hand holding pen writing in notebook

Talking ATMs in Mumbai India

For many years the Law Office of Lainey Feingold has been keeping track of Talking ATM installations in countries all over the world. On September 10, 2011, Google’s “Talking ATM” alert brought news of installations in Mumbai India. United States ATM manufacturers NCR and Diebold are featured in the article. Read more… Talking ATMs in Mumbai India

Talking ATMs in Jakarta, Indonesia

Talking ATM technology continues to spread across the globe. Earlier this month, the Standard Chartered Bank in Indonesia announced installation of that country’s first Talking ATMs. The full article that appeared in the Jakarta Times is posted here. Other posts on this website about Talking ATMs in countries outside the United States may be found in the International Issues category on LFLegal.com. Read more… Talking ATMs in Jakarta, Indonesia

Comments Due January 9, 2012 on DOT Web and Kiosk Proposal

The United States Department of Transportation is currently seeking public comments to its proposed regulations about accessible airline websites and check-in kiosks. The Department is using a new “user friendly” on-line platform to encourage comments, which are due January 9, 2012. The DOT proposed regulations have many positive aspects. However, there are also significant parts of the proposal that need to be strengthened to ensure full equality for people with disabilities in air travel. (Certainly the regulations should not be “killed” as one commenter on the new platform has already suggested). This post contains information on key aspects of the DOT proposal and information about submitting comments. Read more… Comments Due January 9, 2012 on DOT Web and Kiosk Proposal

Barclays Bank Agrees to Install Talking ATMs as Part of RNIB Campaign

Congratulations to the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) in the United Kingdom for signing up Barclays Bank as part of RNIB’s “Money Talks” program. Barclays has committed to install Talking ATMs at its branches by the end of 2012. Posted here is the article about Barclays that appeared on ZDNet UK on November 22, 2011. Read more… Barclays Bank Agrees to Install Talking ATMs as Part of RNIB Campaign

January 9, 2012 Deadline to Submit Comments on DOT Web and Kiosk Regulation: How to File

Alert: January 9, 2012 is the deadline to submit comments on the United States Department of Transportation’s pending airline web accessibility and kiosk regulations. In my earlier post about the positive and negative parts of the proposed regulations, I explained how comments could be filed on the “user-friendly” website called the Regulation Room. I recently discovered, however, that comments to the Regulation Room, while shared with the DOT, are not treated the same way by the DOT as comments submitted through the “official” Regulation.gov channel. And, because the official channel is not fully accessible, the federal government has an “optional submission form” that is more accessible. Optional? I thought federal government accessibility was mandatory? Read more… January 9, 2012 Deadline to Submit Comments on DOT Web and Kiosk Regulation: How to File

Talking ATMs in Brunei, Southeast Asia

Today’s Talking ATM Google Alert brought news of the first Talking ATM in Brunei, a sovereign state located on the north coast of the island of Borneo, in Southeast Asia. The country’s official name is Brunei Darussalam, meaning Nation of Brunei, the Abode of Peace. The news came via a blog post, reprinted here, by Lim Sheng Ming. The blog post was based on an article, reprinted in full here, that was published in the Borneo Bulletin and reprinted on the Brunei Direct website. As the article mentions, Brunei is getting its Talking ATMs after Standard Chartered Bank successfully launched them in Korea, China, India and Indonesia. Visit the International Issues category of this website for other posts about ATM installations outside the United States. The ATM industry is global, and advocacy must be too. Read more… Talking ATMs in Brunei, Southeast Asia

CSUN Technology and Persons with Disability Conference 2012

Lainey Feingold will be presenting two times at the 27th Annual International Technology and Persons with Disabilities Conference in San Diego in late February – early March, 2012. Commonly referred to as CSUN, the abbreviation for conference sponsor California State University Northridge, the conference is the largest conference of its kind on technology and people with disabilities. Read more… CSUN Technology and Persons with Disability Conference 2012

Finally: U.S. Talking ATM Regulations Fully in Force

On March 15, 2012, federal regulations with detailed Talking ATM requirements will finally be mandatory. The Talking ATM standards come at the end of a long (and continuing) road of grass-roots and legal advocacy in the U.S. and around the globe. March 15, 2012 is more than twelve years after the first Talking ATM was installed in the United States. Tens of thousands of ATMs now talk, but still too many do not. Read more… Finally: U.S. Talking ATM Regulations Fully in Force

American Cancer Society Continues Information Accessibility Initiative

Continuing its collaboration with the American Council of the Blind first announced in 2011, the American Cancer Society is making additional documents available in Braille and Large Print. The American Cancer Society is also continuing to provide a website that satisfies WCAG 2.0 Level AA Success Criteria. And, in addition to its accessible website and Braille and Large Print information, all American Cancer Society publications and brochures three pages or longer are available in Audio CD, Audio MP3 and electronic format sent as an email attachment or mailed on a disc. Brochures with fewer than 3 pages are available in electronic formats. Read more… American Cancer Society Continues Information Accessibility Initiative

American Cancer Society: Extension to Settlement Agreement

In 2011 the American Cancer Society (ACS) and the American Council of the Blind reached a comprehensive agreement regarding ACS information to members of the public with visual impairments. ACS agreed at that time that its website would satisfy WCAG 2.0 Level AA and that it would provide certain ACS information in Braille, Audio, Large Print and electronic formats. In early 2012 the parties agreed to extend the agreement and provide additional materials in Braille and Large Print. The Agreement extension is below. Read more… American Cancer Society: Extension to Settlement Agreement