[tabi] FCC adopts rules for the visually impaired
- From: "Chip and Allie Orange" <acorange@xxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <tabi@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sat, 2 Nov 2013 17:18:25 -0400
FCC adopts TV rules for blind and deaf
By Julian Hattem
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has adopted rules that should
make it
easier for blind and deaf people to use their televisions.
The regulations finalize a major component of the agency's effort to update
the way
that people with disabilities use modern technology like TV, smart phones
and the
Internet.
"I'm proud that, as a result of today's action, 25 million Americans who are
blind
or visually impaired will be able to navigate menus on a range of devices
that show
video programming, and an additional 36 million deaf and hard of hearing
Americans
will be able to activate closed captions easily," acting FCC Chairwoman
Mignon Clyburn
said in a statement.
"Once these rules take effect, people who are blind or visually impaired
will be
able to quickly find a news channel during an emergency or tune in to their
favorite
show as readily as sighted people."
The rules require set-top cable boxes, tablets and other devices can audibly
read
out on-screen text menus and guides.
Advocates for the blind and visually impaired say that will allow them to
easily navigate
their TVs and understand what's playing on different channels.
Other provisions of the rules require that the devices allow people to press
a button
or icon to turn on closed captioning, which is used by the deaf and people
with hearing
disabilities.
The rules are the last major ones the FCC is issuing to implement the 21st
Century
Communications and Video Accessibility Act, which passed in 2010.
Previous rules have required that Internet browsers on smart phones,
emergency television
alerts and other devices are accessible to blind and deaf people.
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- » [tabi] FCC adopts rules for the visually impaired - Chip and Allie Orange
