For more information, contact:

Mark Siegel

AT&T

Phone: 404-236-6312

E-mail: [log in to unmask]

 

 

AT&T UNVEILS UNIVERSAL DESIGN APPROACH TO HELP DEVELOPERS MEET THE WIRELESS
NEEDS OF CUSTOMERS WITH DISABILITIES

 

Wireless Leader Aims to Influence Industry-wide Change and Innovation in the
Design of Wireless Products and Applications

 

 

SAN ANTONIO, March 13, 2008 - Have you ever tried to send a text message
from a dark room? Listen to a voice mail message during a loud concert? Or
perhaps even had your hands full with groceries when the phone rings? If so,
then you have some experience, however temporary, of what it's like to be in
a situation of physical limitation. Whether the limitation is short-term or
long-term or related to vision, hearing, speech, cognitive or dexterity,
there is a universal need for mobile products and applications to be
designed in such a way that they are accessible by all.  

 

In an effort to encourage application developers and handset manufacturers
to consider the needs of seniors or customers who have disabilities when
designing products and services, AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T) announced today that the
company's approach to Universal Design will be made publicly available for
the first time. 

 

Universal Design is the practice of designing products and applications that
are usable by the broadest possible range of consumers. AT&T embraces the
concept of Universal Design and has urged its handset and software partners
to consider this methodology as they are developing wireless products and
applications. AT&T's recently launched Mobile Speak and Mobile Magnifier
applications are examples of accessible products and services that result
from innovative collaboration and design. 

 

*         Mobile Speak is a powerful, full-fledged screen-reader with an
easy-to-learn command structure, intuitive speech feedback in several
languages and Braille support, which can be used with or without speech.
Unlike other screen-readers for mobile phones, Mobile Speak automatically
detects information that the blind user should know, just as a user with
sight would easily find highlighted items or key areas of the screen at a
glance. 

*         Mobile Magnifier is a flexible, full-screen magnification
application that supports low- and high-resolution screens and can be used
with or without speech feedback. Magnification software is compatible with a
wide variety of mobile devices.

 

In creating its Universal Design methodology, AT&T consulted with many
leading experts, such as the Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center for
Wireless Technologies at Georgia Tech. By making AT&T's Universal Design
methodology available on its Web site, the company is hoping all developers
of wireless products and applications will consider how future designs can
create products, like Mobile Magnifier and Mobile Speak, that are both
innovative and accessible. 

 

"It is our goal that the concept of 'design for all' is not viewed as a
constraint but as a catalyst for innovation across the industry," said
Carlton Hill, vice president of Marketing for AT&T's mobile unit. "We
believe that, by making our methodology on Universal Design available for
all to see, we can show the importance and value of creating wireless
products and services that are usable and beneficial to as many people as
possible. The end result will be more choices for more consumers." 

 

"Integration of Universal Design into business practice is fundamental to
our mission of equitable access to wireless technologies for people of all
ages and abilities," said Jim Mueller, project director, User-Centered
Research, Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center for Wireless
Technologies at Georgia Tech. "We're glad that AT&T shares our commitment
and is making its Universal Design methodology publicly available."




 

AT&T's methodology not only defines and explains the benefits of Universal
Design, it also provides several scenarios to further illustrate the
relevance of this approach in the context of mobile handset and software
design. For example, to meet the needs of someone who may have difficulty
hearing, the document recommends that manufacturers consider text and
picture messaging, vibration and LED displays in their design to alert the
user to a call. Or, for someone who may have limited use of his or her
hands, the document suggests such features as speech recognition and voice
commands. 

 

To view AT&T's document on Universal Design, visit
http://developer.att.com/universaldesign . 

 For more information on AT&T's resources or products that are designed to
meet the various needs of people with disabilities, visit
http://www.wireless.att.com/about/disability-resources/disability-resources.
jsp

 

Find More Information Online:


Web Site Links:

Related Media Kits:


 <http://www.att.com/> AT&T Web Site

 
<http://www.wireless.att.com/about/disability-resources/disability-resources
.jsp> AT&T Accessibility Resources

 <http://www.att.com/gen/general?pid=10191> AT&T Universal Design Policy 

 
<http://www.wireless.att.com/about/disability-resources/mobile-speak-magnifi
er.jsp> About AT&T Mobile Speak and Mobile Magnifier

 <http://www.att.com/gen/press-room?pid=2575> AT&T Offers Choice in Wireless

 

 <http://www.att.com/gen/press-room?pid=1841>  AT&T Mobile Phones

 


Related Releases:

Related Fact Sheets:


 <http://www.att.com/gen/press-room?pid=4800&cdvn=news&newsarticleid=24951>
AT&T Expands Wireless Offerings for Customers with Disabilities

 

 <http://www.att.com/gen/press-room?pid=4800&cdvn=news&newsarticleid=22427>
AT&T Awards $1 Million AT&T AccessAll Grant to Community Technology Centers'
Network to Provide Technology Resources for People with Disabilities

 <http://www.att.com/Common/merger/files/pdf/Wireless-choices-fs.pdf> AT&T
and Consumer Choices

 

 <http://www.att.com/Common/merger/files/pdf/open-access.pdf> AT&T Open
Access Philosophy

 

 <http://www.att.com/Common/merger/files/pdf/AppsToMarketBackgrounder.pdf>
AT&T Works With Developers 

Technorati Tags:    <http://www.technorati.com/tag/AT&T> AT&T,
<http://www.technorati.com/tag/universal+design> Universal Design,
<http://www.technorati.com/tag/accessibility> Accessibility

About AT&T

AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T) is a premier communications holding company. Its
subsidiaries and affiliates, AT&T operating companies, are the providers of
AT&T services in the United States and around the world. Among their
offerings are the world's most advanced IP-based business communications
services and the nation's leading wireless, high speed Internet access and
voice services. In domestic markets, AT&T is known for the directory
publishing and advertising sales leadership of its Yellow Pages and
YELLOWPAGES.COM organizations, and the AT&T brand is licensed to innovators
in such fields as communications equipment. As part of its three-screen
integration strategy, AT&T is expanding its TV entertainment offerings.
Additional information about AT&T Inc. and the products and services
provided by AT&T subsidiaries and affiliates is available at
http://www.att.com.

 

C 2008 AT&T Intellectual Property. All rights reserved. AT&T, the AT&T logo
and all other marks contained herein are trademarks of AT&T Intellectual
Property and/or AT&T affiliated companies. 

 

This AT&T news release and other announcements are available as part of an
RSS feed at  <http://www.att.com/rss> www.att.com/rss. For more information,
please review this announcement in the AT&T newsroom at
<http://www.att.com/newsroom> http://www.att.com/newsroom.

 

 

 

Eric Bridges

Director of Advocacy and Governmental Affairs

American Council of the Blind 

Phone: (202) 467-5081

Fax: (202) 467-5085

 


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