Dr. Kevin Arrigo is a Professor in the Department of Environmental Earth System Science at Stanford University. He is the Chief Scientist for NASA’s ICESCAPE (Impact of Climate change on the Eco-Systems and Chemistry of the Arctic Pacific Environment) mission this summer onboard US Coast Guard Cutter HEALY.
“What on earth is that?” I ask as the pictures flash by on the video screen (the fearsome little creature I had seen on the screen turned out to be some kind of ciliated protozoan – more correctly called a “protist”). I’m gazing at the business end of the Imaging FlowCytobot, an instrument that not only counts all of the microbe cells in a small sample of water, it takes pictures of every one.
“This is the first time an Imaging Flow Cytometer has been taken out on a ship like this on a long, comprehensive survey,” says Dr. Sam Laney (Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution).
Many biologists gauge the abundance of single celled organisms such as phytoplankton and protists there are in a piece of ocean by filtering a half-gallon or so of water onto little white filters. Then we put those filters into an instrument like an elemental analyzer and measure the amount of carbon, nitrogen, chlorophyll, or whatever interests us. But we never get a good look at what that green or brown goo that collects on our filter is really made of.
With the Imaging FlowCytobot, Sam can not only get a clear picture of what kinds of bugs are in our sample, he can see how healthy they are and how biologically rich the ecosystem is. The FlowCytobot sips a sample of water and pushes that water through a little tube. When a laser detects a particle, the instrument counts it and a camera takes its picture. Usually the particle is a microbe but occasionally it’s a minuscule particle of dead stuff, much like the dust that drifts slowly in the breeze.
If the sample has lots of big, fat phytoplankton, you can be sure that the ecosystem is healthy and “blooming”, much like your garden blooms in springtime. If most of the cells in the sample are small and round, conditions are probably not quite right for a bona fide phytoplankton bloom. But if the sample is filled with dead particles or empty phytoplankton cells, it’s a sure sign that the bloom has run out of gas.
Each tiny sample of seawater has an important story to tell, and the Imaging FlowCytobot can translate that story into a language we can easily understand. And it’s really cool to watch!
Friday, July 23, 2010
EODMU-1 Tests UUVs for Use in Anti-Mine Warfare
KANEOHE BAY, Hawaii (NNS) -- Navy Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit (EODMU) 1, tested new unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs), July 15 in the waters off Oahu during Rim of the Pacific 2010 (RIMPAC).
EODMU 1 is using the waters off Oahu to test new UUVs to replace some of the tasks marine mammals currently perform to provide mine countermeasure operations for the Navy.
EODMU 1 has already replaced some dolphin and sea lion tasks up to 100 meters in depth by using the REMUS 100, a Remote Environmental Measuring Unit by Hydroid Corporation in partnership with the Navy's Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command (SPAWAR).
SPAWAR is testing the upgraded REMUS 600. The UUV can operate in depths of up to 600 meters for up to 70 hours with plenty of areas to apply a wide array of sensors for today's technology and new, future arrays.
If the REMUS 100 has been the sedan of the UUV community, the larger 600 is its pick-up truck.
"On these bigger vehicles, there are sensors in development with the Office of Naval Research that could fit on the [REMUS 600] but could not fit on the smaller vehicles," said Todd Webber, a SPAWAR Systems Center representative working with Navy EOD.
"Some of those new, advanced sensors are going to give us better resolution, and also do sensor penetration of buried targets that we currently don't have a way to get to - other than the marine mammals," said Webber.
UUVs are in use at Marine Corps Base Hawaii during RIMPAC because the warm, clear waters off Hawaii provide the perfect combination to test and document how far the 600 can go to replace diver and mammal missions.
"We're getting some good video documentation by putting the UUV in an autonomous mode between set points," said Mineman 1st Class (EXW/SW) Lindsey Wohlgemuth, of EOD-1. "We're also doing what we call a 'loiter mode', where the 600 goes in a circle. We can actually get good, visual documentation of the vehicle here."
The UUV looks like a mini-submarine. Its body is just over 10 feet long and glides with silent precision through the water, all the while using advanced SONAR to map the ocean floor and look for anomalies in the surrounding waters.
During RIMPAC, divers lay training mines to test the UUVs ability to locate the devices. EOD technicians pour over the sensor data that comes back both in raw data and visual recordings in trailers at a forward operating base.
From here, the crews have access to the many training areas on Oahu's windward side taking their 11-meter Rigid Hull Inflatable Boats (RHIBs) either into the bay to perform shallow water operations, or out into the ocean for deep-water testing.
EOD technicians drop the REMUS 600 from the side of the RHIB, set it on its way then control and monitor the silent vehicle as it submerges to collect its valuable data. The EOD techs can control the vehicle from the RHIB and get real-time updates while the UUV is submerged.
If in hostile waters, the upgraded REMUS 600 provides EOD techs the ability to get their missions done faster and better.
"The REMUS 600 has more capability than the 100 does, and we've been using the 100s for a while," said Wohlgemuth. "It's a faster vehicle and has a larger sonar range, so we can go in and do a mission faster than the 100s can."
While SPAWAR and the Navy are looking to greatly decrease the number of missions they use dolphins and sea lions for, it may be some time before the mine countermeasure community can completely remove them from service.
"Dolphins have had their sonar capability evolve over millions of years," said Webber, "and we've only been at it for less than 100 [years]. There are things they can do that we're not even close to yet with unmanned vehicles, but by using UUVs we can at least keep our human divers and their [marine] mammal counterparts out of some dangerous situations."
Air Force Civilian Service website reveals depth, innovation to federal employment
by April Rowden
Air Force Personnel Center Public Affairs Office
RANDOLPH AIR FORCE BASE, Texas (AFRNS) – Jobseekers unfamiliar with the civilian employment opportunities within the Air Force now have a new online resource that defines the numerous career fields and outlines many of the benefits of being a federal employee working side by side with uniformed Airmen.
The site, www.afciviliancareers.com, contains practical information for those interested in applying for a federal job within the Air Force Civilian Service, or AFCS, including various hiring authorities, base locations, career field descriptions, employee benefits and application procedures. There is also information specifically geared toward hiring veterans and disabled veterans.
“The Air Force has always relied on the civilian work force to meet the mission. With new organizations standing up and an overall net gain in civilian positions, we hope more people will look at all the benefits we have to offer and consider applying with us,” said Michelle LoweSolis, director of civilian force integration at the Air Force Personnel Center.
One of the highlights of the website is a Job Match Machine. By entering educational background or specific skills, the Job Match Machine will generate a list of possible career choices.
“We think this is going to be one of the most popular applications on the site,” said Mike Brosnan at AFPC. “People are often unaware of the breadth of Air Force Civilian Service careers and we’re hoping this will aid them in their job search.”
The site also has a Resume Coach that walks users through some of the most frequently asked questions: How do I get my resume to stand out? Do veterans or current federal employees have different application procedures? What should college graduates include on their resumes?
The site also features a faster-loading HTML version, or the more interactive Flash version. Look for the “underground” extras on the site for special downloads and video clips.
When visitors are ready to search for an AFCS job, clicking the “apply now” button on the home page will give them access to Air Force jobs listed on USAJOBS.gov. There, they can build their resumes, search for job vacancies, and submit their applications.
For more information, Air Force employees may call the Total Force Service Center at (800) 525-0102 or DSN 665-5000.
Air Force Personnel Center Public Affairs Office
RANDOLPH AIR FORCE BASE, Texas (AFRNS) – Jobseekers unfamiliar with the civilian employment opportunities within the Air Force now have a new online resource that defines the numerous career fields and outlines many of the benefits of being a federal employee working side by side with uniformed Airmen.
The site, www.afciviliancareers.com, contains practical information for those interested in applying for a federal job within the Air Force Civilian Service, or AFCS, including various hiring authorities, base locations, career field descriptions, employee benefits and application procedures. There is also information specifically geared toward hiring veterans and disabled veterans.
“The Air Force has always relied on the civilian work force to meet the mission. With new organizations standing up and an overall net gain in civilian positions, we hope more people will look at all the benefits we have to offer and consider applying with us,” said Michelle LoweSolis, director of civilian force integration at the Air Force Personnel Center.
One of the highlights of the website is a Job Match Machine. By entering educational background or specific skills, the Job Match Machine will generate a list of possible career choices.
“We think this is going to be one of the most popular applications on the site,” said Mike Brosnan at AFPC. “People are often unaware of the breadth of Air Force Civilian Service careers and we’re hoping this will aid them in their job search.”
The site also has a Resume Coach that walks users through some of the most frequently asked questions: How do I get my resume to stand out? Do veterans or current federal employees have different application procedures? What should college graduates include on their resumes?
The site also features a faster-loading HTML version, or the more interactive Flash version. Look for the “underground” extras on the site for special downloads and video clips.
When visitors are ready to search for an AFCS job, clicking the “apply now” button on the home page will give them access to Air Force jobs listed on USAJOBS.gov. There, they can build their resumes, search for job vacancies, and submit their applications.
For more information, Air Force employees may call the Total Force Service Center at (800) 525-0102 or DSN 665-5000.
Award Winning Author Visits Naval Air Station Jacksonville
By Kaylee LaRocque, Naval Air Station Jacksonville Public Affairs
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (NNS) -- A freelance science journalist visited Naval Air Station Jacksonville (NAS Jax) July 14 to learn about naval installation energy conservation for an upcoming book on future energy in America.
Author Maggie Koerth-Baker met with energy specialists from NAS Jax, Navy Region Southeast (NRSE) and Naval Facilities Engineering Command Southeast (NAVFAC SE) and toured several facilities to learn about energy conservation projects.
"A lot of people talk about what we have to do to combat climate change and reduce our carbon footprint, but it's usually in terms of sacrifice – something that moves us backwards and makes us less productive," said Koerth-Baker. "I'm looking at how will we make energy in the future, how we will get the services we want with less energy and how that's going to change the way we live 30-40 years from now."
During her visit, Koerth-Baker asked how base energy use in buildings is changing and how NAS Jax uses metering to monitor energy use.
"Metering is the way we can see what facilities use as far as energy, water and natural gas. By knowing what people are using, we can address it," Cmdr. Bill Siemer, NAS Jax public works officer, said.
Metering is a big step to help change individual behavior towards energy conservation.
"Instead of getting a bill a month later and trying to determine where all the energy was used, we will see what's going in real time and find out why there was an increase in energy use at specific times," Merrill said.
NAS Jax requires the 117 commands to have a trained energy building monitor, usually a junior Sailor trained and given the responsibility of overseeing their command's energy program.
"This program has proven to be very effective here," said Aviation Structural Mechanic 1st Class (AW/NAC) Mike Blair, NAS Jax Building Energy Monitor Program manager. "If they have a bad month, they will go in and reassess what they've been doing and try to fix the problem."
NAS Jax uses various types of automated equipment and has installed solar panels in the various buildings to conserve energy.
"Most of the buildings have motion sensors for lights and vending machines. We also received $65 million dollars to install integrated photovoltaic (solar panels) at 11 bases," Merrill said. "Every base will get them but we're being smart about it."
NAS Jax is partnered with the local electric company JEA and gas company TECO People's Gas on energy conservation projects.
"It's a great partnership and NAS Jax is a leader in this initiative," said Clark. "This is a great way to install new lighting, HVAC and it's also a benefit to the utility companies."
NAS Jax has initiated a footprint reduction master plan.
"We build new energy-efficient buildings and tear down the old buildings," said Siemer. "We continue to construct new energy-efficient facilities at NAS Jax and consolidate like commands/functions into single facilities."
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (NNS) -- A freelance science journalist visited Naval Air Station Jacksonville (NAS Jax) July 14 to learn about naval installation energy conservation for an upcoming book on future energy in America.
Author Maggie Koerth-Baker met with energy specialists from NAS Jax, Navy Region Southeast (NRSE) and Naval Facilities Engineering Command Southeast (NAVFAC SE) and toured several facilities to learn about energy conservation projects.
"A lot of people talk about what we have to do to combat climate change and reduce our carbon footprint, but it's usually in terms of sacrifice – something that moves us backwards and makes us less productive," said Koerth-Baker. "I'm looking at how will we make energy in the future, how we will get the services we want with less energy and how that's going to change the way we live 30-40 years from now."
During her visit, Koerth-Baker asked how base energy use in buildings is changing and how NAS Jax uses metering to monitor energy use.
"Metering is the way we can see what facilities use as far as energy, water and natural gas. By knowing what people are using, we can address it," Cmdr. Bill Siemer, NAS Jax public works officer, said.
Metering is a big step to help change individual behavior towards energy conservation.
"Instead of getting a bill a month later and trying to determine where all the energy was used, we will see what's going in real time and find out why there was an increase in energy use at specific times," Merrill said.
NAS Jax requires the 117 commands to have a trained energy building monitor, usually a junior Sailor trained and given the responsibility of overseeing their command's energy program.
"This program has proven to be very effective here," said Aviation Structural Mechanic 1st Class (AW/NAC) Mike Blair, NAS Jax Building Energy Monitor Program manager. "If they have a bad month, they will go in and reassess what they've been doing and try to fix the problem."
NAS Jax uses various types of automated equipment and has installed solar panels in the various buildings to conserve energy.
"Most of the buildings have motion sensors for lights and vending machines. We also received $65 million dollars to install integrated photovoltaic (solar panels) at 11 bases," Merrill said. "Every base will get them but we're being smart about it."
NAS Jax is partnered with the local electric company JEA and gas company TECO People's Gas on energy conservation projects.
"It's a great partnership and NAS Jax is a leader in this initiative," said Clark. "This is a great way to install new lighting, HVAC and it's also a benefit to the utility companies."
NAS Jax has initiated a footprint reduction master plan.
"We build new energy-efficient buildings and tear down the old buildings," said Siemer. "We continue to construct new energy-efficient facilities at NAS Jax and consolidate like commands/functions into single facilities."
Thursday, July 22, 2010
“Ocean Guru” Studies Arctic Water Movement
The motion of the ocean. It moves sea ice around like the pieces of an uncompleted puzzle. It brings nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus from the Pacific Ocean into the Arctic where they fuel luxuriant phytoplankton growth. It also moves particles up and down like tiny yo-yo’s on a string. It sometimes flows in circuitous paths determined by wind patterns and the shape of the ocean floor, and at other times, it zips northward, hugging the Alaska coastline. Every place we sample and everything we measure is affected by the nervous energy of the restless ocean.
That’s why it is so important that ICESCAPE have its own ocean guru. Dr. Bob Pickart (Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution) has been studying water movement in the Arctic Ocean for the last decade. He understands its idiosyncrasies better than most and his expertise makes him a particularly valuable asset to the ICESCAPE team. He is always ready with suggestions for alternative sampling strategies when the sea ice isn’t cooperating, which has been most of our expedition. Because of his sage advice, ICESCAPE is capturing an unprecedented picture of the flow of water from the Pacific Ocean, over the Chukchi Shelf, and out into the deep Canada Basin.
How does he do it? His primary tool is the CTD – an instrument that’s lowered into the ocean from a wire and measures Conductivity (a proxy for salinity), Temperature, and Depth continuously as it slowly descends from the surface to the bottom. By dropping the CTD every few miles along a predetermined line, he puts together a two-dimensional picture of the ocean’s salinity and temperature, kind of like the pictures you get from an MRI or CT scan.
He combines this information with data collected by Frank Bahr (Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution) using the HEALY’s Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler, a gizmo that bounces sound off of little particles in the water to get a measure of the water’s speed. The result? A series of strategically placed slices through the Arctic Ocean showing where that water has come from, where it is going, how fast it is moving, and even what it is carrying with it.
Without this information, we would be unable to interpret the patterns we observe in our other measurements – like nutrient levels, phytoplankton abundance, and concentrations of carbon dioxide. As a physical oceanographer once told me, “You got nuthin if you don’t got the physics!”
The Dangers of Friending Strangers: the Robin Sage Experiment
By Petty Officer 2nd Class Elliott Fabrizio
Adding tons of Facebook friends doesn’t necessarily make you popular; it may actually put you and the Defense Department (DoD)’s information security at risk—especially when you have friends you don’t even know.
Provide Security, a cyber security company, illustrated this danger with the Robin Sage Experiment. The experiment created fake Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn profiles under the alias, “Robin Sage.” A photo of a cute girl (borrowed from an adult website) and the job title “Cyber Threat Analyst” completed the fake profiles.
From there, Thomas Ryan, co-founder & managing partner at Provide Security, posing as Robin, sent requests and established social network connections with more than 300 professionals in the National Security Agency, DoD, and Global 500 corporations.
Robin’s new friends revealed information to Ryan that violated military operational security and personal security restrictions.
“The worst compromises of operational security I had were troops discussing their locations and what time helicopters were taking off,” Ryan said during a phone conversation.
People also sought Robin’s professional advice, invited her to dinners, and offered her job opportunities. Not bad in this economy, especially for a person who doesn’t even exist.
“From one person I was profiling, I was able to get all the security questions for their email and bank account,” Ryan said. “These are questions like ‘what was your first car’?”
I don’t even want people I know to have access to my e-mail or bank account, much less anybody on the Internet with audacity to send out a friend request from a fake profile.
From time to time, I have received a random friend request from a person I don’t know, usually accompanied by a profile picture of a pretty girl, but I have this rule of thumb: if I haven’t met you, we aren’t friends yet. Megan Fox is the only exception to this rule.
My suspicions are that the unknown friend request could lead to anything from phishing scams to something as harmless as trying to get me to fill out annoying surveys—either way the answer is ignore.
Out of curiosity, I still like to confirm they are fake requests. You know, on the off chance it actually is a cute girl that found me out of the blue and is totally into me. Having low amounts of friends is my first clue, as is having only one profile picture.
According to Ryan’s report, an inspection of Robin Sage’s profile would have revealed her claimed ten years of cyber security experience would have put her in the career field at age 15.
During the experiment, one person checked the alumni records of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), her claimed educational background, and this effort confirmed that MIT had no record of a Robin Sage.
The danger isn’t social networking itself. The danger is doing it carelessly.
According to DoD’s directive-type memorandum concerning social media and Internet capabilities, it is the responsibility of military leaders on all levels to ensure the safety of DoD and personal information.
All service members are instructed to beware of operational security when using communications such as telephone lines and e-mail; however, service members need to remember that information posted through social media should be regulated the same way, despite the casual feel of many of these sites.
Having a friend you don’t know means virtually anyone could be monitoring your activities and the information in your posts, and if you post as much as some of my friends that means they’d know almost everything about your schedule right down to that “epic cheeseburger” you ate.
Social media is a great tool for networking and communication, if the user is careful about the information he or she is sharing and who has the privileges to view it.
So, for anyone hoping to be my friend in the social media realm, you’ll have to at least buy me dinner first.
Adding tons of Facebook friends doesn’t necessarily make you popular; it may actually put you and the Defense Department (DoD)’s information security at risk—especially when you have friends you don’t even know.
Provide Security, a cyber security company, illustrated this danger with the Robin Sage Experiment. The experiment created fake Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn profiles under the alias, “Robin Sage.” A photo of a cute girl (borrowed from an adult website) and the job title “Cyber Threat Analyst” completed the fake profiles.
From there, Thomas Ryan, co-founder & managing partner at Provide Security, posing as Robin, sent requests and established social network connections with more than 300 professionals in the National Security Agency, DoD, and Global 500 corporations.
Robin’s new friends revealed information to Ryan that violated military operational security and personal security restrictions.
“The worst compromises of operational security I had were troops discussing their locations and what time helicopters were taking off,” Ryan said during a phone conversation.
People also sought Robin’s professional advice, invited her to dinners, and offered her job opportunities. Not bad in this economy, especially for a person who doesn’t even exist.
“From one person I was profiling, I was able to get all the security questions for their email and bank account,” Ryan said. “These are questions like ‘what was your first car’?”
I don’t even want people I know to have access to my e-mail or bank account, much less anybody on the Internet with audacity to send out a friend request from a fake profile.
From time to time, I have received a random friend request from a person I don’t know, usually accompanied by a profile picture of a pretty girl, but I have this rule of thumb: if I haven’t met you, we aren’t friends yet. Megan Fox is the only exception to this rule.
My suspicions are that the unknown friend request could lead to anything from phishing scams to something as harmless as trying to get me to fill out annoying surveys—either way the answer is ignore.
Out of curiosity, I still like to confirm they are fake requests. You know, on the off chance it actually is a cute girl that found me out of the blue and is totally into me. Having low amounts of friends is my first clue, as is having only one profile picture.
According to Ryan’s report, an inspection of Robin Sage’s profile would have revealed her claimed ten years of cyber security experience would have put her in the career field at age 15.
During the experiment, one person checked the alumni records of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), her claimed educational background, and this effort confirmed that MIT had no record of a Robin Sage.
The danger isn’t social networking itself. The danger is doing it carelessly.
According to DoD’s directive-type memorandum concerning social media and Internet capabilities, it is the responsibility of military leaders on all levels to ensure the safety of DoD and personal information.
All service members are instructed to beware of operational security when using communications such as telephone lines and e-mail; however, service members need to remember that information posted through social media should be regulated the same way, despite the casual feel of many of these sites.
Having a friend you don’t know means virtually anyone could be monitoring your activities and the information in your posts, and if you post as much as some of my friends that means they’d know almost everything about your schedule right down to that “epic cheeseburger” you ate.
Social media is a great tool for networking and communication, if the user is careful about the information he or she is sharing and who has the privileges to view it.
So, for anyone hoping to be my friend in the social media realm, you’ll have to at least buy me dinner first.
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Accessibility in the Digital Age
by Tracy Russo
The rapid pace of technological advancement in the digital age has dramatically altered the way we live our lives. For individuals with disabilities, many of our culture’s technological achievements bring the promise of easier access to goods, services and other aspects of life. Electronic course materials at institutions of higher education are a good example. With the rapidly increasing cost of print text books, colleges and universities nationwide are beginning to offer course materials electronically. This trend is likely to continue in the near future, with some experts predicting that traditional, print texts will be replaced by electronic or digital texts within three to five years. But in order for some individuals with disabilities to take full advantage of new technologies, those technologies must be accessible.
That’s why on June 30, Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Thomas E. Perez and Assistant Secretary of Education for Civil Rights Russlyn Ali jointly issued a letter to colleges and universities expressing concern over their use of electronic book readers that are not accessible, and soliciting the assistance of university leadership in ensuring that emerging technologies used in education are fully accessible to individuals with disabilities in the future.
The issuance of the joint letter followed a series of settlement agreements that the Department of Justice entered with colleges and universities using the Kindle DX in the classroom as part of a pilot study with Amazon.com Inc.
Under the settlement agreements, the universities agreed not to purchase, require, or recommend use of the Kindle DX, or any other dedicated electronic book reader, unless or until the device is fully accessible to individuals who are blind or have low vision, or the universities provide reasonable accommodation or modification so that a student can acquire the same information, engage in the same interactions, and enjoy the same services as sighted students with substantially equivalent ease of use.
Electronic texts will no doubt make acquiring course materials easier for many students and teachers, and will likely diminish the cost for cash-strapped students to purchase textbooks. But as educational institutions and instructors move toward more frequent use of electronic materials, we must be sure that they do so in a way that is accessible to all students.
Having accessible electronic text readers could dramatically improve the experience of students with visual impairments. Today, many students with visual impairments must wait for their materials to be converted to an accessible format. Sometimes the resulting materials are inferior to what others receive and often students who are blind do not receive course materials until well after the semester has begun.
By contrast, the dedicated electronic text readers offer instantaneous downloading of electronic texts. As significant, if electronic text reading systems are accessible, students with and without disabilities will be able to use the same devices resulting in an integrated and “mainstreamed” experience. Integration is both a goal and a mandate of the civil rights laws protecting individuals with disabilities, sections 504 and 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, which turns 20 years old on July 26.
The most far-reaching technology in American society, the Internet, has become a gateway to a range of commercial and government activities, goods, and services. Employment recruiting and hiring systems are often web-based. Online learning is yet another societal trend which schools offering programs and classroom instruction through the Internet. It is essential that all of these services are accessible to individuals with disabilities.
Deputy Assistant Attorney General Samuel R. Bagenstos of the Civil Rights Division recently voiced the department’s commitment to ensuring that technologies are fully accessible to individuals with disabilities when he testified before Congress about the Civil Rights Division’s role in implementing and enforcing the ADA, and sections 504 and 508 of the Rehabilitation Act, in the digital age.
He said:
“…access to the Internet and emerging technologies is not simply a technical matter, but a fundamental issue of civil rights. As more and more of our social infrastructure is made available on the Internet – in some cases, exclusively online – access to information and electronic technologies is increasingly becoming the gateway civil rights issue for individuals with disabilities.”
As we prepare to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Justice Department is fully committed to ensuring that all individuals
The rapid pace of technological advancement in the digital age has dramatically altered the way we live our lives. For individuals with disabilities, many of our culture’s technological achievements bring the promise of easier access to goods, services and other aspects of life. Electronic course materials at institutions of higher education are a good example. With the rapidly increasing cost of print text books, colleges and universities nationwide are beginning to offer course materials electronically. This trend is likely to continue in the near future, with some experts predicting that traditional, print texts will be replaced by electronic or digital texts within three to five years. But in order for some individuals with disabilities to take full advantage of new technologies, those technologies must be accessible.
That’s why on June 30, Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Thomas E. Perez and Assistant Secretary of Education for Civil Rights Russlyn Ali jointly issued a letter to colleges and universities expressing concern over their use of electronic book readers that are not accessible, and soliciting the assistance of university leadership in ensuring that emerging technologies used in education are fully accessible to individuals with disabilities in the future.
The issuance of the joint letter followed a series of settlement agreements that the Department of Justice entered with colleges and universities using the Kindle DX in the classroom as part of a pilot study with Amazon.com Inc.
Under the settlement agreements, the universities agreed not to purchase, require, or recommend use of the Kindle DX, or any other dedicated electronic book reader, unless or until the device is fully accessible to individuals who are blind or have low vision, or the universities provide reasonable accommodation or modification so that a student can acquire the same information, engage in the same interactions, and enjoy the same services as sighted students with substantially equivalent ease of use.
Electronic texts will no doubt make acquiring course materials easier for many students and teachers, and will likely diminish the cost for cash-strapped students to purchase textbooks. But as educational institutions and instructors move toward more frequent use of electronic materials, we must be sure that they do so in a way that is accessible to all students.
Having accessible electronic text readers could dramatically improve the experience of students with visual impairments. Today, many students with visual impairments must wait for their materials to be converted to an accessible format. Sometimes the resulting materials are inferior to what others receive and often students who are blind do not receive course materials until well after the semester has begun.
By contrast, the dedicated electronic text readers offer instantaneous downloading of electronic texts. As significant, if electronic text reading systems are accessible, students with and without disabilities will be able to use the same devices resulting in an integrated and “mainstreamed” experience. Integration is both a goal and a mandate of the civil rights laws protecting individuals with disabilities, sections 504 and 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, which turns 20 years old on July 26.
The most far-reaching technology in American society, the Internet, has become a gateway to a range of commercial and government activities, goods, and services. Employment recruiting and hiring systems are often web-based. Online learning is yet another societal trend which schools offering programs and classroom instruction through the Internet. It is essential that all of these services are accessible to individuals with disabilities.
Deputy Assistant Attorney General Samuel R. Bagenstos of the Civil Rights Division recently voiced the department’s commitment to ensuring that technologies are fully accessible to individuals with disabilities when he testified before Congress about the Civil Rights Division’s role in implementing and enforcing the ADA, and sections 504 and 508 of the Rehabilitation Act, in the digital age.
He said:
“…access to the Internet and emerging technologies is not simply a technical matter, but a fundamental issue of civil rights. As more and more of our social infrastructure is made available on the Internet – in some cases, exclusively online – access to information and electronic technologies is increasingly becoming the gateway civil rights issue for individuals with disabilities.”
As we prepare to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Justice Department is fully committed to ensuring that all individuals
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
