Federal Legislation and examples of its effect on the development of technology for people with disabilities

Federal Legislation has been enacted that requires changes to be made in the design of the public environment and consumer items that will improve access for all persons with or without a disability. Other legislation has been written that supports research and development, product evaluation and testing, and payment for rehabilitation technology products and services for a few groups of people with disabilities. The recently enacted Federal legislation will have a strong influence on general product design (i.e. required closed caption decoders for TVs, required government purchase of accessible electronic office equipment, and access to telephone communication by people with hearing impairments) as well as supporting and promoting rehabilitation technology developed for the special needs of people with disabilities. Problems still exist in getting payment for rehabilitation engineering services and devices and meeting the requirements of "medical necessity " asked for by heath insurance companies.