[Blind-international-students] introducing myself andcomments on your discussion

[Bruce Sexton Jr.]

Dear Dan and list,





You may be interested to read the issue below that was brought before 
congress by the NFB in february 2010.  It is also attached.



Thanks,

Bruce



A TECHNOLOGY BILL OF RIGHTS FOR THE BLIND





Purpose:  To mandate that consumer electronics, home appliances, kiosks, and 
electronic office technology provide user interfaces that are accessible 
through nonvisual means.





Background:  In recent years rapid advances in microchip and digital 
technology have led to increasingly complex user interfaces for everyday 
products such as consumer electronics, home appliances, kiosks, and 
electronic office technology.  Many new devices in these categories require 
interaction with visual displays, on-screen menus, touch screens, and other 
user interfaces that are inaccessible to individuals who are blind or have 
low vision.  Settings on the stove, dishwasher, or home entertainment system 
are no longer controlled by knobs, switches, and buttons that can be readily 
identified and whose settings can be easily discerned.  Inaccessibility of 
these devices is a major barrier to a blind person's independence and 
productivity.  If a blind person cannot operate the interfaces of basic 
office equipment such as copiers and fax machines, this is a potential 
threat to that person's opportunity to join the workforce or to maintain an 
existing job.



Many popular nonvisual mechanisms are available for manufacturers to create 
interfaces accessible to everyone.  For example, text-to-speech technology 
is inexpensive and more ubiquitous than it has ever been-it is used in 
everything from automated telephone systems to the weather forecasting 
service broadcast by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. 
Indeed, a few manufacturers have incorporated this technology into their 
products to create talking menus or to articulate what is on the display 
screen, but many manufacturers have continued to design interfaces that do 
not include any nonvisual means of use, rendering the devices inaccessible 
to blind people.





Need for Legislation:  Currently no enforceable mandates exist for 
manufacturers of consumer electronics, home appliances, kiosks, and 
electronic office technology to make their products accessible to all 
consumers.  There are also no accessibility standards to provide guidance to 
manufacturers on how to avoid creating barriers to access by the blind.



Congress should therefore enact a Technology Bill of Rights for the Blind 
which:

  a.. establishes that manufacturers must create accessible user interfaces 
for their products,
  b.. provides a means for enforcement, and
  c.. establishes standards that will provide meaningful benchmarks that 
manufacturers can use to make their products accessible.


This legislation does not mandate a single, one-size-fits-all solution for 
all consumer technology, home appliances, kiosks, or electronic office 
technology.  Rather it mandates regulations setting meaningful accessibility 
standards that allow manufacturers to select from a menu of potential 
solutions or create new ones.  This will not only give manufacturers the 
freedom and flexibility they desire, but will also encourage innovations 
that make consumer technology more usable for everyone.





Proposed Legislation:  Congress should enact a Technology Bill of Rights for 
the Blind that:



  a.. Mandates that all consumer electronics, home appliances, kiosks, and 
electronic office technology be designed so that blind people are able to 
access the same functions as sighted people by nonvisual means and with 
substantially equivalent ease of use.


  a.. Creates a commission to establish standards for nonvisual 
accessibility of electronic devices intended for use in the home or office. 
Such a commission should represent all stakeholders, including:
-          organizations of the blind;

-          manufacturers of consumer electronics, home appliances, kiosks, 
and electronic office technology, or associations representing such 
manufacturers; and

-          experts on universal design, electronic engineering, and related 
fields.



  a.. Endows the Department of Justice with the authority to enforce the 
regulations promulgated by the commission established by this legislation.


  a.. Authorizes the commission to reexamine and rewrite standards 
periodically as consumer electronic technology continues to evolve.




Requested Action:  Please support blind Americans and cosponsor a Technology 
Bill of Rights for the Blind to ensure that blind people can fully 
participate in all aspects of American society.  Increased access leads to 
increased independence, increased employment, and increased tax revenue.







Contact Information:

Lauren McLarney

Government Programs Specialist

NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND

Phone:  (410) 659-9314, extension 2207

Email:  lmclarney at nfb.org

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Dan Weiner" <dcwein at dcwein.cnc.net>
To: "'Blind International Students Mailing List'" 
<blind-international-students at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Monday, August 09, 2010 6:40 AM
Subject: Re: [Blind-international-students] introducing myself andcomments 
on your discussion


> And, on the subject of accessibility issues for which there is no
> work-around, what abut the plethora of new house-hold appliances which 
> have
> read-outs and no
> Feasible work-around?
> In the apartment where I used to live, there were washers and driers on 
> the
> first floor.
> Totally flat buttons, and you were obliged to use a card to start the
> machine. You could not tell when you were close to running out of money on
> your card. To recharge the card, you needed to use a machine that was
> totally inaccessible.
> I'm sure everyone has come across similar appliances in the last few 
> years.
> Is there anyone working on ideas to handle this frustrating maddening
> dilemma?
>
> Dan W
>
>
>
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