Accessibility in the News— 10/19/18.

NOTE: To get news like this every week in your inbox, before it hits our website, subscribe to our Accessibility in the News e-newsletter. There are no ads or graphics, and we never send spam. Just use the sign-up form on this page to subscribe and stay up to date!

Skip to National News (U.S.) | Skip to International News

More Accessibility Resources on this Page

Accessibility Blogs and Information | Accessibility Statement Pages
Accessibility Announcements and Products | Accessibility Q&A and Tips

Microassist Accessibility Services

AITN Quote of the Week

“Alone we can do little; together we can do much.”
― Helen Keller

Infinite Flow – An Inclusive Dance Company

National News (U.S.)

Does my wheelchair make you uncomfortable? How my disability may have cost me a job

October 8, 2018 | Source: USA Today

The morning of my job interview brought excitement and anxiety. At the same time, I felt prepared and confident. It was the beginning of 2017 and already I had gone through three rounds of phone interviews, all rigorous, yet fair. This final interview would be our first face-to-face meeting. After passing through such an extensive interview process, backed by my impeccable credentials, I felt this meeting would be a formality. A 14-year veteran New York City public school teacher, I was applying for a literacy coach position to train new teachers. The interviews had gone so well, I was certain a job offer would soon follow…

How Microsoft Is Changing the Face of Disability Employment: “It Has Never Been More Important”

October 9, 2018 | Source: Pop Sugar

Disability is not inability, and when everyone can understand that it’s what differently abled individuals bring to the table that matters — and not what their diagnosis is — is when we’ll have a truly inclusive system. People with disabilities make up the third largest market segment in the US, and it makes business sense to tap into this pool of talent. Because of their ability to cope with challenges on a daily basis, differently abled employees bring with them a unique perspective and out-of-the-box thinking that helps solve problems…

Justice Department failing disabled people and businesses, advocates and attorneys say

October 12, 2018 | Source: WUSA9 | Disability Rights, DOJ, ADA, Awareness

We live in an age where the phone in your hand holds the answer to almost any question. Our cars drive themselves. Astronauts can use social media in outer space. Yet, advocates argue innovation is ignoring disabled Americans, denying their right to access the Internet, and leaving millions of people lost in the digital space. Eric Bridges is one of those people. Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis robbed Eric of his sight by the time he turned 16. When most of his friends started driving, Eric was reading braille and walking with a cane…

Sliders are bad for your credit union website design

October 12, 2018 | Source: CU Insight

Pull up your credit union’s website. When you land on the homepage, do you see a rotating banner? Given today’s landscape of credit union website designs, I’d say there’s a 50-50 chance your website has a slider (aka rotating banner or carousel). Though sliders are incredibly prominent, they are remarkably bad for user experience. In this article, I’ll lay out the evidence against sliders and share some better alternatives. Most credit unions use sliders to display promotions…

Businesses can learn about making websites accessible for people with disabilities

October 12, 2018 | Source: Quad City Times

As more businesses in the past few years have faced lawsuits claiming their websites are not accessible for people with disabilities, leaders of Tag Communications in Davenport decided to make some changes. For years, the Americans with Disabilities Act had been focused on physical barriers in brick-and-mortar facilities, requiring public places to make accommodations, such as building wheelchair ramps and elevators. But in the age of e-commerce, the ADA is requiring companies to make their websites fully accessible for disabled people, namely those who are visually-impaired…

Bird scooter blocking the sidewalk? There’s an app for that

October 12, 2018 | Source: Columbia Missourian

For the first time since Bird scooters appeared in Columbia, a company representative publicly met with city officials and community members. He assured people that changes have been and will be made to avoid accessibility issues, but he doesn’t know when all of those changes will happen. Jeremy LaFaver, the representative, attended the Columbia Disabilities Commission meeting Thursday to address concerns brought up by the commission and other community members about the challenges scooters cause for members of the disabled community, especially wheelchair users…

West Virginia restaurant creates braille menu for blind customer

October 12, 2018 | Source: Fox News

Now that’s some good customer service. A restaurant in West Virginia created a braille menu for one its regular customers who is blind. Employees at Hwy 55 Burgers Shakes and Fries in Huntington noticed how Lisa Blankenship always had to have someone read the menu for her, which gave them the idea to create a version suitable for their vision-impaired patrons. “We talk a lot at Hwy 55, in general, about love your neighbor, and that’s a concept that comes to service but also beyond the service. What sets us apart is that we do try to reach out to our customers in a way that’s personal,” Hwy 55 operator Erin Downard told MetroNews…

Smart Clothing Can Bring New Digital Possibilities In Smart Cities

October 12, 2018 | Source: Smart City Press

The idea of mounting digital capabilities on wearables is a concept as old as the cordless telephones. However, the idea picked up real speed just a few years ago when the Fitbit and Apple Smart Watch became the newest obsessions for urbanites – after smartphones. As we know technology is something that will never see a red signal, the concept of wearables has now shifted from wrist watches and bands to fabric-woven clothes. A lot of tech biggies like Google, Samsung, OMSignal, Hexo Skin, and others are looking to branch their ventures into innovating clothes that would work just like your smartphone…

School accessibility lacking for kids with disabilities in NYC, report says

October 13, 2018 | Source: SILive.com

Staten Island, N.Y. – A recent analysis of Department of Education (DOE) building-based data by Advocates for Children of New York found that only 21 percent of Staten Island public schools are fully accessible to students with disabilities. The DOE data lists 39 of Staten Island’s 69 District 31 public school buildings on its website as either partially or fully accessible for students with disabilities. It shows those 39 buildings house a total of 59 educational programs…

Serving on the Facing Change: Diversity, Equity, Accessibility, and Inclusion Working Group

October 13, 2018 | Source: American Alliance of Museums

I have always believed that the “alliance” in the American Alliance of Museums’ title is truly descriptive of its aspirational aims: that together we derive strength from the service we render to the museum field. Among my highlights of 2017 was a letter that came to me from the pen of Ms. Laura Lott, President & CEO of the American Alliance of Museums and Dr. Johnnetta Betsch Cole, inviting participation in a new endeavor—a short-term working group that would examine diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusion (DEAI) efforts Alliance-wide and make initial recommendations out of its findings…

Magnaready’s Maura Horton talks bringing accessibility to fashion

October 13, 2018 | Source: Pulse

Maura Horton’s husband Don was stuck in a locker room, running late to a football game. The North Carolina State University football coach struggled with the buttons on his dress shirt, unable to secure the traditionally small clasps. After being diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease at age 48, he had trouble with buttons, but preferred to wear dress shirts for work. Eventually, then-student Russell Wilson helped Coach Horton get his shirt buttoned. But when Horton came home, he lamented about how much more difficult the process made coaching games and being on time. Most importantly, it was stressful and undignified…

Ecommerce is ignoring people with disabilities — here’s how it should change

October 14, 2018 | Source: TNW

In a time where a million different worthy causes are vying for our attention online, it’s impressive to note that World Wildlife Fund of Canada recently pulled off one of its most successful fundraisers of all time, bringing in over $21 million in revenue for the year. How did they do it? Not through a big marketing push, or a campaign tugging at the heartstrings of existing donors. They simply improved the accessibility of their website. Some updated tags on the backend, and a new mobile-friendly design, and suddenly, the “Donate Now” button was blowing up — along with the checkout for the WWF’s online store…

As deaf gamers speak up, game studios are finally listening to those who can’t

October 14, 2018 | Source: Digital Trends

There’s a mission early in the first Destiny game where you are plunged into darkness when fighting a group of enemies called ‘The Hive’. It’s about an hour in and requires players to listen closely for nearby enemies since the game’s torch and motion sensor are limited. This may seem like a simple challenge typical of a first-person-shooter but for those who are deaf and hard-of-hearing, it’s an incredibly difficult part to play through and creates a near insurmountable roadblock to the rest of the game…

Designing accessible fashion for people with disabilities

October 14, 2018 | Source: PBS (Video)

Nearly one in five people in the U.S. identify as having a disability, but it can be difficult for people with disabilities to find clothing that is both stylish and meets their needs. NewsHour Weekend’s Megan Thompson reports on the fashion industry’s moves toward accessible fashion, from Parsons’ Open Style Lab, which runs a training program for designers, to Tommy Hilfiger, the first major designer to launch a line for people with disabilities. Every morning, Christina Mallon picks out an outfit for her job at a marketing firm in New York…

IndyGo buses are failing people with disabilities

October 14, 2018 | Source: Indiana Daily Student

Although the Americans with Disabilities Act was signed into effect almost 18 years ago, people with disabilities are still facing lack of accessibility in the most basic of places, including Indianapolis public transit. The Americans with Disabilities Act was passed in 1990 as a civil rights law that prohibited discrimination on the basis of disability. In broader terms, this means that employers cannot deny a job based on disability, public places need to provide accommodations for people with disabilities…

Plaintiff Lacks Standing to Claim Website Violates ADA Where It Does Not Impede Ability to Access Physical Location of the Business

October 15, 2018 | Source: Jackson Lewis P.C. | ADA, Litigation, Title III, Digital Accessibility | Gomez v. Knife Management, LLC | FLORIDA

With the rise in lawsuits under Title III of the ADA regarding accessibility of websites, Courts have been framing how such claims fit into the law’s requirements for accessibility at places of public accommodation. The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida recently provided additional clarification in Gomez v. Knife Management, LLC (S.D. Fla. Sep. 14, 2018). The Defendant owns and operates a chain of restaurants. There is no dispute that the restaurants are places of public accommodation covered by the ADA…

Humble Signs James Rath; Legally Blind Director Brings Vision To Tommy Hilfiger Campaign

October 15, 2018 | Source: SHOOT Online

Humble, the bicoastal integrated production studio founded by Eric Berkowitz, has added James Rath to its directorial roster. This marks the first commercial representation for Rath who’s an educator, activist, YouTube star and filmmaker born with ocular albinism and nystagmus, conditions that left him legally blind. He uses film and creativity to shed light on the difficulties that face those with disabilities and brings his zest for storytelling and motivational approach to the Humble team…

Latest DOJ Statement On Website Accessibility Provides No Definitive Site Map For Businesses

October 15, 2018 | Source: Littler

At the end of September 2018, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) responded to a June letter sent by 103 members of the U.S. House of Representatives asking it to take steps to stop the flood of lawsuits being filed against businesses over their alleged failure to make their websites sufficiently accessible to individuals with disabilities.1 While the DOJ’s letter does little to clarify what is expected of businesses, gives little reason to expect any regulatory action soon, and offers nothing to stem the tide of private lawsuits, it does provide some insight as to the DOJ’s current stance on approaches and limits to website accessibility…

The No. 1 thing you’re getting wrong about inclusive design

October 16, 2018 | Source: Fast Company

The term inclusive design has been around for decades, but it was largely an academic practice until recently. When I first learned about inclusive design, very few companies were applying it to their work in a repeatable way. At Microsoft, we sought out mentors from universities. Most importantly, Jutta Treviranus and her team at Ontario College of Art and Design. Treviranus founded the Inclusive Design Research Centre in 1993 to focus on ways that digital technology can improve societal inclusion. She has a clear approach to selecting each new cohort of designers…

California Man Sues Edward Jones over Wheelchair Accessibility

October 16, 2018 | Source: AdvisorHub | Wheelchair, Mobility, ADA, Litigation

Edward D. Jones & Co. was sued on Wednesday in federal court over claims that one of its California offices is inaccessible to wheelchair-bound individuals. Guy Fairon, who describes himself as “an individual with a mobility disability who is at times dependent upon a wheelchair,” claims that a Jones branch in Huntington Beach has a steep curb ramp around the sidewalk that is in excess of the 2% maximum grade allowed by the Americans with Disability Act’s accessibility guidelines…

One of N.J.’s biggest supermarket chains agrees to make stores more disabled accessible

October 16, 2018 | Source: NJ.com

Federal authorities have reached an agreement with Stop & Shop supermarkets to make checkout aisles in the chain’s more than 400 stores more accessible to the disabled to comply with federal law. The agreement announced Tuesday by the U.S. attorney for Rhode Island comes following an investigation launched when a resident complained that three Stop & Shop stores in that state failed to provide an adequate number of accessible checkout aisles and didn’t have credit card readers at heights convenient for wheelchair users…

Designing for Cognitive Differences

October 16, 2018 | Source: A List Apart

Inclusive design is designing to be inclusive of as many users as possible, considering all aspects of diversity in users. With increased understanding, compassionate discussions around how to design for disabilities are becoming increasingly common in the web industry. But even with this growth, there are misconceptions: accessibility is still frequently thought of as “design for blind people” when it’s so much more than that. Users with limited motor functions and those who are hearing-impaired require separate considerations, for instance…

Hulu Becomes Latest Streaming Service to Commit to Accessibility for Blind Users

October 17, 2018 | Source: American Council of the Blind

Hulu and advocates from the American Council of the Blind (ACB) and Bay State Council of the Blind (BSCB) have reached a settlement agreement to increase the accessibility of Hulu’s streaming service to individuals who are blind or have low vision. As a result, Hulu will undertake efforts to make its website and software applications accessible via screen readers and will provide audio description tracks for streaming content where possible. With these efforts, Hulu will join the list of online streaming providers, like Netflix, that are prioritizing accessibility features and making the entertainment industry more accessible to the disability community…

Digital Accessibility for Law Firms: Why Lawyers Need to Prioritize Accessibility

October 17, 2018 | Source: Bigger Law Firm Magazine

Your firm’s reputation and business could get a boost because you are capable of meeting and serving people who have a disability. As more potential clients continue to search for attorneys online, law firms must prioritize digital accessibility. This means making sure technology is available to a wide range of users, including people with disabilities. According to the 2010 national Census Bureau report, one in five, or about 56.7 million people, have had or have a disability. People with a disability may sometimes have trouble learning and utilizing new technologies…

Baking accessibility into your organization

October 17, 2018 | Source: BenefitsPro

Accessibility, the latest corporate buzzword, tends to be defined either by audience or by function. An event or conference defines it as taking into account and responding to the varied abilities of attendees so that they can concentrate on content, uninhibited by an ability that may not be considered mainstream. A website design with accessibility baked in focuses first on function—navigating the site, being able to absorb the content in various ways—and then on the audience, which may be a general one spanning the range of abilities…

Blind video gamer gaining international followers, advocating for more accessibility

October 17, 2018 | Source: KSL.com

“Call of Duty” is a fast paced, first-person shooter game enjoyed by millions of gamers. Gamers like TJ. But unlike the millions, TJ’s gaming is drastically different. TJ can’t see what’s happening on the screen. “I’m listening for footsteps and for any gun shots,” TJ said. Instead, TJ plays completely off sound. TJ was born at 24 weeks. He was so small he fit into the palm of a hand, weighing only 1 pound 13 ounces. TJ spent the first five months of his life in the NICU and had dozens of surgeries, mainly on his eyes. He lost vision in his left eye at age 5, and at 14 years old he lost vision in his right eye…

Pittsburgh arts leaders are working to make the scene more accessible

October 17, 2018 | Source: PGH City Paper

Over the past few years, the local government and nonprofit sectors have launched various initiatives to ensure that everyone feels included in what many refer to as “the new Pittsburgh.” The same goes for the city’s arts community, particularly in the area of accessibility. But while Pittsburgh has made great strides in trying to accommodate everyone, arts leaders know more needs to be done. Vanessa Braun joined the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust seven years ago as the director of accessibility and manager of employee engagement…

“Hop-able” Open House showcases Streetcars’s accessibility features

October 18, 2018 | Source: The Milwaukee Independent

The Hop, presented by Potawatomi Hotel & Casino, hosted a special “Hop-able” open house on October 10 at the Burns Commons streetcar platform, to provide an opportunity for Milwaukee residents living with disabilities to get a sneak preview of The Hop and the accessibility features of the vehicles. The Hop features ADA-compliant level boarding, priority seating areas, on-board video screens and audio announcements, and accessible stop-request buttons to accommodate passengers of all abilities. Service animals are permitted if they are specially trained to perform work or a task because of the owner’s disability…

UC leaves much to be desired in terms of accessibility

October 18, 2018 | Source: The News Record

Cincinnati: the city of seven hills. It’s not exactly a friendly place for bike commuters and bad knees. The slopes are relentless, the roads are shoddy, and the University of Cincinnati is no exception. In fact, the campus doesn’t offer much aid in the accessibility department whatsoever. We’re dealing with the same steep slopes with the added challenge of a wobbly brick-paved main street and lots of steps. But the issue of accessibility goes far beyond uphill hikes to class. It’s bleeding into the institution’s negligence for students and staff with disabilities…

Ada County irons out accessibility issues ahead of election

October 18, 2018 | Source: Idaho Press-Tribune

Disability Rights Idaho’s survey of 20 Ada County polling places during the May primary election showed 11 were noncompliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act, or ADA. “Canyon County did a fairly decent job, they had that contractor helping them,” said Dena Brewer, advocacy director for Disability Rights Idaho, referring to accessibility issues in the neighboring county. “When we went to Ada County, we found a lot (of issues).” There are roughly 150 Ada County polling locations, Disability Rights Idaho Executive Director Jim Baugh said, and the 20 surveyed were chosen because they’ve been known to have issues in the past…

Jack Fact — According to the Blinded Veterans Association, there are over 130,000 legally blind veterans, and 1.5 million veterans with low vision.

Hit The Road Jack —30 of the Most Accessible Cities in Europe

International News

Nova Scotia says it won’t appeal accessibility ruling by human rights board

October 12, 2018 | Source: The Chronicle Herald- Canada

The Nova Scotia government is promising prompt action in light of a human rights ruling that it discriminated against people in wheelchairs by failing to enforce a regulation requiring restaurants to have accessible bathrooms.

The Justice Department announced Friday that it won’t appeal a September decision by an independent board of inquiry that stated the province did not regulate food safety provisions on accessible washrooms in restaurants with patios…

Yes we can: U of T students create prize-winning IDeA project for accessibility

October 12, 2018 | Source: University of Toronto- Canada

Stairs and narrow doorways are not the sole barriers to accessing sport and physical activity spaces. Once up the steps and through the doors, stereotypes and prejudices still obstruct the way.For U of T Faculty of Kinesiology & Physical Education recent graduate Sara Santos and fourth-year student Natasha Bruno, increasing accessibility means taking down attitudinal as well as physical barriers to participation. They are strong believers in the principle that no single barrier to accessibility should take precedence over another…

Putting accessibility at the heart of mobility retail

October 12, 2018 | Source: THIIS- UK

Increasingly, retailers across multiple sectors are realising the potential of the ‘purple pound’ and are investing more into their stores, both physical and digital, to ensure they are fully accessible to disabled shoppers. For retailers in the mobility sector however, accessibility is a must. In February 2017, the Department of Work and Pensions estimated that there are 11 million disabled people in the UK and the spending power of their households – ‘the purple pound’ – is almost £250 billion…

Toronto election: Voter blasts lack of wheelchair accessibility at Ward 5 debate

October 12, 2018 | Source: Globalnews- Canada

Accessibility advocate Al Reeves says he was prevented from attending an election event because of his wheelchair. Speaking to Global News on Thursday, Reeves said he decided to drop by a Ward 5 debate Wednesday evening with the hopes of learning more about his council candidates’ plans. But when he arrived at the Royal Canadian Legion where the debate was held, Reeves said he couldn’t get in. “I’m on this vestibule entrance and there are about nine stairs or more in front of me,” Reeves said…

MPs grill housing minister over ‘disappointing’ response to accessibility report

October 12, 2018 | Source: Architects Journal- UK

Housing minister Kit Malthouse has been grilled by a select committee over the government’s ‘disappointing’ response to its inquiry on disability and the built environment. Malthouse gave evidence before the Women and Equalities committee on Wednesday morning (10 October), where he was asked why he had not taken forward recommendations in its 2017 report Building for Equality: Disability and the Built Environment. The report had argued that in recent years there had been a loss of expertise on inclusive design and access at a local level and urged the government to ‘lead the charge’ in improving accessibility…

Performers with Down’s syndrome find outlet for their creativity

October 13, 2018 | Source: NBC News- UK

It’s a Saturday night, and the crowd is buzzing in the small but gilded space of London’s most iconic gay venue, the Royal Vauxhall Tavern, a place where stars are born and guest lists are forbidden. The stage, one that has played host to alternative cabaret since the 1960s, when homosexuality still meant a jail sentence in the U.K., is aglow with anticipation, everyone turned to its red velvet curtains, waiting for the evening’s drag act to arrive…

Scottish Brewers Join Forces To Improve Accessibility And Provide Jobs

October 15, 2018 | Source: BQ Live- Scotland

A recent report from the government-backed Equality and Human Rights Commission has stated that “more and more disabled people are finding it difficult to live independently and be included, and participate, in their communities on an equal basis.” A group of Scottish brewers are joining forces to try to do what they can to help. Brewers from Ride Brew Co of Glasgow, Late Night Hype Brewing Company from Clydebank and Bute Brew Co from the Isle of Bute are working together to start a new social enterprise dedicated to accessibility and providing well paid meaningful employment for people with disabilities…

Ironically, Lack of Accessibility Still Plagues Jakarta’s Asian Para Games

October 15, 2018 | Source: Jakarta Globe- Indonesia

After earning worldwide praises for its second Asian Games this year, Indonesia continued its good run as host by organizing the Asian Para Games for the first time. The international multi-sport event for athletes with physical disabilities was held in Jakarta from Oct. 6 to 13. A total of 3,000 athletes from 43 countries competed in 568 events in 18 disciplines during the Asian Para Games. More than 1,900 officials and 8,000 volunteers – both disabled and non-disabled – also participated in the Para Games, making it the biggest para-sports event ever held in Indonesia…

Housing Accessibility and Human Rights

October 16, 2018 | Source: Scoop- New Zealand

When our landlord issued a 90 day notice of intent to take back occupation of the home my young family had been renting for two years, I did what most people in my generation have had to do at some point; I spent hours of my time desperately scouring real estate websites, publications and new paper listings in hopes of finding another home to rent at a time when demand significantly outstrips supply. Unlike the majority of hopeful tenants, however, I dismissed most of the available properties without forwarding an application…

Airbnb adds accessibility filters and experiences

October 16, 2018 | Source: Travel Weekly- Australia

According to Tourism Research Australia an estimated 20 per cent of Australian adults have a disability or long-term health condition and Statistics New Zealand found as many as 1 in 4 New Zealanders have a physical, sensory, learning, mental health or other disability. As one of the first steps to ensure Airbnb’s community is accessible to everyone, the platform has introduced 27 new accessibility filters to make it easier for people to find homes which fit their needs, and so hosts can better market their home’s accessible features for incoming guests…

Accessibility problems still not fixed at MUHC superhospital

October 16, 2018 | Source: Montreal Gazette- Canada

More than a year after an independent report found numerous problems with accessibility for the disabled and other patients at the MUHC superhospital, the McGill University Health Centre has still not fixed most of the deficiencies, the Montreal Gazette has learned. The MUHC commissioned the report by two experts at the Université de Montréal after the patients’ committee raised repeated concerns about the lack of clear signage, the scarcity of wheelchairs in the lobby, the confusing layout and poor access to public bathrooms for the mobility-challenged…

Sticker campaign raises awareness of invisible barriers for Montrealers with reduced mobility

October 16, 2018 | Source: CBC- Canada

You may start seeing small, red stickers adorned with an upside-down wheelchair as you enter Montreal businesses. They’re part of an awareness campaign to show Montrealers just how few businesses are accessible to those in wheelchairs or with reduced mobility. This reality was hidden even to Jody Negley, who launched the campaign, until she began using a wheelchair full-time two years ago. “It was a rude awakening,” said Negley, who lives in Montreal’s Saint-Henri neighbourhood and is involved with several local accessibility rights groups…

New Japan hotels must be wheelchair accessible before Tokyo 2020

October 16, 2018 | Source: FRANCE 24- Japan

New hotels in Japan with more than 50 rooms will be required to provide wheelchair-friendly accommodation, the government said Tuesday, as the country gears up to host the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and Paralympics. Japan is hoping to attract around 40 million tourists annually by the time of the Games and concerns have been expressed over the quantity of accommodation and facilities for disabled travellers. Under the revised laws, which come into effect on September 1 next year, at least one percent of rooms in newly built and refurbished hotels or traditional inns must be barrier-free for wheelchair users…

‘Silver Economy’ offers business opportunities, SFU aging expert says

October 15, 2018 | Source: The Sudbury Star- Canada

Scientists using digital games to help seniors stay socially connected were happy to see immediate results when they organized a Wii bowling tournament at 14 senior centres across Canada. Not only were the participants connecting with each other for the weekly virtual games broadcast but “massive numbers of people would come out every week to cheer them on,” said SFU gerontology Prof. David Kaufman. “It helps bring people together,” he said. Using technology to help improve the lives of Canada’s aging population is the theme of the AGE-WELL2018 conference in Vancouver on Tuesday through Thursday…

Building an inclusive smart city is not the same as ‘building for everyone’

October 17, 2018 | Source: Capita- UK

When it comes to optimising citizen interaction with smart city development, we must target areas of the city where services are failing and address inclusivity. Inclusive ‘smart city’ development doesn’t necessarily mean we should ‘build for everyone’. Many desire to design products and services ‘for everyone’ — the wider we cast our net, the more fish we’ll catch. This is not necessarily true. It’s far too easy to make assumptions about how ‘everyone’ fits into our ideal ‘smart’ environment. It is easier still to assume that the people we are designing for are able-bodied, digitally literate, and financially stable…

Entente Canada-Québec grants Concordia $550,000+ for digital learning accessibility

October 17, 2018 | Source: Concordia University- Canada

Digital learning environments and tools are becoming increasingly common in higher education. But as institutions work hard to incorporate these rapidly evolving resources, accessibility issues can emerge if universities don’t mindfully include all learners. “If we’re not paying attention, we leave people behind as we move forward,” says Robert Cassidy, director of Concordia’s Centre for Teaching and Learning.“Concordia is poised to make some tremendous advances in our digital learning environments, and we have to make sure that all of our students benefit, not just some or even most.”…

UNSW panel frames better digital access for people with disabilities

October 17, 2018 | Source: UNSW Newsroom- Australia

An increase in digital accessibility for people with disabilities and a right of redress if it is not forthcoming was a key message of an event supported by UNSW’s Disability Innovation Institute and Grand Challenges this week. The Legislation, Policy and Practice for Digital Inclusion panel discussion in Sydney heard about the digital divide that happens when digital platforms, the digital economy and digital interfaces are not acceptable for people with disabilities…

“Want to make Savlon accessible to everyone”: ITC’s Sameer Satpathy on braille-enabled bottles

October 18, 2018 | Source: afaqs- India

Accessibility and the narrative of making lives better for people with disability or the specially-abled, is a continuous process and the smallest of tweaks can bring about significant change. This thought seems to be at the heart of ITC’s latest campaign for its liquid antiseptic brand – Savlon. The brand recently introduced new packaging for the product marked with braille, a tactile writing system for people who are visually impaired. The bottles were introduced on the occasion of World Sight Day via a couple of TVCs, which involve visually impaired people in two separate scenarios…

Read about the accessibility app that gives an essential Welcome to those with dementia

October 18, 2018 | Source: SmartRail World- UK

For those with disabilities, rail networks can be testing environments. And despite the work that is being carried out to break down the barriers, there are still some stations, trains and platforms that pose problems. That’s the situation for many with mobility issues – some of whom will be using wheelchairs or walking aids and so present clear indicators to staff and fellow passengers that they require assistance – but it’s also the case for those members of society that don’t on first appearance look like they need help…

Scottish brewers raise the bar on inclusivity with social enterprise aimed at accessibility

October 18, 2018 | Source: Scotsman Whisky- Scotland

A Brewery Collective in Glasgow is launching a crowdfunding campaign to open a taproom with a focus on accessibility, as well as providing jobs for people with disabilities. With a recent report from the government-backed Equality and Human Rights Commission stating that “more and more” disabled people are finding it difficult to “live independently” and be included, and participate, in their “communities on an equal basis”, a group of beer producers have set out to try to help alleviate the situation in one Scottish city…

New accessibility legislation falls short for federal workers

October 18, 2018 | Source: Public Service Alliance of Canada

PSAC strongly believes that persons with disabilities should be able to fully and equitably participate in all aspects of Canadian society. However, the union has alerted a House of Commons committee to problems with the proposed Canada Accessibility Act (Bill C-81) when representatives appeared as witnesses on October 18. The new law gives no indication of how it and the current federal Employment Equity Act will work together, nor does it require employers to consult and work with unions in preparing accessibility plans.

Accessibility Blogs and Information

Accessibility Resources

Accessibility Announcements and Products

Accessibility Forums, Tips, and Q&A

Accessibility Statements

VPATs®

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.

Icons representing government and technology, with caption "What is a VPAT?"

Subscribe to Accessibility in the News

Stay informed! Get your weekly update on digital accessibility standards, private and public sector trends, litigation, events, and more.

Name(Required)

First Last

Work Email(Required)

Job Title(Required)

Organization(Required)

Name

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.