Communication Access

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Ensuring communication access means every person is able to communicate and be communicated with fully and equally. Wherever communication is taking place, all parties must be able to participate--no matter what accommodation is needed to make that happen. 

What constitutes an accessible communication experience? What does it mean to ensure that communication access is provided? These and other related topics are open for discussion in the Communication Access group.

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Group Content

Recorded Events/Videos

Assistive Listening Systems and the Future of Hearing Access

The European Federation of Hard of Hearing People (EFHOH) and the International Hearing Loops Manufacturers Association (IHLMA) hosted a webinar series examining the role of Assistive Listening Systems (ALS) in improving accessibility for individuals with hearing loss. In this recorded session, a panel of speakers was invited to present the benefits, challenges, and future potential of ALS,…

Event

ETSI STQ Conference - Communications for All

ETSI STQ Conference: Communications for All, Supporting Diversity and Accessibility through Quality of End-to-end Network Transmission and Devices in Human-to-human and Human-to-machine Communication 13-14 May 2025 ETSI, Sophia Antipolis France The ETSI Technical Committee on S peech and multimedia T ransmission Q uality ( TC STQ ) is pleased to announce our conference on Communications for All.…

Discussion

Hearing Aid Battery Packaging

In response to the death of a young child, Reese, who swallowed a "button battery", the U.S. Congress passed Reese's Law in 2022 to improve the safety of button battery packaging, including hearing aid batteries. Subsequent "improvements" in battery packaging has added additional barriers to users of battery powered hearing aids, cochlear implants, and BAHAs. The Hearing Loss Association of…

Discussion

Consumers’ experiences accessing customer service assistance in the communications industry.

The FCC released a Notice of Inquiry (NOI) seeking information about consumers’ experiences accessing customer service assistance in the communications industry. The NOI asks commenters to discuss ways to ensure that customer service for cable, satellite, voice, and internet providers is accessible, efficient, and informative. The NOI specifically seeks comment on the current state of customer…

Discussion

Senator Casey Discusses Efforts to Ensure Federal Tech Accessibility for People with Disabilities

In a statement submitted Wednesday to the Congressional Record, U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging Chairman Bob Casey outlined his efforts to ensure that the federal government’s technology is accessible for people with disabilities. Existing law requires federal websites, apps, electronic documents, and other technology to be accessible for, and usable by, people with disabilities. However,…