Accessibility in the News—5/25/18.
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AITN Quote of the Week
“The ADA is essential in helping me overcome the obstacles I face as a Wounded Warrior and empowers me to assist other veterans. It allows me to be physically active, have my pilot’s license, and serve in Congress.”
—Tammy Duckworth
National News (U.S.)
How to Convey Dance to Those Without Sight? All Hands On
May 17, 2018 | Source: New York Times
It was neither awkward nor sensual — more like a group of mechanics huddled over an engine, discussing its capabilities and how it works. In this analogy, Mana Hashimoto, a blind professional dancer and choreographer, was the head mechanic, and her body was the engine. At a workshop on a recent Saturday, Ms. Hashimoto was surrounded by four students from the Filomen M. D’Agostino Greenberg Music School, a community school for the blind and visually impaired that’s near Lincoln Center…
How Engadget’s parent company is making sites like ours easier to use
May 17, 2018 | Source: Engadget
This entire month has been an eventful one for people with disabilities. Two weeks ago, Google and Microsoft pledged to commit $20 and $25 million to the cause, respectively, to accessibility tech. Microsoft revealed the Xbox Adaptive Controller while Apple unveiled a coding curriculum that can also be used by students who are deaf and/or blind. Meanwhile, Oath, Engadget’s parent company, which also owns Yahoo, rang in the day by holding an open house at its accessibility lab…
West Hartford Healthcare Facility Settles ADA Complaint
May 17, 2018 | Source: Patch & Hartford Business
A West Hartford healthcare facility has reached a settlement to resolve a complaint that alleged it wasn’t accessible to individuals with disabilities. U.S. States Attorney for Connecticut John H. Durham announced Thursday that his office has reached settlement agreements with ProHealth Physicians, Inc. and Udolf 631, LLC to resolve allegations that a ProHealth office in West Hartford was not operating in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990…
Apple partners with local nonprofit to bring its coding curriculum to more blind and visually impaired people
May 17, 2018 | Source: Post-Bulletin
The textureless glass screen of an iPhone or iPad can seem formidable to someone who is blind or visually impaired, and learning to code on those devices could be even more daunting. Apple is working to change that. The tech giant is partnering with the Winnetka-based Hadley Institute for the Blind and Visually Impaired to bring its coding curriculum to more people with visual disabilities. Hadley plans to start by developing a series of free instructional videos that teach the audience how to use Apple’s Swift Playground app…
Facebook’s Accessibility Settings Make The Site Easier For Visually Impaired Users and Here’s How You Can Help
May 18, 2018 | Source: Bustle
For many of us, accessing our favorite social media sites is as easy as opening our browser or mobile app. We log in and expect it to simply work. But for blind and visually impaired users who work with screen reader software, accessibility is far from simple. With websites like Facebook, accessibility has to be coded into the back end. Their content must be able to be interpreted by a screen reader, which outputs the content either by reading it out loud, or by showing it on a refreshable Braille display…
New York’s Subway Is Hell for Riders with Disabilities
May 18, 2018 | Source: VICE
While the list of New York’s subway woes is long and depressing and a source of pain for all, those with disabilities have more reason than most to gripe about the MTA. Strikingly, only 24 percent of the system’s 472 stations are ADA-accessible, which makes New York subways the least accessible major mass transit system in the country. And the elevators that do exist, as most riders know, are all too often broken. On a daily basis, that means scores of riders have to maneuver through a vital transit network that largely doesn’t work for them…
16 Florida lawyers face wrath of Orlando judges over ‘vague, boilerplate’ ADA lawsuits
May 18, 2018 | Source: Orlando Sentinel
Federal judges in Orlando say they want to know why 16 attorneys have repeatedly ignored rules about filing lawsuits over wheelchair access to businesses in Central Florida. And they are asking for ideas on how to discipline those attorneys. U.S. District Judge Roy B. Dalton recently opened a case ordering the 16 lawyers – mostly from the Miami area – to show why they shouldn’t be fined or banned from filing similar cases in the future. Hundreds of lawsuits have been filed in Orlando federal courts alleging that local businesses violate the Americans with Disabilities Act…
The New Technology About to Revolutionize Broadway
May 19, 2018 | Source: Playbill.com & Backstage
Inclusivity. It’s become an industry buzzword—and for good reason. In recent years, theatres across the nation, including those on Broadway, have paused to take stock: Is theatre truly holding up a mirror to ourselves as the art form requires? As we continue to make strides towards inclusive stories representation onstage and backstage, The Broadway League and the Shubert Organization remembered the third, and crucial, partner in theatre: the audience…
What We Know and Don’t Know About Cognitive Decline After Surgery
May 18, 2018 | Source: The Epoch Times
Two years ago, Dr. Daniel Cole’s 85-year-old father had heart bypass surgery. He hasn’t been quite the same since. “He forgets things and will ask you the same thing several times,” said Cole, a professor of clinical anesthesiology at the University of California–Los Angeles and a past president of the American Society of Anesthesiologists. “He never got back to his cognitive baseline,” Cole continued, noting that his father was sharp as a tack before the operation. “He’s more like 80 percent.”…
CUNA-requested ADA language added to House approps bill
May 21, 2018 | Source: CUInsight & Credit Union Times
House vote on S. 2155, RBC delay in mark-up, NAFCU at FHFA
May 21, 2018 | Source: CUInsight
WASHINGTON, DC (May 21, 2018) — CUNA-requested language requesting the Department of Justice clarify website accessibility standards for the Americans with Disabilities Act was successfully added to a House appropriations bill Friday. Credit unions around the country are facing numerous legal challenges due to uncertainty with how the ADA applies to websites, and CUNA has made finding a solution a top advocacy priority. Rep. John Culberson (R-Texas), chair of the House Appropriations commerce, justice and science (CJS) subcommittee, submitted the amendment to the FY19 House CJS bill full committee markup Thursday…
‘We cannot continue to wait for lawsuits’
May 22, 2018 | Source: Dailyuw
On May 2, the UW issued a press release announcing that it had reached an agreement with three plaintiffs in an Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) lawsuit concerning alleged violations in parking facilities at the Seattle campus. According to the press release, “The University has committed to ensuring 77 parking facilities are compliant with the ADA over the course of the 15 years.” Of these, 35 will be completed by September 2020, and the other 43 completed in the next five years…
An Opportunity Blooms: Pittsburgh’s First ADA-Accessible Community Flower Garden Opens
May 22, 2018 | Source: 90.5 WESA
Gardening is a satisfying hobby for many who have green thumbs, but for people with physical disabilities or other limitations, it can be an intimidating or impossible activity. However, a new flower garden offers a more inclusive experience. Pittsburgh has its first flower garden compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). It’s the result of a passion project by a group that hopes to bring the joy of horticulture to everyone…
ODR for All: Digital Accessibility and Disability Accommodations in Online Dispute Resolution
May 22, 2018 | Source: Mediate
Digital accessibility is about making sure people with disabilities can use and interact with technology. Digital accessibility ensures participation of people who use computers and mobile devices but cannot see a screen, hear a video, hold a mouse, or have other disabilities impacting how technology is used. The promise of online dispute resolution (ODR) depends on accessibility. Without it, ODR cannot meet the needs of its stakeholders. Why? Because accessibility and ODR have one very important thing in common: they are both about serving the needs of people…
Part 2 of 4, Disability Accessibility: What’s being done on a state level?
May 22, 2018 | Source: Fox 15
Part 3 of 4, Disability Accessibility- 3 versions of a normal life
May 22, 2018 | Source: Fox 15
“We need to learn how to become our own advocates so we can state those needs and those wants to the people who have power over our lives. Legislators are making those decisions every day.” said Lillian DeJean, Disability Advocate. 16 year old, Lillian DeJean, is just like any teenage girl. Except, her needs are a little different. “With my illness comes a lot of astronomical bills. Just because the treatments are so expensive. It’s not like I just can’t do them.” said Lillian…
Global Accessibility Awareness Day: Digital adaptations for disabled students
May 22, 2018 | Source: PCC Courier
Hosted by Disabled Student Programs and Services (DSP&S) and the Veterans Resource Center, students gathered within the D-building in celebration of Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD) last Thursday morning to spread awareness of helpful digital accommodations for disabled students. Students who were a part of DSP&S, including some members of Students Unlimited, a club that specializes in giving support to those with disabilities, gathered to learn through presentations about the many technologies that exist to aid them throughout their time at PCC….
Astrosom: Making Outer Space Accessible for Blind People
May 22, 2018 | Source: Bottom Line
Post-doc astrophysicist Greg Salvesen creates music out of astronomy data, making outer space more accessible to the blind and more engaging for non-scientists. Astrosom, short for Astronomy Sound of the Month, is a website created by Salvesen that incorporates astronomy data into computerized music compositions. By mapping the phases of gas (molecular, atomic, and ionized) to instruments (piano, acoustic bass, saxophone, and woodblocks), and aligning the velocities of these gases to different pitches of a minor pentatonic blues scale, Salvesen created an astronomical ensemble…
How Accessibility Solutions Impact the College Environment and Workplace for Deaf and Hard-of-hearing Individuals
May 23, 2018 | Source: CIO Review
Passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, which guaranteed accommodations in education and the workplace, helped transform the opportunity landscape for deaf and hard-of-hearing people, but creating opportunity was not sufficient to ensure success. Technology needed to be developed to help meet the demands of the workplace environment. Faculty and staff at Rochester Institute of Technology’s National Technical Institute for the Deaf, looked around at their talented colleagues and students and realized they were in the best position to take a lead role in developing accessibility solutions…
Curb Cuts
May 22, 2018 | Source: 99% Invisible
If you live in an American city and you don’t personally use a wheelchair, it’s easy to overlook the small ramp at most intersections, between the sidewalk and the street. Today, these curb cuts are everywhere, but fifty years ago — when an activist named Ed Roberts was young — most urban corners featured a sharp drop-off, making it difficult for him and other wheelchair users to get between blocks without assistance. Roberts was central to a movement that demanded society see disabled people in a new way…
Veteran says Six Flags kept him from riding a roller coaster because of his prosthetic legs
May 23, 2018 | Source: Washington Post
When retired Marine Johnny “Joey” Jones sat down in a roller coaster at Six Flags Over Georgia, he was told he could not stay on the ride. Jones, who served as a bomb technician, said he is used to making accommodations for his disability: He lost both of his legs at his knees when he stepped on an IED in 2010 in the Safar Bazaar in Afghanistan. Still, the 31-year-old veteran said, he had not seen the handicapped sign at the Six Flags near Atlanta on Sunday, and anyway, the ride was similar to ones that he had ridden at other theme parks…
Uber and Lyft are terrible at providing wheelchair-accessible service, and here’s the proof
May 23, 2018 | Source: The Verge
Uber and Lyft fail to provide wheelchair-accessible vehicles in New York City 70 percent of the time, a scathing new report found. The evidence underscores the long-running battle between disability rights groups and the ride-hailing companies over the availability — and economic viability — of wheelchair-accessible vehicles. Researchers with the New York Lawyers for the Public Interest made dozens of requests for wheelchair-accessible vehicles (WAV) on Uber and Lyft in New York City last May, and their findings were pretty damning…
10 of the best cities in the US for wheelchair-accessible travel
May 23, 2018 | Source: Insider
There’s no doubt that the United States is one of the best countries to travel to. After all, there are 50 states available for exploration. But not all states or even cities are created equal, especially in terms of providing facilities for those with disabilities. INSIDER found some of the most accessible cities the US has to offer, according to various studies and rankings. From hydraulic lifts to a wheelchair friendly zipline, these cities are truly paving the way for inclusivity…
West Hartford healthcare facility agrees to make ADA compliant changes
May 23, 2018 | Source: West Hartford News
John H. Durham, U.S. attorney for the District of Connecticut, recently announced that the U.S. Attorney’s Office has reached a settlement with ProHealth Physicians, Inc. and Udolf 631, LLC to resolve allegations that a ProHealth office in West Hartford was not operating in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. The settlement agreement resolves an ADA complaint filed by an individual with disabilities alleging that the ProHealth office was not accessible to individuals with physical disabilities…
Separate but ADA-compliant
May 24, 2018 | Source: Dailyuw
On sunny spring days, thousands of UW students walk through The Quad on their way to class. Many will traverse short flights of stairs to reach the beautiful main entrances of buildings like Smith Hall, Savery Hall, and the Art Building. But some of their peers are excluded from those entrances. For students in wheelchairs, just a few stairs can make an entrance impossible. “There’s a flight of stairs leading up to the [art] building, so I have to go around the back to the garbage chute to get into the building,”…
Making Progress on Course Content Accessibility
May 23, 2018 | Source: Campus Technology
Although most universities have just about mastered website accessibility, their efforts to make sure all course content can be accessed and used by students with disabilities have proved more challenging. “We have been fighting this uphill battle of content accessibility for years, and we have been fighting it without knowing what is actually out there,” said Jeremy Olguin, accessible technology manager at California State University, Chico. “If you can’t inventory, you can’t manage.”…
Court ruling: Department of Veteran Affairs now considers pain to be a disability
May 23, 2018 | Source: We Are The Mighty
From Agent Orange to burn pits, members of the Armed Forces are exposed to harsh environments and chemical toxins. Some of these hazards are known, while other hazards remain unknown. Even after decades of research, diseases associated with Agent Orange are still being added to the list of presumptive conditions recognized by the Department of Veterans Affairs. Yet, many diseases are still unknown. Gulf War Illness, for example, impacts many veterans who return from the Middle East. It may cause various symptoms, such as joint pain…
Wheelchair user presses claims vs Cubs over ADA seating
May 24, 2018 | Source: Cook County Record
A wheelchair user is trying to keep a federal judge from dismissing his complaint accusing the Chicago Cubs of violating the Americans with Disabilities Act when renovating Wrigley Field and redesigning some seating areas. In a complaint filed Dec. 15 in federal court in Chicago, David F. Cerda sued the Cubs saying Wrigley Field renovations prevent him from watching baseball games from the right field bleachers and from seeing the whole game when he sits behind home plate…
Jack Fact — On a global level, Access Economics estimates that current rates of poor vision cost the world’s economy $3 trillion every year – in lost productivity, healthcare provisions, road and domestic accidents and informal and family care.
International News
City’s proposed plastic-straw ban raises accessibility questions for disabled
May 17, 2018 | Source: Straight- Canada
Norman Kunc keeps an eight-inch piece of flexible food-grade plastic tubing in his pocket. He uses it as reusable straw, so he doesn’t have to get plastic ones every time he goes out. “It’s not the most hygienic place to keep a straw,” Kunc—a writer, speaker, and disability activist—told the Georgia Straight by email. “Besides, I always have to deal with the straw whenever I take my wallet or keys out.” Kunc has cerebral palsy and relies on a straw to drink. But his pocket straw hasn’t stopped him from worrying about the effects that Vancouver’s new plastic-straw ban could have on people with disabilities…
NDIS mistakenly posts changes restricting access for autistic children
May 18, 2018 | Source: The Guardian & The Sydney Morning Herald & The Australian
The Turnbull government has accidentally published details of changes that would deny a huge number of autistic children direct access to the national disability insurance scheme, causing “outrage” among autism groups. The autism community was left in shock this week after discovering a major alteration had been made to the NDIS operational guidelines, a document that sets out the conditions qualifying people for access to the scheme. The document, published on the NDIS website, was changed to remove direct eligibility for all but the most severe cases of autism…
Durham school board adopts ‘accessible controller’ designed by a parent
May 17, 2018 | Source: Globalnews- Canada
Nico Iemma had never been able to type on a computer by himself. The nine-year-old has cerebral palsy and is unable to put his hands together, so it’s nearly impossible for him to use a traditional keyboard and mouse. “I had to ask somebody to write down what I say, which was kind of hard,” said the Grade 4 student, who attends Vincent Massey Public School in Oshawa. But now, for the first time in his life, Iemma can do everything on a computer that every student can do — including drawing and playing games — thanks to a new three-part device designed by his father…
Summer, Sea … 44 Beaches – Accessible to People with Disabilities
May 18, 2018 | Source: Novinite- Bulgaria
This summer people with disabilities will have access to 44 beaches along the Black Sea coast. This was promised by the Minister of Tourism Nikolina Angelkova. She assured that the establishment of the necessary conditions and the guarantees of their full participation in all spheres of public life is a priority of the Cabinet and people are actively working on the issue…
Accessible Airport Bus in Japan
May 19, 2018 | Source: Accessible Japan
For the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Paralympic Games, the accessibility of public transport in Japan is improving. An airport bus with a lift is one improvement. In the Tokyo area, the first airport bus with lift started operations from Tokyo City Air Terminal (T-CAT) to Haneda Airport International Terminal in 2016. In addition, from Shinjuku Expressway Bus Terminal (BASTA Shinjuku) to Haneda Airport International Terminal Route is also started operation in 2017…
Vancouver working to make fall municipal election more accessible
May 19, 2018 | Source: Toronto Star- Canada
As the city gets ready to elect a new mayor this fall, some Vancouverites are working to make sure that everyone can make it to the polls. Disability advocates and city staff are working together to improve accessibility in voting, considering the many barriers that exist in registering to vote and getting out to the polls. “What kind of assistance are people going to get at the polls? Is it going to be an accessible space they can get into?” asks Cathy Browne, co-chair of the Persons with Disabilities Advisory Committee…
Disabilities commission issues notice to AIIMS
May 20, 2018 | Source: The Indian Express- India
The court of the Chief Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities has sent a notice to AIIMS, seeking an explanation on the institute being inaccessible to the differently abled and submit a report within 30 days. The May 16 notice asked the institute to explain why the BB Dixit Library, Centre for Medical Institution and Technology (CMET) and toilets were not accessible to the disabled. The notice has also been sent to the secretary, Medical Council of India…
‘Museums need to be more accessible to public’
May 20, 2018 | Source: Times of India
Raising concerns about accessibility of public spaces, Centre for Intangible Heritage studies honorary director B Venugopal said that lack of priority and innovation by the government has led to museums becoming inaccessible to a large section of the public, especially the disabled community. Due to this, there is loss in revenue and threat to the survival of museums is large. “Understanding your visitors is the most potent thing. Accessibility to collection or allowing the visitors to touch and feel the exhibits can be of immense help in this direction”…
Wheelchair users unable to travel on ‘accessible’ Bus Éireann routes because of bus stops
May 20, 2018 | Source: The Journal- Ireland
Wheelchair users around the country are unable to travel on ‘accessible’ Bus Éireann coaches due to restrictions regarding bus stops. Currently, 86% of Bus Éireann’s entire road passenger fleet of 680 vehicles is wheelchair accessible but their effectiveness is limited due to a lack of accessible bus stops. A spokesperson for the National Transport Authority told TheJournal.ie that there are currently very few bus stops around the country that have the space to facilitate a wheelchair lift…
New guide released to help make tourism businesses inclusive to all
May 20, 2018 | Source: Bridport and Lyme Regis News- UK
A new guide has been released to help tourism businesses be more inclusive to all. VisitEngland and the National Autistic Society and England’s Inclusive Tourism Action Group has launched a web-based guide to help tourism businesses overcome barriers to welcoming autistic people. The new “Welcoming Autistic People” guide will help operators to increase business through a better understanding of autism and making appropriate improvements. The guide provides tourism businesses with tips and practical advice…
Job permanence, accessibility: TN govt teachers with disabilities protest in Chennai
May 21, 2018 | Source: The News Minute- India
On Monday, Chennai witnessed a protest by differently-abled teachers working in government institutions in Tamil Nadu which shed light on the state’s apathy towards the community. Over 15 teachers staged a dharna outside the Directorate of School Education on College Road in Chennai, demanding that their salary dues be paid. They demanded that their jobs be made permanent as per government rules since they have worked for over two years at salaries designated for temporary employees…
London’s British Summer Time festival improves accessibility for 2018 shows
May 21, 2018 | Source: PSNEurope- UK
Entertainment company AEG Presents has joined forces with accessibility charity Attitude is Everything (AiE) to improve ticketing access for deaf and disabled audiences at festivals this summer. British Summer Time in Hyde Park – which this year is headlined by The Cure, Roger Waters, Paul Simon and others – has made changes to the event this year to improve accessibility. A more efficient booking system, improvements to the operation of viewing platforms and an improved focus on British Sign Language (BSL) provision are all initiatives that BST has boosted this year…
Surviving a stroke: living life to the fullest and travelling around the world
May 21, 2018 | Source: Disability Horizons- New Zealand
New Disability Horizons writer Wolf, who is from New Zealand, is about to embark on a four-month-long adventure as he travels to a number of cities across the world, including Madrid, Sicily, Berlin and New York. But before we hear about his travel triumphs and woes – of which there are always many when you’re disabled – he tells us about his life and becoming disabled after a stroke.
Blind Foundation library service now open to all
May 22, 2018 | Source: Scoop- New Zealand
Did you know there are an estimated 168,000 Kiwis living with a print disability? And did you know less than 10% of published information generally available to the community, is also available in a format that people with a print disability can access? The Blind Foundation library has been serving members who are blind or have low vision with books and regular publications in accessible formats for over a century. One of the largest accessible collections in New Zealand, it is one of the Foundation’s most loved services and opens the door to information that might otherwise be unavailable…
We have to stop excluding people – cities depend on it
May 22, 2018 | Source: Construction News- UK
The people in our cities have incredibly varied lifestyles. They vary in the hours they work, the transport they use and in their accessibility needs – so it is essential that their cities work for them. Helping people live better and less complicated lives is at the heart of engineering. The Institution of Civil Engineers, alongside the City Leadership Lab, is challenging the industry to do more to design and build cities that are inclusive for all regardless of gender, ethnicity or mental / physical ability…
Eastern Riverina Arts to focus on making the region’s festivals more accessible for people with disabilities
May 22, 2018 | Source: Daily Advertiser- Australia
Wagga’s leading arts body is on a mission to make culture more accessible throughout the Riverina for people living with disabilities. There was some great news for Eastern Riverina Arts on Tuesday morning, when they discovered they had been chosen to receive a $588,000 from the National Disability Insurance Agency to make the region’s festivals more accessible. Eastern Riverina Arts’ director Scott Howie said people with disabilities have often been overlooked and ignored when it comes to the region’s arts and culture….
Olympics: Taxi! Tokyo Tackles Tourist Boom With Accessible Cab
May 22, 2018 | Source: Reuters- Japan
Tokyo’s taxi industry is undergoing some radical changes as Japan, already dealing with unprecedented levels of tourism, gears up to host two major sporting events in the next 26 months. More than 28 million tourists visited Japan in 2017 and the government has set a goal of 40 million foreign visitors by 2020, loading more and more pressure on Tokyo’s already stressed transport system. Toyota, the world’s largest car manufacturer, believes it has at least part of the answer to this problem…
Vancouver deaf activist Landon Krentz wins award of merit for inclusion and accessibility work
May 23, 2018 | Source: Straight.com- Canada
Landon Krentz, a Vancouver-based deaf and queer artist, is the new recipient of the award of merit by the Western Institute of Deaf and Hard of Hearing. Krentz, who is one of few deaf arts administrators on the West Coast, was given the award in honour of his significant contribution to the deaf and hard-of-hearing communities in Vancouver. ” This award means a lot to me as it would help me further my passion in developing the arts to be more inclusive and accessible,” Krentz stated on his Facebook page…
Program Helping Seniors, Disabled Individuals Age at Home
May 23, 2018 | Source: ChrisD- Canada
A first-of-its-kind program in Manitoba is allowing seniors and disabled individuals to develop a plan for aging in making their home more accessible. Safe Living Manitoba launched Wednesday, designed to create the opportunity for people to remain in their homes for as long as possible. “Our program is designed to identify and remove barriers to accessibility and reduce safety risks associated with aging in place, therefore preventing accidents that can lead to hospital admissions, or having to relocate to a new home,” said Marnie Courage, director of Enabling Access Inc…
Most UK broadcasters meet, exceed accessibility targets
May 24, 2018 | Source: Telecompaper- UK
UK regulator Ofcom has published a report on the accessibility of broadcast and on-demand services for 2017, showing that almost all broadcasters comfortably met or exceeded their targets. The picture for on-demand service accessibility is more mixed. The proportion of on-demand service providers offering subtitled content has increased to 49 percent, with the proportion of those offering signed and audio described programming remaining static at 8 percent and 11 percent respectively…
Advocate wants accessibility to be election issue
May 24, 2018 | Source: City News- Canada (Video)
David Lepofsky, who is legally blind, says the province should strengthen its accessibility act and he’s pushing the provincial party leaders to commit to it ahead of the upcoming election.
Accessibility Blogs and Information
Accessibility Resources
- The Ableist Jar
- Web Accessibility 101: The Basics
- Frontend checks for web accessibility
- Your Site Needs a Usability Check-Up
- Where Is the Job Growth in Higher Ed?
- Washington Group on Disability Statistics
- Visiting Baltimore: My Accessibility Guide
- Accessible Hiking Trails To Check Out In Maine
- The Screen Time Scare from an SLP’s Perspective (PDF)
- How accessible are Rapid City streets for the blind? (Video)
- DeWitt resident: Business ADA accessibility lacking
- Writing Effective Image Descriptions For Course Content (PDF)
- Disability Is No Reason To Strip A Person’s Voting Rights
- What Were You Capable Of During Global Accessibility Awareness Day
- The GamesIndustry.biz Podcast: Accessibility in games, with SpecialEffect
- Fourth annual Culturally Responsive Symposium highlights effective activism
- Dome renovations should focus on accessibility and inclusion, not just recruitment
- Ai-Media is with Signs For Humanity- Knowing a few signs can make a big difference
Accessibility Announcements and Products
- Mapping the World With Sound
- Impark Adopts new accessibility symbol
- Million dollar boost for accessible tourism
- The Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation
- Fast Forward: The Plan to Modernize NYCT
- AT&T and Aira Leverage IoT for Accessibility
- Big Changes Coming to Some Signage in Mississauga
- Open-captioned movies coming to Lincoln Grand Cinema
- New Menu-Reading, Web-Based App Helps Visually Impaired
- Maritime Aquarium to improve special needs visitor experience
- Paul Vienneau wins award for his work as accessibility advocate
- Learn ASL- American Sign Language lessons for every skill level
- CNIB launches Re-Vision ADP campaign ahead of Ontario election
- PGPL looks to earn Rick Hansen Foundation Accessibility Certification
- DC Area Named ‘Most Accessible’ and the Top Summer Travel Destination
- MTA board will fight for ‘Fast Forward’ subway modernization plan funding
- Streetscape changes in Downtown Davenport help Quad Citians in wheelchairs (Video)
- Push It to the Limit- Track your fitness goals with Pedometer++ and Apple Watch
- Sitemorse Applauds UK Government’s Public Consultation on Digital Accessibility
- Best Case Scenario and me2 Accessibility partner to introduce event accessibility package
- Travis Medical is an established home medical equipment company with over 25 years of experience
- Future Prospects for Assistive Technologies for Visual Impairment Market including Impact on Market
- BlindSquare is the World’s Most Popular accessible GPS application developed for the blind and visually impaired
- Accessible finance for the disabled- new Israeli app that aids those who need help with individual money management (Video)
- Aspect Software Announces New Omni-Channel Chatbot Developer Features, PCI II Compliant, Secure IVR in Aspect CXP 18
Accessibility Forums, Tips, and Q&A
- Parallax design and usability
- DeafBlind Awareness Celebration
- NVDA Keyboard Reference Guide (PDF)
- WordPress/Gutenberg- accessibility
- Microsoft Supplier toolkit resources
- Apple boasts accessibility focus in devices
- Responsive web design and it’s accessibility
- Best iPhone and iPad apps for wheelchair users
- Android Accessibility Settings – Making Life Easier
- This week in WordPress Accessibility
- May 23, 2018
- Help Make Xbox More Accessible with New Idea Drive
- Get iPhone X navigation gestures on Android: here’s how
- Google encourages apps, websites to be more “accessible”
- Monitor and improve accessibility on your site with Blackboard Ally
- High-level vulnerabilities discovered in 84% of Android shopping apps
- Use Conversion Rate Optimization to Gain More Value from your Traffic
- How Xbox’s Adaptive Controller could revolutionize gaming for the disabled
Accessibility Pages
- Oath
- IAAP
- Nausicaa
- Santander Bank
- Ontario Public Service
- Scandic Hotels Group
- UCSB Alumni Association
- Interior Federal Credit Union
- Nottingham Trent University
- First Eagle Federal Credit Union
Microassist Digital Accessibility Services
Our digital and web accessibility services cover
- Accessibility Audit Services — Our comprehensive audit will map all findings to internationally recognized WCAG 2.0 AA standards and equip you and your technical and content teams to know what areas need to be brought into compliance.
- Accessible Elearning Development — Does your online training reach all learners, whether they’re your employees, resellers, students? Let us help you design effective, engaging training that works for everyone.
- 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.
- Remediation Services — Whether for a time-sensitive response to a legal action, or for proactive remediation, we can fix what doesn’t meet accessibility standards.
- Accessibility Training — Contact us to get your teams introduced and informed about accessibility best practices.
Please contact us for any questions you have about our accessibility services and how we might support your organization.
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