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The Communications Act of 1934 originally established the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to regulate telephone, telegraph, and radio communications.

Since then, it has been amended as The Television Decoder Circuitry Act of 1990 to ensure access to closed-captioned TV transmissions on televisions 13 inches or larger. It was written to also include new technologies like broadcasts, cable, and satellite TV.

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Brown v. Board of Education's ruling in 1954 was pivotal for civil rights, later influencing the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) in 1975.

Before Brown v Board of Education, approximately one million children with disabilities were excluded from public education.

Inclusive education is known to increase academic and functional learning, personal interests, and understanding of the world. Integration is correlated with better employment rates and independent living for individuals with disabilities.

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Group of individuals performing peaceful protests in 1954

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1963 - The Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act

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1963 - The Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act

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The Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act (DDA) aimed at improving the lives of individuals with developmental disabilities by providing a framework for promoting the independence, productivity, integration, and inclusion of people with developmental disabilities into the community.

In the 2000 amendment, the “provision of care that is free of abuse, neglect, sexual and financial exploitation, and violations of legal and human rights and that subject individuals with developmental disabilities to no greater risk of harm than others in the general population,” was added to the Bill of Rights.

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1965 - The Elementary and Secondary Education Act

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1965 - The Elementary and Secondary Education Act

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The Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) is a federal law enacted in 1965. Its primary purpose was to provide equal access to quality education for all students, regardless of their background or economic status.

ESEA helped to increase access to education for students with disabilities by providing federal funding to schools serving low-income communities.

ESEA was reauthorized as the more commonly known No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) on January 8, 2002. The law introduced accountability measures to ensure that schools receiving federal funds were meeting certain standards and that resources are being used effectively.

In December 2012, the Obama administration replaced NCLB, addressing its unworkable requirements and focusing on preparing students for college and careers. The Every Student Succeeds Act granted states flexibility from NCLB in exchange for comprehensive plans to close achievement gaps and improve instruction.

ESSA supports the use of high-tech assistive devices in education such as braille, tactile graphics, and amplified voice boxes that connect to hearing aids or cochlear implants.

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Group of wheelchair abled citizens peacefully protesting with sign "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere." Quote from Martin Luther King Junior.

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Title VIII of the Civil Rights Act is known as the Fair Housing Act. This prohibited housing discrimination based on, race, religion or national origin.

The assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on April 4, 1968, catalyzed the passage of the Act, with President Johnson urging Congress to pass it as a tribute to Dr. King's legacy.

In 1988, Congress passed amendments to the Fair Housing Act to include people with disabilities and family status. Landlords are now required to make reasonable accessibility accommodations and modifications for homeowners and renters with disabilities.

Examples include allowing service animals in a no-pet building, installing grab bars, ramps, or other accessibility features. Landlords cannot charge pet fees for service animals.

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Citizens marching with picket sign "This legislature killed 4 Fair Housing Bills.

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The Rehabilitation Act of 1973 was a landmark civil rights law that prohibited discrimination on the basis of disability in programs conducted by federal agencies, in programs receiving federal financial assistance, in federal employment, and in the employment practices of federal contractors.

The Act's Section 504 laid the groundwork for the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), expanding protections to all areas of society. Many accommodations made in classrooms today are implemented via a 504 plan.

The Rehabilitation Act’s Section 508 requires federal electronic and information technology (EIT) to be accessible. This applies to federal websites, media, and other digital resources.

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Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS)

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50th Anniversary of Rehabilitation Act of 1973

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1975 - The Education for All Handicapped Children Act

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1975 - The Education for All Handicapped Children Act

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1975: Education of Handicapped Children Act, passed in 1975. This granted the inclusion of Assistive Technology terminology in federal special education legislation.

1990: Along with legislation changes to allow AT and to ensure free appropriate public education (FAPE) for students with disabilities, the Education of Handicapped Children Act also changed its name to Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)

IDEA 1997: Requirement for Individualized Education Program (IEP) teams to consider assistive technology needs.

IDEA 2004: Granted the continuation of assistive technology considerations in IEP development.

Part C of IDEA: Addresses assistive technology for children from birth to three years old.

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1973 - Comprehensive Employment and Training Act

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1973 - Comprehensive Employment and Training Act

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1973 - Comprehensive Employment and Training Act

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The Comprehensive Employment and Training Act of 1973 was originally signed to assist low-income adults and high schoolers to receive first-hand work experience in non-profit companies in the hopes of later securing a full-time job.

In 1982, The Job Training and Partnership Act replaced The Comprehensive Employment and Training Act and created employment and training programs for disabled veterans using federal funding.

The Job Training and Partnership Act was repealed and replaced by The Workforce Investment Act in 1998, and with it, emphasized increased collaboration between the workplace and the federal government to aid low socio-economic and disabled employees. This act assisted in job planning, acquisition, and retention for people with disabilities.

The final amendment came in 2014, creating The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act. This defines the use of assistive technology in vocational rehabilitation. The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act focuses on workforce development, aiming to increase coordination among federal workforce programs, offering job matching, counseling, and labor exchange services for disabled veterans and others with disabilities.

Title IV of The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act makes amendments to the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 for vocational rehabilitation services for those with disabilities.

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1984 - The Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Technical Education Act

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1984 - The Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Technical Education Act

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The Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Technical Education Act, also known as the Perkins Act, was established to provide federal funding for vocational education programs.

In 1998, the act was reauthorized to provide funding for equipment for underserved populations, including assistive technology for individuals with disabilities.

The Perkins Act mandates equal opportunities in recruitment, enrollment, and placement activities, as well as access to a full range of vocational programs.

Monitoring is essential to ensure that the vocational education provided aligns with the objectives outlined in a student's IEP.

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1988 - Technology-Related Assistance to Individuals with Disabilities Act

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1988 - Technology-Related Assistance to Individuals with Disabilities Act

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1988: Original Technology-Related Assistance Act first defined assistive technology devices as “any piece of equipment or product system that is used to increase, maintain, or improve functional capabilities of individuals with disabilities.” IDEA 300.5 later adapted this definition.

1998: An amendment to become the Assistive Technology Act was reenacted to increase assistive technology access and funding across states.

The 21st Century Assistive Technology Act is a reauthorization of the 2004 Assistive Technology Act, which supports individuals with disabilities by ensuring access to assistive technology.

The act mandates a continuum of state-level and leadership activities across all 56 U.S. states and territories to promote awareness, access, and acquisition of Assistive Technology.

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Association of Assistive Technology Act Programs

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Understanding the Assistive Technology (AT) Act

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The Hearing Aid Compatibility Act of 1988

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1988 - The Hearing Aid Compatibility Act

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1988 - The Hearing Aid Compatibility Act

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The Hearing Aid Compatibility Act (HAC) of 1988 requires the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to certify that all telephones made or imported into the U.S. are compatible with a hearing aid.

Manufacturers and service providers are also required to provide accessible product information, including information on accessibility features.

In 2003, the FCC added wireless and digital phones and required wireless service providers and device manufacturers to provide a certain number of devices that are either compatible with or non-interfering with hearing aids and cochlear implants.

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The Hearing Aid Compatibility Act of 1988

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The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990: Civil rights law that prohibits discrimination based on disability.

Title II & III protect the rights of individuals with disabilities in public and private sectors.

ADA ensures equal access to employment, education, transportation, and more.

2008: ADA became the ADA Amendments Act to broaden the definition of disability, effectively including more individuals.

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Section 255 of the Telecommunications Act of 1996 requires telecommunications equipment manufacturers and service providers to make their products and services accessible to people with disabilities if it's "readily achievable".

If manufacturers can't make their products accessible, they must design them to be compatible with adaptive equipment used by people with disabilities. What's readily achievable will vary by manufacturer based on their resources and the costs of making products accessible or compatible.

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Photo of former President Bill Clinton signing the Telecommunications Act of 1996 with former Vice President Al Gore beside him.

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2010 - 21st Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act 

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2010 - 21st Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act 

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The 21st Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act, or CVAA, signed into law by President Obama on October 8, 2010, ensures that individuals with disabilities have access to modern communications.

The intent of the CVAA was to modernize accessibilities laws from the 1980s and 1990s.

Title I focuses on Telecommunications Access, requiring advanced communication services and products to be accessible to people with disabilities, including VoIP, electronic messaging, and video conferencing.

Title II addresses Video Programming Access, mandating that video content closed captioned on TV is also captioned when distributed online and that emergency information is accessible to those who are blind or visually impaired.

The act also includes provisions for mobile web browser accessibility, hearing aid compatibility, and the distribution of specialized equipment to low-income individuals who are deaf and blind.

The CVAA has led to significant changes in how video programming devices and set-top boxes are designed, requiring accessible user controls and mechanisms for activating closed captioning and audio description.

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President Obama Signs 21st Century Communications & Video Accessibility Act