IT Accessibility Review
Volume 1, Number 3
Telecommunications
Abundant Life Christian Center Petitions the FCC for Captioning Exception
The Abundant Christian Center in Indiana petitioned the FCC for an exception of captioning requirements for its talk show "Abundant Life Today." The center claimed that captioning its television program would cause an "undue burden." However, the FCC denied the petition, citing that the center lacked evidence to support its claim.
The complete FCC ruling is available at
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-04-3330A1.doc.
VoIP-Enabled Services
In a letter to FCC Chairman Michael Powell and each of the Commissioners, Congressman Chip Pickering (R- Mississippi), Vice Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce and sponsor of bill, H.R. 4129, the "VoIP Regulatory Freedom Act of 2004," urged the Commission to expeditiously issue a declaratory ruling. The ruling would deem that Voice-over Internet Protocol (VoIP) services are interstate and thereby subject to the Commission´s exclusive jurisdiction.
- More about VoIP-Enabled
Study Uses Mobile Phones to Track Individuals with Dementia
Mobile phones equipped with global positioning systems (GPS) are being used to track Londoners with dementia when they wander. New Technologies in Elder Care (NTEC) is conducting a study of the effectiveness of cell phones for this use. The system can be used to track a dementia patient anywhere in the United Kingdom, pinpointing the individual with an accuracy of five meters. More about Tracking Individuals with Dementia.
National Organizations Call on FCC to Address Quality Issues in Closed Captioning
Telecommunications for the Deaf, Inc., the Association of Late-Deafened Adults, the National Association of the Deaf, the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Consumer Advocacy Network, and Self-Help for the Hard of Hearing People have filed a complaint with the FCC regarding "chronic problems" with closed captioning on broadcast, satellite, and cable television programming.
Some of these problems are as follows:
- Deviation of accuracy and synchronization between the spoken word and captions presented on the screen is especially noticeable to people who once enjoyed sound
- Omitted captions several minutes before the end of a show
Until a docket number is assigned to this complaint, comments can be emailed to fccinfo@fcc.gov or faxed to 1-(866)-418-0232. For additional information, visit:
http://www.adawatch.org/ClosedCaptioning.htm.
Philadelphia Intends Plans Big City Free Wireless Internet Network
City officials in Philadelphia are planning a 135-mile wireless "hotspot" at a cost of $10 million. The network may be particularly useful to the residents of neighborhoods, including low-income families and persons with disabilities, who lack high-speed Internet access.
- More about Philadelphia Free Wireless Network
FCC Initiative for Telecommunications Services Priority Program
The FCC has announced a program to encourage participation in the Telecommunications Services Priority (TSP) Program. The TSP provides national security and emergency preparedness (NSEP) users with priority authorization to use telecommunications services that are vital to coordinating and responding to crises. The goal of the new FCC initiative is to ensure and encourage participation in the program by all Telecommunications Relay Service (TRS) facilities. These facilities are essential in providing reliable and effective communications between persons with hearing and speech disabilities and emergency entities. In case of a disaster, all appropriate steps should be taken to ensure that service to TRS facilities is made available in an emergency.
- More about Telecommunications Services Priority Program
