AT&T's Efforts to Make Innovation Available to All

AT&T’s Corporate Accessibility Technology Office designs, develops and reviews technologies to ensure their ease of use for people with disabilities. The goal, according to Lead Accessible Technology Architect Dr. Aaron Bangor is “to not build barriers in the first place.” Since 2015, his team has promoted inclusive design that will improve accessibility and communication for people with disabilities. In an interview with Dallas News, Dr. Bangor and his team spoke of Real-Time Text (RTT), a modern alternative to the legacy teletypewriter devices that allows individuals with hearing or speech impairments to communicate through text on a phone call. The recipient can see a word as soon as the sender types it. As current and emerging technologies such as drone delivery services, apps, and autonomous vehicles change the lived experience, the office's staff endeavors to ensure innovations are inclusive of all consumers. We’re not doing technology for technology’s sake," said Dr. Bangor. "We’re doing it for the benefit it can provide: meeting the needs of as many of our potential customers as possible.” AT&T’s real-time text service is expected to launch at the end of the year.  Source: Melissa Repko, The Dallas Morning News