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.

New Administrator for National Relay Services Fund

April 11, 2011. COAT notes that the FCC has named a new Administrator for the Interstate Telecommunications Relay Services Fund (TRS fund), a company called Rolka Loube Saltzer Associates, LLC (RLSA) located in Harrisburg, PA. This Fund supports interstate relay service for people who have hearing disasbilities, or speech disabilities, or who are deaf-blind. RLSA will also oversee the distribution of funds for the FCC’s National Equipment Distribution Program for persons who are deaf-blind. Read FCC Public Notice here.

TRS Fund Administrator’s responsibilities include oversight of collection and payment of TRS Funds and oversight of those who contribute or are reimbursed by the TRS Fund. RLSA begins the contract on June 11, 2011 after a transition from the National Exchange Carrier Association (NECA), the previous Administrator.

Costs for interstate TRS are recovered through a shared-funding mechanism (TRS Fund) set forth in FCC rules. All providers -- telecommunications companies -- of interstate telecommunications services contribute into the TRS Fund, collected from all phone subscribers. TRS providers recover the costs of providing interstate TRS from the TRS Fund on a minutes-of-use basis.

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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.