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Glossary

 7-1-1 Relay Dialing

  • 7-1-1 is a three digit code that enables both voice and Teletypewriter (see TTY below) users to be connected to a Telecommunications Relay Service Operator (see TRS below).
  • Useful FCC link: http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/consumerfacts/711.html

Accessible User Interfaces

  • a system by which a user interacts with a machine that is accessible (usable) by people with disabilities
  • see User Interface below

Captions

  • a textual equivalent of the dialogue and (significant) sound effects or non-dialogue audio content (i.e., phone ringing), which may include music titles or lyrics
  • usually presented in the same language as the audio; may state the name of the language if other than the primary language in the audio, rather than transcribe or translate the utterance
  • usually identifies the speaker, if not readily apparent to the viewer
  • may be “open” (permanent; cannot be turned on or off; always visible), “closed” (selectable; can be turned on or off; visible to everyone in the viewing audience when turned on), or “personal or individual” (visible only to individuals in the viewing audience who have the requisite personal or individual caption display device)
  • see also Subtitles
  • useful FCC link: http://ftp.fcc.gov/cgb/consumerfacts/closedcaption.html

Coalition of Organizations for Accessible Technologies (COAT)

  • a coalition of national, regional, and community-based organizations which advocates for legislative and regulatory safeguards that will ensure full access by people with disabilities to evolving high speed broadband, wireless and other Internet protocol (IP) technologies

Closed Captioning

  • see Captions

Communications Assistant (CA)

  • a Telecommunications Relay Service operator who facilitates telephone calls between people with hearing and speech disabilities and other individuals

Distribution Format Exchange Profile (DFXP)Digital Telephones

  • digital telephones use a digital modulation system
  • a digital modulation system differs from an analog modulation system, in that, there are discrete values or numbers which correspond to digital codes for input, processing, transmission or storage, while an analog system operates over a continuous spectrum of values, allowing the amplitude, frequency or phase of the carrier to change

Digital Television (DTV)

  • a television system which uses digital, rather than analog modulation to transmit signals

DTV Standard

Federal Communications Commission (FCC)

  • a federal government agency that was established by Congress as part of the Communications Act of 1934. The FCC regulates interstate and international communications by radio, television, wire, satellite and cable in the U.S.
  • link: www.fcc.gov

High-Definition Media Interface (HDMI)

  • a defacto industry standard which has an all-digital audio/video interface

Internet Protocol (IP)

  • a standard “language system” by which data is sent from one computer to another via the Internet
  • information is transmitted via a “packet switching method;” a packet is a set of data plus a header; after the information arrives at its destination, the packets, or parts of information are reassembled.

Internet Protocol (IP) Relay

  • a form of Telephone Relay Service (TRS) (see below) which allows users to connect to a Communications Assistant (CA) via the Internet using a computer or other web enabled device instead of a teletypewriter (TTY) (see below)
  • useful FCC link: http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/consumerfacts/iprelay.html

Internet Protocol (IP) Technologies

  • technologies which utilize the IP system (see above) of relaying information from one device to another

Lifeline Assistance

  • supported by the Universal Service Fund (USF) (see below) this service provides discounts of up to $10.00 per month on telephone services to income eligible clients
  • useful FCC link: http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/consumerfacts/lllu.html

Link-up America

  • supported by the Universal Service Fund (USF) this service provides income eligible subscribers with a discount of one-half the cost of an initial telephone installation fee (up to $30.00) for a traditional land line telephone or one-half the cost (up to $30.00) of an activation fee for a wireless telephone
  • useful FCC link: http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/consumerfacts/lllu.html

Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs)

  • the location to which a 9-1-1 or emergency call is routed
  • an operator at the PSAP will determine the location of the emergency and what sort of emergency team will be sent to respond to the emergency
  • useful FCC link: http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/emergency/call911.html

Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN)

  • international system of circuit-based telephone networks, both commercial and government operated
  • previously analog based; the current system is almost entirely digital

Subtitles

  • a textual equivalent or near-equivalent of the dialogue; does not usually include (significant) sound effects or non-dialogue audio content (i.e., phone ringing) or music titles or lyrics
  • usually presented (via translation) in the primary language of the target audience; does not usually present portions of the dialogue spoken in the primary language of the target audience; may also translate onscreen text
  • usually does not identify the speaker
  • usually “open” (permanent; cannot be turned on or off; always visible), but can be “closed” (selectable; can be turned on or off; visible to everyone in the viewing audience when turned on), or “personal or individual” (visible only to individuals in the viewing audience that have the requisite personal or individual caption display device)
  • see also Captions

Telecommunications Relay Service (TRS)

  • a telecommunication system that uses operators or Communications Assistants (CA) to facilitate telephone calls between people with hearing and speech disabilities and other individuals
  • several modes of communication are available to TRS users, including, but not limited to:? Text to Voice TTY? Voice Carry Over? Hearing Carry Over? Speech to Speech Relay? Captioned Telephone Service? Internet Protocol (IP) Relay Service? Internet Protocol (IP) Captioned Relay Service? Video Relay Service
  • useful FCC link: http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/consumerfacts/trs.html

Telecommunications Device for the Deaf (TDD)

  • a device that allows for electronic, typewritten communication through a standard telephone line.

Teletypewriter (TTY)

  • a teletypewriter which facilitates typewritten communication through a standard telephone line.

Universal Service Fund (USF)

  • a fund administered by the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC)
  • the fund has four components1) high cost: which ensures parity between telephone prices in different regions of the country2) low income: administers the Lifeline Assistance and Link-up America programs (see above)3) rural health care: a fund that reduces rates for rural health care providers4) schools and libraries: a fund that helps lower rates for local school systems and libraries
  • useful USAC link: http://www.usac.org/about/universal-service/

User Interface

  • a system by which a user interacts with a machine

Video Descriptive Services

  • a system of video description which provides audio descriptions and narrations of key elements in video programming, television programming, television set-ups, or movie access
  • FCC link to legislation and case-law: http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/dro/video-description.html

Video Relay Services (VRS)

  • a form of TRS (see above) which allows a user with a videophone (generally, a camera and display monitor connected to a high speed Internet service) to connect with a TRS Communications Assistant (CA) who is a qualified American Sign Language interpreter who facilitates telephone calls between people with hearing and speech disabilities and other individuals

Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP)

  • a technology that allows users to make a telephone call over a broadband internet connection, rather than a traditional phone line
  • this service requires a broadband internet connection, i.e., cable or DSL internet connection
  • a computer, adapter, or specialized phone is also necessary
  • useful FCC link: http://www.fcc.gov/voip/

Vlog

  • a web blog in video format
  • a blog is a web log in which users display information, usually in reverse chronological entries, about a wide variety of subjects
  • vlogs usually use an embedded video or a video link to display information

Web-based Video Programming

  • video programming which is broadcast via a web browser over a network system such as the Internet or intranet.