Congratulations to fellow WCOD commissioner Kim Charlson! What a distinction for Perkins and the Watertown community!

Perkins Braille & Talking Book Library Named Network Library of the Year

On Friday, June 19, 2009, Perkins Braille & Talking Book Library was named 2008 Network Library of the Year at a ceremony in Washington, D.C. that featured remarks by Congressman Ed Markey (D-MA, 7th District).

Every day, thousands of patrons who cannot read traditional print because of a visual impairment or other disability rely on services from Perkins Library to keep informed and stay connected with their communities. For many, the library is the sole source of accessible reading materials for study, work, personal enrichment, intellectual development or leisure. 

 [continued …]

From Kareem Dale, Special Assistant to the President for Disability Policy at the White House:

MONDAY, JUNE 29TH, 2009 AT 3:32 PM

“Still Thriving and Excelling Long After Helen Keller”

Posted by Kareem Dale

Another day at the White House, another chance for President Obama to make history for people with disabilities. And, he did just that. 

 

On Friday, June 26, 2009, President Barack Obama became one of the very few sitting American Presidents to personally greet and welcome persons who are deaf-blind to the White House Oval Office. [continued …]

From ALDA, Inc. (the Association of Late-Deafened Adults):

ALDA Advocacy Alert! Action Needed!
Supporting the Empowerment of Late-Deafened Adults
June 2009

Rep. Markey Introduces COAT bill, “The 21st Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act of 2009,” H.R. 3101

Ask Your Representatives to Co-Sponsor H.R. 3101!
Ask Your Senators to Sponsor a Similar Bill in the Senate!
Thank Representative Markey!

On Friday afternoon, June 26, 2009 Rep. Ed Markey (D-MA) introduced comprehensive legislation to ensure that people with disabilities have access to Internet-based telecommunications and video programming technologies. The bill, the Twenty-first Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act of 2009 (H.R. 3101), would—

1.      require that mobile and other Internet-based telecommunications devices and equipment be fully hearing aid compatible, have accessible user interfaces, and offer people with disabilities use of a full range of text messaging and other popular services that are currently largely inaccessible;

2.      provide people who are deaf-blind with vital but costly technologies they need to communicate electronically;

3.      establish a process and time table for the provision of real-time text capability;

4.      clarify existing relay-to-relay, Lifeline and Linkup service requirements to ensure their relevance to the real world communications needs of people with disabilities;

5.      restore the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) modest video description rules and unambiguously establish the FCC’s current and ongoing authority to expand such regulations;

6.      require emergency announcements and similar information to be accessible to people with disabilities through audible presentation of on-screen alerts;

7.      ensure that video programming offered via the Internet will be both captioned and described;

8.       call for all devices that receive and playback video programming to employ accessible user interfaces and allow ready access to captioning and description;

9.      strengthen consumers’ ability to enforce their rights to communications and video accessibility through the establishment of a clearinghouse of information about service and equipment accessibility and usability, a meaningful FCC complaint process that holds industry accountable for their accessibility obligations, and judicial review of FCC action to ensure FCC accountability.https://writerep.house.gov/writerep/welcome.shtml

ACTION STEPS

1. Contact your Member of the United States House of Representatives. Ask him or her to cosponsor H.R. 3101. Be sure to telephone, send E-mail, and a letter. Find your Member at

2. Write your two U.S. Senators and ask them to sponsor and introduce a similar bill to H.R. 3101. Find your Senators at http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm

3. Use the bullet points above as appropriate in letters and include any personal stories about lack of access.

4. Thank Rep. Ed Markey for his leadership by using the Email Contact form at http://markey.house.gov/index.php?option=com_email_form&Itemid=124

From Mary Watkins of the Media Access Group at WGBH:

TV viewers who rely on captioning and/or video description may be encountering problems with both as we transition to digital television (DTV). Today, May 18, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) holds the first meeting of the new “DTV Closed Captioning and Video Description Working Group” which will focus on the many technical problems pertaining to proper delivery and display of captioning and description in DTV. WGBH’s director of Media Access, Larry Goldberg, has been a driving force behind this initiative, motivated by complaints from viewers around the country and requests for help from companies along the entire TV distribution chain. The FCC and the entire industry—from broadcast and cable networks to local cable companies to professional and consumer DTV equipment manufacturers—now recognize this is an industry-wide problem, and will be joining in this effort.

In the meantime, here are some caption problems folks may see, all of which are due to the transition (and not to caption vendor error):

· Lack of captions or garbled captions on HD channels

· HD set top box stripping or garbling captions on HD channels

· Captions readable by digital-to-analog converter boxes not being transmitted

· Problems receiving captions through digital-to-analog converter boxes or multi-channel VPD set-top boxes

· Overlapping captions (two lines of captions displayed over each other)

· Captions flashing on and off

· Captions that inadvertently switch to text mode, causing 95% of the screen image to be obscured.

The FCC has an established area of its site devoted to access issues. Here is the URL to an index of those pages, with links:

http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/dro/links.html

More information, and improved cc and dvs, to come.

Best,

Mary Watkins
Director of Communications and Outreach
Media Access Group at WGBH

From Colleen Graham of the Disability Policy Consortium/DPC:

From Karen Keefe of ALDA-Boston :

Saturday 4/25, 1 to 4pm at the Watertown Free Public Library— a presentation on assistive technology and hearing loss with Jon O’Dell, technology manager (guru!) from the Massachusetts Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (MCDHH)!

.... we are delighted to announce that Jonathon O’Dell from MCDHH has graciously accepted the offer to speak … This fun-loving, humorous man will talk about “Thinking Outside the Box – Assistive Technology for Individuals Who are Deaf, HOH or LD.” Most of you may already know who Jon is, but for those you don’t, I am happy to describe this man worth listening and seeing. He brings enormous amounts of energy and laughter to the audience. He has extensive first hand experience with hearing loss since the age of 9 and an intuitive knowledge of assistive technology issues and applications. He has presented throughout the Commonwealth on a broad range of communication access issues for a wide variety of audiences.

From Carl Richardson, ADA coordinator for the State House:

Deaf Community Legislative Day

The Bureau of State Office Buildings (BSB), the Massachusetts Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (MCDHH), the Disability Policy Consortium and members of the Deaf community are proud to announce a Deaf Community Legislative Day on Tuesday, April 14, 2009 at 2:00 at the Grand Staircase, State House.

The morning will give members of the Deaf Community an opportunity to meet with their legislators.

The afternoon will focus on accomplishments and progress made on current initiatives including captioned telephone, the Hearing Aid Bill, and Workforce Development.

Speakers will include: Representative John Scibak, Carl Richardson (State House ADA Coordinator), and Commissioner Heidi L. Reed, MCDHH. Legislative recognition and support is important to more than half a million Deaf, hard of hearing, and late-deafened citizens in Massachusetts who rely on effective communication options and accessible services in order to obtain information, healthcare, safety, education, and opportunities for productivity, and independence.

Please contact Carl Richardson at 617-727-1100×35502 or via email at carl.richardson@state.ma.us for any questions or accommodations requests.

————————————————-
Carl O. Richardson III
State House ADA Coordinator
Bureau Of State Office Buildings
State House, Room 1
Boston, MA 02133

From Ginny Morse of the Disability Policy Consortium:

MS Action Day
Presented by the
National Multiple Sclerosis Society
Central New England Chapter

Massachusetts State House
The Great Hall
Boston, Mass.

Wednesday, April 15, 2009
10:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.

Keynote Address

Amy Whitcomb Slemmer
Executive Director, Healthcare for All, Boston

Legislative Sponsors
Senator Mark Montigny
Representative Elizabeth Malia

– MS Week in the Commonwealth – April 12 – 18

Join Us

MS Action Day on Beacon Hill Act Now!

During these trying economic times our collective voices on issues that benefit people with MS and their families is needed more than ever. Funding for Home LINKS and Community First has been reduced through cuts this current year, so it is imperative that funding is restored. If you have never attended this annual event, make a commitment to do so this year. Join others with MS, their families and health care professionals from around the state to advocate for the following priority issues:

· Funding for Home Links, the Chapter’s care management program.

· Funding for Community First, a new Medicaid home and community based services waiver to benefit disabled adults.

· A spousal waiver to increase Medicaid eligibility for severely disabled adults by excluding spousal income.

· Resolutions urging the federal government to eliminate the two-year wait for Medicare.

Please attend the rally and bring a friend or two!

Amy Whitcomb Slemmer

Keynote Speaker

Amy Whitcomb Slemmer is the Executive Director of Health Care For All in Boston. She is a health care attorney with more than 20 years of health policy and management experience in national and local arenas. Ms. Slemmer has earned a reputation for her commitment to social justice, her ability to foster collaborations and partnerships, and for leading with vision and passion.

Additional Speakers:

Bruce Wright, MS Activist

James Beagan, MS Government Relations, Committee Co-chair

10:30 a.m.-11:00 a.m. Registration/continental breakfast

11:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Rally, with guest speakers

12:30 p.m.-1:30 p.m. Visits with legislators

Studies show that early and ongoing treatment with an FDA-approved therapy can reduce future disease activity and improve quality of life for many people with multiple sclerosis. The National MS Society’s medical advisors recommend that people with MS talk with their health care professionals about using these medications and about effective strategies and treatments to manage symptoms. If you or someone you know has MS, please contact the National MS Society at www.MSnewengland.org or 1-800-344-4867 to learn more.

A new website promotes accessible technology for all in the workplace . . . Check it out!

Advances in technology are changing the nature of business, from job performance and work productivity to commercial interactions such as buying, selling and advertising.

Smart companies understand that many of their customers and employees have evident and hidden sensory, learning, and physical impairments. And these numbers will grow as our population ages.

Just as street curb-cuts, originally designed for people using wheelchairs, have been embraced by all pedestrians, information technology (IT) that is designed to be accessible to individuals with disabilities, also provides improved access and usability for all individuals.  [more…]