{"670023":{"#nid":"670023","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Georgia Tech Researchers Studying National Wireless Alert Test to Improve Access ","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EOn the afternoon of Oct. 4, every active cell phone in the U.S. will sound off with the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=HVnwervdiIo\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Efamiliar tones\u003C\/a\u003E of the Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA) system as part of a rare nationwide test of the technology. Researchers from Georgia Tech will be among several teams collecting data on the test, specifically looking for information on challenges in receiving the alerts faced by people with disabilities.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ESalimah LaForce of the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cacp.gatech.edu\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ECenter for Advanced Communications Policy\u003C\/a\u003E (CACP), John Rempel from the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cidi.gatech.edu\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ECenter for Inclusive Design and Innovation,\u003C\/a\u003E and \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/deaflink.com\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EDeaf Link, Inc\u003C\/a\u003E. have assembled a nationwide panel of about 10,000 people with disabilities to learn more about whether they received the test, in what format, and their location, among other things, to better understand access challenges.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIt\u2019s part of a larger survey initiative by the Homeland Security Operational Analysis Center, a federally funded research and development center operated by the RAND Corporation, to understand how well Americans receive the alerts. The center tapped LaForce and CACP for the work due to their extensive work studying technology challenges among people with disabilities.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cDisability shouldn\u2019t be a barrier to accessing potentially lifesaving emergency information,\u201d said \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/iac.gatech.edu\/people\/person\/salimah-laforce\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ELaForce\u003C\/a\u003E. \u201cThis survey will help us better understand how cell phone users receive the alerts and about any challenges they may have faced, including those posed by the type of cell phone they own.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch2\u003EWEA Alerts Save Lives, but Challenges Remain\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/h2\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWireless Emergency Alert messages are geographically targeted alerts similar to texts sent to cell phones to warn users of threats such as hazardous weather. Cities, state emergency management agencies, and other authorized alerting agencies send the messages.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe Oct. 4 test is similar to routine tests that some state and local jurisdictions conduct, except that, in this case, users will not be able to opt out. Tests will also be delivered to televisions and radios via a different technology that\u2019s not part of LaForce\u2019s survey. This will be the first national test since 2021 and only the second since the WEA system went live in 2012.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ELaForce and CACP have been tracking issues with WEA alerts for years, noting technological gaps that prevent some users from receiving the full alerts and numerous challenges that can make receiving them difficult for the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.census.gov\/library\/stories\/2023\/06\/disability-rates-higher-in-rural-areas-than-urban-areas.html\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003E42.5 million people\u003C\/a\u003E living with disabilities in the U.S. For instance, those with hearing disabilities might miss audible signals such as the WEA tone, while individuals with visual disabilities could struggle with text-based notifications if text-to-speech isn\u2019t enabled on their phone. The technology used in some older models and some subsidized phones may also limit the effectiveness of these alerts for economically disadvantaged individuals with disabilities, according to LaForce.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch2\u003ENovel Survey to Use American Sign Language\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/h2\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe survey is meant to find out how many cellphone users received test messages, what language it was in, and other information, such as race and ethnicity, language, and disability, that could help determine whether those factors affect the ability of cell phone users to receive timely emergency alerts.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAs part of the project, LaForce helped pioneer what she said may be one of the first survey instruments undertaken using American Sign Language.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cUsing ASL in the survey will allow people who primarily use sign language to communicate to respond to the survey comfortably and naturally,\u201d she said.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThis initiative addresses a significant gap in existing survey methods, which often rely on written or spoken language and may marginalize those who primarily communicate through ASL.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIt\u2019s just another part of CACP\u2019s work to influence tech policy in ways that improve the human condition, LaForce said.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cTechnology works best when it works for everyone, and that\u2019s a big part of what drives us forward at CACP,\u201d LaForce said.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ECACP, affiliated with the\u202f\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/spp.gatech.edu\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ESchool of Public Policy\u003C\/a\u003E\u202fand the\u202f\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/iac.gatech.edu\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EIvan Allen College of Liberal Arts\u003C\/a\u003E, has been evaluating communications technology and policy since 2004. The Center has shared its expertise through policy briefs, reports, submitted congressional testimony, and more.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.rand.org\/hsrd\/hsoac.html\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EHomeland Security Operational Analysis Center\u003C\/a\u003E researches and analyzes projects to prevent terrorism, safeguard cyberspace, and strengthen national preparedness and resilience, among other topics.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe work is supported by a \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/iac.gatech.edu\/news\/item\/659906\/cacp-researcher-receives-grant-study-inclusive-emergency-alerts\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003E$109,000 grant\u003C\/a\u003E from FEMA\u2019s Integrated Public Alert and Warning System Project Management Office.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe research is another example of Ivan Allen College\u0027s Center for Advanced Communications Policy works to influence tech policy in ways that improve the human condition.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"The research is another example of Ivan Allen College\u0027s Center for Advanced Communications Policy works to influence tech policy in ways that improve the human condition."}],"uid":"34600","created_gmt":"2023-09-28 21:01:51","changed_gmt":"2023-09-28 21:05:37","author":"mpearson34","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2023-09-28T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2023-09-28T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"671892":{"id":"671892","type":"image","title":"AdobeStock_635180294.jpeg","body":null,"created":"1695934919","gmt_created":"2023-09-28 21:01:59","changed":"1696964790","gmt_changed":"2023-10-10 19:06:30","alt":"Person holding a cell phone in front of a laptop. Above the cell phone, a large red triangle with a yellow exclamation mark symbolizing a warning sign is digitally displayed.","file":{"fid":"255039","name":"AdobeStock_635180294.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/09\/28\/AdobeStock_635180294.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/09\/28\/AdobeStock_635180294.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":7175547,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2023\/09\/28\/AdobeStock_635180294.jpeg?itok=YiH41BhL"}},"671893":{"id":"671893","type":"image","title":"Salimah LaForce","body":"\u003Cp\u003ESalimah LaForce\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","created":"1695934954","gmt_created":"2023-09-28 21:02:34","changed":"1695934954","gmt_changed":"2023-09-28 21:02:34","alt":"Salimah LaForce","file":{"fid":"255040","name":"laforce 169.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/09\/28\/laforce%20169.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/09\/28\/laforce%20169.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1439003,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2023\/09\/28\/laforce%20169.jpg?itok=VYus9HUp"}}},"media_ids":["671892","671893"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/iac.gatech.edu\/news\/item\/659906\/cacp-researcher-receives-grant-study-inclusive-emergency-alerts","title":"CACP Researcher Receives Grant to Study Inclusive Emergency Alerts"},{"url":"https:\/\/spp.gatech.edu\/news\/item\/661532\/cell-phone-accessibility-improving-gaps-remain-cacp-researchers-find","title":"Cell Phone Accessibility: Improving, but Gaps Remain, CACP Researchers Find"}],"groups":[{"id":"1281","name":"Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts"},{"id":"1289","name":"School of Public Policy"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39501","name":"People and Technology"},{"id":"39511","name":"Public Service, Leadership, and Policy"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:michael.pearson@iac.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EMichael Pearson\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nIvan Allen College of Liberal Arts\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["michael.pearson@iac.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}