Just in case you didn't see this:

Congress passed a bill Tuesday that aims to make new technology more
accessible to people with disabilities - an update that advocates for the
blind and deaf say is "momentous."

 
AFP/Getty Images 
The iPhone is an example of new technology that has software to make it
usable by people with disabilities. The legislation, called the 21st Century
Communications and Video Accessibility Act, covers things like captions on
Internet video, Internet phone services that work with hearing aids,
television menus that can be seen by people with vision loss and even touch
screens that the blind can use. The bill, which passed by voice vote and
will now go to President Obama for approval, updates existing regulations to
bring them in line with the Internet age.

Earlier laws dealing with people with disabilities mandated physical
improvements like ramps in buildings, but "today individuals with
disabilities need online ramps to the Internet," said Rep. Edward Markey of
Massachusetts during debate on the bill Tuesday night.

The Telecommunications Act of 1996 required equipment to be accessible to
the blind and deaf. "But this was not helpful for most of the revolution
that has taken place since 1996," said Paul Schroeder, the vice president
for programs and policy at the American Foundation for the Blind.

"People with sensory disabilities got excited about this [new] legislation,"
he added, "because we want, we need to be part of the communications
revolution."

Mr. Schroeder said the legislation calls for implementation over a span of
several years but that even now a few companies have done surprising things
to make devices more accessible.

"There's a general tug of war about how much the government should dictate
to the industry about the design of products . concern that we're going to
end up with huge products that no one can use. To this I just say - Apple
iPhone," he said. 

He explained that advocates for the blind gave Apple "a lot of static" about
the phone initially but that even he wasn't sure how anyone would make a
touch screen work for the blind. Apple developed a system by which blind
users can move their fingers around the screen and hear the names of icons
being touched. The users can then lift their fingers and tap quickly to
select the icon. "And then you get very good at just knowing where things
are on the screen," he said.

He compared that with the BlackBerry, and said that despite its tactile
keyboard, the device requires software costing more than $400 if a blind
person wants to use it. The software reads the BlackBerry screen to blind
users.

BlackBerry maker Research In Motion did not immediately have comment on the
legislation or the accessibility of its devices.

Mr. Schroeder also said he believes some of the changes required in the law
will end up benefiting all consumers.

"Most of my sighted colleagues complain ceaselessly about they can't see
their cellphones," said Mr. Schroeder, who is blind.

He cited earlier regulations requiring captioning on televisions as an
example of technology that was intended only for those with disabilities but
that has had benefits for others as well. "If you now turned off all the
captions in the world, health clubs and bars would scream bloody murder," he
said.


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