Federal Communications Commission Chairman Julius Genachowski and Commissioner Michael Copps presented the Chairman’s (AAA) to several organizations that have made significant technological innovations to help consumers with disabilities benefit from the country’s communications technologies. The Chairman also honored the winners of an FCC Challenge: Lifted by the Cloud: Visions of Cloud Enhanced Accessibility (Cloud Challenge) and presented a special award to Apple, Inc., for its visionary leadership in, and contributions to, accessibility.
The Chairman’s AAA are intended to encourage technological innovation in communication-related areas and to recognize engineers, researchers and other technologists whose energies and perseverance have been successful in crafting innovative ways for consumers with disabilities to benefit from our nation’s communications technologies. The work of these honorees has improved the ability of people with disabilities to obtain and succeed at jobs and participate more
actively in the community.
The awards ceremony was held in conjunction with National Disability Employment Awareness month and the one year anniversary of the 21st Century Communications and Video Programming Accessibility Act (CVAA). The FCC also launched the Accessibility Clearinghouse, which was required by the CVAA.
Awards were being presented for the development of mainstream or assistive technologies, the development of standards, and the implementation of best practices that foster accessibility. The awards are a project of the FCC’s Accessibility and Innovation Initiative (A&I Initiative), as recommended in the National Broadband Plan. The A&I Initiative seeks to facilitate dialogue among industry, assistive technology companies, app developers, government representatives and consumers to allow these stakeholders to share best practices and solutions for accessible communications technologies.
The Chairman’s 2011 AAA Winners are:
• Accesswireless.org (CTIA: The Wireless Association)
• LookTel Money Reader
• Microsoft Accessibility Tools and Training Resources
• Non-Visual Desktop Access
• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Coach
• Universal Subtitles
• iPhone 4 (Apple)
The Chairman’s 2011 AAA Honorable Mentions are:
• Apps4Android
• AT&T Speech Mashups for Accessibility
• The Farfalla Project
• Interpretype
• Phlixie
• Verizon Center for Customers with Disabilities
Winners of the Cloud Challenge are:
• AT&T Speech Mashups for Accessibility
• The Farfalla Project