Accessibility in the News—2/9/18

There was a huge amount of variety in this week’s news, but February is a bit diverse, too. By default, the month gives us Super Bowl LII, which was hosted in an accessible stadium; Valentine’s Day, with braille greeting cards; and the Olympics, which will include video descriptions for individuals who are visually impaired.

In other current events, the #MeToo movement brought a much needed spotlight on sexual assault. At the end of January, the National Council on Disability released its report on sexual assault within the college disability community. The National Center of Campus Public Safety also covers and links to the report.

For those following developments in the financial services sector, one lawsuit alleging an inaccessible credit union website has been dismissed. The National Association of Federally Insured Credit Unions president also spoke with House Judiciary Committee Chairman on what it calls “meritless” litigation.

In addition to the Olympics’ video descriptions mentioned above, video had several mentions this week, with one story on a filmmaker’s work on what online dating can be like when blind. Medium has an article on how the New York Times went about making its videos accessible through closed captioning and a well-thought-out interface. And, while not technically about video, famed television stars Chip and Joanna Gaines helped provide a remodeled home. With the help of their fans, the homeowners mortgage was also paid off.

Finally, stories on accessible environments, particularly work environments, covered both digital and physical access. The National Law Review released a three-part article on what businesses need to know about accessible workplaces, a IT professional relays how his accessible home office is structured to accommodate his Parkinson’s, and reminds us that age-related disabilities will eventually affect digital natives.

Which stories are the most meaningful to you this week? Let us know in the comments!

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National News (U.S.)

Improving outcomes with Universal Design for Learning (UDL)

February 1, 2018 | Source: Learning at a Distance | Universal Design, OCR, Digital Accessibility, Education

Over the past few years colleges have faced an increasing number of complaints from the Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights (OCR) requiring their web content be made accessibility to people with disabilities. Although the OCR complaints typically focus on publicly available web content, the American Disabilities Act (ADA) requires that all online instructional content meet accessibility guidelines. The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 2.0) provides guidance on making web content accessible to people with a broad range of disabilities…

ADA Title III Lawsuits Increase by 14% Percent in 2017 Due Largely to Website Access Lawsuits

February 1, 2018 | Source: Seyfarth Shaw LLP | Lawsuits/Litigation, Digital Accessibility, ADA

The number of federal ADA Title III lawsuits continue to surge in 2017, fueled largely by website accessibility claims; while legislative reform efforts continue to mitigate the physical accessibility portion of those lawsuit numbers. The results of our 2017 ADA Title III lawsuit count are in, putting a fifth consecutive year (since we began tracking in 2013) of growth in the number of ADA Title III lawsuits filed in federal court. In 2017, 7,663 ADA Title III lawsuits were filed in federal court — 1,062 more than in 2016…

Paralyzed Veterans of America Contribute to Vikings’ Super Bowl Stadium Accessibility Redesign

February 2, 2018 | Source: PRNewswire | Mobility, Facilities Access, ADA, Sports/Athletics

The Minnesota Vikings NFL team hosted this year’s Super Bowl in a 65,400-seat stadium featuring superior wheelchair access and seating options, thanks in part to guidance from Paralyzed Veterans of America’s (Paralyzed Veterans) Architecture Department and Minnesota Chapter. The stadium’s redesign began in 2016 when the Vikings’ advisory board formed a committee to provide insight into meeting the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements…

Rochester moves a step closer to ADA compliance

February 2, 2018 | Source: Foster’s Daily Democrat | ADA, OCR, Disability Rights, Facilities Access, Education

Two Rochester School Board subcommittees have formally signed off on the budget lines that will be used to fund upgrades to Maple Street Magnet School to address federal accessibility violations. The improvements are being made as the result of an investigation by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights. The OCR investigated Maple Street, a public K-5 school and the state’s only magnet school, because the two-story school wasn’t compliant with portions of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973…

ADA litigation update: One down, more to go

February 2, 2018 | Source: CU Insight | ADA, Litigation, Inclusion, Financial Services

Last Friday, a federal judge in Virginia granted a credit union’s motion to dismiss in a lawsuit alleging the credit union’s website was not compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The ruling represents a big initial victory for credit unions facing growing litigation threats over unclear website accessibility requirements under the ADA. Credit unions nationwide have faced a tide of lawsuits and demand letters over the past year relative to the ADA…

Monster Hunter: World Fan With Mobility Issues Praises the Game’s Accessibility

February 2, 2018 | Source: USgamer | Mobility, Gaming, Accessible Design, Digital Accessibility

Accessibility is important in video games. Even small additions—adjustable text sizes, for example, or subtitles—can make a big difference for someone who loves games but has vision problems or is deaf/hard of hearing. Every developer should aim to make their games as accessible as possible. The basics, like clear subtitles, are top priority, but giving players access to customizable controls and different gameplay modes is also vital. And then there are instances when games can be accommodating in ways you don’t expect but turn out to be important nonetheless…

January brought awareness to those who are legally blind

February 2, 2018 | Source: The Round Up | Awareness, Blindness/Visual Impairment

The month of January celebrated awareness for Braille Literacy honoring Louis Braille (January 4, 1809-January 6, 1852). Braille originally developed the Braille Code for people who were classified as blind or for people with low vision. Students at New Mexico State University that have visual disabilities have support provided by the college under the Student Accessibility Services. Whatever the degree of visual disability, students should be expected to participate fully in classroom activities, including discussions and group work…

U46 considering purchase of laptops for special ed students

February 3, 2018 | Source: Chicago Tribune | Education, Digital Accessibility

School District U46 may purchase of 2,000 Chromebook computers to bolster its special education program. District officials said what is currently available for its specialized student services programs is “limited” when it comes to technology. The hope is the purchase will give students with specialized needs greater accessibility to computer programs that can help them receive individual instruction. Under the proposal, Chromebooks would be purchased for 100 special education classrooms at a cost of just under $678,000. An additional $76,000 would be spent on 125 charging carts…

How Much Would You Pay to Cure Your Kid’s Learning Disability?

February 5, 2018 | Source: Bloomberg

Robert Melillo, at 57, has an impressive head of mostly dark hair, a prodigious nose, a sleeve tattoo, and natural salesmanship. A chiropractor who specializes in an esoteric branch of the discipline called functional neurology, he treats patients with neurological and autoimmune disorders at his busy practice in New York City. Along with other conditions, Melillo believes he’s developed a cure for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and autism—although he wouldn’t use the word “cure.”…

One in Three Disabled Women Are Sexually Assaulted on Campus—And Colleges Aren’t Paying Attention

February 5, 2018 | Source: Rewire

Many campus officials haven’t considered disability issues when administering sexual assault response programs. In the midst of #TimesUp and #MeToo, a new report on campus sexual assault in the disability community is serving as an indictment on the state of access at every level of this issue, from mandatory preventive training to support through Title IX hearings. The National Council on Disability, a nonpartisan independent federal agency, released the report, “Not on the Radar.”…

‘Fixer Upper’ Stars Chip and Joanna Gaines Design Wheelchair-Friendly Home for Boys With Genetic Condition

February 5, 2017 | Source: Inside Edition

A family with two disabled sons had the home makeover of a lifetime when Chip and Joanna Gaines of HGTV’s Fixer Upper made their home wheelchair-accessible, but the generosity didn’t stop there. Little did the Copp family realize, they would also have their mortgage paid off, thanks to the show’s many fans. “We’re so excited [and] at the same time, we’re just still trying to breathe it all in,” Jody Copp told KWTX. “As far as the house, just being able to move in and what it’s provided the boys, the accessibility, it’s just been amazing.”…

Setting up an accessible home office environment

February 5, 2018 | Source: TechGenix

Parkinson’s disease is a progressive and debilitating disorder of the nervous system that affects the motor system. Its symptoms usually develop gradually over time and can result in muscle rigidity, tremors, and changes in your speech and ability to walk. It usually develops later in life and is more common in men than women. The causes of Parkinson’s are unknown, but various medications and lifestyle changes can help alleviate the condition. Parkinson’s can strike anybody including those who have worked for years in the IT industry…

Cumberland Co. reaches settlement to make polling places accessible

February 5, 2018 | Source: WITF & Penn Live

A midstate county has reached a settlement with the U.S. Attorney’s office to make polling places accessible for people with disabilities. As part of a national intitiative, the Justice Department surveyed voting locations in Cumberland County two years ago and found several violations under the Americans with Disabilities Act. The county now has 45 days to come up with a method for determining if its polling places are ADA-compliant. It must survey its polling places using that method by March 2020…

Thousands to Attend CSUN’s 33rd Annual Assistive Technology Conference in Its Last Year in San Diego

February 6, 2018 | Source: CSUN Today

Thousands of people from around the globe are expected to travel to San Diego next month to take part in the world’s largest event dedicated to presenting and exploring new ways technology can assist people with disabilities. The 33rd Annual CSUN Assistive Technology Conference — organized by California State University, Northridge’s Center on Disabilities — is scheduled to take place from March 19-23 at the Manchester Grant Hyatt Hotel in San Diego. Next year, the conference will be moving closer to home to a site in Anaheim, California…

Accessible Workplaces: A Three-Part Series from National Law Review

Accessibility In The Workplace: What Businesses Need To Know: Part 1 | February 6, 2018
Accessibility In The Workplace: What Businesses Need To Know: Part 2 | February 7, 2018
Accessibility In The Workplace: What Businesses Need To Know: Part 3 | February 8, 2018

Part 1 of our accessibility series explores the importance of businesses deploying accessible IT to recruit and retain employees with a view to reducing job polarization and inequality. Part 2 describes how national equality laws are imposing affirmative obligations on businesses to make “reasonable accommodations” in the workplace for employees with disabilities — which may include ensuring that IT devices and services are enabled with accessibility functions. Part 3 in our series looks deeper into the compliance landscape, at global rules and standards in the U.S., EU and beyond…

Service animals mistaken for emotional support animals

February 6, 2018 | Source: The Blue Banner

Rocket’s red vest emboldened with the words ‘Service Dog’ shows up clearly as she walks to class with her owner. The pair have been together for a year and a half. Kayla Calbreath, a freshman political science student, owns Rocket. Calbreath said she sees a lot of confusion about service dogs on campus. “A lot of people think emotional support dogs and service dogs are the same thing. I’m constantly asked what my emotional support dog helps me with,” Calbreath said. “I feel like a big difference between emotional support animals and service dogs are that it takes a lot of training.”…

Berger reiterates CUs’ ADA concerns to Chairman Goodlatte

February 7, 2018 | Source: NAFCU

NAFCU President and CEO Dan Berger updated House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte, R-Va., yesterday on the flood of meritless lawsuits facing credit unions filed under website accessibility requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Credit unions, banks and other entities have faced a rash of lawsuits in the past year related to website accessibility. NAFCU and its members strongly support the protections of the ADA and efforts to ensure individuals with disabilities are not discriminated against and have equal access to financial services…

ReelAbilities festival to include Houston-born filmmaker’s work on online dating for the blind

February 7, 2018 | Source: Chron.com

“We need to be allowed to run into things and fall if we have to. It teaches us, and it teaches society as well.” So says Nefertiti Matos in “Blind Date,” a documentary by a filmmaker from Houston that follows three blind New Yorkers as they face challenges the digital age brings in their search for love. Her words encapsulate the purpose behind the ReelAbilities Houston Film & Arts Festival, a citywide event that uses the arts to eliminate the stigma associated with disabilities by celebrating those who have them…

Improving Our Video Experience: Part Three: Accessibility

February 7, 2018 | Source: New York Times

Improving the accessibility of the video experience on our web properties was one of our main goals for 2017. In this post, we will talk about how we built closed captions support into our video delivery platform and how we made the control set on our video player more accessible. The goal for adding closed captions was to make our videos accessible to more viewers in more scenarios. Some viewers are deaf or hard of hearing and need closed captions to be able to fully understand the content of our videos…

Sexual Assault of College Students with Disabilities

February 7, 2018 | Source: National Center for Campus Public Safety

On January 30, 2018 the National Council on Disability (NCD), an independent federal agency charged with advising the president, Congress, and other federal agencies regarding policies, programs, practices, and procedures that affect people with disabilities, released the report: Not on the Radar: Sexual Assault of College Students with Disabilities (PDF). This study set out to investigate the current state of campus sexual assault programs and policies and uncovered multiple barriers to students with disabilities, from reporting crime to receiving needed assistance afterward…

NBC To Provide Video Description For Its Production of The XXII Olympic Winter Games In Pyeongchang

February 7, 2018 | Source: Broadway World

NBC Olympics and Comcast announced today that they will work with Descriptive Video Works to provide video description services (VDS) for viewers with visual disabilities watching coverage of the XXIII Olympic Winter Games in PyeongChang, South Korea. The announcement was made by NBC Olympics President, Gary Zenkel, and Comcast Vice President of Accessibility, Tom Wlodkowski. NBC Olympics descriptive video presentation of PyeongChang 2018 will be the second consecutive time NBC has provided an inclusive viewing experience for people with visual disabilities watching the Olympic Games…

Tip: “Video description” is the also called “audio description” or “descriptive narration.” Source: American Council for the Blind

New 2018 Valentine’s Day Cards in Braille Available from NBP

February 7, 2018 | Source: Patch

With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, the National Braille Press (NBP) has created new braille cards to share your love while contributing to a great cause. This year’s Valentine’s Day cards are now available for purchase. “These braille Valentine’s Cards are bright and fun for everyone,” said Brian MacDonald, President of National Braille Press. “With these braille cards, blind and sighted friends are able to read and enjoy the cards together.” This year’s Valentine features the words “I mustache you a question. Be my Valentine?”…

Accessibility Town Hall covers upcoming projects and student concerns

February 7, 2018 | Source: N.C. State University Technician Online

Student Government hosted three speakers and an open dialogue at the Accessibility Town Hall Wednesday afternoon. Several dozen students and faculty attended to discuss upcoming projects and concerns about accessibility, including accessibility buttons, curb-cut construction and universal usability for virtual technologies. Student Body President Jackie Gonzalez, a fourth-year studying political science, Crystal Tenan, accessibility coordinator for the Office of Information Technology (OIT), and Cameron Smith, Capital Project Management director, all spoke to discuss their work with accessibility accommodations and their plans to improve those projects…

Digital natives will get old, too

February 7, 2018 | Source: Politico

Technology can divide Americans as well as connect them, and older Americans face not one but two of these digital divides. Seniors are more likely to have lower incomes and live in rural areas—the traditional “digital divide” that cuts some people off from the fast internet hookups increasingly necessary to connect with work, services and friends. And the second divide is one even today’s most connected digital natives will eventually confront: The changes that come with aging make using digital services more challenging for the old than for the rest of the population…

Cornell launches new disability awareness campaign

February 8, 2018 | Source: Cornell Chronicle

Using campus wide postering and social media, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Coordinator Team is launching a new campaign, #DiversityIncludesDisability, to build awareness of disability issues and support for an inclusive and accessible environment for individuals with disability. Each month, a student, staff or faculty member will be highlighted – along with a disability-related topic – on Cornell’s accessibility website and through Facebook. These profiles will complement and draw attention to the information already compiled online on disability and diversity at Cornell…

No Barriers Youth, Wells Fargo Select Winners of Global Impact Challenge

February 8, 2018 | Source: GlobeNewswire

No Barriers Youth and Wells Fargo announced the winners of their year-long Global Impact Challenge, a diversity and inclusion competition designed to spark ideas from high school and middle school students for building a world free of barriers, stereotypes and discrimination. Teachers from 20 schools across the U.S. recruited diverse teams of students with and without disabilities and followed an online curriculum designed to foster creativity and develop projects to address local diversity and inclusion issues…

Jack Fact — Estimates by The World Health Organization (WHO) and The Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) suggest 253 million people around the world live with vision impairment, and more than 2 million people in the UK – or one in 30 people – live with sight loss. The forecast shows the numbers affected in the UK will continue to rise to over 2,250,000 million by 2020.

International News

69 websites of Haryana Government for Content Management Framework

February 3, 2018 | Source: Daily Pioneer- India

The websites of 69 Haryana Government departments have been taken up for implementing the Content Management Framework (CMF) as per the Guidelines for the Indian Government Websites (GIGW). This has been done to ensure compliance with the Accessible India Campaign (AIC) deadline of making at least 50 per cent of Central and State Government websites and public documents compliant with accessibility standards by March 2018…

Virtual interpreter allows deaf to access web content for the ‘first time’

February 3, 2018 | Source: The National- Jordan

A friendly animation figure in a dishdasha pops up on a web page and translates text into sign language for the hearing impaired. This software to help the deaf community better understand online content could soon be popular in the UAE. A Jordanian company has developed a programme being used on travel, telecommunication, restaurant, beauty, furniture and health care websites to guide the deaf and hard of hearing in real time. “This helps a deaf person access websites in sign language for the first time ever…

Iran to adopt document on improving accessibility for the disabled

February 4, 2018 | Source: Tehran Times- Iran

It took two years to prepare the document, Ebrahim Kazemi and official with Iran’s Welfare Organization said, adding, the document will focus on making cities disability friendly for people suffering different kinds of physical disabilities. As Kazemi has explained as per the document ministries of transport and urban development, interior, as well as industry, mine and trade are tasked with implementing the necessary infrastructure for making cities accessible for the people who are facing some kind of limitations moving…

Harmonisation of Ghana’s disability law (Act 715) is critical

February 3, 2018 | Source: Ghana News Agency- Africa

The leadership of Ghana Federation of Disability Organisations (GFD) has been pushing hard to make Ghana’s Disability Act, 2006 (Act 715) congruent with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD). The move is to make sure the two right laws, which seek to promote inclusion and effective participation of persons with Disabilities (PWDs) in the Ghanaian society, are not unparalleled in content, scope and application…

Ministers visit station to get new disability access campaign on track

February 4, 2018 | Source: Comet 24- UK

Campaigners including commuters, residents, Biggleswade Town councillors, and North East Beds MP Alistair Burt have been pushing Network Rail to introduce disabled access and lifts at the station and to increase the availability of ticket office opening hours and staffing levels. It comes as increasing numbers of commuters from new housing developments around the town are using the station to get to London. In spite of the weather there was a large turnout of disability campaigners and members of the public…

Newfoundland playwright brings universal themes to a universal audience

February 4, 2018 | Source: The Telegram- Canada

Playwright Paul David Power’s life changed forever when his partner of nine years passed away suddenly in September 2013. Power brings that experience to the stage this week with the world premiere of “Crippled” on Feb. 7 at the LSPU Hall in St. John’s. Already an award-winning play, “Crippled” is set to change the theatre scene in this province. Based on the real-life experiences of Power, who has lived with a physical disability since birth, “Crippled” explores themes of seen and unseen disabilities, sexuality, and loss…

Scotland’s new accessible houses ‘too small for wheelchairs’

February 5, 2018 | Source: iNews- Scotland & The Scotsman- Scotland

Scotland’s next generation of affordable houses will be too small for many disabled people who rely on wheelchairs or other mobility aids, according to the Government’s own research. Ministers have committed to invest £3bn in building at least 50,000 new properties by 2021, with the aim of tackling the nation’s chronic housing shortage. “Being unable to buy or rent a sufficiently accessible home can leave disabled people trapped” Dr Sally Witcher, Inclusion Scotland…

Church may create ‘envoy’ for disabled people

February 5, 2018 | Source: Anglican Journal- Canada

Archbishop Fred Hiltz, primate of the Anglican Church of Canada, says he’s considering creating a new position to advance accessibility in the church, after being presented with a report describing a number of challenges faced by Canadian Anglicans with disabilities. “What I’m thinking about doing…is having a chat with someone I have in mind who might take on a kind of role as an envoy for people with disabilities,” Hiltz said. It would most likely be a volunteer position, he said…

New bridge design to accommodate disabled thrillseekers

February 5, 2018 | Source: PerthNow- Australia

THE Swan River pedestrian bridge linking East Perth and Burswood will include a pulley system so patrons with disabilities can be hoisted to a 70m-high viewing platform. While the development has been welcomed by the disability sector, it has been highlighted by the tourism industry as an example of the ever-increasing pressure to make sure attractions can be accessed by every section of the community, regardless of mobility…

Accessibility, diversity and disability dolls spark conversations in the classroom

February 5, 2018 | Source: CBC News- Canada

Celebrating diversity comes in all shapes and sizes, just like the disability dolls at an ‘I Can Too’ presentation at St. Andrew’s Elementary School. Ashley Martin-Hanlon, communications co-ordinator for Easter Seals, visits classrooms for her presentation with the disability dolls. “We cover physical, sensory, and invisible disabilities I do a little bit of teaching around what Easter Seals is and what disability means,” Martin-Hanlon said. “The dolls are really the stars of the presentation.”…

My Accessibility Journey: What I’ve Learned So Far

February 6, 2018 | Source: A List Apart- Austria

Last year I gave a talk about CSS and accessibility at the stahlstadt.js meetup in Linz, Austria. Afterward, an attendee asked why I was interested in accessibility: Did I or someone in my life have a disability? I’m used to answering this question—to which the answer is no—because I get it all the time. A lot of people seem to assume that a personal connection is the only reason someone would care about accessibility. This is a problem. For the web to be truly accessible, everyone who makes websites needs to care about accessibility…

Acadia buildathon assembles accessibility devices for smartphones

February 6, 2018 | Source: The Register/Advertiser- Canada

Acadia University hosted a buildathon which saw many lend a hand to aid in building smartphone accessibility devices for people with limited or no use of theirs. The LipSync Buildathon event happened Feb. 1 at Fountain Learning Commons. The LipSync device, designed to allow users to use their mouth to control smartphone functions, saw a huge turnout of engineering students, and some special local guests. Twenty-five Wolfville School students showed up to get involved, despite their classes being cancelled for the day…

UberAssist driver fined for denying ride to Paralympian

February 6, 2018 | Source: CBC- Canada

An UberAssist driver who refused to pick up a blind Paralympian last year because of her service dog has been fined $250. Victoria Nolan, who captured bronze at the 2016 Rio Games in four-mixed rowing, had finished training at the Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre when she decided to try UberAssist for the first time. The ride-hailing service is designed specifically to be accessible to people with disabilities. But when the driver arrived and saw Nolan’s guide dog, he took off…

A commitment to creating accessible housing should be the norm

February 7, 2018 | Source: Inside Housing- UK

For many millennials, finding a suitable home can be tough – having to take into account affordability, location and size can significantly limit the housing options available, regardless of tenure. However, if you also have an access requirement, the search is even more challenging. Young disabled people are often faced with a significant lack of choice when it comes to finding a home, due to the widespread shortage of accessible housing across the UK…

Wheelchair Users Prefer Traveling to Goa and Kerala for Their Accessibility, Says Survey

February 7, 2018 | Source: India.com- India

A survey commissioned by Enable Travel – India’s Premier Accessible Holiday Specialist, interviewed 90 people with disabilities across Wheelchair Users (30), Deaf (30) and Blind (30), from Mumbai and Delhi. Key factors highlight that people with disabilities have a deep desire to travel like everyone else. However, they have specific requirements and travel related barriers that need a differentiated approach. The survey gauges the travel interests, decision-making process and areas of concern faced by people with disabilities…

National policy for persons with disabilities drafted

February 7, 2018 | Source: Kuensel- Buhutan

Consultative meeting for the draft national policy for the persons living with disabilities (PWDs) focused on improving accessibility, human resource and capacity building, information management by service providers and caregivers, and to provide necessary financial support to improve the lives of PWDs. Gross National Happiness Commission (GNHC) conducted a need assessment survey in 2016 to understand the challenges, exposure, and services required by PWDs. The survey included around 500 respondents from 17 dzongkhags…

Accessible football for all

February 7, 2018 | Source: West Ham United F.C.- UK

For Cathy Bayford and Trevor Bright, following West Ham United means far more than just cheering on the team at matches. The pair – both Accessiblity Season Ticket Holders at London Stadium – play a key role in ensuring that all Hammers supporters with accessibility needs have the opportunity to raise any issues or concerns directly with the Club, thanks to their role as Chairs of the Disability Supporters Advisory Board (DSAB). The DSAB is the key conduit between accessibility supporters and the West Ham United Board…

Province Selects The Honourable David C. Onley to Review Ontario’s Accessibility Laws

February 5, 2018 | Source: Government of Ontario News- Canada

Ontario has appointed the Honourable David C. Onley to conduct the third review of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA). The reviewer will consult with the public and will analyze accessibility progress made in other jurisdictions. The review will be completed by the end of 2018 and will consider the evolution of the current AODA and its goals for an accessible Ontario by 2025 and beyond. David C. Onley is a former broadcast journalist. He served as the 28th Lieutenant Governor of Ontario from 2007 to 2014, and was the first person with a physical disability in the role…

Transport boards must include people with ‘experience of disability’

February 7, 2018 | Source: RTE- Ireland & Newstalk- Ireland

Minister for Transport Shane Ross has announced that the boards of public transport bodies must include at least one person with “raw, personal, experience of disability.” Mr Ross’ spokeswoman said his announcement means that individuals with experiences of disability will be appointed directors of organisations such as the National Transport Authority, Dublin Bus, Bus Éireann, Iarnród Éireann and CIÉ. In an address to the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, the Independent Alliance minister said that in recent years, access to public transport had been improved but that progress had been unacceptably slow…

Government committed to captioning

February 8, 2018 | Source: Scoop- New Zealand

Every New Zealander should have the best possible access to media content and this year Government commits to exploring options to increase captioning on New Zealand television and film. Broadcasting, Communications and Digital Media Minister Clare Curran says “captioning is a vital service for hearing-impaired people, providing them with access to both local and international content, including news coverage, sports and entertainment.” “The government is determined to improve access to captioning for Kiwis and I’ve asked officials to look at options…

Meet The 25-Year-Old On A Mission To Help Disabled People Enjoy Exercise

February 8, 2018 | Source: HuffPost- UK

Disabled people are twice as likely to be inactive than the general population, with 43% completing less than 30 minutes of exercise per week. But Ben Andrews is determined to change that. Aged just 17, he realised disabled people were struggling to access classes and equipment in his local gym and began volunteering and developing a scheme to help. Fast forward eight years and Ben, now a qualified fitness instructor, has successfully pitched his concept to the NHS, securing funding for Empower – a pilot scheme breaking down barriers facing disabled people and making exercise fun…

All playgrounds in Wales should include accessible equipment by law, says AM

February 8, 2018 | Source: Access and Mobility Professional- Wales

A Labour minister is calling for a change in the law to make it compulsory for all playgrounds in Wales to include accessible play equipment to make them more inclusive. Cynon Valley AM Vikki Howells has made a bid for the National Assembly for Wales to support her call for the new law. The purpose of the Bill would be to improve inclusive play opportunities by placing a duty on local authorities so that they must provide play equipment that meet the needs of children with disabilities…

Device built by U of T scientist helps to make labs more accessible

February 8, 2018 | Source: UofT News- Canada

Ronald Soong has always enjoyed tinkering with electronics. Not only does he build devices in his spare time, he also volunteers as a basic electronics instructor. “It’s definitely a hobby and something I’m really passionate about,” says Soong, who is the senior NMR scientist and NMR manager at U of T Scarborough. So it’s only fitting that after setting out to build a device to help make laboratories more accessible, he would end up with prototypes that can inject a precise amount of liquid, read and record data – and even one that has a talking thermometer…

VIDEO: Rick Hansen, NSCC team up to make more buildings accessible

February 8, 2018 | Source: The Chronicle Herald- Canada

Graduates of a Nova Scotia Community College program starting this spring will be trained to help improve accessibility to buildings and properties for people with disabilities under a partnership with the Rick Hansen Foundation. A crowd gathered Thursday in the atrium at NSCC’s Institute of Technology campus on Leeds Street in Halifax to hear details of an announcement from college president Don Bureaux, Eastern Shore MLA and House Speaker Kevin Murphy and Hansen, a world-renowned and celebrated Paralympic athlete…

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