History of Accessible Statements & Documents

The secure processing and production of accessible statements & documents in braille, large print, e-Text and audio is T-Base Communication's specialty. Fully conversant with and experienced in guiding with access in mind, global organizations of varying size enjoy access to legislative expertise on accessible standards, comprehensive privacy and security infrastructure and unparalleled customer service.  With a deepened understanding and appreciation for the needs of our clients, T-Base ensures other industry leaders are positioned to best serve their customers.

Leadership

T-Base Communications is a minority and woman-owned business that emerged out of the recognition by blind founder and CSO, Sharlyn Ayotte, of voids in services offered to the visually impaired. T-Base employs individuals who have an intimate knowledge and deepened understanding of our clients' needs, ensuring they are best able to serve their customers and remain positioned as industry leaders.

Our History with Statement Design
Our History with the World's First Accessible ATM
Our History with Data Security

Our History with Statement Design

T-Base is proud to be the first and only privately held alternate format company to be accepted as an associate member of the Braille Authority of North America, (BANA), and as such, is privy to and complies with, all introduced and amended formatting principles.

Upon our preliminary research into the provision of timely, secure alternate format statements, T-Base first consulted with the Braille Authority of North America, (BANA), for design regulations.  Further research and discovery led T-Base to the realization that these accessibility standards pertained more specifically to literary and examination documents, rather than to the complexity of braille transcription for statement presentment.  Given the unique and irregular format perceived within statements, certain sections did not conform to industry standards, and layout is not addressed as specifics within BANA guidelines.  T-Base then consulted with members of the blind community in order to further discuss layout options with respect to usability and readability, incorporating this feedback with BANA rules to arrive at the standards currently implemented today.

T-Base continues to engage the blind and partially sighted community for re-testing purposes and demonstrated changes in formatting trends that best meet their needs. 

Our History with the World's First Accessible ATM

  
The world's first talking ATM, an NCR machine, was unveiled by the Royal bank of Canada (RBC) in Ottawa, Ontario on October 22nd, 1997.  As the first in the industry to commit to installing such a device, RBC first turned to T-Base for assistance with consultation on accessibility guidelines and best practices.  Upon it's assessment of the ATM's visual-based navigation, T-Base was ultimately responsible for the design and implementation of the audio interface that allowed, and continues to allow, blind and partially sighted customers the ability to independently perform everyday banking tasks.  
 
While Wells Fargo was the first financial institution in the United States to commit to installing talking ATM's, it was the San Francisco Federal Credit Union that first deployed such a device, a Diebold machine, on October 1st, 1999 at San Francisco City Hall.  Once again, T-Base lent its insight and expertise, assisting with the audio interface implementation.
 
Given the recognition of increasing demands by blind and partially sighted customers, current estimates indicate that talking banking machines are available across North America in the tens of thousands, with some institutions committing to the installation of at least one such machine at every ATM/ABM location.
 
Make sure your institution is part of the talking ATM story!  

Our History with Data Security

T-Base Communications is the first alternate format service provider in North America to have become PCI compliant.  Since 2007, T-Base's rigid security standards has been providing enhanced security and greater protection for financial service providers and the end consumer.

Privacy and security are two of T-Base Communications' core business values.  With a business model created around the highest standard of privacy and security in North America, PCI complaince provides our clients with enhanced integrity, availability and confidentiality of all client data.