Finding a usable cell phone is difficult if not impossible for many who are visually impaired. Can displays be read with limited vision? Is there a speech-output option available? Can buttons be identified by touch? The answer to these questions is often no. But section 255 of the US Telecommunications Act of 1996 requires that cell phones be designed to be accessible to people with disabilities. 

The American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) is working to urge cell phone manufacturers to fulfill their responsibilities to the visually impaired. The AFB Senior Site includes information and a call to action on cell phone accessibility. For more information, visit: http://www.afb.org/Section.asp?SectionID=4&TopicID=327 .