Other Access Issues

On August 16, 2010, a number of leaders from various COAT organizations formed a national advocacy interest group to focus on accessibility of CAPTCHA technology used to ensure a person and not a computer is using the website. Advocates assert that for too long, Google, Yahoo, Ebay, Linkedin, and many other websites have made their websites inaccessible to deaf-blind people especially when they use the CAPTCHA technology.

A June 22, 2010 report finds that state public benefits agencies are increasingly relying on their websites as a means of providing information to the public, and as a means of applying for Medicaid, food stamps, and cash assistance. The new report by the National Center for Law and Economic Justice (NCLEJ) discusses research findings that agency websites have a host of problems that make them inaccessible to people with disabilities who use assistive technology, and difficult for everyone to navigate.

COAT has learned that on July 15, 2010, the Commerce Department’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) awarded a $15 million grant to COAT affiliate, Communication Services for the Deaf (CSD).  The funds, an American Recovery and Reinvestment Act grant ("stimulus money"), are to help bridge the technological divide, boost economic growth, and improve communications for people who are deaf and hard of hearing nationwide.

On August 5, 2010, COAT learned that national affiliate RESNA was awarded the new five-year national technical assistance grant to provide assistance to assistive technology (AT) entities nationwide. The award is from the Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) at the U.S. Department of Education.

In July 2010, the U.S. Access Board began a process to address accessibility standards for medical diagnostic equipment for people with disabilities. The trigger for this action was in the health reform legislation that added a new Section 510 to the Rehabilitation Act. COAT affiliates may be interested in this effort as more and more health care technology involves communications and information technologies.

On July 26, the Department of Justice (DOJ) issued four advance notices of proposed rulemaking (ANPRMs) calling for public comments about proposed updates to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). These address websites, movie theaters, 911 services and equipment/furniture. COAT affiliates all across the country are expected to contribute to these rulemakings. These ANPRMs gather input that might change the rules. Here they are:

On August 5, 2010, the Federal Communications Commission issued an Order clarifying its hearing aid compatibility (HAC) rules and seeking comments on some new regulations.  In the clarification the FCC says their HAC rules:

In a notice released August 5, 2010, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) asks for comments on accessibility of wireless phones for people who are blind, have vision loss or are deaf-blind, how gaps in accessibility prevent communication, on cost and feasibility issues and on technical barriers, among other topics raised in the Federal Register Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM). Comments are due September 13, with Reply Comments due September 30, 2010.