Thread Subject: Re: Identifyiing Specific Hardware thatShould beCovered

Note

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From: Randy Marsden
Date: Mon, Nov 20 2006 3:45 PM

The term ³Desktops and Portables² to me intuitively means desktop computers
and laptop computers. Does ³portables² adequately describe things like
PDA¹s, Smartphones, UMPC¹s, MP3 players, portable video players, etc? I
don¹t think so.

Also, things like stand-alone LCD projectors have been mentioned. Those
definitely don¹t fit into the Desktop and Portables category.

In regards to telecom, with the convergence of mobile phones / pda¹s / MP3
players, those lines are blurring. Not to mention Skype ­ is that a phone
or a computer? The answer is yes.

Finally, I¹m hoping we can work toward the day when few or no products are
considered ³closed² to assistive technology. In that regard, I agree that
self-contained/closed is a characteristic, not a category.

As far our our sub-committees go, I like the idea of combining into a single
sub-committee called ³Hardware². (Less back-and-forth between
sub-committees, and fewer sub-committee meetings! :-) ).


-Randy
>
> From: "Jim Tobias" < = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = >
> Reply-To: "TEITAC desktop/portable (hardware) subcommittee"
> < = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = >
> Date: Mon, 20 Nov 2006 09:04:05 -0500
> To: "'TEITAC desktop/portable (hardware) subcommittee'"
> < = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = >
> Cc: "'TEITAC Telecommunications Subcommittee'"
> < = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = >, "'TEITAC self contained/closed products
> subcommittee'" < = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = >, "'TEITAC General Interface
> Accessibility Subcommittee'" < = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = >
> Subject: Re: [teitac-hardware] Identifyiing Specific Hardware that Should
> beCovered
>

> Sorry for the cross-posting, for all you hard chargers who are on so many
> subcommittees....
>
> TEITAC has four subcommittee that directly address hardware:
> Desktop/Portable, Telecom, Self-contained/Closed, and General Interface.
>
> We could decide to assign all Hardware issues to Desktop/Portable and re-name
> it Hardware. This would give that subcommittee more work, but at least
> everything hardware would be under one roof. Part of the re-assignment could
> include 1194.23(k)1-4, the "mechanical control" items now in Telecom, but
> repeated in several other categories in the current 508. Alternately,
> 1194.23(k)1-4 could be assigned to General Interface. Right now General
> Interface is only identifying which Standards go across several product
> categories, including 1194.23(k)1-4, but has no forward-looking assignment of
> its own.
>
> The other issue staring us in the face is the notion of self-contained/closed
> systems: is this really a category of products, or a characteristic of some
> hardware?
>
> I'd like to see a good dialog on these 3 questions, with a resolution so that
> we can move forward soon without gaps or overlaps in our work:
>
> 1. Do we create a Hardware subcommittee out of Desktop/Portable?
> 2. If so, do we assign the mechanical control items to Hardware or General
> Interface?
> 3. Is "self-contained/closed" a category or a hardware characteristic?
>
> ***********
> Jim Tobias
> Inclusive Technologies
> = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED =
> +1.732.441.0831 v/tty
> skype jimtobias
> www.inclusive.com
>
>
>>
>> From: David Wysocki [mailto: = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = ]
>> Sent: Friday, November 17, 2006 2:32 PM
>> To: TEITAC desktop/portable (hardware) subcommittee
>> Subject: [teitac-hardware] Identifyiing Specific Hardware that Should
>> beCovered
>>
>> Greetings ­ Based on our sub-committee meeting today, addressing the larger
>> concerns raised at the full committee meeting last week in DC, we find
>> ourselves in need of identifying what specific hardware should be addressed
>> by this subcommittee and in what ways do we interface with other
>> subcommittees. This is especially important as more cross-over and changing
>> roles occur among existing and newer technology (e.g., PDA/Phone combos
>> [Blackberries, Treos etc.], handhelds, smart phones, programmable LCD
>> projectors with memory chip and/or network capacity, etc.). Additional
>> concern rises as these technologies become more the norm and common method
>> to perform essential job duties, such as Blackberries. Terry Weaver (GSA)
>> raised another concern explaining that training the public is part of the
>> federal government¹s role and considerations of how the training is accessed
>> (Podcasts, through handhelds, etc.) becomes an issue for 508 accessibility as
>> well.
>>
>>
>>
>> So, our sub-committee is being asked to consider what should be included
>> under ³hardware², keeping factors in mind such as:
>> * What broader-based and multi-function technology is currently part of IT
>> that wasn¹t existent or playing as big of a role during the previous 508
>> writing?
>> * Based on the broader roles of previously single-role hardware, what can we
>> expect to have to address with this 508 refresh assuring we build a robust
>> coverage with decent applicability until the next refresh?
>> * What¹s current, what¹s common, and what can we expect to be so in the
>> not-too-distant future?
>> * Is the hardware considered an open or closed system, or partially open?
>>
>>
>> As we chime in with what we think should or should not be covered, and why,
>> please also consider adding to the above initial list of considerations.
>> Regards - David
>>
>>
>>
>> David J. Wysocki, MS, OTR, ATP
>>
>> Assistant Vice President,
>>
>> Workforce Development / Assistive Technology
>>
>> Easter Seals National Office
>>
>> 230 W. Monroe St., Suite 1800
>>
>> Chicago, IL 60606
>>
>> Direct Line: 312-551-7175
>>
>> Receptionist: 312-726-6200
>>
>> Fax: 312-726-1494
>>
>> TTY: 312-726-4258
>>
>> Email: = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = <mailto: = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = >
>>
>>
>>
>> Be an angel of change. You can change the lives of people with disabilities.
>>
>> Earn your wings at www.easterseals.com <http://www.easterseals.com/>
>>
>>
>
>
>

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