Accessibility in the News — Knowledge is Power – 7/14/2023.

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“I don’t think I felt, really, shame about my disability. What I felt more was exclusion.” ― Judith Heumann

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Feature Stories

Family questions accessibility protocol for disabled travellers after son was turned away from flight

June 30, 2023 | Source: WKBW

If you ask father and son duo Anthony and James Parisi what their family is like, they’d probably say they’re just like anybody else. “You know James is a typical five year old boy,” James’s Dad Anthony Parisi said. “He just graduated kindergarten. He loves playing on the playground. Loves his friends.” In fact, James said there’s lot of love to go around. For these two, every adventure means a little bit more since James was diagnoses with Congenial Muscular Dystrophy. “His disease is rare, there is no cure for it, there are no treatments,” Parisi said…

Disability rights leaders meet with VP Harris to discuss transportation accessibility

July 11, 2023 | Source: UPI and The White House

The Biden administration and disability rights leaders met in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday to discuss the Americans with Disabilities Act, which celebrates its 33rd year this month, and transportation accessibility. Vice President Kamala Harris, Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg and Tony Coelho, a former Congressman who was the primary sponsor of the Americans with Disabilities Act in 1990, introduced themselves at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building by describing the color of their navy blue and lavender suits before previewing their discussion about access to polling stations, healthcare and transportation…

Transportation apps can help people with disabilities navigate public transit but accessibility lags behind

July 12, 2023 | Source: The Conversation

Smartphone apps have become commonplace tools for travel and navigation. As technology becomes more integrated into transport networks, apps will continue to be indispensable. But many of those apps remain inaccessible to those with various disabilities. Many people with disabilities rely on public transit as many do not have a driver’s licence. Planning trips, getting to and from transit stops successfully and navigating transit systems is important. My research has shown that smartphone app technology can encourage inclusion by helping people with disabilities better navigate transport systems…

National News (U.S.)

Federal prosecutors allege LA County failed to comply with disability rights at voting centers

June 30, 2023 | Source: ABC7

Los Angeles County discriminated against persons with disabilities at vote centers in Pasadena, North Hollywood, Downey and Watts during recent elections, federal prosecutors alleged Thursday in a lawsuit claiming violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act. The probe into the voting program found that the county, acting through its registrar-recorder, excluded qualified individuals with mobility disabilities and those with vision disabilities from voting, the U.S. Attorney’s Office alleged…

Behind the Lens- Wheelchair Users Tell Their Stories in Acclaimed Documentaries

July 1, 2023 | Source: New Mobility- Steve Wright

A growing number of wheelchair users are getting behind the camera and creating documentaries that are airing on PBS, winning at film festivals and even earning Oscar nominations. New, more affordable technology, expanding media outlets and a content-craving public are a few of the reasons why documentary filmmaking has become more accessible than ever. We spoke to three wheelchair-using filmmakers with varying degrees of experience who aim to entertain, educate the masses, and motivate others with disabilities to tell their stories and bust myths held by nondisabled viewers…

Digital IDs in Georgia improve accessibility for disabled state residents

July 5, 2023 | Source: Biometric Update

Georgia’s recent implementation of digital IDs in the form of mobile driver’s licenses for iOS smartphones can make it easier for those with mobility challenges to access their identification. Those with limited hand function can find it difficult to remove their wallet from their pocket or bag and then take their ID card out of their wallet. Digital IDs allow users to present their IDs through their smartphone, which already serves many other purposes in most of our lives already…

Threads launch fails to prioritize accessibility

July 6, 2023 | Source: Mashable and USTimesPost and BetaNews

While the internet is abuzz with talk of Meta’s new Twitter competitor, Threads, a significant portion of migrating users are already frustrated, and not because of annoying notifications or the inability to delete just your Threads account. Instead, in a strange step back for the tech giant, the hours-old platform — unabashedly attempting to poach Twitter’s migrating user base — doesn’t seem to accommodate those with disabilities well, offering few accessibility tools, customization options, or site policies on its accessibility features at large…

Twitter – Microassist

Garmin class action alleges website not equally accessible to blind, visually impaired consumers

July 6, 2023 | Source: Top Class Actions

Dollar General class action alleges website not accessible to blind, visually impaired customers

July 13, 2023 | Source: Top Class Actions

Garmin failed to make its website fully accessible to and independently usable by individuals who are blind or visually impaired, a new class action lawsuit alleges. Plaintiff Frank Senior, a legally blind man, claims Garmin has not designed its website so that it is fully compatible with screen-reading software used by individuals who are blind or visually impaired to access the internet. Senior argues Garmin is ultimately depriving individuals who are blind or visually impaired from the benefits of its online goods, contents, and services, in an alleged violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)…

Baton Rouge hotel owner agrees to Civil Settlement Under Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act

July 6, 2023 | Source: L’Observateur and BRProud and U.S. Attorney’s Office, Middle District of Louisiana

United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. announced that the United States has finalized a settlement agreement with IM Baton Rouge OPCO, LLC, owner and manager of the Residence Inn by Marriott Baton Rouge Towne Center Cedar Lodge (the “Marriott Towne Center”), to resolve civil claims under Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). As specified in the settlement agreement, the United States alleges that Marriott Towne Center failed to maintain its facilities in accordance with applicable standards for accessible design, which are meant to ensure that public accommodations are readily accessible to and usable by individuals with disabilities…

Communities urged to improve accessibility by making curbs ADA compliant

July 6, 2023 | Source: Spectrum News

One hundred and thirty six curbs in the city of Kingston are getting a major makeover. Mayor Steve Noble said this was to make the city’s curbs compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Many of the city’s sidewalks have a straight dropoff that can be more than a foot. But the ADA mandates that curbs have a ramp with a slope that makes it easy for wheelchairs, scooters, or even folks with strollers, to cross the street. “We really are concerned about accessibility for all here in Kingston,” Noble said…

Alzheimer’s drug Leqembi gets full FDA approval. Medicare coverage will likely follow

July 6, 2023 | Source: NPR and Medical Xpress and KJZZ

The Food and Drug Administration has fully approved the first drug shown to slow down Alzheimer’s disease. The action means that Leqembi, whose generic name is lecanemab, should be widely covered by the federal Medicare health insurance program, which primarily serves adults age 65 and older. So more people who are in the early stages of the disease will have access to the drug – and be able to afford it. “It’s not something that’s going to stop the disease or reverse it,” says Dr . Sanjeev Vaishnavi, director of clinical research at the Penn Memory Center…

How My Autistic Kid Found Accessible Adventure—and Yours Can, Too

July 7, 2023 | Source: AFAR

For more than a decade after I had my son, my outdoorsy family didn’t hit the slopes once to ski or snowboard. How can we, I thought, with an autistic child who was afraid of heights, overwhelmed by loud groups, and unable to keep up with lessons? Then a friend told me about lessons from the U.S. Adaptive Recreation Center at Bear Mountain Resort in the San Bernardino Mountains. With the help of the right equipment and an USARC instructor, he was able to get the hang of skiing without the pressure…

Fighting back: Serial ADA lawsuits trigger disputes over legislation but agreement about accessibility education

July 7, 2023 | Source: Redwood City Pulse

After being sued by a well-known Americans with Disabilities Act plaintiff, local businesses are exploring alternatives to simply mounting legal defenses, one by one. And along the way, they have found themselves going head to head with and, at times, unexpectedly aligned with disability rights advocates. In 2021, Scott Johnson filed lawsuits against Bistro Maxine, a casual French restaurant in downtown Palo Alto, and Tai Pan, a Hong Kong-style Chinese restaurant a few blocks away, as he has done against hundreds of other local businesses. In those suits, he claimed that the businesses were inaccessible to people with disabilities…

Companies Are Investing in Tech for Employees with Vision and Hearing Loss

July 10, 2023 | Source: SHRM

July is Disability Pride Month, in commemoration of the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) on July 26, 1990. This month promotes disability awareness and aims to increase the visibility of and prevent discrimination against individuals with disabilities. While U.S. workplaces have come a long way since 1990, accessibility experts say there is still much more to be done. Today, more employers are investing in accessibility software and other technology for employees who are deaf, hard of hearing, blind or partially sighted, allowing them to be more productive and not face obstacles in their work…

Accessibility lawsuits are bringing slow but steady wins for disabled city residents

July 11, 2023 | Source: Prism Reports

In 2019, just months after New York City opened the new, eye-catching Queens library to much fanfare from the design world, local library patron Tanya Jackson filed a lawsuit against the library and the city. As architecturally interesting as the library was, her lawsuit claimed, it was inaccessible to her and other patrons who use mobility devices. In May 2023, city officials filed another lawsuit—this time against the architectural firm, for “professional malpractice” in developing inaccessible designs…

Valley man creates app to help people with disabilities buy sporting event tickets easier

July 12, 2023 | Source: 12News

Buying a ticket for a sports game is usually something many can do in minutes but for those with accessibility needs it can involve a lot of steps and extra time. Victor Ocando Finol knows the issue, as he’s experienced it firsthand over his lifetime as a person with cerebral palsy who uses a wheelchair. “As a wheelchair user I need to know what steps or obstacles I would have to overcome to get to my seat,” Ocando Finol said. Ocando Finol describes himself as a ‘big’ soccer fan, rooting for Phoenix Rising locally and for Madrid too…

Hunters Point Library architects sued over building’s accessibility issues

July 12, 2023 | Source: CBS New York

Widely regarded as one of the most stunning public buildings in recent New York history, the Hunters Point Library came with a luxury price tag of $41.5 million. But weeks after the concrete-and-glass structure opened in Long Island City in 2019, structural flaws were visible. Mark Christie is founder of the Friends of Queens Library at Hunters Point. He says that, between the architects and city officials, plans for the library went sideways. “This has become a monument for little men with big egos,” he said…

Making Nashville More Accessible for Those With Disabilities

July 13, 2023 | Source: Nashville Scene

It’s no secret that getting around in Nashville if you’re not in a car is often a nightmare. Last year set a new record for pedestrian deaths in the city at 49. Even for a non-disabled individual, navigating some of Nashville’s busiest pikes can be harrowing. For someone in a wheelchair — or someone who’s visually impaired, or has one of any number of other disabilities — a trip of just a few blocks can present dozens of challenges. “Not everyone identifies the dangers we face if they’ve never experienced them, such as when an incomplete, poorly maintained, poorly designed sidewalk becomes an obstacle to one’s mobility,” says Joy Andal…

Prince George’s County pushes for increase in accessible homes with universal design bill

July 13, 2023 | Source: WJLA

It is known as the Universal Design Bill, a way Prince George’s County is working to be more inclusive. The county has struggled to make accessible homes for those with disabilities, and the aging in place. About 15 million disabled Americans report having difficulties with mobility or independent living. “A new construction and or making renovations, they should keep in mind that, that person that’s buying that home today may not look like that tomorrow,” said Tammy Bresnahan with AARP…

Inclusive Innovator: Blind Entrepreneur Converts Menus to Braille, Improving Accessibility in Local Restaurants

July 13, 2023 | Source: Dana Point Times

Learning Braille took a lot of persistence and perseverance, though it also felt natural to now 22-year-old Mason Fessenden of Dana Point. When Mason was born premature and completely blind, his mother, Martha Fessenden, said she was told he would never be able to learn Braille. “We were told he was never going to talk; he was going to have cerebral palsy,” Martha recalled. “He is a blessing, he’s an inspiration. Not a bad bone in his body.” The trickiest part of learning Braille, Mason said, was managing to keep both hands on the page. After learning Braille, Mason even taught his parents how to read it…

Jack Fact — Airlines mishandled 871 wheelchairs and scooters in January 2023 alone, per Department of Transportation data — or 1.6 for every 100 with which they were entrusted.

Hit The Road Jack — Sector pushed on refining accessibility and Regina’s new Wascana Pool created to be accessible, inclusive and sustainable and Four cities putting disabled travellers first

International News

Survey findings reveal almost a third of disabled adults feel websites do not cater to them

June 30, 2023 | Source: THIIS Magazine- UK

Charities can access a free website accessibility health check to ensure equal access for everyone- June 30, 2023 | Source: Assistive Technology- UK

A recent survey conducted into website experiences for disabled and neurodivergent adults in the UK has revealed that charities could be missing out on up to £65 million per year in online donations due to poor web accessibility.

The survey by OnePoll spoke to neurodivergent and physically disabled adults in the UK, asking them to rank whether websites currently cater to their needs. It found that almost a third of respondents felt that websites do not generally cater to them, while the same number reported feeling that website creators do not understand digital and online accessibility needs…

Taylor Swift faces boycott call over Australian tour’s accessible ticket difficulties

June 30, 2023 | Source: SBS- Australia

Taylor Swift fans who need accessible seating blast system that only allows them to buy tickets by phone – as they describe calling up to 700 times just to get in the queue

July 12, 2023 | Source: Daily Mail- UK and BBC

Multiple devices, 4am wakeups and TikTok tutorials – this is what it takes to get a ticket to Taylor Swift’s Eras world tour. More than four million fans were ready and waiting on Wednesday morning to purchase pre-sale tickets for the Australian leg of her world tour, with shows exclusively in Sydney and Melbourne. People from around the country queued up online to secure tickets, many waiting for hours to no avail. But for those seeking accessible seating, there is an added hurdle…

How comedy can – and should – be more accessible

June 30, 2023 | Source: Chortle- UK

Three comedians with disabilities are creating a guide to accessible comedy venues. Sam Judd, Lizzy Lenco and Ian Younghusband here describe some of the challenges of performing stand-up on the circuit that inspire them to create Access More Areas. It will be an online guide giving access information on venues and short reviews by acts with disabilities. And it plans to offer advice to acts and audience members who might have access needs…

Differently-abled people face challenges finding safe, accessible entertainment

June 30, 2023 | Source: Kuwait Times

Many Kuwaiti residents complain about a lack of entertainment places in Kuwait and their feeling of boredom, especially during summer. As for people with disabilities, the situation seems even worse. Despite the scarcity of entertainment places, those with special needs face even more limitations in activities and places for entertainment. As we progress towards a more inclusive society, it is important that every individual, regardless of their different physical and mental abilities, is given access to the same opportunities and experiences as those without any different abilities…

Accessible Birding, Space Sounds, Wasps. July 7, 2023. Part 2

July 7, 2023 | Source: WNYC Studios- Colombia

For many blind and low vision people, accessing outdoor spaces like parks can be challenging. Trails are often unsafe or difficult to navigate, signs don’t usually have Braille, guides generally aren’t trained to help disabled visitors, and so on. But nature recordist Juan Pablo Culasso, based in Bogata, Colombia, is changing that. He’s designed a system of fully accessible trails in the cloud forests of southwest Colombia that are specifically tailored to help visually disabled people connect with nature. The trails are the first of their kind in the Americas, and Culasso drew on his own experiences as a blind person and a professional birder to design the system…

Inclusive education: Ensuring accessibility for children with disabilities

July 8, 2023 | Source: Business Standard- Bangladesh

In Bangladesh, the journey towards achieving inclusive, holistic education for children with disabilities is of paramount importance. Providing equal opportunities for these children to access quality education is crucial for their overall development and integration into society. Extensive research conducted in Bangladesh emphasise the positive impact of inclusive learning environments on social integration, academic progress, and the overall well-being of these children. However, limited resources, inadequate infrastructure, and a lack of specialised training for educators present notable barriers to the effective implementation of inclusive education in Bangladesh…

Margao Ravindra Bhavan aims to become accessible to PwDs

July 9, 2023 | Source: Times of India

Member secretary of Ravindra Bhavan, Agnelo Fernandes has written to the director of art and culture, pursuing his earlier proposal for ‘providing accessibility for persons with disabilities (PwD)’ at Ravindra Bhavan, Margao, and seeking administrative approval for the same. Also, taking cognisance of the delay in providing the required facilities for PwDs, the State Commission for PwDs has sent a reminder to the director of art and culture to “submit compliance” to the proposal by July 10…

Look: Dubai makes night swimming beaches accessible for people of determination

July 9, 2023 | Source: Khaleej Times- India

Dubai had announced the opening of three new beaches for night swimming in May 2023. Now, authorities have made these beaches accessible to people of determination. Residents and tourists can swim on these beaches anytime — even after sunset. The Dubai Municipality has equipped the beaches with lighting systems and electronic information panels and has now employed dedicated services for people of determination. The beaches will have qualified cadres of rescuers and supervisors to ensure a comfortable and safe night swimming experience for all…

Accessible tourism: Making Jordan an inclusive and welcoming destination

July 9, 2023 | Source: Jordan Times

Accessible tourism refers to the practice of making travel accessible to individuals with disabilities or other mobility limitations. Promoting accessible tourism in Jordan promises significant economic benefits for the country. Firstly, enhancing accessible tourism in Jordan could attract a large number of tourists with disabilities who would otherwise be unable to travel to the country. This would increase the overall number of tourists visiting Jordan and boost the country’s tourism industry…

Making Wheelchair Taxis More Accessible

July 9, 2023 | Source: Tasmanian Times

The Rockliff Liberal Government has taken further action to increase the accessibility and availability of wheelchair taxis. Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, Michael Ferguson, said new rules have been developed in response to concerns that customers were having difficulty in booking wheelchair accessible taxis. “To ensure more wheelchair accessible taxis are available when needed by wheelchair reliant passengers, we have introduced new rules to mandate a minimum of 30 wheelchair passenger trips be provided by each wheelchair accessible taxi per month,” Mr Ferguson said…

Tony Hudgell: Family’s anger as theme park denies boy ride access

July 10, 2023 | Source: BBC- UK

The adoptive mother of an eight-year-old boy who had both legs amputated because of abuse by his birth parents has spoken out after he was denied access to some rides at a theme park. Paula Hudgell and her son Tony visited Chessington World of Adventures in Surrey with friends at the weekend. But she said he was not able to access any rides except the baby carousel. Chessington managing director Mike Vallis apologised but said: “Safety is our number one priority.”…

Manchester City: Disabled fan who broke leg in fall criticises Uefa

July 13, 2023 | Source: BBC- UK

A disabled fan has criticised European football’s ruling body after she broke her leg and was left lying in the hospital in the chaos surrounding the Champions League Final. Uefa accepted “not everything was perfect” after fans had faced issues getting to the game at Istanbul’s Atatürk Olympic Stadium on 10 June. Manchester City fan Clare Watson said she fell after being forced to get out of a taxi and walk by police. She said her ordeal was “atrocious”…

Israeli accessibility startup wins social impact contest

July 13, 2023 | Source: ISRAEL21c- Israel

Israeli accessibility startup RightHear, which aids people who are blind or visually impaired to get orientated in public spaces, recently won a global startup contest. The Connect AI: Social Impact award was bestowed to RightHear for the best pitch, in which CEO Idan Meir presented the company’s vision to a panel of journalists from international business and tech magazines. The event was sponsored by the Publicize digital communications services company. “I’m very proud of this incredible recognition, and thank the judges for choosing us as the winners,” Meir said following the win…

Disability advocate says lack of public seating in Vancouver poses accessibility issues

July 13, 2023 | Source: Vancouver Is Awesome- Canada

Disabled writer and policy analyst Gabrielle Peters doesn’t live far from English Bay, so when the benches were recently removed from Inukshuk Point for her it was emblematic of a more pervasive problem with seating along popular Vancouver walking routes. The spot of four benches has sufficient space for wheelchair users to transfer out of their chairs and onto the benches comfortably, she says. Peters, who does a lot of work on the issue of accessibility, is a non-ambluatory wheelchair user but used to use a cane and walker…

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