Purpose
The purpose of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), PL
101-336, is to extend to people with disabilities civil rights similar to those
now available on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex and religion
through the Civil Rights Act of 1964. It prohibits discrimination on the basis
of disability in:
- employment,
- services rendered by state and local governments,
- places of public accommodation,
- transportation,
- telecommunications services.
This brochure focuses on the rights customers have to equal access
to telephone services. Other provisions of the ADA are covered in other
brochures in this series.
Key Telecommunications Provisions
- Telephone companies shall ensure that interstate and intrastate
telecommunications relay services are available not later than July 26, 1993.
- Telecommunications relay services may be offered by the company
itself or through another provider.
- Telecommunications relay services must operate every day for 24
hours per day.
- Telecommunications relay services may not cost more than voice
services.
- Relay operators may not refuse calls or limit the length of
calls that use telecommunications relay services.
- Relay operators must keep the content of any relayed
conversation confidential and may not keep records of conversations.
- Relay operators may not edit or change conversations.
The ADA says. . .
"In order. . .to make available to all individuals in the
United States a rapid, efficient nationwide communication service, and to
increase the utility of the telephone system of the Nation, the Commission
shall ensure that interstate and intrastate telecommunications relay services
are available, to the extent possible and in the most efficient manner, to
hearing-impaired and speech-impaired individuals in the United States."
A Key Definition
Telecommunications relay services are telephone transmission
services that enable an individual who has a hearing or speech disability to
communicate by wire or radio with a hearing individual in a manner that is
functionally equivalent to the ability of someone without a hearing or speech
disability to communicate by voice using wire or radio. The service senable
two-way communication between an individual who uses a telecommunications
devide for the deaf (TTY) or other non-voice terminal device and an individual
who does not use such a device.
Enforcement
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is the Federal agency
that is responsible for enforcing ADA telecommunication services provisions.
Regulations and Information;
- ADA Regulations for Title IV - Telecommunications contact:
Federal Communications Commission
Office of Public Affairs
1919
M Street, NW
Room 254
Washington, DC 20554
202/632-7000 - Voice
202/632-6999 - TTY
- Office of Disability Employment Policy has other ADA
brochures and publications. Alternative formats are available.
Revised August 1993 |
