FW: BT FW: Breaking News: Legislation to Make Information and Communications Technologies Accessible

Peter Altschul <[email protected]> Tue, 6 May 2008 11:20:45 -0400
Newsgroups gmane.comp.accessibility.vision
Message-ID <003401c8af8c$c4e121f0$6502a8c0@Peter>
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-----Original Message-----
From: HYPERLINK "mailto:accessworld%40afb.net"[email protected]
[mailto:HYPERLINK "mailto:accessworld%40afb.net"[email protected]] 
Sent: Tuesday, May 06, 2008 10:58 AM
Subject: Breaking News: Legislation to Make Information and
Communications Technologies Accessible

Legislation Would Make New Information and Communications Technologies
Accessible Paul Schroeder

On May 1, 2008, the United States Congress heard testimony on draft
legislation, the "Twenty-first Century Communications and Video
Accessibility Act." The legislation was requested by a coalition of
organizations from the disability community to ensure that new
information and communications technologies are accessible. The hearing
took place before the Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the
Internet.

The legislation that is now under consideration would put in place new
requirements in several areas. First, it would build on the existing law
known as Section 255 which requires telephones to be designed so that
they are accessible to people with disabilities. That law passed in
1996, and this new legislation would address communications technologies
that use the Internet to send and receive information. The legislation
would also require video description of TV programs, starting with a
modest requirement, but clearly directing that video description be
increased over time. Video description means the insertion of audio
descriptions of a television program's key visual elements during
natural pauses in the program's dialogue. Some may remember that a
previous law had required minimal video description, but that law was
struck down in the courts. For those of us frustrated by the
ever-increasing inaccessibility of our TV sets, the draft legislation
requires that controls like on-screen menus and electronic program
guides be made to be usable by those of us who can't see the screen.
And, for individuals who are deaf-blind, the legislation would enable
funds now used to help pay for phone service for low-income or
hard-to-serve individuals to be used to help pay for braille displays
and other technology needed to use text telecommunications devices and
call relay systems. Finally, the legislation also includes several
improvements for people who are deaf or hard of hearing.

The hearing featured a wonderful exchange about the accessibility of new
technologies like the BlackBerry. Sergeant Major Jesse Acosta, one of
our nation's military heroes who lost his sight during combat in Iraq,
described in blunt terms his frustration with communications
technologies that he cannot use. In response, a Congressman demonstrated
how to use the BlackBerry's voice call feature, but Mr. Acosta pointed
out that without being able to see the screen, he couldn't set up the
feature. And, in a priceless exchange, Congressman Edward Markey, a
Democrat from Massachusetts who chairs the Subcommittee, also pointed
out that a blind person would need assistance from someone who could see
to enter names and numbers in the contact list. Chairman Markey has been
a long-time friend of the disability community, and as the force behind
this new legislation, he clearly "gets it."

More information is on the blog on AFB's web site at www.afb.org/-blog/.
You can get more information about the draft legislation by going to the
web site of the disability coalition that is supporting it--The
Coalition of Organizations for Accessible Technology (COAT) at
www.coataccess.-org.
You can also keep up with developments by signing up for
"DirectConnect,-"
a periodic advocacy information email from AFB's Public Policy Center in
Washington, DC. Send an e-mail to Barbara LeMoine at HYPERLINK
"mailto:blemoine%40afb.net"[email protected] to
add your name to the list.

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<p style=3D'margin-bottom:12.0pt'><font size=3D3 face=3D"Times New =
Roman"><span
style=3D'font-size:12.0pt'>-----Original Message-----<br>
From: <a =
href=3D"mailto:accessworld%40afb.net">accessworld@<wbr>afb.net</a>
[mailto:<a =
href=3D"mailto:accessworld%40afb.net">accessworld@<wbr>afb.net</a>] <br>
Sent: Tuesday, May 06, 2008 10:58 AM<br>
Subject: Breaking News: Legislation to Make Information and<br>
Communications Technologies Accessible<br>
<br>
Legislation Would Make New Information and Communications =
Technologies<br>
Accessible Paul Schroeder<br>
<br>
On May 1, 2008, the United States Congress heard testimony on draft<br>
legislation, the &quot;Twenty-first Century Communications and Video<br>
Accessibility Act.&quot; The legislation was requested by a coalition =
of<br>
organizations from the disability community to ensure that new<br>
information and communications technologies are accessible. The =
hearing<br>
took place before the Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the<br>
Internet.<br>
<br>
The legislation that is now under consideration would put in place =
new<br>
requirements in several areas. First, it would build on the existing =
law<br>
known as Section 255 which requires telephones to be designed so =
that<br>
they are accessible to people with disabilities. That law passed in<br>
1996, and this new legislation would address communications =
technologies<br>
that use the Internet to send and receive information. The =
legislation<br>
would also require video description of TV programs, starting with a<br>
modest requirement, but clearly directing that video description be<br>
increased over time. Video description means the insertion of audio<br>
descriptions of a television program's key visual elements during<br>
natural pauses in the program's dialogue. Some may remember that a<br>
previous law had required minimal video description, but that law =
was<br>
struck down in the courts. For those of us frustrated by the<br>
ever-increasing inaccessibility of our TV sets, the draft =
legislation<br>
requires that controls like on-screen menus and electronic program<br>
guides be made to be usable by those of us who can't see the screen.<br>
And, for individuals who are deaf-blind, the legislation would =
enable<br>
funds now used to help pay for phone service for low-income or<br>
hard-to-serve individuals to be used to help pay for braille =
displays<br>
and other technology needed to use text telecommunications devices =
and<br>
call relay systems. Finally, the legislation also includes several<br>
improvements for people who are deaf or hard of hearing.<br>
<br>
The hearing featured a wonderful exchange about the accessibility of =
new<br>
technologies like the BlackBerry. Sergeant Major Jesse Acosta, one =
of<br>
our nation's military heroes who lost his sight during combat in =
Iraq,<br>
described in blunt terms his frustration with communications<br>
technologies that he cannot use. In response, a Congressman =
demonstrated<br>
how to use the BlackBerry's voice call feature, but Mr. Acosta =
pointed<br>
out that without being able to see the screen, he couldn't set up =
the<br>
feature. And, in a priceless exchange, Congressman Edward Markey, a<br>
Democrat from Massachusetts who chairs the Subcommittee, also =
pointed<br>
out that a blind person would need assistance from someone who could =
see<br>
to enter names and numbers in the contact list. Chairman Markey has =
been<br>
a long-time friend of the disability community, and as the force =
behind<br>
this new legislation, he clearly &quot;gets it.&quot;<br>
<br>
More information is on the blog on AFB's web site at =
www.afb.org/<wbr>blog/.<br>
You can get more information about the draft legislation by going to =
the<br>
web site of the disability coalition that is supporting it--The<br>
Coalition of Organizations for Accessible Technology (COAT) at<br>
www.coataccess.<wbr>org.<br>
You can also keep up with developments by signing up for<br>
&quot;DirectConnect,<wbr>&quot;<br>
a periodic advocacy information email from AFB's Public Policy Center =
in<br>
Washington, DC. Send an e-mail to Barbara LeMoine at <a
href=3D"mailto:blemoine%40afb.net">blemoine@afb.<wbr>net</a> to<br>
add your name to the list.<br>
<br>
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