Board to Hold Hearing on Refresh of ICT Standards and Guidelines April 12, 2010
The Access Board will hold a public hearing in Washington, D.C. on its proposed refresh of requirements for information and communication technologies (ICT) covered by Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act and Section 255 of the Telecommunications Act. The event will provide an opportunity for the public to comment on a draft of updated standards and guidelines released by the Board in March.
"We encourage members of the public to join us at this forum and to share their thoughts on this refresh," notes Neil K. Melick, a member of the Access Board. "The input provided by stakeholders and interested parties plays an essential role in Board rulemaking." Melick and other Board members will be in attendance at the hearing.
The hearing will take place May 12 from 9:00 to 12:00 in Washington, D.C. at the Embassy Suites DC Convention Center, 900 10th Street, N.W. The Board held a similar hearing on March 25 in San Diego at the 25th Annual International Technology and Persons with Disabilities Conference.
The Board's draft rule features updates to the Section 508 standards, which apply to electronic and information technology in the Federal sector. It also includes corresponding changes to the Board's guidelines for telecommunications equipment covered by the Telecommunications Act. Revisions are proposed based on recommendations from the former Telecommunications and Electronic and Information Technology Advisory Committee, an expert panel organized by the Board. The Board is also proposing to supplement its Americans with Disabilities Act Accessibility Guidelines to address access to self-service machines such as point-of-sales machines and ticketing kiosks. The draft rule, which is available for comment until June 21, and related materials, including a published notice on the hearing, are posted posted on the Section 508 and Section 255 homepages.
For further information, contact Tim Creagan of the Board at creagan@access-board.gov, (202) 272-0016 (v), or (202) 272-0082 (TTY). Those who wish to provide comment at the hearing are encouraged to pre-register by contacting Kathy Johnson at johnson@access-board.gov, (202) 272-0041 (v), or (202) 272-0082 (TTY).
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