The Washington Post reports that Rep. Ed Markey planned to introduce today the Twenty-first Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act. This bill would require video description and audio captioning on video products delivered across a broad range of media, including handheld wireless devices.

Advocates of the bill point out that so-called "new media" and mobile devices are critical to full participation in society, and that greater access by people with disabilities is equally critical. Opponents fear that new legislated standards will slow down the technological innovation that has already resulted in much greater accessibility to media and communications in recent years.

Check out the story at: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/06/18/AR2008061803080.html?hpid=artslot

What's your opinion? Would passage of this bill help or hinder accessibility of new technological developments? Do you find that web-based media and communications are becoming more or less accessible?