Obama Signs 21st Century Video Accessibility Act Into Law
Author: American Foundation for the Blind
Published: 9 Oct 2010 - Updated: 22 Oct 2026
Publication Type: Announcement
Table of Contents:
Synopsis - Definition - Overview - FAQs - Insights, Updates - Related Content
Synopsis
This information reports on the October 2010 signing of H.R. 3101, the 21st Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act, a federal law that updated U.S. communications rules so the estimated 54 million Americans with disabilities at the time would not be shut out of modern technology. Issued by the American Foundation for the Blind, one of the organizations that negotiated the bill with the communications and TV industries, it explains what the law requires: accessible web browsers, text messaging and email on smartphones, restored and expanded video description for television programs, and access to emergency broadcast information for people with vision loss. The law passed Congress with bipartisan support and was signed during National Disability Employment Awareness Month, and its rules still shape the phones, streaming services and TV equipment that blind, low vision, deaf and hard of hearing people, along with many seniors, use every day.*
At a Glance
- 1 - Senator Mark Pryor championed the bill in the Senate, while Rep. Ed Markey led it through the House.
- 2 - Internet-enabled mobile phones must be hearing aid compatible, closing a gap left by older phone rules.
- 3 - The law provides 10 million dollars each year for assistive technology used by people who are deaf-blind.
- 4 - Cable and satellite program guides and on-screen menus must be audible on request for people who are blind or visually impaired.
Topic Definition
- 21st Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act
The 21st Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act, often shortened to CVAA, is a U.S. federal law signed on October 8, 2010, that extends disability access requirements to modern communications and video technology. Title I covers advanced communications services such as email, text messaging, video calling and smartphone web browsers, requiring that they be accessible to people with disabilities where achievable. Title II covers video programming, including closed captioning of TV shows later delivered online, audio description of television programs, accessible emergency information, and accessible on-screen menus and program guides. The Federal Communications Commission writes and enforces the rules that carry out the law.
Overview
Obama Signs Technology Access Bill: 21st Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act - New Law Makes Technology More Usable for Americans with Vision Loss and other Disabilities
Joined by disability-rights advocates and tech industry representatives, President Obama signed into law the 21st Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act.
The legislation requires smart phones, television programs and other modern communications technologies to be accessible to people with vision or hearing loss.
H.R. 3101
H.R. 3101 updates communications law to ensure that the 54 million Americans with disabilities at the time (2010), can access the wide array of 21st century communications services and technologies that are essential for participation in today's economy and society - and that people with disabilities won't be left behind by tomorrow's technological advances. The law requires better access to broadband-capable products and services, video programming, and emergency information for people with disabilities.
"This law is life-changing for the millions of us with disabilities who are too often unable to take advantage of new technologies," said Paul Schroeder, Vice President of Programs and Policy at the American Foundation for the Blind (AFB). "It opens the door to the digital age, and gives Americans with visual or hearing impairments equal access to smart phones, emergency broadcast information, the menus and controls on televisions and cable TV guides, and much more."
Signed into law during National Disability Employment Awareness Month, this legislation is expected to create more opportunities in the workplace, the classroom, and everyday life. "It will help Americans with disabilities work more productively, respond to emergencies more effectively, and participate even more in society and culture," said Mark Richert, Director of Public Policy at AFB and a principal negotiator with the communications and TV industries.
"This law builds on the spirit of the Americans with Disabilities Act and ensures people with disabilities can fully participate in the 21st century," said Carl R. Augusto, AFB's President & CEO. "We applaud the many advocates and lawmakers who fought tirelessly to make this law a reality."
The legislation gives individuals with vision or hearing loss improved access to television programming, smart phones, the Internet, menus on DVD players, program guides on cable TV, and more. Specifically, it:
- Requires phone makers and service providers to make web browsers, text messaging and email on smartphones accessible, where achievable.
- Restores and expands requirements for video description of television programs, in addition to requiring cable companies to make their program guides and selection menus accessible to people with vision loss.
- Ensures people with vision loss have access to emergency broadcast information.
- Provides $10 million in funding each year for assistive technology for deaf-blind individuals.
- Ensures that Internet-enabled mobile phones are hearing aid compatible.
The 21st Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act passed Congress with bipartisan support. A number of members played a key role in moving the legislation forward. In the U.S. Senate, the bill was championed by Senator Pryor (D-AR), with the support of Senator Kerry (D-MA), Senator Rockefeller (D-WV), Senator Hutchison (R-TX), and Senator Ensign (R-NV). In the U.S. House, it was championed by Rep. Ed Markey (D-MA), with the support of Rep. Henry Waxman (D-CA), Rep. Rick Boucher (D-VA), Rep. Joe Barton (R-TX), and Rep. Cliff Stearns (R-FL).
Sec. 205
(Sec. 205) Requires the FCC to require that:
- If achievable, the on-screen text menus and guides provided by navigation devices for the display or selection of multichannel video programming are audibly accessible in real-time upon request by individuals who are blind or visually impaired, except that the FCC may not specify the technical standards, protocols, procedures, and other technical requirements for meeting this requirement.
- For navigation devices with built-in closed captioning capability, access to that capability through a mechanism that is reasonably comparable to a button, key, or icon designated for activating the closed captioning, or accessibility features.
Frequently Asked Questions
NOTE: Researched FAQs by Disabled World (DW)
Who enforces the 21st Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act?
The Federal Communications Commission writes the rules that carry out the law and handles complaints through its Disability Rights Office. Manufacturers and service providers that fail to meet the requirements can face investigations and penalties.
How can I file a complaint if a phone or streaming service is not accessible?
Complaints can be filed with the Federal Communications Commission online, by phone, or by mail, and the agency also offers a dispute assistance process for accessibility problems with communications services. Including the device or service name, the date of the problem, and what feature failed helps the FCC act on the complaint.
Does the law require captions on online videos?
Yes, video programming that aired on television with captions must keep those captions when it is later shown online, and FCC rules extend this to many video clips taken from those programs. Videos made only for the internet, such as most user uploads, are generally not covered.
What is audio description and who has to provide it?
Audio description is narration added during natural pauses that explains important visual details such as actions, settings, and facial expressions for people who are blind or have low vision. FCC rules require the major broadcast networks and the most widely watched cable networks to offer a set number of described programming hours, and coverage has been expanded to more TV markets over time.
What is the iCanConnect program?
iCanConnect is the common name for the National Deaf-Blind Equipment Distribution Program, created by the CVAA. It provides free equipment such as braille displays, screen readers, and adapted devices, along with training, to eligible people with combined hearing and vision loss.
Does the law cover video calling and text messaging apps?
Yes, the law covers advanced communications services, which include email, text messaging, interoperable video conferencing, and non-interconnected voice calling. Providers and equipment makers must make these services accessible unless doing so is not achievable, and they must keep records of their accessibility efforts.
What does achievable mean under the CVAA?
Achievable means possible with reasonable effort or expense, judged by factors such as the cost of the feature, its technical and economic impact on the company, and the type of product. Companies may also meet the law by making their products work with third-party assistive technology at nominal cost to the user.
How is the CVAA related to the Americans with Disabilities Act?
The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 bans disability discrimination broadly, but it was written before smartphones and online video existed. The CVAA builds on that foundation by setting specific accessibility rules for modern communications and video technology.
Insights, Analysis, and Developments
Editorial Note: When the Americans with Disabilities Act became law in 1990, nobody was carrying the internet in their pocket, and that gap is exactly what this legislation set out to close. Its real weight came afterward, as the Federal Communications Commission turned the statute into rules covering captioned online video, talking TV menus, accessible smartphones and the national deaf-blind equipment program now known as iCanConnect. For people who rely on screen readers, captions or audio description, the law means that accessibility is a legal expectation rather than a favor, and it gives them a formal route to file complaints when a device or service falls short. As streaming and smart devices keep replacing traditional broadcast, the principle the law established - that new technology should work for everyone from the day it ships - matters more now than it did in 2010.*
Attribution/Source(s): This quality-reviewed publication was selected for publishing by the editors of Disabled World (DW) due to its relevance to the disability community. Originally issued as a press release by American Foundation for the Blind and published on 9 Oct 2010. Last updated on 22 Oct 2026. This content may have been edited for style, clarity, or brevity.
* Editorial additions by Ian C. Langtree.