FW: Bank Commits to Accessible Online Banking

FYI,
Cynthia D. Waddell

---------------------------------------------------
Cynthia D. Waddell   
ADA Coordinator
City Manager Department
City of San Jose, CA USA
801 North First Street, Room 460
San Jose, CA  95110-1704
(408)277-4034
(408)971-0134 TTY
(408)277-3885 FAX
http://www.rit.edu/~easi/webcast/cynthia.htm
http://www.aasa.dshs.wa.gov/access/waddell.htm 



-----Original Message-----
From: Lainey Feingold, Esq. [mailto:Lfeingold@california.net] 
Sent: Wednesday, March 15, 2000 8:40 AM
To: cynthia.waddell@ci.sj.ca.us; r_tamez@pacbell.net
Subject: Largest U.S. Bank to Install Talking ATMs


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

March 15, 2000
                 
                  CALIFORNIA, FLORIDA TO GET FIRST
                   BANK OF AMERICA TALKING ATMS                
                 Largest U.S. Bank to Install more than 2,500


SAN FRANCISCO, CA  March 15, 2000   Bank of America today announces a plan
to
install more than 2,500 talking ATMs in Florida and California   its largest
retail markets.  The plan, reached in conjunction with the California
Council
of the Blind and several blind individuals, schedules installations of the
talking ATMs over the next three years.   Additional plans to install the
ATMs
in other states where Bank of America operates will be worked out early next
year.  

Bank of America will use talking ATMs that have been developed by NCR
Corporation and  Diebold Corporation, the largest ATM vendors in the U.S.
The
talking ATMs will provide audible instructions to persons who cannot view
information on an ATM screen.  These machines will make it easier for blind
users to withdraw cash, deposit money and perform other transactions.  The
ATMs
will have audio jacks that will deliver voice information privately to
protect
the security of blind and low-vision users.

"We're thrilled with the collaborative effort with Bank of America and other
blind
individuals," said Catherine Skivers, president of the California Council of
the Blind, an affiliate of the American Council of the Blind with 46
chapters
throughout California.  "We hope that every financial institution in the
country will follow the Bank of America lead."

Berkeley disability rights lawyer Lainey Feingold, Linda Dardarian of the
Oakland civil rights firm of Saperstein, Goldstein, Demchak & Baller, and
the
Berkeley - based Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund, represented
the
California Council in the discussions regarding talking ATMs. 
According to Feingold and Dardarian, "Bank of America deserves tremendous
praise for their commitment to the blind community demonstrated by today's
announcement."

"We are pleased to announce the largest planned installation of talking ATMs
by
any financial institution, starting in two of our largest retail markets,"
said
Bill Raymond, manager, ATM Channel Strategies and Development.  "We have
been
working with ATM manufacturers for several years on the development of this
technology, and we will underscore this announcement with other initiatives
to improve sight-impaired access to Bank of America." 

Bank of America will also make information that is typically provided in
written format, such as monthly account statements and product materials,
available in alternative formats to persons with vision impairments.  It
will
also take steps to ensure that its Web site and online banking services are
accessible to blind persons whose home computers use screen readers to
audibly
read text on a
computer screen.

Created in 1998 by the merger between NationsBank and Bank of America
Corporation, Bank of America is the country's first coast_to_coast
nationwide
bank.  With 14,000 ATMs operated under the Bank of America and NationsBank
brands, Bank of America operates the largest proprietary ATM
network in the U.S.  

Bank of America, with $633 billion in assets, is the largest bank in the
United
States. It has full-service operations in 21 states and the District of
Columbia and provides financial products and services to 30 million
households
and two million businesses, as well as providing international corporate
financial services for business transactions in 190 countries. 

CONTACT:

For California Council of the Blind:

Lainey Feingold
510/848-8125
mailto:lfeingold@california.net

Leni Doyle, Saperstein, Goldstein, Demchak &
Baller
510/763-9800
mailto:leni@sgdblaw.com
                            
For Bank of America:
Ann DeFabio
415/622_3516
ann.l.defabio@bankofamerica.com

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Received on Wednesday, 15 March 2000 23:01:34 UTC