22. May 2010 by Cape Cod Chapter HLAA Blog.

Read this information from our National headquarters in Washington, and thank Senator Kerry!

HLAA sent the following letter of thanks to co sponsors of S. 3304:

May 21, 2010

Senator John F. Kerry, Chairman
Senate Subcommittee on Communications, Technology and the Internet

Senator Mark L. Pryor, Member
Senate Subcommittee on Communications,Technology and the Internet

Senator Byron L. Dorgan, Member
Senate Subcommittee on Communications,Technology and the Internet

Senator Kent Conrad

Re: “Equal Access to 21st Century Communications Act of 2010” (S. 3304)

Dear Chairman and Senators:

Hearing Loss Association of America (HLAA) wishes to express our deep
and profound thanks for the momentous and significant introduction of
the “Equal Access to 21st Century Communications Act of 2010” (S.
3304). S. 3304 will advance modernization of the current disability
accessibility mandates in the Communications Act for communication and
video programming products and services. This bill, helping to ensure
accessible telecommunications technologies, is a major step forward for
people with disabilities.

The Hearing Loss Association of America (HLAA) is the nation’s leading
grassroots organization representing the rights of people with hearing
loss. The HLAA mission is to open the world of communication to people
with hearing loss through information, education, advocacy, and
support. HLAA impacts accessibility, public policy, research, public
awareness, and service delivery related to hearing loss on a national
and local level. HLAA’s national support network includes 200 local
chapters nationwide, 14 state organizations and an office just outside
Washington, DC.

HLAA is encouraged by the introduction of S. 3304. In this year of the
20th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), passage
of S. 3304 will affirm the principles of equal access, equal
opportunity, and equal participation for people with disabilities to
communications, technology, and the Internet. Communications
technologies are essential components of daily life; inextricably woven
into the fabric of modern life. Such technologies – when designed and
developed to be accessible – enable new levels of independence and
civic engagement for all Americans.

HLAA is particularly pleased to see that S. 3304 contains the following
key provisions:

Increasing Communications Access

- Requires access to phone-type equipment and services used for
advanced communications
- Adds improved accountability and enforcement measures, including a
clearinghouse and reporting obligations by providers and manufacturers
- Requires telephone products used for advanced communications to be
hearing aid compatible
- Allows use of Lifeline and Link-up universal service funds (USF) for
broadband
- Allocates up to $10 million/year for equipment used by people who are
deaf-blind
- Clarifies the scope of relay services to include calls between and
among people with disabilities and requires interconnected VoIP service
providers to contribute to the Relay Service Fund
- Requires FCC to develop real-time text digital standard
Video Programming Access

- Requires caption decoder circuitry or display capability in all video
programming devices
- Extends closed captioning obligations to video programming
distributed over the Internet
- Requires easy access to closed captions via remote control and
on-screen menus
- Requires easy access by blind people to television controls and
on-screen menus
- Restores video description rules and requires access to televised
emergency programming for people who are blind or have low vision
HLAA is committed to working with you and others on S. 3304. We do
advocate for defining “covered advanced communications” to include
non-interconnected as well as interconnected VoIP, video conferencing,
and electronic messaging (to ensure access to SMS text messaging,
electronic mail, and instant messaging); adoption of the
well-established and appropriate undue burden compliance standard for
prospective obligations; extending relay service obligations to
non-interconnected VoIP providers; and timely action by the delegated
authority.

We look to your leadership to establish significant new achievements in
communications technology accessibility for people with disabilities.
We believe a Senate Hearing would be another significant step forward
in conquering the barriers to accessibility and usability that our
members and constituents encounter daily at home, in the workplace, in
the classroom, and in their community, in this fast-paced,
technology-driven modern world.

HLAA is committed to working with you and the whole Committee to ensure
strong legislation that will take all of us into a new world of 21st
Century communications that work for everyone.

Sincerely,

Brenda Battat
Executive Director

The letter was sent via fax and US Mail to:

Senator John F. Kerry, Chairman
Senate Subcommittee on Communications, Technology and the Internet
218 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Via Fax 202-224-8525

Senator Mark L. Pryor, Member
Senate Subcommittee on Communications,Technology and the Internet
225 Dirksen Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Via Fax 202-228-0908

Senator Byron L. Dorgan, Member
Senate Subcommittee on Communications, Technology and the Internet
322 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington DC 20510
Via Fax 202-224-1193

Senator Kent Conrad
530 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Via Fax 202-224-7776

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5. February 2010 by Cape Cod Chapter HLAA Blog.

NAD, NFL, and CBS Collaborate to Increase Captioned Super Bowl Commercials

The National Association of the Deaf (NAD) and the National Football League (NFL) along with CBS Corporation, the network airing Super Bowl XLIV on February 7, 2010, have collaborated to make advertisers who purchase Super Bowl commercials aware of the importance of captioning their content. As a result of these efforts, viewers should notice an increased number of captioned commercials compared to previous Super Bowls. The NAD thanks the NFL and CBS Corporation for their efforts to promote closed captioning of the television commercials.

Working alongside with the NAD and the NFL, CBS encouraged all of their Super Bowl advertisers to close caption their commercials. The NAD appreciates the efforts of the NFL and CBS on this important issue for the deaf and hard of hearing community. The NAD will monitor the results as we pursue a fully captioned experience from start to finish for all future Super Bowls.

The Super Bowl experience includes not only the exciting battle between two football conference champions, but also groundbreaking creative ads which have become a cultural phenomenon. While the Super Bowl game has been captioned for years, the commercials have remained less accessible. With the help of the NFL, the percentage of Super Bowl commercials captioned in last year’s Super Bowl showed a significant improvement. The deaf and hard of hearing community has engaged in an annual ritual of counting the number of captioned advertisements during the Super Bowl.
–
The National Association of the Deaf
8630 Fenton Street, Suite 820
Silver Spring, MD 20910-3819
United States

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4. November 2009 by Cape Cod Chapter HLAA Blog.

MCDHH Commissioner Heidi Reed gave an informative presentation at the Fall meeting of the HLACC. The agency, part of the Mass. Dept. of Health and Human Services has a very useful website at http://www.mass.gov/mcdh where two popular publications can be downloaded from the PUBLICATIONS menu on the right hand side: The Savvy Consumer’s Guide to Hearing Loss by Karen Rockow, and the MCDHH Resource Directory which connects state residents with over 600 agencies, educational programs, organizations and service providers.

Having the publications online is one way the agency has creatively dealt with budget cuts. In fy ‘09, in the Southeast Region, one case manager and one children’s specialist served 89 aduclts and 229 children, with 34 people on the waiting list.

The agency has collaborated with the Department of Public Health/ Early intervention for newborns, the Jury Commission, the Elementary and Secondary Education office to standardize qualifications for interpreters and provide training, the 911 Commission Equipment Distribution Program, which supported legislation to bring the captioned telephone to Massachusetts.

She warned that 9C budget cuts were looming. The meeting was well attended with many questions following the presentation.

UPDATE 10/30/09:

Impact of 9C Budget Cuts

As you know, Governor Patrick has taken action to close a $600 million gap in the state budget, and has announced that he will protect funding for core programs that keep our Commonwealth strong over the long-term. The Governor made tough decisions in order to preserve safety net programs for the most vulnerable. EOHHS received $81.9 million in cuts. MCDHH received a total of $343,500 in cuts. This figure is 6% of our operating budget.

These budget cuts will impact MCDHH as follows:

–The After Hours Emergency Referral Service will no longer be funded.

–DHILS contracts will be reduced.

–Purchase of freelance interpreter and CART services will be reduced.

The DHILS providers whose funding will be reduced include DEAF, Inc., The Center for Living and Working (CLW), and Stavros.

MCDHH will immediately begin implementing a transition plan for the After Hours Emergency Referral service. We have informed the Massachusetts Hospital Association of the option for hospitals to purchase the service from MCDHH. And as another option, hospitals may wish to arrange their own plans by working directly with freelance interpreters. MCDHH will be able to provide technical assistance including a listing of qualified interpreters.

Legislators are asking about the impact of these cuts, so please do contact your legislator to give your input and reaction to these budget cutbacks.

Additional information including plans for informational meetings will be shared with you during the coming week. Thank you for your continued support, our working together is very important during this time of economic difficulty.

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