10th Anniversary of the Communications and Video Accessibility Act
On Monday, November 9, 2020, the Program on Law and Government hosted an event commemorating the tenth anniversary of the Communications and Video Accessibility Act (CVAA). The Program’s Faculty Director, Professor Fernando Laguarda, opened the event by describing the CVAA as “landmark legislation that broke barriers and opened up digital technologies to people with disabilities.” Irene Ly, the president of American University Washington College of Law’s Communications and Media Law Society, also stated the CVAA “has been instrumental to increasing the access of persons with disabilities to modern communication.”
The event consisted of a panel and fireside chat that featured experts on the CVAA and telecommunications accessibility issues. The fireside chat, featuring Karen Strauss and Ed Markey, comprised the first half of the event. Karen Strauss oversaw disability policy at the Federal Communications Commission as Deputy Chief of its Consumer and Government Affairs Bureau in both the Clinton and Obama administrations. She has spent much of her career working to create a more accessible world for people with disabilities. Ed Markey has represented the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States Senate since 2013, following a long tenure in the House of Representatives. During his time in office, he has focused on accessibility and telecommunications legislation. He is a national leader in telecommunications law and privacy and was a primary sponsor of the CVAA.
The chat began with Ms. Strauss providing a brief overview of how the CVAA functions. Then, she turned to Senator Markey, asking him why the law is so important to people with disabilities. He responded by citing to the American values of opportunity, independence, and equality, saying that no one should be left behind and technology should adapt to recognize the importance of these values to American society. By making telecommunications accessible, we can make sure that people with disabilities are able to participate fully in society and contribute to their fullest potential.
The second half of the event consisted of a panel further discussing the CVAA. It featured Suzy Rosen Singleton, Carolyn Philips, Thomas Wlodkowski, and Karen Strauss, all of whom have expertise in the areas of telecommunications regulation and accessibility policy. The panel was introduced by Professor Laguarda and moderated by Peter Korn. The panelists discussed a range of important topics, including life before the CVAA, positive changes that followed the CVAA, and issues that remain to be addressed through supplemental legislation.
Thank you to all of our esteemed guests for taking the time to speak with students about the important accomplishments of the CVAA and the pressing issues that continue to create barriers to accessibility in the digital realm. Thank you also to Amazon, who co-sponsored the event, and the Media and Law Society, who helped organize it.