The FCC released its first-ever Paper on Accessibility and Technology Issues.

The paper is titled A Giant Leap & A Big Deal: Delivering on the Promise of Equal Access to Broadband for People with Disabilities.

In its news release, the FCC stated:

“Only 42 percent of people with disabilities have high-speed Internet services at home — and an astounding 39 percent of all non-adopters have a disability,” said Joel Gurin, Chief of the Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau. “This is not acceptable, and we are implementing an ambitious accessibility agenda to ensure that people with disabilities are not left behind.”

The document looks on how to take down barriers that people with disabilities face in affording and using Broadband (high speed Internet) services.

Purple applauds the FCC for taking this step. A few years ago, we filed a letter with the FCC noting this problem and how so many deaf people do not yet have access to Broadband–and urged the FCC to establish and implement a national broadband policy.

We’re really very happy with the work the FCC has been doing lately on this front!