American Council of the Blind 1155 15th Street, NW, Suite 720 Washington, D.C. 20005 phone: (202) 467-5081 toll-free: 1-800-424-8666 June 4, 1993 FROM THE DISK OF PAUL W. SCHROEDER Director of Governmental Affairs TO: Members of an Informal ACB Network on Telecommunications RE: Initial Information I am sending you this disk(s) because at some time you have identified yourself to me as being interested in computerized information and telecommunication issues. I hope I have included material with this mailing to stimulate your interest and interaction. I believe the digitization of information and networking of computers across telephone lines and other telecommunications delivery media will be a tremendous leap forward in increasing the independence and productivity of blind people. However, I need your technical expertise and your help in identifying other ACB members who should be brought into this informal network. Policy-makers at the state and national level are wrestling with the possibilities afforded by high-speed computer communications and digitization of information. Several bills have been introduced into Congress to stimulate these advances. Several groups are working on policy statements and other material to help move the public policy on telecommunications forward. ACB is active in several of these groups including: the Consortium for Citizens with disabilities, the Alliance for Public Technology and the Electronic Frontiers Foundation Forum on Telecommunications. Many of you have far more technical expertise in the use of computers, computer programming, communications networks (such as CompuServe, GE-NIE, and America Online), data manipulation and management and telecommunications equipment than I do. I would like to help channel our expertise within ACB into the public policy framework so that we can ensure that our needs will be met as part of the new "communications revolution." On this disk(s) you will find the following documents in both wordperfect (WP) and ASCII (TXT) formats: NETWORK The list of individuals to whom this material has been sent so far. Please let me know if additional individuals should be included. PRINCIPLE a short document which contains the first draft of telecommunication principles developed by the Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities Task Force on Telecommunications, which I Co-chair. This draft is in the process of being amended and I welcome your views on whether this list is adequate as a guide to help policy makers change telecommunications policy so as to expand access for people with disabilities. VISION A paper developed by the Alliance for Public Technology (of which ACB is a member along with other education and public interest groups) which stresses the benefits of high-speed computer communication over fiber optic networks. FRONTIER A draft statement of principles to guide policy reform in telecommunications developed by the Electronic Frontiers Foundation, an organization begun by some of the big names in software developments. HR1757 Legislation sponsored by Rep. Rick Boucher (D-VA) to help foster the development of communications networks. This legislation is expected to be amended very soon to include some disability-access provisions requested by the CCD Task Force and others. OWENS The testimony by Rep. Major Owens (D-NY) who spoke to Boucher's Subcommittee about the need for provisions important for people with disabilities and other minorities. CLINTON A document prepared by the CCD Task Force on Telecommunications which was included with material distributed to the Clinton transition team. It provides some useful vision of what people with disabilities might wish to achieve in telecommunications policy. RESOLUTIONS A few ACB resolutions which speak to the telecommunications issues. AGREEMENT The text of the agreement which ACB and other disability organizations negotiated with representatives of the Regional Bell Operating Companies (RBOC) to require that new telecommunications equipment and services designed or provided by the RBOCs would be accessible to people with disabilities. FORUM1 An article from the March Braille Forum on the Alliance for Public Technology paper; FORUM2 An article from the June Braille Forum which address the Boucher bill. FORUM3 An editorial relating to our expectations and the possibilities afforded by telecommunications and other communications policy. CQTCOM A collection of a few articles from Congressional Quarterly's Weekly Report which may help put some of this into perspective. TERMS A glossary of some of the oft-mentioned terms in the telecommunications debate. Reading This Material, Priorities I suggest that you consider the following files in this mailing to be of higher priority. Some of the remaining files are really more reference or background material. Priority list: CLINTON, FRONTIER, CQTCOM, FORUM1, FORUM2, PRINCIPLE AND VISION. Housekeeping Please let me know if you wish to continue receiving this kind of information. Second, let me know what format is best for you, e.g., electronic file (disk size and density, WP or ASCII), or Braille. I assume that most of you can and do use electronic files or you wouldn't be interested in this information. Also, please let me know if you will be attending the National Convention and if you would be interested in setting aside an hour or so to talk about these issues. Expectations It is my hope that ACB can become much more active on the telecommunications issue. The Clinton-Gore Administration has shown an interest in moving our nation forward in terms of communication of volumes of information over computer networks. This "communications revolution" could be of tremendous benefit to blind people, but several unresolved questions may impede or otherwise decrease the benefit. Some of these factors include: 1. Inertia--who will be responsible for the development of high- speed, high-volume communication networks and who will be able to provide the electronic information to be distributed over the networks? 2. How much should the equipment required for use of the networks cost? And likewise, how should the cost of services and information made available on the network be determined and allocated? Should government regulate these costs, subsidize these costs, or should the free market do the job? Should government build the communication networks? 3. How can accessibility of the network equipment and services be ensured for people with disabilities such as blindness? 4. Is excessive corporate control of the networks, services and information a problem? As the telephone companies and the Cable TV companies begin to cooperate and merge to provide Cable, video and voice services, some are concerned that access to the network for "public interest, or nonmainstream providers of information will be limited. Others are concerned that unregulated corporate control of networks, services and information will result in costly or inappropriate or confusing gaps or mazes in accessing network services. 5. How will standards and protocols which allow users and providers to communicate and interact across various networks and using different kinds of equipment be developed? Issues Some of the above questions are probably not under our control. However, we certainly must make our voice heard and we must ensure that our specific concerns are met. We must also be among the leaders in demanding affordable, accessible and comprehensive communications networks as an appropriate public policy. Here are a couple of initial issues which I believe we must examine. 1. Appropriate access standards should be developed so that information providers and users can use communications networks with ease and without barriers because of disabling conditions; 2. Policy must be developed to ensure that manufacturers of communications equipment, designers and owners of telecommunications networks and information provider all meet comprehensive and appropriate access standards. Access requirements and standards must apply to customer equipment, the network itself and the service(s) or information distributed. 3. Policies must be established to ensure the affordability of both communications equipment (especially if specialized adaptations are necessary for people with disabilities), and the services and information provided over networks (subscription charges); 4. Individuals must be ensured of full user capability to retrieve, search, store and otherwise use information in the most convenient form. Again, I hope this first selection of material is helpful. I will try to gather more information for you and I hope to enlist your support in designing public policy which will enable blind people to become fully integrated into the information age.