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 Leaders Continue Talks with Industry on HR 3101

On December 15, 2009, COAT representative leaders met again with industry representatives to continue a series of talks about some of the provisions in HR 3101. Topics covered included:

--the Hearing Aid Compatibility (HAC) provision for newer "smarter" phones and other devices that may connect through the Internet;

--scope of the bill (that is, what is the range of devices and services, including applications, that would be covered);

--issues about third party liability (that is, who's responsible for accessibility and usability in all the devices, services and applications);

--real time text (what the standard would do); and

--the standard to be used to assess compliance (what is an "undue burden.")

COAT members from AFB, CSD and NAD attended the meeting as well as the usual crowd from trade associations and their member companies. Additional talks are likely in January 2010. Please Add a Comment below if you have thoughts about these discussion topics and on what these requirements mean to you.

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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.