Effective Communications for People with Disabilities: Before, During, and After Emergencies

APPENDIX A. Partial List of NGOs and Disability-specific Organizations Interested in the Social Inclusion of People with Disabilities and Others with Access and Functional Needs

Non-governmental Organizations

American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD)

AAPD is the nation’s largest disability rights organization. It promotes equal opportunity, economic power, independent living, and political participation for people with disabilities. AAPD’s members—including people with disabilities and their families, friends, and supporters—are a powerful force for change.

Coalition of Organizations for Accessible Technology (COAT)

The primary mission of the coalition is to ensure accessible technology for people with disabilities. Although emergency communications is just one of the aspects of accessible technology COAT addresses, the coalition is proactive in providing and sharing timely information on the subject. It disseminates all FEMA notices, FCC actions, insightful state and NGO updates, and partner items of interest.

Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities (CCD)

The CCD is a coalition of approximately 100 national consumer, advocacy, provider, and professional disability organizations. Since 1973, the consortium has advocated for national public policy that ensures the self-determination, independence, empowerment, integration, and inclusion of children and adults with disabilities in all aspects of society.

National Emergency Number Association (NENA)

NENA is the primary organization focused on 911 policy, technology, and operations (NENA, 2012). NENA creates standards, files comments on rulemakings, and conducts outreach and training related to 911. The association has been involved in all aspects of Next Generation 911 and is pushing for state and regional implementation of interim textto-911. Text-to-911 would improve access for deaf and hard of hearing individuals, and would enable text communication for people for whom voice communication is not an option. NENA’s Accessibility Committee offers assistance in all accessibility-related issues and provides subject matter experts on NENA’s committees and workgroups.

Wireless RERC

The Wireless RERC (Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center) focuses on identifying issues and providing solutions related to accessibility and usability of mobile wireless products and services by people with disabilities. Currently, the center is working on three prototype “lifelines” on wireless platforms, each of which will undergo trials for people with disabilities. The prototypes are an augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) app for emergency communications; a Commercial Mobile Alert System (CMAS) video platform; and TTY-like access to NG 911 via a wireless interface (Wireless RERC, 2012). The Wireless RERC’s policy center provides substantive input into policymaking to help reduce barriers and accelerate adoption of accessible wireless products, services (including emergency alerts), and software applications. Of particular interest is parity of access to emergency information and ensuring that people with disabilities who require nonvoice communication (e.g., deaf, speech-disabled ) have equivalent access to emergency services as analog-based communications are phased out in favor of fourth generation/Internet Protocol (4G/IP) technology.

Disability-Specific Organizations

The American Council of the Blind (ACB)

ACB strives to increase the independence, security, equality of opportunity, and quality of life for all blind and visually impaired people. Since its inception, ACB and its affiliates have been instrumental in the creation of policies that have shaped the opportunities available to people with disabilities in our country.

American Foundation for the Blind (AFB)

As a national nonprofit with offices in five U.S. cities, the AFB is a leader in expanding possibilities for the more than 20 million Americans living with vision loss.

The Arc

The Arc is the largest national community-based organization advocating for and serving people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families. It encompasses all ages and all spectrums: autism, Down syndrome, Fragile X, and various other developmental disabilities.

Association of Late-Deafened Adults (ALDA)

ALDA is about communication and acceptance of every deafened individual. What is most important about ALDA is that there are no membership restrictions and no ties to a specific mode of communication. ALDA reaches out to deafened individuals regardless of age of onset who are seeking their place as a deafened person.

Autistic Self-Advocacy Network (ASAN)

ASAN was created to provide support and services to people on the autism spectrum while working to educate communities and improve public perceptions of autism. ASAN activities include public policy advocacy, community engagement to encourage inclusion and respect for neurodiversity, quality of life oriented research, and the development of Autistic cultural activities.

Easter Seals

Easter Seals provides services, education, outreach, and advocacy so that people living with autism and other disabilities can live, learn, work, and play in the community. From child development centers to physical rehabilitation and job training for people with disabilities, Easter Seals offers a variety of services to help people with disabilities address life’s challenges and achieve personal goals.

Hearing Loss Association of America (HLAA)

HLAA has an impact on communication access, public policy, research, public awareness, and service delivery related to hearing loss. Its national support network includes an office in the Washington, DC, area; 14 state organizations; and HLAA chapters and organizations across the country.

National Association of the Deaf (NAD)

NAD is a civil rights organization of, by, and for deaf and hard of hearing people in the United States. NAD’s advocacy scope is broad, covering the human lifetime and affecting future generations in the areas of early intervention, education, employment, health care, technology, telecommunications, youth leadership, and more.

National Federation of the Blind (NFB)

NFB is the oldest and largest nationwide membership organization of blind people in the United States. It advocates for the civil rights and equality of blind Americans, and develops innovative education, technology, and training programs to provide the blind and those who are losing vision with the tools they need to be independent and successful.

Telecommunications for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, Inc. (TDI)

TDI provides leadership in achieving equal access to telecommunications, media, and information technologies for deaf and hard of hearing people. It focuses its energies and resources to address equal access issues in telecommunications and media for four constituencies in deafness and hearing loss: people who are deaf, hard-of-hearing, latedeafened, or deaf-blind.

United Cerebral Palsy (UCP)

UCP educates, advocates, and provides support services to ensure a life without limits for people with a spectrum of disabilities.

References

National Emergency Number Association. 2012. “About NENA.” Accessed October 16, 2012. http://www.nena.org/?page=AboutNENA

Wireless RERC. 2012. October 18, 2012. “Emergency Communications (D2).” Accessed March 10, 2014. http://www.wirelessrerc.org/content/emergency-communications-d2