The table below shows for each Section 255 Guideline (the rows) whether there is a potential barrier in VoIP hardware, software, or networks. In some cases there is a direct comparison between current conventional telephony and VoIP.
Sec. 255 Guideline |
Short description |
Barriers Specific to
VoIP That Are Rare or Absent in "Conventional" Telephony* |
| 1193.33(a) | Product documentation and customer support | Carrierless operation (no phone company) means limited commitment to a business-to-consumer relationship. |
| 1193.33(b) | Accessibility point of contact | Smaller, internet- or software-oriented firms may ignore business-to-consumer relationship. |
| 1193.33(c) | Employee training | Smaller, internet- or software-oriented firms may lack significant employee training programs. |
| 1193.37 | Pass-through of codes/formats | TTY signal compatibility is known to be jeopardized in some implementations. Captioning and video description of videoconferencing may be jeopardized in some implementations. Not all routers or networks permit VoIP or IP multimedia |
| 1193.41(a) | Operable without vision |
Some VoIP softphones are not compatible with screen readers. Some VoIP hardware phones rely on hardware displays and softkeys with contextual meanings. At least one VoIP hardware phone model uses a single large touchscreen for operation. |
| 1193.41(b) | Operable with low vision and limited or no hearing | Some VoIP hardware phones have small or hard to read displays. |
| 1193.41(c) | Operable with little or no color perception | No VoIP-specific barriers |
| 1193.41(d) | Operable without hearing | No VoIP-specific barriers |
| 1193.41(e) | Operable with limited manual dexterity | Some VoIP hardware phones have hard-to-use controls, including touchscreens. |
| 1193.41(f) | Operable with limited reach and strength | No VoIP-specific barriers. |
| 1193.41(g) | Operable without time-dependent controls | No VoIP-specific barriers. |
| 1193.41(h) | Operable without speech | No VoIP-specific barriers. |
| 1193.41(i) | Operable with limited cognitive skills | Managing softphone installation and configuration may be hard to understand. Arranging for peer-to-peer service is complex. Some VoIP softphones have graphics-rich screens that may be hard to understand. |
| 1193.43(a) | Availability of visual information | Some VoIP PBXs do not provide an audible method of delivering visual information. Some VoIP hardware phones have small or hard to read displays. Some VoIP softphones are not compatible with screen readers. |
| 1193.43(b) | Availability of visual information for low vision users | Some VoIP softphones have graphics-rich screens that may be hard to navigate through and read. Some VoIP softphones are not compatible with screen magnifiers and high contrast settings. |
| 1193.43(c) | Access to moving text | Some VoIP softphones use moving text methods that are not compatible with screen readers. |
| 1193.43(d) | Availability of auditory information | Some VoIP PBXs do not provide a visual method of delivering audible information. |
| 1193.43(e) | Availability of auditory information for people who are hard of hearing | Reduction in audio quality may reduce intelligibility. Loss of synchronization between audio and video in IP videotelephony reduces their intelligibility during speech-reading. |
| 1193.43(f) | Prevention of visually-induced seizures | No VoIP-specific barriers. |
| 1193.43(g) | Availability of audio cutoff | VoIP hardware phones without a separate headset jack cannot implement cutoff. |
| 1193.43(h) | Non-interference with hearing technologies | Softphone use on a PC may cause additional interference. |
| 1193.43(i) | Hearing aid coupling | No VoIP-specific barriers. |
| 1193.51(a) | External electronic access | No VoIP-specific barriers. |
| 1193.51(b) | Connection point for external audio processing | Many VoIP hardware phones have no separate headset jack. |
| 1193.51(c) | Compatibility of controls with prosthetics | Touchscreens on some VoIP hardware phones may not be compatible with prosthetics. |
| 1193.51(d) | TTY connectability | Many VoIP hardware phones have no way to connect a TTY. |
| 1193.51(e) | TTY signal compatibility | TTY signal compatibility is jeopardized in some implementations. |
* Note: The entry "no VoIP-specific barriers" in this table does not mean that VoIP is automatically accessible or conformant to that Sec. 255 Guideline. It only means that there is nothing unique to VoIP as a platform; many barriers continue to exist in "conventional" telephony as experienced by average users with disabilities.