In a compelling presentation at the Perkins School last week, Fleet Boston
Financial and blind leaders announced an agreement that provided access to
1,420 talking atm's in the next two years.  The agreement also provided
for full web site accessibility by the end of the year and for documents
in alternative formats.

kelly

 Press release

Fleet Boston to Install 1420 Talking ATMs


   BOSTON, Feb. 28, 2001 B In a major initiative to make banking services
   more accessible to millions of people who are blind or visually
   impaired, Fleet and the Boston-based Disability Law Center (DLC) today
   announced a comprehensive plan to ensure that persons with vision
   impairments, including the growing number of senior citizens, can more
   conveniently access banking services at Fleet.  The plan includes
   installation of the first A talking ATMs@ in New York and New England,
   a program to enhance access to printed materials, and improved Web
   site accessibility at www.fleet.com.

   Marla Runyan, a runner and the first blind athlete to compete on the
   U.S. Olympic Team, and Rob Walsh, the first U.S. blind skier to win a
   gold medal in international competition, joined Fleet and other
   disability advocates in making the announcement at a news conference
   today at Perkins School for the Blind in Watertown, Mass., the first
   school for the blind in the United States.  Runyan and Walsh met with
   visually impaired students and staff from the Perkins School,
   including members of the ski and track & field teams, and spoke about
   their accomplishments as blind athletes.

   More than 16 Fleet talking ATMs are already installed and operating in
   Massachusetts.  The total of talking ATMs, which provide audio
   instructions over a headset, will increase to more than 150 throughout
   Massachusetts, New Hampshire and the metropolitan New York area by the
   end of the year.  Over the next two years, Fleet will complete the
   installation of 1,420 talking ATMs throughout its Northeast retail
   service area, from Maine to Pennsylvania.

   Fleet worked closely with representatives of the blindness community,
   the Disability Law Center, and California disability rights lawyer
   Lainey Feingold, to develop a plan to effectively meet the needs of
   this important and underserved segment of consumers.

   We are very excited that Fleet has so enthusiastically demonstrated
   its commitment to improving accessibility for blind and visually
   impaired people, and we applaud their efforts,@ said Kim Charlson, a
   representative of the Bay State Council of the Blind, who has been
   actively involved in the initiative announced today.  Other
   representatives present at the announcement included the National
   Federation of the Blind of Massachusetts, Sight Loss Services, and
   numerous individuals with vision impairments.

   With today's announcement, Fleet is taking a leadership role within
   the banking industry,@ said Disability Law Center Managing Attorney
   Stanley J. Eichner.  We hope that other financial institutions follow
   in Fleet=s footsteps.@  Also working on this matter for the DLC was
   Jane K. Alper, senior attorney.

   Fleet is vigorously committed to meeting the diverse needs of all our
   customers and to building accessibility into the fabric of our
   organization, at virtually every point that we connect with our
   customers, whether that is at an ATM or branch, in writing or through
   the Internet,@ said Robert Hedges, senior vice president and managing
   director of Retail Distribution at Fleet.  Though our ATMs have
   Braille instructions, the talking ATMs we are installing will create
   even greater access for people who cannot easily read information as
   it is currently presented on our ATMs.@



   Fleet Talking ATMs

   Fleet=s Talking ATMs will be equipped with universal audio jacks, and
   the bank will provide listening devices to persons with vision
   impairments through which they can receive private audio instructions
   for transactions typically displayed on the ATM screen for cash
   withdrawals, balance inquiries, transfers & payments and deposits.
   Fleet is upgrading existing ATMs that have been developed by leading
   ATM manufacturers NCR Corporation and Diebold Corporation. Both
   companies= ATMs will be included in the pilot phase.  Both NCR and
   Diebold are actively involved in the development of ATMs that are
   voice-guided and/or use other adaptive technologies.  To locate the
   nearest Fleet talking ATM, consumers may call Fleet Customer Service
   24 hours a day at 1-800-841-4000.  A complete list of talking ATM
   locations will later be available on the Fleet Web site.


   Other components of Fleet=s accessibility initiative

   Fleet has long been a leader in accommodating the needs of persons
   with visual impairments, and today=s announcement expands that
   commitment.   In addition to installing talking ATMs, Fleet will now
   provide important financial materials including statements, brochures
   and other account information  in Braille, audiocassette, and large
   print formats.  The bank also is designing and generating each page of
   its website (www.fleet.com) to be accessible to persons with
   disabilities.  Web design features will enable computer users who are
   blind and who use screen reader technology on their computers to
   access Fleet=s website.

   It is estimated that over 1 million Americans are legally blind and
   another 12 million Americans experience some form of irreversible
   visual impairment. As many as 75,000 Americans become blind each year,
   and the visually impaired category increases by 120,000. The fastest
   growing segment of this population is the elderly, who are at the
   greatest risk of developing degenerative eye disease.

   The Perkins School for the Blind, founded in 1829, extends its
   educational and rehabilitative expertise for the benefit of the blind,
   deaf blind and multi-handicapped worldwide in order that each
   individual may realize their potential and maintain their
   independence, no matter what age.

   The Disability Law Center (DLC) is responsible for Protecting and
   Advocating for the rights of Massachusetts residents with disabilities
   and dedicated to expanding opportunities for people with disabilities
   to live full and independent lives by providing legal representation
   and information about their legal rights.

   Fleet Boston Financial is the eighth-largest financial holding company
   in the United States.  A $179 billion diversified financial services
   company, it offers a comprehensive array of innovative financial
   solutions to 20 million customers in more than 20 countries and
   territories.  Among the company=s key lines of business are: retail
   banking, with over 1,200 branches and nearly 3,400 ATMs in the
   Northeast; commercial banking, including capital markets/investment
   banking and commercial finance; investment services, including
   discount brokerage; and full-service banking through more than 250
   offices in Latin America.  Fleet Boston Financial is headquartered in
   Boston and listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: FBF) and the
   Boston Stock Exchange (BSE: FBF).


   Contacts:
   Alison Gibbs Stanley J. Eichner Lainey Feingold
   (617) 434-2489 (617) 723-8455 (510) 848-8125
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