Press Release: Reversing Failure, Alleviating Frustration: International Conference Takes Up the Cause of Computing's Everyman

November 9, 2000

Too often, computer system complexity, incompatible file formats, confusing interfaces, high cost, and especially inadequate attention to the needs of diverse groups lead to user frustration and failure.

Reversing failure and alleviating frustration are among the goals of the Conference on Universal Usability (CUU), taking place next week (Nov. 16 and 17) in Arlington, Virginia. This international conference will be opened by Thomas Kalil, Special Assistant to the President for Economic Policy -- a key player in past disability access efforts and currently the point man in U.S. efforts to narrow the Digital Divide between those who have access to computing and those who do not.

The more than 300 CUU attendees also will experience:

• A presentation describing universal access for any user, in many languages, on any computer platform
• Poster and papers depicting visual cues for the visually impaired, a sign language recognition system, a remittance service for blind user ATM operation, and a tool to evaluate universal web accessibility

See the Final Program for more examples of how to reverse failure and alleviate frustration.