The Michigan State University Federal Credit union profiled in the
article below has five branches and about 80 ATM's. Its deployment of
talking ATM's demonstrates once again that the cost of access for the
blind is not out of reach for even small financial institutions, such as
MSUFCU.

    Kelly

    Lansing State Journal

    Published 7/1/2003

    ATMs with audio make banking accessible

    Addition aimed at those who are visually impaired

    Audio-guided ATMs

    Fifth Third Bank already has nine audio-guided ATMs in Greater
Lansing.

    MSU Federal Credit Union installed its first one last month at its
main branch at 600 E. Crescent Road in East Lansing.

    The credit union plans to add machines before the end of the year at
its Okemos, downtown East Lansing and Delta Township branches as well as
at the MSU International Center and Union.

    By Susan Stock

    Lansing State Journal

    When Michael Hudson wanted to withdraw money using an automatic
teller machine, he had to memorize the keys to press in the exact order.

    At one point, Hudson, who is blind and the director of Michigan
State University's Resource Center for Persons with Disabilities, had
the key sequences to five different ATMs in the Lansing area memorized.

    "If it didn't seem to be going well, I'd hit cancel a couple of
times and hopefully get my card back," he said.

    Today, he doesn't have to rely on his memory so much. Hudson and
hundreds of other people in mid-Michigan with visual impairments can
bank using an ATM that has audio instructions.

    The latest audio ATM to come to mid-Michigan is at Michigan State
University Federal Credit Union's main branch on Crescent Road in East
Lansing.

    The machine was installed last month, and by the end of the year,
others will be added at all four credit union branches as well as the
International Center and Union on MSU's campus.

    They will represent a 56 percent increase in the number of audio
ATMs in the area. Fifth Third Bank already has nine in Lansing, East
Lansing, Okemos, Charlotte, Mason, St. Johns and DeWitt.

    Audio ATMs guide customers by providing a headphone hookup they may
use to listen to a two-minute tutorial. Then the machine gives audio
instructions on how to perform transactions.

    "It just basically reads the screen to you," Hudson said. "It was
extremely delightful to have full access to the features. I could check
my balance or transfer money if I wanted to."

    The machines also can operate without giving audio instructions.

    The technology adds about $3,500 to the machine's $30,000 to $40,000
price tag, said Joyce Banish, the credit union's vice president of
marketing.

    "It's the university's goal to make education accessible to
everyone," she said. "So we follow those goals."

    Hudson said most ATMs feature Braille on the keypad, but the tough
part is knowing which buttons by the screen to press.

    "The number keys are like the ones on a phone," he said. "It's
what's appearing on the screen that's really key to an ATM transaction."

    About 40 MSU students and employees are registered as visually
impaired, Hudson said.

    "There are hundreds of people in the community," he said. "There are
a lot more who are aging and maybe don't want to talk about it."

    Contact Susan Stock at 377-1015 or
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