Since the onset of the global pandemic four years ago, videoconferencing technology and services have become essential tools to help people stay connected in every aspect of their lives. Now, the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is taking steps to ensure that those with disabilities are able to take full advantage of the benefits of videoconferencing technologies.
According to a press release, the Commission will vote in its September 26th Open Meeting on new user accessibility requirements applicable to interoperable video conferencing services (IVCS). As outlined in an “FCC Fact Sheet,” the new rules would require IVCS platforms to provide accurate and synchronous captioning, as well as provide access to third-party captioning services and sign language interpretation services.
The Commission will reportedly also seek public comment on whether it should adopt additional performance criteria for IVCS, including text-to-speech and speech-to-speech functionality, and provisions to provide access to video conferencing services for those who are blind or who have low vision.
The FCC’s press release on its proposed rules on video conferencing access is available at https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DOC-405203A1.pdf.
The FCC’s Fact Sheet with details on its proposed rules is available at https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DOC-405217A1.pdf.
