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.

White House Lauds Reading Rights Coalition, Authors & Publishers Agreement to Work Together on Print Accessibility

On March 9, 2010, a "Joint Statement on Access to Books for Americans with Print Disabilities" was released by the Reading Rights Coalition, the Authors' Guild and the Association of American Publishers. The groups publicly agreed to work together to ensure more accessibility for the over 30 mllion people in the U.S. who cannot read print due to disabilities. At least four COAT affiliates are members of the Reading Rights Coalition: American Association of People with Disabilities; American Council of the Blind; American Foundation for the Blind; and NISH (formerly National Institute for the Severely Handicapped).

The effort was lauded by Special Assistant to the President for Disability Policy, Kareem Dale, who said, in his blog, this effort brings us "one step closer to full access."

It is not clear to COAT how the agreement will be implemented but we applaud the intention and the goal.

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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.