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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.

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FCC & FEMA Adopt Standard for Emergency Alerts on Wireless Devices

COAT applauds the FCC and FEMA for adopting a standard for wireless carriers to receive and deliver emergency alerts. The FCC's December 7, 2009 Public Notice announces adoption of design specifications for a "gateway interface" on cell phones and similar wireless devices for emergency uses. Once again, representatives from many COAT affiliates -- for example, NCAM,  NVRC, TDI -- and Gallaudet and others, were instrumental in ensuring this significant step forward. The standard, to be developed over a 28 month period, will give emergency managers and the federal government a means to send 90-character, geographically targeted alerts or warnings to the public. The alerts will include notices of threats to lives and property, Amber alerts and Presidential emergency messages. For further details, please see FCC notice attached below.

Interoperable standards and protocols are a long-standing demand of COAT. Please comment below.

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A FEMA meeting on December

Submitted by Jenifer Simpson on Thu, 12/10/2009 - 11:47.

A FEMA meeting on December 8, 2009 with Marcie Roth, Senior Advisor to FEMA on Disability Issues, included several COAT affiliates -- AAPD, ATAP, TDI, WID -- and other organizations. They participated in an advisory meeting that solicited input for a FEMA Report to the President, due April 1, 2010. While communications issues were raised, disability advocates are encouraged to comment online to FEMA by December 15, responding to as many questions as possible, to be sure disability communications issues are included in the report. Other organizations have commented into the record, including COAT affiliate VRI provider, Deaflink.

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COAT leaders at the FCC

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.

21st Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act

President Obama signs the Accessibility Act

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

Senator Mark Pryor (AR)

Senator Mark Pryor (AR) received AAPD’s Justice For All Award July 26, 2011 for his leadership with Senate passage of the 21st CVAA.

Key FCC Staff working on 21st CVAA

Key FCC staff working on 21st CVAA: Karen Peltz Strauss, Rosaline Crawford, Eliot Greenwald

Sesame Street video with captioning and description. Sesame Street video with captioning and description.

Closed Caption button on remote. Closed Caption button on remote.