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 Leader Briefs Media & Democracy Coalition

On May 20, 2010, COAT leader Mark Richert of American Foundation for the Blind, briefed the Media & Democracy coalition (MADco) leaders about disability issues in regard to the Internet. He talked about our COAT coalition and the provisions found in H.R. 3101 and S. 3304.

MADCo is a coalition of about 30 organizations that works on media justice and media reform issues. They work to stay updated also on the work of other activists interested in media policy issues. They learned about COAT's work to ensure that there is disability accessibility of communications technologies that use the Internet, and our related broadband concerns. MADco members include Alliance for Community Media, the Benton Foundation (a COAT affiliate), the Center for Digital Democracy, Consumer Federation of America, Consumers' Union, the National Hispanic Media Coalition and others (see full list).

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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.