TDI

New Orleans, LOUISIANA

July 11-13, 2005

TDI announces the selection of New Orleans, Louisiana, as the site for the 16th Biennial TDI International Conference, which will be held at the Wyndham New Orleans at Canal Place on July 11 - 13, 2005. As with previous TDI conferences, this event promises many presentations and demonstrations by visionaries who are reshaping the telecommunications landscape for individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing, late deafened or deaf-blind as well as their families and the professionals who work with them.

About the Conference

More than 300 participants, including consumers with hearing loss, vendors and key officials - are expected to gather at the 16th Biennial TDI International Conference. At the exhibits, open to the public during the Conference, attendees will view state-of-the-art technologies with great potential to expand opportunities, increase accessibility, and foster new possibilities for ease in communication. Various officials and key staff members from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and other federal and state government agencies, as well as industry leaders are anticipated to attend.

Reflecting upon the evolution of technologies and regulations since the previous conference, as a key aspect of this conference, participants will examine the growth of digital technologies and their impact on the accessibility that we have achieved with analog technologies. Would these new digital technologies be a step forward with improved features, or a step backward making consumers with hearing loss wait must for the next upgrade to regain their access? Typical conference sessions will cover issues and topics such as: New Telecommunications and Media Technologies, Emerging Technology and Standards Development, and Consumers Achieving Full Independence in the Digital Era. In light of TDI’s new role in the area of homeland security, several workshops will be held for consumers and professionals in emergency preparedness.

Companies and organizations exhibiting at the Conference will highlight the latest in technology for consumers who are deaf and hard of hearing. These exhibitors are expected to represent a variety of technology sectors including: digital, video, information technology (IT), emerging technologies, broadband, mobile electronics, personal electronics, content media, specialty video conferencing, delivery systems, the Internet, telephony and wireless communications.

The theme of this Conference, “Access Today! Big Easy Tomorrow...” brings out the laid back Southern hospitality and Cajun charm of New Orleans. While the city is a popular destination for fun and escape from the realities back home, the Conference is where we can nurture our dreams of access and work together to bring them to reality. We continue to demand full access to telecommunications and media as a civil right. As the logo shows, we as consumers and advocates believe that access to technology is critical to our lives, and hold a vision of an easier tomorrow, not just in the “Big Easy”, but also throughout the country. TDI hopes that through directives and consensus from this Conference and with support from society, industry and government, we will move still closer still to full societal integration for people with hearing loss.

“TDI is the world’s leading advocacy organization promoting equal access to the latest telecommunications and media for deaf and hard of hearing consumers,” said Dr. Roy Miller, President of TDI. “Our biennial conference encourages telecommunications and media industries to maintain and build on a meaningful working relationship with members of the consumer public who have a hearing loss, in such a way that everybody wins.”

Board Secretary, Tom Driscoll, representing the Northeast Region and Board Member, Fred Weiner, representing the Southeast Region have been selected to serve as Conference Program Co-Chairs. Mr. Driscoll said, “As TDI gears up for the biennial conference in New Orleans, we’re anticipating the level of success in fielding an exciting cast of participants for our panels, forums, workshops and speakers to exceed what we had in Las Vegas in ‘03."

Mr. Weiner adds, “With revolutionary changes in communications technology that makes the world ever more accessible for people with hearing loss, TDI is excited about hosting this conference that brings together the 'movers and shakers' who can turn dreams into reality."

About the Hotel

Wyndham New Orleans at Canal Place, the site of TDI 16th Biennial Conference, is a luxury four-diamond award-winning hotel with the most spectacular views of the Mississippi River and is only a walk away from the historic French Quarter.

For more information, go to:

www.wyndham.com/hotels/MSYCP/main.wnt

About the City

New Orleans is a city where a mixture of Spanish architecture, French-influenced language, African spirituality and eclectic cuisine make the city neither an American city nor the result of one international inspiration. The most recognizable facets of New Orleans culture continue to be Creole, Cajun, African and Haitian. “Creole” has taken on many definitions over time. Today, Creole means someone of French and/or Spanish descent, sometimes including African heritage. Cajun culture is a bit better defined, with roots coming from French-Canadians that left the colony of Acadia after it was acquired by Britain, settling in southern Louisiana. Their influence blankets the city, especially with cuisine and music. African/Haitian influences sparked the birth of jazz, and are also responsible for the mystique that pervades New Orleans’ cemeteries, voodoo temples and altars across the city. The city’s culinary history has also been molded by the agricultural knowledge brought by slaves from Africa.

For more information, go to: www.neworleanscvb.com or www.neworleansonline.com

Weather Information

The mid-summer subtropical climate of New Orleans is best described as balmy. While the “Big Easy” enjoys pleasant weather year-round, the Crescent City experiences warm days and rainy afternoons in July with temperatures as high as 100°. The average temperatures for the month can go as high as 91°F/33°C and as low as 73°F/23°C. The average rainfall is 6.7”/17cm, and on any given day during the TDI Conference, there is a 61% chance of sunshine. Once in a while it rains with tropical abandon, but the torrents are short-lived.

You may want to thank the original city planners for choosing high ground to build the French Quarter, so it doesn’t flood there. Because the French Quarter is best explored on foot, comfortable walking shoes are a must. Light clothing is most comfortable this time of the year, although an umbrella should be nearby.

Register Now

Register now for a combo ticket to the TDI Conference, an event you can’t afford to miss. An early-bird discount is available for active TDI members paying with personal funds before April 30, 2005.

For more information about the TDI Conference, click on links on the left side of this webpage.

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