National Council on Disability to Discuss Accessibility and Universal Design for People with Disabilities at Boston Meeting

Nov. 15, 2007

WASHINGTON—The National Council on Disability (NCD) will conduct a panel discussion on accessibility and universal design at the Hyatt Regency Boston, One Avenue de LaFayette, Boston, Massachusetts, on Thursday, November 29, 2007, from 3:00 p.m. until 4:30 p.m.

Speakers include:

Marylyn Howe, NCD Board Member

Deborah Buck, Association of Assistive Technology Act Programs

Larry Goldberg, WGBH Public Television

Judy Brewer, Web Accessibility Initiative

Valerie Fletcher, Adaptive Environments

Their remarks will be followed by a question and answer session.

In 2004, the National Council on Disability published Design for Inclusion:  Creating a New Marketplace(publications/2004/online_newmarketplace), a report demonstrating how an accessible society can be accomplished through Universal Design. Universal design is a process to ensure that the built environment, including electronic and information technology, is inclusive, accessible, and usable by everyone, including people with disabilities. Incorporating universal design processes is one solution to accommodating people with disabilities that also improves the usability of the products for the rest of the population.

This panel discussion is part of NCD’s quarterly board meeting, which will be held Thursday, November 29, 2007, from 8:30 a.m. until 5:00 p.m.; Friday, November 30 from 8:30 a.m. until 3:45 p.m.; and Saturday, December 1 from 8:15 a.m. until 11:15 a.m.

Public comment sessions will be held Thursday, November 29 from 4:30 p.m. until 5:00 p.m. and on Friday, November 30 from 1:15 p.m. until 1:45 p.m. A toll-free call in line will also be available to the public during those times. The number is 800-369-1120, and the pass code is NCD Council Meeting. There will also be a reception at the hotel for all meeting participants, audience members, and people with disabilities from the community on Thursday afternoon from 5:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.

NCD is an independent federal agency and is composed of 15 members appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate. We provide advice to the President, Congress, and executive branch agencies to promote policies, programs, practices, and procedures that—

(A) guarantee equal opportunity for all individuals with disabilities, regardless of the nature or severity of the disability; and

(B) empower individuals with disabilities to achieve economic self-sufficiency, independent living, and inclusion and integration into all aspects of society.

To carry out its purposes, NCD believes it is vital to hear from communities around the country on what works and what does not for people with disabilities. NCD members and staff are pleased to have the opportunity to visit Boston and learn firsthand about the experiences of people with disabilities from Massachusetts and the surrounding states.