News Release

NCD #00-292
June 1, 2000
Contact: Mark S. Quigley
202-272-2004
202-272-2074 TTY
mquigley@ncd.gov

National Council on Disability Says Federal Policies Inhibit Access to Technology for People with Disabilities

WASHINGTON--The National Council on Disability (NCD) has found that federal policies constitute a barrier to individuals with disabilities who wish to learn about, obtain and use assistive technology (AT) devices and services, such as telecommunications equipment and services for the deaf and computer software for adults and students who are blind. "These barriers translate into poor quality of life for people who need the AT they cannot get," said NCD Chairperson Marca Bristo. NCD's findings and recommendations are contained in its report: Federal Policy Barriers to Assistive Technology.

The barriers that NCD found:

• Existing laws and policies that fund AT have gaps that fail to address the needs of many individuals with disabilities;
  
• Laws and policies are frequently misinterpreted or implemented inappropriately by those charged with service delivery and oversight;
  
• Federal agencies and others that implement federal policy (such as states and local agencies) commonly lack the expertise and resources necessary to implement existing AT laws and policies; and
  
• Today's policies are a maze of conflicting definitions, eligibility criteria, philosophical models, and requirements for access to AT.

Ms. Bristo said, "Ideally, no person with a disability should be denied the opportunity to obtain assistive technology and use its inherent potential in viable, life-fulfilling endeavors. But, it is readily apparent that the current patchwork of federal policies has barriers and gaps, leaving many people with disabilities without the benefits of assistive technology."

NCD calls on Congress to take a hard look at what people with disabilities need to make AT readily available and act quickly to ensure access to basic telephone service to individuals who cannot use a standard telephone because they have a disability. In addition, NCD recommends actions by the Department of Education and Department of Health and Human Services that would ensure adequate support for AT competency development within and across a variety of personnel preparation and training programs, such as instructional technology, computer sciences, information sciences, special education, rehabilitation counseling, social work, medicine, nursing, and related services (occupational therapy, physical therapy, speech-language pathology, and audiology).

NCD is an independent federal agency representing all people with disabilities, regardless of severity, from all cultural, racial and ethnic backgrounds. NCD makes recommendations to the President and Congress on disability policy. For more information, contact Mark S. Quigley at 202-272-2008 or visit NCD's award-winning Web site (http://www.ncd.gov).