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Going Where No Office Has Gone Before:

The History and Mission of the Disabilities Rights Office

The Federal Communications Commission has a historic commitment to ensuring that Americans with disabilities will have access to the communications age. The FCC was founded upon the principle of universal service, which requires the FCC to ensure, as far as possible, that all Americans have access to the telecommunications network. The newly enacted Telecommunications Act of 1996 furthers this goal by authorizing the FCC to require the accessibility of telecommunications equipment and services and video programming.

In 1970, the FCC urged television licensees to take steps to increase access to television programming for individuals with disabilities. In 1976, the FCC set a new technical standard to allow for the transmission of closed captions for television programming. Also in 1976, the FCC enacted rules requiring broadcasters to transmit emergency messages in a visual format.

In 1992, under Title IV of the Americans with Disabilities Act, the FCC promulgated rules requiring all common carriers providing voice transmission services to provide telecommunications relay services (TRS) for individuals with hearing and speech disabilities. Today, TRS is one of the fastest-growing services in the telecommunications industry.

The FCC recognizes that disability access issues can change and evolve along with technological developments. As the pace of development in the communications field increases, and new opportunities arise, the FCC recognizes that it must take steps to ensure that people with disabilities are not shut out of the communications revolution.

The FCC Disabilities Issues Task Force (DITF) was formed in March 1995 by Chairman Reed Hundt. In November of 1999, the Consumer Information Bureau was formed and within the Consumer Information Bureau is the new Disabilities Rights Office (DRO). The mission of the Disabilities Rights Office is to monitor developments in all avenues of the Information Superhighway regulated by the FCC, and ensure that new technologies are accessible to the broadest range of Americans, including the millions of Americans with disabilities. The DRO is one of the FCC's most important tools to ensure that our country does not become a nation of information "haves" and "have-nots."

The FCC believes that its work on disability issues, opening the information age to the largest number of present and future Americans, is one of its most important missions for the 21st Century. Chairman Hundt has stated: "We will all live in a fairer, better, prouder, more moral society if we commit to making the American dream of opportunity available to all."

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Last updated: August 21, 2000
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