FCC Disability Advisory Committee Seeks New Rulemaking on Real-Time Text
The FCC’s Disability Advisory Committee approved a resolution Tuesday urging the FCC to launch a rulemaking on unresolved real-time text technical issues. In December 2016, FCC commissioners approved 5-0 a common standard for the transition from text technology (TTY) to real-time text (RTT) (see 1612150048). DAC members said some tricky issues remain.
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The DAC recommends the FCC initiate a rulemaking on RTT specifications for point-to-point calls, based on ITU 2.140 and two standards by the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) -- RFC 4103 and RFC 4585.
The resolution says the FCC should “consider the need for RTT-capable video-phone equipment and software” and says the rulemaking “should reference any future technical standards that would better support professional braille displays and urge development of such standards.” It urges consideration of earlier DAC recommendations on video mail to text services and that the FCC offer “an outreach and consumer education program, particularly for deaf-blind users, in order to encourage consumer utilization.”
“This is a very complex subject,” said Timothy Creagan, DAC member representing the U.S. Access Board. Parts of the resolution suggest “there are solutions out there for issues that are not actually addressed by standards,” he said. “The idea is you're supposed to have the capability to interrupt each other,” which can be “problematic for deaf-blind users.”
“We are listing out these standards, but we recognize that there are severe gaps, important gaps to recognize, specifically related to the needs of deaf-blind consumers,” said Zainab Alkebsi, policy counsel at the National Association of the Deaf.
The questions bring to mind “what we did with the real-time text report and order here at the commission, in which we added language there to ensure that the requirements evolve with modernizing, emerging technologies to ensure that we don't become stuck with what is today's current standard as these standards evolve,” said Suzy Rosen Singleton, chief-FCC Disability Rights Office.
The resolution mentions RTT-capable video phone equipment and a future standard on support for refreshable braille displays, said Paul Schroeder, Aira Tech director-public policy and strategic alliances. “I'm not clear what that actually means in terms of rulemaking suggestions or recommendations, particularly related to future standards, because I don't know what a rule would do referencing something that doesn't actually exist,” he said.
“I especially like your comments when you said we can’t figure out what's going on with this rulemaking -- welcome to my world,” FCC Chairman Ajit Pai joked, in response to Shroeder. “The goal here is one that we all share, which is extending to people with disabilities all of the promise of the digital age, access to telecommunications services and products,” he said. Pai said the FCC is especially interested in integrating RTT and the video relay service. “We believe very much in RTT,” Pai said: “RTT is an accessible text-based solution, and to me at least, it needs to be one of the choices that is available to ensure effective communications."
Also Tuesday, DAC approved a report with recommendations on the availability of TV listings of audio described programming. Kansas Public Radio has “a very innovative program in which literally hundreds of volunteers, 450 currently, come in and audio-describe a whole variety of programming,” said Pai, who was in Lawrence, Kansas, his home state, last week. “They have gotten an incredible feedback from Kansans … with disabilities, and so just know that these efforts really make a big difference to consumers across the country, in ways big and small.”