Tech companies and others who have come up with new tools to keep people with disabilities connected, get those cursors moving.
The FCC has called for nominations for the Chairman’s Awards for Advancement in Accessibility, the FCC's own triple A rating for "the efforts of individuals, organizations, academic institutions, companies and government agencies to make communications tools more accessible."
Nominations will be accepted starting Dec. 1 for tech, products or services introduced between Jan. 1 and Dec. 31, 2018. The nomination window closes Feb. 28, 2019.
Winners will be determined based on:
• "Whether the nominated effort advancing accessibility was introduced between January 1, 2018 and December 31, 2018;
• "The degree to which the nominated effort is unique and inventive;
• "The disability needs addressed and/or impacted by the nominated effort. For example, whether the nominated effort impacts a particular audience in significant ways (e.g. innovations that address unique needs, reach underserved or small populations) or reaches a broad audience in smaller but pervasive ways (e.g. increasing awareness, affecting deployment or adoption of accessible technologies);
• "How affordable and available the nominated effort is for its intended users; and
• "The degree to which the nominated effort would significantly and tangibly benefit from recognition by the Chairman."
Nominations (or questions about the nomination process) should be submitted to ChairmansAAA@fcc.gov. Winners will be recognized at a ceremony June 18.
