E-911 Disability Access Summit

FCC ANNOUNCES E9-1-1 DISABILITY ACCESS SUMMIT

The FCC will hold a Summit to focus on E9-1-1 calling and access for persons with hearing and speech disabilities on Wednesday, November 15, 2006. Last year, the Commission initiated a proceeding seeking comment on how the Commission can ensure that consumers using Internet-based forms of Telecommunications Relay Services (TRS), specifically Video Relay Services (VRS) and Internet Protocol Relay (IP Relay), can access emergency services in the same way as all other consumers. In the Matter of Telecommunications Relay Services and Speech-to-Speech for Individuals with Hearing and Speech Disabilities, FCC 05-196, 20 FCC Rcd 19,476 (2005). Internet-based TRS calls do not originate on the PSTN and therefore present unique challenges. The E9-1-1 Disability Access Summit is intended to provide an opportunity to explore challenges and potential solutions for users of Internet-based TRS services to access Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs) by calling 9-1-1.

The goals of the Summit are:
(1) To identify the various types of direct Internet-based E9-1-1 access that people with hearing or speech disabilities need;
(2) To identify the technologies, services, and applications through which access should be offered; and
(3) To define the technological, policy, and commercial issues involved in providing the needed access to persons with hearing and speech disabilities.

Participants will include representatives of other federal agencies; state and local emergency service providers; telecommunications and TRS industry; hearing and speech disability advocates; and FCC staff. Lessons learned from this Summit will help the FCC design and focus efforts to improve emergency communications access for persons with hearing and speech disabilities. The Summit is open to the public and seating will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. The Summit will include panel discussions on the following three topics: needs of the hearing and speech disability communities; state of technology; and, interim options and solutions.

The summit date, time and location are:

Date & Time:
Wednesday, November 15, 2006
9:30 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.

Location: Federal Communications Commission
Commission Meeting Room, TW-C305
445 12th Street, SW.
Washington, DC 20554

Facilities
The FCC is located at 445 12th Street SW, Washington, DC 20554. Directions and a map of the streets near the FCC are available at http://www.fcc.gov/portalsmap.html. The Commission Meeting Room is equipped with a Wi-Fi Internet network, an assistive listening device system, and is accessible to persons with disabilities.

Security
Please note that the FCC is a federal building with security requirements. All attendees will be required to pass through security and present a government-issued form of identification. The FCC’s Commission Meeting Room will be opened early to facilitate access to the building. Attendees are encouraged to allocate additional time to enter the building.

Webcast & Video
The Summit will be webcast live and also archived for later viewing. Access to and additional information concerning the webcast is available at http://www.fcc.gov/realaudio/. Open captioning will be provided for the webcast.

Reasonable Accommodation
Open captioning and sign language interpreters will be provided for this event. Other reasonable accommodations for people with disabilities are available upon request. Include a description of the accommodation you will need including as much detail as you can. Also include a way we can contact you if we need more information. Make your request as early as possible. Last minute requests will be accepted, but may not be possible to fill. Send an e-mail to fcc504@fcc.gov or call the Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau: For reasonable accommodations: 202-418-0530 (voice), 202-418-0432 (TTY). For accessible format materials (Braille, large print, electronic files, and audio format): 202-418-0531 (voice), 202-418-7365 (TTY).

For more information about the E9-1-1 Disability Access Summit, please contact Cheryl King at 202-418-2284 (voice) or Cheryl.King@fcc.gov (E-mail).

To request this document, or other materials in accessible formats for people with disabilities (Braille, large print, electronic files, audio format), send an E-mail to fcc504@fcc.gov or call the Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau at 202-418-0531 (voice), 202-418-7365 (TTY).

E9-1-1 Disability Access Summit
AGENDA
November 15, 2006
9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
9:30 Welcome by Commissioner Deborah T. Tate, FCC
9:35-9:45 a.m. Welcome and Introductions and Review Goals of the Summit Event
Monica Desai, Chief, Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau
(1) To identify precisely the various types of direct E9-1-1 access that people with hearing or speech disabilities need;
(2) To identify the technologies, services, and applications through which access should be offered;
(3) To define the technological, policy, and commercial issues involved in providing the needed access to persons with hearing and speech disabilities.

Introduction of Ollie Cantos, White House, Office of Domestic Policy and other distinguished guests
9:45-10:05 a.m. Reports on E9-1-1 related FCC proceedings
Moderator: Cheryl King
• VRS/IP Relay E9-1-1 NPRM - CGB/DRO Thomas Chandler
• Numbering FNPRM- CGB/DRO Thomas Chandler
• VRS/IP Relay Misuse/Fraud NPRM- CGB/DRO Thomas Chandler
• VoIP 911/E911 Calling – Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau Carol Simpson
• Wireless E9-1-1 Calling - Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau Jeff Cohen
10:05-10:30 a.m. Highlights from other agencies
Introduced by Cheryl King
• Department of Transportation, Jenny Hansen (NG9-1-1 Project Director, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration); Laurie Flaherty, DOT/NHTSA, Program Analyst
• Department of Justice, Renee Wohlenhaus, Deputy Chief, Disability Rights Section; Department of Homeland Security, Claudia Gordon, Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties
10:30-10:45 a.m. Break

10:45-11:15 a.m. Internet-based TRS Providers’ Report on Progress
Moderator: Jay Keithley
• Communication Access Center (Michigan) – Bill McClelland
• Communications Services for the Deaf – Mike Ekse
• HandsOn – Kelby Brick
• Hamilton – Dixie Zeigler
• Sorenson - Mike Maddix
• Sprint Nextel - Paul Ludwick
• Ultratec – Pamela Holmes
• Verizon Relay Services – Jerry Nelson

11:15 a.m.-12:15 p.m. Consumers’ Panel
(60 minutes))
Moderator: Greg Hlibok.
Panelists: -Sheri Farinha Mutti, Chair (E911 Stakeholder Council, Consumer Advocate, CEO, NorCal Center on Deafness, Sacramento, California); Claude Stout (Telecommunications for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Inc.); Rebecca Ladew (Speech-to-Speech advocate and STS user); Ed Bosson (TX Relay Administrator); Elizabeth Spiers (American Association of the Deaf/Blind).
12:15-1:00 p.m. Lunch (45 minutes)
1:00-2:00 p.m. Solutions/Options Panels –
(45 minutes)
Moderator: Dana Shaffer, Deputy Bureau Chief, Chief of Policy, PSHS Bureau
Panelists: Brenda Kelly-Frey, (MD State Relay Administrator); Karen Peltz Strauss, (KPS Consulting); Richard Ray (ADA Compliance Officer, City of Los Angeles, Department on Disability, Deaf and Hard of Hearing Program & Services); Judy Harkins, Ph.D. (Director, Gallaudet RERC-TA); Brian Rosen (Senior Director, NeuStar, Inc.)
2:00 -2:30 p.m. Round Table Discussion – all participants
Facilitator: Cheryl King