Accessibility in the News—3/9/18.

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AITN Quote of the Week

“Abled does not mean enabled. Disabled does not mean less abled.”

― Khang Kijarro Nguyen

National News (U.S.)

Parking Mobility recruits, trains and manages your citizen volunteers to help solve the universal problem of accessible parking abuse on the local level.

ADA Suit Against 1-800-Flowers.com Blooms

March 1, 2018 | Source: Lexology

Demonstrating the minefield facing online retailers, the U.S. District Court, District of Massachusetts refused to dismiss an Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accessibility suit filed against 1-800-Flowers.com. The plaintiffs—three individuals and national disability rights organization Access Now—alleged that the 16 sites operated by the defendant were not sufficiently accessible to blind and visually impaired consumers. They requested a permanent injunction compelling the defendant to bring the sites into compliance with the ADA, specifically Version 2.0 of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines…

Your School Could Be One Click Away From A Lawsuit

March 2, 2018 | Source: Mondaq

The education industry continues to be at the forefront when it comes to using emerging technology and digital marketing. For most schools, their website functions as the new reception area (albeit virtual), where both current and hopeful students and their families access information, explore what the school has to offer, and connect with the community. Though not necessarily an intuitive concept, you need to understand that in the eyes of the law, your website is akin to a physical structure that must be accessible to individuals with disabilities…

Getting to Know Kate Deibel, Inclusion and Accessibility Librarian

March 2, 2018 | Source: Syracuse University News

Last Wednesday, LISSA was lucky enough to welcome Inclusion and Accessibility Librarian, Kate Deibel. She was brought into its weekly meeting to discuss the challenges and reward of her new position. Kate shared that fate, coincidence, or whatever you prefer to call it played a part in her coast to coast journey to fill this role. In fact, she got messages from twenty people telling her about the Inclusion and Accessibility Librarian job posting at Syracuse University Libraries the day it was posted. The emails included nudging things like, Kate, this is you. Isn’t it?…

Panel outlines student experiences with accommodations, disability

March 2, 2018 | Source: The Bowdoin Orient

Amid ongoing efforts to improve Bowdoin’s handling of accommodations and disability, students, faculty and staff convened in Lancaster Lounge this week to hear four student panelists speak about their experiences navigating accessibility at Bowdoin, particularly accessibility in academics, and potential steps toward creating a more accessible campus. Zoe Borenstein ’18, a leader of the Disabled Students Association (DASA), organized the panel to make space for openness and honesty about students’ experiences with disabilities, with the goal of informing and producing real change…

City of Wadena, Detroit Lakes involved in possible ‘drive-by’ ADA lawsuits

March 2, 2018 | Source: Wadena Pioneer Journal

The cities of Wadena and Detroit Lakes could be the latest victims in what some believe is a ‘drive-by’ lawsuit. In other words, lawsuits in which an attorney and/or their clients grab onto a certain type of case and seek to apply it up and down the road they travel. In this instance, the city of Wadena is being sued over allegations of handicap accessibility at the Wadena Municipal Liquor Store. The city of Detroit Lakes is being sued for similar allegations by the same plaintiff…

Monterey Airbus, Inc. Agrees To Ensure Full Accessibility Of Airport Shuttle Service

March 2, 2018 | Source: Department of Justice

Monterey Airbus, Inc. has entered into a settlement agreement with the United States Attorney’s Office to resolve allegations that the Monterey-based company violated Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) by discriminating against customers with disabilities, announced Acting United States Attorney Alex G. Tse. As part of the settlement, Monterey Airbus will take steps to ensure that it provides equivalent service to individuals with disabilities…

ADA suit against BCM Federal Credit Union dismissed

March 2, 2018 | Source: Credit Union Journal

A lawsuit alleging violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act on the part of Houston-based BCM Federal Credit Union was voluntarily dismissed with prejudice Thursday, the Credit Union National Association said. CUNA and the Cornerstone Credit Union League together recently filed an amicus brief in support of the $41 million credit union’s motion to dismiss the case. Credit unions have been hit with a slew of lawsuits relating to alleged website accessibility issues plaintiffs claim violates the ADA in recent months…

Campus Safety for People with Disabilities

March 2, 2018 | Source: The Buchtelite

During a false fire alarm instance in Leigh Hall, I was on the third floor wondering how to get out of the building. As a student with physical disabilities, I started thinking about what other people with disabilities should do in emergency events. Mark Beers, Emergency Management Coordinator, said safety services do not always know how many people with disabilities are in a building during an emergency. Although Beers receives a list of students with disabilities from the Office of Accessibility, the list only contains those who have registered with them…

Uber Has Shortage Of Accessible Vehicles, Lawsuit Claims

March 2, 2018 | Source: Disability Scoop

When you request an Uber ride, you can swipe through options such as UberX, Pool, Black, SUV and WAV, which stands for “wheelchair accessible vehicle.” But according to a lawsuit filed this week that is seeking class-action status, the wheelchair-accessible vehicles are rarely if ever available in San Francisco and Alameda counties. “Although the app includes an UberWAV button, the reality is that this button is a sham,” the lawsuit said. Even when there are vehicles, customers must wait much longer for them than for other types of Uber rides, it says…

Addison Langford: Video games help level the playing field

March 4, 2018 | Source: Joplin Globe

You may or (more likely) may not know that March is developmental disability awareness month. Those with developmental disabilities mean a lot to me. I work with children with developmental disabilities, and my Mom has also worked with people with developmental disabilities for as long as I’ve been alive. Needless to say, they’re a demographic that’s close to my heart. Video games are another topic close to my heart, and I’d like to take a moment to let you know how those with disabilities utilize video games. People with disabilities are just that — people…

Ride-hail companies introduce health care transportation days after Uber lawsuit

March 5, 2018 | Source: San Francisco Examiner & Metro

Only days after Bay Area disability rights groups sued Uber over an alleged lack of wheelchair-accessible vehicles, both the ride-hail giant and its competitor, Lyft, announced health care-oriented transportation options. The companies touted the new services as especially convenient for seniors, though they often include people with disabilities and those who need wheelchair access. The two services — Uber Health and Lyft’s partnership with Allscripts, one of the top five electronic health records companies in the country — are focused on delivering transportation options to patients with hospital or doctor’s appointments…

Classroom Barricade Devices: A Dangerous Violation of Federal Laws

March 5, 2018 | Source: Campus Safety Magazine

Most classroom barricade devices violate ADA, NFPA and other federal codes that are designed to enable individuals with disabilities to quickly evacuate a dangerous situation. Whether you see the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) as a victory or a compromise largely depends on whether you are one of the 53 million Americans who has a disability. While there is no question that the passage of the ADA in 1990 significantly improved access to buildings, transportation and employment, it wasn’t nearly as comprehensive as most Americans assume…

Universities lose students with disabilities before they even finish high school

March 5, 2018 | Source: Dailyuw

The college dropout rate is high for students with disabilities, but that doesn’t capture the full picture. Many prospective students never apply to college in the first place because of accessibility gaps, and some don’t receive access to the resources they need to graduate high school. “It’s hard to identify at what point someone might be dropping out,” ASUW Student Disability Commission director Ashley D’Ambrosio said. “We can’t just think about it in terms of when they get here, because so many students are going through a non-traditional pathway.” …

Let everyone ride the subway

March 5, 2018 | Source: New York Daily News & City Limits

Disability rights activists rally against inaccessible subway system at Manhattan Supreme Court

March 5, 2018 | Source: New York Daily News

Monday morning in Manhattan state Supreme Court Justice Shlomo Hagler’s courtroom, lawyers for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, the Transit Authority and the City of New York will argue that the MTA/TA (the state-run operator of the subway) and the city (the owner of the subway) do not have to make the system accessible to people who use wheelchairs. While Hagler and the courts will sort out the legal obligation, the moral obligation — and the moral failing — of the TA and the city are clear cut: Over many years, they have done an atrocious job enabling the estimated 100,000 New Yorkers who use wheelchairs to ride public transit…

Risk System is a shmup that prioritizes accessibility while still being a challenge

March 5, 2018 | Source: PC Gamer

Whether you call them shmups, danmaku, or bullet hells, side-scrolling shooters are notorious for their cult followings and high difficulty. Chris Ekins of Newt Industries is making Risk System with a different approach, aiming for an audience distinct from the usual shmup enthusiast crowd. His goal is to make games anyone can play, preserving the empowering feeling of difficulty while doing as much as possible to make a game that doesn’t punish failure. He sat down to talk about accommodating players disabilities, teaching players to overcome challenge, and taking the sting out of setbacks…

Court tosses another ADA suit as CUs wait on DOJ guidance

March 5, 2018 | Source: Credit Union Journal

A federal judge has thrown out yet another lawsuit targeting a credit union for alleged violations of the Americans With Disabilities Act on its website. A federal district court in Virginia today tossed a suit against ABNB Federal Credit Union on the grounds that the plaintiff did not have standing to sue because of ineligibility for membership. A number of similar suits have been dismissed for that same reason already this year. “NAFCU is pleased to see yet another lawsuit dismissed against a credit union on this matter,” said Dan Berger, president and CEO of the National Association of Federally-Insured Credit Unions…

When ‘Accessible’ Trains, Buildings, and Parking Spaces Aren’t

March 6, 2018 | Source: Everyday Health

Last week, after a grueling day that included an hour’s drive to return a hired car, a four-hour train journey with one transfer, various public transportation modes in the city, and a high-pressure meeting, I was back on the last train of the night. This was a day I might have even considered “grueling” before multiple sclerosis (MS). I was sipping a well-earned glass of wine and finishing a new book recently put out by my publisher. The woman in the seat next to me remarked that she’d just read the same book, and we began a conversation that started with small talk but got pretty real, pretty quick…

CSU’s Resources for Disabled Students works through CDSA to enhance accessibility

March 7, 2018 | Source: Rocky Mountain Collegian

Colorado State University’s Committee for Disabled Student Accessibility wants to hear more proposals from disabled students. CSU’s Resources for Disabled Students main office can be found in Room 100, inside of the General Service Building; their satellite office can be found in Room 223 in the Lory Student Center. According to Joe Tiner, a member of CDSA, any student can submit a proposal with the intent to create a more accessible environment for disabled students on campus. “I would say the majority of the proposals come internally,” Tiner said…

ADA isn’t just the right thing to do – it’s good for business

March 7, 2018 | Source: Newsday & Eagle-Tribune

I am a successful entrepreneur, a teacher, a father, husband, and active community member. I purchase goods and services like everyone else. While I do not let multiple sclerosis define me, I do need a wheelchair and conversion van to get around. A couple of weeks ago our House of Representatives passed HR 620, the ADA Education and Reform Act of 2017. It sounds good: Educate people about the ADA and reform legislation that is more than 25 years old. But this bill significantly weakens the Americans with Disabilities Act and is a setback for civil rights…

With an assist from Apple, visually impaired Austin students learn to write code, fly drones

March 7, 2018 | Source: 512tech & Apple Insider & 9TO5Mac

Demetria Ober now knows first-hand that being visually impaired doesn’t have to stop you from writing software. Or flying a drone. Ober and fellow students at the Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired spent Wednesday morning with a team from Apple Inc. learning to code and then using the code to pilot small drones. “It’s really cool because a lot of us really good on computers and want to create apps, but there aren’t the tools,” said Ober, 18, who is legally blind. “This technology opens up more possibilities.”…

Dauphin County polling places changing for disabled-voter accessibility

March 8, 2018 | Source: PennLive.com

Some voters in Dauphin County will be casting their ballots in a new location, and others may see a few upgrades to their current polling places. It’s all part of a settlement agreement reached between the U.S. Department of Justice and the county to make their polling places compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Some of these upgrades will be simple fixes, Dauphin County Director of Elections Jerry Feaser said. Others, however, will require changing the polling place all together, and not everyone is happy about it…

Jack Fact — With the youngest of the baby boomers hitting 65 by 2029, the number of people with visual impairment or blindness in the United States is expected to double to more than 8 million by 2050, according to projections based on the most recent census data and from studies funded by the National Eye Institute, part of the National Institutes of Health.

International News

Richmond organization calls for accessibility in ride-hailing services

March 1, 2018 | Source: Richmond News- Canada

With ongoing discussions of when B.C. will open its doors to ride-sharing, Richmond Centre for Disability is calling for equal access to services. According to an Abacus Data poll, 64 per cent of Greater Vancouver residents strongly support or support Uber and Lyft services coming to B.C. However, Ella Huang, RCD’s executive director, said the needs of all residents should be considered with such a service. “From our perspective, we welcome services to citizens in Richmond but we are very concerned that these services must be equally accessible to everyone, people with disabilities included.”…

Isobar India makes hotels friendly to differently abled

March 1, 2018 | Source: Indiantelevision.com- India

Isobar India, the digital agency from Dentsu Aegis Network, has introduced the Blind Faith Upgrade, a thoughtful and cause-oriented initiative under accessible tourism. A sustainable step towards accessible tourism, it explores the challenges faced by visually impaired travellers and allows the hotel to transform any of its rooms into a visually impaired-friendly room. The launch of the initiative was first introduced at Hotel Ramada, Ajmer…

#EBU: European Blind Union releases new position paper on European Accessibility Act

March 2, 2018 | Source: EU Reporter-EU

Since 2015, a new regulation on accessibility has been in the making in Brussels. This European Accessibility Act (EAA) aims to harmonize the requirements for accessibility of goods and services. “This act can be a breakthrough,” said European Blind Union (EBU) President Wolfgang Angermann. However, a watering-down of the regulation looms on the horizon. On 1 March, interinstitutional negotiations between the European Parliament, the Council of the European Union and the European Commission began…

University of Manitoba embraces accessibility and inclusion

March 2, 2018 | Source: UM Today – University of Manitoba- Canada

Dale Stevenson believes that improving access for people with disabilities is as much about changing attitudes and behaviours as it is about removing physical obstacles. As a student and now an employee at the University of Manitoba, Stevenson has first-hand knowledge of some of the accessibility challenges facing those who study and work on campus. For Stevenson, who relies on an electric scooter for his personal mobility, accessibility is not only appreciated—it’s vital…

Is your arts organisation truly accessible?

March 4, 2018 | Source: ArtsHub- Australia

The Federal government has recently given the go-ahead for ARTfinder, a new national online database that will allow users to easily find accessible arts programs in Australia. ARTfinder will cover a range of different creative practices, including theatre, dance, visual arts, writing, comedy, media arts and music. We are thrilled that ARTfinder has been funded nationall,’ said Veronica Pardo, Executive Director of Arts Access Victoria. ‘We’ve had the Victorian platform now operating for more than a year and essentially what has happened is that the Federal government has approved the build of the new platform…

The invincible: A disabled woman’s relentless fight for accessibility

March 4, 2018 | Source: Business Standard- India

Never give up — these were the simple yet profound words that kept Virali Modi, 26, fighting on after a deadly bout of malaria had her comatose for weeks and left her paraplegic and wheelchair-bound at the age of 14. In coma for 23 days, she miraculously opened her eyes on the day the doctors decided to remove her life-support and has not stopped since then, fighting for her rights — and those of other disabled people. Manhandled and groped by railway porters when she had to board a train, Virali made “accessibility for everyone” her life’s mission in a country that is supremely indifferent to the plight of the disabled…

Human Rights Commission: no reason to shield Qld from legal action on trains

March 5, 2018 | Source: The Mandarin- Australia

The Australian Human Rights Commission is not convinced that it should give the Queensland government a pass for its new-generation trains, which fail to meet accessibility requirements under laws against discrimination. A preliminary ruling issued on Friday suggests the commission sees no good reason to provide the state with broad protection from legal action over several accessibility failures at this stage. However, it is likely to extend one existing exemption that Queensland Rail has previously received in relation to assistance with boarding, to the new trains until 2020…

Census an ‘accessibility debacle’, blind man says

March 5, 2018 | Source: Radio- New Zealand & TVNZ

A blind man is calling for an inquiry into this year’s census, saying there are barriers for blind people and other groups to access the census. However, Statistics Minister James Shaw said help was available. The census – which is being held tomorrow – is being done online this year. To take part people need to key in the access code which was mailed to them. Stats NZ said over 1.2 million people have already filled out the census online ahead of census day tomorrow. Mr Mosen, who is blind, said he did not realise the census was on until he heard about it on RNZ’s Morning Report on Friday…

Industry push to make online banking more accessible for disabled Australians

March 5, 2018 | Source: Which-50- Australia

Large portions of online content hosted by Australia’s biggest financial organisations are not accessible to people with a disability. According to a recent crawl of the websites of 50 of Australia’s largest financial organisations, on average 41 per cent of their website content is not accessible to people with a disability. Known as the Digital Certainty Index (DCI), the test measures a range of factors including the accessibility of websites. Improving accessibility online is a focus for the Australian Bankers’ Association, which appointed former disability discrimination commissioner, Graeme Innes…

Activist Javed Abidi dies at 53: what he meant for 8 Cr Indians with disabilities

March 5, 2018 | Source: YourStory- India

I had met Javed Abidi for the first time in October last year. SocialStory was planning a month-long campaign on Inclusion and Accessibility, and Abidi’s inputs were crucial for getting our groundwork right. Waiting at the office of National Centre for Promotion of Employment for Disabled People (NCPEDP) in New Delhi, I distinctly remember the moment he entered the hallway in his wheelchair. After finishing up with some immediate matters at hand, he greeted me into his cabin, and was very encouraging towards the idea of running a focused campaign on the rights of persons with disability…

Record snow creates ‘nightmare’ for people with accessibility issues, says advocate urging better clearing

March 5, 2018 | Source: CBC- Canada

Snow No Match for Wheelchair-bound Calgary Resident

March 6, 2018- The Weather Channel- Canada

A Calgary accessibility advocate says there are people with mobility challenges across the city who are suffering due to the city’s current level of snow clearing, and there are some real consequences. “It leads to depression. It really hurts an individual’s self-esteem,” Darby Lee Young told the Calgary Eyeopener Monday, of people who find themselves housebound due to record snowfall this winter. “Anyone with any type of disability that has to go out and rely on Calgary Transit Access, for them to even be picked up becomes dangerous…

IPC President confident Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Paralympics will leave lasting legacy

March 6, 2018 | Source: Insidethegames- South Korea

International Paralympic Committee (IPC) President Andrew Parsons says there is reason to believe that the upcoming Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Paralympic Games have a chance at creating a meaningful long-term legacy. It is claimed Pyeongchang 2018’s mantra has been that the success of the entire event will come down to how the 10 days of action, scheduled to run from March 9 to 18, are remembered and the impact they have in the future. With South Korea starting from a lower base level of public accessibility and society-wide openness to those with an impairment than other host countries, Parsons thinks the Games have a real opportunity…

People with valid accessible parking permits could be allowed to park on regular spots without having to pay for parking

March 6, 2018 | Source: The Beacon Herald- Canada

Stratford residents and visitors with a valid accessible parking permit could soon be exempt from paying for parking on any metered parking spot in the city. The proposal, expected to make its way to council in the coming weeks, is being pushed forward by Peter Zein, a member of the city’s accessibility advisory committee, as an effective way to deal with the limited number of available accessible parking spaces across the city, especially during the busy tourist season. The city recently completed a six-month pilot project in which drivers with the parking permits were given the option of paying or not for parking at accessible spots…

Tussauds’ apology after disability gaffe

March 6, 2018 | Source: Blackpool Gazette- UK

Leisure bosses have apologised to a wheelchair user who says he was told to ‘prove’ his disability while holidaying in Blackpool. Liam Maxwell, 26, who has cerebral palsy and scoliosis, says he was asked to ‘provide ID to prove he was disabled’ by staff at Madame Tussauds Blackpool while paying for a ticket on Saturday with his assistant, Wendy Plant. Liam, who lives in Stoke-on-Trent, said: “We sort of looked at each other in disbelief. Was the fact that I was in a wheelchair not proof enough?”…

Rail disability apathy

March 7, 2018 | Source: The Telegraph- India & The Indian Express

Rights activists on Tuesday protested the lack of infrastructure at railway stations to help the disabled, three years after the Centre promised to make all important railway stations fully accessible to such people. The activists, led by the CPM-backed National Platform for the Rights of the Disabled (NPRD), also met railway minister Piyush Goyal. NPRD general secretary Muralidharan told The Telegraph: “Not a single station is fully accessible to the disabled. Making a station accessible includes facilities that make travelling possible for a person with any kind of disability…

Accessibility and Future Proofing Sports Stadium Design in the 21st Century

March 7, 2018 | Source: Last Word On Rugby- New Zealand

Being an able bodied sports fan, one with a ready interest in attending sporting fixtures is a natural activity. Little; apart from financial restrictions, means that fans like I can choose to attend local, domestic or International matches. But within the local stadium design, not all spectators get to enjoy the most from their favourite sport. Our choice is wide today: Rugby, League, Football, and some alternatives like NFL/Aussie rules (depending on your regional sports). There is also cricket, polo or literally, any ball sport that has avid interest and participation…

DOT to create “barrier-free” travel experience for PWDs

March 7, 2018 | Source: Manila Bulletin- Philippines

The Department of Tourism (DOT) is pushing for the creation of a “barrier-free” travel experience for persons with disabilities (PWD) to ensure their full participation while traveling in the Philippines. During the recent Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)- Japan Accessible Tourism Seminar, the participants observed that hospitality services for the PWDs are often overlooked by different establishments such as limited facilities-from sidewalks, ramps, wheelchair-lifts for cars, bathrooms and toilets, including audio and visual guides, causing hindrances for PWDs…

Technology innovations: Making the online world more accessible

March 7, 2018 | Source: CTV News- Canada

From wheelchair ramps to braille on ATMs, you can see the steps businesses are taking to make the physical world more accessible for people with disabilities. But what about when it comes to using computers or going online? “Being able to use the computer and have things in an electronic format is really a life changer,” said Shawn Marsolais, executive director of Blind Beginnings who is living with visual impairment. The average person now spends around five hours a day on their smartphone, but for people with mobility, vision, hearing and cognitive impairments that’s not always possible…

Disability policy done right

March 7, 2018 | Source: Hotel Owner- UK

“There is a real market for hoteliers to capitalise on here.” These are the surprisingly profit-aware words of Minesh Patel, policy and campaigns manager at disability charity, Scope. He is referring to ‘The Purple Pound’ that oft-used phrase that connotes the combined spending power of disabled households. “It’s worth £249bn a year,” he says. Scope research in February 2018 found that on average disabled people spend around £570 a month on costs related to their impairment or condition, and specifically where hotel guests are concerned, the charity says those it supports often encounter a lack of accessible rooms…

US official lauds accessibility features of RTA

March 7, 2018 | Source: Khaleej Times- India & Gulf News- India

A New York City official and champion of people of determination praised the role and innovative approach of the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) in making Dubai an accessible city. Delivering his keynote address at the 10th Dubai Award for Sustainable Transport (DAST) Victor Calise, commissioner at New York City (NYC) Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities, said he is pleased with RTA’s projects in improving access for persons with disabilities and its commitment to making the city roads fully accessible to People of Determination by 2020…

World traveller Rick Hansen calls for global accessibility standards in North Vancouver

March 7, 2018 | Source: North Shore News- Canada

In a few minutes, Rick Hansen will roll into Brockton School’s gymnasium. The students are waiting there, of course, but the place is also teaming with teachers and parents – many of whom remember three decades back when Hansen gutted and grinned his way through nearly three dozen countries and 40,000 kilometres of Great Wall and bad road. Kids who came of age in the mid-1980s might not have understood the importance of spinal cord research but they knew Hansen: “That’s the guy who went around the world in a wheelchair!”…

New charge could be coming for taxi, Uber customers

March 7, 2018 | Source: CBC- Canada

Calgarians who use taxis or ride-hailing services like Uber could soon be paying an extra 20 cents every trip to help subsidize the cost of running accessible taxis. City council’s committee on community and protective services approved an incentive program designed to keep more accessible taxis on the road. There have been complaints for years about the problems with on-demand accessible taxi service. A parade of citizens went before the committee on Wednesday to say they aren’t happy with the current state of the service…

These are the schools are highlighted for good disability access for pupils

March 8, 2018 | Source: WalesOnline- UK

Getting around school in wheelchairs is relatively easy for high school pupils Malin Owen and Immy Hurrell, but they are the lucky ones. Their schools in Cardiff and Conwy are singled out as examples of good practice in a report from the Children’s Commissioner for Wales out today which warns accessibility is too patchy. Disabled pupils are not being consulted on accessibility planning and there is too little planning by local education authorities and the Welsh Government, the report, Full Lives: Equal Access, adds…

Advocates question independence of provincial accessibility review

March 8, 2018 | Source: Toronto Star- Canada

Accessibility advocates are questioning the Wynne government’s recent appointment of former lieutenant-governor David Onley to lead the next independent review of Ontario’s landmark accessibility legislation. They say Onley, a childhood polio survivor, who completed a three-year appointment last fall as the government’s special adviser on accessibility, should not be reviewing the same policies and actions he so recently defended in that role. “There is absolutely no question about the record and the commitment of Mr. Onley on disability advocacy,” said Laura Kirby-McIntosh of the Ontario Autism Coalition…

Specialist team helping architects design accessible buildings

March 8, 2018 | Source: Architecture and Design- Australia

Vision Australia is best known for its services to the blind and low vision community, but its access appraisal team is helping to design and construct buildings that are accessible to people with disabilities of all kinds. Luke Price is one of a team of access appraisal consultants who work at Vision Australia and are ready to assist with building projects in the eastern states. He says access appraisal assists architects, developers and bodies such as municipal councils to construct buildings that allow people with disabilities to make maximum use of those facilities…

Accessibility Blogs and Information

Accessibility Resources

Accessibility Announcements and Products

Accessibility Forums, Tips, and Q&A

Isomorphic apps
Seeing AI – Android Survey
Gutenberg accessibility testing
…semantic markups?
Accessibility Interview Questions
Blackboard Ally Accessibility Report Overview
Are smartphones making us smarter or more stupid?
Accessibility features for IBM Connections mobile app
How to Set Up and Use Accessibility Shortcut in iOS 11
Amazon has added more accessibility features for Kindle books
Accessibility: increase the usability for visually impaired users to use mention
Accessibility: visually impaired users unable to check on the existing task list
How to perform Siri queries without using your voice with Type to Siri on macOS and iOS
Chrome 65 With Language, Security Improvements Now Available for Android, Mac, Windows, Linux
Google has changed its Disability Support email address. For answers to accessibility questions on Google products, write to: [email protected]

Accessibility Pages

Microassist Digital Accessibility Services

Our digital and web accessibility services cover

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Accessible Website and Application Development — An inaccessible website or application is increasingly seen as violating the ADA. Let’s talk about creating an online presence that reaches all your customers and reduces your litigation risk.
Audit and Testing Services — A thorough accessibility audit against recognized accessibility standards will show you where you may be under-serving your customers and putting your organization at risk.
Accessible Document Services — Digital assets such as Microsoft Word documents, Excel spreadsheets, PowerPoint presentations, PDFs, and audio and video files need to be accessible to individuals with disabilities, too. We can help you establish creation processes or remediate historical documents so that they meet accessibility standards and are usable by people with disabilities.
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