CVAA Audits
Can you hear me now?
Recently the FCC enacted a new law called the Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act of 2010 (CVAA). Broadly, it enables people with disabilities to access broadband, digital and mobile innovations.
The phone is ringing, and accessibility is your answer!
The CVAA requires manufacturers to make an effort to consult with individuals with disabilities. Accessibility Partners has been involved at various stages of the product life cycle for many companies, from market research, product design, accessibility testing, accessibility consulting and sales and marketing support, each including team members with disabilities.
Recordkeepping Requirements
One of the regulations (Section 717(a)) includes certain recordkeeping requirements. CVAA recordkeeping requirements pertain to entities providing traditional telecommunications services, advanced communications services (ACS) (which includes interconnected and non-interconnected VoIP electronic messaging services, interoperable video conferencing) mobile web browsers, and any software that allowed for near real-time text and video communications.
If this is an applicable statute for your company and its products, Accessibility Partners proposes testing your products to determine how accessible your network is from endpoint to endpoint according to CVAA requirements. Using Section 255 and CVAA requirements, Accessibility Partners can provide you with a set of documents for record keeping purposes. These completed deliverables would consist of:
- Information about the manufacturer’s or provider’s efforts to consult with individuals with disabilities
- Descriptions of the accessibility features of its products and services
- Information about the compatibility of such products and services with peripheral devices or specialized customer premise equipment commonly used by individuals with disabilities to achieve access.
- To the extent which, if a product or service is not accessible, compliance was not “achievable” (or “readily achievable” in the case of telecommunications or interconnected VoIP services offered prior to October 8, 2010).
