The new rule is part of the Air Carrier Access Act of 1986 and will come into effect on 12 December 2013. Airline website pages for booking and changing reservations will need to be accessible. Within two years, these pages must meet the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.0 AA, with entire website compliance required within three years.
The Rights Talk was well attended with approximately 50-60 people filling the room at the AHRC offices. Disability Discrimination Commissioner Graeme Innes chaired the event and began by introducing the concept of human rights and how the internet and access to it is integral for society.
He asked Collins and other panel members if they perceived internet access as a human right.
The rules cover any device which is used to receive or play digital video, including televisions, set-top boxes, computers and smartphones. From now on, these will need to have on-screen text menus and program guides which are audibly accessible (i.e. the user can opt to hear them spoken), and a single button, key or icon to activate accessibility features such as closed captions.
Unpublished
