Ideas Transcript 1

Transcript

>> GOOD MORNING.
2 I AM OPHELIA FALLS, THE DIRECTOR OF OUTREACH FOR THE
GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION, THE DIRECTOR OF THE
3 USDA TARGET CENTER AND THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE
INNER-AGENCY DISABILITY EDUCATIONAL AWARENESS
4 SHOWCASE, IDEAS.
WOULD YOU PLEASE RISE FOR THE PRESENTATIONS OF THE
5 COLORS AND REMAIN STANDING UNTIL THE COLORS RETREAT.
>> I PLEDGE ALIEGENCE TO THE FLAG, OF THE
6 UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
AND TO THE REPUBLIC REPUBLIC TO WHICH IT STANDS, ONE
7 NATION, UNDER GOD, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
WE WILL NOW HAVE A SOLO.
8 PLEASE JOIN SARITA DAVIS IN GOD BLESS AMERICA.
>> GOOD BLESS AMERICA, LAND THAT I LOVE.
9 STAND BESIDE HER AND GUIDE HER THROUGH THE NIGHT WITH
A LIGHT FROM ABOVE.
10 FROM THE MOUNTAIN TO THE PRAIRIE TO THE OCEAN WHITE
WITH FOAM, GOD BLESS AMERICA MY HOME SWEET HOME.
11 THANK YOU.
>> RIGHT SHOULDER.
12 RIGHT, LEFT...
>> YOU MAY BE SEATED.
13 THANK YOU.
>> GOOD MORNING.
14 MY NAME IS MARTY WAGNER.
I'M THE ADMINISTRATOR FOR GOVERNMENT WIDE POLICY AT
15 GENERAL SERVICE ADMINISTRATION WHICH MEANS I WORRY A
LOT ABOUT HOW THE GOVERNMENT MANAGES ITSELF WHICH
16 INCLUDES A LARGE NUMBER OF DIFFERENT ACTIVITIES
INCLUDING THINGS LIKE ENSURING THAT WE MANAGE AN
17 EFFECTIVE WAY THAT DEALS WITH ISSUES OF DISABILITIES
AS WELL.
18 AND I REALLY HAPPY TO BE ABLE TO WELCOME YOU ON THIS
GEORGIOUS DISTRICT ATTORNEY DAY, ALTHOUGH I'M AFRAID
19 NONE OF US CAN SEE IT BECAUSE WE'RE ABOUT TWO DAYS
DOWN, BUT IT REALLY IS NICE.
20 THAT DOESN'T MEAN YOU SHOULD LEAVE; YOU SHOULD STICK
AROUND BUT STILL APPRECIATE IT'S A NIGHT DAY.
21 I WOULD LIKE TO BEGIN BY THANKING SARITA DAVIS FOR
THAT WONDERFUL RENDITION FOR.
22 IT SHOWS THAT THOSE OF US WORKING FOR THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT HAVE MANY TALENTS OTHER THAN GOVERNMENT.
23 IDEAS IS A 14 YEAR FEDERAL CONFERENCE HIGHLIGHTING
WAYS TO MAKE OUR INFORMATION ENVIRONMENTS ACCESSIBLE
24 TO ALL PEOPLE INCLUDING PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.
WE ARRANGED IT AT GSA, BUT WE DIDN'T ARRANGE IT
25 ALONE.
THE GSA FOLKS WERE PRIMARILY UNDER TERRY WEAVER AND

1 THE CENTER FOR IT ACCOMMODATION.
I'D CERTAINLY LIKE TO THANK TERRY AND OPHELIA FALLS
2 WHO IS ON DETAIL TO US FROM AGRICULTURE BUT WE DO
APPRECIATE HER WORK AS WELL.
3 WE HAVE A CHANGE IN THE PROGRAM.
BECAUSE OF HEARINGS DEALING WITH FEMA ACTIVITIES, WE
4 HAVE A DIFFERENT SPEAKER.
TODAY WE'RE HONORED TO HAVE MS. JENNIFER CHILDS SHE
5 HE.
SHE'S A POLICY ADVISOR ON THE WHITE HOUSE DOMESTIC
6 POLICY COUNCIL.
SHE COORDINATES THE PRESIDENT'S NEW FREEDOM
7 INITIATIVE.
BEFORE THAT SHE WAS A SENIOR POLICY ADVISOR FOR THE
8 PRESIDENTIAL TASK FORCE FOR THE EMPLOYMENT OF ADULTS
WITH DISABILITIES.
9 SHE CAME TO THE TASK FORCE IN THE NATIONAL
ORGANIZATION ON DISABILITY WHERE SHE SERVED AS VICE
10 PRESIDENT AND DIRECTOR OF ITS CEO COUNCIL WORKING TO
INCREASE PRIVATE SECTOR EMPLOYMENT FOR PEOPLE WITH
11 DISABILITIES. PRIOR TO THAT SHE SERVED ON THE
DISABILITY BOARD OF DIRECTORS.
12 PLEASE WELCOME ME IN WELCOMING MS. JENNIFER CHILDS
SHEAHY PLEASE.
13 (APPLAUSE)
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
14 I'M SURE ALL OF YOU WHO LOOKED AT YOUR SCHEDULE SAW
THAT SENATOR JEFFORDS WAS SPEAKING AND THEN SAW ME.
15 WORRIED A LITTLE BIT, BUT I WANT TO ASSURE YOU AND
SENATOR JEFFORDS, HE MADE ONE BIG CHANGE, BUT HE DID
16 NOT MAKE ANOTHER BIG CHANGE.
(LAUGHTER) I WANT TO TELL YOU A LITTLE
17 STORY ABOUT MYSELF AND HOW I GOT INVOLVED IN THIS.
SEVEN YEARS AGO I FELT I WAS ON TOP OF THE WORLD.
18 I HAD JUST STARTED BUSINESS SCHOOL, I WAS DRIVING A
CUTE LITTLE CONVERTIBLE, I PLAYED GOLF EVERY FREE
19 MINUTE THEY HAD AND THE ONLY HANDICAP THEY HAD EVER
HEARD OF OR KNEW ABOUT WAS MY PUTTING STROKE.
20 I WAS INTERNING THAT SUMMER FOR ANHEUSER BUSCH AND
DOING THAT I THOUGHT AT THE TIME EVERY PATRIOTIC
21 AMERICAN SHOULD BE DOING, SELLING AND DRINKING
BUDWEISER BEER.
22 BUT ON THAT 4TH OF JULY, I LOST MY OWN INDEPENDENCE.
AT A NEIGHBORHOOD POOL PARTY, I WAS PUSHED IN
23 BACKWARDS, FELL INTO THE SHALLOW END AND BROKE MY
NECK.
24 I DIDN'T KNOW MY LIFE WAS CHANGED THEN.
I WAS COMPLETELY PARALYZED BUT I STILL WAS RESPONDING
25 LIKE NOTHING HAD HAPPENED.
AS THE AMBULANCE RACED ME TO THE HOSPITAL I REMEMBER

1 ASKING MY BOYFRIEND TO CALL WORK AND TELL THEM I'D BE
LATE THE NEXT DAY AND TO MAKE SURE HE BROUGHT MY
2 MASCARA TO THE HOSPITAL.
I WENT THROUGH 12 HOURS OF TERRIFYING SURGERY DURING
3 WHICH TIME MY WHOLE FAMILY RUSHED IN TO THE HOSPITAL
FROM ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
4 WE WERE TOLD THAT IF THIS PARALYSIS WAS TEMPORARY,
THEN I WOULD START MOVING THINGS IN THREE DAYS.
5 WELL, THOSE WERE THE LONGEST THREE DAYS OF MY LIFE.
MY WHOLE FAMILY KEPT AN ANXIOUS VIGIL WAITING FOR ME
6 AND ASKING EVERY COUPLE OF HOURS IF I COULD FEEL
ANYTHING OR IF I COULD MOVE MY TOES.
7 THREE DAYS LATER, NOTHING.
THE SENSE OF DISABILITY FOR ALL OF US WAS
8 OVERWHELMING.
I KNEW MY LIFE HAD CHANGED.
9 LIFE AS I KNEW IT WAS OVER.
I DIDN'T KNOW IF I WOULD EVER WORK AGAIN OR OF COURSE
10 EVER HAVE FUN AGAIN.
IN MY REHABILITATION THEN I BEGAN THE HARDEST
11 CHALLENGE I WOULD EVER FACE, BUT IN THAT PROCESS I
GREW INTO A BETTER, STRONGER PERSON.
12 I LEARNED AND DEVELOPED GOALS AND TRAITS THAT WOULD
HELP ME AND TAKE ME THROUGH LIFE AND LIFE'S
13 CHALLENGES, GOAL SETTING, PERSEVERANCE,
DETERMINATION, SELF-CONFIDENCE AND ESPECIALLY PROBLEM
14 SOLVING.
WHEN YOU DON'T HAVE ANY HAND FUNCTION AND YOU APPLY
15 MASCARA AS WELL AS I DO, I WASN'T GOING TO LET ANYONE
ELSE DO IT FOR ME! SO YOU SPEND 16 HOURS A DAY
16 RELEARNING THE EASIEST TASKS THAT YOU -- EVERYONE
ELSE TAKES FOR GRANTED.
17 YOU CAN'T DO THAT WITHOUT HONING PROBLEM SOLVING
SKILLS AND BECOMING AN EXPERT PROBLEM SOLVER.
18 I FELT IN THE HOSPITAL THAT I WAS DEVELOPING TRAITS
THAT WOULD MAKE ME A VALUABLE EMPLOYEE FOR ANY
19 COMPANY.
KEEP IN MIND THAT WHEN YOU'RE IN BUSINESS SCHOOL YOU
20 SPEND EVERY WAKING MINUTE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW
YOU'RE GOING TO GET THE BEST JOB AFTER GRADUATION.
21 I COULDN'T WAIT TO GET OUT AND LET THOSE COMPANIES
COMPETE FOR ME.
22 UNFORTUNATELY, WHEN I DID GET OUT I REALIZED THOSE
COMPANIES HAD A DIFFERENT PLAN.
23 I STARTED TO FACE THE DISCRIMINATION THAT PEOPLE WITH
DISABILITIES ARE ALL TOO FAMILIAR WITH.
24 AT ONE BUSINESS MEETING I HAD A WOMAN COME UP TO ME
AFTERWARDS WHEN I THOUGHT I WAS BEING HEARD AND MY
25 MESSAGES WERE GETTING THROUGH, AND SHE HUGGED ME AND
SAID I KNOW WHAT YOU'RE GOING THROUGH, I HAVE ONE OF

1 YOU AT HOME.
ONE OF WHAT?
2 I WAS -- I HAD THIS VISION OF THIS POOR LITTLE GIRL
IN A WHEELCHAIR STUCK IN A CLOSET OR A BASEMENT OR
3 SOMETHING.
I WOULD GO OUT TO STORAGE AND SALES PEOPLE WOULD TALK
4 TO MY FRIENDS AND NOT ME.
I FELT IGNORED, I WAS AVOIDED AND IN THE WORST CASES
5 PEOPLE WOULD JUST PAT ME ON THE HEAD.
WELL THEN AND THERE I DEVELOPED A
6 CONVICTION THAT I HAD NEVER HAD FOR ANYTHING ELSE,
NOT EVEN FOR SELLING BEER.
7 I TURNED MY EFFORTS INTO ADVOCACY TO JOIN THOSE WHO
BEFORE ME HAVE WORKED SO HARD TO FIGHT FOR THE RIGHTS
8 OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES, TO BREAK DOWN
ATTITUDINAL BARRIERS AND GET PEOPLE TO RECOGNIZE OUR
9 CAPABILITIES AND NOT -- AND OVER LOOK OUR
DISABILITIES.
10 I'M REALLY PROUD AND PRIVILEGED NOW TO WORK WITH AN
ADMINISTRATION AND A PRESIDENT WHO FEELS AND SHARES
11 THE SAME GOAL THEY DO.
WITH ONLY A FEW DAYS OF HIS TAKING OFFICE, PRESIDENT
12 BUSH ANNOUNCED HIS NEW FREEDOM INITIATIVE.
I KNOW YOU GUISE ARE FAMILIAR WITH IT, BUT IT'S A
13 COMPREHENSIVE PROGRAM TO INTEGRATE PEOPLE WITH
DISABILITIES INTO THE COMMUNITY AND INTO THE WORK
14 FORCE.
AT THE EVENT HE HELD AN EVENT ON FEBRUARY 1 WITH
15 HUNDREDS OF DISABILITY ADVOCATES AND LEADERS IN
ATTENDANCE.
16 HE HAD HAD HIS AIDES CREATE A PODIUM AT SEATED LEVEL
SO HE COULD PRESENT HIS PROGRAM EYE TO EYE WITH
17 SEVERAL PEOPLE IN THE AUDIENCE.
HE SENT A VERY CLEAR MESSAGE THAT DAY THAT THIS IS
18 NOT POLICY DEVELOPED FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES BUT
POLICY DEVELOPED WITH PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.
19 LET ME TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE EMPLOYMENT
INITIATIVES AND THE NEW FREEDOM INITIATIVE AND YOU
20 CAN GO TO WWW.WHITE HOUSE.GOV IF YOU WANT TO LOOK AT
THE WHOLE THING.
21 AND I RECOMMEND IT.
IT'S WONDERFUL READING.
22 SOME OF THE THINGS THAT THE NEW FREEDOM INITIATIVE
INCORPORATES TO PROMOTE EMPLOYMENT ARE INCREASING
23 ACCESS TO ASSISTIVE AND UNIVERSALLY DESIGNED
TECHNOLOGY, PROMOTING HOMEOWNERSHIP FOR PEOPLE WHO
24 WANT TO GET BACK TO WORK, IMPLEMENTING THE TICKET
WORK INCENTIVE IMPROVEMENT ACT, AGGRESSIVELY
25 ENFORCING THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT AND
EXPANDING TRANSPORTATION OPTIONS FOR PEOPLE.

1 TO INCREASE THE ACCESS TO ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY, THE
PRESIDENT HAS PROPOSED $20 MILLION TO THE
2 REHABILITATION, ENGINEERING, AND RESEARCH CENTERS,
UNIVERSITY-BASED CENTERS THAT ARE DOING THE MOST
3 PROGRESSIVE RESEARCH IN THE COUNTRY ON NEW
TECHNOLOGIES.
4 $3 MILLION TO THE INTERAGENCY COUNCIL ON DISABILITY
RESEARCH TO HELP COORDINATE FEDERAL AGENCY ASSISTIVE
5 TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH AND FOSTER PUBLIC/PRIVATE
PARTNERSHIPS WITH COMPANIES THAT ARE DEVELOPING
6 ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY.
PROMOTING SMALL BUSINESS INNOVATION, $5 MILLION WILL
7 GO TOWARDS HELPING SMALL BUSINESSES WHO OTHERWISE
WOULDN'T HAVE THE FUNDING TO TEST AND MARKET AND
8 DEMONSTRATE PRODUCTS, NEW ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY
PRODUCTS.
9 AND FINALLY MAKING ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY MORE
AFFORDABLE.
10 THE PRESIDENT HAS PROPOSED $40 MILLION IN MICRO LOANS
SO PEOPLE CAN BUY VERY EXPENSIVE EQUIPMENT.
11 I USE A TYPING AID TO HELP ME TYPE ON MY COMPUTER
THAT COST FIVE BUCKS WHEN MY WHEELCHAIR IS $8,000.
12 AND THE COMPUTER EQUIPMENT CAN RANGE TO THE 20 AND 30
THOUSAND DOLLAR PRICE TAG.
13 THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT PROGRAM AND WE LOOK FORWARD
TO SEEING CONGRESS PASS AN APPROPRIATIONS BILL THAT
14 INCLUDES ALL THE FUNDING IN THE NEW FREEDOM
INITIATIVE BUDGET.
15 IMPLEMENTING THE TICKET TO WORK AND WORK INCENTIVES
IMPROVEMENT ACT.
16 THIS IS AN ACT THAT WASED PASSED IN 1998 THAT ALLOWS
PEOPLE WITH DISABILITYS TO GO BACK TO WORK AND KEEP
17 THEIR DISABILITIES.
ALSO ALLOWS PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES MORE CHOICE IN
18 SERVICE PROVIDERS.
SO FOR TRAINING EMPLOYMENT, ALL SORTS OF
19 ORGANIZATIONS AND COMPANIES CAN BECOME TICKET TAKERS.
PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES WILL HAVE A TICKET THAT THEY
20 CAN TAKE TO AN ORGANIZATION TO GET THE TRAINING THAT
THEY NEED FOR EMPLOYMENT EXPANDING TELECOMMUTING
21 OPTIONS.
$20 MILLION WILL GO TO THE ACCESS TO TELEWORK FUND SO
22 THAT PEOPLE CAN PURCHASE COMPUTER EQUIPMENT THAT WILL
ALLOW THEM TO WORK FROM HOME IN THEIR OWN BUSINESSES
23 OR WITH COMPANIES THAT ALLOW THE TELECOMMUTING.
AND ANOTHER INCENTIVE FOR TELECOMMUTERS, THE
24 PRESIDENT HAS PROPOSED TO MAKE TELECOMMUTING THE
PURCHASE AND DONATION OF EQUIPMENT TO EMPLOYEES BY
25 COMPANIES A TAX-FREE BENEFIT.
FACILITATING ADA COMPLIANCE.

1 THE PRESIDENT HAS ENSURED FULL ENFORCEMENT OF THE
AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT BY THE DEPARTMENT OF
2 J. HE HAS ALSO PROPOSED $5 MILLION TO THE SMALL
BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION TO HELP TRAIN AND PROMOTE
3 EMPLOYMENT FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES AMONG SMALL
BUSINESSES WHO AS WE KNOW WILL OFFER THE MOST JOBS
4 AND THE BEST OPPORTUNITY FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES
AND FOR EVERYBODY IN THE FUTURE.
5 AND THEN PROMOTION OF THE DISABLED ACCESS CREDIT,
THIS IS A CREDIT, A TAX INCENTIVE FOR PEOPLE -- FOR
6 SMALL BUSINESS SAIDS TO PURCHASE THE TECHNOLOGY AND
ACCOMMODATIONS THAT PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES NEED.
7 THIS IS NOT DISCOUNTING EMPLOYEES.
WE ARE PROMOTING PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES AND THEIR
8 STRENGTHS BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT PEOPLE WITH
DISABILITIES CAN DO THE JOB.
9 IF IT TAKES A LITTLE BIT OF EXTRA MONEY JUST TO ALLOW
THAT PERSON TO DO THE JOB IN THE MOST PRODUCTIVE
10 MANNER, THEN THE GOVERNMENT IS THERE TO HELP SMALL
BUSINESSES MAKE THAT INVESTMENT.
11 AND THEN SUPPORTING INNOVATIVE TRANSPORTATION
OPTIONS.
12 THE PRESIDENT HAS PROPOSED IN THE DEPARTMENT OF
TRANSPORTATION BILL $145 MILLION IN GRANTS AND PILOT
13 PROGRAMS TO COME UP WITH INNOVATIVE TRANSPORTATION
OPTIONS.
14 WE ALL KNOW THAT TRANSPORTATION CAN BE A HORRIBLE
BARRIER TO WORK, TO INTEGRATION INTO THE COMMUNITY.
15 NOW, I WANT TO TELL YOU AGAIN, CONGRESS IS LOOKING AT
THE BILLS RIGHT NOW, AND WE HAVE SENT OUT EDUCATIONAL
16 TALKING POINTS ON THESE BUDGET ITEMS AND THERE ARE
OTHER BUDGET ITEMS IN THE NEW FREEDOM INITIATIVE THAT
17 I HAVEN'T TOLD YOU ABOUT.
IF YOU WANT TO GIVE BETHANY, MY LOVELY ASSISTANT IN
18 THE BACK THERE A BUSINESS CARD, I WILL MAKE SURE THAT
YOU ARE ON OUR DISTRIBUTION LIST AND YOU WILL GET
19 INFORMATION FROM THE WHITE HOUSE ON THE FREEWAY
INITIATIVE, AND THROUGHOUT THE YEAR ALL ABOUT THE
20 DIFFERENT THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING TO BENEFIT PEOPLE
WITH DISABILITIES.
21 YOU ALSO MAY KNOW THAT THE PRESIDENT CAME
OUT VERY STRONGLY BEHIND SECTION 508 IMPLEMENTATION
22 LAST SUMMER.
WE ARE STILL LOOKING AT SECTION 508 NOW AND WAYS TO
23 STRENGTHEN THAT.
BECAUSE THIS IS THE KEY FOR THE GOVERNMENT NOT ONLY
24 TO INCREASE ACCESS TO EMPLOYMENT FOR PEOPLE WITH
DISABILITIES BUT TO BE MORE RESPONSIVE TO CUSTOMERS
25 WITH DISABILITIES.
NOW, I WANT TO TELL YOU AGAIN JUST ANOTHER LITTLE

1 STORY THAT REALLY MADE ME BELIEVE VERY STRONGLY THAT
THE PRESIDENT IS WITH US AND SUPPORTS SO MUCH THE
2 EMPLOYMENT AND THE INTEGRATION OF PEOPLE WITH
DISABILITIES.
3 TWO WEEKS AGO IN THE AFTERMATH OF THE SEPTEMBER 11
EVENTS, I WAS HONORED TO STAND BEHIND THE PRESIDENT
4 WITH THE REST OF THE WHITE HOUSE STAFF WHEN THE
PRESIDENT HELD A MOMENT OF SILENCE ON THE SOUTH LAWN.
5 AFTERWARDS AS HE WAS GOING THROUGH AND ACKNOWLEDGING
HIS STAFF, HE CAME OVER TO ME AND HE GAVE ME A PAT,
6 BUT ON THE BACK AS A COLLEAGUE, NOT ON THE HEAD.
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
7 I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU ON THE NEW FREEDOM
INITIATIVE PHASE 2 AND PLEASE KEEP IN TOUCH WITH ME
8 AND HAVE A GREAT CONFERENCE.
(APPLAUSE)
9 .
.
10 >> THANK YOU, JENNIFER.
WE HAVE A SMALL TOKEN OF OUR ESTEEM.
11 >> YIPPEE! THANK YOU.
>> IT'S PROOF THAT SHE SPOKE HERE ASK THEE
12 DID A WONDERFUL JOB.
I HAD NOT BEEN AS FAMILIAR WITH THE PROGRAM AS I
13 SHOULD HAVE BEEN.
I WAS QUITE IMPRESSED BY ALL THE THINGS GOING ON
14 AROUND THE VERGE GOING O. I GATHER SOME OF THE THINGS
ARE IN THE HANDS OF THE CONGRESS SO WE HAVE SOME
15 THINGS TO STILL WORK OUT.
BUT ANYWAY, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
16 OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS BONNIE SAINT JOHN, A WOMAN WHO
HAS ALWAYS THRIVED IN SITUATIONS WHERE THE PATH AHEAD
17 IS NOT CLEARLY MARKED AND THE COMPETITION IS INTENSE.
SHE'S FROM A FAMILY OF MODEST MEANS BUT BECAME AN
18 AMPUTEE AT AGE 5 AND AGAINST TREMENDOUS ODDS, SHE
BECAME A Silver MEDDLE WINNER IN DOWNHILL SKIING IN
19 THE 1984 PARAOLYMPICS IN INSBRUK, AUSTRIA. SHE HAS
AN HONORS DEGREE FROM HARVARD, A ROADS SCHOLARSHIP,
20 [] A POSITION ON THE WHITE HOUSE ECONOMIC COUNCIL,
AND A REMARKABLE SUCCESS AS AN OWNER OF HER OWNS
21 BUSINESS.
NBC NIGHTLY NEWS SELECTED BONE AS ONE OF THE FIVE
22 MOST INSPIRING WOMEN IN AMERICA.
BONNIE?
23 (APPLAUSE)
BY SKWRAO:
24 Q. ?
>>I HAVE A TIGHT SKIRT.
25 THAT'S MY DISABILITY TODAY.
(LAUGHTER) PEOPLE WONDER HOW DID AN

1 AFRICAN AMERICAN GIRL WITH ONE LEG FROM SAN DIEGO
WHERE THERE ISN'T EVEN ANY SNOW DECIDE TO GO TO THE
2 OLYMPICS AND WIN MEDALS IN SKIING?
HAVING DONE SOMETHING THAT IS SO FAR OUTSIDE THE BOX
3 OF WHAT PEOPLE EXPECT, YOU MIGHT THINK I WOULD JUST
BUY A BUSHEL OF LAURELS AND SIT ON THEM.
4 WHY GO ON TO WALL STREET, TO THE WHITE HOUSE, OR TO
DO SOMETHING REALLY DIFFICULT LIKE START A FAMILY?
5 WHY DO WE KEEP CHALLENGING OURSELVES AND GROWING AND
STRETCHING OURSELVES?
6 I WAS RAISED ON VISION.
VISION IS THE ABILITY TO SEE SOMETHING THAT ISN'T
7 THERE AND GO AFTER IT.
AND I DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOU, BUT ANYBODY WHO GREW UP
8 IN A HOUSEHOLD WITHOUT A LOT OF MONEY, THAT'S THE WAY
YOU HAD TO LIVE, WAS TO SEE THINGS THAT WEREN'T THERE
9 AND GO AFTER THEM.
AND THAT WAS THE LEGACY I WAS RAISED WITH.
10 IN THE LAST FEW WEEKS I'VE HAD MANY CONVERSATIONS
WITH PEOPLE ABOUT SECTION 508, AND I'VE BEEN
11 ASTOUNDED BY THE BREATHTAKING VISION THAT IS THERE,
THE POSSIBILITY OF CREATING A MARKETPLACE, A FREE
12 MARKETPLACE WITH PRODUCTS AND SERVICES AND TOOLS THAT
REALLY INCLUDE EVERYONE.
13 PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES, PEOPLE THAT SPEAK DIFFERENT
LANGUAGES, PEOPLE THAT WANT TO USE THE INTERNET WHILE
14 THEY'RE DRIVING.
(LAUGHTER) THE POSSIBILITIES ARE
15 BREATHTAKING.
OF WHAT SECTION 508 WILL DO IN OUR MARKETPLACE.
16 YOU KNOW, WE ALL GET A LITTLE BIT EMOTIONAL WHEN WE
THINK ABOUT SEPTEMBER 11 AND WHAT'S BEEN HAPPENING
17 SINCE THEN.
AND I WAS THINKING ABOUT THAT AND I WAS THINKING
18 ABOUT SECTION 508, AND I THOUGHT, YOU KNOW, THIS IS
VERY IMPORTANT BECAUSE WHAT WE'RE DOING IS WE'RE
19 DOING SOMETHING UNIQUELY AMERICAN! OTHER COUNTRIES
DON'T DO THIS.
20 THIS IS ABOUT CAPITALISM.
THIS IS ABOUT BUYING IN A WAY THAT CHANGES THE WORLD.
21 IT'S NOT ABOUT SAYING WE'RE GOING TO GO AND MANDATE
BUILDING THESE PRODUCTS AND WE'RE GOING TO BUILD THEM
22 TO GOVERNMENT SPEC AND -- NO.
WE'RE JUST SAYING WE'RE GOING TO USE OUR BUYING POWER
23 TO STIMULATE THE GENIUS AND THE CREATIVITY OF
AMERICANS AND AMERICAN COMPANIES AND LET THEM TAKE
24 THE BANNER AND RUN WITH IT.
IT'S SO AMERICAN! IT'S THE WAY WE DO IT! AND IT'S
25 ABOUT INCLUSION.
IT'S ABOUT SAYING EVERYBODY MATTERS.

1 EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US MATTER AND WE'RE GOING TO
BUY, WE'RE GOING TO SPEND OUR MONEY IN A WAY THAT
2 SAYS WE MATTER.
I LOVE AMERICA! I REALLY DO, BECAUSE WE'RE THE ONLY
3 ONES WHO COULD FACT TACKLE A PROBLEM LIKE THIS THIS
WAY.
4 IT IS SO CREATIVE, IT IS SO CAPITALIST AND YET IT'S
RELYING ON THE GOVERNMENT AND IT'S INCLUDING
5 EVERYONE.
I DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT SECTION 508 BEFORE A FEW WEEKS
6 AGO.
AND I'M ASTOUNDED BY THE BREATHTAKING VISION OF
7 WHAT'S POSSIBLE.
I THINK 10 YEARS FROM NOW PEOPLE WILL LOOK BACK ON
8 THIS THE WAY THEY DO THE SPACE RESEARCH THAT CREATED
SO MANY PRODUCTS IN THE AMERICAN ECONOMY: TEFLON --
9 AND I DON'T KNOW ALL THE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT CAME
OUT OF THE SPACE PROGRAM, BUT SO MANY THINGS THAT
10 CREATED NEW INDUSTRIES AND JOBS AND EXPANDED
POSSIBILITIES.
11 AND I THINK SECTION 508 IS ONE OF THOSE OPPORTUNITIES
THAT THE GOVERNMENT IS SHOWING THE FORESIGHT TO TAKE.
12 AT THE SAME TIME WHILE I REALIZE IT'S SUCH A
BREATHTAKING VISION, I ALSO RECOGNIZE THAT THERE'S A
13 PRICE TO BE PAID.
AND THAT YOU ALL SITTING HERE ARE THE PEOPLE WHO PAY
14 THE PRICE.
SOME OF YOU WILL HAVE TO WORK LONGER HOURS TO MAKE
15 THINGS WORK, SOME OF YOU WILL HAVE TO LEARN NEW
SKILLS, SOME OF YOU WILL HAVE TO JUGGLE BUDGETS THAT
16 WILL BECOME MUCH TIGHTER BECAUSE OF THE BUYING
DECISIONS YOU HAVE TO MAKE.
17 SO I SALUTE YOU TODAY AS THE HEROES OF 508.
YOU ARE THE ONES WHO WILL MAKE THIS VISION A REALITY.
18 LATER ON IT MAY BE THAT IT'S EASY THAT THE PRICES
HAVE COME DOWN, THE MARKETPLACE IS FUNCTIONING, BUT
19 RIGHT NOW IT'S NOT ALWAYS GOING TO BE EASY.
TO DO.
20 I SALUTE YOU AS THE HEROES OF FIVE 08.
NOW I KNOW THAT NOT ALL HEROES ARE NECESSARILY GUNG
21 HOE.
A LOT OF HEROES ARE RELUCTANT.
22 IN FACT, WHEN YOU READ JOSEPH CAMPBELL ON HEROES ON
THE CLASSIC EVOLUTION OF A HERO, THE CLASSIC PATTERN
23 IS THAT THERE'S A CALL TO ACTION AND THE HERO SAYS
NO, UH-UH, I'M NOT GOING, I DON'T WANT TO DO THAT,
24 THAT'S TOO HARD.
AND THEN THE SITUATION CHANGES AND THERE'S ANOTHER
25 CALL TO ACTION.
AND THE HERO SAYS I DON'T KNOW -- NO.

1 AND USUALLY IN MANY OF OUR FAVORITE STORIES THE HERO
IS EVENTUALLY FORCED INTO THE FRAY AND MUST GRAPPLE
2 WITH THE DIFFICULTIES.
STAR WARS AS AN EXAMPLE, FINALLY WHEN LUKE
3 SKYWALKER'S ENTIRE FAMILY IS WIPED OUT IS WHEN HE
FINALLY HAS TO GO AND BE A HERO.
4 SO SOME OF YOU MAY FEEL 508 -- WHEN DID 508 START, IN
'98?
5 NO, 508 STARTED A WHILE BACK AND -- '96.
OR '86, WOW! SO THERE'S BEEN A CALL TO ACTION,
6 THERE'S BEEN ANOTHER CALL TO ACTION AND FINALLY WE'RE
IN A POSITION TO WHERE WE MUST GO, WE HAVE NO CHOICE.
7 WE ARE ALL GOING INTO BATTLE WITH 508.
AND WE'RE ALL GOING IN TOGETHER.
8 SO SOME OF US MAY BE RELUCTANT HEROES AND SOME OF US
MAY BE GUNG HO, BUT TOGETHER WE ARE THE ONES WHO ARE
9 GOING TO MAKE THE DIFFERENCE AND CREATE THIS
BREATHTAKING VISION.
10 THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR WHAT YOU'RE DOING TO CHANGE OUR
WORLD.
11 THANK YOU FOR MAKING AMERICA BETTER AND STRONGER AND
WE AS A WORK FORCE WILL BE MORE COMPETITIVE, OUR
12 PRODUCTS WILL HAVE UNIQUE ADVANTAGES BECAUSE OF THE
CHALLENGES YOU TAKE ON TODAY.
13 PEOPLE LOOK AT ME NOW AND I HAVE OLYMPIC MEDALS AND I
CAN WALK ONSTAGE ALMOST WITHOUT TRIPPING AND THEY
14 THINK, YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T LOOK HANDICAPPED.
BUT I DIDN'T ALWAYS START OUT LIFE THIS WAY.
15 I WAS BORN WITH A BIRTH DEFECT, THE GROWTH WAS
STUNTED IN MY RIGHT LEG, AND I WORE A HEAVY BRACE
16 THEY DRAGGED AROUND.
I COULDN'T RUN AND PLAY WITH OTHER KIDS AND FINALLY
17 WHEN I WAS FIVE YEARS OLD, THE DOCTOR SAID HER LEG
JUST ISN'T GOING TO GROW AND TOLD MY PARENTS THAT
18 THEY REALLY NEEDED TOASMITATE MY FOOT SO I COULD WEAR
A PROSTHESIS.
19 I WAS ROLLED DOWN THE HALLWAY INTO THE OPERATING
ROOM.
20 I CAN STILL REMEMBER BEING PLACED ON THIS ICE COLD
OPERATING TABLE AND JUMPING, I REMEMBER THINKING I'LL
21 NEVER GO TO SLEEP NOW.
AND IT'S AS IF IN A BLINK OF AN EYE THE WHOLE THING
22 IS OVER.
AND I REMEMBER WAKING UP IN THE RECOVERY ROOM AND
23 REACHING DOWN AND JUST FEELING A STUMP WHERE MY LEG
USED TO BE.
24 I OFTEN SPEAK AT SCHOOLS AND LITTLE KIDS ALWAYS ASK
DID IT HURT?
25 DID IT HURT WHEN THEY CUT OFF YOUR LEG?
AND I THINK THEY'RE IMAGINING A BIG SAW.

1 OF COURSE YOU DON'T FEEL A THING BECAUSE YOU'RE
ANESTHETIZED.
2 IT'S ONLY AFTERWARDS IN THE HEALING THAT YOU FEEL
PAIN.
3 THERE WAS A THERAPY I REMEMBER WHERE THEY PILED
TELEPHONE BOOKS IN A PILE AND PUT A BATHROOM SCALE ON
4 THE TOP.
I HAD TO PUSH WITH THE END OF MY STUMP TO TOUGHEN UP
5 THE NERVE ENDINGS IN MY LEG SO THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO
WEAR A PROSTHESIS.
6 THERE WAS A NURSE WHO SAT BESIDE ME DAY AFTER DAY
READING THE SCALE AND SHE WOULD SAY BONNIE, FIVE
7 POUNDS ISN'T ENOUGH; YOU HAVE TO PUSH HARDER.
YOU HAVE TO PUSH HARDER! AND SHE WOULD BADGER ME
8 UNTIL THE TEARS RAN DOWN MY FACE.
I HATED HER! BUT YOU KNOW, LOOKING BACK NOW, I
9 REALIZED SHE LOVED ME.
SHE DIDN'T EVEN KNOW MY NAME.
10 I DON'T EVEN REMEMBER HER NAME.
BUT SHE LOVED ME ENOUGH TO PUSH ME THROUGH THAT PAIN
11 AND DIFFICULTY BECAUSE SHE COULD SEE THE VISION OF
WHERE I COULD GO.
12 SHE DIDN'T WANT ME TO HOBBLE THROUGH LIFE! SHE
DIDN'T WANT ME TO JUST TAKE A DESK JOB BECAUSE I WAS
13 AFRAID TO DO ANYTHING ELSE.
SHE WANTED ME TO HAVE IT ALL.
14 SHE WANTED ME TO DANCE AT MY WEDDING, TO CARRY MY
BABY DAUGHTER UP THE STAIRS, TO BECOME AN OLYMPIC SKI
15 CHAMPION.
SO SHE PUSHED ME THROUGH THE DIFFICULTIES AND THE
16 CHALLENGES SO THAT I COULD HAVE IT ALL.
NOT ONLY DID SHE TEACH ME HOW TO WALK, BUT SHE TAUGHT
17 ME SUCH AN IMPORTANT LIFE LESSON.
JENNIFER SAID EARLIER ABOUT HAVING TO STRUGGLE TO
18 LEARN SOMETHING THAT EVERYONE ELSE TAKES FOR GRANTED.
I HAD TO STRUGGLE AND FIGHT TO LEARN HOW TO WALK WHEN
19 ALL THE OTHER FIVE YEAR-OLDS JUST TOOK IT FOR
GRANTED.
20 I LEARNED THE IMPORTANCE OF REALIZING LIFE
ISN'T FAIR.
21 SOMETIMES WE JUST HAVE TO WORK HARD TO HAVE SOMETHING
EVERYONE ELSE HAS.
22 GROWING UP I HAD SO MANY THINGS IN MY ENVIRONMENT
THAT IDENTIFIED ME AS THE HANDICAPPED KID.
23 EVEN THOUGH I COULD WALK, I COULDN'T BE ON SPORTS
TEAMS WITH THE OTHER KIDS IN HIGH SCHOOL.
24 I READ BOOKS ON THE PLAYGROUND WHEN OTHER KIDS WERE
JUMPING ROPE AND PLAYING HOP SCOTCH.
25 THERE WAS A SPECIAL BUS THAT PICKED ME UP AT MY DOOR
AND TOOK ME TO SCHOOL AND BACK, SO I COULDN'T PLAY

1 WITH OTHER KIDS AFTER SCHOOL.
SO LITTLE THINGS THAT YOU TAKE FOR GRANTED WERE
2 DIFFERENT FOR ME.
I REMEMBER THE EXPRESSION, I DON'T KNOW IF ANY OF YOU
3 HAVE HEARD THIS EXPRESSION BEFORE, HE'LL GO FOR
ANYTHING ON TWO LEGS?
4 I REMEMBER HEARING THAT AND THINKING, GREAT, I'LL
NEVER EVEN GET A DATE!
5 (LAUGHTER).
SO MANY LITTLE THINGS IN MY ENVIRONMENT
6 THAT WERE SIGNALS TELLING ME YOU'RE NOT AS GOOD AS.
YOU DON'T EVEN MAKE THE BOTTOM OF THE BARREL.
7 I WENT ON EXCHANGE.
I APPLIED FOR AN EXCHANGE PROGRAM WHEN I WAS 15 YEARS
8 OLD, YOU KNOW THE FOREIGN STUDENTS THAT GO BACK AND
FORTH?
9 WELL AT 15 I WASN'T OLD ENOUGH TO GO OVERSEAS.
SO THEY SAID WE'LL PUT YOU ON EXCHANGE FROM SAN DIEGO
10 TO CHICAGO.
SO I WENT TO DOWNERS GROVE, ILLINOIS ON EXCHANGE.
11 AND I HAD PUT ON THE APPLICATION THAT I NEEDED NO
SPECIAL ACOMMENDATION FOR DISABILITY.
12 AND WHEN I GOT THERE THE PARENTS IN THE HOUSE SAID
WELL ALL OUR KIDS HAVE ALWAYS WALKED TO SCHOOL.
13 SO I SAID OKAY, I'LL WALK TO SCHOOL.
AND I FELT SO STRONGLY THAT I HAD SAID I AM NOT
14 HANDICAPPED, I'M GOING ON EXCHANGE AND I'M NOT
HANDICAPPED, THAT I FELT I HAD TO DO WHATEVER WOULD
15 BE EXPECTED OF EVERYONE ELSE.
AND I WALKED TO SCHOOL EVERY DAY; I WALKED THERE AND
16 BACK.
WELL, AFTER A WHILE, MY STUMP INSIDE MY PROSTHESIS
17 WAS SWOLLEN, I HAD A RASH, THE SKIN WAS STARTING TO
CHAFE BUT I WOULDN'T TELL ANYONE.
18 I WENT HOME AT NIGHT AND PUT LOTION ON IT AND TRIED
TO MAKE IT BETTER AND IN THE MORNING I WOULD WRAP IT
19 WITH MASKING TAP TO STOP THE CHAFING AND WALK AGAIN
TO SCHOOL AND BACK.
20 OVER AND OVER.
AND I KNOW THAT EXPERIENCE IS REPEATED SO MANY TIMES
21 IN THE WORKPLACE.
PEOPLE GO AND APPLY FOR A JOB AND SAY I'M NOT
22 DISABLED.
AND THEN THEY HAVE TO HIDE WHATEVER THEIR
23 DIFFICULTIES MAY BE AND THEY STRUGGLE AND THEY WANT
TO WORK, THEY WANT TO CONTRIBUTE, BUT THEY HIDE
24 WHATEVER THEIR DISABILITIES ARE AND THEY REFUSE TO
ASK FOR HELP.
25 I MEAN, YOU MAY THINK ABOUT ME AS A 15 YEAR-OLD GIRL
WALKING TO SCHOOL AND THINK HOW RIDICULOUS, IF ONLY

1 SHE HAD ASKED FOR HELP! AND THEY WOULD HAVE.
I KNOW THAT TOO NOW.
2 BUT I WAS AFRAID TO ASK FOR HELP.
I FELT I HAD MADE A COMMITMENT THAT I DIDN'T NEED
3 HELP AND I HAD TO ASSISTANT BY THAT.
SO MANY PEOPLE IN THE WORKPLACE ARE CLOSET DISABLED
4 PEOPLE.
I THINK IT'S EASIER TO COME OUT AND BE GAY NOW THAN
5 IT IS TO COME OUT AND BE DISABLED.
PEOPLE ARE AFRAID TO ASK FOR SECTION 504 ASSISTANCE.
6 AND PART OF THE BREATHTAKING VISION OF 508 IS THAT
PEOPLE DON'T HAVE TO BE LABELED, PEOPLE DON'T HAVE TO
7 IDENTIFY AND PUT THEMSELVES OUT THERE AND BE AFRAID
OF WHAT IT'S GOING TO DO FOR THEIR CAREER WHEN THE
8 TECHNOLOGY IS PREVALENT AND AVAILABLE.
PEOPLE DON'T HAVE TO BE EXTREMELY DISABLED TO GET
9 HELP.
YOU MIGHT JUST UKNOW, THINK, WOW, BIGGER PRINT MIGHT
10 BE NICE ON MY COMPUTER AND BE ABLE TO HAVE ACCESS TO
THAT BECAUSE EVERYBODY DOES.
11 I THINK THE BIGGEST IMPACT OF 508 IS GOING TO BE TO
LIBERATE THE MILLIONS OF PEOPLE IN THE WORK FORCE WHO
12 ARE ALREADY THERE AND DISABLED AND STRUGGLING.
SOME PEOPLE THINK, WELL, WHY SHOULD WE DO ALL THIS
13 WORK WITH 508?
I DON'T SEE ALL THE DISABLED PEOPLE HERE.
14 I DON'T SEE ENOUGH PEOPLE TO JUSTIFY THIS.
MANY OF THEM ARE HIDDEN AND MANY OF THEM ARE UNABLE
15 TO COME.
IF WE BUILD THE HIGHWAY THEN THE CARS WILL COME.
16 IN AMERICA WHEN THEY PLANNED THE HIGHWAY SYSTEM, THEY
DIDN'T SAY, WELL, LOOK, THERE'S NO CARS HERE NOW, WHY
17 SHOULD WE BUILD A HIGHWAY?
WHEN YOU BUILD THE HIGHWAY OF ACCESSIBLE TECHNOLOGY,
18 TELL ALLOW ALL THE DRIVERS TO COME ON LINE, TO COME
ON THE ROAD AND CONTRIBUTE.
19 AS WE GROW OLDER, AS ALL OF US IN THIS ROOM GROW
OLDER, MORE AND MORE OF US ARE GOING TO HAVE
20 DIFFICULTY seeing, DIFFICULTY HEARING, DIFFICULTY
WITH MOBILITY WITH DEXTERITY,.
21 AND SO THE ROAD YOU'RE BUILDING MAY BE FOR YOU.
YOU MAY BE THE HEROES ON THE FOREFRONT, THE MARINES,
22 THE FIRST ONES IN FOR 508, BUT YOU ALSO MAY BE THE
FIRST PEOPLE TO BENEFIT WHEN THINGS REALLY ARE GOING,
23 WHEN THE MARKETPLACE IS REALLY WORKING.
A LOT OF THE OLDER GENERATION NOW DOESN'T NECESSARILY
24 WANT TO BE ON THE WEB.
PEOPLE WHO ARE AD NOW DON'T NECESSARILY WANT TO DO
25 COMPUTERS.
SOME OF THEM DO, SOME OF THEM DON'T.

1 BUT YOU WILL! AND YOUR KIDS WILL.
YOU'RE NOT GOING TO WANT TO BE SHUT OUT.
2 ONCE YOU'VE BEEN IN, ONCE YOU'VE BEEN ON LINE.
SO THE BIGGEST DIFFERENCE YOU WILL MAKE MAY BE FOR
3 YOURSELVES AS YOU BECOME PART OF THE PEOPLE WHO NEED
IT THE MOST.
4 WHEN I WENT TO WORK AT THE WHITE HOUSE, I WAS SO
EXCITED TO BE CONTRIBUTING TO AMERICA, AND I WAS
5 COMING FROM IBM WHERE I HAD WORKED FACILITATING
GROUPS AND RUNNING SEMINARS AND TEAMWORK AND JUST
6 QUALITY IMPROVEMENT, DONE SOME REALLY GREAT THINGS,
AND I THOUGHT I CAN BRING THIS TO THE GOVERNMENT AND
7 REALLY MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
I WAS ON THE NATIONAL ECONOMIC COUNCIL FACILITATING
8 INTERAGENCY TASK FORCES IN THE AREA OF LABOR AND
TRAINING INITIATIVES.
9 AND I WAS SO EXCITED TO BE BRINGING MY AND I WILLS
AND TALENTS AND SERVING THE NATION.
10 AND I ARRIVEDA THE ONE OF THE NEW POLITICAL
APPOINTEES AND VERY QUICKLY REALIZED I KNEW NOTHING.
11 AND MANY PEOPLE FROM MANY AGENCIES WERE KIND ENOUGH
TO TAKE ME UNDER THEIR WING AND TEACH ME AND SHOW ME.
12 I WORKED ON THE WORK FORCE POLICY TASK FORCE.
AND I CAME IN THINKING EVERYTHING I HAD LEARNED ABOUT
13 LEADERSHIP I WAS GOING TO USE.
I HAD LEARNED THAT LEADERSHIP WAS ABOUT VISION,
14 REALLY GOOD LEADERS HAD A VISION THAT THEY SHARED AND
THEY HAD COMMUNICATION WITH PEOPLE ABOUT IT.
15 SO I CAME IN.
ONE OF THE FIRST PROJECTS I WAS ASKED TO WORK ON WAS
16 THE RETRAINING PROGRAM FOR NAFTA.
SO WE HAD EVERYONE COME IN AND THE LABOR DEPARTMENT
17 GAVE A VISION OF WHAT THAT SHOULD LOOK LIKE AND WE
HAD THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE AND TRADE AND SOME
18 OTHER AGENCIES THAT WERE AFFECTED BY RETRAINING
PROGRAMS AND I HAD EVERYBODY GIVE INPUT AND I HAD A
19 DEADLINE AND THEY WERE GOING TO WRITE POSITION PAPERS
AND I WAS AN INTERACTIVE LEADER WITH A VISION.
20 I THOUGHT I WAS HOT.
I WAS SURPRISED WHEN EVERYTHING DIDN'T NECESSARILY
21 WORK.
AND I FOUND THAT THERE WERE A VARIETY OF THINGS GOING
22 ON.
THERE WERE PEOPLE WHO DIDN'T HAVE THE SKILLS.
23 THEY MIGHT HAVE BEEN PUT IN THE JOB OR ASSIGNED TO
THE TASK BY SOMEBODY BUT DIDN'T NECESSARILY HAVE THE
24 SKILLS FOR WHAT I WAS ASKING THEM TO DO.
I FOUND THAT THERE WERE PEOPLE WHO DIDN'T WANT TO DO
25 IT.
THERE WERE PEOPLE WHO DIDN'T -- IF THERE WAS SOMEBODY

1 WHO DIDN'T LIKE HIS BOSS AND WANTED HIS BOSS TO LOOK
BAD SO HE WASN'T GOING TO DO IT.
2 SO THERE WERE ALL KINDS OF THINGS GOING O. AND WHAT I
FAILED TO REALIZE WAS THAT EVEN THOUGH IT WAS MY
3 DIVISION AND THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR'S DIVISION, IT
WOULDN'T NECESSARILY BE THEIR VISION.
4 AND I DIDN'T STOP TO THINK HOW THAT COULD WORK
BETTER.
5 THERE WAS A TEAM I WORKED ON LATER THAT WAS CHARGED
WITH CREATING A SHARED VISION AMONG DIFFERENT
6 SEGMENTS OF THE ADMINISTRATION ON THE FUTURE OF THE
WORK FORCE.
7 AND AS WE RECRUITED THOSE PEOPLE TO BE ON THE TEAM,
WE CHECKED IN WITH THEIR VISION AND WHERE THEY WERE
8 COMING FROM AND WHAT THEY WANTED TO ACHIEVE AND
BROUGHT THAT IN AND REALLY WORKED TOGETHER OVER A
9 PERIOD OF EIGHT MONTHS TO HONE A SHARED VISION.
THAT GROUP WAS SO MUCH MORE EFFECTIVE.
10 AT THE END AT MY GOING AWAY PARTY FROM THE
ADMINISTRATION THEY GAVE ME A PEWTER MUG THAT SAID IT
11 WASN'T JUST THE DONUTS.
(LAUGHTER).
12 BECAUSE SEE WE HAD TO MEET EARLY IN THE
MORNING SO MANY TIMES AND I ALWAYS BROUGHT THE DONUTS
13 AND COFFEE AND THEY SAID, YOU KNOW, IT WASN'T JUST
THE DONUTS THAT THEY CAME FOR.
14 IT WAS THAT THEIR VISION WAS RESPECTED, THEIR POINT
OF VIEW WAS APPRECIATED AND INCORPORATED, AND IT WAS
15 AN ENJOYABLE TEAM TO WORK ON.
SO I CHALLENGE YOU TODAY TO THINK ABOUT YOUR VISION,
16 YOUR ROLE IN 508.
AND IS THERE SOMETHING THAT YOU CAN GET EXCITED AND
17 PASSIONATE ABOUT?
SURE, THERE ARE THINGS TO GET IRRITATED ABOUT, THERE
18 ARE THINGS TO GET FRUSTRATED ABOUT, THERE ARE THINGS
THAT YOU THINK YOU'RE BEING ASKED TO DO THAT YOU
19 CAN'T DO.
BUT WHAT IS IT YOU CAN DO?
20 IS THERE SOMETHING YOU WOULD LIKE TO DO FOR 508?
AND EVEN THE ANGER AND FRUSTRATION THAT ANGER AND
21 FRUSTRATION THAT YOU SOMETIMES ENCOUNTER.
THAT CAN BE USED IN A POSITIVE WAY.
22 THAT CAN BE CHANNELED INTO THE COMPANIES THAT YOU
PRODUCE AND YOU'RE BUYING.
23 THAT FRUSTRATION NEEDS TO BE CHANNELED AND
COMMUNICATED TO THE MARKETPLACE, TO YOUR BOSSES, SO
24 THAT IT BECOMES PRODUCTIVE, SO THAT IT BECOMES
PRESSURE FOR CHANGE. WHAT IS YOUR VISION OF 508?
25 HOW WOULD YOU LIKE IT TO BE?
HOW WOULD YOU LIKE IT TO WORK?

1 HOW DO YOU THINK IT COULD WORK BETTER?
JENNIFER SAID THE PRESIDENT AND OTHERS ARE CONTINUING
2 TO WORK ON MAKING 508 MORE EFFECTIVE.
HAVE YOU PUT IN YOUR OPINION?
3 HAVE YOU EXPRESSED WHAT IT IS YOU WANT?
HAVE YOU EXPRESSED WHAT IT IS YOU WANT TO DO?
4 WHAT IT IS YOU WANT TO CONTRIBUTE?
AS THIS GOES FORWARD.
5 IT'S SO EASY, WE GET SO BUSY AND I KNOW ALL OF US ARE
OVEREXTENDED.
6 IT'S HARD TO STOP AND TAKE TIME TO REFLECT WHERE WE
ARE WHERE ARE WE GOING, WHAT IS THE VISION NOT JUST
7 TOMORROW BUT DOWN THE LINE.
AND WHEN I LOOK BACK FIVE YEARS FROM NOW WHAT DO I
8 WANT TO SAY THAT I DID THAT I MADE A DIFFERENCE, THAT
I CONTRIBUTED TO A BETTER WORLD.
9 IT'S HARD TO FIND THE TIME TO REFLECT ON THAT, SO I
WANT TO GIVE YOU A MOMENT RIGHT NOW TO STOP AND
10 REFLECT AND THINK ABOUT YOUR ROLE AS ONE OF THE
HEROES OF 508.
11 SO I'D LIKE EACH OF YOU TO TURN TO SOMEONE NEXT TO
YOU AND JUST TAKE A MOMENT TO TALK ABOUT YOUR VISION
12 AND YOUR ROLE IN 508.
GRAB A PARTNER.
13 GO AHEAD.
>> OKAY.
14 EVERYBODY RAISE YOUR HANDS UP IN THE AIR.
I DON'T KNOW WHY, BUT THAT MAKES A ROOM QUIET
15 IMMEDIATELY.
(LAUGHTER).
16 WOULD ANYBODY CARE TO SHARE SOMETHING THAT
THEY HEARD, SOMETHING THAT THEY GOT FROM SOMEBODY
17 ELSE, A VISION, SOMETHING YOU'D LIKE TO DO OR
CONTRIBUTE IN 508?
18 AND IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SHARE NOW, WHAT I'D LIKE TO
SAY IS I'LL BE HERE AFTERWARDS AND I WOULD LOVE TO
19 HEAR.
THAT'S ONE OF MY FAVORITE THINGS THAT I GET TO DO IS
20 TO HEAR YOUR VISION AS WELL.
AND I ASKED PEOPLE THEIR VISIONS AND I THINK IT'S
21 HYPOCRITICAL IF I'M NOT WILLING TO SAY WHAT MY VISION
IS TOO, AND I HAVE TO SAY I'M SO INSPIRED BY 508 I
22 HAVE HAD A SOFTWARE COMPANY WITH MY HUSBAND OVER THE
YEARS AND I'M SERIOUSLY THINKING ABOUT FINDING OUT IF
23 THERE'S SOMETHING WE CAN DO OR SOMETHING WE CAN WRITE
THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL IN CREATING A PRODUCT IN THIS
24 ARENA.
SO THERE'S ONE OF MY VISIONS AND I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR
25 YOUR VISIONS AS YOU THINK ABOUT THEM AND YOU CAN
SHARE THEM WITH ME AFTERWARDS.

1 I AM SO MOVED BY WHAT 508 CAN DO AND HOW IT CAN
IMPACT OUR SOCIETY AS A WHOLE FOR AGING PEOPLE, FOR
2 MULTILANGUAGE, TO BE ABLE TO -- THE THINGS THAT WE
HAVE TO DO TO MAKE WEB SITES COMPATIBLE FOR ALL
3 DIFFERENT KINDS OF DISABILITIES, WE HAVE TO PUT TAGS
ON DIFFERENT ITEMS, TEXT TO TAGS AND MAKE THOSE
4 READABLE, EITHER READABLE OUT LOUD OR READABLE IN
DIFFERENT WAYS BUT THAT CAN ALSO BE USED TO CONVERT
5 INTO DIFFERENT LANGUAGES SO WE CAN BRING IN MORE
PEOPLE WITH DIFFERENT LANGUAGES AND DIFFERENT
6 CULTURES.
THERE'S JUST SO MANY IMPACTS FROM 508 THAT GO FAR
7 BEYOND JUST DISABILITY ISSUES.
IT REALLY IS ABOUT INCLUSION AND BRINGING EVERYONE
8 ALONG AND ALLOWING ALL OF US TO FUNCTION BETTER WITH
TECHNOLOGY, NOT JUST A FEW.
9 SO I'M EXCITED ABOUT HEARING YOUR VISIONS AS WE GO
FORWARD.
10 FOR ME BEING A SKIER WAS A HUGE VISION.
IT WAS SOMETHING THAT WASN'T THERE.
11 THERE WERE NO AFRICAN AMERICANS WHO'D WON OLYMPIC
MEDALS IN SKIING BEFORE ME.
12 I WAS THE FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN TO WIN AN OLYMPIC
MEDAL IN SKIING
13 (APPLAUSE)
(APPLAUSE).
14 >> IT WASN'T SOMETHING I COULD LOOK AT
SOMEONE ELSE AND SAY I WANT TO DO THAT.
15 I HAD TO CARVE MY OWN PATH.
PEOPLE ASK HOW DID YOU EVEN GET THE IDEA YOU WERE
16 GOING TO SKI?
AND I REMEMBER ONE DAY MY MOTHER CAME HOME FROM WORK
17 AND HANDED ME A BROCHURE WITH A SILHOUETTE OF AN
AMPUTEE ON A SKI AND SHE JUST HANDED IT TO ME AND
18 WALKED AWAY SHE WAS A SINGLE MOM, SCHOOL TEACHER
RAISING THREE KIDS.
19 SHE DIDN'T HAVE A LOT OF TIME OR MONEY, BUT OUR
LEGACY WAS DREAMS, VISIONS.
20 AND WE COME BY IT HONESTLY.
HER MOTHER NEVER WENT PAST THE FOURTH GRADE.
21 HER MOTHER IRONED SHIRTS FOR $40 A WEEK.
BUT MY MOTHER TOLD ME HER MOTHER ALWAYS DREAMED OF A
22 BETTER LIFE.
SHE HAD BEEN A MAID IN A HOUSEHOLD AND HAD TO WEAR A
23 UNIFORM AND LIVE IN AND SEND HER DAUGHTERS AWAY TO
LIVE WITH SOMEBODY ELSE.
24 AND WHEN SHE GOT THAT JOB IRONING SHIRTS FOR $40 A
WEEK SHE WAS SO PROUD THAT SHE HAD BECOME AN
25 INDEPENDENT PROFESSIONAL.
SHE COULD LIVE AT HOME, BRING HER CHILDREN, HER

1 FAMILY BACK TOGETHER.
I HAVE A HERITAGE OF PEOPLE WHO ALWAYS DREAMED OF
2 MAKING THEIR LIVES AND THEIR WORLD A BETTER PLACE.
MY MOTHER WENT ON FROM BEING A SCHOOL TEACHER TO EARN
3 HER PH.D. AND BECOME A PRINCIPAL AND AFFECT THE LIVES
OF THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF STUDENTS, TEACHERS,
4 PARENTS, YOU CAN'T WALK DOWN THE STREET WITH HER IN
SAN DIEGO WITHOUT BEING STOPPED BY PEOPLE WHO SAID
5 YOU MADE A DIFFERENCE FOR ME.
IT'S LIKE WALKING AROUND WITH GANDHI OR SOMETHING.
6 (LAUGHTER).
I COME FROM A HERITAGE OF DREAMERS.
7 I THOUGHT WHEN I WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL THAT WE READ
POETRY AFTER DINNER JUST BECAUSE IT WAS MY PERSONAL
8 CURSE OF BEING BORN TO AN ENGLISH TEACHER.
(LAUGHTER).
9 I DIDN'T REALIZE UNTIL MUCH LATER THAT
POETRY HAD BEEN SOMETHING SHE HAD LONG BEFORE SHE WAS
10 AN ENGLISH TEACHER.
POETRY WAS WHAT SHE USED TO FEED HER SOUL WHEN SHE
11 HAD HOLES IN THE SOLES OF HER SHOES AND SHE HAD TO
PUT CARDBOARD IN AND SHE DIDN'T ALWAYS HAVE ENOUGH
12 FOOD TO EAT.
SHE READ POEMS LIKE LONGFELLOW, AN ASSUME OF LIFE.
13 TELL ME NOT IN MOURNFUL NUMBERS LIFE IS BUT AN EMPTY
DREAM.
14 THE SOUL IS DEAD THAT SLUMBERS, THINGS ARE NOT WHAT
THEY SEEM.
15 LIFE IS REAL, LIFE IS ERNEST, THE GRAVE IS NOT OUR
GOAL.
16 DOST,ART TO DUST RETURN ETHWASN'T SPOKEN OF YOUR
SOUL.
17 THE LIVES OF GREAT MEN ALL REMIND US WE CAN MAKE OUR
LIVES SUBLIME AND DEPARTING LEAVE BEHIND US
18 FOOTPRINTS ON THE SANDS OF TIME.
YOU IN THIS ROOM WILL TRULY LEAVE YOUR FOOTPRINTS ON
19 THE SANDS OF TIME AS YOU CHANGE THE FACE OF
TECHNOLOGY IN THE COURSE OF THE WAY YOU WORK OVER THE
20 NEXT YEARS TO COME.
IN SOME WAYS IT IS SO EASY AND IN SOME WAYS IT'S
21 HARD.
BUT YOU WILL LEAVE YOUR FOOTPRINTS ON THE SANDS OF
22 TIME.
WHEN I THINK ABOUT MY MOTHER HANDING ME THAT
23 BROCHURE, I THINK IT WOULD HAVE BEEN SO EASY FOR HER
WHEREVER SHE PICKED IT UP TO LOOK AT IT AND THINK,
24 YOU KNOW, WE DON'T HAVE MONEY FOR LIFT TICKETS AND
CONDOS AND THROW IT AWAY.
25 WE DON'T HAVE SNOW IN SAN DIEGO.
LWE'RE BLACK, WE DON'T EVEN LIKE COLD WEATHER, RIGHT?

1 (LAUGHTER) THAT'S RIGHT UP THERE WITH WE
DON'T GOLF.
2 MY MOTHER WAS A WOMAN WHO DARED TO DREAM, WHO DARED
TO TAKE ON THINGS THAT OTHER PEOPLE MIGHT THINK
3 RIDICULOUS AND MAKE THEM REAL.
AND THAT WAS MY LEGACY.
4 THAT WAS WHAT I INHERITED.
BETTER THAN ALL THE SILVER AND GOLD, A SOUL THAT
5 ALLOWS ME TO DREAM TO MAKE THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE.
IN THE POST-SEPTEMBER 11 WORLD, WE MUST ALL STAY
6 FOCUSED ON BUILDING A WORLD THAT WE WANT AND NOT
GETTING CAUGHT UP NECESSARILY IN BELIEFS ABOUT THINGS
7 THAT ARE IN FRONT OF US, NOT GETTING CAUGHT UP IN THE
FEAR, NOT GETTING CAUGHT UP IN BELIEVING WHAT THEY
8 WANT US TO BELIEVE BUT IN KNOWING WHAT'S IN OUR
HEARTS AND OUR SOULS AS AMERICANS THAT WE CAN DO AND
9 BE.
THE REALITY IS IN US, IN OUR HEARTS.
10 IT'S NOT IN THE TECHNOLOGY, IT'S NOT IN LIMITATIONS,
IT'S IN OUR ABILITY TO DREAM THAT THE WORLD IS
11 CREATED.
I WENT TO THE OLYMPICS IN 1984.
12 I HAD TRAINED FOR SO MANY YEARS, SKIED IN 50 DEGREE
BELOW WEATHER WITH A 50 MILE AN HOUR WIND, WAITED
13 TABLES, BROKEN MY ANGLE, HAD STITCHES IN MY FACE, I
HAD GONE THROUGH ALL KINDS OF THINGS JUST TO MAKE IT
14 TO BE ON THE U.S. TEAM, TO BE REPRESENTING MY COUNTRY
SKIING IN THE PARALIMPICS IN AUSTRIA.
15 MY DREAM WAS JUST TO MAKE THE TEAM AND GO, NOT
NECESSARILY WINNING.
16 AND THEN MY MOTHER CAME ALONG WITH ME TO WATCH ME
SKI.
17 SHE HAD NEVER SEEN ME RACE BEFORE.
WE DIDN'T HAVE MONEY FOR HER TO FLY OFF TO COLORADO
18 AND MONTANA AND OTHER THINGS.
SO FINALLY FOR THE OLYMPICS SHE MANAGED TO GET TO GO
19 AND WATCH ME RACE FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME.
THE OTHER THING YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTAND ABOUT MY
20 MOTHER IS SHE DOESN'T REALLY GET IT WITH SPORTS,
OKAY?
21 SHE'S A SCHOOL TEACHER.
AND SHE'LL SEE A JOGGER ON THE STREET AND SAY CAN'T
22 THEY DO SOMETHING CONSTRUCTIVE?
SHE DOESN'T REALLY GET IT WITH SPORTS.
23 BUT HERE WE WERE, THERE WERE OVER 5A ATHLETES FROM 33
DIFFERENT COUNTRIES ALL COMPETING TO SEE WHO WAS THE
24 BEST OF THE BEST AND I CAME DOWN AFTER THE FIRST RUN,
I GOT TO THE BOTTOM OF THE HILL, AND THEY PUT MY NAME
25 AT THE VERY TOP OF THE RESULTS.
I WAS IN THE FIRST PLACE IN THE ENTIRE WORLD.

1 MY MOTHER WENT BERSERK.
SHE WAS JUMPING UP AND DOWN SCREAMING, "I GET IT.
2 IT'S ABOUT WINNING!"
(LAUGHTER) MY BROTHER ACTUALLY ROLLED HER
3 IN THE SNOW TO COOL HER OFF.
SHE WAS MAKING ME NERVOUS SO I HAD TO GET OUT OF
4 THERE.
IT TAKES TWO RUNS COMBINED TIME TO RUN A MEDAL.
5 SO I WENT BACK TO THE TOP TO MAKE MY SECOND RUN.
AND I HEARD A RUMOR THERE WAS A BAD PATCH OF ICE ON
6 THE RUN, A BAD RUT.
I'M THINKING NO HEROICS, I JUST NEED TO HAVE A GOOD
7 SOLID RUN.
SO I GET IN THE STARTINGIGATE GATE, THE TIMER IS
8 GOING 5, 4, 3,... PUSH OFF AND I'M GOING DOWN THE
HILL HITTING THE RED AND THE BLUE BAMBOO POLES.
9 I WAS SO FOCUSED I COULDN'T EVEN HEAR THE CROWD
SCREAMING.
10 THERE WAS A LOT OF PEOPLE SCREAMING MY NAME BECAUSE I
HAD BEEN SPONSORED BY THE NATIONAL BROTHERHOOD OF
11 SKIERS FOR MANY YEARS.
HAS ANYBODY HEARD OF THE NATIONAL BROTHERHOOD OF
12 SKIERS? IT'S A NATIONAL AFRICAN AMERICAN SKI
ORGANIZATION.
13 YES, WE DO LIKE COLD WEATHER.
AND 30 MEMBERS HAD SIGNED UP TO GO WITH ME AND WATCH
14 ME SKI AND CHEER ME ON.
HERE WE ARE IN EUROPE AND THERE'S THIS HUGE CROWD OF
15 SCREAMING BLACK PEOPLE ON THE HILL AND MY TEAMMATES
WOULD LOOK AT THEM AND LOOK AT ME, AND SAY, "BONNIE,
16 YOU HAVE A REALLY BIG FAMILY."
(LAUGHTER) AND I WOULD SAY YES, I DO.
17 BUT I WAS SO FOCUSED ON THIS RUN, THE POSSIBILITY I
MIGHT WIN THE GOLD, I COULD NOT EVEN HEAR THIS CROWD
18 OF PEOPLE SCREAMING MY NAME.
AND I'M GOING DOWN AND GOING DOWN AND I GET TO WHERE
19 I CAN SEE THE FINISH LINE AND I THINK I MADE IT, I'M
GOING TO WIN AND I HIT THE ICE.
20 I FOOT STARTED TO WOBBLE, I TRIED TO DIG IN AND HOLD
ON TO MY EDGE BUT I COULDN'T DO IT.
21 AND WHAM, I WAS ON MY TAIL IN THE SNOW.
HAVE YOU EVER SCREWED UP IN PUBLIC WHEN EVERYBODY'S
22 WATCHING?
GOVERNMENT IS LIKE THAT, ISN'T IT?
23 (LAUGHTER).
SEEMS LIKE THEY ALWAYS REPORT THE THINGS
24 THAT GO WRONG AND NOT THE THINGS THAT GO RIGHT, DON'T
THEY?
25 I WAS SO EMBARRASSED.
YOU KNOW I JUST WANTED TO CRAWL AWAY, NOT TO HAVE TO

1 GO BACK AND FACE MY MOTHER, MY FAMILY, MY FRIENDS, MY
SPONSORS, BUT BEFORE I EVEN KNEW WHAT WAS HAPPENING I
2 WAS BACK UP AND IN THE GATE.
MY REFLEXES WERE JUST TO GET BACK IN THE GATE AND GET
3 OVER THE FINISH LINE.
AND WHEN THE DUST CLEARED AND THE TIMES WERE ALL IN,
4 I WAS STILL IN THIRD PLACE.
IT TURNED OUT ALL THE TOP WOMEN ON ONE LEG HIT THE
5 SAME RUT, GOT DOWN AND GOT UP AND DID THE SAME THING
I DID.
6 SO I WAS STILL IN THE RUNNING.
I WAS ABLE TO STAND ON THE WINNER'S PODIUM, HAVE THE
7 BRONZE MEDAL PUT ON MY NECK, MY MOTHER SOBBING IN THE
SNOW.
8 IT WAS A GREAT MOMENT.
BUT IT WOULDN'T HAVE HAPPENED IF I HADN'T GOTTEN UP
9 AND GOTTEN OVER THE FINISH LINE.
THE WOMAN WHO WON THE GOLD IN THAT RACE HAD ALSO
10 FALLEN DOWN AND GOTTEN UP, AND I THOUGHT ABOUT THAT
AND I REALIZED I SKIED FASTER THAN HER, I SKIED
11 SLOLAM FASTER THAN HER.
PROBABLY RIGHT UP TO THE FRONT WHEN I FELL. AND I
12 SUDDENLY REALIZED SHE BEAT ME NOT BY SKIING FASTER
BUT BY GETTING UP FASTER.
13 SHE MUST NOT HAVE HAD THAT SPLIT SECOND OF FEELING
SORRY FOR HERSELF THAT I HAD AND SHE JUST GOT UP
14 WITHOUT HESITATION AND GOT OVER THE FINISH LINE.
SO I REALIZED PEOPLE FALL DOWN; WINNERS ARE THE
15 PEOPLE WHO GET UP AND SOMETIMES THE GOLD MEDAL WINNER
IS JUST THE PERSON WHO GOT UP THE FASTEST.
16 AS YOU PROCEED WITH THE IMPLEMENTATION OF SECTION
508, YOU WILL GET KNOCKED DOWN MANY TIMES.
17 THERE WILL BE THINGS THAT ARE DIFFICULT, CONFUSEING,
THERE WILL BE PROBLEMS THAT CROP UP,
18 MISUNDERSTANDINGS, BUT GETTING TO THE VISION JUST
REQUIRES GETTING UP.
19 SOMETIMES IT MAKES ALL THE DIFFERENCE WHEN WE CAN GET
UP A LITTLE FASTER.
20 I KNOW YOU'RE GOING TO ENJOY THE CONFERENCE AND
YOU'RE GOING TO FIND SO MANY TOOLS AND IDEAS AND
21 INFORMATION HERE THAT WILL ALLOW YOU TO MOVE FORWARD
TO EXPAND YOUR VISION OF YOUR ROLE IN THIS PROCESS.
22 AND ULTIMATELY WHEN THINGS GET TOUGH YOU'LL FIND
RESOURCES, PEOPLE, NETWORKS, AND SUPPORT HERE THAT
23 WILL HELP YOU TO GET UP A LITTLE FASTER.
I SALUTE YOU, THE HEROES OF 508.
24 THANKS.
(APPLAUSE)
25 >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH, BONNIE.
I ALSO HAVE ANOTHER SMALL TOKEN OF OUR APPRECIATION

1 TO PRESENT YOU FOR THAT VERY INSPIRING SPEECH.
>> THANK YOU.
2 >> I WAS REALLY IMPRESSED.
>> THANK YOU.
3 >> I THINK WE'VE HAD A VERY GOOD BEGINNING
AND NOW LET ME HAND IT OFF TO TERRY WEAVER TO MOVE IT
4 INTO THE MIDDLE.
>> GOOD MORNING.
5 MY NAME'S TERRY WEAVER, I'M THE DIRECTOR FOR THE
CENTER OF IT ACCOMMODATIONS AND I'D LIKE TO WELCOME
6 YOU ALL HERE TOO TODAY.
I'M THRILLED TO SEE SO MANY FACES AND I HAVE
7 BASICALLY A COUPLE OF KEY IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENTS TO
MAKE; THAT'S MY ROLE.
8 BUT I ALSO WANT TO THANK OUR SPEAKERS THIS MORNING.
A LOT OF WHAT CONFERENCES ARE, IN FACT ALL WHAT A
9 CONFERENCE IS ABOUT IS TWO THINGS, IT'S ABOUT
INSPIRATION, IS AND IT'S ABOUT INFORMATION, AND THIS
10 MORNING WE'VE HAD MANY INSPIRING THOUGHTS BOTH FOR
BON AND HE JENNIFER.
11 I KNOW EVERYBODY HERE IS GETTING GEARED UP.
I ALSO WANT TO THANK A HUGE TEAM THAT'S MADE THE
12 IDEAS CONFERENCE POSSIBLE THIS YEAR.
WE HAD A LOT OF SPONSORING AGENCIES AND THAT'S THE
13 DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE,
HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, TRANSPORTATION AND
14 TREASURY, AND SOMEBODY I'M MISSING I'M NOT SURE.
AND MANY VOLUNTEERS FROM THOSE AGENCIES AND OTHER
15 AGENCIES.
YOU SEE PEOPLE WALKING AROUND WITH RED RIBBONS, THESE
16 PEOPLE ARE VOLUNTEERING TO HELP WITH THIS CONFERENCE
TODAY.
17 SO ALL OUR VOLUNTEERS AND TO THE SPONSORS, THANK YOU
VERY MUCH FOR THIS HARD WORK.
18 A FEW ADMINISTRATIVE THINGS HERE.
ONE THING I WANT TO LET YOU KNOW WE HAVE IN THE
19 INFORMATION PART WHERE YOU GET YOUR INFORMATION IS IN
THE WORKSHOPS.
20 YOU HAVE YOUR AGENDAS.
SOME OF YOU HAVE SIGNED UP FOR WORKSHOPS THAT ARE
21 OVERFILLED BUT WE'RE READY FOR THAT.
WE HAVE AN OVERFLOW ROOM.
22 AND ONE OF OUR VOLUNTEERS WILL HELP YOU FIND THEM
OUTSIDE BY THE REGISTRATION DESK AREA.
23 SO IF YOU'RE IN A WORKSHOP AND THERE'S NO SPACE IN
THAT AREA, PLEASE GO TO THE OVERFLOW ROOM AND YOU'LL
24 BE ABLE TO HEAR AND SHARE THE INFORMATION THAT'S IN
THE WORKSHOP.
25 AND I'M GLAD YOU'RE ALL GOING TO BE HERE IN THE
WORKSHOPS TODAY AND TOMORROW.

1 I BELIEVE THE NEXT STAGE OF OUR PROGRAM IS GOING TO
BE THE RIBBON CUTTING CEREMONY IN OUR EXHIBIT AREA
2 AND I THINK WE'RE A LITTLE BIT OF AHEAD.
OPHELIA, ARE WE DOING OKAY WITH THAT?
3 I'M A LITTLE AHEAD.
I THINK THAT'S --
4 >> 30 MINUTES.
>> IN 30 MINUTES THE RIBBON CUTTING
5 CEREMONY OVER IN THE EXHIBIT AREA, SO AS -- YOU HAVE
A LITTLE BIT OF PAUSE TO REFRESH YOURSELVES AND USE
6 ALL THE NECESSARY ROOMS AND SUCH.
AND AGAIN, TALK WITH EACH OTHER, I THINK WE'VE BEEN
7 CHALLENGED TODAY TO TALK TO EACH OTHER AND SHARE
IDEAS.
8 I KNOW -- SAW A LOT OF GOOD DIALOGUE GOING ON HERE.
IF YOU HAVE IDEAS, I'M USING THAT WITH A SMALL I,
9 ABOUT WHERE WE CAN GO AS A GOVERNMENT AND THINGS YOU
WANT TO SHARE, WE HAVE LOTS OF DIFFERENT VEHICLES OUT
10 THERE TO HELP YOU WITH THAT AND I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU
A WEB PAGE, WWW.SECTION 508.GOV.
11 THERE'S ACTUALLY A QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS BUTTON ON
THAT AS WELL AS A WEALTH OF MADAM FOREMANATION ABOUT
12 SECTION 508.
BUT YOU CAN ALSO SUBMIT QUESTIONS, CONCERNS, IDEAS TO
13 US.
SO THIS IS NOT THE ONLY TIME YOU ARE GOING TO GET TO
14 DIALOGUE.
IF YOU ARE LOOKING TO TALK, GIVE IDEAS, SUGGESTIONS,
15 PLEASE, WE HAVE LOTS OF ABILITY TO HEAR THAT.
THERE'S A NETWORK OF PEOPLE INVOLVED IN SUPPORTING
16 THAT. MY STAFF IS COMPLETELY DEVOTED TO 508 AND WE
WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU.
17 THANK YOU FOR THIS TIME THIS MORNING AND WE'LL SEE
YOU IN AN EXHIBIT AREA IN HALF AN HOUR.
18 WE'RE A LITTLE BIT LATE IN GETTING STARTED.
LET ME GIVE YOU A HANDOUT.............
19 .
.
20 .
.
21 .
.
22 .
.
23 .
.
24 .
:
25 .
.

1 .
.
2 .
.
3 >>THEY'RE STILL TESTING.
NO?
4 >> OKAY.
ACTUALLY YOU KNOW THIS IS BEING WEB CAST AND SO I CAN
5 SEE THE PEOPLE -- SO OKAY.
WE'RE SEEING A BLURRY PICTURE.
6 THE LAW SAYS THAT WHEN AGENCIES DEVELOP, PROCURE,
MAINTAIN, OR USE ELECTRONIC TECHNOLOGY AND ELECTRONIC
7 EITHER AGENCY OR DEPARTMENT, INCLUDING THE
UNITED STATES POST OFFICE SHALL ENSURE UNLESS AN
8 UNDUE BURDEN WOULD BE IMPOSED ON THE DEPARTMENT OR
AGENCY THAT THE ELECTRONIC INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
9 ALLOWS REGARDLESS OF THE TYPE OF MEDIUM OF THE
TECHNOLOGY, EQUAL ACCESS OF EMPLOYEES OF THE
10 GOVERNMENT TO THE INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY WHO HAVE
DISABILITIES AND ACCESS OF THE PUBLIC WHEN A MEMBER
11 OF THE PUBLIC HAS A DISABILITY, THEY HAVE THE SAME
RIGHT TO INFORMATION ACCESS PUT OUT BY THE GOVERNMENT
12 AS A PERSON WITHOUT A DISABILITY.
AND OF COURSE THIS IS HOW WE GOT INTO THE WEB.
13 SO THAT IN A NUTSHELL IS 508.
508 IS A SET OF STANDARDS WRITTEN BY THE BOARD, IT
14 HAS BEEN VETTED THROUGH SEVERAL PROCESSES BOTH WITHIN
THE GOVERNMENT AND A PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD AND IT IS
15 IMPLEMENTING A PIECE OF LEGISLATION THAT MANDATES
THAT WHEN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT -- AND IT IS
16 RESTRICTED AT THIS POINT TO THE EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENTS
AND AGENCIES, IT DOES NOT COVER THE LIBRARY OF
17 CONGRESS OR THE HILL IN GENERAL.
HOWEVER, WE'RE SEEING A VERY STRONG INTEREST ON THE
18 HILL OF PEOPLE WANTING TO COMPLY.
BUT THE IDEA IS THAT YOU DON'T GO OUT AND JUST BUY
19 TECHNOLOGY AND THEN FIGURE OUT LATER, HUH, GOT A
PERSON WITH A DISABILITY, WONDER HOW WE'RE GOING TO
20 GET THEM TO WORK ON THIS.
YOU DO IT AHEAD OF TIME.
21 WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO DO IS JUST TAKE A
SECOND AND WHAT I WOULD SAY INVENTORY THE AUDIENCE,
22 BECAUSE WE GIVE SO MANY PRESENTATIONS LIKE THIS, JUST
WORKING ON MY END OF THE YEAR REPORT THAT MY BOSS
23 REQUIRES THE MIDDLE OF EACH OCTOBER, AND ROUGHLY I'VE
DONE ABOUT 65 OF THESE SINCE JANUARY.
24 NOW, I KNOW I'M TALKING TO THE SAME PEOPLE SOMETIMES.
AND I'M WONDERING WHETHER IT'S THAT I'M THAT EXCITING
25 OR THEY'RE WAITING FOR ME TO SAY SOMETHING IMPORTANT.
ALL RIGHT.

1 HOW MANY OF YOU HAVE A KNOWLEDGE, IF YOU JUST RAISE
YOUR HAND, KEN IS GOING TO DO MY AUDIO DESCRIPTION.
2 HOW MANY OF YOU HAVE SOME FAMILIARITY WITH 508?
>> THAT'S EVERYONE.
3 >> EVERYONE.
HOW COME YOU'RE HERE?
4 (LAUGHTER) HOW MANY OF YOU ARE DIRECTLY
INVOLVED IN PROCUREMENT OR ARE REQUIRING OFFICIALS
5 WHERE YOU HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO TELL PROCUREMENT I
WISH TO BUY THIS OR THAT PRODUCT?
6 >> LESS THAN 5%.
>> LESS THAN 5%.
7 ALL RIGHT.
WE WON'T GET INTO PROCUREMENT LAW.
8 HOW MANY OF YOU ARE IN THE AREA OF IT, THAT IS
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY?
9 80%.
90%, I THOUGHT I WAS GOING TO TALK TO HUMAN RESOURCE
10 PEOPLE.
THAT GETS SCARY.
11 OKAY.
AND I'M NOT INSULTING HUMAN RESOURCE PEOPLE, GOOD
12 HEAVENS.
SO WHAT WE WANT TO TALK ABOUT THEN IS I WANT TO TALK
13 VERY SPECIFICALLY ABOUT WHAT ARE THE 508 STANDARDS.
WHAT IS IT THAT WE HAVE ACTUALLY SAID THAT YOU AS
14 TECHNICAL PEOPLE HAVE TO DEAL WITH?
IF YOU'RE IN IT, YOU'RE IN A SITUATION WHERE YOU'RE
15 GOING TO BE INTERACTING WITH THIS EQUIPMENT AND SOME
OF THE EQUIPMENT MAY CHANGE IN THE NEXT TWO TO THREE
16 YEARS AND YOU'RE GOING TO -- WELL, I'LL MAKE A
PREDICTION.
17 YOUR LIFE IS GOING TO GET EASIER.
BECAUSE IN GENERAL WHAT OUR STANDARDS DO IS PUSH FOR
18 A MUCH MORE COMPATIBLE, OPEN ARCHITECTURE THAT WILL
HOPEFULLY ELIMINATE A LOT OF THE CLASHES, THE
19 INABILITIY PROBLEMS THAT YOU RUN INTO WHEN YOU BUY
FROM DIFFERENT VENDORS AND SO ON BECAUSE WE'RE
20 SETTING A STANDARD MEET MEET PLACE.
THAT STANDARD MEETING PLACE IS ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY.
21 WE ARE NOT SAYING IN THE RULE THAT YOU HAVE TO HAVE A
SPEECH OUTPUT SYSTEM, A SPECIALIZED KEYBOARD, A
22 BRAILLE DISPLAY, AND LARGE PRINT ON EVERY MACHINE YOU
BUY FROM NOW ON.
23 WHAT WE ARE SAYING IS THAT YOU HAVE TO BE COMPATIBLE,
WELL, YOU DON'T, THE MACHINE YOU BUY HAS TO BE
24 COMPATIBLE WITH THAT TYPE OF EQUIPMENT.
SO THAT WE MAY BUY OR JUSTICE MAY BUY A PIECE OF
25 EQUIPMENT AND IT'S GOING TO BE PUT ON KEN MCCADDA
FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE WHO IS BESIDE ME OR IT

1 MAY BE PUT ON THE DESK OF TERRY WEAVER FROM GSA.
TERRY IS HEAD OF THE CENTER FOR IT ACCOMMODATIONS.
2 NOW, AS FAR AS I KNOW, NEITHER ONE OF THEM NEED
SPECIAL ACCOMMODATIONS.
3 AND I WON'T MAKE A WISE CRACK, I PROMISE.
HOWEVER, WHAT IF KEN DECIDES THAT HE GETS A BETTER
4 OFFER AND ANOTHER LAWYER COMES IN WHO KNOWS, IT MIGHT
BE MY BROTHER, WHO ALSO DOESN'T SEE, AND ALL OF A
5 SUDDEN HE WANTS TO USE SOME EQUIPMENT THAT WILL MAKE
KEN'S MACHINE ACCESSIBLE TO HIM.
6 WHAT GYRATIONS WILL YOU AS IT PEOPLE HAVE TO GO
THROUGH TO ATTACH AND MAKE THAT EQUIPMENT WORK?
7 AND WILL THE SOFTWARE THAT YOU ARE RUNNING ON KEN'S
MACHINE NOW RUN ON MY BROTHER'S MACHINE?
8 IF 508 DOES ITS JOB WELL, IF THE BOARD DID ITS JOB
WELL, THEN YES, IT WILL BE A PIECE OF CAKE.
9 IT WILL BE A MATTER OF INSTALLING AND CONNECTING AND
AWAY YOU G. THERE SHOULDN'T BE A GREAT DEAL OF HASSLE
10 WITH LOOKING FOR SUCH THINGS AS INTERRUPTS OR DIRECT
MEMORY ACCESS BUT EVEN MORE IMPORTANTLY THE SOFTWARE
11 HOPEFULLY WILL HAVE BUILT INTO IT THE ABILITY TO WITH
GRAPHICS AND TEXT ALERT THE USER WHO WANTS TO WATCH
12 THE GRAPHICS, WHAT IS GOING ON, AND ALERT THE USER
WHO IS USING A SYSTEM THAT CAN ONLY READ TEXT WHAT IS
13 HAPPENING.
AND WHAT DO I MEAN BY THIS?
14 FOR EXAMPLE, IN OUR SOFTWARE STANDARDS WE ACTUALLY
ADDRESS THE NOTION THAT WHEN YOU HAVE PROGRAM
15 ELEMENTS -- SOMEBODY ASKED ME WHAT'S A PROGRAM
ELEMENT.
16 I TOLD THEM IT'S AN ELEMENT OF A PROGRAM.
SORRY, I CAN'T RESIST SOMETIMES; IT'S JUST TERRIBLE.
17 MY FATHER TOLD ME I'D NEVER LEARN TO SHUT UP.
ANYWAY, WE SAY THAT SUFFICIENT INFORMATION OF A USER
18 INTERFACE ELEMENT INCLUDING THE IDENTITY, OPERATION,
AND STATE THE ELEMENT SHOULD BE AVAILABLE.
19 WHAT THIS MEANS IS AVAILABLE IN TEXT.
WHAT DOES ALL THIS MEAN?
20 VERY SIMPLE.
IT MEANS THAT WHEN YOU HAVE A CHECK BOX OR A BUTTON,
21 IS IT PRESSED OR NOT PRESSED?
AND IF YOU PRESS IT, WHAT WILL IT DO?
22 THIS IS THE SORT OF INFORMATION THAT HAS BEEN
DISPLAYED VISUALLY.
23 WHEN I FIRST LEARNED ABOUT WINDOWS, THERE'S SOME VERY
UNUSUAL CONCEPTS.
24 I WAS TALKING TO A VERY GOOD PROGRAMMER AND HE SAID,
"THOMAS, HOW DO YOU KNOW THAT THAT IS THE DEFAULT
25 NUMBER?
HOW DO YOU KNOW YOU'RE TO PRESS THAT ONE?" HE SAID,

1 "BECAUSE IT LOOKS LIKE IT WANTS TO BE PRESSED."
THAT WAS KIND OF MIND-BOGGLING TO ME.
2 HOW YOU GET A BUTTON THAT LOOKS LIKE IT WANTS TO BE
PRESSED.
3 BUT IN ORDER TO MAKE THAT SAME BUTTON USABLE FOR
SOMEBODY WHO CANNOT SEE THE BUTTON THEN YOU NEED TO
4 ADD SOME TEXT.
AND ALL THE POPULAR SCREEN READING EQUIPMENT, ALL THE
5 SCREEN ENLARGEMENT EQUIPMENT WILL INDICATE WHAT IS
THE DEFAULT.
6 WHAT'LL HAPPEN IF YOU JUST FOR INSTANCE HIT THE ENTER
KEY.
7 SO THESE ARE THE TYPES OF FUNCTIONS THAT WE ARE
REQUIRING ALL SOFTWARE TO FOLLOW.
8 NOW, QUESTIONS THAT I GET ASKED ABOUT LIKE SOFTWARE,
WE DON'T HAVE ANY DISABLED PEOPLE IN OUR AGENCY.
9 MUST BE A VERY SMALL AGENCY.
MAYBE IT'S THE HELIUM COMMISSION.
10 BUT THE POINT IS ARE YOU GOING TO HIRE SOMEBODY WITH
A DISABILITY IN TWO YEARS?
11 WELL, WE DON'T HAVE ANY WAY OF KNOWING THAT.
IF YOU HIRE SOMEBODY IN TWO YEARS, ARE YOU GOING TO
12 THEN REDO YOUR WHOLE INFRASTRUCTURE BECAUSE YOU
DIDN'T FOLLOW IT THE FIRST TIME?
13 WELL GOLLY GEE.
SO 508 AND THE FOLLOWING OF THESE CRITERIA ARE NOT AT
14 ALL DEPENDENT ON THE INTENDED COMMUNITY OR AUDIENCE
WITHIN YOUR AGENCY.
15 YOU MUST FOLLOW THEM IF YOU HAVE NO EMPLOYEES.
SUCH THINGS AS SOFTWARE THAT'S DESIGNED TO RUN ON A
16 KEYBOARD -- NOT ON A KEYBOARD, I'M SORRY, RUN ON A
SYSTEM WHERE THERE IS A KEYBOARD, YOU NEED TO PROVIDE
17 FUNCTIONAL KEY STROKES.
THAT IS HIT A KEY STROKE TO ACCOMPLISH SOMETHING THAT
18 CAN BE ACCOMPLISHED WITH A PROGRAM SUCH AS SAVE A
FILE, PRINT, ALL OF THAT SORT OF STUFF.
19 THE ONLY TIME YOU DON'T HAVE TO DO THAT IS WHEN YOU
HAVE A DRAWING PROGRAM AND THERE'S NO WAY TO IN ANY
20 OTHER MEANS BUT STRICTLY VISUAL TO INDICATE WHAT
YOU'RE ABOUT TO DO AND TO INDICATE THE RESULTS OF
21 WHAT YOU DID.
WE TALK ABOUT HOW TO FOCUS.
22 FOCUS IS WHERE SOMETHING'S GOING TO HAPPEN IF YOU
CLICK.
23 AND WE TALK ABOUT THE FACT THAT FIRST THAT MUST BE
VISUALLY APPARENT AND THAT WILL MAKE LIFE EASIER FOR
24 EVERYBODY.
I'LL SAY -- I'LL BE TALKING TO SOMEBODY, I'LL SAY
25 NOW, WHEN I HIT THE END KEY, WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN?
WELL, I CAN'T SEE... IT'S NOT CLEAR.

1 I HOPE THOSE SITUATIONS GO AWAY.
BECAUSE WE NEED A CLEAR FOCUS ON THE SCREEN AS TO
2 WHERE THE INPUT POINT IS GOING TO BE, BUT THAT FOCUS
WITHIN THE PROGRAM ITSELF MUST BE AVAILABLE SO THAT
3 OTHER TECHNOLOGIES SUCH AS VOICE INPUT AND VOICE
OUTPUT KNOW WHERE THE INFORMATION IS GOING TO GO.
4 THAT'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT, BELIEVE ME, IS GOING
TO MAKE LIFE EASIER FOR EVERYBODY, BECAUSE THAT WILL
5 MAKE PROGRAMS RUN QUITE A BIT SMOOTHER.
WE ACTUALLY HAVE SEVERAL SECTIONS.
6 I'VE BEEN DWELLING ON SOFTWARE AND I'VE BEEN DOING IT
FOR A REASON.
7 EVERY TIME I HIT THE WEB SECTION WE NEVER GET ANY
FURTHER.
8 WE HAVE A SECTION ON TELECOMMUNICATIONS PRODUCTS.
AND THEN MEANS PHONES, CELL PHONES, ANYTHING WITH A
9 TELECOMMUNICATIONS FUNCTION.
WE ALSO HAVE MULTIMEDIA WHICH COVERS PRODUCTIONS NO
10 MATTER WHAT THE MEDIUM IS.
MULTIMEDIA PRODUCTIONS.
11 NOW, MULTIMEDIA PRODUCTION IS A PRODUCTION THAT'S
USING MORE THAN ONE MEDIA.
12 I'M NOT BEING FLIP.
I WAS ASKED THAT ONCE.
13 WHAT IS A MULTIMEDIA PRODUCTION?
IT'S A MEDIA THAT USES GENERALLY SOUND AND VISUAL.
14 A WEB CAST IS A SINGLE MEDIA PRODUCTION.
THEREFORE, THAT'S IMPORTANT BECAUSE WE DON'T REQUIRE
15 THAT TO BE CAPTIONED.
YOU DO HAVE TO HAVE A SCRIPT OR ALTERNATIVE TEXT, BUT
16 IF IT'S AUDIO, YOU DON'T HAVE TO SYNCINIZE IT BECAUSE
THERE'S NO VISUAL TO SYNCHRONIZE THE CAPTIONING WITH.
17 [] THEN WE HAVE A CATEGORY THAT I REALLY SHOULD HAVE
HAD A CONTEST, A NAMING CONTEST.
18 IT IS CALLED SELF CONTAINED CLOSED SYSTEMS.
WELL, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE SUPPOSED
19 TO DO, AND I WILL ADMIT IT HAS BECOME ONE OF MY LEAST
FAVORITE REGULATIONS, WE ARE SUPPOSED TO WRITE IN
20 PLAIN ENGLISH.
SO WHEN I SAY SELF-CONTAINED CLOSED PRODUCTS, I GET
21 JUMPED ALL OVER.
"WHAT IS THAT?" WHAT DO YOU THINK IT IS?
22 IT'S SORT OF LIKE AN INFORMATION KIOSK OR COPIER OR
SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
23 I SAY YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.
THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH OUR CATEGORY HEADING
24 BECAUSE EVERYBODY GETS IT.
BUT THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT IT IS.
25 IT IS THESE SYSTEMS WHERE YOU CANNOT REQUIRE AN
INDIVIDUAL TO CARRY AROUND THEIR OWN ASSISTIVE

1 EQUIPMENT.
THERE THE ACCESS FEATURES MUST BE BUILT IN.
2 I HAVE BEEN VERY SURPRISED.
I'VE BEEN DOING A LOT OF PRESENTATIONS AND A LOT OF
3 E-MAIL AND SO ON WITH COPIER MANUFACTURERS.
AND I'M INCLUDING OSAA, HP, CANON, RICOH, AND OF ALL
4 THE DIFFERENT GROUPS OF PRODUCTS, I'LL TELL YOU THOSE
GUYS ARE RIGHT OUT THERE IN THE FOREFRONT.
5 THEY SEE IT AS A WAY TO INCREASE THEIR
COMPETITIVENESS AND I THOUGHT COPIERS WOULD BE
6 PROBABLY THESE LARGE NETWORK-TYPE COPIERS WOULD BE
THE LAST TO BITE THE BULLET FOR 508 BECAUSE THEY'RE
7 THE ONES THAT MAY HAVE TO ACTUALLY DO SOME, YOU KNOW,
RETOOLING.
8 BUT THEY'RE GOING GUNG HO.
AND THEN WE HAVE SOME VERY STRAIGHTFORWARD TECHNICAL
9 REQUIREMENTS FOR THE PC'S AND DESKTOPS.
JUST THE BOX.
10 NOW, KEEP IN MIND THAT ANY ITEM, ANY PRODUCT MAY
ACTUALLY FALL UNDER SEVERAL COMPONENTS.
11 WE HAVE HAD PROBLEMS GETTING THIS ACROSS.
SO I WILL SAY IT PROBABLY IN EVERY TALK NOW AND
12 YOU'RE GOING TO GET SO SICK OF IT.
LET'S TAKE A PALM TOP THAT LETS YOU GET E-MAIL AND
13 KEEP NOTES.
FIRST OF ALL, PALM TOPS ARE GENERALLY PRETTY CLOSED
14 SYSTEMS.
YEAH, THEY DO HAVE SLOTS YOU CAN PUT A MEMORY CARD IN
15 BUT THEY'RE REALLY NOT YET AT THE STAGE WHERE YOU
COULD ADD OTHER PROGRAMS AND ADD OTHER HARDWARE, SO I
16 WOULD STILL CLASSIFY THESE REAL TINY COMPUTERS AS
SELF-CONTAINED CLOSE SYSTEMS, MEANING THAT TO MAKE
17 THEM TRULY ACCESSIBLE THE ACCESSIBILITY FEATURES WILL
HAVE TO BE PUT IN.
18 NOW, IT HAS TELECOMMUNICATIONS CAPABILITIES, SO IT
ALSO COMES UNDER TELECOMMUNICATIONS.
19 FOR EXAMPLE, IT MUST BE CAPABILITY OF TRANSMITING THE
NORMAL SIGNALS THAT ARE REQUIRED BY A TTY.
20 IT ALSO WOULD USE SOFTWARE, SOFTWARE TO STORE NOTES,
RETRIEVE YOUR CALENDAR, AND THEREFORE, THE SOFTWARE
21 REQUIREMENTS APPLY FOR THE FOLKS DOING THE SOFTWARE.
AND IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO THINK OF NOT PRODUCTS BUT
22 COMPONENTS.
NOW, ONE OTHER SECTION THAT'S KIND OF IMPORTANT THAT
23 HAS CAUSED SOME CONFUSION SO I WILL MENTION IT, OUR
PLAN IS TO, YOU KNOW, IF YOU'VE GOT BURNING QUESTIONS
24 NOW, WE'LL TACKLE THEM, BUT WE'RE EACH GOING TO TALK
FOR ABOUT 20 MINUTES.
25 KEN SCARED ME.
I THOUGHT I WAS GOING TO HAVE TO GO 40, ESPECIALLY

1 WITH NO MIKE.
BUT -- AND THEN FOR THE LAST HALF-HOUR WE WOULD LIKE
2 A GOOD OLD FASHIONED FREE FOR ALL IN TERMS OF
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS.
3 I WANT TO MENTION DOCUMENTATION, KIND OF A HEATED
ISSUE.
4 WE HAVE A SECTION, VERY LAST SECTION OF OUR RULE AND
IT HAS THREE PARTS.
5 AND THE FIRST ONE BASICALLY SAYS THAT WHEN END USER
DOCUMENTATION IS -- OR WHEN DOCUMENTATION IS SUPPLIED
6 TO END USERS, IT MUST BE AVAILABLE ON REQUEST IN
ALTERNATIVE FORMATS.
7 SECOND, UPON REQUEST THERE SHOULD BE A DESCRIPTION OF
THE ACCESSIBILITY FEATURES THAT ARE IN A PRODUCT, AND
8 THIRD, IT SAYS THAT HELP DESK -- THESE ARE HELP DESKS
SUPPORTED BY THE GOVERNMENT -- MUST BE ABLE TO
9 ACCOMMODATE THE COMMUNICATION NEEDS OF ALL END USERS,
AND THIS RANGES FROM KNOWING HOW TO USE A TTY, HOW TO
10 ACCEPT A RELAY CALL, OR WHAT ARE THE KEYBOARD
FUNCTIONAL ALTERNATIVES IN, SAY, OUTLOOK EXPRESS?
11 BECAUSE THAT WOULD CERTAINLY BE MY COMMUNICATION
NEED.
12 HOW DO I DO SOMETHING FROM THE KEYBOARD?
AND BELIEVE ME, THERE ARE VERY FEW PEOPLE THAT REALLY
13 -- THERE ARE SOME REALLY CRACKER JACK USERS WHO CAN
RUN A PROGRAM FROM THE KEYBOARD BUT MOST PEOPLE ARE
14 VERY MOUSE DISABLED.
THE FIRST ONE IS VERY IMPORTANT.
15 END USER -- WHEN END END END DOCUMENTATION IS
SUPPLIED -- DIDN'T SAY END USER; IT SAID WHEN.
16 BECAUSE YOU DON'T PASS OUT THESE DAYS THE GIANT BOOKS
THAT WE USED TO GET WITH EVERY NEW PIECE OF SOFTWARE.
17 AND SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO SUPPLY THAT BIG BOOK IN AN
ALTERNATE FORMAT IF YOU DON'T SUPPLY IT TO ANYBODY.
18 ALSO IT IS NOT THE VENDOR'S RESPONSIBILITY TO SUPPLY
ALTERNATE FORMAT; IT'S THE AGENCY'S.
19 SO ANYTIME ANYBODY DOES A CONTRACT, AND I SAY THE
SAME THING TO INDUSTRY WITH JUST A SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT
20 TWIST, ANYTIME YOU AS A GOVERNMENT AGENCY REQUIRES A
PRODUCT, YOU REQUIRE A PRODUCT, IT WOULD BEHOOVE YOU
21 TO PUT IN THAT RFP THAT YOU WOULD REQUEST AN
ELECTRONIC VERSION OF THE DOCUMENT CAPABLE OF BEING
22 CONVERTED SO THAT IT COULD BE PUT INTO HTML WHICH
WOULD BE AN ACCESSIBLE FORMAT OR COULD BE CONVERTED
23 INTO BRAILLE OR READ WITH A VOICE SYNTHESIZER.
SO I TELL THE MANUFACTURERS, IF YOU WANT TO MAKE LIFE
24 EASY FOR THE AGENCIES, IT WOULD BEHOOVE YOU TO OFFER
IN YOUR BID ALL YOUR DOCUMENTATION IN ELECTRONIC FORM
25 SO THAT THEY CAN MEET THEIR NEEDS.
I'M GOING TO STOP THERE.

1 ANY QUESTIONS BEFORE WE MOVE ON TO THE LEGAL SIDE OF
THINGS?
2 KEN SAID I DON'T WANT TO -- KEN SAID I DON'T KNOW
WHAT TO TALK ABOUT.
3 I SAID YOU COVER WHAT I DON'T.
Q. QUESTION.
4 YOU TALK ABOUT SO FOR EXAMPLE WHEN WE POST AN FILE
OR MICROSOFT WORD ON A WEB SITE, IS IT SUBJECT TO THE
5 SOFTWARE REQUIREMENTS OR THE AND THEN...
>> OKAY.
6 THE EXAMPLES YOU'VE GIVEN ALL REQUIRE FOR A PERSON TO
OPEN THAT DOCUMENT THAT THEY HAVE SOME SOFTWARE ON
7 THEIR COMPUTER; AM I RIGHT?
>> YEAH.
8 >> OKAY.
SO WHAT WE HAVE SAID HERE IS THAT WHEN IN THE WEB,
9 WHEN THE A DOCUMENT OR PAGE ON THE WEB REQUIRES AN
APPLICATION THAT A LINK MUST BE PROVIDED TO A
10 SOFTWARE PRODUCT THAT MEETS OUR SOFTWARE STANDARDS.
IN OTHER WORDS, YOU DON'T HAVE TO DO ANYTHING IN THIS
11 CASE FOR THE ONES YOU'VE MENTIONED.
AND YOU DIDN'T.
12 I SHOULD KEEP MY MOUTH SHUT, BUT YOU DIDN'T OPEN UP
THE FDF BOX, OR PAND PANDA'S BOX.
13 BUT NO, WORD WOULD BE CONSIDERED ACCESSIBLE BECAUSE
-- AND IF YOU CARRY THIS TO EXTREMES, YOU COULD SAY,
14 WELL, IF I PUT SOMETHING ON WORD, DOES THAT MEAN I
HAVE TO POINT TO WHERE SOMEBODY DOWNLOADS WORD?
15 YOU CAN POINT TO -- THERE ARE PLENTY OF WORD VIEWERS,
BUT AN AGENCY ISN'T LIKELY TO PUT A WORD DOCUMENT UP
16 AND ASSUME EVERYBODY OUT THERE IS USING WORD.
THERE MIGHT BE ONE OR TWO WORDPERFECT USERS.
17 BUT EVEN SO, WORDPERFECT WILL BRING UP A WORD
DOCUMENT.
18 AND BOTH OF THOSE PROGRAMS COME REASONABLY CLOSE TO
MEETING THE SOFTWARE STANDARDS AND THE SAME WITH THE
19 MPEG FILE.
YOU PUT UP AN MPEG FILE, IT'S GOING TO BE RUN BY
20 MAYBE WINDOWS MEDIA PLAYER OR MAYBE BY -- AND THOSE
ARE THE ONES THAT NEED TO THINK MORE SERIOUSLY BEING
21 508 COMPLAINT.
>> OKAY.
22 IN OTHER WORDS, -- OKAY.
LET ME ASK YOU A QUESTION.
23 WHAT ABOUT THEM?
AND I'M NOT BEING FLIP; WHAT ABOUT THEM?
24 >> (INAUDIBLE).
.
25 >> WHAT IT MEANS IS FIRST OF ALL THERE IS
NOT ON THE MARKET AT THIS TIME WHAT I WOULD CONSIDER

1 A FULLY ACCESSIBLE BLACK BERRY.
IT'S CERTAINLY ACCESSIBLE TO SOME PEOPLE [] SOME
2 PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES USE THEM A LOT.
BUT FOR CERTAIN DISABILITIES IT IS NOT ACCESSIBLE AT
3 THIS POINT.
AND NONE OF ITS COMPETITORS ARE.
4 SO YOU FALL INTO THE SITUATION WHERE YOU CAN GO AHEAD
AND PURCHASE IT BECAUSE THE TECHNOLOGY IS NOT THERE
5 YET TO MEET THE ACCESS NEEDS.
NOW, I GUARANTEE YOU THAT INDUSTRY IS LOOKING FOR
6 WAYS TO COMPETE IN THAT AREA TOO, AND THE TIME WILL
COME WHEN YOU WON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THAT BECAUSE
7 THEY WILL HAVE ACCESS FEATURES BUILT IN.
BUT UNTIL THEY ARE, YOU DON'T HAVE TO BUY THEM.
8 WHAT IT MEANS, THE BASIC OF THIS LAW IS THAT YES, IT
WILL DRIVE THE MARKET SOME, BUT THE WHOLE IDEA IS
9 THAT IF THE ACCESS FEATURES ARE OUT THERE, DON'T
IGNORE THEM.
10 IF THEY'RE NOT OUT THERE, WE IN OUR GREAT WISDOM
DON'T REQUIRE YOU TO BUY SOMETHING THAT DOESN'T
11 EXIST.
>> SPECIFICALLY TELEPHONE SYSTEMS...
12 INAUDIBLE.
>> HAVE YOU -- WELL, I'M GOING TO TURN IT
13 OVER TO KEN.
(LAUGHTER).
14 BUT IN ALL HONESTY, THIS IS AN ISSUE FOR
THE FAR FOLKS.
15 I'M NOT DUCKING, I JUST I I WANT TO ANSWER A QUESTION
INCORRECTLY.
16 SO WE SORT OF HAVE AN AGREEMENT.
I DON'T ANSWER FAR QUESTIONS, FAR DOESN'T ANSWER
17 TECHNICAL QUESTIONS.
AND THIS IS DEFINITELY WHAT DO YOU DO ABOUT
18 MAINTENANCE.
AND IT COMES UP A LOT AND I SEND THEM RIGHT UP TO
19 LINDA NELSON AT GSA.
WHY DON'T I INTRODUCE KEN.
20 OKAY.
YOU'RE INTRODUCED.
21 HE'S A TRIAL ATTORNEY.
BEEN WITH THE CIVIL TRIAL DIVISION AND NOW FULL TIME
22 ON 508.
AND I SHOULDN'T TELL YOU THAT HE KNOWS PROBABLY MORE
23 ABOUT CODING ON THE WEB THAN ANYBODY ELSE IN THE ROOM
AS WELL AS BEING A LAWYER.
24 SO I WILL TURN IT OVER TO KEN
(APPLAUSE)
25 KEN: GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE.
MY NAME IS KEN NACOTTA.

1 I'M ARN ATTORNEY AT THE TRIAL -- MY SIGN OVER HERE
SAYS MARY LOU MOBLEY.
2 THAT'S A COWORKER OF MINE.
I'M NOT MARY LOU.
3 ANYWAYS, YESTERDAY MARY LOU SUDDENLY HAD TO GO ON TO
ANOTHER MEETING TODAY AND SHE REALIZED THAT AND SO
4 HERE I AM.
AND SO EVEN IF I HAD ALL THE PREPARATION IN THE
5 WORLD, I DON'T KNOW WHETHER I WOULD HAVE ORGANIZED
THIS ANY DIFFERENTLY.
6 I'VE BEEN WORKING ON 508 FOR QUITE SOME TIME NOW
SINCE ABOUT 1998, AND DURING THAT TIME A LOT OF THESE
7 THINGS, IF YOU LIVE 508 AND EAT, DRINK, AND SLEEP
508, SOME THINGS BECOME KIND OF EASIER FOR YOU TO
8 UNDERSTAND JUST BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO DEAL WITH IT ALL
THE TIME.
9 AND SO A LOT OF THE THINGS THAT I JUST TAKE FOR
GRANTED A LOT OF PEOPLE REALLY DON'T TAKE FOR
10 GRANTED.
SO WHAT I THOUGHT I WOULD DO INSTEAD OF TRYING TO
11 GIVE SOME UBER OVERVIEW OF 508 IS TO TRY AND TALK
ABOUT SOME OF THE BASIC CONCEPTS TO MAKE SURE WE'RE
12 ALL ON THE SAME PAGE AND ALSO TO FOLLOW UP ON SOME OF
THE THINGS THAT DOUG MENTIONED.
13 A LITTLE BIT OF HISTORY: SECTION 508 WAS AMENDED IN
1998.
14 THERE WAS A PREVIOUS SECTION OF 508 THAT WAS PASSED
IN THE 1980S, BUT IT REALLY WASN'T ENFORCEABLE; IT
15 DIDN'T REQUIRE THE ACCESS BOARD TO COME UP WITH
STANDARDS.
16 AND IT DIDN'T ACTUALLY HAVE AN ENFORCEMENT CLAUSE.
AND IN 1998 AS PART OF THE WORK FORCE INVESTMENT ACT,
17 CHNG CHANGED THAT AND THEY TOOK CARE OF BOTH OF THOSE
SHORT SHORT SHORTS.
18 NOW AS DOUG MENTIONED, THERE ARE DEFINITELY STANDARDS
UNDER 508 THAT AGENCIES HAVE TO ABIDE BY WHEN THEY'RE
19 PROCURING TECHNOLOGY AND THERE'S ALSO A VERY CLEAR
ENFORCEMENT PROVISION IN 508 THAT PROVIDES THAT A
20 PERSON CAN SUE AN AGENCY UNDER 508 IF THE TECHNOLOGY
THAT'S PROCURED BY AN AGENCY DOESN'T COMPLY WITH THE
21 STANDARDS.
NOW, WHEN I SAY THAT I'VE GOTTEN INTO A BIT OF
22 TROUBLE IN THE PAST BECAUSE PEOPLE HAVE ALWAYS SAID,
WELL, 508 IS LIMITED STRICTLY TO PROCUREMENTS.
23 LET ME BACK UP AND TALK ABOUT 508 GENERALLY.
I TOLD YOU THERE'S THESE TWOP KEY THINGS THAT MAKE
24 5508 WORTH PAYING ATTENTION TO.
508 AN IS THE FIRST THING YOU SEE.
25 IT USES FOUR VERY BIG ALL-ENCOMPASSING VERBS.
IT SAYS DEVELOP, PROCURE, MAINTAIN, OR USE.

1 AND WHAT I MEAN BY THAT AND WHAT I WANT YOU TO THINK
OF, IT COVERS JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING UNDER THE SUN YOU
2 WOULD THINK.
WHAT IT SAYS IS THAT WHEN AN AGENCY DEVELOPS PRORXS
3 KURTZ, MAINTAINS OR USES ELECTRONIC INFORMATION
TECHNOLOGY THAT IT HAS TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT
4 TECHNOLOGY IS COMPARABLELY ACCESSIBLE TO PEOPLE WITH
DISABILITIES AND PEOPLE WITHOUT DISABILITIES.
5 AND IT TALKS ABOUT TWO DIFFERENT GROUPS: FEDERAL
EMPLOYEES AND MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC THAT ARE USING
6 THAT TECHNOLOGY.
THEN IF YOU READ FURTHER IN 508 TOWARDS THE BACK,
7 THERE'S PARAGRAPH F WHICH TALKS ABOUT ENFORCEMENT.
WHICH SAYS A PERSON CAN BRING SUIT UNDER AN AGENCY
8 UNDER THE SAME PROCESSES AS THE 504 COMPLAINTS.
I'LL TALK ABOUT 504 IN A BIT TOO, BECAUSE IT'S
9 IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND ALL THESE OTHER LAWS TOO.
IN 508 F IT SAYS THAT A PERSON CAN BRING SUIT AGAINST
10 AN AGENCY UNDER THE 504 PROCESSES BUT IT ALSO SAYS
THAT THE ENFORCEMENT PROVISION, THE THING THAT
11 AUTHORIZES THE LAWSUITS, IS ONLY LIMITED TO
ELECTRONIC AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY THAT'S PROCURED
12 AFTER A PARTICULAR DAY, SIX MONTHS AFTER THE DAY THAT
THE ACCESS BOARD CAME UP WITH THE STANDARDS.
13 AND HISTORY TELLS US THAT THAT MAGIC DATE IS JUNE 21,
2001.
14 THAT'S WHY EVERYBODY IS LOOKING AT 2001.
THERE WAS A LOT OF CONFUSION ABOUT THAT.
15 AGENCIES THOUGHT THEY HAD TO FIX EVERYTHING BY JUN 21
OTHERWISE THEY WERE GOING TO GET SUED.
16 SO THERE WERE AGENCIES THAT WERE RIPPING STUFF OFF
THEIR WEB SITES THAT THEY THOUGHT WAS INACCESSIBLE.
17 BUT THAT REALLY WASN'T THE RIGHT WAY OF GOING,
OBVIOUSLY.
18 IT WAS REALLY MORE OF A STARTING DATE THAN A
DEADLINE.
19 IT'S NOT LIKE EVERYTHING HAD TO BE FIXED BY THEN,
THAT WAS THE DATE THAT LAWSUITS COULD BEGIN.
20 SO EFFECTIVELY, WHAT 508 DOES IS IT BREAKS THE WORLD
OF TECHNOLOGY INTO TWO DIFFERENT CATEGORIES.
21 THOSE THINGS THAT ARE PROCURED BEFORE JUNE 21 AND
AFTER.
22 THAT'S THE BASIC IDEA.
NOW, DOUG TALKED ABOUT THE STANDARDS.
23 LET ME TALK VERY BRIEFLY ABOUT WHY IT'S IMPORTANT.
BUT BEFORE I DO THAT, LET ME DO EXACTLY WHAT DOUG DID
24 AND SURVEY THE AUDIENCE A LITTLE BIT JUST SO I CAN
FIGURE OUT HOW MUCH TIME I NEED TO BE SPENDING ON
25 THIS.
FIRST OF ALL, THE FIRST QUESTION IS JUST FOR MY OWN

1 CURIOSITY.
SINCE ALMOST EVERYONE RAISED THEIR HAND WHEN DOUG
2 ASKED IF THERE WERE ANY IT PEOPLE, I'LL ASK THE
FOLLOW-UP.
3 HOW MANY OF YOU ARE INVOLVED IN WEB TECHNOLOGIES?
OKAY.
4 THAT'S ABOUT 80 PERCENT OF THAT LAST 80 PERCENT.
SO THAT'S A PRETTY GOOD NUMBER.
5 HOW MANY OF YOU ARE PRIVATE SECTOR FOLKS? OKAY.
I GUESS THAT'S ABOUT, WHAT, 30, 40 PERCENT?
6 AND HOW MANY OF YOU ARE GOVERNMENT?
OKAY.
7 THAT'S ABOUT EVERYBODY ELSE.
AND HOW MANY ARE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT?
8 THAT'S EVERYBODY.
STATE GOVERNMENT?
9 AH, ONE PERSON.
OKAY, GREAT.
10 AND HOW MANY OF YOU HAVE ACTUALLY SEEN A SCREEN
READER IN USE?
11 AUTOMATIC.
A LARGE NUMBER OF YOU, OKAY.
12 SO I'M NOT GOING TO TELL YOU WHY SCREEN READERS ARE
IMPORTANT AND WHY IT'S IMPORTANT TO PROVIDE TEXT ON
13 WEB PAGES AND SOFTWARE PRODUCTS AND MAKE TEXT PAGES
AVAILABLE BECAUSE MOST OF YOU SEEM TO KNOW THAT.
14 SO THE OLD SECTION 508 WASN'T REALLY ENFORCEABLE AND
SO NOW WE'VE GOT THE T ONES.
15 I SHOULD ALSO ADD AS A TANGENT RIGHT NOW, THAT IF YOU
NEED ANY INFORMATION THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT LIKE
16 THE 508 STANDARDS, LIKE THE ACTUAL STATUTE ITSELF,
DEFINITELY TAKE A LOOK AT THE SECTION 508.GOV WEB
17 SITE.
IT'S QUITE AMAZING.
18 IT HAS ALL OF THIS INFORMATION IS THERE.
I DON'T HAVE HARD COPIES AND YOU PROBABLY DON'T
19 EITHER, SO I CAN'T JUST POINT TO A SECTION IN
PARAGRAPH 508 AND SAY THIS IS WHAT YOU SHOULD BE
20 LOOKING AT.
BUT IT'S IN SECTION 508 A AND 508 F ARE THE TWO
21 SECTIONS I MENTIONED BEFORE.
LET ME TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE LEGAL REQUIREMENTS.
22 WHEN I SAID 508 SAID THAT YOU HAVE THIS OBLIGATION TO
DEVELOP, PROCURE, MAINTAIN, OR USE THIS TECHNOLOGY IN
23 A WAY THAT IS AVAILABLE TO PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES,
I FORGOT TO MENTION THE DEFENSE ON THAT WHICH IS
24 UNDUE BURDEN.
THAT'S SOMETHING A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE BEEN VERY
25 CONCERNED ABOUT.
UNDUE BURDEN BASICALLY MEANS SIGNIFICANT DIFFICULTY

1 OR EXPENSE.
AND THIS IS REALLY PRECISE.
2 AND WHEN YOU TELL PROCUREMENT PEOPLE THAT THEY
CRINGE, AND WHEN YOU TELL LAWYERS THAT, THEY SMILE.
3 BASICALLY YOU HAVE TO MAKE -- YOU DON'T HAVE TO MAKE
SURE THAT THE INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY -- ELECTRONIC
4 AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY THAT YOU PROCURE OR THAT
YOU DEVELOP OR MAINTAIN OR USE HAS TO BE ACCESSIBLE
5 IF DOING SO WOULD CONSTITUTE AN UNDUE BURDEN.
UNDUE BURDEN MEANS SIGNIFICANT DIFFICULTY OR EXPENSE.
6 HERE I HAVE TO DRAWBACK A LITTLE BIT ON MY ADA
EXPERIENCE WHICH I USED TO DO FOR ABOUT SIX YEARS
7 BEFORE I WAS WORKING ON 508 AT THE JUSTICE
DEPARTMENT.
8 WE'VE TRADITIONALLY DEFINED UNDUE BURDEN AND THE
COURTS HAVE TRADITIONALLY DEFINED UNDUE BURDEN TO
9 REALLY BE AN EXTREMELY HIGH THRESHOLD.
THE ONLY THING I CAN GIVE YOU FOR EXAMPLES WHERE
10 DOCTORS OFFICES WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR INTERPRETER
SERVICES FOR PATIENTS WHO ARE DEAF WHERE THE COST OF
11 THE INTERPRETER SERVICE WOULD FAR EXCEED THE AMOUNT
OF MONEY THAT THE DOCTOR WAS TAKING IN AS INCOME FROM
12 THAT PARTICULAR PATIENT.
AND INSTEAD WHAT THE DOCTOR HAD TO LOOK AT WAS THE
13