TDI, along with the listed consumer groups, filed a comment to the Federal Communications Commission in a response to its’ Public Notice regarding the closed captioning settings.

FCC reminded Congress that they acknowledged that the usage of closed captioning alone was insufficient to ensure equitable access to video programming. Furthermore, captioning capabilities can provide a wide range of types or font preferences used by 48 million deaf, deafblind, and people with disabilities communities.

There are several reasons why closed captioning is not inaccessible enough to the communities mentioned above. Firstly, the caption display settings do not provide a wide range of options. Hence, inaccessible for the communities, especially in video programming. Secondly, the Commission should require all devices to have the caption display settings customized to the viewers’ preferences. This requirement should take place within a year. Finally, the Commission should require caption display settings to be accessible under the plain language and intent of the TDCA. If the caption display setting is fixed, “its capability to alter fonts, sizes, colors, backgrounds, and more, can enable a greater number of persons who are deaf and hard of hearing to take advantage of closed captioning.”

Therefore, requiring caption display settings to be readily accessible remains consistent with other federal video programming accessibility laws and Commission precedent implementing those laws. We sincerely hope that the Commission will act now to ensure equitable access for the communities. Doing so will allow the use the caption display setting with a greater effect than before so they can enjoy various video programming.

For more information about TDI’s filing addressing FCC’s Public Notice on Closed Captioning Settings, visit the filing and full list of signatories at the following link: https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/file/download/DOC-5fc28e847d800000-A.pdf

Internet Protocol Captioned Telephone Service

Filing:

MB 12-108 — Media Bureau Seeks to Refresh the Record on Accessibility Rules for Closed Captioning Display Settings Under the Television Decoder Circuitry Act

Special Thanks to:

SAMUELSON-GLUSHKO TECHNOLOGY LAW & POLICY CLINIC

Co-Signatories:

TDI. National Association of the Deaf (NAD).American Association of the DeafBlind (AADB). Association of Late Deafened Adults (ALDA). Cerebral Palsy and Deaf Organization (CPADO). Communication Service for the Deaf (CSD). Conference of Educational Administrators of Schools and Programs for the Deaf (CEASD). Deaf Seniors of America (DSA). Hearing Loss Association of America (HLAA). Helen Keller National Center for DeafBlind Youths and Adults (HKNC). National Association of State Agencies of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (NASADHH).  Northern Virginia Resource Center (NVRC). Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID). Turtle Island Hand Talk. National Cued Speech Association (NCSA).

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We welcome all members of the deaf and hard of hearing community (DHH): deaf, hard of hearing, late-deafened, deafblind, lip-readers, cued-users, veterans with hearing loss, senior citizens, deafdisabled, and/or having additional sensory, mobility, cognitive or other communication disabilities.

TDI represents the entire DHH community with one goal. To ensure every person has equitable access to the nation’s telephone, cable, television, radio, and broadband networks.

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