Accessibility in the News — 5/29/2020.
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― Milton Berle
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Feature Stories
Coalition of Disability Groups Demand Access to New York’s Inaccessible Absentee Voting
May 22, 2020 | Source: National Federation of the Blind
Disability Equals Disenfranchisement, Lawsuit Says
May 27, 2020 | Source: Forbes- Peter Slatin
A coalition of disability organizations filed a lawsuit against the New York State Board of Elections (“NYS BOE”) for excluding New Yorkers with disabilities as their Absentee Voting program expanded in response to COVID-19. The lawsuit charges the state agency with discrimination against voters who are unable to independently and privately mark a paper ballot due to print disabilities, including blindness and low vision, or physical disabilities such as paralysis, dystonia, and tremors. All New Yorkers deserve to vote safely and independently, especially during the COVID-19 crisis…
PA offers accessible write-in ballots for voters with disabilities for upcoming primary
May 28, 2020 | Source: Local 21
Secretary of State Kathy Boockvar announced today that the Department of State will provide accessible write-in ballots to voters with disabilities who request one. “These ballots will allow blind and low-vision voters to vote privately and independently in Tuesday’s primary,” Secretary Boockvar said. “We are committed to increasing accessibility for voters with disabilities and implementing a long-term solution for accessible ballots for the November election and beyond.”…
Federal lawsuit challenges voter accessibility in Alabama
May 28, 2020 | Source: WHNT19
With COVID-19 case numbers rising in Alabama and an election less than 2 months away, the Southern Poverty Law Center filed a federal lawsuit in the Northern District of Alabama. The suit challenges a number of provisions in Alabama voting law, most importantly regarding absentee ballots. “The requirement for people who are voting by absentee ballot to either have their ballot notarized or for them to sign their absentee ballot envelope in the presence of two witnesses,” explained Caren Short, Senior Staff Attorney with the SPLC…
National News (U.S.)
The First Degree: Woman Is First Person With Down Syndrome To Graduate From Rowan University
May 21, 2020 | Source: Forbes
AnnaRose Rubright has always worked to be a positive role model for her younger sisters. As the oldest of six girls, it was important to the 24- year- old from Medford, New Jersey, to show them the importance of hard work and how even with a disability, she could accomplish her dreams. In early May, one of those dreams turned into a reality when she achieved her lifelong goal of graduating from a four-year university. In the process, she became the first person with down syndrome to receive a diploma from Rowan University in Glassboro, New Jersey…
Comedy Still Has an Accessibility Problem, Even in an Online World
May 21, 2020 | Source: Paste Magazine
Diversity on stage often means many things, but one of the more forgotten aspects of inclusion is accessibility. The clubs, bars, community centers, breweries, and houses that set up stages for comedians are largely inaccessible to many comedy fans and aspiring jokesmiths, and that goes beyond most venue and stage entrances not being wheelchair accessible. Just as diversity doesn’t mean representation for one group, accessibility is not limited to just one impairment. Perhaps one of the most overlooked facets is accessibility for the hearing impaired…
Diamond: Strides Made in Website Accessibility This Year, But More Work Needed
May 22, 2020 | Source: Media & Entertainment Services Alliance & PDF
Website accessibility has improved in 2020 from 2019, but there are still many sites that are either fully inaccessible or accessible “with difficulty,” according to Diamond. “You might have some sites that actually try to do their best with accessibility, but if you don’t think about the user journey, you’re missing something big,” Joe Devon, Diamond co-founding partner and co-founder of Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD), which Diamond sponsors, said May 21 during a webinar on “The State of Accessibility Report Findings.”…
‘It’s been hell’: Parents struggle with distance learning for their kids with disabilities
May 22, 2020 | Source: USA Today
Malika Simmons couldn’t believe her eyes when she received the schoolwork for her son to do at home during the coronavirus pandemic. Eli Simmons, 12, who has autism spectrum disorder and severe learning disabilities, usually works with a team of four professionals each day at River Springs Middle School in Orange City, Florida. He’s still learning his letters and numbers. The packet of work they received was filled with lessons on how to write a check and how to identify different angles – things that are miles beyond Eli’s ability…
The Inaccessible Internet
May 22, 2020 | Source: Slate
When virtual events began proliferating due to calls for social distancing, Camisha Jones saw a silver lining. For years, she has had limited access to in-person events due to undifferentiated connective tissue disease, which causes, among other symptoms, joint pain and fatigue. But now that many events would be taking place online, she realized she could attend more poetry readings than usual. Her enthusiasm was short-lived. “I find myself opting out of events because very little effort is being made to provide accessibility services for them,” said Jones…
21st Century IDEA envisioned a digital government, a pandemic made it happen
May 22, 2020 | Source: Federal News Network
As the coronavirus puts a toll on public health and the economy, the demand for information during the pandemic has strained agency websites and the employees who run them. Webpages run by the IRS, the Postal Service, and the National Institutes of Health make up just a few of the dot-gov sites that saw hundreds of millions of visits over the last month. Amid this surge in traffic, investments in digital government have paid dividends for some agencies, and some have sought to expedite modernization projects through funding in the CARES Act…
Ex-Congressman Tony Coelho Opens Up About Being Disabled And Where The Americans With Disabilities Act Fails In A Digital, Pandemic-Ruled Age
May 22, 2020 | Source: Forbes
2020 will forever be remembered as The Year Covid-19 Ruled The World, but it is memorable in another significant way. This year marks the 30th anniversary of the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Signed into law by President George H.W. Bush (the elder Bush) on July 26, 1990, the ADA, as it’s colloquially known, is essentially the Civil Rights Act for people with disabilities. The ADA is a landmark piece of legislation. The person credited with pioneering and writing the ADA is retired congressman Tony Coelho (D-CA)…
Panel Hears Disability Bias Case of Deaf Ex-Costco Worker
May 22, 2020 | Source: Courthouse News Service
A deaf former Costco employee is challenging a judge’s decision to toss out a jury verdict that awarded her $775,000 on her disability discrimination claim against the popular supermarket chain. Christine D’Onofrio thought she won her lawsuit against Costco in June 2018 when the jury found that the company had not provided reasonable workplace accommodations for her deafness. The jury awarded her $750,000 for mental anguish, along with $25,000 in punitive damages…
The waiting game: Nearly 30 years later, companies lack meaningful regulatory guidance on the TCPA and ADA
May 26, 2020 | Source: Eversheds Sutherland
Over the past eight years, the number of cases filed in courts across the country alleging violations of the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) has more than quadrupled, with thousands filed each year. In 2018, another strict liability statute, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), gave rise to more than 1,000 putative class actions based on allegations that defendants’ websites fail to provide effective communication for users with disabilities. The filing of new complaints under both statutes has continued unabated in 2020…
IA Gov. Responses to Test Iowa Accessibility Concerns
May 27, 2020 | Source: KWIT
An update from Siouxland Public Media on concerns raised by disability advocates concerning Test Iowa. The Disabilities Resource Center of Siouxland and Executive Director Don Dew contacted the Governor and Iowa Department of Public Health a week ago to say there was no planning for the Test Iowa program to include people with disabilities. Testing requires someone to drive through the site. A week later, Governor Kim Reynolds said Test Iowa isn’t the only option…
Nonverbal Students Being Denied An Education During Pandemic, Lawsuit Says
May 27, 2020 | Source: Disability Scoop
Students with autism are illegally being denied an education during the government-ordered coronavirus school shutdown, a lawsuit filed this month alleges. The outcome of the lawsuit, seeking class-action status and filed in federal court in Philadelphia on behalf of two Bucks County children, could potentially affect thousands of students with disabilities. At its heart is a claim that Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf failed to name as “life-sustaining” services those that provide in-person education to nonverbal and partially verbal children with autism — kids for whom online instruction and services are ineffective…
In The Inner Ear, UVA Finds An Essential Key To Hearing Sensitivity
May 27, 2020 | Source: UVA Today & CBS19 & Eureka Alert
New research from the University of Virginia School of Medicine is shedding light on the biological architecture that lets us hear – and on a genetic disorder that causes both deafness and blindness. Sihan Li, a graduate student in the lab of Jung-Bum Shin of UVA’s Department of Neuroscience, has made a surprising discovery about how the hearing organ in mammals achieves its extraordinary sensitivity. It was long suspected that tiny molecular motors maintain the proper tension in the so-called hair cell mechanoreceptors that are located in the inner ear…
New Report Says Most Organizations Don’t Involve Disabled People In Website Testing
May 28, 2020 | Source: Forbes
“Nothing About Us Without Us” may be a long-standing maxim within the disability rights movement but a sizeable proportion of creators of digital content appear yet to receive the memo. According to a new survey undertaken by digital accessibility consultancy Level Access, alongside G3ict (The Global Initiative for Inclusive ICTs) and IAAP (International Association of Accessibility Professionals), 56% of organizations still don’t routinely test their digital products with disabled people to evaluate accessibility and usability…
Feds investigate college twice since 2017 for disability discrimination
May 28, 2020 | Source: Berkeley Beacon
The federal Office for Civil Rights has investigated the college twice for disability discrimination since 2017 with one case closed in April and the other still open, according to public records obtained by The Beacon. The ongoing investigation concerns discrimination on the basis of disability while the case that closed in April covered the accessibility of the college’s website. The case was closed after the college changed its website to comply with federal regulations, according to the documents…
Jack Fact — A Rutgers University study reported in the July 2019 issue of Time magazine, stating that 14.3 million people with disabilities said they voted in 2018, an increase of 8.5%. According to the U.S. Government Accounting Office report, “Voters with Disabilities: Observations on Polling Place Accessibility and Related Federal Guidance,” said 60% of the 178 polling places they surveyed had one or more potential impediments; steep exterior ramps, lack of signage indicating accessibility and parking or path problems.
International News
Internet, social media open doors of accessibility for those with deafblindness
May 21, 2020 | Source: OrilliaMatters- Canada
During a time when we are physically separated from family, friends, and our peers, technology helps to bridge the gap and encourage social connection from afar. Although checking social media platforms, browsing the internet, and navigating video and audio streaming services are considered normal interactions, they also open doors of accessibility for others. For Steven, a man with deafblindness, Facebook and email connect him with the outside world. “I communicate online because I like to talk to people… it is faster and easier [for me] to communicate.”…
Global Accessibility Awareness Day in Nagaland
May 22, 2020 | Source: Morung Express- India
At Bumblebee Inclusive School, Kohima, a little over 30 young students are currently enrolled to start their first journey of education and are being taught through various mediums of learning including technology. As an inclusive primary set up, the school is trying to incorporate learning using audio and visual programming of songs, rhymes, stories, and value education including concept teaching with the use audio books series. On Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD) is observed around the world to raise awareness about digital accessibility by persons with disabilities…
Nanaimo school district pushes back accessibility audit for now
May 23, 2020 | Source: Nanaimo News Bulletin- Canada
Nanaimo Ladysmith school trustees decided they can wait until the fall to ask for a report on accessibility of the district’s schools. Nanaimo Ladysmith Public Schools staff were previously directed to examine the feasibility of an accessibility audit and were slated to vote on a recommendation at a May 13 meeting. Instead, they deferred asking staff to conduct the audit and compile the report. Mark Walsh, school district secretary-treasurer, told the committee that staff have connected with organizations such as the Rick Hansen Foundation seeking input on what an audit would entail, and have asked other school districts about their audit experiences…
This online campaign is voicing concerns surrounding inaccessibility of e-learning platforms
May 23, 2020 | Source: Your Story- India
Schools and educational universities across the country have remained shut for the last two months owing to the COVID-19 lockdown. The suspension of classroom sessions has made it imperative for most of these institutions to transition to online education. Principal leadership teams, as well as teachers, are putting in a lot of effort to embrace digital tools, revamp curriculums, and develop monitoring mechanisms to ensure lessons are delivered seamlessly. While this seems like a positive move towards better digital learning, the aspect of accessibility seems to have been ignored…
Push for e-learning raises questions about accessibility
May 24, 2020 | Source: Deccan Herald- India
It is 9 o’clock on a warm Monday morning in May. 13-year-old Yuvraj finishes his breakfast, settles in front of his computer and logs on to Google Hangouts. Soon, his entire classroom comes alive – virtually. Under normal circumstances, Yuvraj would have spent the day in his school in the national capital region. Like in any other part of the country, his school has been closed due to lockdown. But the new academic year started on April 1, online. Classes are being held using digital tools and homework is given out on a WhatsApp group run by the class teacher…
Could coronavirus kickstart more accessible tech?
May 25, 2020 | Source: BBC- UK (Video)
Many people have changed the way they work during the coronavirus pandemic, but for some disabled people this has brought some specific challenges. Improvements in accessible technology has seen artificial intelligence software provide real-time, on-screen transcriptions of what someone is saying in video calls, but there are concerns that some video calling platforms and apps are not as accessible as they could be…
Disabled Indians can’t be afterthought in Covid. Disability secys needed in all ministries
May 25, 2020 | Source: The Print- India
Two universally accepted arguments are that India has not yet peaked when it comes to Covid-19 cases and that Persons with Disabilities are more vulnerable than others when it comes to the coronavirus. We need to change the way we think about the disabled to protect them in a pandemic. The best way to do that is by immediately creating joint secretary-level positions for disability affairs in the health, home and information and broadcasting ministries. These officers would connect the department and concerned ministries, ensuring disability is not overlooked during policy formation…
How Eastenders’ Ben Mitchell is setting new standards for deaf representation
May 25, 2020 | Source: Radio Times- UK
Five children will be born deaf today. Five more will enter the world able to hear perfectly, but be deaf by early adulthood. The same will happen tomorrow. Along with all those who develop hearing loss in later adulthood, there are 12 million people across the UK who are deaf or live with a hearing loss. For one in six people, it’s a part of everyday life. Despite the numbers though, seeing deafness depicted on television is quite rare. That’s why when EastEnders approached us at the National Deaf Children’s Society for help on their new storyline about hearing loss, we were delighted to accept…
A new board will make Madrid more accessible
May 26, 2020 | Source: The Mayor EU- Spain
Madrid has made another step towards becoming a more accessible city. The city authorities announced on Wednesday the creation of a new board, in charge of analysing the current situation, formulating recommendations and designing a strategic plan for its improvement This action follows the launch of the Accessibility Office at the beginning of the year. The new body unites members from all areas of government, districts, political groups, but also representative of seniors and people with disabilities. Managers of the Municipal Transport Company, the Municipal Housing and Land Company are also part of the discussion…
Supporting remote working for deaf colleagues
May 26, 2020 | Source: The HR Director Magazine- England
The latest government advice surrounding the coronavirus pandemic is that those who can work from home should continue doing so, and this means the ‘new norm’ of remote working is likely to remain for quite some time. Whilst many businesses have proven just how adaptable they can be since the beginning of lockdown, the move to a home working structure has presented numerous challenges for both employers and workers, and even more so for those with hearing loss who can face barriers in the virtual working world…
Halifax-based non-profit goes digital for week-long conference on accessibility and inclusion
May 27, 2020 | Source: Globalnews- Canada
Celebrations for this year’s National AccessAbility Week (NAAW) are going digital. Due to COVID-19, the team at Halifax-based non-profit, reachAbility, has turned their annual conference into an online festival that includes live workshops, speakers, presentations and more — open to everyone and at no cost. NAAW celebrates and recognizes contributions made by persons with disabilities and those who are actively removing barriers for everyone in Canada. Since COVID-19 put restrictions on public gatherings, staff at reachAbility decided to take NAAW 2020 to a fully accessible online format…
Bill on voting accessibility for seniors, PWDs passed in House on 2nd reading
May 28, 2020 | Source: Manila Bulletin- Philippines
The House of Representatives on Thursday (May 28) passed on second reading a bill directing the Commission on Elections to make voting more accessible and easier for senior citizens and persons with disability (PWDs). Authored by Marikina City Rep. Stella Luz Quimbo, House Bill (HB) No. 6470 or the Senior Citizens and PWDs Absentee Voting Act of 2019 proposes to amend Section 9 of Republic Act (RA) No. 10366. HB 6470 also authorizes the Comelec to allow PWDs and the elderly to avail of the local absentee voting system but the endorsed bill did not contain this provision…
RDN replacing handyDART buses to improve customer accessibility
May 28, 2020 | Source: Nanaimo News NOW- Canada
Vastly improved service for public transit riders with physical disabilities is coming to mid Vancouver Island. Daniel Pearce the RDN’s director of transportation services told NanaimoNewsNOW the 15 new, 2020 model light-duty buses will replace most of their old handy DART fleet over the next several months. He said key new features include a rear hoist lift, as opposed to a less functional front ramp, to accommodate riders in wheelchairs and scooters…
Pledge to make roads ‘accessible for all’ on 50th anniversary of blue badge law
May 28, 2020 | Source: Express and Star- UK
Blue badges often enable holders to park free of charge in pay-and-display bays and for up to three hours on single and double yellow lines. Transport Secretary Grant Shapps has pledged to make roads “accessible for all” as he marked the 50th anniversary of a law introducing blue badges. He described the parking permits, used by more than 2.8 million people across the UK, as “a lifeline”. On May 29 1970, the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act came into force, stating that local authorities should produce badges for vehicles used by disabled people…
‘Deafness is an invisible disability’: meet the blogger on a mission to make the fitness world more inclusive
May 28, 2020 | Source: Evening Standard- UK
India Morse, better known as You Lean Me Up to her 14K Instagram followers, is a health and fitness influencer turned online coach from London. India was born deaf and has dedicated her platform to raising awareness about the need for more inclusivity in the fitness world, and has just launched her own online training programme aimed at people who are hard of hearing. “I started going to the gym as a distraction after being heartbroken but quickly discovered accessibility was poor in many London gyms and classes,” she tells the Standard…
COVID-19 Resources and Information
- Latest Coronavirus News- Inside Higher Ed
- Ep. 8: Cal State’s Online Fall- Inside Higher Ed
- This is an Accessibility Emergency!- Lucy Greco
- *COVID-19 ALERT: Fraudulent Facemask Flyers*- ADA
- Morgan’s Wonderland to remain closed for the rest of 2020
- What COVID-19 Can Teach Us About Accessibility- Idealist
- Create a Virtual Event That People Won’t Stop Talking About- G2
- Lesson of inclusion is amplified by pandemic- St. Louis Jewish Light
- Helping Individuals with Autism Wear Face Masks- Autism New Jersey
- U.S. Department Of Labor Adopts Revised Enforcement Policies For Coronavirus
- Building Digital Government That Can Withstand Surges- Government Technology
- Why digital accessibility is non-negotiable while we deal with COVID-19- Technuter
- Accessibility For American And Nepali Deaf Communities During COVID-19- WSYR (Video)
- Summer Training Helps Faculty Offer Engaging, Accessible Fall Courses- CSUN Today
- UNC-Chapel Hill begins sharing “Roadmap for Fall 2020,” details about return to campus
- Website lawsuits expected to increase during and after COVID-19- Fort Worth Business Press
- Airbnb’s Suzanne Edwards Talks Inclusion And Newly Launched Accessibility-Centric Online Experiences- Forbes
- COVID-19 Webinar Follow-up Responses Now Available- The Texas Governor’s Committee on People with Disabilities
Accessibility Blogs and Information
- Big Tech makes fresh accessibility strides- Axios
- Setting priorities for accessibility issues- Luis Garcia
- Accessibility in the News: Accessibility Statement Pages
- Celebrating Global Accessibility Awareness Day- Benetech
- Announcing the 2020 Barbara Jordan Media Award Winners
- How people with Down syndrome are teaching Google- CNET
- Highlights of World Accessibility Awareness Day 2020- Newsdio
- Podcast: Eliminating Algorithmic Bias in Hiring and Employment- PEAT
- Live Captioning- Digital Accessibility Center – The Ohio State University
- Important Techniques to Create E-Learning Application in 2020- My Story
- Let’s Aim to Achieve True Global Accessibility- Muscular Dystrophy News
- CoSN2020: Rethinking Accessibility in K–12 Education- EdTech Magazine (Video)
- Looking back at 10 years of learning at the annual Ability Summit- Microsoft
- People with disabilities share why accessibility matters in technology- Verizon (Video)
- How to Meet the Increased Demand for Website Accessibility- Kim Krause Berg
- Accessibility Considerations- Center for Teaching Innovation – Cornell University
- Building for everyone- Discover how Google is empowering the disabled community
- Accessibility tools support Hamlin Robinson students learning from home- Microsoft
- What on Earth Is WCAG? Web Accessibility Guidelines Demystified- Evolving Web
- Podcast: Creating VR Workplace Training Programs for People with Disabilities- PEAT
- Approaching accessibility: Building a compliant business starts with empathy- Sprout Social
- Uncertainty surrounding online learning adversely affects community, students say- The Charlatan
- Experts share insights on creating accessible digital environments for People of Determination- Tahawul Tech
- Airbnb’s Suzanne Edwards Talks Inclusion And Newly Launched Accessibility-Centric Online Experiences- Forbes
- Striving to Improve Digitally- The Journey to a More Accessible Website- Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
Accessibility Announcements and Products
- The State of Digital Accessibility 2020
- Announcing the first annual Thatcher Prize
- Faculty selected for Plesur, Accessibility awards
- Wheelchair accessible units being built in Invercargill
- Okanagan Paralympian named to Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame
- Call for Global Nominations for Inaugural D-30 Disability Impact List
- App Helps Deaf, Blind People Access TV Programming, Emergency Alerts
- Inside Understood’s Accessibility-First Rebrand, Starting With Its Typefaces
- Anderson Japanese Gardens receives a $30,000 grant to improve accessibility
- IT Accessibility Office Honors DASA Employees as Accessibility Champions
- Publicly traded Arizona companies receive millions in federal pandemic loans
- Google brings new and updated accessibility tools to Android, Maps, and more
- Windows 10 gets accessibility improvements to cursor, screen reader, and more
- Accessibility advocate honored with Diversity in Technology Leadership Award
- Applause Takes Gold for Company, New Product at American Business Awards
- Accessible Streaming Services with Audio Description for the Visually Impaired
- Adobe Color Update Adds Tools to Bring Accessibility Directly into Color Creation
- New Android Malware Channels Malicious Activity Through Accessibility Services
- Guidelines For Accessible Websites, Online Documents And Apps Now Available In Dutch
- Rutgers’ Flagship Enhances Website to Improve Storytelling, User Experience, Accessibility
- Inclusive platform and Microsoft for Startups MEA celebrate Global Accessibility Awareness Day
- Google Celebrates Global Accessibility Awareness Day By Announcing Software Enhancements For Android
- Samsung’s Bixby Vision adds 3 new accessibility features: Quick Reader, Scene Describer, and Color Detector
- New OutSystems Capabilities Give Enterprises The Dev Tools They Need To Meet The Strategic Mandate On Digital Accessibility
- Twitch Celebrates ‘Accessibility For All’ On Global Accessibility Awareness Day With Featured Streamers, Accessible Tools, And More
- UW launches new Center for Research and Education on Accessible Technology and Experiences with $2.5 million investment from Microsoft
- At Impact Summit last week, Be My Eyes founder Hans Jørgen Wiberg discussed how the app is helping blind and partially-sighted people around the world.
Accessibility Forums, Tips, and Gaming
- Disclosure Widgets
- Complete guide to Narrator
- Find wheelchair-accessible places
- Google May 2020 Core Update Analysis
- More than a pretty page – Accessibility online
- Image not in the accessibility tree is decorative
- Sa11y- accessibility quality assurance assistant
- All accessibility features offered by Amazon Alexa (Video)
- Minecraft Dungeons: How to Turn on Text to Speech
- Minecraft Dungeons: How to Change the Enemy Outline Color
- This Blind Gamer Is Fighting for Accessibility in Video Games
- Google Maps just got a feature every navigation app should steal
- AX = UX: Creating Digital Experience Flow through Accessibility
- How to Set Up New Google Accessibility Features on Your Android
- Microsoft announces new accessibility features coming to Windows 10
- Today’s cache | New Google Maps features, Windows 10 update, and more
- Marvel’s Avengers Developers Share How the Studio is Incorporating Accessibility
- Facebook shares new set of tips to make social media posts accessible and easy to read by everyone
Accessibility Statements
- RDS
- Wunder
- Brock University
- Hospital Authority
- Diss Town Council
- Castle Peak Hospital
- Victorian Legislation
- Lincoln College Oxford
- Katherine Mansfield House
- Digital Curation Centre- University of Edinburgh
Microassist Digital Accessibility Services
Have you received an accessibility demand letter because of your website or application? Please contact us for any questions you have about our accessibility services and how we might support your organization.
Services include:
- Accessible Website and Application Development— We rely heavily on accessibility best practices and using HTML5 and ARIA (Accessible Rich Internet Applications) standards to build WCAG-compliant and human-tested accessible environments. Our teams are proficient in open source technologies such as WordPress, Drupal and Moodle, as well as custom frameworks in .NET, PHP, AngularJS, and other frameworks. Our Learning and Development team can also help you create accessible custom training.
- Accessible Document Services— Whether you’re dealing with a few or a warehouse of Microsoft Office documents, PDFs, or other files, there are several ways Microassist can enable your team to offer documents and materials that meet stringent accessibility standards.
- Accessibility Remediation— Our accessibility remediation services help you fix existing materials so that they conform to WCAG, Section 504 and 508, Department of Education OCR, and ADA Title II/III requirements. We remediate websites, applications, documents, and elearning, recommending re-creation when that is more efficient and economical. Especially for website and applications, to find out what is in need of remediation, we’ll start with an Accessibility Audit.
- Accessibility Training— With several courses available for developers, testers, and content creators, your team can become equipped to consistently and expertly produce accessible digital products and online environments.
- VPAT®Evaluation Services— Primarily used by government purchasers and government vendors during the procurement and sale of ICT products and services under Section 508, a Voluntary Product Accessibility Template® (VPAT) attests to the accessibility of a given product or service. Contact us to make sure the VPAT you write or review is accurate and meaningful.
Learn More About Digital Accessibility
Our Digital Accessibility Digest blog covers our Accessibility in the News archives as well as expert commentaries on digital accessibility issues.
Our most popular commentaries include:
- The WCAG 2.1 Update: A Brief Look at What’s Changed
- Introducing VPAT®0, the More Stringent Accessibility Reporting Tool Required for Government IT Procurement
- Accessibility in the News, Legal Edition: Updates on ADA Title III News and More
- What Lawyers Need to Know: A Primer on Digital Accessibility Terms and Today’s Legal Landscape
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