Telecommunications Accessibility

The design and provision of telephone, mobile, internet, and other communication services and devices so that they are usable by people with disabilities. Telecommunications accessibility encompasses a wide range of accommodations: text telephone (TTY/TDD) services and relay services for deaf and hard of hearing users; video relay services enabling sign language communication over phone networks; real-time text (RTT) for people who cannot use voice calls; captioned telephone services; hearing aid compatibility in phones; and accessible interfaces on mobile devices. In many countries, telecommunications accessibility is mandated by law — in the United States, Section 255 of the Telecommunications Act and the Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act (CVAA) require telecommunications products and services to be accessible to people with disabilities.