A News Release from the National Association of the Deaf
Release Date: January 4, 2008
Contact:
Anita B. Farb
Director, Communications and Operations
National Association of the Deaf
Email: http://www.nad.org/contactus
NAD Supports Draft Legislation to Ensure Access to Technology
SILVER SPRING, MD – The National Association of the Deaf (NAD)
announced its support of a recently released U.S. House of
Representatives discussion draft, titled 21st Century Communications
and Video Accessibility Act . This draft, if passed, would upgrade
telecommunications laws to mandate access to current and future
cutting edge technologies.
Through its leadership in the Coalition of Organizations for
Accessible Technology (COAT) (http://www.coataccess.org
), the NAD has been working with Congress on this draft for many
months and is pleased with its release.
Since the early 1990s, federal law has required accessibility
features and services such as telecommunications relay services,
captioning decoder circuitry in televisions, and closed captioning
for television programming. While these requirements have served the
deaf and hard of hearing community well, they have not kept pace
with, nor have been updated to apply to, newer technologies such as
mobile devices or the Internet. As a result, deaf and hard of hearing
individuals now are experiencing decreased access to
telecommunications devices and services. This draft U.S. House of
Representatives bill would amend the Communications Act to remedy
this lack of access. Among other things, it would:
Expand the scope of devices that must display closed captions.
Today, television sets with screens that are 13 inches or larger must
be capable of displaying captions, but other devices do not have to
meet this requirement. Under this draft, captioning requirements
would apply to all devices (regardless of screen size) that display
video programming transmitted simultaneously with sound, including
those that display programming carried over the Internet.
Clarify that video programming includes what is provided by or
comparable to that provided by a television broadcast station, even
if the programming is distributed over the Internet. Current
captioning requirements apply only to broadcast, cable, or satellite
programming. This new provision would have the effect of extending
captioning requirements to comparable programming shown over the
Internet.
Require manufacturers of devices used to display video programming,
including those that are Internet based, to ensure that these devices
are accessible by people with disabilities. Manufacturers also would
be required to provide a conspicuous means of accessing closed
captioning, including a button on remote controls and first level
access to this feature when available through on-screen menus.
Deaf and hard of hearing consumers are tired of being denied access
to today’s technologies because these have not been created with
accessibility in mind, remarked NAD President Bobbie Beth Scoggins.
If passed, this draft bill will remedy many of the problems we have
had with telecommunications access. It simply is not acceptable to
leave out 30-plus million deaf and hard of hearing people from access
to cutting-edge telecommunications devices and services. The NAD urges
U.S. Congressional members to take decisive action to close the
digital divide in an expeditious manner.
Read a summary of the draft bill here. click here
(doc format)
Read the full draft please visit at
http://coataccess.civicspaceondemand.org/node/56
About the NAD
Established in 1880, the National Association of the Deaf (NAD)
safeguards the civil, human, and language rights of deaf and hard of
hearing Americans, including recognition and usage of American Sign
Language. As a federation of national, state, and local affiliates,
and individual members, the work of the NAD encompasses a broad range
of advocacy issues including, but not limited to early intervention,
education, emergency access, employment, health care, mental health,
technology, telecommunications, and transportation – toward creation
of a barrier-free, respectful, and welcoming environment that is
mutually benefits all involved. For more information about the NAD,
visit http://www.nad.org
.
—
BETTER IP RELAY – EVERYWHERE! i711.com makes all your relay calls better.
Better web calls. Better wireless calls. Better AIM calls. Why settle for
ordinary IP relay? Go beyond! Try http://www.i711.com for free today!
NEW! Try out our Deaf Network of Texas Calendar! Go to
http://calendar.deafnetwork.com
NOTE: deafnetwork.com does not endorse any of the products, vendors,
consultants, or documentation referenced in this message or. Any mention of
vendors, products, or services is for informational purposes only.
Powered by http://www.CrazyWebHosting.com
If you do not want to receive any more newsletters,
http://deafnetwork.com/list/?p=unsubscribe&uid=23e6b0ac27edebd2b6f52f1354859234
To update your preferences and to unsubscribe visit
http://deafnetwork.com/list/?p=preferences&uid=23e6b0ac27edebd2b6f52f1354859234
Forward a Message to Someone
http://deafnetwork.com/list/?p=forward&uid=23e6b0ac27edebd2b6f52f1354859234&mid=822
—
Powered by PHPlist, www.phplist.com —