Universal Service?

Telecommunications Policy and People with Disabilities

By Michael J Bourk

Edited by Tom Worthington

PUBLICATION DATE:

February 2001 by 1stBooks Library, 2511 West Third Street, Bloomington, IN 47404 USA

FORMAT:

Paperback, 1st ed., 236 pages, one illustration ISBN 0-75961-424-5

TOPICS:

Services for Handicapped; Telecommunication policy; Social perception; Communication devices for the disabled.

FREE ON-LINE:

Free web version of previous edition & ordering details for the print edition at: http://www.tomw.net.au/uso/

SYNOPSIS:

This book is about the turning point in telecommunications policy for people with disabilities that occurred in the last decade. Legislation and legal actions have forced a major change of policy in telecommunications service delivery and benefited many who have disabilities.

AUTHOR BIO:

Michael Bourk is a lecturer and postgraduate scholar at the University of Canberra. In 1998, he graduated with a Masters of Arts by research in Communication with his thesis, Universal Service and People with Disabilities: An Analysis of Telecommunications Policy Making From 1975-1997.

Tom Worthington is a Visiting Fellow in the Department of Computer Science, Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology at the Australian National University. He is an electronic business consultant, author and information technology professional. In 1999 he was elected a Fellow of the Australian Computer Society for his contribution to the development of public Internet policy.

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

  1. Introduction
  2. The Policy Formulation Process
  3. Context for Policy Analysis
  4. Discussing Disability
  5. Legislative Overview
  6. Telecom Monopoly Deregulation
  7. The Politics of Terminology
  8. Disability Policy Prior to TACC
  9. The Telstra Consultative Councils
  10. The Teletypewriter Issue
  11. Complaint Against Telecom
  12. Review of The Telephone Service
  13. Further Theoretical Context
  14. Conclusion
  15. Methodology
  16. Discrimination and Internet

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Further Information

Copyright © Michael J Bourk & Tom Worthington 2000.