Accessibility in the News — 4/2/2021.

NOTE: To get news like this every week in your inbox, before it hits our website, subscribe to our Accessibility in the News e-newsletter. There are no ads or graphics, and we never send spam. Just use the sign-up form on this page to subscribe and stay up to date!

Feature Story

Skip to National News (U.S.) | Skip to International News

More Accessibility Resources on this Page

Accessibility Blogs and Information | Accessibility Announcements and Products
Accessibility Fourms, Tips and Gaming | Accessibility Statement Pages
Microassist Accessibility Services

AITN Quote of the Week

“No star is ever lost we once have seen, we always may be what we might have been.” ― Adelaide Anne Procter

Compass ABA- Let Compass Be Your Guide

Feature Stories

Balky sign-ups complicate virus vaccinations for blind, deaf

March 27, 2021 | Source: Minneapolis Star Tribune

How vaccine sites can be more accessible to people with intellectual disabilities

March 27, 2021 | Source: WHYY

For the Disabled, Getting Vaccinated Can Be an Obstacle Course

April 1, 2021 | Source: NY City Lens

For the visually impaired, getting vaccinated has been a challenge

April 1, 2021 | Source: KJRH

Unable to see, Carla McQuillan typically uses a program that converts the letters on a screen into audible words when she wants to read something online. The tool wouldn’t work when she tried to schedule an appointment to get a COVID-19 vaccine, however. “When I clicked, it wouldn’t tell me what the date was. I could have tapped on something, but I wouldn’t have known what it was,” said McQuillan, who operates a Montessori school and serves as president of the National Federation of the Blind of Oregon. Her husband, who can see, eventually helped out…

Three Ways To Help Disabled People Through The End Of The Pandemic

March 31, 2021 | Source: Forbes

We have already been through a couple of false endings to the Covid-19 pandemic. But finally, there really are solid reasons to think that it may really be ending, or at least becoming a different, less dangerous and disruptive problem than it has been for the last year. This is good news for disabled people, as it is for everyone. But this transition will be a lot easier if a few of our unique needs can be met. People with disabilities have disproportionately suffered from the pandemic. We have been devastated medically, through our disability-related vulnerability and dangerous medical responses to it…

National News (U.S.)

Airbnb Tailoring Experiences To Neurodiverse Guests

March 26, 2021 | Source: Disability Scoop & House Beautiful

Airbnb is introducing a new slate of offerings specifically aimed at neurodiverse individuals, including those with autism. The company unveiled a collection of online experiences this week “designed by hosts with neurodiverse guests in mind” as part of the company’s push to be more inclusive. Though Airbnb is known primarily for short-term rentals, they also offer online experiences allowing people to explore new places or activities without leaving home…

Accessibility expert: West Boylston’s plan for Pride Park will not be ADA compliant

March 26, 2021 | Source: Worcester Telegram

An accessibility expert said the town’s proposed renovation plan for Pride Park will not be ADA compliant. Katie Denis told selectmen at a recent meeting that she offered to help since moving into West Boylston in April, but her offer was never accepted, she said. At a previous meeting, parent Rachael Brown expressed concern that the plan the town was supporting would not be sufficient for children with a disability, like her daughter. “It is discrimination against people with disabilities,” Brown said at the March 17 meeting…

Taking ADA From the Page to the Stage

March 26, 2021 | Source: American Theatre

Last year marked the 30th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, but many who work in the theatre would agree that there is much left to do before even the nation’s largest venues can be called truly accessible. This work has both a long and recent history. In 2018, Katherine Fritz wrote for American Theatre about the need for accessibility policies in American theatre spaces, and in 2010, the National Endowment for the Arts’ Office of Accessibility released a primer on the Department of Justice’s ADA changes at the time of a major update to the legislation…

How My Tattoos Have Helped Me Come to Terms With My Disability

March 26, 2021 | Source: Allure

There’s a shared evolution between tattoos and disabilities. Although the experiences are not identical, people with tattoos and people with disabilities have both historically dealt with societal stigma, stereotypes, and misconceptions. So, it was almost inevitable that these two identities would intersect, supporting each other’s growth as discussions once considered taboo started to lose their shock factors. I’m one of those people who has both a disability and a bunch of tattoos, but because my body art holds no deeper meaning beyond looking cool, I only just started to understand the greater purpose that can be served by a tattoo…

The Chicago Lighthouse Leads Residents to Independence and Employment

March 27, 2021 | Source: WTTW News

For most Chicagoans, the city’s street grid is an everyday convenience. But for Jose Martinez, who was born blind, it’s a critical part of maintaining his autonomy. “Chicago is what made me the person I am. This city is what made me independent,” Martinez says. “It’s very accessible here. The streets are organized in such a pattern that, you know, it’s very easy to learn. And I mean, I learned that I can teach it to another blind person. I feel that confident. But yet you still have people like me who are growing up and who are being sheltered, especially in the Latino community.”…

Nike Accused Of ‘Using Disability’ To Hype New Hands-Free Sneaker

March 28, 2021 | Source: NPR

Cooper Lewis wears his Nike FlyEase sneakers, which are designed to be quick and easy to get into, every day. “They’re really the only pair that I have that actually fit and stay on my feet,” says the 31-year-old from Akron, Ohio, who is recovering from a stroke and has limited mobility. There are many slip-on shoes on the market, but the FlyEase line is designed with both fashion and the needs of people with disabilities in mind. So Lewis was really looking forward to the latest in the product line, the GO FlyEase, Nike’s first completely hands-free shoe…

One Pasadena Hotel Among 27 in Southern Cal to Agree to Improve Disabled Access

March 29, 2021 | Source: Pasadena Now

Nearly 30 California Hotels Sign Agreements To Improve ADA Access

March 29, 2021 | Source: KHTS Radio & LA Canyon News & Random Lengths

Three Key Takeaways From Recent Hotel Website Ada Litigation

March 26, 2021 | Source: Lewis Brisbois

The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced today that it has signed agreements with a Pasadena hotel and 26 others across Southern California to resolve investigations linked to the Americans with Disabilities Act. The agreements were finalized over a one-year period that began last April and concluded with the 27th agreement. After federal investigations into the hotels revealed non-compliance with various provisions of the ADA pertaining to “public accommodations,” the hotels agreed to remedy the violations, with some agreeing to stop the illegal practice of charging more for accessible rooms…

US Cancels Student Debt For More Than 40,000 Disabled Americans

March 29, 2021 | Source: Huff Post

The U.S. Education Department is canceling student debt for more than 40,000 Americans who were previously granted loan forgiveness because of disabilities but later had their debt reinstated after they failed to submit certain paperwork, the agency announced Monday. The action targets a loan forgiveness program that aims to help people with disabilities but that critics say carries overly burdensome rules. After being granted loan forgiveness, borrowers are required to submit documentation of their earnings for three years…

Clubhouse’s desire for exclusivity is harming the Deaf community

March 31, 2021 | Source: The Daily Dot

Clubhouse, the hottest app on the market with an invite-only user base, is coming under fire for excluding accessibility features for users in the Deaf community. The app, which launched in April, hosts live and unsaved seminars in which speakers can talk to a room of listeners. The design of Clubhouse tries to promote exclusivity—but prohibits transcriptions of chatrooms so content does not leave the app. For that reason, deaf or hard of hearing people are left out of the platform entirely…

Renewed Attempt at ADA Web Accessibility Legislation

March 31, 2021 | Source: Seyfarth Shaw- Kristina Launey

On February 18, 2021, U.S. Representatives Ted Budd (R-NC), Richard Hudson (R-NC), and Lou Correa (D-CA) re-introduced the Online Accessibility Act in Congress as H.R. 1100. The bill would codify the principle declared by some courts, such as the Ninth Circuit in Domino’s, that a website (and mobile app) that is not accessible can violate the ADA, and set a standard by which accessibility is measured for the purpose of compliance with the ADA…

Democracy Matters brings visibility to disability rights

March 31, 2021 | Source: The Ramapo News

The Ramapo’s Democracy Matters club hosted an event titled “The Intersection of Money in Politics and Disability Rights.” The event began with a presentation. Nikolas Bykov began the presentation introducing how large corporations and billionaires hold influence over policy. “Really one of the spheres that politics, and money in politics involves, is disability rights,” Bykov said. Kimberly Santano delved more into how disability rights are affected by politics. She gave examples of The Voting Accessibility for the Elderly and Handicapped Act and policy under the Fair Housing Act that affect disabled people…

Congressman Charlie Crist reintroduces Senior Accessible Housing Act

April 1, 2021 | Source: WTSP

Seniors living in Florida may be able to live safely in their homes even longer. Congressman Charlie Crist has reintroduced the Senior Accessible Housing Act, which would create a tax credit for seniors to modify their homes. Rep. Crist made the announcement Wednesday at Paradise Island Mobile Home Community in Largo. He said people love to retire in Florida, and he wants to make sure they feel safe and comfortable doing so. “I believe that our golden years should be a time of peace, happiness and relaxation,” Crist said…

Justice Department Modifies Major Olmstead Settlement Agreement with North Carolina

April 1, 2021 | Source: ADA

In United States v. North Carolina, the parties have agreed to modify a 2012 settlement agreement resolving allegations of unnecessary segregation of adults with Serious Mental Illness in adult care homes in violation of the integration mandate of Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The modification will allow some provisions to expire timely on July 1, 2021, while extending the term of the remainder of the agreement to July 1, 2023…

Fashion find of the week: Tommy Hilfiger adaptive collection delivers style for different abilities

April 1, 2021 | Source: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Tommy Hilfiger wants everyone to be able to enjoy his brand’s signature cool-and-classic Americana style. The recently released Tommy Hilfiger Adaptive collection delivers preppy pieces and modern mix-and-match separates designed for adults and children with disabilities. The pieces were designed with accessibility in mind and include fits that can accommodate prosthetics and Velcro and magnetic closures instead of small buttons and snaps. The collection also includes seated-wear selections for those who use a wheelchair…

Oregon State Parks will spend the next 25 years making parks more accessible

April 1, 2021 | Source: Oregon Live

Signs will be improved, ramps will be installed and bathroom stalls will be widened in an ambitious statewide effort to make Oregon’s parks more accessible to visitors with disabilities, the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department announced Thursday. In a news release, the department outlined what it says a finalized plan to make state parks more accessible by removing barriers that have made enjoying a park difficult or impossible for many visitors…

Jack Fact — According to the World Health Organization, some 466 million people globally suffer from disabling hearing loss, with that number growing by the millions every year.

Hit The Road Jack — Wheelchair Travel Newsletter

International News

Coalition of disability groups to lobby for more accessible housing under new Australian building laws

March 25, 2021 | Source: The Weekly SOURCE- Australia

The National Seniors Australia has joined disability groups in calling for changes to new building legislation that would create basic accessibility features mandatory in future developments. National Seniors Chief Advocate, Ian Henschke, told Inside Ageing better access to accessible housing meant older Australians could stay in their homes longer, calling for ‘minimum accessibility standards’. Accessibility features, such as adaptive equipment and larger doorways for wheelchair access, aren’t mandatory under the current Livable Housing Guidelines…

Blind and low-vision Australians shut out of Covid vaccine finder website

March 25, 2021 | Source: The Guardian- Australia

Blind and low-vision Australians are being shut out of the Covid-19 vaccination process because the government’s eligibility checker and clinic finder website fail to meet basic web accessibility standards, according to Australia’s biggest provider of low-vision services. Vision Australia has slammed the federal government for the failing, saying it is “particularly frustrating” given the time it has had to prepare for the vaccine rollout. Last week, the government launched a website that checks a person’s eligibility for the vaccine and links them with nearby general practitioner clinics participating in the rollout…

Visually impaired students can’t access more than half of NCERT material on DIKSHA: Study

March 25, 2021 | Source: ThePrint- India

The DIKSHA platform for students with visual impairment is designed such that a student or teacher can search for learning materials by their state, medium of instruction and curriculum boards. However, for students with visual disabilities using a screen reader, the web platform has a variety of accessibility issues that makes it difficult for them to independently navigate it to search and access the content they are looking for. Take for example, the drop down menu for language selection. Rather than clearly stating different language options available, the screen reader announces “clickable, clickable, clickable”…

National Council for PwD agrees with proposal on website, WCAG-based app guidelines, policies

March 25, 2021 | Source: Malay Mail- Malaysia

The National Council for PwD (MKBOKU) today agreed with a proposal to set guidelines and accessibility policies on the websites and applications of ministries, agencies and public service providers in Malaysia based on the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), to be friendly to the needs of PwD (persons with disabilities). The Women, Family and Community Development Ministry (KPWKM) said the proposal, submitted at the MKBOKU meeting today, was welcomed as the right of all categories of PwD to access information could not be denied as provided for by the Persons with Disabilities Act 2008…

Recent Funding Cuts To Accessible Books For Canadians With Print Disabilities Will Be Devastating

March 26, 2021 | Source: Book Riot- Canada

Outside of Canada, it feels like current Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and, by extension, his government, have a reputation for being cool and progressive. Trudeau’s Liberal government often talk the talk about equity and inclusion. Sadly and frustratingly, they keep making decisions that are far from walking the walk, like a recent funding cut announced that will have dire consequences for Canadians with print disabilities and their equitable access to books and other reading materials such as magazines. These funding cuts to accessible books for Canadians with print disabilities will be devastating…

Mask exemptions must be respected, disability advocates say

March 26, 2021 | Source: Tbnewswatch- Canada

Disability advocates are warning local businesses that failure to respect exemptions to mandatory mask policies constitutes discrimination under the Ontario Human Rights Code. The City of Thunder Bay’s Accessibility Advisory Committee recently raised concerns that at least one business had posted a sign refusing entry to anyone not wearing a mask, “stating that persons unable to wear masks into the business are required to order purchases online.” The committee brought the issue forward in a letter to the Thunder Bay Chamber of Commerce, asking it to re-educate its members on the provincial legislation…

As a woman with dwarfism, I constantly struggle to find shoes

March 28, 2021 | Source: Metro- UK

I am a size 12 in children’s shoes but have wide feet and a high instep. That’s not to mention the taste of a typical woman in her thirties – making children’s shoes a less than ideal choice. Asking for fashionable yet accessible shoes may seem like a first world problem, but we should all be entitled to proper footwear. Typically, the fight for equality for disabled people has focused on creating more accessible buildings and tackling employment discrimination. However, clothing and footwear is also a problem – it’s actually one of the issues I encounter the most…

Waterloo’s free rides to vaccine clinics are not wheelchair-accessible

March 29, 2021 | Source: CBC- Canada

The usefulness of an offer by the City of Waterloo to take people with disabilities and older adults to vaccination appointments is being questioned, because the transportation being used is not wheelchair accessible. In a news release, the city said that beginning today, the Home Support Services team would offer free transportation to people 65 and up as well as adults with disabilities. The service is appointment-only and available Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. “Passengers should be able to get into and out of the vehicle independently to promote safe physical distancing whenever possible,” the release reads…

Persons with disabilities: Nine steps for Europe to ensure digital accessibility

March 29, 2021 | Source: Mirage News- Europe

Despite information and communication technologies (ICTs) touching nearly every aspect of life, their wide-ranging benefits can remain largely out of reach for persons with disabilities. Ensuring full accessibility of ICTs and related services requires strategic and bold regulations and policies, mainly at the regional and national levels. European countries are broadly on track to meet a key goal – creating enabling environments that foster the accessibility of digital technologies for persons with disabilities – in the next two years…

Sign of the times… Lyric Theatre’s boost for deaf community

March 29, 2021 | Source: Belfast Telegraph- Ireland

Sign language is set to take centre stage at Belfast’s Lyric Theatre as part of a new initiative aimed at making the arts more accessible to Northern Ireland’s deaf community. The theatre’s reopening strategy will see it offer a sign language performance of every Lyric produced show, an exciting, devised piece by deaf artists and a workshop to inform accessibility policy and planning for the Lyric Theatre. The announcement coincides with the anniversary of British and Irish Sign Language being recognised as an official language in Northern Ireland…

Sign language assistance in the works at Turkey’s public agencies

March 29, 2021 | Source: Daily Sabah- Turkey

The Ministry of Family, Labor and Social Services launched a new project that will offer personal sign language assistance for hearing impaired citizens. The project introduced on Monday will assign a sign language interpreter to each citizen in need, particularly for paperwork and bureaucratic procedures. Family, Labor and Social Services Minister Zehra Zümrüt Selçuk said in a statement that their branches in 81 provinces will receive requests from hearing impaired citizens for interpreters. “Thus, they can visit a notary, a bank or a public agency for paperwork in the company of the interpreter, who will help them with their tasks…

The City of Thunder Bay renews accessibility plan

March 29, 2021 | Source: Tbnewswatch- Canada

The City of Thunder Bay has renewed its accessibility plan, with city staff saying the first version of the plan had helped transform city operations. The 2019-2024 Multi-Year Accessibility Plan, approved by city council at its March 22 meeting, “outlines the City’s strategies for preventing and removing accessibility-related barriers in city facilities, services, and programs.” The city created its first accessibility plan in 2013, a new legislative requirement under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA). That 2014-2019 plan was extended when the pandemic caused delays to the new document…

Dementia friendly bowls in Far North Queensland hopes to encourage more people to join

March 30, 2021 | Source: ABC News- Australia

As dementia is “a terrifying, confronting time,” a bowls club in Cairns has made its facility more accessible and is smashing stigmas around dementia and Alzheimer’s. Edge Hill Memorial Bowls club in Cairns has become the first dementia-friendly venue in Far North Queensland, and staff are also raising community awareness. Dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease, is the second leading cause of death in Australia. George Burnett is the club’s Dementia Alliance Australia advocate, who worked rigorously to bring about the change whilst living with younger-onset Alzheimer’s himself…

Dunedin’s disabled communities detail housing struggle

April 1, 2021 | Source: Otago Daily Times

Dunedin’s disabled communities have sent a clear message to local and central government: Don’t forget about us – we need homes too. The city hosted an Accessible Housing Forum today and several politicians heard harrowing stories from those living with disabilities. A quarter of New Zealanders live with some form of disability, but only two percent of homes have been built with accessibility in mind. In an overheated housing market it was tough for anyone to find a home, but Access for All representative Chris Ford said it was much tougher for those with disabilities…

COVID-19 Resources and Information

Accessibility Blogs and Information

Accessibility Announcements and Products

Accessibility Forums, Tips, and Gaming

Accessibility Statements

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:

Icons representing government and technology, with caption "What is a VPAT?"

Subscribe to Accessibility in the News

Stay informed! Get your weekly update on digital accessibility standards, private and public sector trends, litigation, events, and more.

Name(Required)

First Last

Work Email(Required)

Job Title(Required)

Organization(Required)

Phone

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.