Accessible voice services and systems: Technical trends Jim Tobias v/tty

Introduction Main trends  Messaging growth and centrality  Expanding range of products and features  PC-and-software replacing user CPE  Convergence and unified messaging  IP telephony All have access implications Data from MMTA industry survey on CT (

Messaging growth and centrality - 1 Explosive growth  48% of vendors have been active 1 year or less  38% growth in user organization expenditures  financial services IVR use grew 67% in 1998; customer satisfaction with calls dropped from 87% to 80% - TARP 10/99 Residential (mostly IVR and AA)  access to home services: ordering, delivery, banking, schools, government, etc.  “improved contact with... customers” is second highest rated reason for user organizations

Messaging growth and centrality - 2 Employment  33% of user organizations have voice mail now; 87% expect to within 2 years  “increased worker productivity” is top rated reason for user organizations  some jobs have high messaging content  call centers (sales & support) – 3% of US workforce by 2004  professions  any large organization

Accessibility implications Impact on social integration, commercial opportunities Critical employability issue

Expanding range of products and features Product ecology is exploding Maturity  refinement? Interoperability with embedded applications Standards  adherence to standards is greatest concern of vendors  end users rate its importance 95%

Profusion means there is usually at least one solution out there BUT information task becomes unmanageable  purchasing decisions are complex  vendors unaware of access value of their own products  end users and system administrators also unaware Few standards address accessibility Accessibility implications

PC-and –software replacing user CPE From simple POTS dialer utilities to proprietary phone simulators  TAPI and voice modems, other tools  integration with contact management software

PC phones

Messaging access depends on computer access  workplace computer access must be provided anyway Reduced need for specialized CPE and related equipment TTY modems (desktop and network) Accessibility implications

Convergence and unified messaging At user’s end  PC applications can show a single mailbox, with cross-media notification and presentation  user can switch media or arrange for transcription At provider’s end  one server for all media  identification of user’s media preference

Demo of CallXpress

Unified server architecture

Accessibility implications DeafHoHBlind/LVManipSpeechCog TTY compatibility? but has screen notification of voice messages, opportunity for transcription audio quality – potentially better by using PC signal processing and output compatibility with screen readers and magnifiers? but has voice notification of , opportunity for transcription mouse-free operation? busy screens mean smaller targets audio quality; compatibility with or integration with synthesized speech complex services and interface, but messages may be easier to manage

IP telephony Rapid growth: 9% of user organizations have it now; 64% expect to within 2 years Capable of simultaneous voice, video, shared application, and text  can change features during session Messaging apps available for client or server (JFax, eVoice, etc.)

IP telephony clients

IP telephony architectures

IP telephony access implications DeafHoHBlind/LVManipSpeechCog TTY compatibility (vs. text window) audio quality, sync. with video compatibility with screen readers and magnifiers mouse-free operation audio quality; compatibility with synthesized speech complexity

Business trends Growth in software and services 38%; hardware 28%; consultants/integrators 13%  improved administration  role of toolkits?  Application Service Providers (ASPs) 56% use vendor-supplied training

Accessibility implications More access features  but if they are not built in, they will be harder to add  user and administrator awareness becomes crucial Regulatory status of ASPs