Accessibility in the News—3/23/18.

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AITN Quote of the Week

We learn as much from sorrow as from joy, as much from illness as from health, from handicap as from advantage – and indeed perhaps more.

―Pearl S. Buck

National News (U.S.)

CSUN 2018 Assistive Technology Conference Backchannel

Were you able to make it to CSUN? Maybe not? Never fear! Below is a growing selection of tweets and resources from the 2018 CSUN Assistive Technology Conference (#CSUNATC18), the largest international conference focused on assistive technology. Sponsored by the California State University Northridge Center on Disabilities, the goal of the event is to expand the awareness of professionals and introduce newcomers to the disability field. The CSUN ATC Backchannel is brought to you by the accessibility and elearning teams at Microassist. It captures informative Twitter comments and tips from the conference along with interviews with industry experts. We also aim to make it a central resource for conference presentations. If you would like your presentation content added to the Backchannel, please contact us.

MIT Hackathon Tackles Accessibility Challenges

March 15, 2018 | Source: Campus Technology

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology recently hosted its annual Assistive Technology Hackathon (ATHack), an event that brings together people with disabilities and students from the graduate to Ph.D. level to work on prototypes for assistive tools. During this year’s multidisciplinary event, teams built “an accessible beanbag-toss game, a personalized blood pressure cuff, a portable and collapsible shower chair, battery and structural optimizations for power soccer league wheelchairs and more,” according to information released by MIT…

How tech firms are increasing accessibility for disabled users

March 16, 2018 | Source: VentureBeat

Nearly 20 percent of people in the U.S have a disability, according to U.S. Census Bureau data, with more than half of those reporting a “severe” disability. That figure is roughly consistent with other countries — in the U.K., for example, 13.3 million people are registered as disabled, which translates to roughly 20 percent of the population. Against that backdrop, technology companies are pushing to make their services more accessible to those with various disabilities and impairments…

[Women in Tech] At Microsoft, Subha Sateesh is driving change to empower people with disabilities

March 16, 2018 | Source: YourStory

Women in technology are exerting more influence and leading the way in pioneering research and application processes in diverse industries. From artificial intelligence, machine learning, and augmented reality to virtual reality and applications that drive change, women trailblazers are leading tech innovation at different levels. Subha Sateesh, Program Manager at the Microsoft Office Group, uses tech to empower the disabled and make a difference in their lives. Her career at Microsoft has, over the last 15 years, spanned diverse roles and technologies…

The technology that gave Stephen Hawking a voice should be accessible to all who need it

March 16, 2018 | Source: The Conversation AU

Stephen Hawking was one of the most prominent people in history to use a high-tech communication aid known as augmentative and alternative communication (AAC). His death comes in the year of the 70th Anniversary of the Declaration of Human Rights. Over the course of his adult life, Hawking came to represent the epitome of what effective communication with AAC systems really means: gaining access to the human right of communication enshrined in Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights…

EA Is Trying To Make Games More Accessible To Disabled Players

March 17, 2018 | Source: Cinema Blend & NoobFeed & Ars Technica

Increasing accessibility for video games has been a target goal for many AAA publishers, including Sony, Ubisoft and Nintendo. Well, joining them is Electronic Arts, who has a new initiative to help make its titles more accessible to gamers. Over on the official EA website, the company announced that it’s opening up a new Accessibility Portal. This portal will allow gamers to access news, blogs, and discussion threads regarding information about Electronic Arts titles and the accessibility functionality for those games…

Disability groups sue for elevator access

March 18, 2018 | Source: Workers World

Led by the Center for Independence of the Disabled, New York, several individual plaintiffs and other disability rights’ organizations joined forces March 5 to sue the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, New York City Transit and the city of New York for elevator access to each and every subway station in the city. Of the 472 stations, currently only 110 have elevators, making New York’s transit system the least accessible in the entire nation. In addition, the rate of repair of broken elevators is abysmal, so not all 110 stations are usable at any given time…

These Google employees used their ’20 percent’ time to improve Maps for people in wheelchairs

March 18, 2018 | Source: CNBC

Over eight years ago, a rotted tree branch crashed down on Sasha Blair-Goldensohn as he walked through Central Park, putting him in a temporary coma and partially paralyzing his lower body. Blair-Goldensohn returned to work less than two years later, equipped with both a new wheelchair and a fresh perspective on how his employer — Google — designs products to help people with disabilities. Google has long had an ‘accessibility team’ that strives to make digital services like search and Gmail usable for those with limited vision, hearing or mobility…

Public Knowledge Welcomes Marrakesh Treaty Implementation Act to Increase Accessible Content

March 19, 2018 | Source: Public Knowledge Tech News

Recently, bipartisan leadership of the Senate Judiciary and Foreign Relations Committees introduced the Marrakesh Treaty Implementation Act (S. 2559). The bill amends the U.S. Copyright Act to ensure compliance with the Marrakesh Treaty adopted by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) in 2013. The Marrakesh Treaty requires countries to enact copyright exceptions that allow the creation and distribution of accessible format copies such as braille, audiobooks or digital files for consumers. Among other things, the treaty enables the importation and exportation among treaty members of accessible versions of printed works…

The keys to accessible VR: design deliberately, prototype aggressively

March 20, 2018 | Source: Gamasutra

Game developers are still figuring out virtual reality and, as Owlchemy Labs’ Andrew Eiche and Cy Wise explained, that makes now the perfect time to figure out how to design in a way that addresses accessibility issues. During their talk “Accessibility in VR: How It Can Be Better” at the Game Developers Conference earlier today, Eiche and Wise shared lessons from their own experiences developing VR games like Job Simulator and Rick and Morty: Virtual Rick-ality and shared their own research on how accessible other virtual reality games have been so far…

Gaming Has Many Visually Impaired Fans. Why Not Serve Them Better?

March 20, 2018 | Source: KQED

few years ago, Madden NFL graphics developer Karen Stevens won a “game jam” — or hackathon — at the video game company Electronic Arts. Her pitch: tweak the code to make it possible to adjust, brightness and contrast controls, opt for bigger menu icons and change the colors — you know, for people who are colorblind. “Turns out one out of 12 men are colorblind, and one out of 200 women,” Stevens says. “There are probably half a million color-blind Madden players, so it really makes an impact.”…

‘Anthem’ Latest News: BioWare Adds Options Making Game More Accessible to Individuals With Color Blindness

March 20, 2018 | Source: Christian Post

Accessibility is highly important for games because the medium relies on the players being able to properly interpret the elements being shown onscreen. Over the years, developers have included options in games designed to accommodate individuals dealing with color blindness, and of the upcoming releases, BioWare’s “Anthem” is expected to be one that arrives with those features included. Spotted recently by Gamingbolt, BioWare’s Brenon Holmes was again active on Reddit recently and answered queries from fans looking forward to the game…

Uber faces lawsuit for denying rides to woman with service animal

March 20, 2018 | Source: Engadget & The Sun

Uber is facing still more legal trouble over its accessibility issues. Texas resident D’Edra Steele has sued the ridesharing company for allegedly denying her 25 rides due to the service dog she needs for her cerebral palsy. Reportedly, drivers would either give excuses (such as a lack of blankets or dog allergies) or would even speed off the moment they saw Steele’s companion animal. Steele also had to deal with “disparaging” remarks some of the times she did get rides. Steele also alleges that Uber didn’t do enough to address her concerns…

DOJ: Westport, inn, restaurant will make changes to comply with ADA

March 20, 2018 | Source: Greenwich Time & Wesport Now & Westport Daily Voice

Several changes will be made as the town and a local inn, as well as a local restaurant, work to ensure they comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act. The Department of Justice announced Tuesday that settlement agreements were reached with the Inn at Longshore, the Pearl at Longshore Restaurant and the Town of Westport. The settlement resolves allegations that the inn and the restaurants “were not operating in compliance” with the ADA of 1990, the DOJ said…

Arizona Storytellers improves accessibility for guests with hearing loss at 2018 shows

March 20, 2018 | Source: AZCentral

Over the past seven years, the Arizona Storytellers Project has helped hundreds of people share true, first-person stories on stage in front of an audience of strangers. This year, it’s working to expand that audience. In an effort to help guests who are deaf or have hearing loss, the Arizona Storytellers Project is providing live, open captioning at all remaining shows in 2018. More than 1 million Arizonans have some form of hearing loss. Captioning ensures that more people can enjoy the event…

CUNA and LSCU file brief in ADA Case

March 21, 2018 | Source: CUInsight

League of Southeastern Credit Unions and Affiliates joins CUNA in Amicus Brief filing

March 21, 2018 | Source: CUInsight

Credit Union National Association and the League of Southeastern Credit Unions and Affiliates filed an amicus brief in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Alabama defending a credit union hit with a lawsuit alleging violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). “This brief was filed by CUNA and LSCU to continue our aggressive defense of credit unions hit with predatory lawsuits from plaintiffs’ attorneys looking to exploit a law that protects disabled Americans,” said CUNA President/CEO Jim Nussle…

The Importance Of Web Accessibility And How Marketers Can Help

March 21, 2018 | Source: Forbes

The internet is arguably the most powerful resource known to mankind. We have access to more information than we could ever digest in a lifetime, and that information has changed millions of lives. Of course, the internet isn’t perfect, but we can fix many of its flaws, like lack of accessibility. Not everyone can take full advantage of the internet, and that’s a problem. Many users need to be accommodated for one reason or another. Think of older folks with weak vision or who are blind. Sadly, not all websites are optimized for these kinds of visitors…

Communications Accessibility in Games: What Game Developers Need to Know

March 21, 2018 | Source: JD Supra

Starting January 1, 2019, any new video game software that is capable of accessing or using an advanced communications service (ACS) must include solutions to eliminate barriers to accessibility for people with disabilities. The Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC’s) current waiver of the obligation to have accessible ACS in video game software products will expire at the end of the year. This document will help video game software developers become better informed, plan appropriately, and keep adequate records for the purpose of meeting this new obligation…

No Relief in Sight from Website Accessibility Lawsuits

March 21, 2018 | Source: Retail Law Advisor

In February 2017, we reported on a surge in website accessibility lawsuits brought under the Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”). This litigation trend has accelerated over the past year and shows no signs of slowing down. Title III of the ADA prohibits discrimination against disabled persons in places of “public accommodation.” Generally, businesses that provide goods or services to the public must provide disabled individuals with the same type of access to those goods and services as they provide to individuals who are not disabled, and must remove certain existing barriers to access…

Westport inn and restaurant reach settlement over ADA compliance

March 21, 2018 | Source: Westfair Online

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for Connecticut has reached settlement agreements with the Town of Westport and two local establishments, the Inn at Longshore and the Pearl at Longshore Restaurant, related to charges that they were not in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The settlement resolves an ADA complaint brought by an unnamed claimant who said the establishments could not be accessed by the disabled. The Inn at Longshore leases its premises from the town and the Pearl at Longshore Restaurant leases its premises from the Inn at Longshore. The town provides parking facilities for both entities…

A flood of lawsuits demand websites accommodate the disabled

March 22, 2018 | Source: CBS News

Hundreds of companies are facing federal class actions filed in recent months alleging that their websites don’t comply with the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) because people with physical challenges have difficulties using them. Among those being sued are Nike, Burger King, Hershey, Lord & Taylor and Pandora. Under Title III of the ADA, it’s illegal to discriminate against disabled persons “in the full and equal enjoyment of public accommodations.” Applying that standard to websites is tricky because the 1990 ADA predated the Internet as a mass medium….

Colorado updating curb ramps for accessibility

March 22, 2018 | Source: Transportation Today & Loveland Reporter-Herald

The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) recently implemented an $85 million program to ensure all state highway-system curb ramps are accessible to people with disabilities by 2021. CDOT staff and consultants visited more than 20,000 curb ramps to access accessibility between 2013 and 2017 and took inventory of how the curbs comply with CDOT’s Americans With Disabilities Act Compliance Transition Plan. Curbs were measured and examined for things such as adequate turnaround space for a wheelchair and steepness of the curb ramp…

Wonderful marble run made out of fidget spinners, and a parable about accessibility and abled people

March 22, 2018 | Source: Boing Boing

Fidget spinners are wonderful. Hear me out. Accessibility advocates have always said that disability is a spectrum and the line that separates an abled person from a person with a disability is arbitrary. I am not legally visually impaired, but I can’t read low-contrast text at all, and I use browser plugins designed for people who have formal visual impairments to read much of the web by increasing the contrast and size of the type on my screen. In the same way, there are lots of “auditory learners” who don’t have a formal diagnosis of a reading disability or ADHD…

The most inspirational part of SXSW wasn’t a new tech. It was a person

March 22, 2018 | Source: Mashable

Texting a friend when you’re in the same room isn’t that unusual. But interviewing someone over text when you’re staring them in the eyes doesn’t feel right. For Haben Girma, communicating with keyboards is simply a necessity. Girma, 29, is deaf and blind; she was born that way. But none of that prevented her from speaking at two packed panels during South by Southwest last week and taking a few minutes to chat with me. “Hi Haben, I’m Kerry, reporter for Mashable,” I typed on a keyboard that was placed in front of me outside of a conference room…

Children of a Lesser God Announces Services to Broaden Inclusivity

March 22, 2018 | Source: Theater Mania

Producer Hal Luftig has announced three ways audiences can experience the Broadway revival of Mark Medoff’s Children of a Lesser God at Studio 54 — an effort to broaden the show’s accessibility to patrons of all abilities. At every performance, the production will feature supertitles, with the play’s text incorporated into the show’s scenic design. Additionally, every performance will feature closed captioning available through the GalaPro app which is available on Apple or Android devices…

Jack Fact — Around 10,000 people turn 65 every day in the United States, and by 2030, there will be 72 million people over 65 nationwide. Some 43 million people already provide care to family members — either their own parents or children — according to AARP, and half of them are “sandwich generation” women, ages 40 to 60. All told, they contribute an estimated $470 billion a year in unpaid assistance.

International News

Dundee’s disabled accessibility highlighted

March 16, 2018 | Source: The Courier- UK

The Tayside areas are the latest to be featured in the Accessible Highlights Series created by Euan’s Guide, a disabled access review website. However, local disability campaigners have previously warned facilities at the city’s train station are not up to scratch and could put people off visiting Dundee. The guide shows ways disabled visitors might explore the city, out to Broughty Ferry and along the coastal route to Angus. Practical information about accessibility is woven throughout the guide, which features locations such as Discovery Point, Verdant Works and the upcoming V&A…

Access all areas

March 16, 2018 | Source: Research Information- Europe (Free Registration)

The case for making publications accessible is so obvious and has been made so often that I won’t waste time here setting out those arguments. You know that accessibility is the right thing to do. What you may not know is that making a publication accessible has recently become a whole lot more straightforward – and that your publications today are closer to being made properly accessible – than you realise. The time has come for scholarly journal articles, my focus in this essay, to get accessible…

Accessibility Advisory Board holds first meeting

March 16, 2018 | Source: HalifaxToday- Canada & Globalnews- Canada & 100.5 Fresh Radio

Nova Scotia’s newly appointed Accessibility Advisory Board is holding their first meeting on Friday. The province has set a goal to be fully accessible by 2030 and the board has until fall to develop a plan to meet that deadline. Chair Douglas Foster admits it’s an ambitious target, but said there are several things that can be done immediately to start improving accessibility. “There’s aspects of this that go beyond physical design of space,” he explained. “How people interact, how you make people more comfortable, identifying disabilities…there’s many aspects to it.”…

Blind woman sues CBA over touchscreen POS machines

March 16, 2018 | Source: Finextra- Australia

A blind woman has lodged a lawsuit against Commonwealth Bank of Australia over its “inaccessible” touchscreen-only Albert POS terminal, which she says is so difficult to use she often needs to share her PIN with shop staff. In an unusual step for a bank, CBA teamed up with German tech firm Wincor Nixdorf and Ideo to launch an Android-based tablet POS system dubbed Albert in March 2015. The offering has proved a success, and there are now more than 88,000 machines throughout Australia…

New Baldy program makes mountain sports accessible for those with disabilities

March 16, 2018 | Source: Osoyoos Times- Canada

A new program at Baldy Mountain Resort is aiming to make the hill more accessible for everyone, specifically those with disabilities. Baldy Mountain Resort and Kelowna-based non-profit People in Motion have announced the establishment of an adaptive sports program at Baldy in time for next season. Baldy Blue Jays Adaptive Sports will support people with physical and cognitive disabilities to access mountain sports. Baldy instructor Bryce Beckett, who is leading the project and has worked with five clients already, described the community as “good vibes central.”…

Journey to Paralympics shouldn’t include financial or accessibility obstacles

March 17, 2018 | Source: CBC- Canada

Sport is expensive. It’s no secret the rising cost of sport makes participation impossible for many Canadian families. But within the Paralympic community, the cost of sport isn’t the only preventative obstacle, access is an additional burden. “Our experience has been positive, not just because we have the ability to pay money out of our pocket, but in Calgary there is a growing number of opportunities,” shared Mark Starratt. Mark’s son Alex is a smart, passionate nine-year-old boy with rare genetic disorder called spinal muscular atrophy…

Accessibility as a human right must for persons with disability: UN Expert

March 17, 2018 | Source: Times of India

Promoting accessibility along with the development of skill sets holds key to empowering people with disabilities, a United Nations (UN) official said at an ASSOCHAM event held in New Delhi. “We need to realise that we cannot have meaningful employment unless we have education and skill sets which will not happen unless there is accessibility which is the driver of empowerment,” said Dorodi Sharma, UN disability specialist (India) while addressing an ASSOCHAM conference on Empowering persons with disabilities through accessible and assistive technology…

Seychellois with disabilities need accessible transport, workplace accommodation, official says

March 17, 2018 | Source: Seychelles News Agency- Africa

Accessible public transportation and workplace access are areas that need to be improved for people with disabilities in Seychelles, the minister for family affairs has said. Minister for Family Affairs Jeanne Simeon recently headed a delegation of five to Geneva, Switzerland to represent the country at the United Nations Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. The conference took place in late February. Seychelles ratified the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in 2009…

Alison Mau: Wheelchairs with flat tyres, cups up high, pedal bins in disabled loos

March 18, 2018 | Source: Stuff- New Zealand

I had one of those conversations this week, the ones where you learn something huge, and then are ashamed you didn’t already know it. It came courtesy of a close friend and former flatmate, and her husband, in New Zealand for a sailing regatta. We had dinner and a lot of laughs in a ground floor restaurant with wide-opening doors. That last bit is important because Russell uses a wheelchair; a former naval officer, he ruined his spine in a motorbike accident 30 years ago…

Paralympics: Disabled people experience accessibility issues

March 18, 2018 | Source: Island Packet- South Korea & ABC News & Korea Times

As the world’s top Paralympic athletes competed on ice and snow, Erica Mitchell steered through her own obstacle course on Pyeongchang’s narrow and uneven streets. The 31-year-old Chicago resident was one of many people with disabilities who spoke to The Associated Press this week about accessibility problems at the Paralympic Games in South Korea’s rural east, despite what organizers described as a “perfectly” organized event that provided the “highest level” of access…

Vision on: Patients regain eyesight after groundbreaking macular degeneration trial

March 19, 2018 | Source: Express- UK

A man in his early 80s and a woman in her early 60s received a new stem cell-based treatment for age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a condition which leads to a rapid loss of central vision. It is the first time an engineered piece of tissue has been successfully used to treat people with sudden severe sight loss. The study into AMD – a condition which affects more than 600,000 people in the UK – is a major milestone for the London Project to Cure Blindness. Researchers believe it could lead to an ‘off-the-shelf’ treatment within five years…

Books for the blind funding renewal prompts blowback

March 18, 2018 | Source: Globalnews- Canada

It seemed like an obvious choice last weekend for the Liberal government, but Ottawa’s confirmation that it would help fund the production of accessible books through the Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB) is prompting some unexpected blowback. The Canadian Federation of the Blind (CFB), which helps support blind Canadians but is not affiliated with the CNIB, contacted Global News this week to flag what they call the CNIB’s “lobbying juggernaut.”…

Why Even the Best Resourced Businesses Get Tripped up by Digital Accessibility

March 19, 2018 | Source: Which-50- Australia

Reports surfaced this month that the Commonwealth Bank is facing legal action over the accessibility of its point of sale eftpos machine known as ‘Albert’. The news stands as a stark reminder that even the biggest companies, those with resources, compliance expertise – and according to the CBA – the will to build accessibility into its services, can be easily tripped up without due diligence to process. Nadia Mattiazzo, who is blind, is alleging the touchscreen terminal and its lack of a tactile keypad is discriminatory…

Meet the man who is empowering the specially abled with technology

March 19, 2018 | Source: YourStory- India

The 2011 census reveals that India is home to 2.68 crore people with disability, be it physical or mental. While people with disabilities battle multiple challenges, be it people’s attitudes, acceptance and inclusion, lack of access to good quality education and employment keep many from being financially independent. It was to mitigate this problem that Pranav Desai founded the Voice of Specially Abled People (VoSAP), a global advocacy organisation that promotes empowerment of specially abled people through accessibility, education, and employment…

Via Rail to purchase new trains with federal funding

March 19, 2018 | Source: Toronto Star- Canada

Via Rail won’t establish minimum content requirements for the new trains it plans to order for Canada’s main railway corridor that transports millions of passengers annually. “As Via Rail is a Crown corporation, the procurement process must be compliant with laws and international treaties,” spokesperson Mylene Belanger wrote in an email. The national passenger service said Monday that it will launch a request for qualifications, followed by a request for proposals that will take about a year to complete…

AISH changes aim to expand accessibility for persons with disabilities

March 19, 2018 | Source: MetroNews- Canada

The province is looking to eliminate a rule that currently prevents people with trust funds from also receiving benefits under the Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped Act. Advocates say the law has had the unintended effect of leaving some children without AISH benefits after their parents death. If passed, new legislation proposed Monday would allow families, guardians and AISH recipients to set up trusts without the trustee being disqualified from AISH eligibility…

Gauging interest in small business grant with Sydney session

March 19, 2018 | Source: Cape Breton Post- Canada

A provincial grant program launched last fall aimed at assisting small business become more accessible to those with disabilities has had only one applicant from the Cape Breton Regional Municipality seek funding. The $1-million Small Business ACCESS-Ability Program was launched in Sydney on Dec. 1 through the Department of Communities, Culture and Heritage. Business Cape Breton, the CBRM’s economic development agency, is assisting businesses that want to participate in the program but find the application process daunting…

Why it’s time for the MICE sector to wake up to accessible tourism

March 20, 2018 | Source: SpiceNews- Australia

There isn’t one agreed term but Wikipedia defines it as: ‘Accessible tourism is the ongoing endeavour to ensure tourist destinations, products and services are accessible to all people, regardless of their physical limitations, disabilities or age. It encompasses publicly and privately owned tourist locations.’ The most important first point is to recognise that there is an opportunity and start seeing what you already have and which sectors you can serve. On top of that there are two areas: the specialist one – the growing range of conferences that will be specifically for or about accessible tourism or inclusive design…

Accessibility for all

March 20, 2018 | Source: BlueNotes- New Zealand

Sue Curran and David Stallard have one goal right now – preparing for the upcoming 2018 Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast, where they will be competing in lawn bowls. They will be competing in B2/3 mixed pairs where they are aiming to improve on their fourth place from the games four years ago in Glasgow. However, Curran and Stallard are more than just team mates – they have something else in common. They are both vision impaired. Curran says a common motto that blind people have used for many years is ‘don’t let what you can’t do stop you from doing what you can’…

Access to work: Funding increase for disabled workers

March 20, 2018 | Source: BBC News- UK

The maximum amount disabled people can claim to help them access employment is set to increase to £57,000 a year. This is a £15,000 – or 38% – rise from the current cap on Access to Work funding, which was introduced in 2015. The work and pensions secretary said the move was part of the government’s commitment to have one million more disabled people in work by 2027. But campaigners have launched a legal challenge saying the cap could affect deaf people and those with high needs…

Disability in Madrid: Education

March 20, 2018 | Source: ParaSport News- Spain

One of the areas with the least amount of data regarding services for populations with disabilities involves education. Among the data provided by the Ayuntamiento de Madrid, only information on school funding improvements to make facilities more accessible and the number of special education students enrolled in technical education programs are provided. The available data is incredibly limited, providing only a limited glimpse of how children and young adults with disabilities are assisted during their formative years…

Call for accessible facilities

March 21, 2018 | Source: Fiji Times- Fiji

A budgetary submission was made yesterday calling for more accessible and disability friendly facilities and premises at the main Fiji National University (FNU) campus. FNU student Peniasi Rawaidranu, who is confined to a wheelchair, made the oral submission to Minister for Economy and Education Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum during the second 2018/2019 budget consultations for tertiary students at the FNU campus. Mr Rawaidranu had asked if Government could increase FNU’s budget allocation in the new financial year…

Ministry to address access for disabled

March 21, 2018 | Source: Bangkok Post- Thailand

The Transport Ministry has established a committee with representatives from disabled individual rights activist groups to improve accessibility standards on public transport, the minister Arkhom Termpittayapaisith said on Tuesday. He said the committee, headed by Vice Minister for Transport Teerapong Rodprasert, will regularly hold talks to ensure efforts to bolster accessibility to all modes of transport are “thoroughly carried out. The committee is set to hold its first official meeting next Monday…

Lutyens Delhi area should be developed as model accessible place

March 21, 2018 | Source: India Today- India & Daily Pioneer

New Delhi, Mar 21 (PTI) The prime Lutyens Delhi area should be developed as a “model accessible place” for the disabled for other civic bodies to emulate, a senior official of the city government today said. Lutyens Delhi, which is home to several government offices and a number of private companies, falls under the administrative control of the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC). ?NDMC area should be developed as a model accessible place for other corporations to emulate,” Commissioner Disabilities, in the Delhi government T D Dhariyal, said…

Laval acts on universal accessibility for disabled

March 21, 2018 | Source: The Suburban- Canada

While Laval aims to develop a comprehensive policy on universal accessibility (PAUM), the city has adopted an Action Plan for persons with disabilities to integrate the inclusive approach into municipal decision-making processes. The plan will give the city the tools for interventions and demand compliance from all administrative units, to provide access to all regardless of abilities, to places, equipment, services, programs and information while promoting the same or equivalent autonomous and safe use, with the aim of equity…

Mixed messages on disability

March 21, 2018 | Source: Access All Areas- UK

A recent case involving a Little Mix concert highlights a need for better clarity surrounding accessibility for Deaf fans. The issue of accessibility for Deaf fans at music events came under the spotlight following a dispute over the provision of an interpreter at a Little Mix concert on 1 September last year. Sally Reynolds, who is Deaf, is suing promoter LHG Live for not supplying a British Sign Language (BSL) interpreter for the entirety of the show at the South of England Event Centre in Sussex…

What Spending 24 Hours in a Wheelchair Teaches You About Trinity

March 22, 2018 | Source: The University Time- Ireland

On Wednesday morning, nine curious and hopeful students made their way over to the Atrium where their newest challenge awaited them: the wheelchair. The 24-hour wheelchair challenge, organised by Niamh Herbert, returned for its second year to inform students on “what it is like to be a wheelchair user in a completely inaccessible campus”. From 11am, the students would find themselves suddenly noticing how cobbly those cobble stones really are and just how far away the Lecky is from the Berkeley…

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