You’re so right. Unfortunately, I think that is what it will take. Remember we deaf/hoh did not have access to telephone service for many years until Congress came up with ADA and forced the access to telephone industry. So FCC folks, regulate away!

eyes open & thumbs up..

Right you are on Section 255 being limited to telecommunications (service or products). Thanks for clarification.

Folks, however, the need to submit comments or remarks to the FCC on the need for captioned news of Internet News still hold.

eyes open & thumbs up..

Clarification. Section 255 does not cover video programming. Section 255 requires access to telecommunications — products and services used to communicate on the telephone network. See FCC fact sheet at http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/consumerfacts/section255.html.

The Twenty-first Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act (H.R. 3101), when passed, will require video programming distributed over the Internet to be captioned. See a summary of H.R. 3101 at http://www.coataccess.org/node/4623 and the following excerpt from Section 203 of the bill:

“This section also amends the definition for video programming to include video programming distributed over the Internet or by some other means, to ensure the continued accessibility of video programming to Americans with disabilities as this programming migrates to the Internet. The FCC is directed to establish a schedule of deadlines for the provision of closed captioning of such Internet-based video programming.”

Hope this clarification is helpful.

Rosaline Crawford
Director, NAD Law and Advocacy Center