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.

FCC Commissioner Baker Uses Captioned Telephone Service

On April 8, 2010, leaders from several COAT organizations -- AAPD, AG Bell, HLAA, NAD, NVRC and TDI -- met with FCC Commissioner Meredith Attwell Baker and other Commissioners' staffers to urge action on captioned telephone service, a form of relay.The meeting included a demonstration of Captioned Telephone Service, with Commissioner Baker making a local call on a captioned phone to see how it worked. Staffers from the offices of Commissioners Mignon Clyburn and Robert McDowell also participated in the COAT briefing and demo.

HLAA's Lise Hamlin, Director of Public Policy & State Engagement, coordinated the meeting & continues to press for CTS.

See previous COAT story.

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CCAC, Collaborative for

Submitted by Lauren E. Storck, Ph.D. (not verified) on Mon, 04/12/2010 - 13:15.

CCAC, Collaborative for Communication Access via Captioning, filed a Comment at the FCC in support of Captioned Telephone Service (CTS). These can be seen on the FCC website at http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/view?id=7020396781

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.

FCC Commissioner Baker Uses Captioned Telephone Service

CCAC, Collaborative for

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21st Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act

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