Thread Subject: Re: Section 508 and the new TCoil requirements

Note

This archival content is maintained by WebAIM and NCDAE on behalf of TEITAC and the U.S. Access Board . Additional details on the updates to section 508 and section 255 can be found at the Access Board web site.

From: Brenda Battat
Date: Mon, Nov 13 2006 2:00 PM

Does the Federal government provide employees with cell phones?

The telecoil requirement applies to digital wireless handsets. I don't
know if the Federal government procures wireless handsets for their
employees but if they do then they should procure handsets that meet
both the microphone (M3/4) and telecoil (T3/4) ratings according to ANSI
C63.19 standard. Otherwise employees who use hearing aids or cochlear
implants may not be able to use the phone as it may generate
interference with the hearing aid or cochlear implant.

Reasons for purchasing handsets according to these specifications even
though the department is not providing cell phones to all employees is
that the employee with hearing loss may not know of the problem of
interference and may assume all wireless phones have HAC built in just
like all landline phones. They will be in for a big surprise as only a
percentage of wireless phones have to meet the accessibility
requirements.







Brenda Battat
Associate Executive Director
Hearing Loss Association of America (formerly SHHH)
301-657-2248 phone
301-913-9413 fax


-----Original Message-----
From: = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED =
[mailto: = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = ] On Behalf Of Michael R.
Burks
Sent: Monday, November 13, 2006 3:12 PM
To: 'TEITAC Telecommunications Subcommittee'
Subject: [teitac-telecom] Section 508 and the new TCoil requirements

All,

Does anyone have any thoughts on whether a phone has to conform to the
new Tcoil requirements that took effect on September 18, 2006 to be
Section 508
Confrorming>

Mike Burks

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