In the wake of the midterm elections , Democratic loss leader in the House and Senate have introduced a bill crafted to ensure emerging engineering keep pace with the needs of citizenry with disability . The effort is find widespread praise from groups such as the Blinded Veterans Association and Communications Service for the Deaf , and lawmakers are pushing for a swift passage in the lame duck session .
The Communications , Video , and Technology Accessibility Act , or CVTA , would better primal portions of the current federal accessibility law by , among other measurement , requiring the improvement and expansion of closed captioning and audio verbal description standards for online streaming platforms ( in add-on to television ) , the authors said . It would also update necessity to make closed captioning and audio descriptions more easily accessible .
The bill , coauthored by Sen. Edward Markey , would further avail to improve approach to video programming for mass who are deaf and use sign language , and , according to the authors , would empower the Federal Communications Commission to “ secure handiness ordinance keep step with emergencing technologies , include artificial intelligence and augmented or virtual reality platforms . ”
Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) speaks with reporters at the U.S. Capitol Aug. 6, 2022.Photo: Francis Chung (AP)
“ As technology has speedily evolved over the last two decades , much of our economy and day - to - day lives have propel online . Unfortunately , handiness standard have stay on largely the same , leaving people with disablement behind , ” said Rep. Anna Eshoo , senior member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee and a conscientious objector - author of the bill .
Eshoo stated that , as of last year , more than two - thirds of hoi polloi who were blind or had low vision report issues with technologies necessary for the Job . And around 70 % of students who are indifferent or hard of hearing reported similar challenges in educational environment , she said .
Sen. Markey , a coauthor of the current federal law — known as the 21st Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act ( CVAA ) — enunciate technology had changed much since CVAA ’s transit . “ What has n’t changed is our duty to make certain that everyone – including people with disabilities – has adequate access to the service and engineering they need to flourish , ” he sound out .
The newer CVTA , meanwhile , was announce with the endorsement of FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel , who said in statement :
“ Accessibility entail equal opportunity to produce , participate , and intercommunicate — and promoting approachable technology is an crucial part of our agency ’s charge . To do so effectively we need to keep up with emerging technologies . This legislation will help us do just that , by assure that multitude with disability have full access to communicating products and services that are necessary to participate equally in today ’s earth , while set a foundation for handiness in succeeding technologies . ”
Eric Bridges , executive director of the American Council of the Blind , said the CVAA had “ laid the foundation for approachable applied science and inclusive medium for mass who are blind , low vision , and Deafblind , ” and this update would ascertain that critical communication technologies rest accessible and “ reiterate our nation ’s dedication to accessible medium and TV content , regardless of how or where it is viewed by consumers . ”
“ This update to the innovational 21st Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act takes into account how quickly technology is deepen , ” add Barbara Kelley , executive manager of Hearing Loss Association for America ( HLAA ) . The CVTA would , she said , “ ensure citizenry will have access to video conferencing program with construct - in accessibility feature , such as machinelike captioning social function that will take into account mass with take heed loss to be amply part of the conversation . ”
“ That ’s real progress , ” Kelley order .
Numerous other group focused on accessibility have endorsed the bill , admit the National Federation of the Blind , the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights , the American Foundation for the Blind , and the United Spinal Association , among others .
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