October 2014 Technology and Disability Policy Highlights

October was National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM), a national initiative to raise awareness about disability employment issues. The 2014 theme was: "Expect. Employ. Empower."  President Obama commemorated NDEAM with a Presidential Proclamation -- National Disability Employment Awareness Month, 2014; and through recognition of ten Champions of Change recipients for their dedication to the employment of individuals with disabilities.  In related news, the National Council on Disability (NCD) issued their 2014 edition of the National Disability Policy: A Progress Report. Among other things, the report highlights findings related to employment access and inclusion, subminimum wage, education outcomes, and data trends in disability policy.  Other efforts to commemorate NDEAM included bringing together employers with perspective employees with disabilities.  For example, registration is currently ongoing for CAREERS & the disABLED Magazine’s annual Career Expo for People with Disabilities & Veterans. The event offers job seekers the opportunity to meet with Fortune 500 companies and government agencies looking to recruit new talent, including: Boeing Company, Capital One, Northrop Grumman, Freddie Mac, U.S. Department of State, and many more. 

To assist industry stakeholders in compliance with the Twenty-first Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act of 2010 (CVAA), the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) announced the publication of its Accessibility Resource Center, a resource guide that helps CEA members meet the requirements of the CVAA.  In efforts to help people with disabilities and emergency communications stakeholders, the FCC hosted an Accessible Wireless Emergency Communications Forum and Expo.  The event brought together industry and emergency communications specialists to present innovations in emergency services, assistive, and accessible technologies that increase information and communications access in the event of an emergency. Watch the archived webcast at http://www.fcc.gov/events.