TDI CONFERENCE Call for Presentation Proposals

17th Biennial TDI International Conference
August 23 - 25, 2007 San Mateo, California

INVITATION:

TDI invites proposals for workshops, presentations, forums, and panel discussions at the 17^th Biennial TDI International Conference, August 23-25, 2007 in San Mateo, California. Conference Program Co-Chairs Joe Duarte and Lori Breslow invite you to be a part of history, as we seek to create an outstanding program primarily focused on our constituents, consumers who are deaf and hard of hearing.

This conference will cover past developments, current successes, and future trends in all areas providing accessibility and functional equivalency to deaf, hard of hearing, late-deafened, and deaf-blind consumers. Our first priority is to address consumer issues and needs, and we welcome proposals from consumers, leaders of consumer groups, parents, and service providers. We also welcome participation from academic researchers, industry leaders and government officials in order to give us the latest information regarding policy initiatives, discuss and demonstrate new products and services, and provide creative solutions to some of the problems that prevent consumers from participating fully in the general community.

This Conference will focus especially on access and technology that benefit deaf and hard of hearing consumers at home, at work, when traveling, when purchasing goods and services, and when participating in the general community.

CONFERENCE THEME: Shaping an Accessible World

DEADLINE FOR PROPOSALS: Monday, April 16, 2007 via email to Claude Stout at tdiexdir@aol.com

PRESENTATION STRUCTURE AND AUDIENCE:

1. Presentations will be 60 or 90 minutes in length.
2. All presentation formats are welcome: Lectures, Workshops, Panels, Forums, Technology demonstrations, etc
3. The anticipated audience will consist of deaf, hard of hearing, and hearing people.

PRESENTATION TOPICS:

Proposals can be based on any of the preliminary topics listed below. Topics need to fit within the scope of the conference theme. All presentations must address the needs of one or more of TDI's four core constituency consumer groups: Deaf, Late-Deafened, Hard-of-Hearing, and Deaf-Blind.

Suggested topics include:

• Access & Technology for Consumers

Ø Access to captioning during transition to digital television
Ø Home video captioning on DVD
Ø Access to downloaded movies
Ø Accessible software/services on computer
Ø Music entertainment systems
Ø Cinema captioning in theaters
Ø Interactive home appliances and automation
Ø Home environmental alerting systems
Ø Emergency alerting services and devices
Ø Handheld wireless devices (Cell phones, pagers and PDAs)
Ø Hearing aid compatible landline and wireless phones
Ø Captioned telephone services
Ø Video devices for VRS or peer-to-peer chats
Ø Message answering systems to handle calls received while away
Ø Any other new technologies for communication access

• Telecommunications Access:

Ø Telecommunications Relay Services (TRS)
Ø 7-1-1 TRS Access
Ø Internet Protocol (IP) Relay
Ø Video Relay Services (VRS)
Ø Interactive Voice Response (IVR) Telephone Menu Access
Ø Equipment Distribution Programs
Ø Cell Phones, Text Pagers and Other Wireless Devices
Ø VoIP technologies
Ø Hearing aid compatibility

• Captioning

Ø Captioning Technologies and Applications in all Media Formats
Ø Transition to Digital Television
Ø FCC's Enforcement of Captioning Rules and Service Quality
Ø Technical Quality Issues With Local News and Real-Time Captioning
Ø High Definition Television (HDTV) Gaps
Ø Home Video Technologies
Ø Streaming Video and other Internet Applications
Ø Movie and Cinema Captioning
Ø Access to Live Performing Arts

• The Internet

Ø Internet 2 - The Next Generation
Ø Instant Messaging
Ø Wireless Internet capabilities
Ø Remote Learning
Ø Video Conferencing
Ø Internet Software Programs
Ø Accessibility for Multimedia Content and Other Applications
Ø Educational Applications
Ø Potential Development of New Programs and Products

• Video Technology

Ø Video Relay
Ø "One-to-Many" Video Technology
Ø Consumer Multiple-Point Video Technology
Ø Removing Barriers to Video Telephony in Workplaces and other Public Places
Ø Reasonable Workplace Accommodations for Access to Information
Ø Access to Business-level Videoconferences
Ø Combining Video and Text Chat Technology

• Public Policy Issues

Ø Impact of VoIP on Funding Mechanisms
Ø Impact of Wireless on Funding Mechanisms
Ø Hearing Aid Compatibility
Ø Section 255 of the Telecommunications Act Implementation Factors
Ø Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act Successes and Challenges
Ø Wireless Telecommunication Technologies
Ø Industry Standards
Ø International Accessibility Standards

• Emergency Access

Ø 9-1-1 Service Experiences, Training, and Other Issues
Ø Transition from TTY & VCO to a Multi-Mode Digital Platform with Voice, Text, and Video Features at Public Safety Answering Points (9-1-1 Call Centers)
Ø Emergency Captioning Requirements for Broadcasters
Ø Severe Weather and Disaster Warning Systems
Ø Emergency Preparation and Involvement in Local Community Resources.
Ø Reverse 9-1-1 and Other Community Notification Systems
Ø Smart Pagers For Receiving Alerts and Notification Based On Location
Ø Format for Emergency Notification Messages
Ø NOAA Weather Radios
Ø Commercial Forecasting Services (Weather Channel, Accu-Weather, etc.)

• Voice Recognition and Other Speech to Text Applications

Ø Speech to text applications that bring improved access
Ø Automatic speech recognition

• Audio Enhancement and Quality Issues

Ø Workplace and public meeting room access
Ø Classroom acoustic standards
Ø Standards for assistive listening technology and sound systems

• Other Telecommunications, Media and Information Technology Access Issues

Ø Courts & Other Public Facilities
Ø Hospitality & Travel Industry
Ø Highways & Public Transportation
Ø Local & State Government Services
Ø International Access Issues
Ø Accessible Product Design and Universal Design Concepts
Ø Quality Issues for Accessible Technology
Ø Industry Experience with Accessible Technology
Ø Strategic Planning for Accessibility Solutions
Ø Systems Engineering for Accessibility Solutions
Ø Human Factors and Accessible Workplace Design

SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS:

PRESENTATION PROPOSAL: Submit a 500-word description of your proposed presentation for review by the Program Committee and a short 50-word abstract of the presentation for publication in the conference program book. The presentation description should include details on objective, content, importance, target audience, and choice of format: speech, presentation, workshop, panel, etc. Also include the name(s), affiliation(s); address(es), phone and fax numbers, and a brief biography of each presenter for publication in the program book if selected.

A/V EQUIPMENT FOR PRESENTATION: (Select as many as needed.)

___ Video Projector
___ Flip Chart
___ DVD Player & Video Monitor
___ Other (Specify: ________________________________)

Communication Mode(s) of Presentation:

___ ASL
___ Signed English
___ Voice
___ Other

SUBMISSION: Please send all submissions to Claude Stout via email: tdiexdir@aol.com
ACCEPTED PROPOSALS: Proposals that are selected will require the following additional submissions:

By June 1:
· Photos - picture (head and shoulders) of presenters
· Company logo(s) for Program Book if any.

By August 1:
· Presentation materials, PowerPoint, or visual aids as applicable
· Release to allow your presentation to be videotaped.

Regretfully, TDI is unable to offer an honorarium and/or reimbursement for travel expenses. Presenters will be responsible for all expenses including conference registration and any special events at the Conference.

For more information, contact Claude Stout, Executive Director, TDI at tdiexdir@aol.com
Check our website at www.tdi-online.org for updates - we are still finalizing a few things on the website.