FCC kicks off year of ADA 20th anniversary celebrations on July 19

The FCC press release:

WASHINGTON, D.C. – On July 19, 2010, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) will be kicking off its year-long celebration of the 20th anniversary of the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

The day’s festivities will begin at 11 a.m., with a Technology Showcase which will run until 3 PM at the Commerce Department Main Foyer. More than 50 exhibitors have been invited to demonstrate their accessible technologies. (This program had originally been scheduled to be held at the FCC.)

From 1 PM to 2 PM, an ADA Celebration Program in the Commerce Department Auditorium will include welcoming remarks from FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski, the launch of a new FCC Accessibility and Innovation Forum, presentation of an original video chronicling personal stories about the impact of technology on people with disabilities, performances by Gallaudet University performers, and a reception.

Both the Technology Expo and the ADA Program are free and open to the public and press.

Following these events there will be a brainstorming discussion by technology developers and persons with disabilities to identify and prioritize technology barriers to people with disabilities and explore possible solutions to those barriers. This event is by invitation only and is closed to the public and press.

The Accessibility and Innovation Forum, which will be launched on the 19th, is a means to promote collaborative problem-solving among a wide variety of stakeholders, including the disability community, industry, academics, government representatives, third-party developers, innovators, students, and assistive technology vendors.

Through workshops, field events, facilitated dialogues, and online tools, including blog posts covering a wide range of communication technology access issues, the Forum will seek to foster accessible and affordable communications technologies solutions.

The Forum will also include the “Chairman’s AAA Awards,” Awards for Advancements in Accessibility. The first of these awards will be given out on the next anniversary of the ADA to recognize efforts in the private and public sector -- as well as public-private partnerships -- that advance accessibility.

The Department of Commerce is at 1401 Constitution Ave., NW, Washington, DC. Access to the Technology Showcase, including wheelchair accessibility, is via the Aquarium entrance, which is just a few feet from the Main Foyer. The Aquarium entrance is on 14th Street, NW, between Pennsylvania Avenue and Constitution Avenue NW.

Sign language interpreters and computer aided real-time transcription (CART) will be provided.