Training and Dissemination

This month, President Barak Obama issued an Executive Order, “Accelerating Broadband Infrastructure Deployment,” which emphasizes that access to broadband is essential to the United States’. The Order establishes a working group which is tasked to “develop and implement a strategy to facilitate the timely and efficient deployment of broadband facilities” on federal properties. 

Judge Michael Ponsor of the District Court of Massachusetts rejected the motion to dismiss the...

In May, President Barak Obama urged Senate members to ratify the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.  The Convention was adopted by the United Nations in 2006 and signed by the United States in 2009.  Ratification of the Convention would allow the United States to have more influence in the Convention by becoming a State Party to the Convention.

In the regulatory arena, the FCC has...

This month, the TDPH highlights recent legislative actions concerning emergency communications. The Next Generation 9-1-1 Advancement Act of 2012 [P.L. 112-96] was recently signed into law in order to establish a 9-1-1 Implementation Coordination Office responsible for the coordination of 9-1-1 services as well as the facilitation of grant programs for state, local and tribal entities providing these services....

This month, U.S. Congressman Edward J. Markey (D-MA), introduced new legislation, The Prescription Drug Labeling Promotion Act of 2012 [H.R. 4087], regarding making information on drug labels accessible to people who are blind or have low vision. The legislation called for a working group to develop best practices, such as the use of Braille or “talking bottles” to ensure the accessibility of prescription drug labels.

In the regulatory arena, ...

This month the Department of Justice issued new ADA Standards for Accessible Design. The standards revise regulations for both Titles II and III of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and ensure accessibility of “newly designed and constructed or altered State and local government facilities, public accommodations, and commercial facilities.” The new standards will become effective March 15, 2012....

This winter issue reviews the many technology and disability policy developments from the months of December 2011 and January 2012. The Department of Labor issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) [RIN 1250-AA02] seeking comment on revisions of non-discrimination and affirmative action regulations for qualified workers with disabilities. The proposed ruling would include a hiring goal for federal contractors and subcontractors as...

Overview

This month marked the first national test of the new Emergency Alert System (EAS) conducted by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in coordination with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (...

Emergency Lifelines Workshop & Tabletop Recap

The Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center for Wireless Technologies (Wireless RERC) hosted an Emergency Lifelines Workshop & Tabletop on April 14, 2016 in Atlanta, Georgia. The Emergency Lifelines Workshop & Tabletop was coordinated by Christina Touzet and held at the Georgia Tech Research Institute Conference Center. Forty-four (44) individuals representing local, state, federal and academic leaders who...