The goal of the workshops will be to promote an open dialogue between the FCC and key constituents on matters important to the National Broadband Plan. Key constituents will include service providers, equipment providers, applications providers, community groups, and other groups that have a stake in the future of broadband. Workshops will consist of meetings held at the FCC. The public will have the opportunity to suggest meeting topics and questions for the workshops. All meetings will be broadcast over the Internet when possible, and archived for viewing at a later time to ensure that everyone has access to the content.

The goal of the workshop is to promote an open dialogue between the FCC people with disabilities, advocates for people with disabilities, service providers, and other groups that have a stake in the future of broadband and its accessibility for people with disabilities.

Persons with disabilities already benefit from broadband Internet applications. For instance, accessibility software allows a blind person to “hear” what’s written in text on a computer monitor. Video Relay Service allows a deaf or hard of hearing person to use sign language to converse with a person who does not. Access to broadband Internet promotes telework options for people with mobility or health issues. The workshop will explore, among other things, additional ways in which access to broadband may benefit persons with disabilities.