According to the US Census Bureau, there are approximately 56.7 million Americans with disabilities. Despite this large number of consumers and users of technology, many modern digital technologies remain inaccessible.
According to the Coalition of Organizations on Accessible Technology (COAT), under current federal law, only a small percentage of video programming must include audio descriptions for users who are blind or low-vision. Many people with disabilities face barriers in the workplace due to video conferencing services that lack necessary accessibility features such as closed captioning and compatibility with screen reading software. Audio descriptions and closed captioning on television sets are not easy to access and activate. Deaf people who communicate in American Sign Language (ASL) face accessibility barriers to emergency services. [continue reading…]