The Federal Communications Commission Section 504 Programs & Activities Accessibility Handbook (Section 504 Handbook) is a collection of guidelines, information, and procedures to ensure that the Commission is accessible to individuals with disabilities. The content of this handbook is designed to assist Commission personnel in their efforts to provide such accessibility.

The FCC is committed to fostering an attitude of inclusion and a commitment to access that will permeate all Commission programs and activities. While certain aspects of providing access for people with disabilities can be clearly visible (sign language interpreters, ramps, and braille documents), other aspects may easily pass unnoticed (descriptions of humorous decorations on birthday cakes to colleagues who are blind so they can join in the fun, or remembering to stand facing co-workers who are hard of hearing so that they can speechread/lipread¹ more easily).

It would be impossible to list all the aspects of the Commission's work that may require reasonable accommodation to assure access, but the following sections can provide general guidance and reminders to help keep accessibility in the forefront of our awareness so that the Commission's programs and activities will be accessible to everyone.

2. BASIC PRINCIPLES OF ACCESS

The starting point for providing access is simple courtesy and common sense. If an overarching goal of the Commission is to ensure that all interested individuals with disabilities have access to the Commission's programs and activities, then the means for providing access is only a matter of mechanics - matching the solution to the need. It is when people with disabilities are overlooked as potential or actual consumers that barriers are raised. And, ironically, it is these, often unconscious, barriers that can be the hardest to overcome. Remembering the following principles when planning and implementing Commission activities and programs can help keep access in our consciousness:

• The Commission, its programs, and activities MUST be accessible. This is mandated by statute and by FCC rules².
• When meetings or events are scheduled, the event planner, or person calling the meeting, is responsible for assuring accessibility. The Commission's Section 504 Officer is available for consultation and can assist in determining accessibility needs.
• Individuals attending events or meetings who need reasonable accommodations must inform the meeting/event planner of their needs. However, it is the meeting/event planner's obligation to announce events with sufficient lead time to give attendees an opportunity to ask for such accommodations.
• Individuals with disabilities are the best sources of information regarding the accommodations they will need. If you are unsure of what to do, ask the person with a disability about his or her preferences.

3. SECTION 504 OF THE REHABILITATION ACT³

Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended is the legislation that prohibits federal agencies, and other program and activities receiving federal financial assistance, from discriminating against individuals with disabilities.⁴ It is therefore this legislation that most directly affects the FCC.

The Rehabilitation Act is sometimes confused with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)⁵ which was passed in 1990. While there are many parallels between the Rehabilitation Act and the ADA, there are some fundamental differences. Both laws are designed to prohibit discrimination against individuals with disabilities. Both share many of the same definitions and provisions. However, where the Rehabilitation Act pertains to federal agencies and entities receiving federal funding, the ADA applies to State and local governments, public accommodations, commercial facilities, transportation, telecommunications, and the U.S. Congress^6,7.

4. DISABILITY RIGHTS MOVEMENT

Disability

The American disability rights movement was a catalyzing factor in the emergence of current disability rights legislation. The Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of American History maintains a Virtual Exhibition featuring the history of the disability rights movement in the United States. The following text comes from their display, "Disability Rights Movement"⁸ and provides a concise summary of the movement and issues that led to present day legislation.

The Disability Rights Movement The ongoing struggle by people with disabilities to gain full citizenship is an important part of our American heritage. The disability rights movement shares many similarities with other 20th-century civil rights struggles by those who have been denied equality, independence, autonomy, and full access to society. Self Definition and Autonomy Historically, disabled people have been forced into dependency. Others would speak for them, label them, and take care of them -- often with the best intentions. As a result of 20th-century developments in biotechnical medicine, by the 1950s, more and more people survived formerly fatal injuries and diseases. Efforts by this growing population of military veterans and young adults to participate fully in society gained momentum. They were energized by the struggles of African Americans. Both groups have confronted numerous stereotypes in their quest for equality, inclusion in public affairs, and sometimes the right simply to live. Parents Organize By the 1940s and 1950s, parent activists had organized to fight for education and services for children with disabilities. When these children grew up, they demanded to be treated as adults, with all the rights and responsibilities granted to other citizens. Their new disability rights movement has sought to overcome discrimination and, sometimes, their own parents' fears and overly protective attitudes. The Role of Technology Like efforts organized to break [other] barriers…the disability rights movement has resulted from people coming together in ways that allow them to compare experiences and forge relationships. For the community with disabilities, this has taken place primarily in centers for independent living, which started in the 1970s, and via the Internet since the 1990s. Crucial to the movement's success is access to information and communication through technologies such as telecaptioners, TTY devices for telephones, voice-recognition systems, voice synthesizers, screen readers, and computers. Mobility The disability civil rights movement had to not only overcome prejudice, but also physical barriers that limit access to employment and inclusion in other aspects of daily life. Activists successfully lobbied for laws that required curb-cuts, ramps, and buses with wheelchair lifts. This in turn increased the possibility of economic and social mobility. In the 1970s and 1980s, a growing population of consumers with mobility impairments fueled demand for wheelchairs and scooters to match their active lives. At the same time, barrier-free designs have brought a new aesthetic to public spaces.