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
A New Look For Familiar Themes
At our November open meeting, the Federal Communications Commission will be considering the following items:
2020 Biennial Report To Congress As Required By The Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act
The Report assesses industry compliance over the past two years with sections 255, 716, and 718 of the Communications Act of 1934. These sections require telecommunications and advanced communications services and equipment, and Internet browsers built into mobile phones (collectively, covered products and services) to be accessible to and usable by individuals with disabilities. The Report also addresses accessibility barriers to new communications technologies, and the effect of the accessibility-related recordkeeping and enforcement requirements under section 717 on the development and d
FCC Announces Winners of Chairman's Accessibility Awards
The Federal Communications Commission announced the 2020 winners of the Chairman's Awards for Advancements in Accessibility (Chairman’s AAA). This FCC program, which began in 2011, is focused on improving access to telecommunications and technology for people with disabilities. The award winners for 2020 are:
FCC Announces Tentative Agenda for October 2020 Open Meeting
Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai announced that the items below are tentatively on the agenda for the October Open Commission Meeting scheduled for Tuesday, October 27, 2020:
FCC To Hold Open Commission Meeting Sept 30, 2020
The Federal Communications Commission will hold an Open Meeting on the subjects listed below on Wednesday, Sept 30, 2020:
The Federal Communications Commission will recognize the 10th anniversary of the CVAA and its importance in building a more accessible telecommunications world for people with disabilities.
Disability Advisory Committee members will discuss (i) a working group report and recommendation on enhanced Electronic Newsroom Technique (ENT) and other technologies for captioning live television programming; (ii) a working group report and recommendation on best practices for creating audio description; and (iii) any other topics relevant to the DAC’s work. The meeting will be led by the DAC co-chairs: Brian Scarpelli, Senior Policy Counsel of ACT | The App Association, and Isidore Niyongabo, President and Director of Advocacy and Public Engagement of National Black Deaf Advocates.
FCC Announces Tentative Agenda for Sept 2020 Open Meeting
Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai announced that the items below are tentatively on the agenda for the Sept Open Commission Meeting scheduled for Wednesday, Sept 30, 2020:
A Big Fall Kickoff
The Federal Communications Commission’s Sept agenda looks like a well-balanced fantasy team; we’re rolling out a diverse lineup featuring at least one item from each of the FCC’s seven bureaus.
Deletion of Items from August 6, 2020 Open Meeting
The following items have been adopted by the Federal Communications Commission and deleted from the list of items scheduled for consideration at the Thursday, Aug 6, 2020, Open Meeting.
Common Antenna Siting Rules (MB Docket No. 19-282); Modernization of Media Regulation Initiative (MB Docket No. 17-105): The FCC will consider a Report and Order that would eliminate the common antenna siting rules for FM and TV broadcaster applicants and licensees.