Designing More Usable Telecommunications

This section of DaMUW is hosted by the Telecommunications Access RERC , a joint project between Gallaudet University , and the Trace R&D Center (this site). It is a list of key resources, documents, and programs related to making telecommuniations more usable - for all.

Laws, Regulations and Other Governmental Efforts
Telecom RERC Accessible Telecommunication Design Resources
Organizations and Projects Addressing Telecommunications Access
Forums for Discussing Telecommunication Access Issues
Telecom Industry and Standards Organizations

Laws, Regulations and Other Governmental Efforts

Selected Government Resources for Regulatory Information - A list of Web sites that Trace Center staff have found particularly useful to check for updated information on regulatory or other government activities related to information technology and telecommunications.
Recent Government Laws Relating to Disability and Product Design - A brief overview of recent legislation including the Americans with Disabilities Act, Section 255 of the Telecommunications Act, and Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act.
Summaries of Recent FCC Proceedings Related to Accessibility - Policy news and analysis (Karen Peltz-Strauss)
Trace Center Collation of Access Board's 508 Final Rule and Guides - Originally prepared for use by Trace staff and training course participants, this document is organized and color-coded to facilitate reading and understanding of the Section 508 rules. Several viewing options are provided for the on-line version of this document, as well as a PDF version for printing (on a color printer).
More Links Related to Laws, Regulations and Other Governmental Efforts

Telecom RERC Accessible Telecommunication Design and Resources

Four Cell Phone Features - This paper describes four features that could be built into a standard cellular phone that would benefit users with hearing impairments or deafness as well as other users.
Product Design Ideas Browser - A reference tool that focuses on design strategies used to address the Telecom Act Accessibility Guidelines. The Ideas Browser provides ideas and strategies that will be helpful in the design of more accessible and usable products.
Trace Center Reference Designs for Cell Phones - The Trace Center has released the first of a series of "Reference Designs" to illustrate how a single phone can be designed so that it would be cross-disability accessible as well as usable and attractive to mass market consumers.
Telephone Interfaces: Universal Design Filters - A guide to making telephone products and services more accessible. This guide was published in 1996 by the Human Factors Engineering group at Pacific Bell, and includes a set of checklists to help product development teams identify potential design barriers for users with disabilities.
Selected Resources About Accessibility / Universal Design - A list of programs whose Web sites have information on accessible design of E&IT, which Trace Center staff have found particularly useful.

Organizations and Projects Addressing Telecommunications Access

Telecommunications Access Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center (RERC) - The focus of Telecommunications Access RERC is to identify telecommunication access barriers in current and future technologies, work with others in the field to identify solution strategies, test them, implement any necessary standards, and assist industry in transferring the ideas into their commercial products.
The Technology Access Program at Gallaudet University is a research group focusing on technologies and services that eliminate communication barriers traditionally faced by deaf and hard of hearing people.
Wireless RERC - Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center on Mobile Wireless Technologies for People with Disabilities
Royal National Institute of the Blind - Reports on telecommunications access and policy, smartcards, and other research related to technology and visual disabilities.
Omnitor - A Swedish company actively involved in the development of telecommunications standards, particularly with respect to text telephony.
V2 - Information Technology Access Interfaces - The V2 site provides links to information about this protocol. The AIAP protocol, in development by the V2 Technical Committee will eventually be used to convey information about user preferences and capabilities between user interface systems so that alternative interfaces can be accommodated.
European Co-Operation in the field of Scientific and Technical Research (COST219ter) Information Resource Manager - This site includes links to descriptions of activities carried out in Europe to address accessibility issues. The main objective of the Action COST 219 ter is to increase the accessibility of next generation telecommunication network services and equipment to elderly people and people with disabilities by design or, alternatively, by adaptation when required.
Inclusive Technologies - The Inclusive Technologies site provides links to a wide range of resources on accessible telecommunications products as well as information about the products and services available from Inclusive Technologies.

Forums for Discussing Telecommunication Access Issues

SEC508 (hosted by the Trace Center) is a list for discussion of Section 508 issues.

Telecom Industry and Standards Organizations

This work is funded by the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR) in the U.S. Department of Education, under grant number H133E990006. However, the opinions and content of this pageare those of the grantees and do not necessarily represent the policy of the U.S. Department of Education.