CHICAGO — President Clinton's signing of the Telecommunications Act of 1996 sparked protest from many liberal groups. It is important, however, to look beyond the Telecommunications Act as simply legislation mandating the V-chip and a television ratings system. Almost lost in the controversy has been the fact that the new law advances the independence of people with disabilities.
As stated in the bill, "A manufacturer of telecommunications equipment or customer premises equipment shall ensure that the equipment is designed, developed and fabricated to be accessible to and usable by individuals with disabilities."
This law will bring significant changes in the job market for people with disabilities. Currently, some 67 percent of those individuals are unemployed, and about 10 million Americans with severe sensory disabilities are unemployed, often relying on public supports. Making telecommunications more accessible will result in a more diverse, more efficient work force.
Marking the first time people with disabilities have been included in major communications legislation, the bill will make products and services more user-friendly for all consumers. Children and adults with disabilities will be able to access and use the same services available to all other children and adults.
Some of the bill's provisions:
- Interconnectivity of telecommunications services is required to address disability access needs.
- Closed captioning is required in most video programming (unless providing captioning is an undue burden on the provider).
- The FCC is required to look at how video description could be implemented by the industry. (Video description is a technology providing real-time auditory description of visual scenes for persons who are significantly visually disabled.)
So as the news media continue to focus on the perceived free-speech constraints of the Telecommunications Act, it is important to note that this legislation opens doors for individuals with disabilities and will revolutionize telecommunications processes for all consumers.