To allow Americans with disabilities to experience the benefits of broadband, hardware, software, services and digital content must be accessible and assistive technologies must be affordable.
Accessibility for the Disabled
Technology improves for people with disabilities as firms respond to moral, legal demands
Over the last few years, Apple, Google, Facebook and Microsoft have leveraged artificial intelligence, computer vision and advances in voice recognition to deliver tools to assist blind individuals and people who are deaf, have motor impairments or other disabilities.
The PSAP RTT Education Day will provide information to PSAPs and other emergency communications systems about RTT features and benefits for emergency response personnel and consumers (including consumers with disabilities); best practices for processing RTT requests from service providers; and ways to implement the RTT service feature. Among other things, panels will address regulatory policy, PSAPs’ experiences with RTT testing, and RTT infrastructure issues. There will be a live demonstration of the use of RTT and opportunities for interaction by and with the audience.
At this meeting, the Disability Advisory Committee is expected to receive and consider reports and recommendations from its subcommittees.
The DAC may also receive briefings from FCC staff on issues of interest to the Committee and may discuss topics of interest to the committee, including, but not limited to, matters concerning communications transitions, telecommunications relay services, emergency access, and video programming accessibility.
This agenda may be modified at the discretion of the DAC Chair and Designated Federal Officer
FCC Announces Anticipated Disability Advisory Committee Renewal and Membership Solicitiation
By this Public Notice, the Federal Communications Commission announces the anticipated renewal of its Disability Advisory Committee (Committee) and solicits applications for membership on the Committee, subject to renewal of the Committee’s charter. Applications for membership are due by 11:59 P.M. EST on September 21, 2018. The mission of the Committee is to make recommendations to the Commission regarding disability issues specified by the Commission.
Chairman Pai Honors Innovators in Accessibility Communications Technology
Recognizing the importance of innovative communications technology designed for people with disabilities, Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai announced the winners of the seventh annual Chairman’s Awards for Advancement in Accessibility (Chairman's AAA). Winners of 2018 Chairman’s AAA:
Orbit Reader 20: This refreshable braille display and notetaker significantly reduces the price point for this type of accessible technology, which has been prohibitively expensive for many blind and low vision persons.
Chairman Pai's Remarks at M-Enabling Summit
[S]o long as I am Chairman, I will continue to prioritize ensuring that people with disabilities are not left behind as communications technologies advance. We want people with disabilities to be full participants in the digital revolution. I find this to be a perfect segue to tonight’s event: the Chairman’s Awards for Advancement in Accessibility. Through these awards, we can recognize accessibility innovations and initiatives that help us reach our goal of full inclusion.
FCC Acts to Reform Internet Protocol Captioned Telephone Service
The Federal Communications Commission today approved an item to reform Internet Protocol Captioned Telephone Service (IP CTS), a form of telecommunications relay service (TRS) that allows individuals with hearing loss to both read captions and use their residual hearing to understand a telephone conversation.
The item approved by the FCC:
At this meeting, the DAC is expected to receive and consider reports from its subcommittees on Emergency Communications; Video Programming; Technology Transitions; and Relay & Equipment Distribution.
The DAC is also expected to receive presentations from Commission staff or others on matters of interest to the Committee.
FCC To Hold Open Commission Meeting Thursday, June 7, 2018
The Federal Communications Commission will hold an Open Meeting on the subjects listed below on Thursday, June 7, 2018:
FCC Announces Tentative Agenda for May 2018 Open Meeting
Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai announced that the following items are tentatively on the agenda for the May Open Commission Meeting scheduled for Thursday, May 10, 2018: