Steve Jacobs has been in the computer industry since the mid '70s. Steve is President of IDEAL Group, Inc. http://ideal-group.org and CEO of Apps4Android, Inc. http://apps4aqndroid.org, one of six IDEAL Group companies. IDEAL Group is a 2002 spin-off from IDEAL at NCR Corporation http://ncr.com where Steve served as President until his retirement at the end of 2002, after 20+ years of service.

IDEAL Group serves as the parent of six, information and communications technology access-focused, companies. They are as follows: 

1. Online Conferencing Systems Group, Inc.
   http://onlineconferencingsystems.com
   Established: January, 2003
   Online Conferencing Systems Group offers fully-accessible, 508-compliant, online conferencing and distance-learning services, systems and support. Every month thousands of people from every corner of the world use IDEAL Conference to meet, participate in, and deliver accessible webinars.

2. InftyReader Group, Inc.
   http://inftyreader.org
   Established: March, 2007
   InftyReader, a sophisticated optical character recognition application, is used by thousands of universities around the world to recognize, convert, and enable the editing of math documents into accessible formats in support of students with print disabilities. Converted formats include LaTeX, MathML, Human Readable TeX, and Word XML.

3. EasyCC, Inc.
   http://easycc.org
   Established: June, 2008
   EasyCC is a telecommunications company that supports people with hearing impairments, individuals with mobility disabilities and consumers with print disabilities. From conferences and classrooms to the corporate world, EasyCC cost-effectively delivers real-time text streaming services that are accessible on any platform, including mobile devices. EasyCC’s infrastructure provides the ability to generate captions using speech recognition technology.

4. Apps4Android, Inc.
   http://apps4android.org
   Established: January, 2009
   Apps4Android is the world’s largest developer of open source Android accessibility applications with 4.7 million installations. Apps4Android developed 46 mobile accessibility applications, 29 of which are publicly-available on Android Market, 17 of which are not. Apps4Android's mobile applications are being used on over 1,250 different Android devices, manufactured by 48 manufacturers, and distributed by 60 wireless service providers, in 136 countries.

5. Onymous Heroes, Inc.
   http://onymousheroes.com
   Acquired: July, 2010
   Onymous Heroes develops Android utilities, browsers, application installers, image animation applications and much more. There are 19 applications in all. Fourteen of the applications are available on Android Market. Four of the applications were sold to other companies. Onymous has 1.3 million installations in 136 countries.

6. Easy Access, Inc.
   http://easy-access.org
   Established: October, 2011
   Easy Access, a joint venture between Apps4Android, Inc. and Accessible Systems India is focused on developing document conversion and reading applications that address the access needs of individuals with print disabilities. See: http://tinyurl.com/6xed4mk

Previous to NCR’s spin-off from AT&T, Steve served as Chairman of AT&T Project Freedom. In 1992-1993 Steve’s group pioneered the use of interactive video technology for sign-language communications over telephone lines (dual ISDNs). This technology, now in the mainstream, is referred to as Video Relay Services (VRS). http://ideal-group.org/ivr/

Appointments, Congressional Testimonies, Recognition:

• Recognized, by the White House, as a Champion of Change for leading education and employment efforts in science, technology, engineering and math for Americans with disabilities. [2012]
  http://www.whitehouse.gov/champions/stem-equality-for-americans-with-disabilities/steve-jacobs

• Federal Communications Commission’s Video Programming and Emergency Access Advisory Committee [2010-2012]
  http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-10-2320A1.pdf

• Expert Witness: House Committee on the Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties hearing on Achieving the Promise of the Americans with Disabilities Act in the Digital Age – Current Issues, Challenges, and Opportunities [2010]
  http://judiciary.house.gov/hearings/hear_100422_1.html and http://judiciary.house.gov/hearings/pdf/Jacobs100422.pdf

• Federal Communications Commission’s Consumer Advisory Committee [2005-2007]
  http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/cac/

• Ohio Governor's Council on People with Disabilities [2002-2005]
  http://governor.ohio.gov/Appointments/102502appts.htm

• Federal Communications Commission's Consumer/Disability Telecommunications Advisory Committee which has since been renamed the FCC Consumer Advisory Committee [2000-2002]
  http://www.mdtap.org/tt/2000.05/announcements.html#Link9

• Access Board's Electronic and Information Technology Access Advisory Committee [1998-1999]
  http://www.universaldesign.net/news/apr00.htm#us1

• Access Board's Telecommunications Access Advisory Committee [1997-1998]
  http://trace.wisc.edu/docs/taac_intro/taac.htm

• Expert Witness: House Committee on Science Subcommittee on Technology hearing on Meeting the Needs of People with Disabilities through Federal Technology Transfer [1997]
  http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/legaff/disabled.html

Publications:

• Developing Accessible, Mobile-Friendly Content for Students with Print Disabilities in Grades 4-9, with an Emphasis on Mathematics [2012]
  http://apps4android.org/MeTRC-Paper/

• Enhancing the Accessibility of Technology-Based Work Environments with the Support of Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) [2010]
  http://apps4android.org/ERG-ICT_Accessibility_Whitepaper.doc

• The Corporate Social Innovation Model: Enabling Positive Societal Change through the Distribution and Use of Accessible ICT Products and Services [2010]
  http://apps4android.org/Corporate_Social_Innovation_Whitepaper.doc

• The Global Business Benefits of Accessible Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Design [2010]
  http://apps4android.org/Business_Case_Whitepaper.doc

• Co-author: Department of Commerce's STAT-USA/Internet Companion to International Business: Highlighting Accessibly-Designed Information and Communications Technology [2007]
  http://permanent.access.gpo.gov/lps111387/Companion_Final_TL.pdf

• Co-author: "Over the Horizon: Potential Impact of Emerging Trends in Information and Communication Technology on Disability Policy and Practice [2006]
  http://www.ncd.gov/publications/2006/Dec262006

• Co-author: National Council on Disability report entitled, "Design for Inclusion: Creating a New Marketplace" [2004]
  http://www.ncd.gov/publications/2004/10282004
  http://www.ncd.gov/publications/2004/Oct282004

• Author: "Design for Inclusion: Industry White Paper" [2004]
  http://www.ncd.gov/publications/2004/Oct2004
  Co-author: National Task Force on Technology and Disability report entitled, "Within Our Reach" [2004]
  http://ntftd.com/index.htm

• Co-author: the U.S. Access Board's Electronic and Information Technology Access Advisory Committee Report that was used to develop the Access Board’s Electronic and Information Technology Accessibility Standards [2000]
  http://www.access-board.gov/sec508/commrept/eitaacrpt.htm

• Co-author: the Telecommunications Access Advisory Committee Final Report that was used, by the Access Board, to develop their Telecommunications Act Accessibility Guidelines [1998]
  http://www.access-board.gov/telecomm/commrept/taacrpt.htm

Sampling of Historical IDEAL Group Projects:

• Bush 54th Inauguration Technology Project:
  Integrated technology into George W. Bush's Inauguration Program and Guidebook. The project repurposed technology being used by the Israeli military to come up with a method that enables a person who is blind to scan 77 pages of text... with only one pass of a scanner, with 100% accuracy.

  • 54^th Program Book (See Page 32):
    http://www.ideal-group.org/initiatives/inauguralprogram.pdf

  • 54^th Guide Book (See Page 77)
    http://www.ideal-group.org/initiatives/inauguralguidebook.pdf

  • Edgar Online: Bush Presidential Inauguration Publications Use High-Tech Code:
    http://sec.edgar-online.com/2001/01/17/13/0001093197-01-500011/Section6.asp

  • IDEAL at NCR and Intacta Technologies, Inc. Demonstrate New Accessibility Technology:
    http://www.ventegis-capital.de/beteiligungsnews/news2000/26-9-2000.htm

• Fifty-Fourth eNaugural.com Ball Webcast:

  • Hosted fully-accessible 54th eNaugural.com Ball Webcast:
    http://www.ideal-group.org/initiatives/eNaugural_Ball_Broadcast.htm

• AT&T Bell Labs Project Freedom:
  From 1991-1994 Steve served as Chairman of AT&T Project Freedom. In 1993 Steve’s group pioneered the use of interactive video technology for sign-language communications over telephone lines (dual ISDNs). This technology is now referred to as Video Relay Services (VRS).

  • Video: First ASL Communication Over Telephones. This video also contains historical footage of Alexander Graham Bell.
    http://ideal-group.org/ivr/

  • Although a competitor, Sprint used Project Freedom's Vistium Video System for their first VRS pilot test in Texas.  Here is a 1995 flyer announcing the pilot test:
    http://www.ideal-group.org/initiatives/sprint.jpg

  • GA-SK Newsletter article about Sprint's pilot test:
    http://www.ideal-group.org/initiatives/ga-sk.jpg

  • Photo of Reid Huntt (Chairman of the FCC at that time) and Steve Jacobs, Chairman, AT&T Project Freedom demonstrating their video system to FCC Commissioners.
    http://www.ideal-group.org/initiatives/Reid_Huntt.jpg

• Smithsonian Institution:
  Designed, developed and implemented accessible prototype kiosks for the Smithsonian Institution's American History Museum

  • Link to showcase: 
    http://americanhistory.si.edu/disabilityrights/index.html

  • Photos: 
    http://www.ideal-group.org/initiatives/smithsonian_kiosk_project_photos.htm

• President Clinton's Digital Divide Tour:

  • Photo: 
    http://www.ideal-group.org/initiatives/clinton_photo.htm OK

  • Technology Demonstrations: 
    http://clinton4.nara.gov/WH/new/html/Tue_Oct_3_133607_2000.html

• Vice President Gore's Digital Talking Book:
  Published a Digital Talking Book in support of a reception held at the residence of Vice President Gore.

  • Business Week Article:
    http://www.businessweek.com/bwdaily/dnflash/aug2000/nf20000830_822.htm

  • Photo: 
    http://www.ideal-group.org/initiatives/photo_gore.htm

• Internet Resource Center:
  53rd Presidential Inauguration

  • Photos:
    http://ideal-group.org/initiatives/inaug/53rd_photos.htm

• Clinton's 53rd Presidential Inauguration:
  Integrated technology into the 53rd Presidential Inaugural Program Book.

  • Inauguration Program Book:
    http://ideal-group.org/initiatives/53.htm

Steve is a 1973 graduate of Ohio State University. Steve and wife, Pauline, have been married for 36 years. Pauline and Steve have two daughters and a granddaughter... who is Steve’s boss. :-|