COAT advocates for accessibility and usability of technology for people with disabilities. Enacting the 21st Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act (21st CVAA) was a huge step forward and we are working to implement this new law. COAT’s overall aim is to ensure accessibility, usability, and affordability of all broadband, wireless, and Internet technologies for people with disabilities.

COAT Representatives Participate in Wireless Emergency Communications Conference in Atlanta GA

Emergency Information and Services

Several COAT affiliate representatives attended the Wireless Emergency Communications State of Technology conference September 21-23, 2009 in Atlanta, GA. Representatives were moderators, panelists and presenters and are from AAPD,Gallaudet University, Inclusive Technologies and WGBH Accessible Media Center. COAT affiliate, the Center for Assistive Technology and Environmental Access, was instrumental is setting up this conference. The audience includes wireless industry executives, domestic & international government officials, researchers, assistive technology designers, emergency management officials and consumers from advocacy organizations.

Some Highlights from the conference:

Keynote speaker, David Furth, Deputy Bureau Chief, FCC's Public Safety & Homeland Security Bureau said that disability accessibility must be in the design stages of emergency wireless communications.

Judy Harkins, Gallaudet, asserted that international standards for emergency wireless communications should not harmonize to the weakest requirements for people with disabilities. She also quoted Karen Peltz Strauss who stated "where market forces fail to trigger accessibility, the FCC and Congress must step in."

Dr. King-Wa Fu, Hong Kong University Journalism School, reported on a survey of the experiences of people with disabilities after the 2008 Sichuan, China earthquake. He noted the results showed that people with disabilities relied more on television and mobile phones for disaster information and peer support than other means.

Dane Snowden, CTIA, said he wants to be sure the consumer experience is the best, to avoid the vicious cycle of complaints to the states, to the FCC and to advocates.

At the final lottery drawing, RIM ended up a bit red-faced when blind participant -- who stated she had been looking for an accessible wireless device for years -- won a Blackberry 8000 which needs additional software to make it accessible.

You are encouraged to take the survey on hearing aid compatibility of wireless phones sponsored by the Wireless RERC.

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Andrew Phillips, National Association of the Deaf; Eric Bridges, American Council of the Blind; Mark Richert, American Foundation for the Blind; and Jenifer Simpson, American Association of People with Disabilities, outside the FCC building, Washington DC, after meetings on pending rules under 21st CVAA.

Celebration of the bill's final passage

Rep. Ed Markey and Legislative Director Mark Bayer celebrate the bill’s final passage on September 28, 2010, in front of the Helen Keller statue, with the leaders from the Coalition of Organizations for Accessible Technology: Karen Peltz Strauss, formerly with Communication Service for the Deaf; Jenifer Simpson, American Association of People with Disabilities; Rosaline Crawford, National Association of the Deaf. Their hands symbolize clapping in sign language.

Congressman Ed Markey in photo of Congressional hearing room dais. Congressman Ed Markey (D-MA), center, introduced the 21st Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act of 2009 (H.R. 3101) on June 26, 2009.

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President Obama signs the Accessibility Act

President Obama signed the 21^st
Century Communications & Video Accessibility Act into law on October 8, 2010, with many key advocates and lawmakers in attendance.