14. Accessibility Considerations

This section is non-normative.

The WebRTC 1.0 specification exposes an API to control protocols (defined within the IETF) necessary to establish real-time audio, video and data exchange.

The Telecommunications Device for the Deaf (TDD/TTY) enables individuals who are hearing or speech impaired (among others) to communicate over telephone lines. Real-Time Text, defined in [RFC4103], utilizes T.140 encapsulated in RTP to enable the transition from TDD/TTY devices to IP-based communications, including emergency communication with Public Safety Access Points (PSAP).

Since Real-Time Text requires the ability to send and receive data in near real time, it can be best supported via the WebRTC 1.0 data channel API. As defined by the IETF, the data channel protocol utilizes the SCTP/DTLS/UDP protocol stack, which supports both reliable and unreliable data channels. The IETF chose to standardize SCTP/DTLS/UDP over proposals for an RTP data channel which relied on SRTP key management and were focused on unreliable communications.

Since the IETF chose a different approach than the RTP data channel as part of the WebRTC suite of protocols, as of the time of this publication there is no standardized way for the WebRTC APIs to directly support Real-Time Text as defined at IETF and implemented in U.S. (FCC) regulations. The WebRTC working Group will evaluate whether the developing IETF protocols in this space warrant direct exposure in the browser APIs and is looking for input from the relevant user communities on this potential gap.

Within the IETF MMUSIC Working Group, work is ongoing to enable Real-time text to be sent over the WebRTC data channel, allowing gateways to be deployed to translate between the SCTP data channel protocol and RFC 4103 Real-Time Text. This work, once completed, is expected to enable a unified and interoperable approach for integrating real-time text in WebRTC user-agents (including browsers) - through a gateway or otherwise.

At the time of this publication, gateways that enable effective RTT support in WebRTC clients can be developed e.g. through a custom WebRTC data channel. This is deemed sufficient until such time as future standardized gateways are enabled via IETF protocols such as the SCTP data channel protocol and RFC 4103 Real-Time Text. This will need to be defined at IETF in conjunction with related work at W3C groups to effectively and consistently standardise RTT support internationally.