General News
USA Broadband Plan Addresses Improved Accessibility
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) recently released a comprehensive blueprint to expand the availability and benefits of broadband technology, including high-speed internet service, throughout the nation. The plan offers strategies to make broadband available to all Americans and to maximize its use in order to improve economic output, education, homeland security, healthcare, and energy efficiency. "Connecting America: The National Broadband Plan" recommends actions the FCC and other Federal agencies, as well as Congress, can take to achieve key goals, including making broadband available to all Americans and improving access for people with disabilities to enabled technologies.
"We must make clear that building in accessibility at the design and development stage is cost-effective, and that all of society benefits from the widespread use of accessibility features such as captioning, speech recognition, and speech output," stated FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski in announcing release of the plan. He noted that broadband-enabled applications create unique opportunities for accessibility and that recommendations of the plan will maximize broadband use by people with disabilities, the majority of whom do not have broadband connection in the home.
The plan calls for the Federal government to become a model for accessibility and recommends creation of a working group of Federal agencies, including the Access Board, to coordinate efforts to improve accessibility and compliance with laws such as Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act. It also recommends creation of a forum where stakeholders, including consumers, manufacturers, and service providers, can share best practices, promote innovation, and develop accessibility solutions. In addition, the plan advises the FCC and Congress to update laws and regulations, including FCC rules issued under Section 255 of the Telecommunications Act and the Hearing Aid Compatibility Act, to address access to Internet Protocol-based communications and video-programming technologies. Other agencies, such as the Department of Justice, are urged to address access to digital content in the private sector under the ADA. The plan is available online at www.broadband.gov
Source and email from: Frank Mulcahy
