Accessibility in the News — 1/7/2022.
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Feature Stories
2021 Year End Report – App & Web Accessibility Lawsuits Break Records
December 21, 2021 | Source: UsableNet & Full Report
Forum Shopping For a Website Lawsuit Over the Holidays? Look No Further than the SDNY.
December 22, 2021 | Source: Seyfarth Shaw
Five 2022 accessibility trends
January 2, 2021 | Source: UX Collective- Sheri Byrne-Haber
Crystal Ball 2022: More Aggressive DOJ Enforcement, More Lawsuits, and Maybe a New Rulemaking.
January 4, 2021 | Source: Seyfarth Shaw
Our annual report is out and below are the highlighted trends we are seeing along with some color behind the numbers. This report is now in its fourth year and is published twice a year. The data is used by over 200 different news and content outlets along with being used in key cases including the Domino’s cases noted in front of the Supreme Court. Digital Lawsuits have helped bring significant attention to the need to ensure all digital experiences should be usable by all. The UsableNet research team monitors and documents all digital accessibility-related lawsuits where a website, mobile app, or video content is the subject of a claim in federal court under the ADA or in State court under ADA-related laws…
National News (U.S.)
Bronx middle school teacher wins suit against DOE for ADA accommodations
December 15, 2021 | Source: Bronx Times
Despite a litany of physical limitations — a life diagnosed with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) that has left her wheelchair-bound and unable to walk and bathe herself — Dayniah Manderson has excelled as an English teacher in New York City. “The best thing about teaching is the kids, and being able to see how much they grow and process over the school years,” said Manderson, who has an 18-year tenure with the New York City Department of Education (DOE). “But there is a culture in which teachers and the students are not being treated fairly by the Department of Education.”…
CT universities pilot career program for people with disabilities
December 16, 2021 | Source: CT Insider
The state university system is introducing job training specifically for people with disabilities. The Connecticut State Colleges and Universities announced this week a careers program in digital accessibility. Specialists support the production of accessible content and materials, from alternative text on images that are read aloud to blind users, to fonts legible for people with dyslexia. Participants learn the foundations and regulations that guide digital accessibility, and receive technology training in email, Microsoft Word and Powerpoint, Adobe Acrobat and HTML. The program includes work experience as trainees use their skills to support university faculty and staff…
The universal symbol system making beauty products accessible to blind consumers
December 17, 2021 | Source: Packaging Europe
VictoriaLand Beauty’s CyR.U.S. System is a tactile solution making beauty packaging and products accessible for blind and partially sighted consumers. Using raised symbols and embossed QR codes, consumers can navigate VictoriaLand’s portfolio through touch and audio information on the product type, usage, and ingredients. We spoke with Victoria Watts, founder of VictoriaLand Beauty, about the importance of accessible cosmetic packaging. Watts founded VictoriaLand with the idea of creating a brand centred on natural, vegan, and cruelty-free ingredients – “like many indie beauty brands,” Watts notes…
Disability rights advocates say new funding for transit access is critical: ‘Transportation is the key to everything’
December 17, 2021 | Source: Spectrum NY1
Lee Page has been riding Washington’s Metro for more than three decades. “Washington, D.C. is a very accessible city,” he said from outside a downtown metro station near the White House. “I know where all the elevators are, and where to sit on the train to get to my elevator, the quickest route.” Page, who uses a wheelchair, accesses the train by first taking an elevator at street level, going through a widened turnstile with his Metro card and then taking one more elevator to the platform before finally doing a “running wheelie,” as he described it, to get inside the metro car…
Justice Department Sues Ophthalmology Practice with 24 Facilities for Discriminating Against Individuals with Disabilities who Use Wheelchairs
December 20, 2021 | Source: DOJ
The Justice Department today filed a lawsuit against Barnet Dulaney Perkins Eye Center PC (BDP), an optometry and ophthalmology medical provider, for discriminating against patients who, because of their disabilities, need assistance in transferring from their wheelchairs to the surgical table for outpatient eye surgery. BDP operates 24 facilities in Arizona. The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for Arizona, alleges that BDP violated the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) by refusing to provide patients with disabilities the transfer assistance they need — assistance that is routinely provided by healthcare providers across the country…
Disabled passengers were promised autonomous vehicles — they’re still waiting
December 20, 2021 | Source: The Verge
For years, people with disabilities have been promised that autonomous vehicles are right around the corner. Self-driving cars will open up new possibilities for people with vision, hearing, and mobility impairments. Help was on the way. But Haben Girma is tired of waiting. “People with disabilities stand to benefit the most from self-driving cars, but developers are not making accessibility enough of a priority,” said the author and deafblind disability justice lawyer. “Waiting until a product is ‘finished’ to start thinking about accessibility is like completing construction of a skyscraper and then tearing part of it down to install an elevator.”…
For Users With Disabilities, Paid Apps Lag Behind Free Ones in Accessibility, Report Shows
December 20, 2021 | Source: The Wall Street Journal
Many of the most popular paid smartphone apps are less accessible to people with certain disabilities than top apps that are free to download, according to a new report. The digital agency Diamond, which builds accessible products for its clients, conducted manual and automated testing of 20 leading paid apps and 20 popular free apps in Apple’s App Store and in the Google Play Store as of October 2021. Top free apps, which consist of bigger companies such as Meta Inc.’s Facebook and Instagram or Snap Inc.’s Snapchat, tend to include such accessibility features because they have more users providing feedback and greater resources to tackle problems, said Joe Devon, co-founder of Diamond, which is operated by StartupDevs Inc…
President Joe Biden to sign bill, authorizing funding for ALS treatment, research
December 21, 2021 | Source: ABC7 Chicago
New hope for people with ALS as President Joe Biden is expected to sign a bill this week that would authorize funding for research and treatment. A local man battling the disease said this funding will expand access to treatment options. Brian Andre is beating the odds after he was diagnosed with ALS five years ago. He has already survived beyond the life expectancy for most ALS patients and the $500 million Congress has approved to fund neurodegenerative diseases gives him hope. “This bill will grant me access to experimental therapies I would not have access to,” he said…
2021 Year End Report – App & Web Accessibility Lawsuits Break Records
December 21, 2021 | Source: UsableNet & Full Report
Forum Shopping For a Website Lawsuit Over the Holidays? Look No Further than the SDNY.
December 22, 2021 | Source: Seyfarth Shaw
Five 2022 accessibility trends
January 2, 2021 | Source: UX Collective- Sheri Byrne-Haber
Crystal Ball 2022: More Aggressive DOJ Enforcement, More Lawsuits, and Maybe a New Rulemaking.
January 4, 2021 | Source: Seyfarth Shaw
Our annual report is out and below are the highlighted trends we are seeing along with some color behind the numbers. This report is now in its fourth year and is published twice a year. The data is used by over 200 different news and content outlets along with being used in key cases including the Domino’s cases noted in front of the Supreme Court. Digital Lawsuits have helped bring significant attention to the need to ensure all digital experiences should be usable by all. The UsableNet research team monitors and documents all digital accessibility-related lawsuits where a website, mobile app, or video content is the subject of a claim in federal court under the ADA or in State court under ADA-related laws…
DOJ Finds that Manson Youth Institution Violates the U.S. Constitution and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
December 21, 2021 | Source: Department of Justice
The Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division announced today that it has concluded an investigation into whether Manson Youth Institution is violating the Eighth and Fourteenth Amendments of the U.S. Constitution and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) with respect to children in the facility. The department’s investigation concluded that there is reasonable cause to believe that Manson’s isolation practices and inadequate mental health services seriously harm children, under age 18, and place them at substantial risk of serious harm…
DOJ Alleges That Chicopee, Massachusetts, Housing Authority and its Executive Director Discriminated Against Tenants on the Basis of Race, National Origin and Disability
December 21, 2021 | Source: Department of Justice
The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts announced today that they have filed an amended complaint alleging that the Chicopee Housing Authority and its Executive Director, Monica Blazic, violated federal law by discriminating against residents based on race, national origin and disability. These allegations, which are significantly broader than those in the original complaint, include claims under the Fair Housing Act (FHA), the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Rehabilitation Act. The original complaint, filed in April, alleged that the defendants had discriminated against one tenant because of her disability…
‘Disability is not a bad word’: Mya Pol is fighting for accessibility one TikTok at a time
December 21, 2021 | Source: Yahoo
‘Disability is not a bad word’: Mya Pol is fighting for accessibility one TikTok at a time. Unlike many creators on TikTok, Mya Pol found herself remaking the same videos over and over again — on purpose. In her words, “at least once a month,” she would upload essentially the same video about the spectrum of disability. “It looks like we’re due for another one of those videos,” she said cheerily in a TikTok, responding to a troll who said she wasn’t disabled. “Not all wheelchair users are paralyzed,” she said. “There [are] many conditions where someone might need to use a wheelchair”…
Tenants Protest Lack of Accessibility at Crown Heights Building
December 22, 2021 | Source: Brownstoner
For months, Crown Heights tenants have demanded that the building’s management company build a ramp to provide accessibility for neighbors with mobility difficulties. All they have gotten in return is a two-line letter saying the company will consider it, sent in April. Residents of 283 Albany Avenue gathered at the front of the building to rally on December 18. They signed a complaint to the New York City Housing Authority against Shamco Management Corp., a private real estate firm that owns more than 1,000 apartment homes in New York and New Jersey…
Paraplegic real estate agent tackles housing accessibility
December 25, 2021 | Source: The Washington Post
William Sweeney began hatching an idea nearly 10 years ago after waking up from a medically-induced coma and learning he was a paraplegic. After various operations and months in rehabilitation, Sweeney needed a place to live that was wheelchair accessible including having a level entryway, wide doorways and retrofitted bathrooms with an accessible toilet and a roll-in shower. “I went on probably seven to 10 showings of different places and not a single one was functional,” he said. “I think the first aha moment I had I realized that this is just a different perspective of living,” Sweeney said…
Judge orders far-flung plan to make NYC crosswalks accessible
December 27, 2021 | Source: Courthouse News Service & The New York Times
New York City must make all of its crossing signals accessible to blind and low-vision pedestrians by 2036, a federal judge ruled Monday. U.S. District Judge Paul A. Engelmayer outlined the 15-year plan after finding last year that fewer than 5% of city intersections had crossing signals with audible or tactile features, in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Rehabilitation Act. As an incremental step toward complete accessibility, the city will address the dearth of accessible crosswalks by installing Accessible Pedestrian Signal devices on 10,000 of its 13,200 signalized intersections over the next 10 years…
The importance of making parks accessible to those with disabilities
December 27, 2021 | Source: Spectrum News
Ashley Thomas lives an active life, and her work encourages others to do the same. Thomas is the founder of Bridge II Sports, an organization that creates athletic opportunities for people with disabilities. Thomas is a kayaker and was a key part in transforming the Lake Crabtree Park dock area into an accessible one. Before there were obstacles to Thomas, who uses a wheelchair, and now there are concrete paths, wider gangways and accessible gear. “It’s freedom. It’s finding a ‘yes’ in a world full of ‘nos’ and ‘you can’t,’” Thomas said…
Snowy sidewalks can be unsafe for people with disabilities. Who should clear them?
December 28, 2021 | Source: Utica Observer Dispatch
A wintry snow storm can be a hindrance to anyone’s day, with sidewalks to shovel and cars to brush off. While a few inches of snow may be a minor annoyance to some, it can be a major challenge to people with disabilities. “I would say an inch of snow to you is like a foot to me or somebody with a disability, whether they use crutches, canes, wheelchair or whatever,” said Danny McLain, accessibility consultant with the Resource Center for Independent Living (RCIL). “It’s not only keeping people from getting out and doing their normal stuff, but it’s also a hindrance in an emergency situation.”…
Why San Antonio created a new department of diversity and inclusion
December 29, 2021 | Source: San Antonio Report
As an assistant city attorney for the City of San Antonio, Nick Dominguez has spent years picking apart legal cases. He’s taken on personal injury, commercial, administrative and constitutional litigation for the city, in addition to defending the paid sick leave ordinance. But earlier this year, he seized the opportunity to run on an interim basis the city’s new Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Department, created in the fiscal year 2022 budget. “I saw it as an opportunity to help build something … rather than tear down,” said Dominguez, who started his new role in mid-November…
How and why workplace tech is becoming more inclusive
December 29, 2021 | Source: Fortune
Accessibility awareness is on the rise, but is it turning into action?
December 26, 2021 | Source: TechCrunch
How an Amazon researcher who is blind advocates for customers with disabilities
December 29, 2021 | Source: Market Screener
The tech industry’s accessibility report card for 2021
December 31, 2021 | Source: Engadget
Across the world, people are using more technology and using it more often, especially at work. This has led to a push from technology companies to make their products more accessible and inclusive. Sanaz Ahari, senior director of product at Google, oversees communications products across Google Workspace and Android, including email, videoconferencing, and collaboration tools. During the pandemic, “we had consumers relying on [our tech], and we had educators relying on it, in addition to people at work,“ Ahari told Fortune. “The products look nothing like they did [compared with] March of last year.”…
The No Surprises Act Took Effect January 1; Here’s What It Means For Your Medical Bills
January 3, 2022 | Source: Forbes & The Hill & CBS & Fox13 & Stat News
Telemedicine Providers Take Note – The No Surprises Act Is Effective January 1, 2022
December 31, 2021 | Source: The National Law Review
If you’ve used an emergency room or been hospitalized in the United States, there’s a good chance you’ve gotten a medical bill that caught you by surprise. One in five Americans has received a surprise medical bill from an emergency department visit; nearly as many have gotten unexpected bills from nonemergency hospital stays. These bills are more than a nuisance for many; they can cause anxiety and financial hardship. Two out of three Americans say they worry about being able to afford unexpected medical bills and nearly half can’t afford to pay surprise bills in full…
Justice Department Secures Agreement with Hospital to Ensure Effective Communication with Deaf Patients and Companions
January 4, 2022 | Source: Department of Justice
Today the Justice Department reached an agreement under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) with Adventist Health System Georgia Inc., d.b.a. AdventHealth-Gordon (Advent), a hospital in Calhoun, Georgia. The settlement resolves a complaint by a deaf patient who alleged that despite her requests for an American Sign Language (ASL) interpreter for her labor and delivery, Advent failed to provide an interpreter or any other communication aid or service. Instead, the patient alleged that she was forced to rely on lip reading and on her deaf companion, who tried to advocate for her even though she too had difficulty trying to understand and communicate with hospital staff…
Bachelor: Abigail Heringer Shares Message About Making Accessible Content
January 4, 2022 | Source: Screen Rant
On December 31, Abigail Heringer from The Bachelor shared an inspiring video on Instagram to promote the use of closed captioning on media content. Heringer has been in the Bachelor Nation for about a year now and she has actively been using her newfound fame to help spread the word and educate others about being hearing impaired. She was first in season 25 of The Bachelor where she opened up to Matt James about how she wears a cochlear implant due to her hearing loss. After being sent home in week 7, she went on to be a participant for season 7 of Bachelor in Paradise, where she met Noah Erb…
Jack Fact — According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, just 19.3% of people with disabilities are currently employed. At the same time, 877,400 people with disabilities are actively looking for work.
Hit The Road Jack — Accessibility vision no day at the beach& How to plan an accessible family road trip
International News
Transportation: An Accessible and Efficient Design for People Living with Disabilities
December 17, 2021 | Source: Liberian Observer- Liberia
Planning a journey, knowing the waiting times is good for all individuals. Understanding where to get off, taking corrective action in the case of disruption. Using public transport requires access to information at every step along the way. The task, of course, is far more complicated for people living with a disability, whether sensory, motor, or intellectual. Have you ever wondered about the thought or the possibility of having a visually impaired individual get across the road, travel miles from their destination without an assistant, and make stops without viewing the various stop points or being instructed adequately to the use of information before their journey?…
Inclusion, Accessibility Will Be The Legacy Of Tokyo Games
December 17, 2021 | Source: The Chronicle of the Horse- Japan
What happens to Olympic venues after the Games leave town is often fodder for news. Some stadiums fall into disrepair, others like the Greenwich Park equestrian venue for the 2012 London Games, are designed to be removed as quickly as they were constructed. In Tokyo, the Olympic and Paralympic competitions held at the Baji Koen Equestrian Park are leaving a legacy of inclusion in equestrian sports. The Japan Racing Association, which owns and run the facility, has announced far-reaching plans to ensure Baji Koen becomes a center for barrier-free access to equestrian sport…
CoFoE: Lack of inclusion of people with disabilities is worrying
December 17, 2021 | Source: EURACTIV- Europe
Persons with disabilities do not have an equal access to the Conference on the Future of Europe (CoFoE), writes Yannis Vardakastanis. Yannis Vardakastanis is the president of the European Disability Forum and a member of the CoFoE Plenary. This problem makes the CoFoE democratic exercise not different from other activities of our day-to-day life: it is harder, not very accessible and largely overlooks our needs, not to mention the diversity of our societies. There are many parts of life where persons with disabilities cannot participate on an equal basis with others…
This Week In History: Best-selling author and disability advocate applauds Royal BC Museum’s orcas exhibit
December 19, 2021 | Source: CHEK News- Canada
A best-selling author and disability advocate says she’s thrilled with the Royal BC Museum’s orca exhibit, not just because it is interesting, but also for how accessible it is. “I’m constantly finding obstacles getting into businesses, getting into different museums and exhibits”, says best-selling and critically acclaimed author Tara Moss. Moss and her family recently moved back to Victoria from Australia. She says the challenges for disabled people, like her, are similar around the world.
In addition to being an author, Moss is also a disability advocate…
Modern wheelchairs enables mobility, accessibility to disabled in Namibia
December 20, 2021 | Source: Xinhua- Nambia
For the first in a long time, wheel-chaired Hendrik Isaak from the Kharas region in the southern part of Namibia happily and easily moved from one place to another. “I feel great because the government has given me a new modern wheelchair. I cannot walk, so I struggled a lot in the past. But now that has changed,” Isaak, in his 60s, said on Friday. Like many disabled people in Namibia, before Isaak got the new wheelchair this month, it was difficult and costly for him to move around, which thwarted him…
‘Why are you here?’ How to make theatres more welcoming
December 20, 2021 | Source: ArtsHub- Australia
The first time I visited the Sydney Theatre Company to watch a play, I had to call a friend to work out where the box office was. I had spent time on Pier 4/5 as part of a playwriting program at the Australian Theatre for Young People but had never had reason to go upstairs and see a show at STC. I wandered back and forth along the concrete of the pier and the heavy wood floors above, stressed about being late, until I finally gave in and called my friend, staying on the phone with him until I found the Box Office tucked away halfway up the stairs…
Ontario To Review And Improve Accessibility Of Public Spaces For People With Disabilities
December 20, 2021 | Source: Kawartha 411- Canada
The Ontario government says it continues the ongoing work of identifying, removing and preventing barriers for people with disabilities. Julie Sawchuk has accepted an invitation to be the chair of the Standards Development Committee that will lead the province’s review of the Design of Public Spaces accessibility standards for outdoor and indoor public spaces. The committee will include people with disabilities from all across the province, as well as businesses, municipalities, and other impacted stakeholders. It will review existing accessibility standards, and consider whether new standards might be needed to improve accessibility in Ontario’s public spaces…
Next stop: A transport system accessible for all
December 21, 2021 | Source: Tech Xplore- Europe
People with a disability can look forward to many new advances in technology to make their lives easier while navigating public transport systems, or even crossing the street, thanks to several new initiatives in Europe. Once known for its matchstick industry, the small Swedish city of Jönköping has another claim to fame. It is one of the most accessible cities in Europe for people with disabilities. The winner of the 2021 Access City Award, Jönköping was recognized for its inclusive and universal bottom-up approach. Working closely with disability organizations, city officials rolled out a wide range of initiatives to make buildings, products and environments accessible to as many people as possible…
ASOS is named ‘least accessible website’
December 21, 2021 | Source: Charged Retail- Europe & Mirror- UK
ASOS responds to accessibility concerns: “We want everyone to be able to confidently shop at ASOS”
December 23, 2021 | Source: Charged Retail- Europe
ASOS.com has been named as the least accessible website, sitting at the top of a list which also includes Shein, Smyths Toys and Costco. A new study by ToolTester has looked at 200 of the most popular websites across the globe to assess how accessible they are for users with a number of different disabilities. The report estimates that the amount lost due to inaccessible websites in the UK alone (the click-away pound), was £11.75 billion in 2020, because shoppers with specific accessibility needs are less likely to spend money on a website they cannot navigate. The study also reveals that fashion sites are among the poorest performing sector when it comes to accessibility…
Project of the month: Making everywhere accessible to everyone
December 21, 2021 | Source: CORDIS- EU
For those with mobility issues, climbing a flight of stairs is only part of the challenge – you also need to know when to expect them. “I use a walking frame to get around, and growing up, there was a lack of information about what places were accessible,” explains Matt McCann, CEO of Access Earth. Six years ago, he and Dónal McClean, co-founder and COO of the company, launched Access Earth, a free app which has collected up-to-date, crowdsourced accessibility information on over 110 000 shops, cafes and public buildings…
Over 4 million Australians have a disability, it’s time we made dating & romance more accessible
December 22, 2021 | Source: Women’s Agenda- Australia
My name is Jerusha. I am a PhD student at Victoria University. I am also a passionate disability advocate. I am on a mission to make dating more accessible and inclusive. My journey to find love has taken unusual turns. I have had many challenging moments with people misunderstanding and judging me upon face value. I move differently and speak differently sometimes because of my CP. This does not mean that I do not have feelings just as any other person would. I am quite similar in that respect and should be given a equal chance at finding love…
Spaces for People has made Edinburgh ‘less accessible’ for the blind, claims charity
December 24, 2021 | Source: Edinburgh News- Scotland
One of Scotland’s most prominent charity for the visually impaired, Sight Scotland, said Spaces for People has caused significant problems and made the city centre less accessible. Concerns have been raised about pedestrian layout, with the distinction between the cycle path, road and pavement being confusing for someone with sight loss and potentially very dangerous for them to navigate. A spokesperson from Sight Scotland said: “We understand the good intentions behind the Spaces for People initiative but we are concerned about the significant problems it has created for blind and partially sighted people…
Canadian company builds a better box of chocolates using braille
December 25, 2021 | Source: CBC- Canada
A move by a Canadian chocolate maker to produce packaging for blind and partially sighted people is one of several campaigns this year by companies trying to make their products more accessible to people with disabilities (PWD). Purdys Chcolatier created a holiday box of chocolates this Christmas with both a braille label and a braille legend for the chocolates inside. “When it first launched online and in select shops, it sold out within a matter of hours,” Julia Cho, the brand’s marketing manager, said from its Vancouver factory. “I know the box is not perfect and we have so much to learn, but to me, it encourages me that this is a step in the right direction.”…
Early detection of disability among children is important to ensure their optimal: Ramdas Athawale
December 25, 2021 | Source: Free Press Journal- India
The government has launched the Accessible India Campaign so that buildings are accessible for the Divyangjan. Under the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act – 2016, the types of disabilities have been increased from existing 7 to 21. Reservation for Divangjan in government jobs has been increased to 4 per cent from exiting 3 per cent, while the reservation in higher education has been increased to 5 per cent from 3 per cent, said Athawale while speaking at the inauguration of the Regional Centre of National Institute for the Empowerment of Persons with Intellectual Disabilities (NIEPID) DIVYANGJAN, in Navi Mumbai….
‘You can make money out of us’: the disabled people demanding more accessible travel and tourism
December 26, 2021 | Source: The Guardian- Australia
For Sarah Clifton-Bligh, the most useful thing to have when you’re travelling is an older brother who plays rugby. Sydney-based Clifton-Bligh is fitter than most 17-year-olds. She’s a member of the junior athletics development squad and hopes to make the national team in racing and throwing sports. She has travelled around Australia and the world with her family for holidays and athletics meets. Clifton-Bligh also has cerebral palsy and uses a wheelchair most of the time. She can do incredible manoeuvres in her chair, and with the aid of ankle-foot orthoses and forearm crutches she can take a few steps – a small thing that makes a vast amount of difference when the family goes places – but too many stairs are an issue…
Disability campaigner’s award-winning work to make Stratford accessible for all
December 27, 2021 | Source: The Stratford Observer- UK
A disability campaigner in Stratford has been recognised with a mayoral award. Elizabeth Dixon, who runs Accessible Stratford, was presented with the award, by former mayor Coun Tony Jackson, which highlights her work to make the town more accessible for everyone. Elizabeth received the award, during the Stratford Town Council Mayoral Event, for continuing to campaign for Stratford businesses and organisations to make their premises as easy as possible for those with disabilities to get around. She also advises Warwickshire County Council on issues like blue badge parking and installing dropped kerbs and the district and town councils by writing accessibility statements for upcoming events…
Riding the bus can be daunting for people with disabilities. Halifax wants to change that
December 27, 2021 | Source: CBC- Canada
Halifax Transit is launching two new hands-on training programs for newcomers and people with disabilities in early 2022 that it says will help improve access to public transportation in the municipality. The transit service is currently developing an in-person accessibility training program to educate people with disabilities how to use both conventional transit and its Access-A-Bus service. Patricia Hughes, Halifax Transit’s manager for planning and customer engagement, said the idea for the program came after hearing from people with disabilities that the transit system is intimidating…
For People with Disabilities, Homeownership is a Two-Headed Monster
December 28, 2021 | Source: Storeys- Canada
Federally, the Canadian Human Rights Act prohibits discrimination in employment and services under federal jurisdiction, including housing, and the National Housing Strategy Act recognizes adequate housing as a human right. Provincially however, the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) — legislation with the stated goal of making Ontario fully accessible to people with disabilities by 2025 — does not mention housing. While the Ontario Building Code (OBC) only requires 15% of suites in new condos or apartment buildings constructed after 2015 to be visitable — not livable — by people with disabilities…
After decade in the making, Jerusalem’s Old City alleys made wheelchair accessible
January 2, 2022 | Source: Israel Hayom& The Jerusalem Post- Israel
Almost four miles of alleys in Jerusalem’s Old City were recently made wheelchair-friendly, while an innovative accessibility system for visually impaired people is also being installed after ten years of work. “We have made the Old City of Jerusalem one of the most accessible cities in the world,” Jerusalem Affairs and Heritage Minister Ze’ev Elkin said, The Jerusalem Post reported. The project was carried in cooperation with the Tourism Ministry, the Jerusalem Municipality, the Israel Antiquities Authority, the Jerusalem Development Authority, and the East Jerusalem Development Company…
EPFO Portal Has Many Blind Spots For the Visually Challenged
January 4, 2022 | Source: Moneylife- India
We are in an era of e-governance where most day-to-day transactions are just a click away, but sadly people with disabilities are fighting for inclusion with in the digital space, since most apps and online platforms are not designed for the visually challenged. But it is even worse when websites like the Employee Provident Fund (EPFO) do not take into account the needs of people with disabilities seven years after the central government ambitiously launched the ‘Accessible India Campaign’, or Sugamya Bharat programme promising ‘universal accessibility’ in December 2015…
2022 could be a watershed moment for disability rights in Chennai
January 4, 2022 | Source: Citizen Matters- India
The last days of 2021 saw the city’s famed Marina Beach become accessible for all for a short period of time with a temporary pathway. Promises have been made to make such public spaces more inclusive in 2022. Here is a look at how the past year has been for the disability rights movement and what we would like to see for the city going forward. The pandemic really brought to fore some of the things that disabled people have been requesting as reasonable accommodations, such as work from home and teleconferencing…
Newfoundland and Labrador passes new accessibility legislation for persons with disabilities
January 4, 2022 | Source: Canadian Lawyer- Canada
The Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly has passed new legislation which will improve accessibility by identifying, preventing and removing barriers that prevent persons with disabilities from full participation in the community, according to the Ministry for Children, Seniors and Social Development. The announcement coincided with the celebration of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities on December 3, 2021. The new legislation, or the Accessibility Act, will authorize the establishment of accessibility standards to improve accessibility for persons with disabilities…
The government just turned a celebration of disability into an accessibility nightmare
January 5, 2021 | Source: The Canary- UK
It’s only the start of January. But already the government has shown that blind and low vision people are an afterthought. Because its Disability Unit managed to create a video about them which was inaccessible. But the government clearly forgot the “social inclusion” aspect of Twitter. Because it managed to put content out about braille that was inaccessible to blind and low vision people. The Disability Unit is part of the Cabinet Office. It’s been responsible for publishing the government’s new disability strategy. On 4 January, the Disability Unit released a video for World Braille Day…
Unshovelled sidewalks isolate people with disabilities, accessibility consultant says
January 6, 2022 | Source: CBC News- Canada
The danger of navigating snowy sidewalks can confine people living with disabilities to their homes, says accessibility consultant Amy Amantea. “We’re isolating people. We’re shutting them off. We’re closing them off getting to medical appointments, getting essential goods in their homes.” Amantea, who is a resident of North Vancouver and sits on the North Shore advisory committee on disability issues, is partially sighted with two per cent vision. Walking around her community over the past few weeks has been a challenge…
COVID-19 Resources and Information
- America calls out sick- CNN
- Braille: Life through tactile touch- UN News
- Hosting an inclusive virtual conference- ASBMB Today
- A Nation on Hold Wants to Speak With a Manager- DNYUZ
- Accessibility at Dartmouth: A Five-year Effort- The Dartmouth
- Increasing at-home COVID test accessibility for the blind- WMAR (Video)
- FCC Extends Temporary COVID Waivers for Relay Services- FCC
- How the eLearning Space has Changed Last Year- CIO Applications
- Federal program offers cash to cover COVID-19 funeral costs- KTUL
- Study shows fourth booster dose increases antibodies fivefold- Open Access Government
- BORP scores a goal — making sports accessible to physically disabled athletes – Berkeleyside
- The Pandemic Has Highlighted the Need for Accessible Technology in Government- StateTech
- What employers can do to be more inclusive of people with disabilities, from remote work to changing the job ad
- COVID-19 and the Americans with Disabilities Act- Common Questions About COVID and the ADA- ADA.gov
- 77% of workers with disabilities say their employer has done a better job supporting them since the pandemic started- CNBC
- Partnering with persons with disabilities toward an inclusive, accessible and sustainable post-COVID-19 world – Business World
- Undergraduate senators call for increased online course accessibility for disabled students, anti-doxxing policy re-consideration- The Stanford Daily
Accessibility Blogs and Information
- Keeping tabs on accessibility- BCS
- Diversity: Snowball effect- TBI Vision
- WID Monthly Newsletter: December 2021
- A11y and the Digital World – The Good Men Project
- Behind the effort to make sidewalks accessible- WBUR (Podcast)
- Accessibility Mentoring Program- Accessible Community
- Job Accommodation Network Solution Showcase Videos (YouTube)
- 5 “W”s of an Accessible Website- Legal Internet Solutions
- Make Your Home Handicap Accessible – Middletown Media
- Hotel Websites and ADA Compliance- Hotel News Resource
- Accessibility Law and How They Apply to Health Plans- NFB
- For disabled citizens to have the police they deserve – The Hindu
- Wish list of visually-impaired online banking user- The Sun Daily
- Q&A With Lainey Feingold, Disability Rights Lawyer- Equal Entry
- Mission: AstroAccess is Making Space Accessible for All- Astrobites
- AEM Center: S.01, Ep.02: Accessibility at CAST, Moving into Policy (Podcast)
- 10 accessible web design examples to model your site after- UsableNet
- How to Handle Captioning & ASL Requests for Virtual Meetings- PEAT
- Learning disability and genetic testing research- Learning Disability Today
- Top 10 Accessibility and Inclusive Design Highlights of 2021 – Newz Hook
- Disabled student unions advocate for accessible campuses – Inside Higher Ed
- 4 Reasons ADA Compliance is Important for Ecommerce Stores- WebProNews
- Accessibility Is a Priority, Not a Sacrifice – Association for Talent Development
- Second Circuit Decisions Hold the ADA Does Not Cover Websites- Schiff Hardin
- The Legal Landscape of Website Accessibility ADA Claims – National Law Review
- Faces of the Pack: Recognizing Jeanine Mooers on World Braille Day- Nevada Today
- What’s New in WCAG 2.2 Working Draft | Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI)- W3C
- New Act Modernizes Construction Standards and Building Accessibility- MLT Aikins
- Are the Terms and Conditions in Your Online Agreement Enforceable?- Shep Davidson
- Inclusive marketing resources to strengthen your brand’s messaging – Search Engine Land
- Why charities should make website accessibility their New Years Resolution- Charity Digital
- Feds Adopt Better Street Accessibility Guidelines — But Will They Make a Difference? – Streetsblog USA
- Report: 77% of employees living with disabilities say their workplace has improved accessibility- VentureBeat
- 2021 AccessibleNYC – Report To Improve Quality Of Life For People With Disabilities- Harlem World Magazine
- Subjective and Objective User Behavior Disparity: Towards Balanced Visual Design and Color Adjustment – Docwire News
- Who is KR Liu, the Google Accessibility leader who seeks to transform the view on people with disabilities- Market Research Telecast
- How “Accessible” is Your Website? Resolve to Prioritize Digital Accessibility in the New Year and Avoid a Lawsuit- Womble Bond Dickinson
- Disability Leaders Call on LA Community Colleges to Abandon Supreme Court Threat to Disability Rights- Disability Rights Education & Defense Fund
- Accessibility Matters Panel Discussion- Los Angeles Times & CSUN President Erika D. Beck Featured in LA Times DEIA Leadership Forum- CSUN Today
Accessibility Announcements and Products
- What Is Android Accessibility Suite?
- Winners of the 2021 Accessibility Awards
- Accessible Pharmacy Services for the Blind
- OverDrive Gives Libby Accessibility Updates
- 17 Must-Read Books for Software Developers
- FCC Releases Report on Nationwide EAS Test
- Berkeley Survey Aims To Improve Accessibility
- AccessNow – pin-pointing accessibility worldwide
- Rochester Accessible Adventures wins Matchstick Prize
- Art for the Senses: Sensory Art Show Features Student Artwork
- Labrador’s self-driving shelf robots are a win for home accessibility
- CVS Makes Reading Prescriptions More Accessible With Spoken Rx
- New platform highlights Calgary’s accessible and inclusive businesses
- Deem Leverages Mobile, Standards For Corporate Travel Accessibility
- Meta’s Portal to support live American Sign Language interpreting apps
- Accurate Mac speech recognition is all about the mic, says quadriplegic user
- Ontario names new committee chair to improve accessibility in public spaces
- 8 accessible products to help you enjoy arts and crafts if you have a disability
- Teen’s ASL app makes beloved Disney films more accessible for deaf children
- Grants available for projects to improve lives of individuals with developmental disabilities
- Dallas City Council approves new Commission on Disabilities proposed by Mayor Johnson
- New audio brochure makes national park more accessible for visitors with visual impairments
- SUNY Oswego’s Rebecca Mushtare Named To SUNY Task Force For Students With Disabilities
- Major step toward a barrier-free Canada with coming into force of Accessible Canada Regulations
- Fulton commissioners conducting study on arts and culture accessibility for individuals with disabilities
- Google Mandates New Accessibility, Safety And Emergency Features For Android 12 GMS Certification
- EnChroma and Pinnacle Scopes Offer Scenic Viewers Specially Modified for People with Color Blindness
- Human Space to develop research project aimed at eliminating physical barriers to Canada’s heritage buildings
- FiturNext Observatory announces the winning initiatives of the 2022 Challenge, focused on accessibility in tourism
- TikTok Is Adding A Slew Of New, Accessible Video Making & Editing Tools To Ease Users Into The Creative Process
- CaptionCall Announces Service Enhancements and Reaffirms Its Commitment to Accessible Communication for Callers
- Public Service Vehicles Accessibility Regulations 2000 and their application to home-to-school and rail replacement coach services
- Media Bureau Seeks Comment on Peloton Interactive, Inc.’s Petition for Limited Waiver of Accessible User Interfaces Requirements
- Digitalage’s Mantra “Innovate for Good” Embraces ADA Compliance Including Text to Speech Features, a First For a Social Media Network
- Reminder: Changes to Texas Disabled Veteran License Plates Coming in 2022- Disabled Veteran Plates with the International Symbol of Access will be available (PDF)
- The Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA) today announced that the Accessible Transportation Planning and Reporting Regulations are now finalized and published in Part II of the Canada Gazette
Accessibility Forums, Tips, and Gaming
- What are captions?
- Alternative Text for Images
- Section 508 ICT Testing Baseline
- An introduction to Accessibility on iOS
- How to Use the Zoom Feature on iPhone
- Accessibility: Organizing Your Layers Panel
- Accessibility features supported on Instagram
- Designing for Accessibility: Color and Contrast
- Your Quick Guide to Shopify ADA Compliance
- #65: Accessibility is a Spectrum for Gamers, Too
- 7 games that pushed accessibility forward in 2021
- How to Quickly Toggle Subtitles on the Apple TV
- Accessibility: Applying Header Tags to Text Boxes
- 7 things you didn’t know your new iPhone could do
- Forza Horizon 5 and the State of Accessibility at Xbox
- Noteworthy Advancement in Accessibility for 2021 Winner
- How gamers want to create better, safer spaces online in 2022
- This Conference Puts Accessibility in Gaming Front and Center
- How Accessibility Options Have Opened Up Gaming to More People
- PS5 and accessibility: PlayStation wants a future for players of all abilities
- How Accessible Are Zelda, Pokémon And Animal Crossing For Blind Gamers?
- Adapting VR Games for People with Disabilities | Accessibility VR Meetup Recap
- How The Accessible Games Database Is Bringing The Fun Of Gaming To Everyone
- Accessibility was more visible than ever in 2021, but not always in a way that’s helpful
- You May Not Know These 10 Great Accessibility Recommendations For Apple’s iPhone
- Shacknews Outstanding Achievement in Accessibility of 2021 – Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart (YouTube)
- Dying 2 Know More episode 5 explores the UX and accessibility in Dying Light 2 Stay Human
- Steven Spohn On Strides In Accessibility For Gaming, And Nintendo’s Room For Improvement
- “It’s a true frontier of game design”: How Naughty Dog and Insomniac Games think about accessibility
Accessibility Statements
- Fable
- CoinDesk
- Amalie Arena
- St. Francis College
- Saarland University
- University of Virginia
- Adventure Medical Kits
- Climate Change Committee
- Kentucky Historical Society
- Anne Arundel County Public Library
- Accessibility in the News: Accessibility Statement Pages
Microassist Digital Accessibility Services
Have you received an accessibility demand letter because of your website or application? Please contact us for any questions you have about our accessibility services and how we might support your organization.
Services include:
- Accessible Website and Application Development— We rely heavily on accessibility best practices and using HTML5 and ARIA (Accessible Rich Internet Applications) standards to build WCAG-compliant and human-tested accessible environments. Our teams are proficient in open source technologies such as WordPress, Drupal and Moodle, as well as custom frameworks in .NET, PHP, AngularJS, and other frameworks. Our Learning and Development team can also help you create accessible custom training.
- Accessible Document Services— Whether you’re dealing with a few or a warehouse of Microsoft Office documents, PDFs, or other files, there are several ways Microassist can enable your team to offer documents and materials that meet stringent accessibility standards.
- Accessibility Remediation— Our accessibility remediation services help you fix existing materials so that they conform to WCAG, Section 504 and 508, Department of Education OCR, and ADA Title II/III requirements. We remediate websites, applications, documents, and elearning, recommending re-creation when that is more efficient and economical. Especially for website and applications, to find out what is in need of remediation, we’ll start with an Accessibility Audit.
- Accessibility Training— With several courses available for developers, testers, and content creators, your team can become equipped to consistently and expertly produce accessible digital products and online environments.
- VPAT®Evaluation Services— Primarily used by government purchasers and government vendors during the procurement and sale of ICT products and services under Section 508, a Voluntary Product Accessibility Template® (VPAT) attests to the accessibility of a given product or service. Contact us to make sure the VPAT you write or review is accurate and meaningful.
Learn More About Digital Accessibility
Our Digital Accessibility Digest blog covers our Accessibility in the News archives as well as expert commentaries on digital accessibility issues.
Our most popular commentaries include:
- The WCAG 2.1 Update: A Brief Look at What’s Changed
- Introducing VPAT®0, the More Stringent Accessibility Reporting Tool Required for Government IT Procurement
- Accessibility in the News, Legal Edition: Updates on ADA Title III News and More
- What Lawyers Need to Know: A Primer on Digital Accessibility Terms and Today’s Legal Landscape
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