Improving Critical Public Information Channels Speech and Voice Technology for Military and Governme

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Improving Critical Public Information
ChannelsSpeech and Voice Technology for Military
and Government ApplicationsSwissotel Washington,
Washington, DC, July 30-31, 2002

• Brand Niemann, XML Web Services Evangelist,
  Office of Environmental Information, U.S.
  Environmental Protection Agency
• Janina Sajka, Director, Technology Research and
  Development Governmental Relations Group,
  American Foundation for the Blind
• Susan Turnbull, Senior Policy Advisor, Office of
  Governmentwide Policy, US General Services
  Administration

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Overview

• 1. XML Web Services and Their Value Proposition
  for the Government
• 2. Agency and Interagency Efforts with XML Web
  Services
• 3. Universal Access to Government Content
• 4. Meeting the New Public Safety Concerns of 9/11
  Through VoiceXML at Federal and State Levels
• 5. Contact Information

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1. XML Web Services and Their Value Proposition
for the Government

• Why XML?
• The eXtensible Markup Language became a World
  Wide Web Consortium (W3C) standard in 1998 as the
  universal format for structured documents and
  data on the Web (http//www.w3.org/XML/).
• XML future proofs content against periodic
  technology changes.
• The CIO Council created the XML Working Group in
  2000 to facilitate the efficient and effective
  use of XML through cooperative efforts among
  government agencies, including partnerships with
  commercial and industrial organizations
  (http//xml.gov/).
• A recent GAO report to Congress urges government
  to adopt XML (http//www.gao.gov/new.items/d02327.
  pdf).
• XML Web Services is what OMBs Mark Forman is
  encouraging in the E-Gov Initiatives and
  especially for the collect once, use many
  knowledge management projects like the Geospatial
  Information One-Stop.

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1. XML Web Services and Their Value Proposition
for the Government

• What is XML?
• XML is a standard for preserving and
  communicating information encoding, tagging,
  and internationalizing that will be everywhere.
• Web Services provide communication between
  applications running on different Web servers
  that will bring the Internet to its new level.
• XML Web Services are applications running on
  different devices that communicate XML data using
  XML messages.
• XML Web Services for geospatial data use the
  OpenGIS Consortiums GML (Geography Markup
  Language) and OWS (Open Web Services) standards
  and specifications.
• Web Services can and should be interoperable
  across multiple vendor tools and platforms in the
  enterprise (see http//www.ws-i.org/Community.aspx
  ).

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1. XML Web Services and Their Value Proposition
for the Government

• What is the Web Services Standards stack
  commonly used by the major and other vendors?
• Work Flow (WFDL-Work Flow Description Language).
• Publication and Discovery (UDDI-Universal
  Description, Discovery, and Integration).
• Service Description (WSDL-Web Services
  Description Language).
• Messaging (XMLP-XML Protocol from SOAP-Simple
  Object Access Protocol).
• Content (XML-Extensible Markup Language).
• Transport (HTTP-Hypertext Transport Protocol).

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2. Agency and Interagency Efforts with XML Web
Services

• What are some geospatial XML Web Services?
• 2.1 Federal Spatial Statistics
• 2.2 EPA Geospatial Data Index
• 2.3 Interagency LandView Geospatial Database
  Manager and map Viewer
• 2.4 EPA-Census Population Estimation
• 2.5 EPA-State Content Network
• 2.6 EPA-CDC Environmental Health Tracking Network
• 2.7 Universal Access to Geo-referenced Web Content

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2.1 Federal Spatial Statistics
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2.1 Federal Spatial Statistics
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2.2 EPA Geospatial Data Index
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2.2 EPA Geospatial Data Index
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2.3 Interagency LandView Geospatial Database
Manager and Map Viewer
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2.3 Interagency LandView Geospatial Database
Manager and Map Viewer
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2.4 EPA-Census Population Estimation
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2.5 EPA-State Content Network
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2.6 EPA-CDC Environmental Health Tracking Network

• The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
  announced on January 2, 2002, 1.1 billion worth
  of funding to states and four metropolitan areas
  to prepare for bioterrorist attacks and some of
  this money will be used to develop better public
  health information systems.
• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
  (CDC) and the Agency for Toxic Substances and
  Disease Registry (ATSDR) anticipate distributing
  in the late spring 2002 approximately 12.5
  million for state pilots as part of the
  development of an Environmental Health Tracking
  Network (EHTN).
• The CDC specifications include the use of an
  ebXML compliant SOAP Web Service like that in the
  NEIEN Implementation Plan of February 12, 2002.
• EPA and CDC are cooperating on an Environmental
  Health Tracking Network.

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2.7 Universal Access to Geo-referenced Web
Content http//www.epa.gov/ceppo/lepclist.htm
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2.7 Universal Access to Geo-referenced Web
Content 1-866-745-7735

• Welcome to the E. P. A. Local Emergency Planning
  Committee finder.
• Please speak or touch-tone your 5 digit Zipcode.
• 84040
• Here are results for the Zipcode 84040.
• The L. E. P. C. nearest to you is listed in the
  E. P. A. database as follows. Davis County. At
  Davis County Sheriffs Department located in the
  city of Farmington.
• Thank You for calling, goodbye.

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3. Universal Access to Government Content

• What are some of the issues?
• 3.1 PDF and Public Documents
• 3.2 Public Goods and Services that Work for All
• 3.3 Bridging the Digital Divide and Providing
  Universal Access
• What are some solutions?
• 3.4 eXtensible Indexing Language (XIL) for Large
  PDF Collections
• 3.5 Repurposing PDF files into XML Documents
• 3.6 XML Data Island Tables
• 3.7 Content Management for Accessibility and
  Usability
• 3.8 Digital Talking Books with SMIL
• 3.9 Natural Language Interface to Web Content

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3.1 PDF and Public Documents

• We applaud the efforts that Adobe has made to
  embrace XML technologies that provide open
  source, non-proprietary formats. We call on Adobe
  and other developers to commit to accessible XML
  practices, as defined by the XML Accessibility
  Guidelines (XAG) currently in public draft.
• Janina Sajka, Director, Technology Research and
  Development, American Foundation for the Blind,
  and Joe Roeder, Senior Access Technology
  Specialist, National Industries for the Blind,
  PDF and Public Documents A White Paper, Version
  1.1, published April 25, 2002.
• http//www.afb.org/AboutPDF.asp

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3.2 Public Goods and Services that Work for All

• American governments must communicate with all of
  us. To reach Americas large, diverse population,
  all government must stay at the forefront of
  communication technology. Standards from the
  alphabet to XML increase the efficiency and
  effectiveness of information transfer. This year,
  using a proposed new standard, the American
  Foundation for the Blind and TimeWarner Talking
  Books released an audio e-Book on CD, an excerpt
  of which can be downloaded (http//www.afb.org/tal
  king_books.asp). You will see the familiar words
  as text on screen or in Braille, synchronized
  with the narrators voice. You can navigate
  forward and backward in the speech using computer
  keystrokes. We have moved from standardizing the
  alphabet to standardizing book formats.
• Extending Digital Dividends Public Goods and
  Services that Work for All, September 2001, GSA
  Office of Governmentwide Policy, 36 pp.
• http//www.gsa.gov/attachments/GSA_PUBLICATIONS/ex
  tpub/11-STurnbull_1.htm

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3.3 Bridging the Digital Divide and Providing
Universal Access

• Mark Forman, the Office of Management and
  Budgets associate director for IT and
  e-government, today honored five initiatives with
  awards from the Quad Council, which is made up of
  the CIO, Chief Financial Officers, Procurement
  Executives and Human Resources Managers councils.
  The Environmental Protection Agencys Natural
  Language Interface to Web Content project won a
  new award for innovation. It lets EPAs chemical
  emergency preparedness prevention office
  disseminate real-time Web content to local
  emergency planning committees and to less
  equipped groups by standard telephone.
• Government Computer News, Quad Council salutes
  five top cutting-edge initiatives, April 1, 2002
  Vol. 21 No. 7, http//www.gcn.com/21_7/news/18303-
  1.html
• Every government agency should be able to single
  out at least one service that could be
  voice-based and, therefore, could be implemented
  via the Internet using VoiceXML, Niemann said.
• Federal Computer Week, A voice from the near
  future, March 18, 2002, http//www.fcw.com/fcw/art
  icles/2002/0318/cov-tech2-03-18-02.asp

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3.4 eXtensible Indexing Language (XIL) for Large
PDF Collections http//www.epa.gov/owow/oceans/ncc
r/index.html

• National Coastal Condition Report
• The Problem
• Large PDF files (14) totaling 114.6 MB!
• Files range in size from 0.1 17.2 MB.
• Pages slow to render and print (200 pages)
  because of multi-colored backgrounds, graphics,
  and photographs.
• Lots of data graphics, but few data tables.
• Neither a structured table of contents PDF file
  nor in Tagged format for export to XML.
• The Solution
• NXT 3 makes search and display across the entire
  collection of files very efficient and fast
  because of XML.
• http//www.epa.gov/owow/oceans/nccr/index.html

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3.4 eXtensible Indexing Language (XIL) for Large
PDF Collections
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3.4 eXtensible Indexing Language (XIL) for Large
PDF Collections
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3.5 Repurposing PDF files into XML Documents

• Adobe PDF Document as HTML
• http//access.adobe.com/simple_form.html
• Save As XML Plug-In for Windows (B2)
• http//www.adobe.com/support/downloads/detail.jsp?
  hexID89a2
• Install and do Help and About Adobe Acrobat
  Plugins and select SaveasXML.
• Do File, Save as, XML-1.00 without styling
  (.xml) or XHTML-1.00 with CSS-1.00 (.htm).
  (Note Must be a tagged Acrobat PDF.)
• See SaveAsXML Developer Information for Creating
  and Modifying Mapping Tables (DeveloperInfo.pdf).

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3.5 Repurposing PDF files into XML Documents
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3.6 XML Data Island Tables

• One of the simplest and most powerful
  applications of XML is that of data binding to
  HTML which also illustrates how XML separates
  content from presentation
• Data binding is linking an XML document to an
  HTML page and then binding the standard HTML
  elements to individual XML elements.
• This saves time and money on delivering small Web
  databases, allows the data to have other uses
  (e.g. Section 508 accessibility, roundtrip to
  Excel, etc.), and future proofs your data
  against periodic technology changes.

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3.6 XML Data Island Tableshttp//
130.11.44.140/tri99table1.htm
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3.7 Content Management for Accessibility and
Usability

• Requests from multiple EPA offices for help with
  XML training and pilots (financial, public
  relations, environmental information, superfund,
  research development, and water).
• Select the very best content for each office to
  be XML-ized and to be integrated into a content
  network using the best technology.
• Registered the best content with its metadata in
  the content network that is both centralized and
  distributed.
• The content network supports the new agency
  initiatives like Environmental Indicators
  Initiative and State of the Environment Report,
  Environmental Health Tracking Network (EHTN), and
  the Situation Room.
• The content network supports the agency goals of
  (1) creating the building blocks of an exchange
  network (2) enable integration of environmental
  data and (3) provide vital services to EPA and
  the public.

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3.7 Content Management for Accessibility and
Usability
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3.8 Digital Talking Books with SMIL
http//www.loc.gov/nis/niso, http//www.daisy.org

• Also called DAISY or NISO Books for the DAISY
  (Digital Audio-based Information SYstem)
  Consortium and National Information Standards
  Organization.
• Well-organized collections of computer files
  produced according to specifications published by
  DIASY and NISO
• Medium-independent information access based on
  open standards (W3Cs XML and SMIL)
• Synchronized Multimedia Integration Language.
• Three Principal Types of Players
• Computers, personal digital assists (e.g.
  BrailleNote), and specialized stand-alone
  hardware players (Victor by VisuAide and Plextalk
  by Plextor). Also Victor Trekker A GPS for the
  blind.
• American Foundation for the Blind, Special Issue
  in AccessWorld
• http//www.afb.org/aw/AW0203toc.asp

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3.8 Digital Talking Books with SMIL
http//www.visuaide.com/victorpro.html
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3.8 Digital Talking Books with SMILhttp//130.11.
44.140/afb/Daisy2-VXML/index.html
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3.9 Natural Language Interface to Web Content
http//www.voicexml.org/, http//www.w3.org/Voice/
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4. Meeting the New Public Safety Concerns of 9/11
Through VoiceXML at Federal and State Levels

• 4.1 The EPA Local Emergency Planning Committee
  Database on the Web and the Telephone
• 4.2 Multi-channel Information Dissemination
  Projects with Our Partners

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4.1 The EPA Local Emergency Planning Committee
Database on the Web and the Telephone

• Enter your zip code to retrieve environmental
  information about your community
• Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPCs)
  provide a forum for emergency management
  agencies, responders, industry and the public to
  work together to understand chemical hazards in
  the community, develop emergency plans in case of
  an accidental release, and always look for ways
  to prevent chemical accidents. Local industries
  must provide information to LEPCs about chemical
  hazards, LEPCs are required by law to make this
  information available to any citizen who requests
  it. You can make a difference by attending an
  LEPC meeting or joining your LEPC.
• Please Note Currently we have over 3000 listings
  in our LEPC Database. It is our goal to provide
  the most current and accurate information. We
  look to the LEPC community to help us
  successfully meet this goal. Please forward any
  changes or corrections to Dana Robinson. These
  changes will be incorporated and updated monthly.

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4.1 The EPA Local Emergency Planning Committee
Database on the Web and the Telephone
http//www.epa.gov/ceppo/lepclist.htm
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4.1 The EPA Local Emergency Planning Committee
Database on the Web and the Telephone
http//130.11.53.73/lepc/FMPro?-dbLEPC.FP5-forma
t-fmp_xmlzip_lepczip_code22181-find
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4.1 The EPA Local Emergency Planning Committee
Database on the Web and the Telephone
http//130.11.53.73/brand.vxml
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4.1 The EPA Local Emergency Planning Committee
Database on the Web and the Telephone
http//studio.tellme.com/
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4.1 The EPA Local Emergency Planning Committee
Database on the Web and the Telephone
1-866-745-7735

• Welcome to the E. P. A. Local Emergency Planning
  Committee finder.
• Please speak or touch-tone your 5 digit Zipcode.
• 84040
• Here are results for the Zipcode 84040.
• The L. E. P. C. nearest to you is listed in the
  E. P. A. database as follows. Davis County. At
  Davis County Sheriffs Department located in the
  city of Farmington.
• Thank You for calling, goodbye.

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4.2 Multi-channel Information Dissemination
Projects with Our Partners

• What are the E-Government Initiatives?
• Portfolios
• Government to Citizen (G2C) (5)
• E.g., Recreation One-Stop
• Government to Business (G2B) (5)
• E.g., Business Compliance One-Stop
• Government to Government (G2G) (5)
• E.g., Geospatial Information One-Stop
• Internal Effectiveness and Efficiency (IEE) (8)
• E.g., E-Records Management
• Cross-cutting
• e-Authentication
• Infrastructure
• Federal Enterprise Architecture
• Source http//egov.gov/egovreport-3.htm

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4.2 Multi-channel Information Dissemination
Projects with Our Partners

• How do measure E-Gov success?
• So far government agencies have avoided the kind
  of extensive re-engineering that e-government
  will require to be truly effective. Instead
  Federal agencies have been busy re-creating the
  stovepipes in cyberspace.
• Agencies are likely to exhibit significant
  resistance to dismantling niche business units
  and processes, fearing that doing so will result
  in loss control, funding and ultimately mission.
• As e-government matures, its focus will shift
  from simply providing online access to
  pre-existing services to offering new services
  and new ways of doing things.
• The newness will beg for a kind of methodology
  that allows success to be defined when
  e-government projects begin to cross agency
  jurisdictions or involve public/private
  collaboration.
• Source Measuring e-gov, Federal Computer Week,
  April 8, 2002, pp 20-21.

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4.2 Multi-channel Information Dissemination
Projects with Our Partners

• What is the Blue Pages Pilot Project?
• Visionary Goals for the Blue Pages (Owen Ambur)
• Use agency databases, gather and maintain with
  e-forms, geo-reference, provide access by Web and
  telephone, and include Frequently Asked Questions
  and Documents
• 1-800 Say-The-Word The X.500 Blue Pages Key to
  Stockholder/Customer-Accessible Government
  (12/13/97)
• http//users.erols.com/ambur/BluePage.html
• Additional Requirements for the Blue Pages Data
  Collection Maintenance System (11/2/98)
• http//users.erols.com/ambur/bluepgs.html
• Apply the same Quad Council Award winning XML Web
  Services technology to the Governments phone
  directories
• http//www.gcn.com/21_7/news/18303-1.html
• http//www.fcw.com/fcw/articles/2002/0318/cov-tech
  2-03-18-02.asp

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4.2 Multi-channel Information Dissemination
Projects with Our Partners
http//bp.fed.gov/
Print
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4.2 Multi-channel Information Dissemination
Projects with Our Partners
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4.2 Multi-channel Information Dissemination
Projects with Our Partners
Search Form
XML Output
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4.2 Multi-channel Information Dissemination
Projects with Our Partners
Search Form
Web Output
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4.2 Multi-channel Information Dissemination
Projects with Our Partners

• Ideal Blue Pages database (877-728-8355)
• S Welcome to the US Government Blue Pages
  Directory Your one stop directory for
  government services in your local area.
• S Please say the city and state you'd like
  information for, or hang on, while I get
  information for Washington, DC.
• U Las Vegas, Nevada
• S OK, Las Vegas, Nevada. Here are your choices.
  When you hear the one you want, just say it.
• S Agriculture, Commerce, Courts, Defense,
  Education, Emergency Services, Energy,
  Environment, Immigration Customs, Law
  Enforcement, Parks Recreation, Health
• U Health
• S Here's a list of choices in Health. When you
  hear the one you want, just say it.
• S AIDS hotline, Adoption, Cancer Treatments,
  Child Safety, Drug Alcohol Treatment
• U AIDS hotline
• S The phone number for the national AIDS
  hotline is 800 342 2437. Once again, the
  phone number is 800 342 2437.
• Etc.

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4.2 Multi-channel Information Dissemination
Projects with Our Partners

• What are the next steps? (generic as well)
• 1. Scalability - use the complete database to
  demonstrate the XML Web Services platforms will
  scale to provide a portal.
• 2. Distribute-ability - use an extract of the
  database for an individual agency (i.e. GSA and
  EPA) to demonstrate live distributed updating
  from a node integrated with the main portal.
• 3. Interoperability - demonstrate that XML
  outputs from two or more vendor platforms can be
  exchanged. (Rationale Final deployment will
  probably not be a single vendor and at least two
  or three alternatives will be necessary before
  the market is likely to be convinced that the
  relevant standards are ready for prime time
  usage.)
• 4. Multi-channel dissemination-ability besides
  HTML and XML, demonstrate print, telephone and
  other modes of delivery.

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5. Contact Information

• Brand Niemann, 202-566-1657, XML Web Services
  Evangelist, Office of Environmental Information,
  U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA),
  niemann.brand_at_epa.gov
• XML Web Services Training Materials and Pilot
  Projects
• http//130.11.44.140
• Janina Sajka, 202-408-8175, Director Technology
  Research and Development Governmental Relations
  Group, American Foundation for the Blind,
  janina_at_afb.net
• Access World
• http//www.afb.org/aw/AW0203toc.asp
• Susan Turnbull, 202-501-6214, Senior Policy
  Advisor, Office of Governmentwide Policy, US
  General Services Administration,
  susan.turnbull_at_gas.gov
• Universal Access Collaboration Expedition
  Workshop
• http//ioa-qpnet-co.gsa.gov/UA-Exp