HEARD, with the assistance of TDI’s legal representation, filed a COMMENT [see below, under Tags: for the full list of signatories] to the Federal Communications Commission, about:

having the Commission to act now to address HEARD and other organizations’ concerns regarding the neglected access to the telecommunications relay system (TRS) for people with communication disabilities in prisons.

We stated that the facility officials and inmate calling service (ICT) providers charged unreasonable high rates for access to basic services.  Most prisons continue to offer only TTYs and a way to communicate with outside parties — this is not an acceptable solution. We ask the Commission to address the issue of communications accessibility for the people with communication disabilities in the prisons by dealing with the ICT providers, improving the telecommunications services, and limiting the unfair charges to the communication accessibility services. Deaf and hard of hearing prisoners must have full access to Video Relay Services and Captioned Telephone Services, including functioning equipment.  The Commission cannot handle these issues by themselves so they should be assisted by the Department of Justice (DOJ), the Department of Homeland Security, the Federal Bureau of Prisons, and other state and federal agencies to oversee the prison facility operations in order to provide equal access to communication for people with communication disabilities including other disabilities.

URL for Full Filing Document on FCC’s Electronic Comment Filing System 

https://ecfsapi.fcc.gov/file/1123290918519/2020.11.23%20Accessibility%20Coalition%20Carceral%20Communications%20Comments%20final.pdf

Special Thanks to:  SAMUELSON-GLUSHKO TECHNOLOGY LAW & POLICY CLINIC,  Colorado Law