The goal of this advisory committee is to make recommendations to the Access Board for accessibility guidelines for telecommunications equipment and customer premises equipment under section 255(e) of the Telecommunications Act of 1996. The recommendations should address issues such as: types of equipment to be covered by the guidelines; barriers to the use of such equipment by persons with disabilities affecting hearing, vision, movement, manipulation, speech, and interpretation of information; solutions to such barriers, if known, and research on such barriers; and contents of the guidelines.
The advisory committee process is intended to facilitate discussion among the undersigned members. Participants enter the proceedings in good faith in an effort to reach a speedy and amicable set of recommendations on a variety of issues. Participants agree to participate fully and openly in the discussions with a sincere desire to explore alternatives and solutions to a variety of concerns. All members agree to exchange information to the fullest extent practicable and agree not to divulge information shared by others in confidence. Nothing in these protocols shall prevent a member from making public or using its own proposals in any future proceeding.
a. Interests Represented. The committee will be composed of a cross section of individuals representing a variety of interests regarding telecommunications access.
b. The Advisory Committee. The committee will be composed of those individuals appointed to serve by the Chairperson of the Access Board. Each member may designate an alternate member(s) representing the same interest as the designated member. The members will fully brief the alternates on the progress of the discussions and will give them full authority when they serve on the committee. Alternates are encouraged to attend committee meetings. No person may represent more than two committee members during the same meeting. The Chairperson of the Committee shall be appointed by the Chairperson of the Access Board. The Chairperson of the Committee may appoint a Vice-Chairperson and Chairpersons of any subcommittees.
c. Attendance at Meetings. Each committee member will make a good faith effort to attend each full advisory committee session. The committee member may be accompanied by such other individuals and/or organizations as that member believes is appropriate to represent his/her interest. Technical advisors and other persons may speak openly during discussions. Should the open discussion become unwieldy, any member may request a more formal process, in which advisors are recognized to speak only by members seated at the table.
d. Additional Committee Members. Additional committee members may join the committee by a majority vote of the committee and formal appointment by the Chairperson of the Access Board.
e. Constituents Interests. Committee members are encouraged, to the extent possible, to communicate with other organizations similarly situated. Committee members are expected to make a good faith effort to represent the concerns and interests of their constituents and to ensure that any recommendation developed by the committee is acceptable to the organization that the committee member represents.
f. Right to Withdraw. Any member may withdraw from the committee at any time without prejudice. The remaining members at that point shall decide whether further meetings are appropriate or fruitful.
g. Subcommittees. Subcommittees may be formed to address specific issues, either on issues not relating to the entire committee or for recommendation to the entire committee. Subcommittees are open to anyone although balance among interests should be maintained. Subcommittees may meet at the same time the full committee meets, or in between full committee meetings. Subcommittees are not authorized to make recommendations for the committee as a whole. In subcommittees, anyone in attendance can participate.
a. FACA. The advisory committee meetings will be conducted under the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA).
b. Open Meetings. Advisory committee meetings will be announced in the Federal Register prior to the meeting and, consistent with FACA requirements, will be open to the public. During each day of the advisory committee meetings, there shall be time for public comment.
c. Quorum. A quorum of two-thirds of the committee membership (including alternates) will be required to conduct business of the committee. In the absence of a quorum, those present will proceed with committee work, but may not make committee recommendations.
d. Minutes. Summaries of the committee meetings will be distributed as expeditiously as possible to the full committee and made available to the public upon request and will be ratified by the full committee at its next meeting. A progress report of subcommittee meetings shall be prepared and sent by subcommittee chairs to committee members prior to the next meeting. The subcommittee report will be made available to the public upon request to the Access Board.
e. Media Announcements. No member will make unauthorized announcements to the media or hold discussions with the media characterizing the position of the committee (until recommendations are final) or ascribing the position of any member even if that member withdraws from the committee.
f. Agendas. Meeting agendas will be developed by the Access Board in consultation with the committee members.
g. Caucuses. A caucus break can be requested by any committee member at any time. Caucuses will not be considered open meetings. Members are asked to keep such caucuses to a minimum and estimate the time needed. Proposals made and positions taken by any participant during caucuses shall be confidential and shall not be used in any future regulatory or legal proceedings.
h. Accessibility of Meetings. Full committee and subcommittee meetings will be held in accessible locations and provide for communications access.
i. Schedule. Advisory committee meetings will be held approximately once each six weeks as determined by the committee. The committee is expected to present a report with its recommendations to the Access Board within six months of the committee's first meeting.
j. Discontinue if Unproductive. The Access Board may discontinue the advisory committee meetings at any time if the meetings do not appear productive.
k. Written Materials. Written materials that are distributed to the committee should be in print and electronic format (WordPerfect 5.1 or ASCII). Individuals who distribute written materials during committee meetings should provide 40 print copies and sufficient copies in a variety of accessible formats. If written materials to be distributed to the committee are provided to the Access Board seven days in advance of a meeting the Access Board will provide sufficient print and accessible format copies.
Product of Advisory Committee Meetings. The intended product of the advisory committee is a set of recommendations in the form of a written statement which should be signed by all committee members. These recommendations will be used by the Access Board in developing a proposed rule for accessibility guidelines for telecommunications equipment and customer premises equipment. Nothing in these protocols shall require any member to agree on any issue. Recommendations shall be made by a simple majority of those present. Any committee member may prepare a minority report for the record. Approval, agreement, and consensus are not required in this process, since the purpose of the committee is to give advice and recommendations, not make decisions.
The members may amend the protocols at any time.
AT&T
American Council of the Blind
American Foundation for the Blind
Arkenstone
American Speech-Language Hearing Association
Broad Alliance for Multimedia Technology and Applications
Cellular Telecommunications Industry Association
The Council of Organizational Representatives
Deaf and Disabled Telecommunications Program
Digital Equipment Corporation
The Ericsson Corporation
Gallaudet University
Inclusive Technologies
Lucent Technologies
Massachusetts Assistive Technologies Partnership Center
Motorola
NCR Project Freedom
National Association for State Relay Administration
National Federation of the Blind
Northern Telecom
NYNEX Corporation
Pacific Bell
Pennsylvania Citizens Consumer Council
Personal Communications Industry
RESNA
Self Help for Hard of Hearing People, Inc.
Siemens Rolm Communications, Inc.
Telecommunications Industry Associations
Trace Research and Development Center
United Cerebral Palsy Association, Inc.
U.S. Society for Augmentative and Alternative Communication
United States Telephone Association
World Institute on Disability