2008-07-06

US: The Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act of 2008 [H.R. 6320]

Wireless RERC reports on proposed legislation affecting accessibility of communications and video technology in Technology and Disability Policy Highlights 8.06.

Proposed Legislation Advances Access Requirements for IP-Enabled Video & Communications
06.19.2008 – The Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act of 2008 [H.R. 6320] was introduced in the house and referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce. The proposed legislation seeks to ensure that IP-enabled communication and video programming is accessible by people with disabilities. H.R. 6320 outlines requirements for access to services and equipment, as well as administrative obligations for service providers and the FCC. Stipulations include:

• Hearing aid compatibility requirement for IP-enabled telecommunications equipment
• Manufacturers of IP-enabled technologies and software must design and develop products that are accessible
• IP-enabled communications service providers must ensure interoperability of real-time text communications in data formats between provider networks
• Video programming devices must have built-in decoder circuitry
• Emergency information and alerts must be accessible to people who are blind or visually impaired through the use of video description
• Broadens the FCC’s closed captioning rules to include video-programming distributed over the Internet
• Closed captioning options must be easy to access via remote control
• Television menus for program selection and other uses must be accessible to people who are blind or have low vision
• Provides for universal service support for the distribution of equipment to individuals who are deaf-blind
• IP-enabled communications service providers must contribute to the Telecommunications Relay Service Fund
• Obliges the FCC to prescribe regulations to implement and enforce the provisions of the bill, including issuing an inquiry on closed captioning decoder and video description capabilities, user interfaces and video programming guides and menus
[Source: Library of Congress]

Additional Information:
H.R. 6320
[http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c110:H.R.6320:]