Web Posted on: December 16, 1997
Americans with Disabilities Act in Brief
Telecommunications
Published by the
President's Committee On Employment of People with
Disabilities
" Every man, woman and child with a disability now can pass through once closed doors into a bright new era of equality, independence and freedom." - President George Bush
Purpose: The purpose of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), PL 101-336, is to extend to people with disabilities civil rights similar to those now available on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex and religion through the Civil Rights Act of 1964. It prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in: employment, services rendered by state and local governments, places of public accommodation, transportation, and telecommunications services. This brochure focuses on the rights customers have to equal access to telephone services. Other provisions of the ADA are covered in other brochures in this series.
Telephone companies shall ensure that interstate and intrastate telecommunications relay services are available, not later than July 26, 1993.
Telecommunications relay services may be offered by the company itself or through another provider.
Telecomumcations relay services must operate every day for 24 hours per day.
Key Telecommunications Provisions
Telecommunication relay services nay not cost more than voice services.
Relay operators may not refuse calls or limit the length of calls that use telecommunications relay services.
Relay operators must keep the content of any relayed conversations confidential and may not keep records of conversations.
Relay operators may not edit or change conversation
The ADA says....
"In order ... to make available to all individuals in the United States a rapid, efficient nationwide communication service, and to increase the utility of the telephone system of the Nation, the Commission shall ensure that interstate and intrastate telecommunications relay services are available, to the extent possible and in the most efficient manner, to hearing-impaired and speech-impaired individuals in the United States."
A Key Definition
The term telecommunications relay services means telephone transmission services that provide the ability for an individual who has a hearing or speech impairment to engage in communication by wire or radio with a hearing individual in a manner that is functionally equivalent to the ability of an individual who does not have a hearing impairment or speech impairment to communicate using voice communication services by wire or radio. Such term includes services that enable two-way communication between an individual who uses a telecommunications device for the deaf (tdd) or other non-voice terminal device and an individual who does not use such a device.
Enforcement
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is the Federal agency that is responsible for enforcing ADA telecommunication services provisions.
Revised February 1992
President's Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities 1331 F Street, NW Washington, DC 20004-1107 202/376-6200 voice 202/376-6205 tdd 202/376-6219 fax
Regulations and Information
ADA Regulations for Title IV - Telecommunications Relay Services For Hearing lmpaired and Speech-lmpaired Individuals contact: Federal Communications Commission, Office of Public Affairs, 1919 M Street, NW, Room 254, Washington, DC 20554. 202/632-7260 - voice 202/632-6999 - tdd.
The President's Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities (PCEPD) has other ADA brochures and publications. Alternative formats are available.