Accessibility in the News—4/21/17.

This week brought up travel accommodation issues for many with disabilities. There’s the transportation aspect — For instance, how well do planes, trains, busses or cars meet the needs for people with mobility or visual disabilities traveling from one city or country to another? But what about enjoying the actual destination? This week includes news on tools that help identify facilities with accessible features. That’s the case with a mobile travel app being updated in Philadelphia. Organizations in Great Britain, India, and Australia are also spreading the news about accessible attractions; one with an online guide that aims to be “a TripAdvisor for people with higher access needs”, and improving accessibility for air travel. All of these are helpful, making accessing accessible travel information more widely available. Couple that with these travel tips, and vacations or business travel for people with disabilities run a bit more smoothly.

Read on for more on an accessible church in South Dakota, marathon runners, and a bill that may hamper litigation aimed at increasing accessibility.

In addition to the news items featured here, be sure to check out the Resources section available in every issue. It is rich with the most recent accessibility pages, blogs, product announcements, and more.

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AITN Quote of the Week

“Just because a man lacks the use of his eyes doesn’t mean he lacks vision.”

—Stevie Wonder

National News (U.S.)

Students With Reading Disabilities Can Use An Accessible Online Library For Free

04/13 | Source: | Texas Standard | Education, Cognitive, Blindness/Visual Impairment, Accessible Design | Texas

The most recent report from the Texas Workforce Investment Council says that at any given time, roughly 12 percent of Texans are living with a disability. The number of people with disabilities second only to California. Omar Gallaga, with 512 tech by the Austin American-Statesman says that new technologies are improving accessibility for people with a variety of disabilities, and that while some useful tools have been around for awhile, many people who could benefit don’t know about they’re available.

Bookshare, a service that provides books and other reading materials in formats that are accessible to people with reading and visual disabilities, has operated for a number of years, but many potential users don’t know about it, or that it is free for students in Texas. Benetech, the California-based non-profit behind Bookshare, turns printed books into ebooks that can be downloaded to a computer, tablet or phone. Using text-to-speech software on the device, or an app that can enlarge and/or highlights text on the screen, a Bookshare user with blindness or a reading disability like dyslexia can not only hear the book, but also navigate within it, and make notes…

Home Design Choices that Improve Accessibility

04/13 | Source: | NCHPAD | Housing, Mobility, Deaf/Hearing Impaired, Building Design/Architecture

Homes and apartments are a lot more accessible for people with disabilities than they used to be. There are standard door sizes that are wide enough to roll wheelchairs through. Handrails have regulated heights to be able to protect people of varying heights and mobility. Smoke detectors now have lights as well as sounds, to be used by the hearing impaired.

But homes can never be built with everyone’s needs in mind. If you didn’t have the luxury of having input on the design of your home, there are probably many improvements that could be made to enhance accessibility for you and your family. Below are some design and renovation choices and what to consider when making accessibility improvements to your home.

Bill would limit accessibility lawsuits, curb some cases for disabled

04/14 | Source: | Yuma Sun | Lawsuits/Litigation, Government, Advocacy | Arizona

The state House voted 38-20 Thursday to curb the ability of the disabled and their advocates to sue businesses for violations of laws requiring accessibility. SB 1406 is designed to end what has become a cottage industry of litigation as a small group of attorneys has filed suit against businesses over violations but then agrees to settle for some cash payment, whether or not the problem is fixed.

There were so many lawsuits pending at one point that Attorney General Mark Brnovich interceded and convinced a judge to consolidate them, eventually getting them thrown out. SB 1406 is designed to deal with future litigation. But several legislators questioned whether the proffered fix, which now goes to the Senate, goes too far, putting those who are denied access because of physical barriers at a distinct disadvantage in getting businesses to finally comply with the Arizonans with Disabilities Act…

13 runners who will inspire you this Marathon Monday

04/14 | Source: | Boston Globe | Sports/Athletics, Inclusion, Awareness | Massachusetts

New Englanders searching for a dose of motivation this Monday won’t need to look far. The Boston Marathon is packed with thousands of runners aiming to complete the challenging 26.2 mile course — an inspiring feat on its own. But these 13 runners’ reasons for running — like many others — embody what Marathon Monday is all about.

Some are runners whose extreme athletic feats will make you want to lace up your sneakers and hit the pavement. Some have shown perseverance through adversity that will have you reaching for a tissue. Some are selflessly dedicating themselves to missions greater than themselves. Some you’ll recognize. Some you won’t. All will remind you that anything is possible when you put your mind to it…

ADA, assistive technology and the leading example of ATMs

04/14 | Source: | ATM Marketplace | ADA, Assistive Technology, Accessible Design

While the Americans with Disabilities Act does not specify how access should be provided to the disabled in most situations, proactive companies have for some time been turning to already-available customer-facing “assistive technologies” that meet the need. In light of recent court settlements on behalf of disabled individuals their use might be evolving from voluntary to mandatory. Three years ago, an article on ADA compliance said that it would be virtually impossible to design a totally accessible, fully compliant, affordable kiosk for a public place. According to industry observers, though, this is changing.

“Making a kiosk accessible used to be an extremely expensive and time intensive endeavor,” said Laura Boniello Miller, director of marketing at KioWare Kiosk Software Analytical Design Solutions Inc. “As it currently stands, accessible kiosks can actually serve to provide assistive technologies for customers and users that improve the customer experience — making a business more accessible through the addition of a kiosk.”

Access ministry preaches accessibility for all

04/15 | Source: | Rapid City Journal | Faith/Religion, Deaf/Hearing Impaired, Blindness/Visual Impairment, Inclusion | South Dakota

Liam Kenrick doesn’t read Bible verses, he feels them. Liam was only 2 years old when meningitis took his ability to hear and see. Now 7, Liam’s mother Sandy Kenrick just wanted him to learn about Jesus like other kids his age but finding a church that met his needs was difficult.

After much searching, a family friend invited her to attend Journey Church, a church that was established in Rapid City in 2011. Though the friend did not know sign language, it was nice to have someone spend time with Liam at church. However, when the Rev. James Moore moved from Arizona to Rapid City to take over the role of Journey’s pastor, he realized that Liam needed more…

AccessAbility Center unveiled in Frist Campus Center

04/15 | Source: | The Daily Princetonian | Higher Education, Inclusion, Building/Facilities Access | New Jersey

The AccessAbility Center, a new student center affiliated with the Office of Disability Services, was publicly unveiled on Thursday, April 13, to a large crowd of students. Liz Erickson, the director of the ODS, explained that while the ODS already existed and provided resources for students with disabilities, it was not connected to members of the University community and therefore could be better support for students who were struggling with disabilities…

Sarah Gassen: Disabling the civil rights of people with disabilities

04/16 | Source: | Tuscon.com | Discrimination, Mobility, Lawsuits/Litigation, Government | Arizona

Oh, you pesky folks with disabilities who insist on being able to get around and leave your house just like “normal” people. It’s like you want to live your life or something. Silly you with your expectations that state and federal accessibility laws count. You don’t need laws. You have Yelp! More on that later.

It happened Thursday. The state House voted 38-20 to force a person to wait at least 30 days, and sometimes 60, before he or she can sue a business for not complying with accessibility laws, such as the Arizonans With Disabilities Act and Americans With Disabilities Act that require things like wheelchair ramps, specific parking spaces, signage, and a minimum width of doorways…

Don’t take away city rights to provide transportation options for all

04/17 | Source: | TribTalk | Transportation, Litigation, Government | Texas

Safe and accessible transportation for all should be a priority for Texas. Access to reliable transportation is critically important for individuals with disabilities who depend on them for transportation to and from their daily activities and to lead independent lives. Houston has long been a strong proponent of disability rights and has crafted first-of-their-kind regulations to ensure all Houstonians can take part in the ride-sharing revolution which has swept our state.

Unfortunately, bills pending in the Legislature would undo that progress. These bills would remove cities’ power to regulate Transportation Network Companies (TNCs) like Uber and Lyft and hand it over to the State. In the process, this legislation could effectively remove requirements that TNC companies offer real-time accessible rides — leaving Texans with disabilities stranded. Legislators should reject these bills and leave rulemaking where it belongs — with the governments closest to the people, the cities…

Students, administration discuss barriers to accessibility on campus

04/17 | Source: | Student Life | Higher Education, Mobility, Building/Facilites Access | Washington

Upon learning that surgery would leave her handicapped for a year, physics graduate student Siera Stoen reached out to Washington University administrators about accommodations, worried that Crow Hall, home of the physics department, would not be accessible to her. With its third floor physics laboratories, an elevator too small to hold a wheelchair and lack of entrance ramps, Crow Hall, along with a number of older buildings on the Danforth Campus, lacks the accessibility resources needed to fully accommodate disabled students.

Stoen discovered that—due to her inability to access the laboratories—she is unable to continue as a lab teaching assistant and will instead be assigned a grading position. Laboratory access poses an issue for any potential physics student, as required introductory courses often have a lab component. Without proper accessibility resources, students cannot access the labs in Crow without assistance, creating a barrier to inclusion…

Reader Rep: Why Hawaii Media Need To Better Serve The Visually Impaired

04/17 | Source: | Civil Beat | Blindness/Visual Impairment, Digital Accessibility, Discrimination | Hawaii

I enjoy reading my print version of the Honolulu Star-Advertiser during breakfast, along with digital news from a variety of sources, including Civil Beat, The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Huffington Post, the Los Angeles Times and The Wall Street Journal. Print or online, I am one of the lucky ones who can see what’s being reported.

During the past three years, as part of my media accessibility research at the University of Hawaii Manoa, I have met and worked with many people who are blind or otherwise visually impaired. They often feel left out of important public discourse because they simply cannot access the same media materials as everyone else…

Digital accessibility should be a K-12 goal from the start

04/17 | Source: | District Administration | Education, Digital Accessibility, Government, Discrimination | Massachusetts

Districts must provide learning materials that are accessible to all students. Digital accessibility—a challenging undertaking—involves making websites, learning platforms, videos, digital textbooks and portals available to students with physical, visual, speech, auditory, neurological or cognitive disabilities. The consequences of failing to do so can be significant. In 2013, a civil rights complaint was filed against Public Schools of Northborough and Southborough in Massachusetts over accessibility of its website. Following an investigation, the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights issued corrective requirements in 2014…

Inver Grove Heights Woman Trying To Create A Unique Hair Salon

04/17 | Source: | CBS Local- Minnesota | Inclusion, Accessible Design, Mobility, Cognitive | Minnesota

An Inver Grove Heights woman has setup a GoFundMe page for a one of a kind hair salon. The salon would be accessible to people with physical or intellectual challenges. The woman behind the salon, Cat Rongitsch, has been a hairstylist for 10 years; she works mostly privately with clients. She also has a second job that takes up much of her time. “Right now, I’m taking care of my grandparents with dementia and taking care of my little girls with disabilities,” said Rongitsch…

Access Denied

04/18 | Source: | Inside Higher Ed | Higher Education, Deaf/Hearing Impaired, Blindness/Visual, Discrimination | California

In August 2016, the Department of Justice sent a letter to the University of California, Berkeley, asking it to implement procedures to make publicly available online audio and video content accessible to people who are deaf, hard of hearing, deaf and blind, and blind. Rather than comply with this request, the university took the outrageous step of ending public access to those valuable resources, which include over 20,000 audio and video files, to avoid the costs of making the materials accessible.

We, the undersigned, strongly object to Berkeley’s choice to remove the content, and its public statement that disability access requirements forced the decision. That is not the case. Berkeley has for years systematically neglected to ensure the accessibility of its own content, despite the existence of internal guidelines advising how to do so. Further, the Justice Department letter left room for many alternatives short of such a drastic step. It was never the intent of the complainants to the department, nor of the disability community, to see the content taken down…

Disability Fashion Exhibit Brings Industry’s Newest Frontier to Cornell

04/18 | Source: | Cornell Sun | Inclusion, Arts/Entertainment, Advocacy

A new brand of fashion — one which embraces inclusivity, accessibility and personalization — went on display Monday at the opening for the Ad(dress)ing Ableism exhibit at the Jill Stuart Gallery. Co-sponsored by Haven, the Cornell Women’s Resource Center and the Student Assembly, the exhibit sought to explore fashion through the lens of individuals with disabilities.

Students modeled dresses designed to respond to their unique needs as attendees read personal statements written on mirrors placed around the space, reflecting the way each model viewed their look and fashion’s role in disability awareness. Event organizer and S.A. President Jordan Berger ’17 said she first conceived of the exhibit with her roommate Samantha Stern ’17 as a way to merge their passions for disability rights advocacy and fashion…

Playing catch-up on accessibility

04/19 | Source: | Register Guard | Transportation, Litigation, Inclusion, Facilities Access | Oregon

A federal judge recently approved a historic agreement between people with physical disabilities and the Oregon Department of Transportation. As part of the largest commitment to an accessible transportation system in state history, the state agency pledged to install missing curb ramps, fix substandard ones and upgrade crossing signals on the entire state highway system. The agreement promises to create more inclusive communities.

As a Springfield resident who uses a wheelchair to get around, I applaud this legal milestone. I rely on being able to safely cross streets to go to medical appointments, participate in community activities, visit friends and be able to shop for myself. This access is a prerequisite for staying connected to my community and living a full life…

Malvern’s People’s Light Leads Theatre Cohort in Increasing Accessibility Across Region

04/19 | Source: | Vista Today | Performing Arts, Cognitive, Inclusion | Pennsylvania

Malvern’s People’s Light is leading a cohort of six professional theatres in the area in expanding the availability of Relaxed Performances (RPs) in the region. The six-member cohort – Delaware Theatre Company, McCarter Theatre Center, Montgomery Theater, Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival, People’s Light, and Theatre Horizon – will address accessibility and inclusivity needs by offering 10-12 Relaxed Performances over the next two years.

A Relaxed Performance is a live theatre experience that is inclusive for everyone. These performances invite and encourage individuals with – but are not limited to – autism, ADD, ADHD, dementia, and sensory sensitivities to all take part in the joy of theatre in a shush-free zone…

Autistic employees: ‘We’re a good return on investment’

04/19 | Source: | Silicon Valley Business Journal | Cognitive, Autism, Employment/Workforce, Inclusion | California

Employees who find themselves on the autism spectrum would like employers and candidates alike to see the value of applicants like them. “We’re a good return on investment,” said Mark Jessen, an IT technology consultant at SAP’s global network services in Palo Alto. “We work hard.”

Jessen was one of the 300 attendees at Autism at Work, which was held on SAP’s Palo Alto campus last Thursday. It was the second year for the summit, an effort to educate some of the most prominent tech companies about autistic workers and applicants…

Design for aging in place goes mainstream

04/19 | Source: | Multi Briefs | Aging, Building/Facilities Access, Housing, Accessible Design

For well over a decade, professional associations related to the building industry have been advising their members to prepare for the coming “silver tsunami” that is the aging of the baby boomer generation. With the vast majority expecting to “age in place” in their current or “retirement” home, the day would come when they would need to update, upgrade and renovate their homes to make them more age-friendly. That day, it seems, has arrived. Aside from a relatively small group who have chosen to specialize in this area, designers and remodelers will need to educate themselves on how to best meet the needs of this rapidly growing segment of the industry…

SR Education Group Publishes Report Of 47 Online Colleges Providing The Strongest Support For Students With Disabilities

04/19 | Source: | PRWeb | Higher Education, Inclusion, Digital Accessibility, Accessible Design

SR Education Group, an education research publisher founded in 2004, just released the 2017 Top Online Schools for Students with Disabilities, a list of online colleges that provide the highest level of support, the widest breadth of accommodations, and the most comprehensive resources for students with disabilities. In order to be considered, colleges were required to offer 4 or more fully online degrees or 10 or more online programs including certificates.

For the 1,265 schools that met the criteria for inclusion, SR Education Group researched a wide variety of factors indicative of a school’s level of support for students with disabilities and calculated a Disability-Friendly Score using an internal algorithm. Factors considered include thoroughness of resources, Universal Design for Learning (UDL) training for faculty, availability of distance learning accommodations, and the variety of services provided. Forty-seven colleges made the list, each receiving a score greater than 50 out of 100…

Facebook’s moonshots: Making brains type and skin hear

04/19 | Source: | CNET | Innovation, Web Design, Digital Accessibility | California

It looks like just another beige office park building next to a dental office in Menlo Park, California. Yet Building 8, across the street from Facebook’s main campus, houses the social network’s biggest bets on out-there products. The tech industry has a term for what people inside Building 8 work on: moonshots. Think potentially groundbremaking projects that could reshape Facebook’s long-term future and even how all of us communicate. CEO Mark Zuckerberg unveiled Building 8 (named for the number of letters in Facebook) at last year’s F8 developer conference. He also revealed he’d recruited Regina Dugan from Google’s Advanced Technology and Projects (ATAP) group to head Facebook’s skunkworks efforts, as part of Zuckerberg’s 10-year strategic plan…

UC Berkeley aims to improve higher ed online accessibility

04/20 | Source: | University Business | Higher Education, Digital Accessibility, Inclusion | California

In a move that will ultimately bring its public online content in line with new federal accessibility standards, the University of California, Berkeley has begun removing older videos and other documents that don’t meet the mark. Previously, the school had made more than 20,000 videos, audio recordings and documents publicly accessible through platforms including YouTube, iTunesU and its own webcast.berkeley.edu site. The cleanup comes after a Department of Justice ruling in January that public online content should meet higher accessibility standards as outlined in Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as a condition of remaining publicly available…

Occupational Therapist Spends Birthday Making Travel Accessible

04/20 | Source: | PR Leap | Travel, Mobile App, Inclusion, Building/Facilities Access | Pennsylvania

Philadelphia based Occupational Therapist Alanna Raffel will be celebrating her 30th birthday mapping Philadelphia with accessibility information along with the team from Access Earth, the breakthrough Irish startup that is on a mission to make the world more accessible through their iOS and Android app and site. The Field House (1150 Filbert Street in Philadelphia) will be hosting the event April 30th at 2:00 pm. All Philadelphia citizens are encouraged to join in and “map” their local area by answering accessibility questions about restaurants, bars, shops, hotels and theaters using the Access Earth app. The overall process takes minutes to collect and helps makes a big impact.

“Along with my work as an OT, I have been getting more involved in physical and cultural accessibility in Philadelphia.” says Ms. Raffel. She has used her connections to partner with HMS School for Cerebral Palsy and Liberty Resources…

How to use the new Game Chat Transcription for Xbox One and Windows 10

04/20 | Source: | Windows Central | Gaming, Accessible Design, Inclusion, Digital Accessibility

The new Game Chat Transcription features bring text-to-speech and speech-to-text to Xbox games. Added in a recent software update to Xbox One and Windows 10 PCs, Game Chat Transcription is a brand new feature that’s designed widen accessibility in multiplayer titles. Here’s a closer look at what it offers and how to use it. When enabled, Game Chat Transcription automatically transcribes in-game voice chats into text and in-game text chat into audible speech for other players. It bridges the gap between typed and verbal communication, opening up the platform to those with related disabilities.

Inaccessible infrastructure limits disabled students

04/20 | Source: | Berkeley Beacon | Building/Facilities Access, Mobility, Discrimination | California

Song Park said he knew Boston wasn’t the most accessible city before coming to Emerson. A Palo Alto native, he said he wanted to get out of California. But since moving to the east coast campus, he realized Emerson is less accessible than he expected. Park, a junior sports communications major, has cerebral palsy. He uses a walker to get around campus. He said a senior official assured him the administration would do everything they could to make the college accessible for him. But Park said he doesn’t feel that promise has been kept…

Tikkun Olam Makers Come to NYC This Weekend for Huge Accessibility Makeathon

04/20 | Source: | Make: | Accessible Design, Technology, Innovation | New York

Hebrew for “makers repairing the world,” and often called “the TEDx of Social Action,” Tikkun Olam Makers (TOM) was launched in 2014 by the Reut Group. It is now an organized network of maker communities in ten different countries. New York City marks the 21st Makeathon for the TOM movement. The event is a part of a national, multi-week campaign currently operating across six campuses in the United States: UC Berkeley, Northwestern University, UC Irvine, Solomon Schechter High School, Vanderbilt University, and Cornell University.

By bringing the TOM movement to New York, local makers will have the opportunity to collaborate across industry lines. Engineers, developers, physical therapists and product designers are volunteering from a variety of universities, startups, hospitals, and design firms to bring multi-disciplinary experience to the process of creating a range of assistive tech prototypes. By integrating individuals with disabilities onto teams, makers will have the opportunity to develop an in-depth dialogue based on a specific need, and receive feedback throughout the process as the challenge progresses from idea to prototype to product…

This Mom Is Raising Money To Open An Accessible Salon For Kids With Disabilities

04/20 | Source: | Huffington Post | Parenting, Inclusion, Accessible Design, Cognitive, Mobility | Minnesota

Getting a haircut can be a challenging experience for any child, but especially for a child with disabilities. That’s why a Minnesota mom and hair stylist is trying to open an accessible salon specifically for kids with cognitive and physical differences in St. Paul.

“As a beauty professional with daughters that have challenges, I know that there are aspects of a salon that can create obstacles for some individuals to have a positive experience. Will the building be accessible? Will there be loud music? Chemical smells? What if I need a break? How will the staff react to my differences? Getting a bad haircut can be low on the list of concerns,”Cat Miller Rongitsch wrote on the GoFundMe page she posted to raise money for the salon…

10-Year-Old Autistic Boy Arrested: Clearly We Are Morally Lost At Sea.

04/20 | Source: | Lt. Tim McMillan | Autism, Discrimination, Parenting | Florida

On Wednesday a video surfaced of a 10-year-old autistic boy being arrested at Okeechobee Achievement Academy in Florida. I am going to be completely honest, when I watched the video, I was as disturbed and uncomfortable. The child is clearly terrified and repeatedly says, “I don’t want to be touched” as one of the school resource officers reaches over and handcuffs the small child. As the boy is being led out of the school and into the back of a police car, you can hear the fear in the boy’s voice as you hear him say, “I don’t know what’s going on, Mama! I don’t understand.” As I watched the young man be seated in the back of a police car, and seat belted in, I felt sick to my stomach…

Accessible Icon Update: New Federal Guidance Deepens Quandary for Businesses Facing Contradictory State Requirements

04/20 | Source: | Seyfarth Shaw | Litigation, Government, ADA, Businesses | New York

As we previously reported, New York State and more recently, Connecticut, passed legislation requiring the use of the “Accessible Icon” in lieu of the traditional International Symbol of Access (“ISA”) in new construction and alterations whenever an accessibility sign is required by code. But Title III of the ADA and the Architectural Barriers Act (“ABA”), which apply to public accommodations facilities and federally-funded facilities, respectively, still require the use of the ISA. Specifically, the ADA and ABA require that the ISA be used to label and provide direction to certain accessible spaces and elements, such as restrooms, parking spaces, and check-out aisles…

BBVA Compass’ redesigned website showcases emphasis on clear communications, accessibility

04/20 | Source: | Yahoo | Accessible Design, Web Design, Inclusion

BBVA Compass debuted its new website last month, with a look and feel that showcases the bank’s focus on transparent communications that empower its clients and on making its information and services accessible to everyone.
The website redesign was an effort that spanned the globe, bringing together teams from the U.S. and Spain, where BBVA Compass’ parent company is based. The redesigned bbvacompass.com is the first website in the BBVA portfolio to boast the global banking outfit’s updated visual look and reinforce its new brand identity that’s centered around creating opportunities. It will serve as a model for new websites rolled out across the other countries in the BBVA Group’s footprint

International News

Accessibility barriers an insulting roadblock

04/15 | Source: | The Telegram- Canada | Mobility, Building/Facilities Access, Discrimination | Canada

Wheelchair accessibility refers to how easily a disabled person can negotiate a building or structure. But most people don’t understand what this means and the Buildings Accessibility Act makes it harder to understand. This has many disabled people feeling inferior to able-bodied people because they are excluded from many facilities. Those facilities include parts of Memorial University, some provincial schools, recreational facilities and shopping establishments.

I am a former MUN student and have first-hand experience of wheelchair accessibility issues there. The ramp that leads to the library is too steep for a person in a wheelchair to use independently. I had to get another student to push my chair up the ramp, and required help getting the books I needed because the shelves were too high and the aisles were too narrow. Also, the bathroom stalls are too small for wheelchairs to fit in because the door can’t close…

Entrepreneurs forge path for accessibility

04/16 | Source: | The Times- UK | Innovation, Mobility, Travel | United Kingdom

Stephen Cluskey’s business, Mobility Mojo, launched last year. An online transport, accommodation and events guide for people with disabilities, it is the latest iteration of previous start-ups Wheelchairtaxi and Goaccessible365. “I had done quite well on the transport side but the accommodation and attractions sides weren’t so great,” he said. “With Mobility Mojo we are building a whole community with a view to being a TripAdvisor for people with higher access needs.”

The plan is to crack the UK market then scale up farther afield. “Around 13% of the Irish population has a declared disability: that’s around 600,000 people,” Cluskey said. Just how many of these are wheelchair users is not known. In Scotland it is estimated that the market is worth the same as that for business travel: £1.6bn (€1.89bn) a year. In Europe, an estimated 127m tourists with higher accessibility needs travel each year and this figure will increase as the continent’s population ages…

‘Sensory skating’ at Bayfair

04/18 | Source: | Sunlive-New Zealand | Cognitive, Autism, Inclusion, Accessible Design, Sports/Athletics | New Zealand

In light of Autism Awareness Month, Bayfair Shopping Centre is making sure everyone is catered for these holidays. This week Bayfair Shopping Centre is hosting a faux ice-skating rink, with a special early morning session on Thursday dedicated to those with sensory processing disorders.

The sensory skating session will be held in a more controlled environment, eliminating busy crowds, lights, sounds, and anything that may trigger a child with a sensory processing disorder such as autism. Bayfair marketing manager Kylie McGregor says the centre strives to be inclusive in all they do…

Meet the director bringing accessible LGBTQ+ narratives to regional theatre

04/18 | Source: | The National Student-England | Deaf/Hearing Impaired, Performing Arts, Accessible Design | England

NOISE tells the story of five students in their first year at university. When Evan and Harry fall in love, complications arise when they try and communicate, as Evan is deaf. Dealing with themes of miscommunication, the instability of identity, and homophobia, this play is an experimental and daring piece of work, that involves accessible captioning, sign language, and audio description as an integral part of its design.

Having multiple marginalised communities represented on stage, especially in regional theatre, is a very rare thing. The fact that Moran’s play, with the help of the present-absence theatre company, has been staged at all is impressive in of itself. We talked to Tom about the uni experience, working with accessible techniques, and how he wanted to present the LGBTQ+ community…

‘Let’s make it easy for these kids’: Calgary doctor connects disabled children with accessible activities

04/18 | Source: | CBC News- Canada | Health/Medical, Mobility, Cognitive, Parenting | Canada

Dr. Sarah MacEachern is on a campaign to get kids with disabilities more physically active — and help parents make that happen. MacEachern, a first-year University of Calgary pediatric resident, has spent years working with children who have physical and intellectual disabilities.

“We know that children in Canada are not getting enough physical activity,” said MacEachern. “We know that children with disabilities have an even harder time getting physical activity compared to their peers.”…

Nova Scotia doesn’t track accessibility of government owned and leased buildings, documents show

04/18 | Source: | Global News- Canada | Government, Building/Facilities Access, Awareness | Canada

Nova Scotia doesn’t track accessibility of government owned and leased buildings, documents show. In an access to information request, Global News asked for an inventory of government owned or leased buildings and whether they meet accessibility standards set in building and health codes.

The government’s response was that no such inventory exists. Accessibility rules in the building code came into force in 1989, buildings built before then are exempted from the modern rules. So, 28 years later, the buildings only have to be brought up to code if there is a change in occupancy classification or a major renovation.

Top seven travel tips for accessible travel

04/19 | Source: | Scope- UK | Travel, Transportation, Building/Facilities Access, Advocacy | United Kingdom

Srin Madipalli is the disabled entrepreneur and CEO at Accomable, the leading booking platform for accessible hotel room and holiday homes with more than 1000 accessible hotel rooms and holiday homes available to book online. As an avid traveller, Srin shares his top travel tips.

Before travelling, I always spend some time Googling destinations to see what accessibility is like. Accessibility can vary greatly from place to place. Countries with more developed infrastructure are usually easier; and will often have legislation in place requiring accessibility. I’m a powered wheelchair user unable to independently transfer, so it’s really important that I can find plenty of step-free access to buildings and wheelchair accessible transport options that are affordable. Unfortunately, it’s still difficult to find a one stop source of information. However, I helped create a Facebook Group called the Accessible Travel Club, a very active community of travellers with accessibility needs from all around the world..

ACCESSIBILITY FOR PASSENGERS WHO ARE BLIND OR HAVE LOW VISION

04/19 | Source: | Have Wheelchair Will Travel- Australia and Travel Daily News | Blindness/Visual Impairment, Travel, Advocacy | Australia

Today I received a media release from Virgin Australia about an exciting development in their in-flight entertainment. The aim is to improve the flying experience for passengers who are blind or have low vision. It’s fantastic to see this initiative and I hope other airlines take notice. I know there’s still a long way to go with accessible tourism but the changes which have happened over BJ’s lifetime are encouraging and I look forward to seeing this momentum continue.

I’m sharing the entire media release because I think this story further proves my theory that it takes one person to bring about change. One person with an idea, a passion to see it through and of course a receptive business or organisation who can bring that vision to life. Thankfully Phillip Chalker, a disability advocate, had an idea and Virgin Australia listened…

Department redrafting accessibility law doesn’t have accessible washroom

04/19 | Source: | CBC News- Nova Scotia | Litigation, Government, Disability Rights | Canada

Nova Scotia’s Department of Justice is rewriting the bill to enshrine the accessibility rights of people with disabilities, but couldn’t hold a meeting recently at its own offices to discuss changes because the building it leases doesn’t have an accessible washroom. Justice Minister Diana Whalen made the embarrassing revelation to reporters Wednesday during a discussion about upcoming changes to Bill 59.

Her department occupies all but one floor of the recently renovated Joseph Howe Building in downtown Halifax. But it was only after her officials began redrafting the proposed Accessibility Act, she said, that it was discovered the building they were in was without an accessible washroom that met requirements…

City criticized on accessibility issues

04/19 | Source: | Intelligencer- Canada | Discrimination, Government, Mobility, Aging | Canada

The city’s accessibility gaps were brought to the mayor’s attention during his speech to the Belleville and District Chamber of Commerce about the state of the city. Barbara Schultz told the mayor she has concerns about the focus on accessibility and noted the barriers making it difficult for a person in a wheelchair or using a mobility device to run daily errands or enjoy an evening out with family here. Schultz told The Intelligencer she’s a part of an aging population which aren’t disabled per se, but depend on accessibility to remain mobile. She spoke of spouses caring for ailing relatives who need wheelchairs or mobility aids to get around town.

Mayor Taso Christopher said it’s a work in progress. “We’re taking baby steps,” he said. “I know we can do a better job. I appreciate that challenge.” Christopher said the city has led the way with transit, the design of sidewalks and making public buildings fully accessible, such as the main entrance of city hall during a recent remodelling of the foyer and customer service areas…

Accessibility advocates want Ontario’s wheelchair symbol changed

04/19 | Source: | NOW- Canada | Advocacy, Mobility, Government, Awareness | Canada

Accessibility advocates in Toronto are putting pressure on the Ontario government to adopt a new, more dynamic accessibility icon. Since last year, the Forward Movement has been plastering the city with stickers of the preferred barriers-free symbol. They’ve also collected signatures for a petition showing community support.

On April 23, they’re organizing a community event and fundraiser to help attract attention of MPPs. The event is free, fully accessible and sales of food, beverages and raffle tickets will help raise money for stickers bearing the preferred symbol which the group plans to distribute free to local businesses…

We deserve equal access, says group looking to sue transit agencies

04/19 | Source: | Montreal Gazette- Canada | Transit/Transportation, Discrimination, Accessible Design | Canada

Last year, Bill Lavery had to wait for an hour and a half to get on a bus that could accommodate his motorized scooter. “I was at a bus stop, and three buses in a row came by with broken ramps,” said Lavery, a resident of Plateau-Mont-Royal. “It was a nice summer’s day, but if (it had been a cold day) with elderly people waiting for a bus, that’s not a good thing.”

Lavery was one of about 30 people using wheelchairs, scooters, walkers or crutches who came to the 17th floor of the Montreal courthouse Wednesday to attend a hearing for a petition to launch a class-action lawsuit against the city of Montreal, the Société de transport de Montréal, and the Agence métropolitaine de transport. The group claims the city and the transit agencies are discriminating against people with reduced mobility because of a lack of accessibility on buses, trains and at métro stations. It claims those with reduced mobility don’t have access to efficient public transit, and are therefore at a disadvantage compared to the rest of the population…

Alberta World Cup Society looking for transit, accommodation options for mobility challenged athletes

04/19 | Source: | The Crag and Canyon- Canada | Sports/Athletics, Transit, Mobility | Canada

Organizers of the 2017 Para-Nordic World Cup are emphasizing that holding the event in Canmore in December poses a number of accessibility challenges for athletes and spectators. The International Paralympic Committee Para-Nordic World Cup is planned to take place at the Canmore Nordic Centre Dec. 7-18, with roughly 120 athletes from 13 countries participating in biathlon and cross-country skiing events. Alberta World Cup Society marketing and communications director Carly Lewis said event organizers are having difficulty finding wheelchair-accessible transportation and accommodations for those with mobility issues…

This Mumbai-based organisation is making travel easy and accessible for differently-abled people

04/20 | Source: | Her Story- India | Travel, Inclusion, Awareness, Disability Rights | India

Umoja believes that better accessibility begins with awareness and changing minds. Millions of persons with disabilities across the globe have great difficulty finding accessible accommodation while travelling. People with special needs or differently abled often find it difficult to move about or travel with ease once they step out of the comfort of their homes. Although most schools and workplaces make efforts to make the places accessible to such people, the same cannot be said about tourist spots…

Move to make city more accessible for tourists with disabilities

04/20 | Source: | Global Accessibility News- Africa | Travel, Building/Facilities Access, Inclusion, Awareness | Africa

Raising awareness about the struggle of persons with disabilities, the metro has trained tour guides to be sensitive to the needs of those with disabilities and avoid marginalising them. There are about 100,000 persons with disabilities in the Bay. The municipality, with the East Cape Parks and Tourism Agency, hosted a workshop at Kwantu Towers yesterday to raise awareness about the need to accommodate disabled tourists. Guides from Port Elizabeth companies attended the workshop, which looked at ways to communicate and physically prepare their businesses for customers with disabilities…

BioTalent Canada’s Animation to Promote Accessibility in Biotechnology Honoured with Award

04/20 | Source: | Business Wire | Awards/Recognition, Arts/Entertainment, Advocacy | Canada

BioTalent Canada announced today that its animated short, Expanding Accessibility in Biotechnology, has won the Platinum Award for Motion Graphics Information at the 2017 Hermes Creative Awards, an international competition overseen by the Association of Marketing and Communications Professionals (AMCP). The award showcases the talent and creativity of marketing and communications professionals, many of whom have contributed to public service or charitable organizations.

Expanding Accessibility in Biotechnology was created as part of BioTalent Canada’s Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) employer-awareness campaign, launched in 2016 and funded in part through the Government of Ontario’s EnAbling Change Program. The campaign aims to reach and educate bio-economy employers on compliance with the new AODA accessibility standards…

Wellesley to overhaul its rules for development in the township

04/20 | Source: | ObserverXtra- Canada | Building/Facilities Access, Accessible Design, Government | Canada

New provincial regulations and the prospect of some new growth have prompted Wellesley to revise its development standards for the first time since 1997. The review approved by council last week will see the township update its bylaws and rules governing new construction. It could also have an impact on issues such as on-street parking as accessibility becomes even trendier with Queen’s Park.

Changes to the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) and a shift in the township’s focus prompted the review, completed by the departments of public works, planning and building, along with an outside engineering consultant. The idea was to update the township’s guidelines for developers and designers looking to build subdivisions, severances, infill lots, condominiums, residential, commercial and industrial properties…

Disability equity training conducted in Dibrugarh

04/20 | Source: | Assam Tribune- India | Government, Awareness, Disability Rights | India

A disability equity training for government officials was conducted on April 18 by Shishu Sarothi, Guwahati, under the Central scheme for Awareness Generation and Publicity of the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India in Dibrugarh district.

The programme, organised in collaboration with the Office of the Deputy Commissioner, Dibrugarh, was presided over by Laya Madduri, Deputy Commissioner, and attended by around 40 participants.

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