Coalition of Organizations for Accessible Technology

Telecommunications technologies have a proven ability to empower individuals with the necessary tools of the information age.  These technological tools can animate the personal use of communications for work or enjoyment, but also impact health care delivery, educational opportunities, the prospects for employment, and job creation.

In 2007, the NAD co-founded the Coalition of Organizations for Accessible Technology [1] (COAT).  A coalition of over 250 national, state, and community-based disability-related organizations, COAT advocates for legislative and regulatory safeguards that will ensure full access by people with disabilities to evolving high speed broadband, wireless and other Internet Protocol technologies.  

In 2008, COAT was instrumental in bringing new legislation to Congress.  That bill, called the “Twenty-first Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act [2],” was introduced in the House of Representatives.  The bill was re-introduced in 2009.  Efforts are ongoing to seek passage of this bill in this session of Congress.

For more information about the Coalition of Organizations for Accessible Technology (COAT), visit the COAT website at www.COATaccess.org [1].

Related Issue:  Technology [3]