Our Impact
Over the past few years, the Clear2Connect Coalition has made a significant impact on access to equitable and effective communication for all Americans, including people with disabilities and Veterans. This unified force advances the accessibility, accuracy, and quality of Information and Communications Technology (ICT).
Letters
The Clear2Connect Coalition drafts and signs on to letters addressed to members of the U.S. Congress; federal agencies, caucuses, and working groups; and other policymakers to educate them on and express concern over the inequitable, ineffective Information and Communications Technology (ICT) currently available to Americans.
Our Impact in Action
After learning that the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) was considering an Internet Protocol Captioned Telephone Service (IP CTS) compensation formula at levels that would impact IP CTS providers’ capacity to sustain functionally equivalent services, the Clear2Connect Coalition took swift action. Our request was clear: the FCC must consider the value of captioned telephone services and the impact lower compensation rates will have on both IP CTS providers and the hundreds of thousands of Americans who rely on this service.
We drafted a letter to the FCC Chairwoman (PDF) reinforcing that access to equitable and effective communication is a fundamental right. Americans with communications-related disabilities deserve an IP CTS program that is held to the highest standards of functional equivalence—a requirement providers are unable to meet if they are inadequately compensated.
Following our efforts to educate the FCC on the importance of economically viable rates for captioned telephone service providers, the FCC voted and released their five-year compensation plan, which details a rate structure that adequately compensates IP CTS providers—sustaining their capacity to enhance captioning quality and accuracy through research and development and serve as many IP CTS-eligible Americans as possible by investing in marketing and outreach.
Publications
Clear2Connect publishes op-eds, blogs, articles, and open letters to educate our communities about the need for accessible, accurate, and quality ICT. Among other platforms, outlets include The Hill, Stars and Stripes, G.I. Jobs, DiversityComm, and National Disability Institute.
Our strong partnerships with leading advocates result in nationwide attention on the lack of standards and metrics in place to ensure all Americans can access communication equitably and effectively.
Examples of our publications include:
FCC Needs to Help Services for the Deaf Catch Up to Videoconferencing Tech | The Hill
Former U.S. Senator and author and chief sponsor of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Tom Harkin worked with Clear2Connect to write an opinion piece highlighting the outdated technologies on which Deaf and hard of hearing Americans rely daily to communicate. He urges the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to fulfill the promise of parity in accessing ICT for people with disabilities, including those with hearing loss.
Congress Can Rejuvenate Communications for the Hearing Impaired | Morning Consult
Penned by former FCC Commissioner Michael O’Rielly, our op-ed called on Congress to pass legislation to bolster the capacities of Video Relay Services (VRS) providers to respond to the communication needs of Deaf and hard of hearing Americans.
Protect Equity and Inclusion for Deaf Americans | Real Clear Policy
In collaboration with Clear2Conect, Deaf advocate and former Gallaudet University President I. King Jordan published an op-ed asking the FCC to protect VRS from dissapointing rate changes and ensure these services are “functionally equivalent,” as mandated by the ADA.
Federal Engagement
The Clear2Connect Coalition has extensive experience educating members of Congress on equal access issues. We meet with federal agencies, working groups, oversight committees, and policymakers to discuss the importance of standardizing ICT accuracy and quality metrics, including the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging, the Bipartisan Disabilities Caucus and House and Senate Committees on Veterans Affairs.
Partnerships
Clear2Connect maintains close partnerships with its Coalition member organizations, supporting their events through education and awareness campaigns, at conference exhibition booths, and via digital media.
We foster long-lasting relationships with members of the disability community and our nation’s Veterans, subject matter experts, Caption Telephone Service providers, policymakers, and other relevant groups.
Interested in partnering with us? Connect with us at info@Clear2Connect.org.
Awards
