[Travelandtourism] The Federal Communications Commission today adopted rules to ensure individuals who are blind or visually impaired can quickly access critical information

[cheryl echevarria]

The Federal Communications Commission today adopted rules to ensure
individuals
who are blind or visually impaired can quickly access critical information
shown on television in the
event of an emergency. In addition, the Commission seeks comment on other
possible accessibility issues
facing those who are blind or visually impaired. These additional steps
implement provisions of the Twenty-First Century Communications and Video
Accessibility Act of 2010 ("CVAA") related to accessible emergency
information. Congress passed the
CVAA to ensure that people with disabilities have access to the modern and
innovative communications
technologies of the 21st Century.

The new rules adopted today require that emergency information be made
accessible on a secondary
audio stream on tablets, smartphones, laptops, and similar devices when
subscription television providers,
such as cable and satellite operators, permit consumers to access
programming over their networks using
an app on these devices. When emergency information appears on a television
screen, it is preceded by
three tones. Under previously adopted Commission rules, individuals who are
blind or visually impaired
soon will be able to switch to a secondary audio stream to hear televised
emergency information when
they hear the three tones. Today's action takes this a step further: keeping
pace with technological
changes and the way consumers enjoy content.

Additionally, the Second Report and Order establishes rules requiring that
the equipment used to receive
and play back television programming, such as set-top boxes, have a simple
and easy to use mechanism to
switch from the main program audio to the secondary audio stream to hear
audible emergency
information. Also adopted today was a Second Further Notice of Proposed
Rulemaking that asks for comments on
additional issues related to the accessibility of emergency information for
individuals who are blind or
visually impaired, including:

-How to prioritize emergency information if there is more than one on-screen
announcement;

-Whether information on school closings and school bus schedule changes
should continue to
be made available on the secondary audio stream; and

-Possible future requirements on multichannel video programming distributors
to ensure that
consumers have a simple and easy to use mechanism to access the secondary
audio stream.

Action by the Commission May 21, 2015 by Second Report and Order and Second
Further Notice of
Proposed Rulemaking (FCC 15-56). Chairman Wheeler, Commissioners Clyburn and
Rosenworcel with
Commissioners Pai and O'Rielly approving in part and dissenting in part.
Chairman Wheeler,
Commissioners Clyburn, Rosenworcel, Pai and O'Rielly issuing statements.

Glenn E. Minney
Director of Government Relations 
Cheryl Echevarria, President
National Federation of the Blind's Travel and Tourism Division
A proud division of the NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND - "Live the life you want"www.nfbtravel.org
631-236-5138
cherylandmaxx at hotmail.com


The National Federation of the Blind knows that blindness is not the characteristic that defines you or your future. Every day we raise the expectations of blind people, because low expectations create obstacles between blind people and our dreams. You can have the life you want; blindness is not what holds you back.


Cheryl Echevarria is also the owner of Echevarria Travel www.echevarriatravel.com; 631-456-5394 or reservations at echevarriatravel.com and  has partnered with Braille Smith. www.braillesmith.com for all her braille needs.  Gail Smith is the Secretary of the NFB of Alabama