Thanks Dominique for sharing specifics of this landmark
legislation. I myself had nothing to do with organized lobbying
at the grass roots and Federal levels for this, but lots of you
are involved, and deserve much credit. The new law seems to
offer perhaps a "baker's dozen" good things we can all look
forward to.
(1) Many more commercial suppliers likely to bring to market
mobile devices that are much more usable by the blind and vision
impaired for texting, VOIP communication, instant messaging and
access to the World Wide Web.
(2) Various modes of internet communication, such as texting,
VOIP, and fast access to the web, being much more doable by all
disabilities, with special emphasis on the blind, vision impaired
and deaf blind.
(3) Inclement weather and or other emergency interuptions on tv
being accessable to blind, vision impaired and Deaf Blind.
(4) the Federal Communications Commission to immediately set up a
process for handling and responding to complaints.
(5) The Federal Communications Commission also being now required
to make a comprehensive progress report on all of the above to
Congress every other year; the first one likely due in 2012.
(6) And an overall "five year" report by the General Accounting
Office, (G A O) in 2015.
(7)Setting up of an FCC clearinghouse for information on
accessible communications services and equipment.
(8) Applies so called "hearing aid compatibility mandates" to all
kinds of telephone type equipment used with any and all advanced
communications services.
(9) Updating of the definition of telecommunications relay
services (TRS)to include people who are deaf-blind and to allow
communicationbetween and among different types of relay users
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