[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 204 (Monday, October 21, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 54612-54613]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-26920]


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ARCHITECTURAL AND TRANSPORTATION BARRIERS COMPLIANCE BOARD


Telecommunications Access Advisory Committee; Meeting

AGENCY: Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board.

ACTION: Notice of meeting.

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SUMMARY: The Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board 
(Access Board) gives notice of the dates and location of the meetings 
of the Telecommunications Access Advisory Committee.

DATES: The Telecommunications Access Advisory Committee will meet on 
November 6, 7, and 8, 1996 beginning at 9:30 a.m. each day.

ADDRESSES: The meetings will be held at the American Speech-Language 
and Hearing Association offices, 10801 Rockville Pike, Rockville, MD 
20852.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information regarding the 
meetings, please 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 disk) upon request.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On May 24, 1996, the Access Board published 
a notice appointing members to its Telecommunications Access Advisory 
Committee (Committee). 61 FR 26155 (May 24, 1996). The Committee will 
make recommendations to the Access Board on accessibility guidelines 
for telecommunications equipment and customer premises equipment. These 
recommendations will be used by the Access Board to develop 
accessibility guidelines in conjunction with the Federal Communications 
Commission (FCC) under section 255 (e) of the Telecommunications Act of 
1996. The Committee is composed of representatives of manufacturers of 
telecommunications equipment and customer premises equipment; 
organizations representing the access needs of individuals with 
disabilities; telecommunications providers and carriers; and other 
persons affected by the guidelines.
    At its first meeting on June 12-14, 1996, the Committee took the 
following actions:
     The statutory definitions of telecommunications, 
telecommunications equipment and customer premises equipment are to be 
construed broadly.
     Providing access is not a ``change in form'' of 
information within the meaning of the statute's definition of 
telecommunications and, therefore, not excluded.
     A listserv was created through the Trace Center: taac-
[email protected]. To subscribe, send e-mail to [email protected] 
with the message subscribe taac-l .
    At its second meeting on August 14-16, 1996, the Committee agreed 
on the following points:
     In customer premises equipment (CPE), it is not always 
possible to separate the effects of software from hardware and one 
manufacturer may choose to perform the same function with one or the 
other. Therefore, the guidelines must cover both.
     It is not always possible to determine whether a 
particular function resides with the CPE, the telecommunications 
carrier, or the source material. Therefore, the guidelines will be 
developed with the assumption that the function resides in the CPE and 
urge the FCC to apply the same guidelines to entities and services 
under its jurisdiction.
     The Committee also agreed that the existing definitions of 
CPE and telecommunications equipment are sufficient.
     While the definition of ``readily achievable'' in the 
Telecommunications Act is the same as in the Americans with 
Disabilities Act (ADA), the term is applied differently. In the ADA, 
the term applies to barrier removal in existing facilities whereas the 
Telecommunications Act applies the term to the manufacture of new 
equipment. An ad hoc task group was formed to develop criteria to 
assess ``readily achievable'' in this new context.
     Subcommittees on Compliance Assessment and Guidelines 
content were created. Discussions will be conducted primarily by e-
mail. To participate in a subcommittee, send e-mail to cannon@access-
board.gov.

[[Page 54613]]

    At its third meeting on September 25-27, 1996, the Committee took 
the following actions:
     Accepted the application of Microsoft to join the 
Committee.
     The subcommittee on Compliance Assessment reviewed and 
revised a draft list of criteria for an effective conformity assessment 
model, then developed consensus around fifteen of these criteria, with 
another five criteria needing further clarification or discussion. The 
subcommittee divided into two work groups: Consumer Information/
Verification and Coordination Point/Practitioners' Qualifications.
     The subcommittee on Guidelines Content divided into two 
work groups: Process Guidelines, and Performance and Design Guidelines. 
Each work group developed a set of principles and criteria for further 
discussion. Draft products are posted on a Trace-sponsored Web site. 
Discussion will be by e-mail (via the main TAAC-L listserv) and by 
teleconference call. The URL for the Web site is http://trace.wisc.edu/
taac/workdoc.htm.
    The Committee will meet on the dates and at the location announced 
in this notice. The meetings are open to the public. There will be a 
public comment period each day for persons interested in presenting 
their views to the Committee. Persons attending the meetings are 
strongly encouraged to use public transportation since parking is 
extremely limited. The American Speech-Language and Hearing Association 
offices are located north of the Grosvenor Metro subway station. 
Persons who must drive should call Dennis Cannon at the Access Board. 
The facility is accessible to individuals with disabilities. Sign 
language interpreters, assistive listening systems and real time 
transcription will be available.
    The Committee will meet again on December 16-18, 1996 and January 
14-15, 1997. Subsequent meetings will be held at locations to be 
announced.
Lawrence W. Roffee,
Executive Director.
[FR Doc. 96-26920 Filed 10-18-96; 8:45 am]
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