Access to Emergency Alerts ncam.wgbh.org/alerts www.incident.com/access

Access to Emergency Alerts for People with Disabilities

Idaho Bureau of Homeland Security 2006 Broadcast Warning Summit October 4, 2006 Marcia Brooks Project Director WGBH National Center for Accessible Media (NCAM) [email protected]

Access Alerts Project ncam.wgbh.org/alerts www.incident.com/access

The WGBH Media Access Group

The Caption Center (est. 1972)

• Primary audience: people who are deaf or hard of hearing • Captions 10,000+ hours of broadcast & cable programs, feature films, large-format & IMAX films, home videos, music videos, DVDs, CD-ROMs, and teleconferences per year

Access Alerts Project ncam.wgbh.org/alerts www.incident.com/access

The WGBH Media Access Group

Descriptive Video Service - DVS (est. 1990)

• Primary audience: people who are blind or visually impaired • WGBH creates DVS for public, commercial and cable television. More than 180 major home video releases are currently available with DVS.

• Described DVDs are in over 1600 public libraries in the U.S.

Access Alerts Project ncam.wgbh.org/alerts www.incident.com/access

The WGBH Media Access Group

• WGBH’s Rear Window® Captioning and DVS Theatrical®, collectively known as

MoPix

® (Motion Picture Access), make movie theaters fully accessible to audiences with vision or hearing disabilities.

• 100 films accessible annually via closed captioning, 60% are also described • Full commitment of Universal Pictures & Twentieth Century Fox for every major release

Access Alerts Project ncam.wgbh.org/alerts www.incident.com/access

The WGBH Media Access Group

• Approx. 340 MoPix installations in North America (first-run theatres, IMAX theaters, Disney themepark attractions, and National Park Visitor Centers) • MoPix recently won a da Vinci award for exceptional design and engineering achievement in accessibility and universal design

Access Alerts Project ncam.wgbh.org/alerts www.incident.com/access

The WGBH Media Access Group

National Center for Accessible Media (NCAM - est. 1993)

• Research and development facility • Supports national policy decisions • Develops technical solutions • Conducts research • Promotes advocacy via outreach

Access Alerts Project ncam.wgbh.org/alerts www.incident.com/access

The WGBH Media Access Group

National Center for Accessible Media

• AOL now testing captions for streaming CNN news content online • Produced guidelines for creating accessible digital materials • Created MAGpie, free student-and teacher friendly captioning software

Access Alerts Project ncam.wgbh.org/alerts www.incident.com/access

Access to Emergency Alerts

• Three year grant, funded by U.S. Department of Commerce’s Technology Opportunities Fund - concludes September 2007 • Awarded to NCAM for its legacy in uniting consumer and industry to influence policy, standards, and technology on behalf of people with sensory disabilities

Access Alerts Project ncam.wgbh.org/alerts www.incident.com/access

Efforts to Date

• Formed National Advisory Board – Includes national consumer advocacy organizations, NOAA/NWS, Mass. Commissioners for Deaf/Hard of Hearing, and the Blind, Mass. Emergency Management Agency • Formed Working Group – Includes emergency management personnel, providers of notification services and equipment, and others

Access Alerts Project ncam.wgbh.org/alerts www.incident.com/access

Efforts to Date

• Working Group, continued:

– Established working group “wiki” (collaborative editing environment) – Varied resources • White papers, project documents in progress, social science research, focus group reports – Concept map, to facilitate gap analysis

Concept Map

Access Alerts Project ncam.wgbh.org/alerts www.incident.com/access

Access Alerts Project ncam.wgbh.org/alerts www.incident.com/access

Efforts to Date

• Established Public Access Repository – Summary documents of user needs – Design requirements for accessible products and services – Usability research – Subject-related news articles & conference announcements

Access Alerts Project ncam.wgbh.org/alerts www.incident.com/access

Efforts to Date

Draft information requirements suggest how a warning message should integrate the relevant needs of people with sensory disabilities within: • Database management and information processing • Alert distribution systems • Receiver equipment

Access Alerts Project ncam.wgbh.org/alerts www.incident.com/access

Efforts to Date

• Information requirements drawn from existing authoritative works: – National Science and Technology Council “Red Book” report on “Effective Disaster Warnings” – OASIS Emergency Management Technical Committee warning format requirements – World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) Web Content Accessibility Guidelines

Draft Information Requirements

• • • Be compatible with various transmission systems   Provide warning message details in: Audio and text form Image or other visual form  Multiple languages Use multiple forms of presentation appropriate to needs of individual recipients • Make appropriate use of font size, foreground/background color and other visual attributes in image and text • Use appropriate language for comprehension by the at-risk audience • Allow extension of info format to meet future needs • Facilitate delivery of message to all recipients thru multiple channels

Access Alerts Project ncam.wgbh.org/alerts www.incident.com/access

Efforts to Date

• Accessible Emergency Notification and Communication State of the Science conference, Gallaudet University (2005) • Third International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management, NJ Institute of Technology (2006) • Conducted test DTV datacasting transmissions of sample accessible message (QuickTime movie of bilingual audio/text, video ASL)

Access Alerts Project ncam.wgbh.org/alerts www.incident.com/access

Efforts to Date

• Captioned HD radio demo with National Public Radio (NPR) at 2006 National Association of Broadcasters convention • IAEM Special Focus Newsletter: Technology and Research • U.S. Dept. of Health & Human Services/DHS working conference • LLIS.gov, a secure online network of resources, free to emergency response professionals and researchers (DHS and Memorial Institute for the Prevention of Terrorism)

Access Alerts Project ncam.wgbh.org/alerts www.incident.com/access

Efforts to Date

• With the RERC on Telecommunications Access, filed comments to the FCC regarding the Emergency Alert System • Held two annual meetings with National Access Alerts Advisory Board in Washington D.C.

• Completed consumer focus groups Feb. 2006

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Focus Groups

Convened to solicit direct input from the community: • How emergency messages are received • The content and usefulness of messages • Satisfaction and/or frustration with above • Ideal delivery mechanisms and message content

Access Alerts Project ncam.wgbh.org/alerts www.incident.com/access

Focus Groups

Tech Savvy and Non-Tech Savvy Consumers: • Hard-of-Hearing and Late-deafened Consumers (NVRC) • Deaf and Hard of Hearing Consumers (TDI) • Blind and Visually Impaired Consumers (AFB) • Deaf-Blind consumers (Helen Keller National Center)

Access Alerts Project ncam.wgbh.org/alerts www.incident.com/access

Focus Groups

• • • • • Hard-of-Hearing and Late-deafened Consumers receive emergency information via: Television Radio (if residual hearing) E-mail or news Web sites (text as online video not captioned) Personal devices such as pagers, cell phones, Blackberries From family, neighbors, strangers

Access Alerts Project ncam.wgbh.org/alerts www.incident.com/access

Focus Groups

• Tech Savvy Hard-of-Hearing and Late-deafened Consumers Concerns: Broadcast weather alerts utilize Doppler/area maps that make pinpointing locations difficult without benefit of audio • Power outages, extreme vulnerability in the dark • Relevance of emergency messages via e-mail diluted by less than vital information (“high wind” warnings) • PA systems in public spaces not useful (hearing aids block background noise)

Access Alerts Project ncam.wgbh.org/alerts www.incident.com/access

Focus Groups

• • • • • • • Hard-of-Hearing and Late-deafened Consumers Wish List Text displays in public buildings Hearing aid coupled with a PA system to transmit emergency messages directly (Bluetooth) Portable speech to text device GPS in cell phone with local emergency management agency reachable Radio text alerts Captioned Internet video, easy to activate, delivered in real time Device to wake you, complete with external power supply

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Focus Groups

• • • • • Ideal messages for deaf, hard of hearing and late deafened consumers: Notification and what to do URL for more information Develop consistency: keywords, order of info Offer hierarchy of notification options/scenarios Offer variety of message detail based on device text display (address problem of truncated text)

Access Alerts Project ncam.wgbh.org/alerts www.incident.com/access

Focus Groups

Ideal messages for deaf consumers: • • Establish color codes and keywords for people with English language skills issues (broadcast or text messages) Incorporation of sign language interpreters for emergency newscasts or e-mailed alerts

Access Alerts Project ncam.wgbh.org/alerts www.incident.com/access

Focus Groups

• • • • • • Non Tech Savvy Hard-of-Hearing and Late-deafened Consumers Ideal Messages Messages delivered via existing public tech vs. personal devices Method of capturing TV captioning text if missed or if scrolling too fast LED signs on highways, display alerts in cars TV station/channel with text information on full screen Neighborhood watch program (though privacy/safety concern) Programs to have police/fire personnel notify household

Access Alerts Project ncam.wgbh.org/alerts www.incident.com/access

Focus Groups

• • • • • • • Blind and visually impaired consumers receive emergency information/notification via: Radio, television (increasingly), ham radio (fast, direct) Satellite radio Weather radios that turn on during emergencies Automated calls by local emergency agencies E-mail alerts from local tv stations Sirens if in a small or rural community Family, friends, neighbors (secondary source)

Access Alerts Project ncam.wgbh.org/alerts www.incident.com/access

Focus Groups

• • • • • Blind and visually impaired consumer concerns: Televised text scrolls and graphics cater to sighted audience TV reporters that say “over here” and “in the red area” Diminishing number of locally owned and operated radio stations (hence availability and reliability of local alerts) Stations (tv and radio) that cover wide areas and therefore don’t provide enough specifics during weather events Training of public officials needed, especially around importance of guide dogs (not a pet)

Access Alerts Project ncam.wgbh.org/alerts www.incident.com/access

Focus Groups

Suggestions from blind and visually impaired consumers: • • • • • • • Improve what currently exists, take what “is” and make more accessible Broadcast audio warnings in additional languages Use beepers to alert users to emergency situation, seek further info 800 number for emergency info in your area Phone options preferable to instant messaging Dissemination software that can send messages via more than one type of media/device Stick with low tech options to maximize accessibility

Access Alerts Project ncam.wgbh.org/alerts www.incident.com/access

Focus Groups

• • • • Suggestions on message content from Blind and Visually Impaired consumers: Relatively few complaints on quality of warning notification now EAS warnings taken seriously, capture attention, build on this with tones on other devices Improve broadcast weather reports by reducing vague pointing and “over here/there” Concern comes with “what do I do now” post evacuation (transportation, shelters, etc. when away from home and tv/radio)

Suggestion beyond current project: Engage local communities of blind and visually impaired consumers and first responders similar to TDI’s CEPIN project

Access Alerts Project ncam.wgbh.org/alerts www.incident.com/access

Focus Groups

• • • • • • • Deaf-Blind consumers receive emergency information/notification via: Family Friends and/or neighbors Television reports (if some sight, hearing) Computer-generated e-mail Cell and amplified phone service Community sirens Conventional radio (if some hearing)

Access Alerts Project ncam.wgbh.org/alerts www.incident.com/access

Focus Groups

Deaf-Blind consumers express frustration or concern about: • • • • • • • Relying on friends and neighbors in time of emergency, what if neighbors are away? Need information as soon as possible, not when neighbors can get to you Televised alerts include information that goes by too fast to be useful Television can sensationalize a weather situation for days leading up to an event that turns out not to be bad at all Some deaf-blind users can hear Emergency Broadcast System test on TV, but not the information that is provided after the signal Concern that figures of authority (police, fireman) would separate them from guide animal Lack of independence, could get worse in shelter

Access Alerts Project ncam.wgbh.org/alerts www.incident.com/access

Focus Groups

• • • • • Deaf-Blind consumers most enthusiastic about: Potential of Internet to gain information and receive alerts (weather.com and/or NOAA Web site) Greater computer use in general, great technology “literacy” Potential of funding subsidies to address technology gap, perhaps fund emergency alerting devices for this community Devices similar to Sidekick with vibrate feature, various patterns of vibration to indicate type of emergency (like Morse code) Expand TV alerts during emergencies to include full screen of information, with slow moving graphics and simplified text geared to people with residual hearing and sight

Access Alerts Project ncam.wgbh.org/alerts www.incident.com/access

Keeping Up With

…

New Devices

• • Samsung’s “Touch Messenger” mobile phone for the visually impaired - Enables the visually impaired users to send and receive Braille text messages Cingular’s “TALKS/Nokia 6620” - Screen reading capability on wireless phone - Translates screens, keystrokes, menu selections into speech output

Access Alerts Project ncam.wgbh.org/alerts www.incident.com/access

Keeping Up With

…

New Funding

September 25, 2006 announcement: The U.S. Department of Homeland Security allocated $5 million to supply hazard warning radios to all 97,000 public schools in the U.S., free of charge.

Access Alerts Project ncam.wgbh.org/alerts www.incident.com/access

Keeping Up With

…

New Government Structures

• FCC creates a Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau To promote a more efficient, effective and responsive organizational structure • To better promote and address public safety, homeland security, national security, emergency management and preparedness, disaster management, and related issues

Access Alerts Project ncam.wgbh.org/alerts www.incident.com/access

Understanding & Responding to Messages

• Social science research: disabled individuals do not understand, believe, personalize, or respond to warnings differently from non-disabled individuals • Social networks relay warning messages, confirm disasters, convey information on risk, etc.

Access Alerts Project ncam.wgbh.org/alerts www.incident.com/access

Understanding & Responding to Messages

To the extent that some disabled individuals may be isolated, without strong social connections, they may miss the warning, information on the disaster and the risk it poses, and other cues that might help them understand, believe, personalize, and respond to a warning.

Access Alerts Project ncam.wgbh.org/alerts www.incident.com/access

Understanding & Responding to Messages

• The same thing may happen to non-disabled individuals, but isolation may be more common among the disabled as it is with the elderly. • In general, however, the impacts of warning source, message, context and of recipient demographics and experience should be the same or very similar regardless of disability.

Access Alerts Project ncam.wgbh.org/alerts www.incident.com/access

Understanding & Responding to Messages

• While disability may complicate the receipt of warning messages and make it more difficult to pick up important cues concerning the hazard and the responses of others… • …most of the variables affecting the understanding, belief, personalization, and response to warnings is the same for all.

Source : “Access To Warnings by the Sensory Disabled Community”, William L. Waugh, Jr., Professor, Georgia State University

Access Alerts Project ncam.wgbh.org/alerts www.incident.com/access

What Can Be Done Now

• • • • • Involve consumers in drills and training sessions Make subscription sign-ups for alerts accessible Include accessibility as a requirement in bids and contracts with providers of notification equipment and services Review message content: does it give specific info for PWD, i.e. shelters that will accept guide dogs? Can template accessible messages be created?

Access Alerts Project ncam.wgbh.org/alerts www.incident.com/access

What

’

s Ahead

• • • • Refine information requirements, informed by Usability testing - usefulness of messages and devices (home, transit, work) Potential emergency alerting pilot projects at state/municipal level Coordination with DHS-FEMA and state emergency officials Coordination with APTS and local broadcasters

Access Alerts Project ncam.wgbh.org/alerts www.incident.com/access

What

’

s Ahead

• • Evaluate message creation techniques Coordinate with NCAM’s “Access to Locally Televised On Screen Information” project • • Continue development of information repository Recommendations to Federal government, industry, emergency management

Access to Emergency Alerts

Marcia Brooks WGBH National Center for Accessible Media (NCAM) ncam.wgbh.org/alerts www.incident.com/access [email protected]