Dicapta logo with the tagline - Accessible Communication Developers.

2019 FCC Chairman's Awards presented last night

A light bulb powered on rests over a wood surface
 

Last night during the M-Enabling Summit the FCC's Chairman, Ajit Pai, announced the winners of this year's Chairman’s Awards for Advancement in Accessibility. These awards provide the opportunity to give recognition to notable innovations, improvements, and initiatives in accessibility that were introduced into the market during 2019.

Federal Communications Commission Announces Public Forum About Use of Enhanced Electronic Newsroom Technique (ENT) on Captioning Local News Programs

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) will host a forum regarding the use of Enhanced Electronic Newsroom Technique (ENT) procedures for live captioning of local news programs. The forum will be on Friday, May 10, 2019, from 1:00 p.m. to 4:45 p.m., Eastern Time. It will be webcast with open captioning at www.fcc.gov/live.

Federal Communications Commission Asks for Comments about Video Description to Prepare Report to Congress - This is Your Opportunity to Speak

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is preparing a report to Congress to inform about the availability, use, benefits and cost of video description. The Commission is asking TV stations and broadcast networks, multichannel video programming distributors (MVPDs), providers of video description, consumers of video description and anybody related to this topic to provide their feedback.

Protactile a way for deaf-blind people to communicate through touch

two hands extended facing up
 

Have you ever wondered how people who are deaf-blind communicate among themselves? There are diverse communication methods that use, for example, variations of sign language, tactile alphabets or Braille displays. The disadvantage of those methods is that most of them require of an interpreter and the methods themselves limit the spontaneity of a conversation. That started to change in 2007, when a group of deaf-blind people in Seattle thought of a way of interacting directly among themselves. 

Canal 22 Internacional Launches Clip Promoting Weekend Accessible Programming Slot

On the right a man does sign language. On the left, over a purple background the  following text: Porque en Canal 22 somos incluyentes
 

Since last year, Canal 22 Internacional offers a programming slot with accessibility on Saturdays and Sundays. To promote it, the station has launched a video clip showcasing the accessibility features in action.  Ricardo López, a fantastic member of our advisory group, who is deaf and works at the Model Secondary School for the Deaf at Gallaudet University, joined the effort by bringing ASL to the table. Now the video clip es accessible for all!