A Technology Bill of Rights for the Blind
By Braille Monitor, Vol. 54, No. 3Publication Date: March 2011
Call to action by the National Federation of the Blind proposes a Bill of Rights that mandates accessibility to blind users of electronic devices. The paper asks Congress to enact a Technology Bill of Rights for the Blind that (1) mandates that all consumer electronics, home appliances, kiosks, and electronic office technology be designed so as to be as easily accessible by nonvisual as by visual means; (2) creates a commission within the Department of Commerce to establish standards for nonvisual accessibility of electronic devices intended for use in the home or office; such a commission should represent all stakeholders, including organizations for the blind, electronics manufacturers, and experts on universal design and electronic engineering; (3) establishes within the Department of Justice the authority to enforce the regulations created by this commission; and (4) authorizes the commission to reexamine and rewrite standards periodically as consumer electronic technology continues to evolve.
Published by: National Federation of the Blind (Website:http://www.nfb.org)
Link to text: http://www.nfb.org/images/nfb/Publications/bm/bm11/bm1103/bm110305.htm
Link to audio: https://www.nfb.org/images/nfb/Audio/Braille_Monitor/2011/March/09_A_Technology_Bill_Of_Rights_For_The_Blind.mp3
