NEWS
Federal Communications Commission
445 12th Street, S.W.
Washington, D. C.  20554
This is an unofficial announcement of Commission action.  Release of the full text of a Commission order constitutes official action.
See MCI v. FCC. 515 F 2d 385 (D.C. Circ 1974).
News Media Information 202 / 418-0500
Internet: http://www.fcc.gov
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For Immediate Release:                                          News Media Contact: 
December 7, 2010                                                   Rosemary Kimball at (202) 418-0511
 e-mail: rosemary.kimball@fcc.gov
MEMBERSHIP IN TWO DISABILITY-FOCUSED ADVISORY COMMITTEES 
ANNOUNCED; TRANSCRIPT OF NOVEMBER 30 PRESENTATION ON 
IMPLEMENTATION OF ACCESSIBILITY ACT AVAILABLE ONLINE
Washington, DC -- At the November 30 Commission Meeting, FCC staff outlined the 
requirements of the newly-enacted 21st Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act 
(Accessibility Act) and discussed plans to implement the Act over the next few years.  The 
transcript of this presentation, including the PowerPoint, is now available on the Commission’s 
website at: http://reboot.fcc.gov/open-meetings/2010/november
Two of the first items in the new legislation to be implemented have been announced today in 
Public Notices:  the establishment of two advisory committees and the selection of their 
members by FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski.
The first committee is the Emergency Access Advisory Committee (EAAC), which will focus on 
the most effective and efficient technologies and methods by which to enable access next 
generation 911 access for persons with disabilities.  The Accessibility Act directs that within one 
year after the EAAC’s members are appointed, it will conduct a national survey, with the input 
of groups represented by the Committee’s membership, and then submit to the Commission 
recommendations to implement technologies and methods to achieve its goals.   The first 
meeting of the EAAC will be Friday, January 14, 2011, at the Commission’s headquarters.
The second committee is the Video Programming and Emergency Access Advisory Committee 
(VPEAAC), which will focus on matters pertaining to the accessibility of video programming.  .  
The VPEAAC will develop recommendations on closed captioning of Internet programming 
previously captioned on television; the compatibility between video programming delivered 
using Internet protocol and devices capable of receiving and displaying such programming in 
order to facilitate access to captioning, video description and emergency information; video 
description and accessible emergency information on television programming delivered using 
Internet protocol or digital broadcast television; accessible user interfaces on video programming 
devices; and accessible programming guides and menus.   Within 6 months of its first meeting, 
the VPEAAC must submit recommendations concerning the provision of closed captions for 
Internet-delivered video programming and the ability of video devices to pass through closed 
captions contained on Internet-based video programming.  By April 8, 2012, it must submit 
recommendations on the remaining issues. The first meeting of the VPEAAC is scheduled for 
January 13, 2011, at the Commission’s headquarters.  
All EAAC meetings and VPEAAC meetings will be open to the public.
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