Accessibility in the News — 3/12/2021.
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2021 Texas Brain Injury Conference
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Feature Stories
Biden signs executive order expanding voting access
March 7, 2021 | Source: WICZ & The White House& NBC & PoliticusUSA &Detroit Free Press & Alabama News Network
Executive Order on Promoting Access to Voting
March 7, 2021 | Source: The White House
President Joe Biden signed an executive order Sunday expanding voting access in what the White House calls “an initial step” in its efforts to “protect the right to vote and ensure all eligible citizens can freely participate in the electoral process.” The move comes just three days after the House of Representatives passed HR1, a sweeping ethics and election package aimed at ensuring voting rights, with provisions expanding early and mail-in voting, restoring voting rights to former felons, and easing voter registration for eligible Americans…
National News (U.S.)
Grim LA Metro Bus Accessibility- that’s if the bus will even stop says gay disabled rider
March 4, 2021 | Source: Los Angeles Blade
Living in the bustling city of Los Angeles, it’s very common to see people using a variety of different modes of transportation. Some have cars while others prefer to use popular apps like Uber and Lyft, but for some, the only option they might have is the L.A. Metro – the bus. Mark Chaney, an openly gay man with cerebral palsy, spoke with the Los Angeles Blade about what it’s like using L.A. Metro bus during the time of COVID-19. Chaney just recently moved to Los Angeles, but was initially using modes of public transportation in the San Francisco Bay Area…
Arizona’s disabled community wants priority for vaccine, more accessibility
March 5, 2021 | Source: KTAR
Arizona has adopted a hybrid vaccination system, with the state-run sites limiting service to previously eligible populations while phasing in age groups. County health departments will now determine how to prioritize at-risk groups and vulnerable populations as their vaccine allocations increase. In the meantime, those with intellectual and developmental disabilities have been left out of the priority groups for the COVID-19 vaccine in Arizona…
‘Screen access technology has existed for decades’: Visually impaired man sues Dell over ‘inaccessible’ website
March 5, 2021 | Source: The Register
A legally blind man who cannot see “faces or text” has claimed that Dell is violating federal accessibility laws by maintaining an improperly formatted website and online store. The lawsuit [PDF], filed on Wednesday this week in a Massachusetts federal court, alleged that it is harder for visually impaired people to interact with Dell’s platforms than it is for sighted users, thus violating the effective communication and equal access requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)…
Pandemic reveals to all the plight of the hearing impaired
March 5, 2021 | Source: Community News
The other day I waited my turn as I dutifully stood six feet away from the checkout counter. The sign at the cashier read: “Please wait until you are asked to checkout.” The masked cashier, standing behind plexiglass, looked up and said something to me that I could not understand. “I’m sorry, would you like me to place my items on the counter?” I asked, hoping I had guessed correctly. Apparently I hadn’t. As she stopped me from placing any more items on the conveyor belt, she repeated her statement from behind the mask and took out her disinfectant spray and paper towel to wipe down the counter…
Biden signs executive order expanding voting access
March 7, 2021 | Source: WICZ & The White House& NBC & PoliticusUSA &Detroit Free Press & Alabama News Network
Executive Order on Promoting Access to Voting
March 7, 2021 | Source: The White House
President Joe Biden signed an executive order Sunday expanding voting access in what the White House calls “an initial step” in its efforts to “protect the right to vote and ensure all eligible citizens can freely participate in the electoral process.” The move comes just three days after the House of Representatives passed HR1, a sweeping ethics and election package aimed at ensuring voting rights, with provisions expanding early and mail-in voting, restoring voting rights to former felons, and easing voter registration for eligible Americans…
Cape Coral builder out to remove all barriers
March 7, 2021 | Source: The News-Press
Since 2004, Mike Donnelly has helped his father build single-family homes in Cape Coral. But about three years ago, Donnelly had a conversation with an army colonel that completely changed his perspective on building and remodeling homes. In December, 2018, Donnelly helped do a remodel for Enrique DeJesus, a colonel in the Army. When Donnelly talked with DeJesus and wife Yvonne, they told him how they did this retro fit for their parents who had a disability so they could get around easier…
Five Questions: Penn Street guides accessibility conversation in Loveland
March 7, 2021 | Source: Loveland Reporter-Herald
Penn Street became blind as a young child, but that hasn’t stopped her from making an impact on her community and opening doors for others with her condition. As an Americans with Disabilities Act consultant, and formerly as chair of Loveland’s Human Services Commission, Street has pushed to make the city accessible to all residents. A lover of the outdoors, she has also helped Fort Collins-based nonprofit No Barriers coordinate its adaptive outdoor activities and worked with other outreach and service organizations such as the Ensight Skills Center and Lions Club International, where she serves as district governor…
ADA Concerns Raised Over COVID-19 Vaccine Rollout
March 8, 2021 | Source: Disability Scoop & Letter (PDF)
People With Disabilities Are Experiencing Barriers To COVID-19 Vaccination
March 11, 2021 | Source: Verywell Health
Federal authorities are being asked to step in amid concerns that sensory sensitivities, physical access and other barriers may be keeping people with disabilities from receiving COVID-19 vaccines. A group of 13 U.S. senators sent a letter early this month to top officials at the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division and the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office for Civil Rights asking them to ensure that each state’s process for distributing vaccines is in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act as well as Sections 504 and 508 of the Rehabilitation Act…
Meeting with legislators is ‘the only way things will be addressed’ for blind and visually impaired citizens
March 8, 2021 | Source: Generocity
Each year hundreds of people with white canes and guide dogs descend on the Capitol for what is known as Washington Seminar. Since 1973, the National Federation of the Blind (NFB) has led its members to face to face meetings with their respective congressmen, where they present the group’s legislative priorities of the year. The NFB President determines the priorities that would most affect its more than 50,000 members nationwide. In pre-pandemic days, meetings were crunched within a 2–3-day period in January or February…
This delightful new podcast describes memes for people who are blind or visually impaired
March 8, 2021 | Source: Fast Company
“A mixed breed. Mostly white and dark brown fur. Short-haired cat with light blue eyes. She has a naturally furrowed brow and frown, making her appear grumpy. She’s laying in someone’s lap, belly up, and her head is cradled in the person’s hand. And it looks like she’s looking up at her owner, totally pissed.” Most of us have probably never had to so vividly describe the appearance of Grumpy Cat, the celebrity feline (née Tardar Sauce), who became an internet sensation and the subject of some of the most iconic memes in history…
Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Opens its Twenty-fourth Online Session
March 8, 2021 | Source: Relief Web
The Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities this afternoon opened its twenty-fourth online session, hearing solemn declarations by seven new Committee members, electing its Chair and Bureau, and adopting its agenda and programme of work. Ibrahim Salama, Chief, Human Rights Treaties Branch, Human Rights Council and Treaty Mechanisms Division, Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, opening the session, said that this was the second online session for the Committee and would be carried out from today, 8 March until 1 April 2021…
‘It’s a business risk to omit’: Firms slowly start to prioritize accessible workforces in their diversity goals
March 9, 2021 | Source: Digiday
Fresh from secondment at The Valuable 500 disability campaign, Marianne Waite is ready to push the message beyond the echo chamber: that ableism is as unacceptable as sexism, racism and homophobia, and breaking down barriers with flexible work options is just the beginning for companies. “It’s a business risk to omit the perspective of disabled people from our organization,” said Waite, director of inclusive design at Interbrand and founder of brand inclusivity consultancy ThinkDesignable…
President Biden appoints Clare Martorana to lead the White House’s digital efforts
March 9, 2021 | Source: Fast Company
President Joe Biden is appointing Clare Martorana, a veteran of the U.S. Digital Service and a former health tech executive, to oversee White House efforts to upgrade the government’s creaky tech infrastructure. As Chief Information Officer for the United States, Martorana will be in charge of bolstering the federal government’s cybersecurity, modernizing IT systems, and making government websites more accessible for all citizens. Martorana has also been tasked with ensuring that digital election information and online voter registration are accessible to everyone, including people with disabilities and people with limited understanding of English…
You’d never know this modern bathroom was designed for the elderly
March 10, 2021 | Source: Fast Company
There’s nothing wrong with the plastic benches and extra handrails that fill the bathrooms of older adults; such tools are vital for someone’s safety when balancing in a slippery environment. But with all the effort people put into designing their bathrooms, it would be nice if accessibility could simply blend in—so that your home feels more like a home than a doctor’s office. A new concept from Shiro Studio imagines just this: It’s a collection of bathroom accessories to make taking a shower or bath safer, but instead of having that hospital aesthetic, they’re modeled in sleek black and white forms to appear downright modernist…
Tackling deep-seated bias in tech with Haben Girma, Mutale Nkonde, and Safiya Noble
March 10, 2021 | Source: TechCrunch
Advances in technology provide all kinds of benefits, but also introduce risks — especially to already marginalized populations. AI for the People’s Mutale Nkonde, disability rights lawyer Haben Girma and author of “Algorithms of Oppression” Safiya Umoja Noble have studied and documented these risks for years in their work. They joined us at TC Sessions: Justice 2021 to talk about the deep origins and repercussions of bias in tech, and where to start when it comes to fixing them…
The Less Accessible Aspects of the Latest in Accessible Footwear
March 10, 2021 | Source: Dorkaholics
Recently, I published a story for Dorkaholics covering a new pair of Nike shoes that are designed to assist people with physical disabilities. However, this article prompted some questions about just how accessible these new shoes are after all. For those unaware, the Nike Go FlyEase shoes are the latest in the company’s new line of accessible footwear. They are designed to be put on and taken off completely hands-free, without any laces, zippers, or fastening…
Disability advocates call for accessibility as WA plans for transportation package
March 10, 2021 | Source: KUOW
Washington Governor Jay Inslee recently called for investment in the state’s aging infrastructure. Now disability advocates are calling on the state Legislature to make sure that funding doesn’t leave them behind. For Krystal Monteros, the hard part about finding a wheelchair accessible apartment is not the apartment. It’s the transportation to get there in the first place. For example, while there is a bus stop available, Montero’s wheelchair can’t safely access the route…
WHO: 1 in 4 People Will Have Hearing Problems by 2050
March 10, 2021 | Source: Verywell Health
Nearly 2.5 billion people in the world—one in four people—will have some level of hearing loss by 2050, according to a new report from the World Health Organization (WHO). They estimate at least 700 million of those people will need access to ear and hearing care or other rehabilitation services. This warning comes from the first-ever World Report on Hearing. The report breaks down some of the biggest challenges facing hearing care today.1 Among other factors, the WHO says that lack of accurate information and stigmatizing attitudes toward ear diseases and hearing loss typically prevent people from getting care for these conditions…
Access Ada Hayden to make canoeing, kayaking accessible for people with disabilities
March 11, 2021 | Source: Ames Tribune
A new canoe and kayak launch at Ada Hayden Heritage Park Lake in Ames would make it easier for disabled paddlers to get on the water, and, with a little more community support, that goal could be reached yet this year. Access Ada Hayden and the city of Ames are working to raise enough money to build an Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant adaptive launch and dock on the north side of the former quarry-turned lake. Access Ada Hayden is a partnership between the Skunk River Paddlers, Friends of Ada Hayden Heritage Park, the Outdoor Alliance of Story County and JAX Outdoor Gear…
Glaucoma: What’s new and what do I need to know?
March 11, 2021 | Source: Harvard Health Publishing
Glaucoma is the leading cause of permanent blindness worldwide, and the second leading cause of permanent blindness in the United States. An estimated three million people in the United States have glaucoma, a number that is expected to increase to 6.3 million in the next 30 years. Although glaucoma is more common in adults older than 60, it can develop at any age. While there is currently no cure for glaucoma, vision loss can be slowed or stopped if the disease is diagnosed and treated early…
Guzzardi: Honoring baseball’s hearing-impaired players
March 11, 2021 | Source: Casper Star Tribune
World Hearing Day is celebrated every March, with this year’s theme, “Hearing Care for All.” Down through Major League Baseball’s rich history, several deaf players have enriched the national pastime. In his book “Deaf Players in Major League Baseball: A History 1883 to the Present,” R.A.R. Edwards explained how players’ deafness enhanced their diamond skills, and helped broaden Americans’ understanding about the hearing-impaired community. Luther Taylor, one of John J. McGraw’s most reliable New York Giants’ hurlers, won 116 games during his nine-year career from 1900-1909…
Mobile technology helps give voice to nonverbal autistic children during pandemic
March 11, 2021 | Source: WBIW
Purdue University technology to assist nonverbal children on the autism spectrum is helping families around the world during the COVID-19 pandemic, which has forced schools and clinics to rely more on remote options. The award-winning SPEAKall! application functions as a smart device communication board and language learning platform that teaches students to associate words and images. In the application, students choose digital cards and move them to the speech bar, then the application reads the sequence aloud word by word…
Kean Stage Leads On Accessibility In The Arts
March 11, 2021 | Source: Broadway World
Kean Stage is emerging as a leader in accessible theatre, offering sensory-friendly performances for children, sign-language interpretation and other measures to dismantle barriers to the arts for all audiences. Most recently, Kean Stage featured a virtual concert by Tony Award-winner Ali Stroker with closed captions and American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation. “Kean Stage operates with a focus on diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility in our hiring of staff, talent and crew, and in building an enjoyable experience for all audiences,” said Steve Cochran, manager of Kean Stage…
DNR team focuses on upgrading Minnesota wildlife management areas for physically disabled
March 11, 2021 | Source: Star Tribune
Evan Newton loves to be outdoors. He loves to watch the sun rise on crisp Minnesota mornings, hunt in the state’s beautiful forests and enjoy picturesque wildlife with his family and friends. But it isn’t always easy. Newton, 58, has spent the past 21 years of his life in a wheelchair, and the past eight in a powered wheelchair, because of a nerve disease, and there are many outdoor areas across the state that aren’t accessible for him. “As a disabled individual, I want to be included in the opportunities to get out and to enjoy,” said Newton, of Bloomington, the current treasurer and former president of Capable Partners…
Jack Fact — The year 2030 marks an important demographic turning point in U.S. history according to the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2017 National Population Projections. By 2030, all baby boomers will be older than age 65. This will expand the size of the older population so that 1 in every 5 residents will be retirement age.
Hit The Road Jack — An Accessible Tour of Kochi
International News
Accessibility for deaf people poor: report
March 4, 2021 | Source: Yahoo News- Australia
Treat hearing loss like a physical disability. That’s what those suffering the invisible affliction are urging Australians to do, a new report by advocates and industry figures says. Soundfair’s Hear Me report was written off the back of six months of consultation with the deaf community, and found those suffering from hearing loss are met with daily barriers. Emergency alarms go unheard, background noise in workplaces and public spaces drowns out important conversations, and television and social media videos are often off-limits…
Inspirational performance artist launches all deaf TV panel show
March 5, 2021 | Source: The Voice- UK
Multi award-winning Deaf performance artist Vilma Jackson is launching a new chat show featuring an all-star selection of Deaf panellists. Opportunity and representation have always been lacking in the film industry. Whilst Vilma has been building a career performing on screen and stage, she is aware that the lack of opportunity and mainstream attention towards the Deaf community, plus the lack of representation of the Black members of the Deaf community does require acknowledgement, debate and action…
‘A lonely, open-ended blur’: How the pandemic impacts people with disabilities
March 6, 2021 | Source: Maidenhead Advertiser- UK
A Maidenhead entrepreneur has spoken out about the struggles with isolation the pandemic has created for people with disabilities. Molly Watt, 26, has Usher syndrome, a condition which causes gradual sight and hearing loss. She was born deaf and was diagnosed at the age of 12. Molly is an accessibility consultant for her own company – but the pandemic has limited her connection to others through work. “I’m very sad that lots of my work travelling has had to be postponed or cancelled and that I am unable to meet with my clients or colleagues,” she said…
Taibat Fasakin: Disability almost robbed me of a life full of joy
March 6, 2021 | Source: Guardian Woman- Nigeria
Like any other child who dreamt of a beautiful future and live for each day to bring goodness, I had the same. But little did I know that life would offer me another dimension and another world that I entirely don’t have any idea of. Growing up was good and beautiful. At an early age, I was already leading in my class as the class captain and each term, I was always first in class. Until one fateful day, when I woke up and couldn’t even stand; my body was hotter than fire. Initially, my sister thought I was faking it until it got so serious…
The invisible ink
March 7, 2021 | Source: The New Indian Express- India
Disabled persons aren’t expecting new laws in party manifestos. What they want is implementation of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016. As S Namburajan, State general secretary, TN Association for the Rights of All Types of Differently-Abled and Caregivers (TARATDAC), puts it: “Persons with disabilities want dignity of life, which can be achieved only if they are empowered with jobs.” Compliance with the Act will reduce unemployment, poverty and homelessness among disabled persons, as it mandates that 5% of jobs in the private sector and 4% in the government sector must be reserved for persons with disabilities…
New Partnership Makes World’s Longest Hiking Trail More Accessible
March 8, 2021 | Source: EcoWatch- Canada
The Great Trail in Canada is recognized as the world’s longest recreational trail for hiking, biking, and cross-country skiing. Created by the Trans Canada Trail (TCT) and various partners, The Great Trail consists of a series of smaller, interconnected routes that stretch from St. John’s to Vancouver and even into the Yukon and Northwest Territories. It took nearly 25 years to connect the 27,000 kilometers of greenway in ways that were safe and accessible to hikers…
Sudbury creating plan to become more accessible to those with disabilities
March 8, 2021 | Source: MetroWest Daily News
Town officials are developing a road map to make Sudbury more accessible for people with disabilities. The town is updating its Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Self-Evaluation and Transition Plan. The law requires local governments to complete self-evaluations of their public facilities, programs, services, activities and events to ensure compliance with ADA and to eliminate any barriers to accessibility. The plan is needed in order to receive federal funding…
Navigating disability, identity and a city still struggling to make itself accessible
March 9, 2021 | Source: Yahoo News- Canada
It was when their teenage friends started getting jobs and going to clubs that Mari Ramsawakh and Spencer West first faced their disabled and other identities. Years later, they and other participants in Myseum of Toronto’s latest exhibit, Making Space, are asking visitors to wrestle with them, too, and to question why so many barriers to their engagement with the city still exist. “It was a difficult thing for me,” said Ramsawakh, a non-binary writer, facilitator, podcaster and creator, who started using a cane to help with balance and weight bearing around the same time…
Cumbria deaf charity fears government advice is leaving hearing-impaired children behind
March 9, 2021 | Source: Planet Radio- UK
It’s feared hearing-impaired children in secondary schools in Cumbria will be left behind on the education, despite being back in the classroom. A Cumbria deaf charity has told us many children with a hearing impairment rely on lip-reading for communication, but under the current guidance for secondary schools, that might not be possible. Greer Shepherd, from Cumbria Deaf Association, said: The classroom situation with masks is impossible for a hearing-impaired child…
Ontarians hoping latest amendments will give the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act ‘some teeth’
March 10, 2021 | Source: IT World- Canada
Jason King was born visually impaired and is now fully blind. He is among the 16 million Canadians navigating the internet while living with vision loss and other disabilities. As the global pandemic forces organizations to adopt e-commerce and remote work, the elephant in the virtual room around digital accessibility remains. In Ontario, the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) highlights ways Ontario businesses can be more accessible for the 2.6 million Ontarians living with disabilities, including adhering to the Website Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 2.0 Level AA)…
SYP pledges to increase accessibility to the industry
March 10, 2021 | Source: The Bookseller- UK
The Society of Young Publishers has said widening access to publishing across the UK and Ireland is its top priority, as it celebrates its 72nd anniversary. It comes as Tanuja Shelar, academic and community marketing assistant at Yale University Press, is made the society’s new chair. Shelar will be joined by Amalia Mihailescu, student success advisor at University College London, as vice chair. The new chairs aim to improve digital accessibility, including launching a new website and investing in captioning software for online events…
Accessibility in a pandemic world
March 10, 2021 | Source: St. Albert Today- Canada
She just wanted to grab some napkins. So Gunjan Dhawan, holding her drink and her fries, walked past the cashier and straight through a ribboned barricade. “Everything fell, of course, and the trouble is not just (that) it’s there, it’s the awkwardness that comes after it. Because everybody’s looking at us, you know, and they’re commenting, ‘Can you not see it? Did you not see that?’” she said. Public health orders mean businesses have become slightly less accessible for those with vision loss in an effort to enforce social distancing and close off certain areas…
World Cup to offer ‘safe, dignified and independent’ experience for fans with disabilities and limited mobility
March 10, 2021 | Source: Gulf Times- Qatar
The Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy (SC) recently participated in the 46th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC). Bodour al-Meer, the SC’s Sustainability director, took part in a panel discussion that focused on the rights of people with disabilities to have equitable access to sports activities, facilities and events. The two-hour session was chaired by Nazhat Shameem Khan, president of the UNHRC, and included a series of video messages that discussed enabling persons with disabilities to participate in recreation, leisure and sports on an equal basis…
Sidewalk opposition a ‘decision to exclude’: Accessibility Advisory Committee
March 10, 2021 | Source: CTV News- Canada
Accessibility advocates are pressing city council to stick to its sidewalk installation policy, in the face of mounting opposition from homeowners. There’ll be a showdown next week between organizations fighting for more sidewalks, and neighbourhoods actively opposing their installation across lawns and driveways, at a special meeting of council’s Civic Works Committee. “It’s an active decision to exclude,” says Jay Menard, Chair of the Accessibly Advisory Committee at city hall. “the Accessibility Advisory Committee at city hall…
VisAbility’s ballots a vision of voting accessibility
March 10, 2021 | Source: PerthNow- New Zealand
A Service provider for vision impaired people in Victoria Park has become one of only two highly specialised voting centres for the WA State election. VisAbility has also been offering early voting, with up to 3000 people expected to cast their ballot by close of polling on March 13. Manager of specialist services Dinesh Burah said it was a great opportunity to support the State election to be both inclusive and accessible. “It’s heartening to see the availability of more accessible polling stations and our location is perfect for this,” she said…
Blind Blue Jays fan calls foul as Sportsnet replaces radio broadcasts with TV simulcast
March 10, 2021 | Source: CBC- Canada
John Rae is a longtime Blue Jays fan. As someone who is blind, he relies on radio broadcasts to give him the play-by-plays, bring him in on the action on the field and describe the excitement of the game. But the upcoming season will no longer be the same for Rae. Starting April 1, Sportsnet has decided to drop the dedicated radio calls for Blue Jays games. Instead, they will simultaneously cast sound from the TV feed onto radio. Sportsnet, which is owned by Rogers Sports and Media, said the decision was a way to minimize travel for its staff during the pandemic…
“With 12 Million Known and Over 90% Undiagnosed Cases, India May House World’s Largest Number of Glaucoma Patients”
March 11, 2021 | Source: Punekar News- India
“India can easily be the world’s capital of glaucoma, a group of eye disorders that leads to irreversible blindness, with the disease affecting 12 million people, and remaining undiagnosed in over 90% of the cases. Increasing population of senior citizens, diabetics and people with refractive errors, the known potential risk factors, are set to make glaucoma a rapidly emerging non-communicable ocular disease in the country, which already houses 20% of the world’s blind,” said Dr. Syed Asghar Hussain Naqvi, Dr Agarwals Eye Hospital, India’s largest chain of eye hospitals…
Dr. Claudine Pang: The ophthalmologist on eye health and her love for humanity
March 11, 2021 | Source: Prestige- Japan
Dr Claudine Pang’s gentle nature, soft-spoken voice and sunny disposition belies her prowess in the medical field. Her achievements read like a laundry list – for one, she is one of the few doctors with multiple international fellowships in the subspecialty fields of both medical retina and vitreoretinal surgery; she is also the first woman in the world to receive the coveted William H Ross Surgical Vitreoretinal Fellowship. To bring eye health awareness to the forefront, the eye surgeon, ophthalmologist, Medical Director and Founder of Asia Retina Eye Surgery Centre created the first mobile eye health app in Singapore…
COVID-19 Resources and Information
- Zoom Commits To Improving Accessibility- Disability Scoop
- COVID raises the stakes for digitally accessible documents- GCN
- The Promise of Telework- National Conference of State Legislatures
- How COVID-19 has impacted digital accessibility- KMWorld Magazine
- Orange County opens ADA drive-thru lanes at the Disneyland Super POD site
- Lighthouse Guild Calls for States to Expand Eligibility and Access- InvisionMag
- New Jersey residents with disabilities demand COVID-19 vaccine priority- Yahoo
- Pandemic brings renewed focus to online quality assurance process- IU Newsroom
- Improving Accessibility for Students and Faculty with Disabilities- EdTech Magazine
- Giving disabled people vaccine priority a good start, but more is needed- Baltimore Sun
- Panel to tackle pandemic-related problems with accessibility, technology- The Mesquite
- How to plan successful e-conferences during and after the COVID-19 pandemic- Interaksyon
- Lawmakers want courts to keep expanded online accessibility prompted by pandemic- Roll Call
- Remote work allows more accessibility, but poses risk for overworking, increasing disparity- Daily Free Press
- A year into pandemic, how are Hudson County arts venues faring? Pt. 3: Accessibility for the disabled- NJ.com
- OU’s Student Accessibility Services provides accommodations for students with disabilities, neurodivergent students during pandemic- The Post
Accessibility Blogs and Information
- March is Brain Injury Awareness Month
- Accessibility in a digital age- Iowa State Daily
- 10 inspiring women in test to follow- TechBeacon
- Accessibility And The Future Of Podcasting- Forbes
- 2021 HR Check List For Ontario Employers- Eric Kay (PDF)
- Making Digital Signage Accessible for All- rAVe [PUBS]
- The Dangerous Path of the Accessibility Overlay- Joe Dolson
- Miami ranks highly in wheelchair-accessibility- Miami Student
- Students with accessibility issues left waiting- Ferris State Torch
- Designing with accessibility in mind: a conversation- TechCrunch
- Tech Leaders Predict 15 Ways UX Design Will Soon Change- Forbes
- OPINION: New York Needs a ‘Disability’ Agenda- Streetsblog New York
- Overlook digital assets and you could fail accessibility test- BusinessCloud
- Dr Hannah Barham-Brown: disability rights campaigner- Disability Horizons
- Q&A: Incorporating Accessibility into the Procurement Process- 3PlayMedia
- GDS/BBC Webinar: Accessibility Culture eats WCAG compliance for breakfast (YouTube)
- How An Innovator For Disability Policy Makes Work More Inclusive- GovLoop
- What this pandemic has taught us about your inaccessible website…- Denis Boudreau
- RNIB makes accessible books free for children for World Book Day- Rochdale Online
- WCAG 2.2: What changes for websites and how does it impact users?- Kate Kalcevich
- Accessibility is top priority for Sports Participation candidate Tash Miller- Brig Newspaper
- Apple Hearing Study Shares New Insights into Hearing Health and Accessibility- LWW Journals
- Apple Hearing Study Shows Impact of Technology and Loud Environments on Ear Health- CEPro
- TCDSU Candidates Must Stop Treating ‘Accessibility’ as a Mere Buzzword- The University Times
- Student Senate: Students speak in support of Collin’s Law, urge OU for online accessibility features- The Post
- Reminder: FCC Accessibility Recordkeeping Certification Required by April 1, 2021- Davis Wright Tremaine
- The Office of Disability Employment Policy Promotes Resources to Help Those in Need Avoid Debt- Matt Walker
- Organizations discuss accessible resources and current issues facing the disabled community- The Vanderbilt Hustler
Accessibility Announcements and Products
- Texthelp
- March is Brain Injury Awareness Month
- Inclusive Design researcher wins awards
- Deque Systems Launches Axe DevTools Pro
- COA wheelchair-accessible bus service available
- Botanical Garden nature trails now more accessible
- Region’s first all-abilities playground opens in Dublin
- Accessibility features in Workable: A look behind the scenes
- Koller bolsters fleets with wheelchair accessible vehicle products
- Boy Scout creating wheelchair accessible garden beds for seniors
- Accessible playpark to be created at heart of Aberdeen community
- RNIB makes accessible books free for children for World Book Day
- AudioEye Reports Record Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2020 Results
- Koller helps coach and bus companies meet accessibility requirements
- WordPress 5.7 Launches With One-Click HTTP to HTTPS Conversion
- FCC Releases Report and Order for Emergency Broadband Benefit Program
- Instagram can now automatically add captions to Stories for improved accessibility
- Wheelchair taxi startup Ezy Mov in talks with investors to raise funds for expansion
- Corner Brook making more of the outdoors accessible to people with mobility issues
- Secretary Pate wins national award for improving accessibility for voters with disabilities
- The Show Must Go On… Accessible Solution Holds Its Servtracker User Conference Virtually
- Cox enables customers with physical disabilities to control Contour Video Guide with their eyes
- FCC Announces New Listing of Top 5 National Nonbroadcast Networks for Audio Description Rules
- Survey- The adaptation of Internet of Things(IoT) devices for special needs users worldwide for the past 10 years
- Deque Wraps First Axe-Con: Largest Accessibility Conference Ever, With Over 17,000 Registered from Around the Globe
- Give Kids The World Village Debuts Space-Themed Accessible Ice Cream Parlor For Critically Ill Children and Their Families
- Cochlear receives FDA clearance of Baha 6 Max, industry’s smallest 55 dB sound processor now with direct Android streaming
- Deque Study Shows Its Automated Testing Identifies 57 Percent of Digital Accessibility Issues, Surpassing Accepted Industry Benchmarks
- YuJa’s First Quarter 2021 Updates Improve Accessibility, Enhance Zoom Options, Add a Webex Connector and Enable Virtual Backgrounds
- Toyota Canada Launches Toyota Cars For Good™ for Organizations Fostering Inclusion Through Physical Accessibility in Communities Across Canada
- Canada Foundation for Innovation funding for Abilities Living Laboratory will enable academic researchers and community partners to co-create accessibility solutions
- Benefits Of Audio Description In Education Contest — “Badie” Young People Who Are Blind Write Reviews Of Film And Video- Final Notice – Entries Due Monday, March 15
Accessibility Forums, Tips, and Gaming
- WCAG 2.1 Checklist
- Accessibility tips for Zoom
- Accessible PowerPoint Presentations
- Accessibility Considerations for Zoom
- Creating accessible video and audio content
- Create and verify PDF accessibility (Acrobat Pro)
- Twitch hasn’t kept its promises to disabled streamers
- iOS 14 tips and tricks: Six useful Settings app features
- 5 Reasons Why Automatic Captions Are a Big Problem
- There’s A ‘Secret Button’ On The Back Of Your iPhone
- Can we make Pantone’s color of the year more accessible?
- How to Add Audio Description (W3C-Approved Techniques)
- 5 applications to translate and translate audios or conversations
- Microsoft’s new ‘Group Transcribe’ iPhone app offers free real-time transcription and translation
- Super.com Announces Partnership with Mars Vision to Make Gaming Accessible to the Visually Impaired
- Phasmophobia’s latest update means ghosts can open doors and follow your voice when hunting you down
- Microsoft Flight Simulator Launches “No Pilot Left Behind” Accessibility Initiative By Asking Your Feedback
Accessibility Statements
- MNP
- UPMC
- CareDash News
- Ordnance Survey
- Berghahn Journals
- TechCred- Ohio.gov
- Ohio Department of Aging
- University of Notre Dame
- International Trade Administration
- Alaska Department of Natural Resources
- Accessibility in the News: Accessibility Statement Pages
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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