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Accessibility in the News – October 13, 2017

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Accessibility in the News—10/13/17

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AITN Quote of the Week

  “The one argument for accessibility that doesn’t get made nearly often enough is how extraordinarily better it makes some people’s lives. How many opportunities do we have to dramatically improve people’s lives just by doing our job a little better?”

— Steve Krug

  National News (U.S.)

 Yale

Accessibility Opportunity- Yale University Associate Director of Digital Accessibility

How Tech Can Help Students with Disabilities Thrive in STEM Education

October 5, 2017   |  Source: Education Dive  |  Technology, Assistive Technology, Education

When Stephanie Talalai began as the technology coordinator at A. Harry Moore School 26 years ago, nonverbal students communicated using pieces of paper with “yes” and “no” on them. Today, students can control computers using their eyes. “In terms of providing access,” Talalai says, “the technology has come a long way.” For students with disabilities, tech tools can help provide new and engaging ways to access content in science, technology, engineering and math. EdTech asked educators to share tips about how to use technology to give students with special needs the same access to STEM activities as other schoolchildren. Here are their recommendations…

He travels the world in a 400-lb. wheelchair — and he’s helping others with disabilities do the same

October 6, 2017   |  Source: Mic  |  Mobility, Awareness, Advocacy

More than 10 million people visit China’s Great Wall every year. In April 2014, John Morris was one of them, though he went about it a little differently from fellow tourists: He took in the striking sight of the massive and complicated architectural work sitting in his 400-pound wheelchair. Morris is a 28-year-old triple amputee and wheelchair user, who, with one passport, one arm and no legs, has traveled to 29 countries and territories since a life-changing car accident in 2012. Morris evaluates what it’s like to travel with a disability and keeps a website with resources, tips and reflections on his own experiences to inspire and assist others with disabilities to see the world…

Fears about Guild Theatre may be unfounded, for now

October 6, 2017   |  Source: The Almanac Online  |  ADA, Performing Arts, Discrimination  |  California

About 10 emails over the past several days have made their way to the Menlo Park City Council’s inbox urging the council to save the Guild Theatre. But is it under threat?  Judy Adams, a champion for the theater’s preservation, has interpreted a notice on a poster on the theater’s ticket booth window to be a sign that the theater may be vulnerable to an Americans with Disabilities Act lawsuit. Other Menlo Park institutions, such as  the Dutch Goose, have been sued under the law, she said. The poster she’s referring to says that the facility has been inspected by a Certified Access Specialist, but doesn’t provide any additional information…

Using poetry and writing to overcome disability

October 6, 2017   |  Source: Disability Horizons  |  Sports/Athletics, Cognitive, Education

When I was younger, my whole life was about practicing and craving to play football as soon as I was eligible. But I was a husky kid. You wouldn’t be wrong if you said that’s just a nice way of saying ‘fat’. Tall. I was that, too. My weight was always an issue because it oscillated back-and-forth from the weight amount that was league-mandated. That wasn’t the only problem I had when it came to playing football. The fall of the year I could have started to play football, at the age of eight, a doctor at Boston’s Children’s Hospital diagnosed me with a brain tumor on my brainstem. I’d been having hundreds of mini-seizures or ‘episodes’, which is what prompted the diagnosis…

Why the tech industry needs people with disabilities — and vice versa

October 5, 2017   |  Source: The GroundTruth Project  |  Technology, Disability Rights, Innovation

For the roughly one billion people with disabilities around the globe, new technology can be life-changing — from robotic arms to eye-tracking sensors to tools that help those on the autism spectrum communicate their feelings. Yet in the world of tech, so many companies fall short in designing products for those with disabilities and providing accommodations for a diverse range of employees. Jennifer Zhang, Microsoft’s accessibility program manager, says companies that hire the differently-abled population are more likely to catch errors in products that others may not be trained to see…

Court: Movie theaters must accommodate deaf-blind patrons

October 7, 2017   |  Source: Fox 59  |  Deaf/Hearing Impaired, Blindness/Visual Impairment, Arts/Entertainment  |  Pennsylvania 

Federal disability law requires movie theaters to provide specialized interpreters to patrons who are deaf and blind, an appeals court said Friday. The Philadelphia-based 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled against Cinemark, the nation’s third-largest movie chain, in a case involving a Pennsylvania man who wanted to see the 2014 movie “Gone Girl” and asked a Cinemark theater in Pittsburgh to supply a “tactile interpreter.” The theater denied his request. The plaintiff, Paul McGann, is a movie enthusiast who reads American Sign Language through touch. He uses a method of tactile interpretation that involves placing his hands over the hands of an interpreter who uses sign language to describe the movie’s action, dialogue and even the audience response.

ADA-compliant residences can change lives for Oklahomans with disabilities

October 8, 2017   |  Source: Norman Transcript  |  ADA, Housing, Accessible Design  |  Oklahoma

When Linda Shannon ran away with her true love 40 years ago, she dreamed of having a home and doing the kinds of things normal people do, like cooking dinner and washing dishes. Shannon has cerebral palsy due to an injury resulting from physical abuse in early childhood. Both she and husband, Don, lived in an institutional setting due to disabilities. “When you’re in love, nothing’s going to stop you,” she said. However, finding love turned out to be easier than finding accessible housing. For Shannon, just turning on the water faucet or having privacy in the bathroom seemed like an impossible dream…

Their Voice: Inclusion in religious services

October 7, 2017   |  Source: Daily Herald  |  Inclusion, Advocacy, Education

In writing about and for people with disabilities I have encouraged inclusion often. I have advocated that people be offered the opportunities to get an education, obtain gainful, competitive employment, exercise their legal rights and develop social relationships. However, there is one area that I have never addressed and that is religious inclusion. I have overlooked this topic because I took for granted that religious worship was the one area in life where all are equal and welcome. I have some friends with developmental disabilities who do participate and enjoy attending church so I had no reason to believe that this was not always the case…

For the Disabled, New York’s Sidewalks Are an Obstacle Course

October 8, 2017   |  Source: New York Times  |  Mobility, Discrimination, Advocacy  |  New York

Dustin Jones must navigate an obstacle course every time he goes out. Mr. Jones, who uses a wheelchair, gets stuck at sidewalk corners where the curb ramp is too broken to roll over or missing altogether. He has to keep going around the block until he finds a usable ramp. The one time he tried to roll off a curb without a ramp, he almost tipped over into the street. He never did that again. “I’m not able to move around like I want to on the sidewalk like every other New Yorker,” said Mr. Jones, 29, a disability rights advocate who lives in the Bronx. “I believe it’s very unfair. These types of things should not be happening in a city like this.”…

Disabled and scraping by in the underground economy

October 8, 2017   |  Source: Washington Post  |  Discrimination, Government, Awareness

For the people of the hollow, opportunity begins where the road ends, and that was where they now went, driving onto a dirt path that vanished into forest. It was here that they came at the end of the month, when the disability checks were long gone, and the next were still days away, and the only option left was also one of the worst. The goal was simple. Get to the top of the mountain. Collect as many wild roots as possible to sell to a local buyer. Avoid the copperheads and rattlesnakes. Descend before the rains came again and flooded their way out…

This Accessibility App Lets People Remotely Assist Visually Challenged Users

October 9, 2017   |  Source: Technology Personalized  |  Blindness/Visual Impairment, Mobile App, Assistive Technology

Long gone are the days when smartphones were merely slabs of screens. They have become companions with an exhaustive skill set, primary computational platforms in regions where full-fledged computers could never reach and more importantly, means of communication for people who otherwise wouldn’t be able to interact normally with the rest of the world. Large-scale companies like Microsoft and various startups have stepped up in the last couple of years with intuitive accessibility applications which have been able to lend a digital helping hand to millions of such users…

Americans with Disabilities Act and its impact on your dental practice website

October 9, 2017   |  Source: Dentistry IQ  |  ADA, Digital Accessibility, Awareness

During the past year, inquires have surfaced about the need for dental practice websites to be compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (AwDA). In fact, numerous dental and medical practices received letters from attorneys that threatened legal action if the practices did not update their websites to become AwDA compliant. Unfortunately, federal regulations are not very clear cut and requirements continue to evolve. While dental practices are considered places of public accommodation that must adhere to the AwDA, it remains to be determined whether practices’ websites are subject to the same regulations. There is currently no legal definition of AwDA website compliance. The U.S. Department of Justice is not expected to release official regulations for website accessibility until sometime in 2018…

Wheelchair accessibility has increased in RV industry

October 9, 2017   |  Source: VVdailypress.com  |  Mobility, Travel, Inclusion

The ability to travel in an RV has made great advances in the area of wheelchair access. Russ and Lori want to spread the word about these new RVs and how well equipped they are for folks with various physical needs. People considering a new RV may have friends or relatives that would love to come along for an RV adventure, yet don’t want the hassle of difficult RV entry or exit. These new wheelchair accessible RVs solve that area of concern, and the comforts go even further. Winnebago and Newmar have some pretty cool units available this year. Very cool, is that there is a Class ‘C’ 25B Model from Winnebago. This is a new unit, built from the ground up. Certainly a pleasure to drive and easy maneuverability, Russ and Lori like this one for the 2018 model year thus far…

Uber Under Fire After NYC Accessibility Requirements Unfold

October 9, 2017   |  Source: The Drive  |  Transit/Transportation, Disability Rights, Awareness

New York City seems to be one of the most regulated places in the United States when it comes to hitching a paid ride, and it’s not like that’s a hard thing to do in the Big Apple. Last week, Uber was dealt another blow when its services came under fire at a hearing held by the New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission. Under a requirement proposed earlier this year, Uber would be one of many companies operating out of the city who will be required to keep a chunk of its vehicles handicap accessible. Now it’s reported that Uber is firing back at the proposed numbers. Per the July proposal, all For-Hire-Vehicle agencies in New York City would be required to begin allocating a portion of their fleet towards ensuring that New Yorkers with disabilities were given equal access to ride sharing as any other individual…

McGuffey fully accessible classroom now open for use

October 10, 2017   |  Source: Miami Student  |  Higher Education, Inclusion, Accessible Design  |  Florida

Longer cords on window blinds. Non-squeaking reclining chairs. Multicolored carpet. Such items don’t seem significant, but to some students, having these accessible features can make all the difference. McGuffey 121, a  classroom designed to be fully accessible for students and faculty with disabilities, is open for use this semester. The classroom began as a project idea in professor Ashley Johnson’s disability studies class and was brought to fruition to help students and faculty have a more inclusive and accommodating experience at Miami University. Each semester Johnson has her students work on action projects.  “The goal is engaging in meaningful work that leads toward more inclusive or just practices for individuals with disabilities,” Johnson said…

Accessibility Network Forges New Partnerships

October 10, 2017   |  Source: University of Cincinnati  |  Higher Education, Awareness, Inclusion  |  Ohio

Electronic accessibility permeates nearly every aspect of university processes, especially when preparing materials for student use. The constantly growing and evolving task of eAccessibility education and awareness requires attention to relationship-building and collaboration. This past month, The Accessibility Network at UC took their work directly to the university and local community, exchanging ideas and gaining new perspectives. UC Women Lead is a signature program in the provost’s office at the University of Cincinnati. This experiential leadership development program is for women faculty and staff who wish to develop their core leadership skills. Program members participate in a wide variety of activities including receiving peer and executive leadership coaching, cultivating campus-wide relationships, and engaging in an impactful institutional development project…

This ‘wheelchair dance’ company asks, ‘Where’s the disability?’

October 10, 2017   |  Source: Boing Boing  |  Mobility, Performing Arts, Advocacy  |  California

At the Disability Rights Legal Center fundraiser gala this past weekend in Los Angeles, Apple was presented with DRLC’s Business and Technology Award for their accessibility work, and ‘Infinite Flow – A Wheelchair Dance Company’ was featured as a cause auction recipient for an Apple Watch Series 3, which was designed with a number of accessibility-expanding features. Of particular note are its wheelchair-specific features, VoiceOver for the blind, and the Taptic Engine (haptic feedback for navigation and notification). What’s the connection between Apple Watch and wheelchair dance?…

Opening the way – technology should make travel accessible from the start

October 11, 2017   |  Source: Tnooz  |  Travel, Accessible Design, Technology

Amadeus has published ‘Voyage of Discovery,’ an in-depth report on accessibility in travel with insights on areas for improvement along the journey, including in the technology, which helps those with disabilities and seniors plan and navigate travel. Tomás López Fernebrand senior vice president, general counsel & corporate secretary Amadeus IT Group explains the need for the travel industry to develop greater understanding of the challenges of the journey for the disabled and persons with reduced mobility in the introduction: “Millions of people with accessibility needs around the world want to travel more, be better connected, and have greater variety of personalized travel services and destinations…

Roll up your sleeves! Why accessibility in higher ed needs all hands on-deck

October 11, 2017   |  Source: eCampus News  |  Higher Education, Inclusion, Awareness

The accessibility of learning content is undergoing a dramatic change right now. This change is being built upon existing standards that key parts of the industry are implementing, as well as new standards. All the changes that are happening are, for the first time, enabling the ability for institutions, instructors and learners to adopt and access accessible content, that is the exact same content, at the same time, on the same platforms as any other user. Vendors must ensure that the content they provide is available where and when users need it, and that the platform and the content are created in a way that they will work together to ensure accessibility. You cannot measure accessibility by just looking at one part of the ecosystem…

UMD Facilities Management is removing pillars marking handicap-accessible entrances

October 10, 2017   |  Source: The Diamondback  |  Discrimination, Disability Rights, Higher Education  |  Maryland

The University of Maryland’s Facilities Management is removing granite pillars that mark handicap-accessible entrances to campus buildings in an effort to modernize the way in which students, faculty, staff and visitors navigate. The pillars, positioned on the outside of buildings, were installed about 20 years ago as this university’s first attempt to efficiently usher people toward handicap-friendly entrances, said Jack Baker, Facilities Management’s operations and maintenance executive director. The department intends to gradually remove the pillars over time, as they are found broken or misleading. Baker said the pillars never worked as well as this university had hoped they would for several reasons…

College Websites Must Accommodate Disabled, Lawsuits Say

October 11, 2017   |  Source: New York Times & Inside Higher Ed  |  Lawsuits/Litigation, Higher Education, Digital Accessibility

The lawsuits came one after the other, against Fordham University, Manhattan College, Long Island University and other area colleges and universities. In all, eight suits have been filed in federal court in Manhattan over the past two weeks, most recently against Hofstra University on Long Island on Oct. 4. In each case, lawyers for Emanuel Delacruz, who is blind, charged that the college’s website is inaccessible to their plaintiff and therefore in violation of the Americans With Disabilities Act. The filings are part of a growing number of actions involving accessibility and the internet. The federal law requires that public accommodations be accessible to those with disabilities, and legal battles have long revolved around physical spaces and therefore physical solutions, such as elevators or wheelchair ramps…

What WalletHub’s List of Disability Friendly Cities Gets Wrong

October 11, 2017   |  Source: The Mighty  |  Awareness, Mobility, Travel

The personal finance website WalletHub recently released its list of the most disability-friendly cities in the United States. As a wheelchair travel blogger, I immediately clicked over to see the list and whether it lined up with my personal experiences. Immediately, I was disappointed. So often, these kinds of lists don’t line up with people’s real-world experiences visiting or living in a place. It reminded me of a lesson I learned a long time ago: a study can’t tell you where you should visit or where you should live, especially when you have a disability. Any survey or study that attempts to rank disability friendliness is always going to run into one enormous limitation: people with disabilities can’t be lumped into one group whose needs are all the same…

FDA Panel Endorses Gene Therapy For A Form Of Childhood Blindness

October 12, 2017   |  Source: NPR  |  Blindness/Visual Impairment, Parenting, Innovation

Gene therapy, which has had a roller-coaster history of high hopes and devastating disappointments, took an important step forward Thursday. A Food and Drug Administration advisory committee endorsed the first gene therapy for an inherited disorder — a rare condition that causes a progressive form of blindness that usually starts in childhood. The recommendation came in a unanimous 16-0 vote after a daylong hearing that included emotional testimonials by doctors, parents of children blinded by the disease and from children and young adults helped by the treatment. “Before surgery, my vision was dark. It was like sunglasses over my eyes while looking through a little tunnel,” 18-year-old Misty Lovelace of Kentucky told the committee. “I can honestly say my biggest dream came true when I got my sight.”…

Red Olive Restaurant Reaches ADA Agreement

October 12, 2017   |  Source:  Patch  |  ADA, Food Service, Accessible Design

The Red Olive Restaurant in St. Clair Shores and ANK Enterprises, Inc., the owner of the Harper/Little Mack Shopping Center, have taken steps to improve physical accessibility for individuals with disabilities, according to Acting U.S. Attorney Daniel L. Lemisch. A Red Olive Restaurant diner who uses a wheelchair filed the complaint, which alleged that the restaurant was not accessible to individuals with disabilities. An investigation under the Americans with Disabilities Act followed and a resolution recently announced by Lemisch. In a news release, he said the restaurant made changes to its interior, improving accessibility for people with disabilities. The Red Olive Restaurant is located within the Harper/Little Mack Shopping Center in St. Clair Shores on Harper Avenue between Nine Mile and 10 Mile roads…

The little red pill being pushed on the elderly

October 12, 2017   |  Source: CNN  |  Aging, Awareness, Discrimination

The maker of a little red pill intended to treat a rare condition is raking in hundreds of millions of dollars a year as it aggressively targets frail and elderly nursing home residents for whom the drug may be unnecessary or even unsafe, a CNN investigation has found. And much of the money is coming straight from the federal government. The pill, called Nuedexta, is approved to treat a disorder marked by sudden and uncontrollable laughing or crying — known as pseudobulbar affect, or PBA. This condition afflicts less than 1% of all Americans, based on a calculation using the drug maker’s own figures, and it is most commonly associated with people who have multiple sclerosis (MS) or ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease…

Georgia Advocacy Office et al v. The State of Georgia et al

October 12, 2017   |  Source: Center for Public Representation  |  Advocacy, Lawsuits/Litigation, Discrimination  |  Georgia

On October 11, 2017, parents of children with disabilities, the Center for Public Representation, the Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law, the Georgia Advocacy Office, The Arc, DLA Piper LLP, and the Goodmark Law Firm filed a class action lawsuit in federal court alleging that the State of Georgia has discriminated against thousands of public school students with disabilities by providing them with a separate and unequal education via the State’s Georgia Network for Educational and Therapeutic Supports Program (GNETS). The complaint, filed in United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia, alleges that the State, in denying GNETS students the opportunity to be educated with their non-disabled peers in neighborhood schools violates the Americans with Disabilities Act, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution…

Settlement Agreement Between  the United States & Bar-T Year Round Programs For Kids Under the ADA

October 12, 2017   |  Source: Justice.gov (PDF)  |  ADA, Parenting, Lawsuits/Litigation, Discrimination

This matter is based upon a complaint filed with the United States Department of Justice alleging that Bar-T discriminated against a child because of his disability in violation of title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), 42 U.S.C. §§ 12181 et seq., and its implementing regulation, 28 C.F.R. Part 36.  Specifically, the Complaint alleges that Bar-T terminated the Child from Bar-T’s summer and after school child care program on the basis of his disability-related behavior without considering or providing any reasonable modifications to the program that could have mitigated Bar-T’s concerns about the Child’s behavior. Bar-T expressly denies any wrongdoing and maintains that it has always complied with the ADA…

Jack Fact — According to the latest information about the nation’s population, by 2031, almost one in four Canadians could be 65 or older. The 2016 census from Statistics Canada, released in May, noted that new census numbers show seniors now outnumber children for the first time in the survey’s history.

International News

Government of Canada highlights National Disability Employment Awareness Month

October 5, 2017   |  Source: Markets Insider- Canada  |  Government, Employment, Awareness  |  Canada

This October, the Government of Canada joins organizations across the country to celebrate National Disability Employment Awareness Month. During this important month, employers are encouraged to think about how they can make their business practices more inclusive and accessible for Canadians with all abilities. People with disabilities have a great deal to contribute to our society. While the Government of Canada is continuing to support initiatives that improve accessibility and the participation of people with disabilities, there is still work to be done…

Reading Festival receives highest accolade for accessibility

October 6, 2017   |  Source: Access All Areas- UK & CMU & IQ Magazine  |  Inclusion, Accessible Design, Awareness  |  United Kingdom

Event organiser Festival Republic has received Gold Standard for its Reading Festival. The accolade is the highest honour given by the Charter of Best Practice of Attitude is Everything (AiE), the organisation that promotes improvements for deaf and disabled people’s access to live music. The award recognises Reading as one of the UK’s most inclusive live music events as it features viewing platforms at every major stage, a dedicated check-in service, fully stewarded accessible campsite and British Sign Language (BSL) interpretation of performances. “In an industry as diverse as music and festivals, we should be doing everything in our power to make our events as accessible as possible for everyone,” Melvin Benn, MD of Festival Republic, commented…

Smart glasses stage new experiences for deaf theater fans

October 6, 2017   |  Source: CNET- UK  |  Innovation, Deaf/Hearing Impaired, Performing Arts  |  United Kingdom

Trying to get tickets for a sell-out production at London’s National Theatre is difficult enough at the best of times, but if you’re hard of hearing, it’s trickier still. Not only must you book tickets for one of a small handful of “captioned” shows, but you must also try to secure the seats in the part of the auditorium that have the best view of the screen. It’s something the theater is hoping to change with the help of Epson’s latest smart glasses. This week it launched a trial that will see deaf and hearing-impaired customers supplied with the eyewear, which displays subtitles in their field of vision wherever they’re sitting…

Daniels Introduces Program For Accessible Condominium Units

October 6, 2017   |  Source: Urban Toronto- UK  |  Accessible Design, Housing, Inclusion  |  United Kingdom

As Toronto’s building boom continues to pile condos into rapidly densifying areas around the city, conversations have begun to develop around many of the issues that arise with this housing typology, typically focusing on the creation of a vibrant public realm, and how to include space for families to live in high-rise buildings. However, one topic that has gone largely unaddressed is the issue of accessibility: how can condo housing accommodate residents who use mobility devices or have physical disabilities?…

How an Ottawa cancer patient is trying to make CHEO more accessible for everyone

October 6, 2017   |  Source: Ottawa Citizen- Canada  |  Building/Facilities Access, Advocacy, Mobility  |  Canada

Just before the elevator doors opened at CHEO, Sarah Telford playfully, but pointedly, picked up a nearby yellow caution cone — the kind that warn of wet floors, spills and whatnot — and placed it in front of the elevator. When the doors opened, the elevator’s lone occupant, hospital CEO Alex Munter, was compelled to negotiate his way around the obstacle as he exited, no small feat considering that he was in a wheelchair. For Telford, a 19-year-old Merrickville resident whose leukemia has forced her to spend vast swaths of her youth at CHEO and who now must use a wheelchair as well as the oxygen and intravenous tubes as she receives palliative care, such hurdles are all too common…

First fully disabled-accessible synagogue built in Jerusalem

October 7, 2017   |  Source: Ynetnews-  Israel  |  Accessible Design, Faith/Religion, Inclusion  |  Israel

Construction of the first fully disabled-accessible synagogue in Jerusalem is about to be finished, giving disabled worshipers easy access to the compound, with comfortable sitting arrangements for wheelchair-bound visitors, Braille bibles and more. According to estimates, about 90% of the synagogues in Israel do not have accessibility for the disabled. he synagogue is currently being built as part of the Herzog Hospital complex in the capital. There are 1.4 million people with disabilities in Israel, and some of them cannot attend a synagogue due to accessibility problems…

Accessibility advocates looking to expand the scope of the StopGap program in the city

October 8, 2017   |  Source: The Beacon Herald- Canada  |  Advocacy, Accessible Design, Businesses  |  Canada

Intended as a way to improve access to local businesses, Stratford’s accessibility committee joined in 2014 the StopGap movement. As part of the Canada-wide initiative, the local group provided businesses with single step storefronts in the city with a ramp that can easily be installed and removed, so people who have difficulties climbing steps can have easy access to the stores. Now the same committee is looking to expand the scope of the program, by asking businesses to leave the ramp out at all times during business hours. The way the program works right now, people needing to use the ramp can contact participating businesses so they can bring the ramp out for them. After it is used, businesses can remove the ramp until someone else asks for it again…

Raise complaints with authorities to see accessibility in Dubai improve, say experts

October 8, 2017   |  Source: The National- Dubai & Global Accessibility News  |  Building/Facilities Access, Mobility, Inclusion  |  United Arab Emirates

The current Dubai Universal Design Code has specific requirements for entertainment areas, public spaces, buildings and transport systems to make them easy to access for people with disabilities. “One of the requirements is that in theatres there should be seating arrangements at different levels, some in the middle, front and back, because people have different needs,” said Elie Ghoussoub, principal consultant health, safety and accessibility with WSP, an engineering solutions company. Arrangements can be made in older theatres for portable ramps, platform lifts and removable seats, which could be taken out to accommodate wheelchairs…

Wheelchair users call on developers to consult them on access issues

October 8, 2017   |  Source: The National- Dubai  |  Mobility, Architecture, Disability Rights  |  United Arab Emirates

Wheelchair users in the UAE continue to struggle for access due to high kerbs, confined entry to public spaces, shops and limited seating at the movies. People with special needs are calling on developers and construction companies to test designs with them before finalising projects to make easy access a byword. While navigating motorised wheelchairs on Dubai’s busy streets, they say they have to ask for help from passers-by to heave them up onto pavements with high kerbs. Others must sit in the first row of cinema theatres every time they watch a movie since there is no space for wheelchairs at the back of some halls…

Experts suggest virtual museums for PwDs

October 8, 2017   |  Source: Khaleej Times- Dubai  |  Innovation, Accessible Design, Arts/Entertainment  |  United Arab Emirates

Old mosques and ancient forts in the UAE are cultural institutions that are steeped in history and tradition, but they are not always readily accessible to everyone, especially for persons with disabilities (PwDs). A game changer would be VRs (virtual reality) or augmented reality apps, according to experts and urban planners attending the 2nd Annual Future Accessibility and Assistive Technology Summit in Dubai on Sunday. Last week, experts from various government organisations discussed ways to achieve Dubai’s vision of transforming the city into disabled-friendly by 2020. The Dubai Executive Council has instructed developers to follow the new emirate-wide, disabled-friendly code for new public spaces…

For the Billion: help make a difference to disabled people’s lives – including your own

October 9, 2017 Disability Horizons- UK  |  Inclusion, Awareness, Disability Rights  |  United Kingdom

Disability Horizons co-founder Martyn Sibley talks to us about new campaign For the Billion. It’s estimated that there are 1 billion disabled people in the world, and a lot of what enables them to live a normal and fulfilling life is our society being accessible and accepting. But, all too often it’s inaccessible and intolerant. For the Billion aims to start addressing some of these issues by raising awareness of problems in our society, as well as what disabled people are capable of, and making a noise about it. Read on to see how you can help improve disabled people’s lives – as well as your own…

Icelolly.com agrees deal with Enable Holidays

October 9, 2017   |  Source: TTG- UK  |  Inclusion, Accessible Design, Travel  |  United Kingdom

Travel price comparison website icelolly.com has signed a deal with Enable Holidays to offer “fully accessible” package holidays for the first time. Icelolly.com said that it had seen a “marked increase” in demand for holidays that are guaranteed to be suitable for disabled and reduced-mobility customers over the past year. Enable Holidays offers 500 accessible holidays in more than 50 destinations around the world, which will now be available through icelolly.com. Andrew Latham, chief executive of icelolly.com, said: “Holidaymakers have been calling out for better provision of travel options for disabled customers, and we knew it was time to sit up and listen…

Eliminating the R-word from our vocabulary

October 9, 2017   |  Source: The Kingston Whig-Standard- Canada  |  Discrimination, Awareness, Disability Rights  |  Canada

Accessibility Queen’s is inviting the community to visit the university’s campus on Wednesday to help spread the word on ending a word. “The word is the R-word, that’s ‘retard’ or retarded,'” Odelle Ma, co-chair of Accessibility Queen’s, said on Saturday. “We’re trying to educate students and the community in Kingston about why it is important to not us that word. “The R-word is degrading and insulting to people with intellectual disabilities whether you use it in an aggressive way or if you just use it in your everyday speech.” Ma, a 20-year-old fourth-year Life Sciences student, said that when the word is used in everyday speech it can isolate and exclude people with disabilities from feeling that they are valued in the community. She’s found people of all ages still use the R-word…

Architects aim to tackle accessibility issue

October 10, 2017   |  Source: Royal Gazette- Bermuda  |  Architecture, Advocacy, Accessible Design  |  Bermuda

Architects in Bermuda are looking for ways to make more businesses accessible to the physically challenged and visually impaired. The Institute of Bermuda Architects (IBA) hosted an architectural tour last week in Hamilton for members and invited industry associates to experience what the visually impaired go through on a daily basis in navigating the streets. The Government of Bermuda has been doing its part in making sure the public is educated on the physically and visually challenged community. They have teamed up with IBA’s inaugural Architecture Week. This is the first year that the IBA had a week dedicated to the visually impaired…

Disabled people claim accessibility to public buildings in Burundi

October 9, 2017   |  Source: IWACU English News- Africa  |  Building/Facilities Access, Disability Rights, Inclusion

Following the inaccessibility to health buildings and lack of information related to the health and reproduction domain, people living with disabilities say they face several challenges regarding the access to appropriate treatment. Adelaide Nyigina, chairwoman of the Union of People living with Disabilities in Burundi (U.P.H.B), says some buildings and installations are not appropriate for disabled people. “Buildings with stairs and some installations including delivery rooms- which are not appropriate for pregnant women living with disabilities- constitute major challenges for disabled people,” she says…

Wales’ trains face ‘impossible’ disability targets by 2020

October 10, 2017   |  Source: BBC News- UK  |  Transit/Transportation, Travel, Accessible Design  |  United Kingdom

It could be “impossible” for 70% of Wales and Border trains to meet new disability regulations by 2020, a report has warned. The assembly’s petitions committee calls the timescale for meeting the target “extremely daunting”. Cabinet Secretary Ken Skates said all passenger needs would be “fully addressed” in a new rail franchise. Current franchise holder Arriva Trains Wales said work to modify its trains had already begun. The report follows a petition signed by 97 people, backed by charity Whizz-Kidz, calling for better disabled access. After taking evidence, the petitions committee has made 12 recommendations to the Welsh Government for improving rail, bus and taxi travel…

Hell on wheels

October 10, 2017   |  Source: Honi Soit- Australia  |  Mobility, Housing, Awareness  |  Australia

I love my wheelchair. My wheels are rad as hell. My ride is a stylish manual MOGO Infinity with Round Betty wheels and a purple and green frame. The seat and backrest are specially fitted to my spine. Before I got my chair I was, for the most part, stuck at home. My joints dislocate daily, and while walking on dislocated hips is not impossible, it’s extraordinarily painful. There’s a reason my hospital patient records all have “high fall risk” at the top. But now that I’m not overexerting, trying to make my wobbly Jenga tower of a skeleton walk under its own power, I can go out dancing in my wheelchair and stay out for hours. This said, making it through the world as a wheelchair user is exhausting…

Sasol trains QTA tourism inspectors

October 10, 2017   |  Source: Gulf Times- Qatar & MENAFN  |  Travel, Accessible Design, Inclusion  |  Qatar

Sasol, the international integrated chemicals and energy company, has partnered with Qatar Tourism Authority (QTA) to deliver an “Accessibility Awareness and Audit” training to a team of inspectors from the Tourism Licensing department.  The two-day workshop, held as part of the “Accessible Qatar” initiative, involved theoretical sessions at the QTA headquarters, and inspection practice at the Mondrian Doha Hotel. It also aims to continuously promote awareness about accessibility. Jennifer Stirling and Issam Azzouri, Sasol’s accessibility consultants, led the workshop and shed light on the models of disability, various access barriers, and how to identify them in tourism venues. Attendees reviewed the accessibility standards included in the Hotel Grading and Classification System released by QTA…

Bell partners with Neil Squire Society to improve accessibility of touchscreen devices

October 10, 2017   |  Source: MobileSyrup- Canada  |  Innovation, Digital Accessibility, Inclusion  |  Canada

Bell Mobility is partnering with the not-for-profit disability organization Neil Squire Society to improve the accessibility of smartphones and other touch screen devices. Bell says more than 50 of its employees will be volunteering alongside technical mentors from Neil Squire Soceity’s Makers Making Bell initiative at the LipSync Buildathon at Toronto’s STEAMLabs on October 12th, 2017 to create over 30 “LipSync” assistive devices. The LipSync is a mouth-controlled joystick for Bell Android smartphones and touchscreen devices intended for those who have little to no movement in their arms. Bell says each of the LipSync devices made during the buildathon will be donated to people with disabilities in the Greater Toronto Area…

Disability advocate says not enough being done in Osoyoos

October 10, 2017   |  Source: Osoyoos Times- Canada

More than 30 years after Canadian icon Rick Hansen wheeled around the world to raise awareness of disability issues, Mike Stiles says he remains greatly disheartened so little has been done to address these issues in his adopted hometown here in Osoyoos. Stiles, who suffered serious injuries as a teenager after being thrown by a horse and has used a wheelchair for all of his adult life, said he’s tried to silently lead the charge to improve accessibility issues in Osoyoos for more than 20 years. Stiles has been a vocal and outspoken advocate for improved accessibility for the physically disabled and an active member of several organizations, including being a veteran board member with Accessible Okanagan…

Wellington helps build a more accessible Aotearoa

October 12, 2017   |  Source: Scoop- New Zealand  |  Accessible Design, Mobility, Building/Facilities Access  |  New Zealand

On the 11th October 2017 CCS Disability Action, Wellington City Council and Thundermaps signed a partnership agreement which cements a collaboration set to revolutionise the reporting and enforcement of mobility parking abuse. This revolutionary Access Aware app will connect people who encounter mobility parking misuse directly with Wellington City Council’s Parking Enforcement Teams. Present at the signing was CCS Disability Action’s CCS Disability Action Board Member, Phillip Blundell MNZM, and Wellington City Council Councillor Calvi-Freeman. This game-changing initiative will prove life-changing for Wellington residents with access issues. “Our research shows that levels of parking abuse have not improved in ten years, with abuse rates still unacceptably high, despite increases in fines and attempts to grow awareness of the problem…

Making a home accessible can make all the difference as we age

October 12, 2017   |  Source: insideTORONTO- Canada  |  Housing, Aging, Accessible Design  |  Canada

Sandra and Dan Sexton are doing the kind of work on their North York home that usually comes much later in life. Although they are only in their 40s, an ALS diagnosis for Dan means the home will have to become entirely accessible, as he transitions from using a walker to eventually an electric wheelchair. The Sextons are planning to offer housing to Dan’s 82-year-old father as well, which will feature a new lower-floor bath with wide doors, a roll-in shower and a widened side entrance to accommodate the wheelchair.  “You have to plan longer term,” Sandra said.  The couple are working with Ronny Wiskin, a specialist in home renovation for accessibility, through the Toronto-based Med+ Home Healthcare company…

Q&A: Disability minister urges industry to play ‘vital’ role

October 12, 2017   |  Source: Construction News- UK  |  Government, Advocacy, Inclusion  |  United Kingdom

How important is the issue of disability employment – and access overall – to the current government? Improving the recruitment and retention of disabled people is a top priority, which is reflected in our commitment to help one million more disabled people into work over the next 10 years. Accessibility is integral to this: it’s in every organisation’s interest to ensure they are catering to the needs of both employees and customers or clients who are disabled. There are seven million disabled people of working age, and disabled people and their households have a collective spending power of almost £250bn, so it’s not just the right thing to do, it makes good business sense…

New tech improves daily life for blind community

October 12, 2017   |  Source: Radio New Zealand- New Zealand  |  Innovation, Technology, Blindness/Visual Impairment  |  New Zealand

The reader is about the size of a modem and has been around for some time but this one will cost around $700 instead of thousands. The Blind Foundation has worked alongside international organisations to come up with the cost-effective solution to read online material. It uses Bluetooth to connect to a device and transcribes the sentences line by line on to a set of braille keys with small pins that change to form a letter. “I can manually move through it and the pins change as I move up and down the screen,” the Blind Foundation’s Neil Jarvis said. The technology allows blind people to read documents, texts, articles and emails and know exactly how words like place-names are spelt…

Post Demonetization Currency Notes Aren’t Accessible To The Blind

October 12, 2017   |  Source: Feminism in India- India  |  Blindness/Visual Impairment, Discrimination, Awareness  |  India

A petition started by Blind Graduates Forum which is being widely circulated in the social media presently starts by saying – “How would you feel if you unknowingly give away Rs 500 note to the auto person instead of Rs 20 note and realize after he drives away? How would you live if in every monetary transaction, there is no way for you to identify the notes, coins and total amount? How would you feel if every time you want to spend or get cash you have to rely on another person to know the amount?” For a large number of people, this seems like an imaginary scenario as we cannot even think of handing over Rs 500 note to an auto driver when the fare is only Rs 20. But this is a day to day reality of lakhs of people in India who are visually impaired…

Council wants banks to give the visually-impaired proper access to financial services

October 13, 2017   |  Source: The Star- Malaysia  |  Blindness/Visual Impairment, Banking, Inclusion  |  Malaysia

The visually-impaired community wants better access to banking services. Their main complaints include the inability to open personal bank accounts and hold Automated Teller Machine (ATM) cards. In a forum organised by the National Council for the Blind Malaysia (NCBM) in Kuala Lumpur, council executive director Moses Choo said many bank officers do not understand the abilities and capabilities of the blind. “We understand that there are risks involved when dealing with us, but unfortunate events happen to all. “We are very grateful for the biometrics verification process, which is very safe but why are we still being denied certain services?…

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Our digital and web accessibility services cover
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.
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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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Accessibility Training — Contact us to get your teams introduced and informed about accessibility best practices.

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