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 Applauds FCC For Easier On-line Captioning Complaint Filing Process

February 19, 2010. COAT applauds the new closed captioning complaint procedure at the FCC that permits direct filing on-line. Previously, consumers had to first send complaints, in writing, to "distributors" of television, such as cable & satellite TV companies or broadcast TV stations and wait for a response before filing at the FCC. COAT affiliates CSD, NAD, NVRC, & TDI were instrumental in influencing the FCC to take up this "best practice."

The new rule also requires video programming distributors to have their contact information for the handling of immediate closed captioning concerns and written complaints ("point of contact information") on the FCC website. This information is likely to be posted in April once the FCC collects it.

The new procedure was first announced by the FCC on November 7, 2008 pending review by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB); it became effective February 19, 2010.

Consumers can now file complaints directly when seeing a television program that has no captions, missing captions, delayed captions, captions that are garbled, displayed too fast, or unreadable. Note that complaints must be filed within 60 days of the captioning problem. After filing it online at the FCC, the FCC will send the complaint to the responsible video programming distributor (the TV station or your cable or satellite TV service). The distributor must respond within 30 days.

FCC Form 2000C Online Complaint Form

FCC Closed Captioning Fact Sheet (updated)

FCC Info on Captioning and Digital TV (updated)

FCC Info on Captioning and DTV Converter Boxes (updated)

For more information on the captioning rules, visit the FCC website.

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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.

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.

Closed Caption button on remote.

COAT Applauds FCC For Easier On-line Captioning Complaint Filing Process

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21st Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act

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