteristics and product types relevant to the provisions, but were not able to complete this work.
11 These categories of test methods were used in the Accessibility and Usability section of IEEE P1583-Voting System Standards. This draft standard was balloted, but then abandoned in favor of the US Election Assistance Commission Voluntary Voting System Guidelines 2005.
16 Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.0, http://www.w3.org/TR/2007/WD-WCAG20-20071211/, 11 December 2007, W3C Working Draft. Latest version at http://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG20/. Copyright, 2007 W3C (MIT, ERCIM, Keio) http://www.w3.org/Consortium/Legal/2002/copyright-documents-20021231.

References: §610
 §610
 §762
 §12101
 §613
 § 255
 § 794
 §7