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Workforce Inclusion: Creating Jobs for Individuals with Disabilities

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Accessibility in the News—9/8/17.

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AITN Quote of the Week

“There may be times when we are powerless to prevent injustice, but there must never be a time when we fail to protest.”

— Elie Wiesel

 

National News (U.S.)

AT&T Experience More Campaign Sweepstakes– Win a chance to experience more with NFL legend Emmitt Smith! Go to Instagram or Twitter and share how you Experience More and make sure you include @att #experiencemore #sweepstakes to be officially entered! Contest ends on September 11, 2017. Learn more about the campaign at AT&T’s Experience More.

In a Batch of Blind Hires, Companies Prove Dedication to Inclusivity

August 30, 2017   |  Source:  Lighthouse  |  Blindness/Visual Impairment, Inclusion, Employment  |  California

Lockheed Martin, App Dynamic, Grove Collective, the San Francisco Public Library and the State of the California—what do these things all have in common? Each of these companies and institutions hired one of our Employment Immersion Graduates within the last two weeks, representing a step towards improving employment rates in the blind and visually impaired community. These five hires are a testament to our students’ tenacity and hard work, as well as to companies’ increasing dedication to inclusivity. The batch of prestigious hires also speaks volumes to the commitment of our Employment Immersion Program staff, who work one-on-one with students even after they complete the four-week program and liaise with employers to match them with students, and vice versa…

Aipoly App Uses AI To Show Blind People The World Around Them & It’s A Great Tool For Accessibility

August 31, 2017   |  Source:  Bustle  |  Blindness/Visual Impairment, Innovation, Accessible Design

When it comes to the possibilities of technology, scientists and engineers are less interested in futuristic flying cars, and more intrigued by how they can improve the human experience. One key focus for innovation that’s recently gained more visibility is how technological advancements can help the disabled community. Among a number of technologies and inventions that seek to make the world more accessible for the disabled, one app, Aipoly, is using AI to show blind people the world around them — and it’s an using unprecedentedly smart network to do it…

Accessibility in Business

September 1, 2017   |  Source:  The Chicago Lighthouse  |  Businesses, Workforce, Advocacy

Did you know that businesses are letting over $8 trillion slip right through their proverbial fingers? Me neither. But Caroline Casey, an Irish disability activist does, and she wants to show them the money. That sum is the estimated amount of disposable income possessed by approximately a billion people with disabilities worldwide. She believes that with the right insight and guidance, businesses can begin tapping that money for their own gain. But this isn’t just a naked appeal to greed. It’s also good citizenship. It starts with a consideration for disabled consumers in the boardroom. She wants companies to know that they need to do more than pay mere lip service to accessibility. To her, this is a win-win situation. Businesses cater to the needs of disabled people, and in return they get loyal customers who feel appreciated and valued, plus the wallets that come with them…

For ‘Dreamers’ with disabilities, it’s more than a DACA work permit on the line

September 1, 2017   |  Source:  Circa  |  Government, Disability Rights, Discrimination  |  California

Paulina Ruiz, 26, is a recipient of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) permit. She also has cerebral palsy. “As opposed to a regular person who has a disability, I do not qualify for any sort of benefits from the government,” says Ruiz. The 26-year-old, who lives in Los Angeles, California, says she needs President Trump to keep DACA going or she will lose her ability to work legally, which she says she needs since the state-run programs don’t cover the medical expenses associated with her chronic condition…

Seeing art through touch at Peconic Landing sculpture garden

September 2, 2017   |  Source:  Suffolk Times  |  Arts/Entertainment, Accessible Design, Inclusion, Blindness/Visual Impairment   

She felt the rough rustiness of the steel in “Hard Knocks,” a work by Mike Hansel depicting huge nails that seem to be crawling across the grounds and traced the muscular legs of Jack Howard-Potter’s “WallWalker,” a spider-like figurative sculpture. “What is it?” she wondered as she worked to create a picture of the artwork in her mind. Ms. Kirk, who is visually impaired, was on a field trip Monday to the Art Without Barriers sculpture garden behind Brecknock Hall, joined by members of Suffolk Independent Living Organization, the Guide Dog Foundation and the National Federation of the Blind…

Blind student hopes to make computers more inclusive

September 2, 2017   |  Source:  Marion Star  |  Blindness/Visual Impairment, Inclusion, Innovation

Brock Ewing can take a computer apart and put it back together with his eyes closed. Of course, he doesn’t have to physically close his eyes — he is blind. But that has not stopped him from pursuing a career in technology. He wouldn’t be the first. Blind innovators — such as computer scientist T.V. Raman and programmers Michael Curran and James Teh — have pioneered computer accessibility solutions. They are behind many of the programs Ewing uses. Ewing has been blind since birth. He was born premature and spent three months in the neonatal intensive care unit, his mom Dawn Wolfe said. His eyes never fully developed…

Accomable creates vacation-rental market for people with disabilities

September 3, 2017 Sou4rce: San Francisco Chronicle  |  Travel, Leisure/Entertainment, Mobility

When Alex Ghenis moved into his Berkeley apartment, he spent thousands of dollars remodeling to accommodate his wheelchair, adding a roll-in shower, accessible shower fixtures, and hardwood floors in the living room and bedroom. In the bedroom, he set up a Hoyer Lift for transferring between his wheelchair and the bed. The landlord installed an automatic door opener at the building entrance. “Here I am with all these resources,” said Ghenis, 29, who has used a wheelchair since a spinal-cord injury 13 years ago. “When I travel, it would be great to stay in an apartment that is just as accessible — and to open up my place for other people.”…

For Italians With Disabilities, a Place in the Sun

September 3, 2017   |  Source:  New York Times  |  Leisure/Entertainment, Travel, Accessible Design

On a recent summer morning, one lido on the beach at Focene, west of Rome, was bustling. Italians of all ages and sizes sizzled on sun-bleached chairs. Children splashed happily among the waves, and a group of senior citizens exercised (gently) to a mambo beat. But there were also visitors rarely seen on other Italian beaches: people with disabilities being eased into the water on special chairs with fat tires, with the help of family members and volunteers. This summer, like all summers, Italians thronged the thousands of resorts and lidos that pepper the country’s coastline, staking out swatches of sand among colorful umbrellas arranged in cramped rows…

Newest “Sesame Street” Muppet has autism: Meet Julia

September 3, 2017   |  Source:  CBS News & Magnetic Media  |  Autism, Entertainment, Inclusion

There are not many shows on television that deserve to be called true American institutions but one of them is surely “Sesame Street.” It’s been on the air now for almost 50 years. When “Sesame Street” began in 1969, it was considered an experiment.  The question: Could television be used to educate young children?  Well, research proved the answer to be yes, and the nonprofit children’s television workshop — now called Sesame Workshop — that created the show, has been refining and expanding that mission ever since — everything from abc’s and 123’s, to race, and even death. When we first broadcast our story this past spring, “Sesame Street” — which now airs on HBO as well as its longtime home on PBS —  was getting ready to take on its latest challenge introducing a new kid on the street — a Muppet named Julia, who has autism…

Artists Who Fly Like Rocks

September 5, 2017   |  Source:  Oregon Arts Watch  |  Arts/Entertainment, Inclusion, Accessible Design  |  Oregon

The title of the exhibition, produced by The Center for Contemporary Art & Culture at PNCA and Public Annex, begs plenty of questions. Public Annex carefully considers accessibility needs for people with disabilities, but that’s not the whole story, Public Annex’s Lara Ohland, the lead organizer on this exhibition, explains, “When people look into us and they see that we provide inclusive environments for people who experience disability, a lot of people have wondered if the show is exclusive to people who experience disability. And that’s not the case at all. A lot of what we try to do with Public Annex is create a space that is open community space. So…anybody feels they can show up.”…

Football Is Only the Latest Triumph for Blind USC Long Snapper Jake Olson

September 5, 2017   |  Source:  Bleacher Report  |  Sports/Athletics, Blindness/Visual Impairment, Inclusion  |  California

What if all you really knew was fighting a battle so many have lost, a daily grind of what’s next that overwhelms everything every day? What would life be? Let me introduce you, everyone, to life. Big, bold, beautiful life. Jake Olson was born with a rare form of cancer of the retina, retinoblastoma, which destroys the ability to see. When he was 10 months old, it took the sight from his left eye. Then when he was 12 years old, he lost sight in his right eye. But what happened along the road to blindness isn’t what you might expect. A strange realization came to Olson. There is vision in it, Olson will tell you. A clear, simple, honest vision…

Drive-by lawsuits target parking lots for quick cash: Susan Shelley

September 5, 2017   |  Source:  Daily News  |  Lawsuits/Litigation, Accessible Parking, Blindness/Visual Impairment

Suddenly, they appeared everywhere. Outside the sliding glass doors of supermarkets. On the sidewalks next to crosswalks. At the entrances to office buildings and hotels. What are those yellow plates on the ground with the ferocious bumpy surface that invites high heels to slip, trip, and win a date with an orthopedic surgeon? They’re called truncated domes, and they’re intended to make it easier for vision-impaired individuals to detect a curb next to traffic. Truncated domes are one of many accommodations required by federal and state regulations in order to implement the Americans with Disabilities Act…

Supervisors Overrode HR-Approved Accommodations for Obese Worker

September 5, 2017   |  Source:  SHRM  |  ADA, Health/Medicine, Workforce

Supervisors at Capital One ignored HR’s approval of reasonable accommodations for an obese employee with body odor who sued under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) after he was fired, according to a recent complaint. If someone’s obesity is caused by an underlying medical disorder that substantially limits a major life activity, such as breathing or moving, then obesity is covered by the ADA, noted Jonathan Mook, an attorney with DiMuroGinsberg in Alexandria, Va. Body odor isn’t typically covered by itself, said David Fram, director of ADA services for the National Employment Law Institute in Golden, Colo. However, the plaintiff’s kidney condition, which resulted in strong body odor, arguably would be covered…

ADA Center: Despite Height, Hartford Parking Meters Compliant

September 6, 2017   |  Source:  Hartford Courant  |  ADA, Accessible Parking, Accessible Design  |  Connecticut 

When it comes to handicapped accessibility, compliance with federal standards is a game of inches. And it’s one that the Hartford Parking Authority is winning, despite some appearances to the contrary. Last Friday, the capital city began charging drivers with handicapped placards to park, reversing a decades-long trend. Eric Boone, the parking authority’s executive director, said the move was designed to combat rampant fraud, and ensure accessibility. Now, drivers with handicapped permits will have to utilize the 258 digital parking kiosks that dot Hartford’s downtown area or use the recently unveiled Woonerf mobile app. But the Courant found the bottom-row of buttons on the kiosks’ keypads are about 50 inches from the ground…

Metro Rejects Ride-Hailing Apps In Move To Outsource Paratransit In Maryland

September 6, 2017   |  Source:  WAMU 88.5  |  Transit/Transportation, Discrimination, ADA, Mobility

Metro rejected bids from ride-hailing companies for a new program to outsource paratransit service for senior citizens and people with disabilities in Maryland, instead choosing a pair of Prince George’s County taxicab fleets equipped with wheelchair-accessible vehicles. The decision was a win for disability rights activists who pressed WMATA officials to avoid companies such as Uber because they lack vehicles with wheelchair-ramps and have been sued for alleged violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act. In fact, a D.C. civil rights group sued Uber in June…

UNO’ Introduces The First Card Game For The Colorblind

September 6, 2017   |  Source:  Broadway World & Mattel & Fast Company  | Leisure/Entertainment, Colorblind, Inclusion

Today, on International Colorblind Awareness Day, UNO announced the launch of its newest deck, UNO ColorADD, the world’s first card game for the colorblind. Designed in partnership with ColorADD, the global organization for colorblind accessibility and education, the deck features its proprietary code, an inclusive and non-discriminative language that enables people with any type of color blindness to identify color. The code is based on three graphic symbols representing three primary colors. These symbols can be found on the top-left and bottom-right corners of each card to define UNO’s iconic red, yellow, green and blue suits…

Port Covington gets task force to ensure accessibility for people with disabilities

September 6, 2017   |  Source:  Baltimore Sun  |  Inclusion, Accessible Design, Building/Facilities Access  |  Maryland

Brigance Brigade Foundation, a Hunt Valley-based ALS support organization, has been selected to lead an independent task force to ensure Port Covington is designed to meet accessibility needs of individuals with disabilities. The $5 billion redevelopment project by Sagamore Development Co., Under Armour CEO Kevin Plank’s private development firm, is expected to bring 4.1 million square feet of mixed-use development to the 235-acre site in South Baltimore and is an opportunity for developers to set a global model for accessibility, said Marc Weller, president of Sagamore Development, in a statement…

Google calls on Local Guides to add wheelchair info to Maps

September 7, 2017   |  Source:  SlashGear & Fortune & Mashable  |  Mobility, Inclusion, Awareness, Building/Facilities Access 

Getting around on wheels might sound classy, but there is one wheel-based mode of transportation that isn’t always fun. Laws requiring establishments to have wheelchair accessible features are inconsistent and inconsistently followed anyway, giving users double the difficulty and the uncertainty. In its mission to index the world’s data, including accessibility information, Google is rallying its Local Guides everywhere to take just a few seconds to note whether a location is wheelchair-friendly or not, a simple act that could make a world of difference for someone…

Disability Services Office renamed to reflect changes

September 7, 2017   |  Source:  Berkeley Beacon  |  Education, Inclusion, Awareness  |  Massachusetts

Emerson’s “Disability Services Office” will now be called “Student Accessibility Services” to reflect an overall shift toward a more social model. Vice President and Dean of Campus Life James Hoppe announced the change to the Emerson community via email on Wednesday. SAS, the Student Affairs Cabinet, the Student Health Advisory Board, Emerson Counseling and Psychological Services, the Center for Health & Wellness, and a spring survey of students already receiving accommodations from the office confirmed the new label. SAS works to resolve accessibility issues by organizing accommodations so students have independence and control over their own lives, Director of Student Accessibility Services Diane Paxton said…

Deliver Seamless Customer Experiences With Digital Quality Management

September 7, 2017  |  Source:  CMSWire  |  Digital Accessibility, Web Design, Awareness

Content plays an increasingly important role in helping companies attract and retain customer brand and product loyalty. As more customers conduct their own pre-purchase online research, the quality of content can be the difference between a successful purchase or a customer walking away for good. To match or exceed customers’ expectations throughout the digital journey, companies must rapidly create, publish and update targeted and high-quality content. Each piece of content has to be accurate, consistent, accessible and brand appropriate across every region, channel and device. Customers do not have the time or the patience to puzzle over flawed content…

We Have An Ed Tech-Accessibility Partnership. So Can You!

September 7, 2017   |  Source:  State Educational Technology Directors Association  |  Technology, WCAG, Awareness 

What do you get when you combine a state educational technology director with a state accessibility expert? A partnership that results in students having digital materials and technologies that are usable for learning across the widest range of learner variability, regardless of format or features. According to the Office for Civil Rights, accessibility means that a person with a disability is afforded the opportunity to acquire the same information, engage in the same interactions, and enjoy the same services as a person without a disability in an equally effective and equally integrated manner, with substantially equivalent ease of use. Accessibility professionals not only know technical standards such as WCAG and Section 508; they know how users with varied abilities interact with technology for learning…

ARC needs to be more accessible for all students

September 7, 2017   |  Source:  American River Current  |  ADA, Education, Mobility, Discrimination

American River College needs to do more to expand access for disabled students. The Americans With Disabilities Act requires public institutions to be accessible to the disabled, but the law is often inadequate. Despite ADA modifications, getting around campus independently remains challenging for many wheelchair users.  As a lifelong wheelchair user I have dealt with access that ranged from the elaborate to the improvised. The problem arises because opening a door and navigating a wheelchair simultaneously is next to impossible.  As a result, disabled students are often unable to get to some classrooms and offices without the assistance of an able-bodied peer…

Retail Real Estate Industry Supports Bi-Partisan Legislation to Improve ADA and Curb Abuses

September 7, 2017   |  Source:  BusinessWire  |  ADA, Building/Facilities Access, Legislation/Policy, Inclusion

The International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) announced support for the ADA Education and Reform Act of 2017, H.R. 620, which was favorably reported by the House Judiciary Committee. The legislation addresses an unintended consequence of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which has resulted in a surge nationally in “drive-by lawsuits”, by creating a pause in litigation to allow businesses the opportunity to correct alleged barriers to access. Lawsuits associated with ADA violations have been on the rise in recent years. According to recent statistics, the number of Title III lawsuits filed in federal court in 2016 increased 37 percent from the previous year. In many instances, a single plaintiff has filed dozens, even hundreds, of cases across a geographic area alleging violations…

Langham: Florida Makes a Legislative ADA Change

September 7, 2017   |  Source:  Work Comp Central  |  ADA, Legislation/Policy, Workforce

The Americans with Disabilities Act is a federal law passed in 1990. It is a bit troubling to me to write that, as I remember when it was news and struggle to accept that was almost 30 years ago. I recall working through ADA complaints associated with a variety of workers’ compensation accidents and the challenges of various workers returning to work. Most workers’ compensation attorneys have at least a rudimentary understanding of the ADA, as it intertwines with the fundamentals of workplace injuries. We are persistently amazed by the imagination and ingenuity of medical science. Undoubtedly, there are literal miracles occurring around us and people are today cured of maladies in ways unimaginable not so long ago. But the fact remains that many who suffer injuries are not blessed with a recovery to 100%…

Maple Street Magnet School will be fully accessible to students with disabilities

September 7, 2017   |  Source:  Foster’s Daily Democrat  |  Mobility, Discrimination, Building/Facilities Access, Education  |  New York

Two Rochester School Board subcommittees voted Thursday to recommend the district renovate Maple Street Magnet School to make it fully accessible to individuals with mobility impairments. The U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights has been investigating the public K-5 school, the state’s only magnet school, because a resident reported its 1928 building has no handicap accessible ramps or entrances, no elevator despite the cafeteria’s location on the second floor, and no bathrooms on the first floor that are accessible to wheelchairs. Members of the School Board’s Building and Finance committees voted Thursday night to recommend a roughly $82,000 plan to renovate the main entrance and parts of the first floor — but no second-floor changes — to satisfy remediation mandates from the OCR…

Enabling those with disabilities to enjoy the outdoors

September 7, 2017   |  Source:  Allentown Morning Call  |  Leisure/Entertainment, Nonprofit, Inclusion

The great outdoors can be exhilarating, inspiring, even therapeutic. One thing they’re not, unfortunately, is easily accessible to everyone. While hiking a mountain or angling on a clear, cold stream are pursuits that can be enjoyed by a majority of people, the reality is that taking part in outdoors activities is often challenging for people with disabilities. Unless, that is, they have the assistance of others. Locally, one group that is working to make outdoors activities all-inclusive is the Lehigh Valley Center for Independent Living (LVCIL), an Allentown-based nonprofit dedicated to helping persons with disabilities achieve independence in the community. For the past three years, the nonprofit has presented a free “Fishing & Fun in the Park” day to encourage persons with disabilities, their family and friends to come together for an afternoon of fishing and festivities…

Jack Fact — The World Health Organization (WHO) reports, in India there are around 100 million disabled people and another 100 million are people with special needs including senior citizens and people with severe health disorders.

International News

 ‘We are a market… If business recognises the value of a billion people then society will’

August 29, 2017   |  Source:  TheJournal.ie- Ireland  |  Inclusion, Awareness, Advocacy  |  Ireland

 The disposable income of the more than a billion people around the world who experience some form of disability, together with their friends, families and carers, is estimated at more than $8 trillion. And an Irish activist is pointing companies towards this potential windfall, looking for them to take advantage with more inclusive policies. It’s a win-win, according to Caroline Casey. They make money and her community get more equality of resources, services and opportunities. Aged 17, Casey discovered that she was actually born legally blind…

 Cottage “sets standards” in catering for guests of all abilities, says Sir Gary

August 31, 2017   |  Source:  Richmondshire Today- UK  |  Inclusion, Advocacy, Mobility  |  United Kingdom 

A couple whose luxury holiday cottage has received the highest possible rating for disabled access have “set the standard for others” says tourism chief Sir Gary Verity. The Dairy at Cottage in the Dales in Newbiggin, Bishopdale, which is the realisation of a five-year dream for owners Diane and Andrew Howarth, meets every one of VisitEngland’s rigorous demands for people with mobility, sight or hearing problems. Said Sir Gary, chief executive of Welcome to Yorkshire: “This new accommodation is fantastic. A great combination of accessibility, quality and style. The Howarths are setting the standard for others by providing a personalised service for guests of all abilities, and making it even easier for people to visit our beautiful county.”…

Good news for people with disabilities

August 31, 2017   |  Source:  Haitilibre.com- Haiti  |  Mobility, Inclusion, Government, Universal Accessibility  |  Haiti

Gérald Oriol Jr., the Secretary of State for the Integration of People with Disabilities, informs us that various inclusive public policy measures have been adopted or are in the process of being adopted by the authorities to promote the integration of people with disabilities.  In addition to the Government’s efforts to respond to people with special needs, which account for almost 10% of the total population, one of the biggest challenges is the issue of universal accessibility. The aim is to guarantee people with reduced mobility equal access to all services available to the population (health care, schools and universities, employment in both public and private enterprises) and access to public spaces sch as ministries and other public bodies, shopping centers, churches, sports centers, social housing, parks and recreation centers…

New Guide Shows How Best To Implement Marrakesh Treaty So Books Are Accessible To Visually Impaired

August 31, 2017   |  Source:  Intellectual Property Watch- Morocco  |  Blindness/Visual Impairment, Government, Inclusion  |  Morocco

The World Blind Union (WBU) has recently issued a guide to the World Intellectual Property Organization treaty providing copyright exceptions for visually impaired people. The treaty was widely hailed, but the way it is implemented could be a gamechanger, and the WBU provides advice to all stakeholders, and in particular governments, so that the treaty is interpreted and implemented to the best interest of the visually impaired. The union also warns against the implementation of two optional provisions, which they say could run counter to the aims of the treaty…

Carleton ahead of the curve in accessibility

August 31, 2017   |  Source:  The Charlata- Canada  |  Education, Accessible Design, Mobility  |  Canada

With the start of the school year approaching, Carleton has been hard at work making the campus more accessible for students. Carleton currently has many features that help make the campus more accessible, according to Matthew Cole, executive director of the university’s attendant services program. According to Cole, red stripes across the sidewalks near main roads help those with low vision navigate the campus. Doors across campus come equipped with proximity readers and can automatically open to students. A new ramp coming from Residence Commons makes the neighbouring quad easier to navigate for those with mobility issues…

Right to vote

September 1, 2017   |  Source:  The Kathmandu Post- Napal  |  Voting/Elections, Inclusion, Awareness  |  Napal

Nepal conducted two phases of local elections on May 14 and June 14, respectively. People from all walks of life are now eagerly awaiting a successful third phase of local elections in Province 2, scheduled to be held on September 18. The latest elections were ground-breaking because citizens who were deprived of voting for local representatives since the last local elections in 1997 have finally been able to elect their representatives. The elections are expected not only to expedite development activities in a transparent and accountable manner, but also to ensure an inclusive society and stable politics. Further, these elections are imperative for implementing the new Constitution as the elections utilise the new local structures. In this context, elections are a crucial step toward strengthening democracy and promoting accountability…

Prominent international disability advocate to visit NZ

September 1, 2017   |  Source:  Scoop- New Zealand  |  Advocacy, Blindness/Visual Impairment, Disability Rights  |  New Zealand

The Blind Foundation is proud to bring renowned disability rights campaigner David Lepofsky to New Zealand to speak on behalf of The Access Alliance Access Matters campaign on the need for Parliament to pass Accessibility Legislation. Lepofsky is an acclaimed Lawyer, Activist, and Academic who helped pass pivotal pieces of Canadian accessibility legislation; a disability amendment to the charter of rights, the Ontarians with Disabilities Act 2001 and the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act 2005. The Access Alliance, a group of 12 organizations in the disability sector, has invited David to speak at the Connecting the Dots conference (supported by JR McKenzie Trust and Sudima Hotel (Hind Management Group)) for disability advocates. The Alliance is advocating for a New Zealand Accessibility Act, inspired by David’s Canadian work…

Barcelona 1992: 25 years on

September 3, 2017 Source- International Paralymic Committee- Spain  |  Building/Facilities Access, Paralympics, Accessible Design  |  Spain

Twenty-five years ago, the Barcelona 1992 Paralympic Games opened at the Montjuic Olympic Stadium, with 65,000 spectators watching from the tribunes. There are many reasons why they are widely considered as one of the most successful Paralympics ever and a catalyst for the growth of the Movement. A deep legacy, top-level organisation and packed stadiums are only some of them. The Catalan public turned out en-masse, with a record 1.5 million spectators filling the stadiums. It was also the first time the Paralympics benefitted from daily live domestic TV coverage, with a cumulative TV audience of 7 million…

SC allows independent group to assess HIA’s accessibility features

September 3, 2017   |  Source:  Qatar Tribune- Qatar  |  Accessible Design, Inclusion, Transit/Transportation  |  Qatar

AS part of its Accessibility Forum commitments, the Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy (SC) has organised a workshop at Hamad International Airport (HIA) to allow an independent consultation group to advise on specific disability access requirements for FIFA 2022 World Cup Qatar, according to a report on SC website. Each year more than half-a-million people with disabilities use the HIA. The airport – which in January 2017 was awarded a five-star rating by Skytrax – has gone to great lengths to ensure smooth passage is available to all passengers, and invited the delegation to showcase its achievements…

Accessible transport challenge was ‘huge’

September 3, 2017   |  Source:  Worthing Herald- UK  |  Transit/Transportation, Awareness, Discrimination  |  United Kingdom

Adventurous Chris Button has travelled the length of the country by public transport to raise awareness of accessibility issues. Chris, 66, has a learning disability and used a wheelchair for the four-day solo trip, so it was quite a challenge for him. It was the first time he had attempted an independent journey of this nature, taking him from John O’Groats to Land’s End. Chris said: “It was very hard. I am glad I did that route like that. It was my first one. Next time I want to try coaches…

Back-to-school time offers young people a chance to grow as human beings

September 3, 2017   |  Source:  The Globe and Mail- Canada  |  Education, Inclusion, Awareness  |  Canada

It’s back to school, and the new year always brings lots of challenges whether you’re a student, parent or teacher. There are the traditional challenges of overcoming the lull of summertime inertia and sometimes anxiety and fears. Just the logistics of a new and demanding schedule can seem formidable at the outset. As a parent to my own children and from my experience as a student, one main key to thriving in the new fall environment is time management. Being able to manage time effectively is truly one of the underlying skills of being a successful and empowered individual. Self-awareness and reflection of one’s values, passions and interests also hone choices and priorities. These are necessary steps in building awareness around important issues such as inclusivity and accessibility…

Canute: a revolutionary affordable Braille e-reader

September 4, 2017   |  Source:  Disability Horizons- UK  |  Blindness/Visual Impairment, Innovation, Digital Accessibility  |  United Kingdom

Bristol Braille Technology is a not-for-profit company making the world’s first affordable Braille e-reader called Canute. It’s essentially a multiline digital Braille book (forty characters per line by nine lines) for the price of a new iPhone or Perkins Brailler – most other devices cost a lot more. It’s the Kindle of the Braille world. The project goes back to 2008 when I formed Bristol Braille Technology. We moved to the Bristol Hackspace in 2012, which is when work on the Canute began. A couple of years later we partnered with a community group of Braille enthusiasts called the Braillists Foundation…

Cornwall Accessible Activities Program celebrates summer of fun for disabled children and their families

September 4, 2017   |  Source:  Cornwall Live- UK  |  Parenting, Leisure/Entertainment, Inclusion  |  United Kingdom

Hundreds of disabled children and their families have enjoyed a summer of fun thanks to the efforts of a group of parents who work tirelessly to run an activity programme in Cornwall. More than 75 activities, from horse riding and surfing to cooking and fishing have taken place during the school summer holidays, including several five-week courses. Cornwall Accessible Activities Program (CAAP) toasted the end of the “biggest and most successful” summer with a big party at St Erme Community Centre on Friday…

80% of kiwis support minimum standards for disability access

September 4, 2017   |  Source:  Scoop- New Zealand & Radio New Zealand  |  Inclusion, Accessible Design, Discrimination  |  New Zealand

A national poll conducted by UMR commissioned and released today by the Access Alliance shows the vast majority of New Zealanders want action on improving accessibility for people with disabilities. UMR Polling Shows 80% of New Zealanders support minimum standards for disability access. A national poll conducted by UMR commissioned and released today by the Access Alliance shows the vast majority of New Zealanders want action on improving accessibility for people with disabilities. “It show’s Kiwi’s want the government to pass legislation breaking down the barriers that stop everyone having access all parts of society” Spokesperson Dianne Rogers said…

Deaf community angry over networks’ political debate interpreter refusal

September 5, 2017   |  Source:  New Zealand Herald  |  Deaf/Hearing Impaired, Government, Discrimination  |  New Zealand

The Human Rights Commissioner says the lack of sign language during live televised election debates discriminates against deaf voters. Frustrated deaf people plan to protest a refusal by television networks to use sign language interpreters in televised political leaders’ debates. A petition signed by 2000 people was delivered to TVNZ last week asking for an interpreter during the live political debates, but it and MediaWorks have rebuffed the plea. Protest organiser Kim Robinson says A group will protest outside TVNZ’s central Auckland studios immediately before Friday’s live debate, featuring potential coalition leaders, goes to air…

Cafe project encourages inclusiveness

September 5, 2017   |  Source:  Liverpool City Champion- Australia  |  Inclusion, Accessible Design, Awareness  |  Australia

St Vincent de Paul Society’s Ability Links has launched a new project that encourages cafes to become more inclusive and disability-accessible. An example of a cafe who encourages the project is Baretto @ 107 in Liverpool’s CBD. The cafe owner Alberto Giammanco only opened up three months ago and he said although the cafe was already street level with a wide door, he has catered to the needs of disabled customers by moving around chairs and ensuring there is enough space for them inside and outside…

Microsoft backs DepEd’s digital transformation

September 6, 2017   |  Source:  The Manila Times- Philippines  |  Digital Accessibility, Technology, Education  |  Philippines

Technology firm Microsoft said Tuesday it was strengthening the local education sector’s digital evolution with the right technologies to empower every student. “We at Microsoft create technology that recognizes the diversity in learning and we have created tools that empower all students,” Bertrand Launay, managing director at Microsoft Philippines, said at a media briefing in Makati City. The tech firm urged the Department of Education (DepEd) to harness the power of technology in order to engage all students, including those with special needs. DepEd currently has more than 25 million K-12 learners…

Taxi drivers facing huge bills for wheelchair cabs

September 6, 2017   |  Source:  Press and Journal- UK & Aberdeen Evening Express- UK  |  Mobility, Transit/Transportation, Inclusion  |  United Kingdom

Up to 600 taxi drivers in Aberdeen could be forced to spend tens of thousands of pounds ensuring wheelchair users can use their cabs. Local authority officers have urged members of the licensing committee to push forward with implementing a controversial policy which would require a 100% wheelchair accessible taxi fleet by June 6 next year. Around half of the mixed taxi fleet in Aberdeen is currently suitable for those in wheelchairs. In a report which will go before councillors on Tuesday, officers argued that the change is necessary to meet the public sector equality duty imposed by legislation…

Cyprus’ award-winning, accessible beaches are just a quick hop for GCC travelers

September 7, 2017   |  Source:  Arabian Gazette- Cyprus  |  Leisure/Entertainment, Travel, Accessible Design  |  Cyprus

GCC residents in search of a quick getaway to cooler climates need look no further than the Mediterranean island of Cyprus, which offers 57 award-wining beaches and crystal clear waters stretching across its dramatic coastline. Within a three-four hour flight from the region, Cyprus provides the ideal long-weekend getaway to relax and unwind on the closest European destination to the GCC. Boasting 57 Blue Flag beaches, the island’s shores have been recognised internationally by the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE) for providing good quality waters, adequate environmental management, numerous health and rescue services, and accessibility for people with reduced mobility…

Inclusive Learning- Microsoft makes technology empower students with special needs

September 7, 2017   |  Source:   InterAksyon- Philippines  |  Inclusion, Education, Cognitive, Technology  |  Philippines

A recent survey by Microsoft showed that a majority of business leaders across the Asian region agreed on the need to transform into a digital business to enable growth in the future. The study was recently done across 13 markets in Asia with a high 87% of business leaders from the education sector have similar opinions that every organization, including educational institutions, on the importance on digital transformation. The study is also paramount to the Philippines, according to a statement from Microsoft Philippines, in “[a] country with 25.4 million K-12 learners and a fast growing economy”. Technology, said the software technology giant, should be used “[to] engage all learners and prepare them for the future”…

Burlington woman in wheelchair calls condo hunting ‘an unacceptable nightmare’

September 7, 2017   |  Source:  Inside Halton- Canada  |  Mobility, Health/Medicine, Discrimination  |  Canada

At 31, Cheryl Cousens says she can’t have what many single adults take for granted — their independence. In a wheelchair, and currently unemployed due to some health issues, the life-long Burlington resident lives with her mother and one of two brothers. “Normally, people are out in their 20’s, they’ve gone to school, they’ve come home — been out on their own. Me, I’m kind of in a stuck position because there is nowhere for me to go,” she said. Cousens was born with spina bifida hydrocephalus, a condition that has confined her to a wheelchair, essentially since birth, with no feeling from her waist down…

Therapists Seek Implementation of Rehabilitation Policy, Disability Bill

September 7, 2017   |  Source:  AllAfrica.com- Nigeria  |  Health/Medicine, Disability Rights, Inclusion  |  Nigeria

The Medical Rehabilitation Therapists Board of Nigeria (MRTB) has urged the government to formulating remedial actions to make care of persons living with disability better in Nigeria. The board which called for the formulation of a disability policy and bill for its inclusion in the national health policy said, the World Health Organisation Global Disability Action Plan 2014-2021 declared disability is a global public health and human right issue which should not be ignored or given less attention. Speaking at a press conference for its first International Conference for Medical Rehabilitation Professionals, the Registrar/Chief executive officer, MRTB, Olufunke Akanle said, persons leaving with any form of physical or congenital conditions encounter widespread barriers in accessing healthcare and related services, with worse health outcomes than people living without disabilities…

Activist Diethono advocates disabled-friendly Nagaland

September 7, 2017   |  Source:  Eastern Mirror- India  |  Advocacy, Inclusion, Awareness  |  India

Society decides for people with disabilities and makes their own judgement on what persons with disability cannot do and not what they can do. When the society looks at disability with prejudiced mindset, there will be no room for accessibility in the State. This concern was shared by disability rights activist and former Editor of Eastern Mirror Diethono Nakhro at the ‘Disability awareness campaign’ held at Eastern Christian College (ECC), Dimapur, on Wednesday. There is a negative attitude towards people with disabilities in the society as people empathised only for a certain period of time overlooking their long term struggle, expressed Nakhro…

Access consultants – Building a network to create a more inclusive world

September 7, 2017   |  Source:  Planning & Building Control Today- UK  |  Inclusion, Businesses, Awareness  |  United Kingdom

There’s no confirmed collective noun for access consultants, but the level of co-operation is such that maybe we should try and think of one.  The collaboration comes from the fact that most practitioners in our profession are small firms. There are some big operators as well – global concerns working on major projects and policy – but ours is principally the domain of compact teams and sole traders, providing specialist services which are flexible and affordable.  Those attributes are particularly important in a sector which often has to fight to be heard, and where accessibility can be the first casualty of such concepts as value engineering…

How can employers be more accessible to people with disabilities

September 8, 2017   |  Source:  Irish Examiner- Ireland  |  Businesses, Workforce, Inclusion  |  Ireland

The journey to Seónaid Ó Murchadha’s perfect job began with a fire — a fire that cost her both her legs and an arm. As project manager of EDI (Employer Disability Information service), Seónaid sees herself as a sort of library for employers who want to be inclusive. In her late 30s, she’s perfectly placed to advise and inform employers who want to recruit, manage, and retain employees with disabilities. She’s passionate about this work because her life’s journey, since she was 18, has been about living and working with disability. Seónaid’s life changed in June 1997, just after she’d done Leaving Cert maths paper one…

Visually impaired file suit against online retailers

September 7, 2017   |  Source:  The Korea Herald- South Korea  |  Blindness/Visual Impairment, Discrimination, Lawsuits/Litigation  |  South Korea

Nearly a thousand visually impaired persons filed a 5.7 billion ($5 million) lawsuit against online retail giants Thursday, saying they are discriminated against due to their limited accessibility to their services. A group of 963 visually challenged people filed for compensation against Emart, Lotte mart and eBay Korea with the Seoul Central District Court, with each person seeking 2 million won. “Companies constantly discriminate against the visually impaired when they provide services online,” the group said, citing their lack of audio services on their shopping sites…

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Our digital and web accessibility services cover

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