EASI is extremely pleased to announce that our live, Internet voice chat
Web conferences will now use a conference system that is cross
platform. Previously, the system only worked with a PC running Windows and
Explorer. The TC Conferencing System, provided by Talking Communities is a
cross-platform system, which means that Mac and Linux users can now
participate. You will need to have the latest JAVA Virtual Machine, from
Sun Microsystems installed on your computer. You need a sound card,
speakers and a microphone to interact with presenters and other clinic
participants. The microphone is required only if you would like to interact
by voice.
EASI has an exciting Internet voice chat Web conference on accessible
e-voting scheduled for May 12 at 2 PM Eastern. It is based on a special
issue of the e-journal, Information Technology and Disabilities. The May 12
Web conference will have 3 of the authors of articles from that special
issue. Please read their articles before attending the event:
Hollister Bundy
Vice President
Inclusion Solutions
http://www.rit.edu/~easi/itd/itdv10n2/bundy.htm
Gregg C. Vanderheiden
Director, Trace Research & Development Center
Professor, Industrial Engineering and Biomedical Engineering Departments
University of Wisconsin-Madison
http://www.rit.edu/~easi/itd/itdv10n2/vanderhe.htm
Michael Waterstone
Assistant Professor of Law, University of Mississippi School of Law
http://www.rit.edu/~easi/itd/itdv10n2/watersto.htm
Register for this free Internet voice chat Web conference (Registration
will save you a seat in the chat room and will also get you the link to the
recording in case you miss attending:
http://easi.cc/forms/voting.htm
*** A recent newsletter from the Federal Access Board provides a
significant news update on the development of rules intended to improve
accessibility to e-voting. I am quoting part of that newsletter at the
bottom of this e-mail.
EASI is providing a series of 4 live Web conferences by librarians to
provide an update on making libraries, both on site and online, more
accessible to patrons with disabilities. These require a registration fee
of $95. They are scheduled for June, 2, 9, 16 and 30. Read more and
register online at:
http://easi.cc/clinic.htm
EASI has 2 month-long online courses starting in June
1 Barrier-free Information Technology:
http://easi.cc/workshops/adaptit.htm
2 Learning Disabilities and Accessible Information Technology
http://easi.cc/workshops/ld.htm
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Quoted from: News from the Access Board - March/ April 2005
New Voting System Guidelines to Cover Accessibility
New guidelines have been prepared for voting systems that, once finalized,
will be available for states to use on a voluntary basis in complying with the
Help America Vote Act. This law, which Congress passed in 2002 to prevent
the types of ballot controversies that arose in the presidential election of
2000, calls for methods to improve the usability and reliability of voting
systems used in Federal elections. Provisions in the law ensure that voting
systems and polling places are accessible to
people with disabilities, and also address ballot verification by voters,
language barriers, and provisional
voting.
The draft guidelines, which were unveiled at a public hearing organized by
the Election Assistance Commission in Boston on April 26th, contain specific
provisions for accessibility, as well as voting system usability, security,
and privacy. The specifications address access to voting equipment for
all types of users, including those with vision impairments. The
guidelines will be reviewed by the Commission, which was established to
implement the
voting reforms of the act. In addition to overseeing the development of
these guidelines, the Commission serves as a national resource for information
on the administration of Federal elections, conducts studies on voting
system improvements, and administers various grant programs funded by the law.
The law established several advisory bodies to assist the Commission in
fulfilling its mission. The Access Board is represented on some of these
panels,
including the Technical Guidelines Development Committee, which drafted the
new guidelines, and the Commission s Board of Advisors. Through their seats
on these entities, Access Board members J.R. Harding, Ed.D. and James
Elekes, M.Ed, MPA/CPM helped enhance the guidelines coverage of
accessibility.
They submitted recommendations concerning the scope of the guidelines, the
testing of voting system accessibility, and the process for amending the
guidelines
so that people with disabilities can vote in a manner that is convenient
and private using systems that are reliably barrier-free. The released draft
incorporates their recommendations on these and other topics.
The Board is proud to have played a role in drafting these important
guidelines which will ensure that all Americans, including those with
sensory impairments,
can exercise their right to vote with dignity and in privacy, noted
Elekes. The best way to make sure that the guidelines live up to this
goal,
according to Harding, is to collect as much public input as possible; we
look forward to the process ahead, which will do just that by inviting all
interested persons to review and weigh in on the guidelines before they are
made final. The Board encourages members of the public, including those
with disabilities, to participate in this process to ensure the best
possible voting system guidelines.
The Commission will review the guidelines and make them available for
public comment in May for a period of 90 days. The National Institute of
Standards
and Technology (NIST), which is providing staff support in developing the
guidelines, has posted the current draft and related materials on its website
at
http://vote.nist.gov.
Informal feedback can be submitted to NIST by e-mail at
[log in to unmask]
pending the Commission s official release and public comment
period. For further information on the Commission and the guidelines, as
well as the Help
America Vote Act, visit the Commission s website at
http://www.eac.gov.
----------------------------------------
EASI online courses for June:
Completing 5 courses earns the Certificate in Accessible Technology
Barrier-free Information Technology:
http://easi.cc/workshops/adaptit.htm
Learning Disabilities and Adaptive Info Tech:
http://easi.cc/workshops/ld.htm
Norman Coombs, Ph.D.
CEO EASI
22196 Caminito Tasquillo
Laguna Hills, CA 92653
(949) 855-4852
---------------------------
Check out EASI New Synchronous Clinics:
http://easi.cc/clinic.htm
EASI Home Page http://www.rit.edu/~easi
Online courses and Clinics http://easi.cc/workshop.htm
Check the EASI Library Web http://www.rit.edu/~easi/lib.htm
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