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 to Speak on Accessibility In the National Broadband Plan

On March 10, 2010, leaders from five COAT organizations --Jenifer Simpson of AAPD, Eric Bridges of ACB, Ari Ne'eman of ASAN, Rosaline Crawford of NAD, and Larry Goldberg of WGBH Media Access Group -- spoke on various topics in regard to accessibility and the imminent release of the National Broadband Plan by the FCC. Co-sponsored by Silicon Flatirons, ITIF, the FCC and AAPD, the conference brings together people with disabilities, government officials, industry groups and academics to discuss fulfilling the vision of including people with disabilities in the National Broadband Plan. Participants will talk about accessibility, affordability, innovation, collaboration and the need for legal, policy and regulatory changes.

To be held at Washington DC's Martin Luther King Jr. Library, speakers included Julius Genachowski, Chairman of the FCC, Joel Gurin, Chief of the FCC Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau,Vint Cerf of Google, and other key people. See Agenda & Full List of speakers for more information.

Read Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) Press Release on this event.

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Read blog by Verizon's VP

Submitted by Jenifer Simpson on Thu, 05/13/2010 - 17:51.

Read blog by Verizon's VP Link Hoewing about this event. Link Hoewing is the assistant vice president for Internet and Technology Issues at Verizon and has a long-standing relationship with the disability community on accessibility concerns.

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.