On May 1, 2008, the United States Congress heard testimony on draft legislation, the "Twenty-first Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act." The legislation was requested by a coalition of organizations from the disability community to ensure that new information and communications technologies are accessible. The hearing took place before the Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet.
The legislation that is now under consideration would put in place new requirements in several areas. First, it would build on the existing law known as Section 255 which requires telephones to be designed so that they are accessible to people with disabilities. That law passed in 1996, and this new legislation would address communications technologies that use the Internet to send and receive information. The legislation would also require video description of TV programs, starting with a modest requirement, but clearly directing that video description be increased over time. Video description means the insertion of audio descriptions of a television program's key visual elements during natural pauses in the program's dialogue. Some may remember that a previous law had required minimal video description, but that law was struck down in the courts. For those of us frustrated by the ever-increasing inaccessibility of our TV sets, the draft legislation requires that controls like on-screen menus and electronic program guides be made to be usable by those of us who can't see the screen. And, for individuals who are deaf-blind, the legislation would enable funds now used to help pay for phone service for low-income or hard-to-serve individuals to be used to help pay for braille displays and other technology needed to use text telecommunications devices and call relay systems. Finally, the legislation also includes several improvements for people who are deaf or hard of hearing.
The hearing featured a wonderful exchange about the accessibility of new technologies like the BlackBerry. Sergeant Major Jesse Acosta, one of our nation's military heroes who lost his sight during combat in Iraq, described in blunt terms his frustration with communications technologies that he cannot use. In response, a Congressman demonstrated how to use the BlackBerry's voice call feature, but Mr. Acosta pointed out that without being able to see the screen, he couldn't set up the feature. And, in a priceless exchange, Congressman Edward Markey, a Democrat from Massachusetts who chairs the Subcommittee, also pointed out that a blind person would need assistance from someone who could see to enter names and numbers in the contact list. Chairman Markey has been a long-time friend
of the disability community, and as the force behind this new legislation, he clearly "gets it."
More information is on the blog on AFB's web site at
AFB Blog Home. You can get more information about the draft legislation by going to the web site of the disability coalition that is supporting it--The Coalition of Organizations for Accessible Technology (COAT) at
Coalition of Organizations for Accessible Technology.