[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 61 (Thursday, March 28, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 13813-13814]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-7583]



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ARCHITECTURAL AND TRANSPORTATION BARRIERS COMPLIANCE BOARD


Telecommunications Act Accessibility Guidelines for Customer 
Premises Equipment and Telecommunications Equipment

AGENCY: Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board.

ACTION: Notice of intent to establish advisory committee.

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SUMMARY: The Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board 
(Access Board) announces its intent to establish a Telecommunications 
Access Advisory Committee (Committee) to develop accessibility 
guidelines under the Telecommunications Act of 1996 and requests 
applications from interested organizations for representatives to serve 
on the Committee. The Committee will make recommendations to the Access 
Board on accessibility guidelines for telecommunications equipment and 
customer premises equipment.

DATES: Applications should be received by April 29, 1996.

ADDRESSES: Applications should be sent to the Office of Technical and 
Information Services, Architectural and Transportation Barriers 
Compliance Board, 1331 F Street, NW., suite 1000, Washington, D.C. 
20004-1111. Fax number (202) 272-5447. Applications may also be sent 
via electronic mail to the Access Board at the following address: 
[email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dennis Cannon, Office of Technical and 
Information Services, Architectural and Transportation Barriers 
Compliance Board, 1331 F Street, NW., suite 1000, Washington, D.C. 
20004-1111. Telephone number (202) 272-5434 extension 35 (Voice); (202) 
272-5449 (TTY). Electronic mail address: [email protected]. This 
document is available in alternate formats (cassette tape, braille, 
large print, or computer disc) upon request.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On February 8, 1996, the President signed 
the Telecommunications Act of 1996. The Architectural and 
Transportation Barriers Compliance Board (Access Board) is responsible 
for developing accessibility guidelines in conjunction

[[Page 13814]]
with the Federal Communications Commission under section 255(e) of the 
Act for telecommunications equipment and customer premises 
equipment.1

    \1\  The Access Board is an independent Federal agency 
established by section 502 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as 
amended, whose primary mission is to promote accessibility for 
individuals with disabilities. The Access Board consists of 25 
members. Thirteen are appointed by the President from among the 
public, a majority of who are required to be individuals with 
disabilities. The other twelve are heads of the following Federal 
agencies or their designees whose positions are Executive Level IV 
or above: The Departments of Health and Human Services, Education, 
Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, Labor, Interior, 
Defense, Justice, Veterans Affairs, and Commerce; General Services 
Administration; and United States Postal Services.
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    The term ``telecommunications equipment'' is defined as equipment, 
other than customer premises equipment, used by a carrier to provide 
telecommunications services, and includes software integral to such 
equipment (including upgrades). Public Law 104-104, section 
3(a)(2)(50). The term ``customer premises equipment'' is defined as 
equipment employed on the premises of a person (other than a carrier) 
to originate, route, or terminate telecommunications. Public Law 104-
104, section 3(a)(2)(38).
    The Telecommunications Act requires the accessibility guidelines to 
be issued within 18 months after the date of enactment. The Board is 
also required to review and update the guidelines periodically. The 
Board's guidelines for telecommunications equipment and customer 
premises equipment are required to principally address the access needs 
of individuals with disabilities affecting hearing, vision, movement, 
manipulation, speech, and interpretation of information.
    The Senate report to the Telecommunications Act directs the Board 
to develop its guidelines by involving parties affected by the law. 
``The Committee expects that manufacturers of equipment and providers 
of service will be fully included in this process.'' S. Rept. 104-23, 
at 53. Throughout the process of developing its guidelines, the Access 
Board, in conjunction with the Federal Communications Commission, 
intends to coordinate and consult with representatives of individuals 
with disabilities and interested telecommunications equipment and 
service providers to ensure that their concerns and interests are given 
full consideration in the rulemaking process.
    The Access Board will begin the process of developing the 
accessibility guidelines by establishing a Telecommunications Access 
Advisory Committee. The establishment of the Committee is in the public 
interest and will support the agency in performing its duties and 
responsibilities under the Telecommunications Act of 1996. The Access 
Board believes that the Committee will facilitate the involvement of 
individuals with disabilities and telecommunications equipment and 
service providers in the development of the guidelines.
    The Committee will make recommendations to the Access Board on 
issues such as:
     Types of equipment to be covered by the guidelines;
     Barriers to the use of such equipment by persons with 
disabilities affecting hearing, vision, movement, manipulation, speech, 
and interpretation of information;
     Solutions to such barriers, if known, categorized by 
disability (different solutions may be needed for different 
disabilities) and research on such barriers; and
     Contents of the guidelines.
    The Committee will be expected to present a report with its 
recommendations to the Access Board within six months of the 
Committee's first meeting. The Access Board requests applications from 
organizations representing the following interests for membership on 
the Committee:
     Manufacturers of telecommunications equipment and customer 
premises equipment;
     Manufacturers and developers of peripheral devices or 
specialized customer premises equipment commonly used by individuals 
with disabilities to achieve access;
     Organizations representing the access needs of individuals 
with disabilities affecting hearing, vision, movement, manipulation, 
speech, and interpretation of information;
     Telecommunications providers and carriers;
     Developers of telecommunications software; and
     Other persons affected by these accessibility guidelines.
    The number of Committee members will be limited to effectively 
accomplish the Committee's work and will be balanced in terms of 
interests represented. Organizations with similar interests are 
encouraged to nominate a single organization to represent their 
interest. Although the Committee will be limited in size, there will be 
opportunities for the public to present written information to the 
Committee, participate through the Internet and to comment at Committee 
meetings.
    Applications should be sent to the Access Board at the address 
listed at the beginning of this notice. The application should include 
a statement of the organization's interests and the name, title, 
address and telephone number of the person who would represent the 
organization on the Committee. The application should also describe the 
person's qualifications, including any experience the person has had 
with making telecommunications equipment and customer premises 
equipment accessible to individuals with disabilities.
    Committee members will not be compensated for their service. The 
Access Board may pay travel expenses for a limited number of persons 
who would otherwise be unable to participate on the Committee. 
Committee members will serve as representatives of their organizations, 
not as individuals. They will not be considered special government 
employees and will not be required to file confidential financial 
disclosure reports.
    After the applications have been reviewed, the Access Board will 
publish a notice in the Federal Register announcing the appointment of 
Committee members and the first meeting of the Committee. The first 
meeting of the Committee is tentatively scheduled for June 10-12, 1996 
in Washington, D.C. The Committee will operate in accordance with the 
Federal Advisory Committee Act, 5 U.S.C. app 2. Committee meetings will 
be held in Washington, D.C. Each meeting will be open to the public. A 
notice of each meeting will be published in the Federal Register at 
least fifteen days in advance of the meeting. Records will be kept of 
each meeting and made available for public inspection.
Judith E. Heumann,
Chairman, U.S. Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance 
Board.
[FR Doc. 96-7583 Filed 3-27-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8150-01-P