President Obama Signs Bill To Ensure Technology Accessibility For People With Disabilities

Press Release

Congressman Charles B. Rangel praised the enactment of the Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act, which will enable people with disabilities to engage in society and utilize all that modern technologies have to offer--especially Internet-based and mobile services. President Obama signed the bill into law on October 8, 2010.

"The Internet and other telecommunications tools enable students to learn, families to connect, and businesses to reach beyond their local communities," said Congressman Rangel. "Access to these technologies should be readily available to everyone, regardless of disability."

The Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act requires the telecommunications industry to provide captions for television programs delivered over the Internet, requires video description on television for people with vision loss, allocates $10 million per year for communications equipment used by people who are deaf-blind, ensures emergency information is accessible to individuals who are blind or have low vision, and provides for accessibility of advanced communications such as text messaging, email and web browsing on mobile devices, among several other provisions.

"This new law will empower 36 million people who have been left behind in the digital world due to their disability." Rangel added. "Access to information can lead to success in innovation."

The law is one of the most significant victories for people with disabilities since the Americans with Disabilities Act, signed 20 years ago. The Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act (S. 3304) will significantly increase accessibility for Americans with disabilities to the indispensable telecommunications technology tools of the 21st century by:

* Making access to the Web possible through improved user interfaces for smart phones
* Enabling Americans who are blind to enjoy TV more fully through audible descriptions of the on-screen action
* Making TV program guides and selection menus accessible to people with vision loss
* Providing Americans who are deaf the ability to watch new TV programs online with the captions included
* Mandating that remote controls have a button or similar mechanism to easily access the closed captioning on broadcast and pay TV
* Requiring that telephone equipment used to make calls over the Internet is compatible with hearing aids
* For low-income Americans who are both deaf and blind, providing up to $10 million per year to purchase communications equipment to access the telephone system and the Internet so these individuals can more fully participate in society.

Source