Wireless Inclusive RERC| Georgia Institute of Technology | Atlanta, GA - Regulatory

Proceedings of the Wireless RERC 2021 State of Technology Forum

Mz22 — Thu, 30 Sep 2021 18:44:16 +0000

Publication Type:

The Wireless RERC convened the Virtual State of Technology (SoT) Forum 2020One on March 23-24, 2021. The 2021 virtual SoT was a focused, robust event, with a lively, informed, and diverse group of attendees representing the research community, people with disabilities, industry, technologists, advocates, policymakers, and disability service providers who explored the state of, and emerging trends in, inclusive wireless technologies and applications.

The Forum Proceedings is an interactive document with papers, presentations, videos, and bios from the two-day event. Further, it opens with a summation of the event and closes with a chapter on key activities to pursue to ensure inclusion is always at the forefront of wireless technology, design, development, and deployment.

Date of Publication:

Wednesday, September 22, 2021

Wireless on the Record: NTIA Survey Comments Urge NTIA to Ensure Equitable Processes in Survey Distribution

dbright7@gatech.edu — Mon, 09 Aug 2021 12:47:03 +0000

Publication Type:

Policy Filings

July 26, 2021 – The Wireless RERC submitted comments to the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) regarding their request for input on the draft Internet Use Survey. A 67-question survey that they anticipate adding to the November 2021 edition of the U.S. Census Bureau’s Current Population Survey (CPS). A focus of our comments was ensuring that interviewers conducting personal visits are properly equipped to communicate with people who have disabilities. Suggesting that the interviewers be prepared to offer accommodations. As it pertains to the accuracy of the NTIA’s estimated time, cost burden, and methodology for disseminating the survey, Wireless RERC comments indicated some concerns related to the distribution methodology. Specifically, the RERC asserted that NTIA and the Census Bureau provide an online option to complete the survey designed to work with screen reader technology for respondents who are blind or have low vision. As a counter to extensive in-person interviewing teams, the Wireless RERC proposed a “mail-in” and online option so that people with and without disabilities can engage with this survey without unnecessary exposure to others.

Regarding the quality and quantity of survey questions, the RERC shared that the survey tool should be designed to facilitate nuanced analyses along sociodemographic dimensions that include disability. To that end, the Wireless RERC also recommended that NTIA add questions that would facilitate increased understanding of the various types of technology people with disabilities use to access the Internet and its content—asserting that the resultant data could facilitate the development of broadband affordability and utilization strategies. The comments urged NTIA to ensure that survey questions be clear, concise, and provided in accessible formats and with appropriate disability access accommodations (e.g., ASL, captions). The comments concluded by noting how the suggested revisions will advance the quality content of the survey questions and aid researchers in producing improved filing recommendations. We underscored the importance of considering the accessibility and usability of internet services and the consequential inclusion of people with disabilities in the broader design of data collection that informs public policy. We contend that any national survey tool designed to gather data on the state of technology use in the USA should include questions regarding disability and accessibility. Gathering such data will allow for identifying barriers to internet use and technology adoption by people with disabilities, assisting organizations, manufacturers, developers, and policymakers in devising the appropriate strategies to create a more accessible and usable broadband environment. [Source: Wireless RERC]

Date of Publication:

Monday, July 26, 2021

Wireless RERC on the Record: RERC's CVAA Comments Encourage Increased Accessibility

dbright7@gatech.edu — Wed, 21 Jul 2021 15:51:45 +0000

Publication Type:

Policy Filings

July 6, 2021 – The Wireless RERC submitted reply comments in response to the FCC’s Public Notice Update on Commission's Fulfillment Of The Twenty-First Century Communications And Video Accessibility [GN Docket No. 21-140]. We agreed with the American Council of the Blind (ACB) statement that "The Commission should review how people with multiple disabilities are served by accessible communications technology and services. This should be done with a very wide lens to encompass all forms of sensory, cognitive, and physical disability." We cited that our studies have found that accessibility features are not uniformly available in all phone models, and gaps in the accessibility experience persist, especially for people with co-occurring disabilities. The comments of the Alliance of Automotive Innovation provided us the opportunity to state “that accessibility innovations should be co-created with consumers with disabilities and that the automotive industry adheres to CVAA requirements to include people with disabilities in the design and development phases of advanced communications features incorporated into connected and automated vehicles. It is essential to proactively include stakeholders within the disability community in AV design and development to enhance the utility of this technology for people with disabilities.”

In response to CTIA’s comments, we addressed ensuring that consumers with disabilities are aware of device features. At a recent focus group comprised of individuals who are blind, a participant, while discussing his use of the iPhone, stated he wanted to connect it to Alexa, "but I'm not sure if there is an Alexa app." We asserted that attending to issues of independent setup and accessible documentation and communication of device features speaks to the "usability" requirements of the CVAA. "A product or service is "usable" if it provides individuals with disabilities with the full functionality and documentation for the product or service, including instructions, product or service information (including accessible feature information), customer support, and technical support."^{^[1]} Regarding technical support specifically, CTIA commented that "Recently, Apple announced new accessibility features, including AssistiveTouch to watchOS, which allows users with mobility limitations to control their device, and SignTime, which enables people who are deaf and hard of hearing to communicate with AppleCare and Apple Retail staff in sign language." Excellent! We hope that such accessible and inclusive business practices become the industry standard. [Source: Wireless RERC]

[1]47 CFR §§ 6.3(l), 7.3(l), 14.21(c); see also 47 CFR §§ 6.11, 7.11, 14.20(d), 14.60(b)(4).

Date of Publication:

Tuesday, July 6, 2021

Wireless RERC on the Record: Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) and Emergency Alert System (EAS)

dbright7@gatech.edu — Thu, 06 May 2021 02:40:21 +0000

Publication Type:

Policy Filings

May 2021 — The Wireless RERC submitted reply comments to the FCC in response to their Notice of Proposed Rulemaking and Notice of Inquiry in The Matter of Amendment of Part II of the Commission’s Rules Regarding the Emergency Alert System and Wireless Emergency Alerts [PS Docket No. 15-94; 15-91]. In our reply comments, we indicated support for expanding the Presidential alert class to allow activation by FEMA. By expanding the alert class, agencies responsible for detecting the threat have the authority to issue the alert. We also concurred with CTIA and NYCEM’s recommendations to relabel the alerts “Federal” instead of “Presidential” or “National” because of news response regarding public perceptions of this label. We also agree that the term presidential is unfortunately inflammatory and may elicit responses contrary to the intention of the emergency message specifically (e.g., protective action) and the system entirely (i.e., public trust) because a small qualitative study of Georgia Tech personnel in 2018 showed that mobile phone users mentioned a preference for receiving the WEA test without the title "Presidential Alert" and would like to have seen the notification titled along the lines of "National WEA Test." As asserted by CTIA, "the effectiveness of emergency alerting will be lost if people simply ignore or opt-out of receiving these critical messages." Finally, the WirelessRERC supported previous recommendations to alert the public about new alert labels based on our survey data on WEA response based on user knowledge.

Date of Publication:

Wednesday, May 5, 2021

FCC’s Emergency Broadband Benefit Program

Mz22 — Tue, 09 Mar 2021 14:01:14 +0000

February 25, 2021 — The FCC unanimously voted for an immediate subsidy for low-income households to receive high-speed internet via a Report and Order [WC Docket No. 20-445] that adopting the Emergency Broadband Benefit Program (EBBP). The program is a $3.2 billion federal initiative to reduce the digital divide especially as the pandemic continues to require virtual interactions. This new regulation will provide up to $50 a month to low-income households and up to $75 a month to households on tribal land for broadband service. The FCC’s subsidy will also provide a one-time subsidy of up to $100 towards the purchase of a computer or tablet. The FCC aims to roll-out this program within the next 60 days, but they must first coordinate the logistics, such as identifying internet service providers to participate in the EBBP and a system to register, approve, and track recipients of these funds. The digital divide is one of the most pressing issues of our time as at least 14.5 million Americans do not have broadband. The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated this gap, as many public and private services, including schools and healthcare, have limited to no offering of in-person alternatives. Acting FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel hopes that this program “will help those at risk of digital disconnection.” Eligible recipients include, but are not limited to, families who have children that receive free or reduced school lunch, Pell grant recipients, and individuals who have lost jobs or had reduced income over the last year. [Source: FCC]

FCC Adopts Report and Order for Emergency Broadband Benefit Program

Emergency Broadband Benefit Program February Open Meeting Presentation

Date of Publication:

Tuesday, March 9, 2021

AFB Shares Impact of COVID-19 on People with Vision Disabilities

Mz22 — Mon, 05 Oct 2020 20:14:39 +0000

September 2020 — The American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) recently released a comprehensive report on the impact of COVID-19 on people with visual disabilities in the following subject areas: healthcare, employment, social experiences, education, transportation, voting, access to food, meals, and supplies. In this study of 1,921 U.S. participants, 92% of participants indicated that they had access to technology. However, many participants expressed that this access to technology did not mean access to information. Eighty-eight percent (88%) of participants shared that they were concerned that visual information about COVID-19 on television was not accessible to them. As a result of needing vital information relating to COVID-10, 80% of participants indicated that they have increased their use of assistive technology apps such as Aira and Be My Eyes.

Participants had varying levels of agreement to “increased use of apps designed to connect people with visual impairments with sighted assistance.” Seventeen percent (17%) of female participants strongly agreed or agreed with this statement compared to only 9% of males. The statement also received higher agreement levels from those who were blind (20%) compared to those with low vision (6%). COVID-19 has also altered how some participants utilize visual-interpreting services. Some respondents shared that they use visual-interpreting services to verify the location of items delivered to their home and to read and enter CAPTCHA information on websites [p. 24]. Technology was used differently to create social connections between people with visual impairments. 808 participants shared that they contacted other people with vision disabilities in their personal network for COVID-19 support while 785 did not reach out to any organized group for support or support for information. Some of AFB recommendations are provided below:

Any government agency distributing information about the coronavirus should provide equivalent levels of access to people who are visually impaired.
Information presented in graphical form, such as maps and bar graphs need provide text equivalents.
Product developers should incorporate digital accessibility into products as the products are initially being developed.
Provision should be made for visual interpreting services, such as Aira and Be My Eyes, to ensure that people with limited financial resources can take advantage of these services.

The report also shares the most up-to-date and salient findings on technology use, technology tools used, app/programs used, and other concerns. This report is comprehensive in the six major subject matters. The survey was distributed across a diverse demographic of people with visual disabilities. Seventy-five percent (75%) of the respondents were White, 7% were Hispanic/LatinX, 6.7% were Black, 3% were Asian. The report is publicly available as are the early releases of results of the analysis. [Source: AFB]

Flatten Inaccessibility

Date of Publication:

Monday, October 5, 2020

FCC Soliciting for 2020 Advancement in Accessibility Award Nominations

dbright7@gatech.edu — Thu, 06 Aug 2020 03:50:31 +0000

August 2020 — The Commission opened the nomination portal for the Ninth Chairman’s Awards for Advancement in Accessibility. The nomination period will last from August 3, 2020, to September 4, 2020. In honor of the 30th anniversary of the Americans with Disability Act (ADA), the FCC is requesting nominations for individuals this year instead of emerging and innovative technologies. The nominee should be someone, in the private or public sector, who has made a meaningful contribution to increasing accessibility in the digital communications field. The nomination should be sent to chairmansAAA@fcc.gov and include the following information:

The nominated individual’s name, current contact information, and organization (if appropriate).
The name and contact information of the person submitting the nomination or a notation that the submission is a self-nomination.
An explanation of why the individual qualifies for the Chairman’s AAA.
A description of the nominee’s work in support of accessibility in telecommunications and/or broadcast media. Any documentation supporting this work (e.g., media reports, published materials) will help support the nomination.
A list of any specific efforts, products, policies, or materials resulting from the nominee’s work in this space.

The award winners will be honored at a ceremony in October 2020 [Source: FCC]

FCC Solicits Public for Award Nominees

Date of Publication:

Monday, August 3, 2020

Public Notice of the FCC's Disability Advisory Committee

dbright7@gatech.edu — Fri, 31 Jul 2020 15:51:16 +0000

July 2020 — The FCC is now accepting applications for its Disability Advisory Committee (DAC). The Committee composes recommendations on topics under the FCC’s purview that the agency is considering for rule-making or regulations. In previous years, the Committee has provided recommendations on the following subject matter: telecommunications relay services, closed captioning, video description, access to emergency information on television, telephone emergency notifications, device accessibility, technology transitions, and the National Deaf-Blind Equipment Distribution Program. The FCC notes that the Committee’s size is left to the agency’s discretion and is based on its own measures of appropriate size to effectively accomplish the Committee’s work. Members of the Committee are not eligible to receive payment or honoraria for their services nor are they provided with reimbursements for travel expenses.*

*Note: The FCC allocates a small fund for members who demonstrate financial need for travel expenses.

Who: The FCC welcomes applications from interested persons with disabilities, consumer organizations, industry and trade associations, corporations, governmental entities, or other entities from both the public and private sectors that wish to be considered for membership on the Committee.

What: The FCC will consider applicants based on expertise and diversity of viewpoints necessary to effectively address the topics before the Committee.

When: Applicants must be willing to commit to a two-year term of service, should be willing to attend at least three one-day meetings each calendar year, either in-person or, if appropriate, by teleconference, and should expect to participate in at least one working group or subcommittee. Working group deliberations are conducted primarily through email and teleconferences.

How: Applications should be submitted via an online application at https://www.fcc.gov/disability-advisory-committee/membership-application (preferred), via email to DAC@fcc.gov, or via US Mail to the Federal Communications Commission, Consumer, and Governmental Affairs Bureau, Attn: Debra Patkin, 445 12th Street S.W., Room 3-C438, Washington, DC 20554. Note: Due to Coronavirus, the FCC is no longer accepting hand or messenger delivered documents.

Restrictions: Individuals who are federally registered as lobbyists are not eligible to apply. [Source: FCC].

Disability Advisory Committee Public Notice

Date of Publication:

Friday, July 31, 2020

Integrating Digital Accessibility Policy at Higher Education Institutions

dbright7@gatech.edu — Fri, 31 Jul 2020 15:11:26 +0000

June 2020 – The University of Pittsburgh’s Laurie Cochenour, executive director of online learning at their School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences (SHRS), led the launch of the completely online master’s degree in Health Informatics for the Spring 2020 semester. COVID-19 beamed a light on the need for digitally accessible content and resources for people with disabilities to ensure compliance with the ADA and the academic obligation to foster different learning styles. At the University of Pittsburgh, the Electronic Information and Technology (EIT) Accessibility Policy is the latest governing document for accessibility standards that university staff members must comply with. Since its drafting and publishing recently, the University is in the implementation phase, though COVID-19 has altered the rollout timeline. Cynthia Golden, associate vice provost and director of the Teaching Center, said that “the University’s obligations—and the accessibility policy—are greater than just compliance. We have a moral and ethical obligation to do the best we can for our community” [Source: Will Entrekin via Pittwire].

Resources Abound to Assist Implementation of Digital Accessibility Policy

Date of Publication:

Friday, July 31, 2020

Wireless RERC on The Record: Accessibility of New Communications Technologies and Lifeline-Provided Mobile Phones

Mz22 — Wed, 15 Apr 2020 19:56:07 +0000

Publication Type:

Policy Filings

April 2020 - The Wireless RERC submitted comments to the Federal Communications Commission in response to their Public Notice In the Matter of The Accessibility of Communications Technologies for the 2020 Biennial Report Required by the Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act [CG Docket No. 10-213]. In anticipation of the Public Notice, the Wireless RERC conducted a 2019/20^{^[1]} Mobile Phone Accessibility Review (Accessibility Review/Review). The Review included mobile phone models available up to February 2020 from the top four wireless carriers, one prepaid carrier, and five Lifeline Carriers.^{^[2]} Data analysis for the Review is still underway and will inform future comments in response to the FCC's Preliminary Findings Report. For this filing, however, we provided input based on the analysis of the subsample of Lifeline-provided mobile phones. Additionally, the comments were informed by the results of our cornerstone survey on wireless technology use by people with disabilities, the Survey of User Needs (SUN). Overall, the comments indicated the industry's growth in the accessibility and affordability of advanced communications technologies, as evidenced by the increasing presence and richness of new accessibility features on Lifeline-provided mobile devices. Furthermore, SUN analysis found that a majority of respondents with disabilities indicated that both basic cell phones and smartphones were easy to use. However, some access gaps remain, particularly regarding new communications technologies. Based on the data presented in the comments, the Wireless RERC offered the following recommendations:

To better ensure access to emergency alerts for users with disabilities that prefer non-smartphones, increase the percentage of non-smartphones that are WEA-capable.
To improve total access to the systems and devices, companies should explore and develop solutions for how one who is blind would be able to independently set-up the technology.
Increased attention should be paid to ensuring access by people who are Deaf to smart speaker technologies that have a screen (e.g., Amazon Echo Show), such as the development of a gesture interface that understands ASL.
To improve access by those with non-standard speech to smart speakers and voice input on mobile devices, we encourage the inclusion of AI that has been trained to understand those with atypical speech patterns.

[1] Phone models were identified in October 2019, and again in February 2020, at which time, additional phone models were available.

[2] A random number generator was used to select five Lifeline carriers for inclusion in the review.

Date of Publication:

Wednesday, April 15, 2020