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 
programÂ’s key visual elements during natural pauses in the programÂ’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 AFBÂ’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 [log in to unmask]