On August 26, the FCC published an advisory detailing selected features of 32 converter boxes currently on the market. Features of particular interest to people with disabilities are prominently included. This list of boxes will be updated periodically.
It is important to note that each of the boxes that have been tested are available for purchase under the federal government's coupon converter box program. The link to the full advisory is www.fcc.gov/cgb/consumerfacts/converterboxfeatures.html. In order to sign up for the Coupon Converter Box Program, go to www.dtv2009.gov or call 1-888- 388-2009.
The very fact that this advisory has been produced marks another positive step forward for the blindness community. This advisory along with the video description advisory published two months ago shows that the leadership at the FCC is listening to recommendations ACB has been championing through its active participation in the Consumer Advisory Committee. While there is still much more to be done to ensure equal access to electronic information, issues that ACB cares deeply about are now being taken seriously and are being acted upon.
The information about the different types of converter boxes was provided to us in chart form. You can get that information by calling 1-888-225-5322 and following the menu prompts. It is also available for order in accessible formats.
IF YOU CURRENTLY USE AVAILABLE VIDEO DESCRIPTIONS TO ACCESS TELEVISION PROGRAMMING, YOU SHOULD BE AWARE OF THE FOLLOWING REGARDING THE DIGITAL TELEVISION (DTV) TRANSITION:
* After February 17, 2009, all full-power broadcast television stations will broadcast only in digital format.
* The DTV transition will provide broadcasters with a greater number of audio channels with which they may provide voluntary video description.
* Digital-to-analog converter boxes are not required to process all associated audio services broadcast by a DTV station, so consumers should check with manufacturers and retailers to learn more about whether specific digital-to-analog converter boxes are able to provide video descriptions.
* Although televisions with digital tuners should be able to process the audio services associated with DTV signals, consumers should confirm that a particular digital television includes this feature by checking with the appropriate manufacturer or retailer.
* If purchasing a digital television or digital-to-analog converter box, consumers should ask the manufacturer or retailer how audio streams are accessed, and whether the remote control and on-screen menus are accessible to individuals with vision disabilities.
* Consumers using multi-channel video services (e.g., cable or satellite) should ask their service provider for additional information about the availability of video description. To the extent that such providers receive programming with video description, those video descriptions should be delivered to the consumer.
More and more schools, colleges and universities are using online educational tools that students are required to use to obtain course syllabi, access lectures and associated material, participate in class discussions, read course material, and receive grades and feedback from instructors. These popular tools, such as Blackboard, can frequently pose significant barriers to students with vision loss because they do not work well, if at all, with computer programs commonly used by students who are blind or visually impaired to read content displayed on the computer screen.
The American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) is exploring ways in which these popular online educational tools can be made more accessible, but we need your help. If you are a student who has used, or is currently being asked to use, such online educational tools, a family member or friend of such a student, or a teacher who has experience with such online tools, please complete our survey and tell us your story. Go to www.afb.org/Section.asp?SectionID=3&Referrer=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.afb.org%2FSection.asp%3FSectionID%3D3&Mode=Survey&SurveyID=80
Your assistance is needed in an attempt to get the U.S. Postal Service to insure a Louis Braille Commemorative stamp in 2009. This stamp would be issued in recognition of the 200th anniversary of the birth of Louis Braille. The U.S. Postal Service indicated that they would consider the issuance of a stamp; so, since the stamp would have to be approved and produced in 2008 for release in 2009, we need to ask them to finalize the decision and issue a Louis Braille Stamp in honor of the man who brought literacy to all people who are blind around the world. Please add your voice to the request by sending your letter to: U.S. Postal Service, Citizen's Stamp Committee, Stamp Development, 475 L'Enfant Plaza SW, Room 5670, Washington, DC 20260-2436.
Some 120 disability leaders from across the nation, including delegates to the DNC, representatives from businesses, elected officials, consumer advocacy groups and a range of federal and non-governmental agencies, attended an informal brunch at the Democratic National Convention (DNC) this week to celebrate their shared focus on ensuring that issues of importance to the disability community are included in the political process.
The event was hosted by the National Spinal Cord Injury Association (NSCIA) and the American Council of the Blind (ACB) in partnership with Telecommunications for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (TDI) and the World Institute on Disability (WID).
A panel discussion during the brunch featured remarks by Rep. James Langevin (RI), chair of the Congressional Disability Caucus, Rep. Steny Hoyer, House majority leader, Kareem Dale, disability vote director for the Obama campaign, Dorothy Attwood, AT&T senior VP of public policy, Jim Ward of National Coalition of Disability Rights and ADA Watch, Julie Reiskin of the Colorado Cross-Disability Coalition, Marcie Roth of NSCIA, and Jeff Thom of ACB.
"Regardless of political affiliation, it is critical that our leaders gain an understanding of, and take action on, the important issues facing persons with disabilities," remarked Jeff Thom, a member of ACB's board of directors.
"We celebrate the inclusion of the 54 million people in our nation with disabilities in the political process," said Marcie Roth, CEO and executive director of NSCIA.
ACB and NSCIA will also join in partnership with TDI and WID to host a similar event at the Republican National Convention on Wednesday, September 3rd, from noon to 3 p.m., in Minneapolis. For more information, contact Eric Bridges at (202) 467-5081 or e-mail ebridges@acb.org.
Over the past few days there has been quite a bit of discussion regarding co-sponsorship of various legislative initiatives that ACB is actively pursuing. The links below will provide you with the list of co-sponsors for H.R. 6320, Twenty-first Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act of 2008, and H.R. 5734, Pedestrian Safety Enhancement Act of 2008.
August is an excellent month to call your member to thank him or her for their co-sponsorship of either of these bills or schedule time to meet with them to seek their tangible support as they are back in the district for the entire month to campaign.
H.R. 6320 9 co-sponsors http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d110:HR06320:@@@P
H.R. 5734 57 co-sponsors http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d110:HR05734:@@@P
I encourage you to let me know how these meetings went. If you need any further assistance, contact me.