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.
Emergency Information and Services
COAT Position Statement: Ensure Access to Emergency Information and Services
COAT recommendation: Ensure that people with disabilities have equivalent access to emergency information and services through the identification of barriers and implementation of solutions in current and new technologies, including solutions for achieving access by people with disabilities to 9-1-1 emergency public safety answering points (PSAPs) through the receipt of text and video.
Resolve To Be More Emergency Ready in 2012--Use Technology to Support Your Planning
January 12, 2012. COAT affiliate TDI's Community Emergency Preparedness Information Network (CEPIN) has sent out a reminder to everyone to resolve to be more ready for disasters in 2012. They report that 2011 had more billion-dollar natural disasters than any year on record, according to the National Climatic Data Center. For instance, storms like Hurricane Irene, spring
Death of Dialtone? COAT Leaders Explore the Telephone Network in Transition
December 6, 2011. Once again COAT leaders were called upon by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for input about people with disabilities. This involved participation in a workshop to examine the transition from the public switched telephone network (PSTN) to new technologies, such as Internet-Protocol (IP) based voice phone service. Speakers were Paul Schroeder of American Foundation for the
Nov 9, 2011 at 2 PM EST: First Ever Total Nation-wide Emergency Alert Test
October 25, 2011. On Wednesday November 9, 2011, at 2 PM EST, the FCC will be conducting the first nation-wide test of the Emergency Alert System (EAS). TV viewers -- and radio listeners -- are advised to take no action as it is only a test of the Emergency Alert System (EAS)! At that time, an announcement will come on every TV and radio channel indicating that the emergency alert system has been activated. Audiences are advised to not be alarmed when they see or hear the message, which will be about 30 seconds long.
Emergency Accessibility Advisory Committee Meets at FCC Again on Fri Oct 14
Friday Sept 9: FCC's Next Gen 911 and People with Disabilities Committee Met
On Friday September 9, 2011 the FCC's Emergency Access Advisory Committee (EAAC) met again in Washington, DC at the FCC for its monthly session looking at the concerns of people with disabilities and accessibility of Next Generation 911 systems.The FCC's Next Generation 9-1-1 Initiative is a project to help define the system architecture and develop a transition plan to establish a digital, Internet Protocol (IP)-based foundation for the delivery of multimedia 9-1-1 "calls."
Accessibility of Next Gen 911 Systems Moves Forward at FCC: Survey Indicates Much Use of Assistive Technologies
July 22, 2011. Today the FCC released another of the reports required by the 21st CVAA, one that addresses accessibility of Next Gen 911 for people with disabilities. The report, required under Section 106 of the new law, was developed by the FCC's Emergency Access Advisory Commmittee (EAAC), a committee set up in December 2010 and which includes numerous representatives from COAT affiliates.
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