[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 129 (Thursday, July 6, 2006)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 38324-38325]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-10562]


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ARCHITECTURAL AND TRANSPORTATION BARRIERS COMPLIANCE BOARD

36 CFR Parts 1193 and 1194

[Docket No. 2006-1]


Telecommunications Act Accessibility Guidelines; Electronic and 
Information Technology Accessibility Standards

AGENCY: Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board.

ACTION: Notice of establishment; appointment of members; date of first 
meeting.

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SUMMARY: The Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board 
(Access Board) has decided to establish an advisory committee to assist 
it in revising and updating accessibility guidelines for 
telecommunications products and accessibility standards for electronic 
and information technology. The Telecommunications and Electronic and 
Information Technology Advisory Committee (Committee) includes 
organizations which represent the interests affected by these 
accessibility guidelines and standards. This notice also announces the 
time and place of the first Committee meeting, which will be open to 
the public.

DATES: The first meeting of the Committee is scheduled for September 
27, 2006 through September 29, 2006 beginning at 1 p.m. on September 
27, and 9 a.m. on the subsequent days. Decisions with respect to future 
meetings will be made at the first meeting and from time to time 
thereafter. Notices of future meetings will be published in the Federal 
Register.

ADDRESSES: The first meeting of the Committee will be held at the 
National Science Foundation, Room II-555, 4201 Wilson Boulevard, 
Arlington, VA.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Timothy Creagan, Office of Technical 
and Information Services, Architectural and Transportation Barriers 
Compliance Board, 1331 F Street, NW., suite 1000, Washington, DC 20004-
1111. Telephone number (202) 272-0016 (Voice); (202) 272-0082 (TTY). 
Electronic mail address: board.gov">creagan@access-board.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    On April 18, 2006, the Architectural and Transportation Barriers 
Compliance Board (Access Board) published a notice of intent to 
establish an advisory committee to provide recommendations for 
revisions and updates to accessibility guidelines for 
telecommunications products and accessibility standards for electronic 
and information technology (71 FR 19839; April 18, 2006). The notice 
identified the interests that are likely to be significantly affected 
by this rulemaking:
     Federal agencies;
     The telecommunications and electronic and information 
technology industry, including manufacturers;
     Organizations representing the access needs of individuals 
with disabilities;
     Representatives from other countries and international 
standards setting organizations; and
     Other organizations affected by these accessibility 
guidelines and standards.
    For the reasons stated in the notice of intent, the Access Board 
has determined that establishing the Telecommunications and Electronic 
and Information Technology Advisory Committee (Committee) is necessary 
and in the public interest. The Access Board has appointed the 
following organizations as members to the Committee:

 Adobe Systems, Inc.
 American Association of People with Disabilities
 American Council of the Blind
 American Foundation for the Blind
 Apple Computer, Inc.

[[Page 38325]]

 Association of Assistive Technology Act Programs
 Assistive Technology Industry Association
 AT&T
 Avaya, Inc.
 Canon USA, Inc.
 Cingular Wireless
 Communication Service for the Deaf
 CTIA--The Wireless Association
 Dell, Inc.
 Easter Seals
 European Commission
 Hearing Loss Association of America
 Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission (Australia)
 IBM
 Inclusive Technologies
 Industry Canada
 Information Technology Association of America
 Information Technology Industry Council
 Microsoft Corporation
 National Association of State Chief Information Officers
 National Center on Disability and Access to Education
 National Federation of the Blind
 National Network of Disability and Business Technical 
Assistance Centers
 Panasonic Corporation of North America
 Paralyzed Veterans of America
 SRA International, Inc.
 Sun Microsystems, Inc.
 Telecommunications Industry Association
 The Paciello Group, LLP
 Trace Research and Development Center
 Usability Professionals' Association
 U.S. Department of Homeland Security
 U.S. Social Security Administration
 WGBH National Center for Accessible Media
 World Wide Web Consortium--Web Accessibility Initiative

    The Access Board regrets being unable to accommodate all requests 
for membership on the Committee. In order to keep the Committee to a 
size that can be effective, it was necessary to limit membership. It is 
also desirable to have balance among members of the Committee 
representing different clusters of interest, such as disability 
organizations and the technology industry. The Committee membership 
identified above provides representation for each interest affected by 
the issues to be discussed.
    Committee meetings will be open to the public and interested 
persons can attend the meetings and communicate their views. Members of 
the public will have an opportunity to address the Committee on issues 
of interest to them and the Committee. Members of groups or individuals 
who are not members of the Committee may also have the opportunity to 
participate with subcommittees of the Committee. The Access Board 
believes that participation of this kind can be very valuable for the 
advisory committee process. Additionally, all interested persons will 
have the opportunity to comment when proposed rules are issued in the 
Federal Register by the Access Board.
    The meeting site is accessible to individuals with disabilities. 
Sign language interpreters and real-time captioning will be provided. 
Notices of future meetings will be published in the Federal Register. 
Due to security measures at the National Science Foundation, it is 
advisable that members of the public notify Timothy Creagan of their 
intent to attend the meeting (see Contact Information, above). This 
will ensure that a name badge is available at the National Science 
Foundation check-in desk to facilitate efficient building entry and 
will enable the Board to provide additional information about 
technology screening processes.

David L. Bibb,
Chairman, Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board.
[FR Doc. E6-10562 Filed 7-5-06; 8:45 am]
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