National Association of the Deaf

The National Association of the Deaf (NAD) is co-hosting a live lunchtime Congressional demonstration of real-time 2-way broadband communications on June 16.  The NAD is hosting this with the American Association of People with Disabilities and Chairman Fred Upton (R-Michigan) of the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet.

There will be a live demonstration of a remarkable application of high-speed broadband communications. Come learn about the significant benefits of telecommunications technologies for people with disabilities and watch a live demonstration of peer to peer signing, a technological achievement that enables deaf and hard of hearing Americans to enjoy real-time, private two-way conversation at a distance. 

In addition, Dr. Frank Bowe, a distinguished Hofstra University professor and government affairs consultant for the NAD will discuss his new report, Two-Way Technologies: A History of the Struggle to Communicate, which explores telecommunications technologies and their enormous potential for bringing communications parity to all Americans.  

Kelby Brick, NAD Director of Law and Advocacy, commented that the report, “The paper provides an excellent overview of how far we have come in terms of telecommunications parity—and yet reminds us of how much work remains.”