Media Contact: 
Mike Snyder
mike.snyder@fcc.gov

For Immediate Release

FCC ANNOUNCES WINNERS OF CHAIR’S AWARDS FOR ADVANCEMENTS IN ACCESSIBILITY 

A Virtual Ceremony to Honor the FCC AAA Winners Will Be Webcast on 
December 1 at 11 a.m. EST 
  -- 
WASHINGTON, December 1, 2021—The Federal Communications Commission is announcing the 2021 winners of the FCC Chair's Awards for Advancement in Accessibility (FCC Chair's AAA) at a virtual ceremony today.  The awards, which began in 2011, recognize individuals, products, services, standards and other innovative developments that improve the experience of people with disabilities in telecommunications and technology.

The ceremony will be webcast at 11 a.m. today with open captioning and ASL interpreting at www.fcc.gov/live.  Registration is not required. 

“The COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound impact on how we communicate,” said FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel. “Remote access has become critically important to many aspects of our lives and we need to ensure that the tools we are using to stay connected are accessible for people with disabilities.” 

This year, the FCC's Chair's AAA honors innovative practices, technologies, and organizations that have creatively leveraged communications and broadband technology during the pandemic, to break down accessibility barriers so that everyone is able to participate equally in our connected world.

The 2021 Winners

Accessible Pharmacy Services for the Blind

This home delivery pharmacy launched in 2020, specializing in the needs of the blind and low vision community, with packaging available in braille, large print, and audio versions. Accessible Pharmacy Services provides options include RFID tags in medication bottles that pair with ScripTalk, an app that can read aloud medication information.  The pharmacy offers COVID-19 at-home testing kits with accessible material, augmented by remote support for sample collection and results interpretation via the BeMyEyes app, which connects a sighted agent via video to assist the blind or low vision individual.  

Apple-iOS 14 

Apple released a suite of accessibility features and upgrades to its mobile operation system iOS 14 that have particular importance in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic: 

· People Detection: A feature added to Apple’s Magnifier app that detects nearby individuals and helps the user maintain physical distance per CDC guidance. 
· Sign Language Prominence: Detects a participant in a Group FaceTime call using sign language and automatically makes that video more prominent to aid in intelligibility.  
· Sound Recognition: Enables the Apple device to “listen” for specific sounds and alert the user when the selected sounds are heard. 
· VoiceOver Recognition: Upgrades the native screen reader functionality to detect and provide substantive description for elements in websites and apps. 

Communication Service for the Deaf – COVID ASL Hotline 

Communication Service for the Deaf’s (CSD) Connect Direct subsidiary established an ASL-based COVID-19 hotline to make information directly available to deaf people in their native language. The hotline supports CSD’s effort to provide accessible information about the ongoing pandemic to the deaf community via ASL videos and a comprehensive website. 

More Information 

For questions or inquiries about the Chair’s AAA, contact Deandrea Wilson (202-391-6266), Chantal Virgile (202-418-0056) or call the ASL Consumer Support Line at 1-844-432-2275 via videophone.  Inquiries may also be sent to FCCAAA@fcc.gov.  For more information about the Chair’s AAA, visit: https://www.fcc.gov/FCCAAA. 
  
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Media Relations: (202) 418-0500 / ASL: (844) 432-2275 / Twitter: @FCC / www.fcc.gov 

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. Cir. 1974).