People with Disabilites and the FCC’s Broadband Plan

The Federal Communication Commission in an effort “to promote an open dialogue between the FCC and key constituents on matters important to the National Broadband Plan” has put together a series of workshops or public hearings .

I recently tuned in to the hearing, “Broadband Accessibility Issues for People with Disabilities II: Barriers Opportunities and Policy Recommendations.” The purpose or goal of this workshop was:

to clearly identify (i) accessibility and affordability barriers faced by people with disabilities in accessing broadband capabilities; (ii) opportunities that broadband can present for people with disabilities; and (iii) policy recommendations that will address the barriers to broadband for people with disabilities and maximize the opportunities related to broadband for people with disabilities.

This workshop really opened my eyes to how not having broadband access affects people with disabilities.

There are 1.2 million people in the United States classified as having some level of deafness and/or blindness. Having broadband access enables people with disabilities to have jobs if immobile, and better connect with friends and family. Having access is so important for people with disabilities when looking for a job because this population is 3x more likely to be unemployed. The struggle to find a job in this economy becomes even more compounded when you have a disability.

With Broadband Deployment a central part of Wired Wisconsin’s coalition goals, we hope that the FCC will work together with consumers, businesses, and policy makers to create a broadband deployment plan that considers the needs of people with disabilities.