Bills Push Access to Technology for Disabled

Legislation to make consumer electronics more accessible to vision and hearing-impaired people is winding its way through Congress.

Some of the key provisions of the legislation would

provide a larger selection of cell phones with speech software that calls out phone numbers and gives information on how to access the Internet;
make new television shows available online with closed-captioning;
require interconnected VoIP service providers to participate in, and contribute to, the Telecommunications Relay Services Fund;
require manufacturers of equipment used for advanced communications to ensure that the equipment and software it designs and develops is accessible to, and usable by, individuals with disabilities, where such requirement is achievable; and
require Internet service providers and manufacturers of Internet access equipment to, where achievable, make user interfaces accessible to individuals with disabilities.

The Equal Access to 21st Century Communications Act, authored by Senator Mark Pryor (D-AR), passed the Senate on August 6. A companion bill authored by Representative Edward J. Markey (D-MA), the Twenty-first Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act, passed the House on July 26.

From Rep. Markey:

“I am extremely pleased that the Senate passed a companion bill to the one I authored in the House to ensure accessibility for Americans with disabilities to the communications and video technologies needed to participate fully in the 21st century.

Whether it’s a Braille reader or a broadband connection, access to technology is not a political issue — it’s a participation issue. Two decades ago, Americans with disabilities couldn’t get around if buildings weren’t wheelchair accessible; today it’s about being Web accessible. The ADA mandated physical ramps into buildings. Today, individuals with disabilities need online ramps to the Internet so they can get to the Web from wherever they happen to be.

Passage of this bill is a landmark achievement in the fight for equal access to technology for all Americans. From the time of Helen Keller and Annie Sullivan — through the Americans with Disabilities Act — to closed captioning for television programming and the ability of the deaf to make telephone calls — and now to the comprehensive communications and video accessibility bill that has passed both the House and Senate, we’ve made great strides.

Now that both the House and Senate have acted, I look forward to proceeding and getting legislation to President Obama for his signature.”

This comes as welcome news to consumers with visual and hearing impairments who have had difficulties accessing and benefiting from modern technology. This is legislation worth keeping tabs on.

The Hearing Loss Association of America estimates there are 36 million people in the United States who have a hearing loss, and the National Institutes of Health “conservatively” estimates there are three and a half to five million Americans who are visually impaired, one million of whom are legally blind.

Status of Legislation

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Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of
Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

Beth H.

4:49PM PDT on Sep 29, 2011

Life is tought enough let's do all we can to help.

send a green star

Janice P.

7:01AM PDT on Aug 24, 2010

I don't understand why we are still struggling with issues like these, long after the ADA was passed. Why must it be so difficult for us to recognize that the needs of ALL people must be addressed, that we ALL must have equal access in EVERY area of life?

I became cognizant of just how unthinking and how unaware our society is with regard to these issues when I handled discrimination cases, including those involving the ADA. It was made even more keenly aware of the day-to-day struggles of our disabled citizens when I began taking care of my disabled parents. I fought every step of the way for them for 13 years, as they contended with a society, which claims to care, but sadly seems not to.

If we live long enough, we will ALL become disabled one day. The world we are creating right now is the one we, ourselves, will inhabit in the future. Pave the road with a smooth covering. When you arrive at that place on your own journey, you will be glad you did.

NO EMAILS P.

5:26AM PDT on Aug 23, 2010

thanks for post

Caro M.

4:21AM PDT on Aug 23, 2010

We need this!

Walter G.

2:17AM PDT on Aug 23, 2010

As a moderately handicapped person, I applaud the moves to help me lead a more normal life.

Jo H.

1:13AM PDT on Aug 22, 2010

Again our Ann has brought forth a subject that has needed to be attened to for ages,
Bravo!
Watch and see who votes for it and who doesn't, then vote the "doesn't" out of office next elections.

JO

jane r.

12:09AM PDT on Aug 22, 2010

Thank you to all who have brought this to Congress' attention. They never would have noticed on their own.

Past Member .

11:43PM PDT on Aug 21, 2010

Thank you.

Sherylee H.

5:44PM PDT on Aug 21, 2010

This is great, but it is only a start.

There are many types of disabilities that are not being specifically addressed the way vision and hearing are. Many disabled persons are housebound and isolated, they can not leave their homes so having VERY inexpensive technologies available to them would also broaden their horizons.

Marilyn L.

2:34PM PDT on Aug 21, 2010

Which brings us to Care2's new petition site. I have received an e-mail from a friend on Care 2 who is having a problem with the new site because of a disability. She told her friends on Care 2 to please speak up for her because she is being ignore by Care2 managers/owners. So maybe Care2 should start with Care2.