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Car Dealerships Become the Newest Target in Web Accessibility Lawsuits

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Wheelchair symbol on pavement with the bottom half paved over. | Microassist Accessibility in the NewsAccessibility in the News — 11/15/19.

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Feature Story

ADA lawsuits prompt dealerships to make websites more accessible

November  9, 2019   |  Source: Automotive News

Unclear ADA compliance rules on websites flummox dealer

November  11, 2019   |  Source: Automotive News

In May, Juan Carlos Gil, a legally blind Florida resident, sued about 50 AutoNation Inc. dealerships in Florida. Gil claimed he couldn’t access their websites using his screen-reader software — a violation of the federal Americans with Disabilities Act, the landmark 1990 law that requires places of public accommodation to be fully accessible. His lawsuit sought to compel AutoNation, the largest new-vehicle retailer in the country, to make its websites compliant…

National News (U.S.)

BART Unveils New Fare Gate Aimed At Improving Disabled Access, Deter Fare Cheats

November  7, 2019   |  Source: CBS San Francisco

BART has unveiled a new fare gate aimed at improving accessibility for people with disabilities, and at the same time, deter fare cheats. On Tuesday, the transit agency showed off its first-ever elevator gate at the Montgomery Station in San Francisco. The new gate is meant to make it easier and more convenient for people who use elevators to pay for their trip with the fare gate is on the platform level, rather than the concourse level. It is also meant to deter fare evaders who often use elevators to bypass ticket machines…

Chicago struggles to find reliable, accessible polling places

November  7, 2019   |  Source: Curbed Chicago

Ahead of the 2020 election, the Chicago Board of Elections is struggling to find polling places throughout the city, which could mean less places to vote or last minute location changes. During a committee meeting on Thursday several aldermen discussed the challenges of finding sites for over 2,000 precincts with the board. Alderman Brendan Reilly (42nd Ward), whose voting precincts fall in the downtown area, said it was getting increasingly difficult and that many times it was a scramble to find places for people to vote…

Agencies flout spirit of open records law

November  7, 2019   |  Source: Orange County Register

Whenever legislators propose a law, analysts review the arguments for and against the measure. Appropriations committee staffers determine any possible financial consequences of the bill. These reports are always useful and usually thorough, but there’s one thing they often overlook: the likely unintended consequences of any new proposal. If state officials considered such potentialities, Californians might not be saddled with the effects of a well-intentioned 2017 law designed to make public records accessible to Californians with disabilities by this year…

External report evaluates College’s accessibility policy following lawsuit

November  8, 2019   |  Source: The Dartmouth & The Union Leader

Following a lawsuit filed by an alumna, Dartmouth has participated in an external review of Americans with Disabilities Act infrastructure on campus and has implemented several changes to improve accessibility at the College.

Staci Mannella ’18, who has a visual impairment, filed a disability discrimination suit against the College in 2017 claiming that Dartmouth had failed to adequately accommodate her disability. The U.S. District Court of New Hampshire issued a consent decree last December, prompting an accessibility assessment of Dartmouth’s programs and facilities that was completed this October…

What Geordi La Forge Can Teach STEM About Accessibility

November  8, 2019   |  Source: Star Trek

Thanks to new accessibility technologies and changes in social attitudes, STEM fields are beginning to fulfill the promise that Geordi La Forge embodies – the promise of equal opportunity regardless of disability. November 8 is National STEM/STEAM Day, a national holiday intended to promote STEM/STEAM education and careers to children and young adults. And there’s a lot to promote! Data from Pew Research Center shows that from 1990 to 2016, American employment in STEM fields has grown by 79 percent, while overall employment in America grew by just 34 percent in that same time period…

At the Smithsonian, a Smartphone App Is Helping Blind Visitors Get More Out of Museums

November  8, 2019   |  Source: Washingtonian

Since 2001, Beth Ziebarth has run Access Smithsonian, which is responsible for accommodating visitors and staff with disabilities. We checked in to find out what she’s been working on lately. I was in a car accident when I was 16 and acquired a spinal-cord injury. At 16 all I wanted to do was fit in and be like everybody else. It wasn’t until I was in my thirties that I acquired more of a disability identity—I started thinking about the politics and other parts of disability culture…

Follow our new accessibility twitter account @a11ynews

Autonomous vehicles enhance mobility for blind people

November  8, 2019   |  Source: San Francisco Chronicle

State regulators recently hosted a public hearing to shape long-awaited rules for autonomous vehicles (AVs) in California. The meeting represented a crucial step for the state as it moves closer to a future with AVs. AVs will make life more convenient for everyone. But for blind and low-vision people, autonomous vehicles suggest much more than just convenience — they represent a reliable and affordable pathway to enhanced independence, and ultimately, equality…

How tech can improve everyday life for the elderly

November  7, 2019   |  Source: Engadget

Thanks to steady advances in modern medicine, humans are living longer than ever, but what’s the point of passing that centennial mark if you can’t enjoy your platinum years? Just because your body doesn’t work as well as it did when you were 20 and practically indestructible, it doesn’t mean you can’t continue to enjoy a full and enriching retirement — you just need a little help from technology. You’re never too old to get back into shape. Exercise offers folks of all ages a slew of physical, emotional and mental health benefits…

ADA lawsuits prompt dealerships to make websites more accessible

November  9, 2019   |  Source: Automotive News

Unclear ADA compliance rules on websites flummox dealer

November  11, 2019   |  Source: Automotive News

In May, Juan Carlos Gil, a legally blind Florida resident, sued about 50 AutoNation Inc. dealerships in Florida. Gil claimed he couldn’t access their websites using his screen-reader software — a violation of the federal Americans with Disabilities Act, the landmark 1990 law that requires places of public accommodation to be fully accessible. His lawsuit sought to compel AutoNation, the largest new-vehicle retailer in the country, to make its websites compliant…

Make E-books Accessible Now

November  8, 2019   |  Source: Publisher’s Weekly

The European Union recently took a significant step to require e-books to be born accessible, which means they will have to include for print-disabled users all the features and functionality that those of us without print disabilities enjoy. Not a special e-book edition—the same e-book. This new directive actually applies to a broad range of products, systems, and services: e-books are included, as are e-readers and the systems by which users find, obtain, and consume e-books…

Fresno State marching band member doesn’t let her disability keep her off the field

November  8, 2019   |  Source: ABC 30

Fresno State’s football games would be nothing without their marching band. The sights and sounds of pregame festivities at Bulldog Stadium is a spectacle.  The Fresno State marching band plays an on-field performance and the school’s skydiving club makes a grand entrance. “It’s been an amazing experience coming into this program. The Fresno State is overall very inclusive and welcoming, I’ve made friendships here and I love it,” said Fresno State marching band member Viviana Reyes…

Colorado Springs, El Paso County still lagging 30 years after ADA passed

November  10, 2019   |  Source: Colorado Springs Gazette & San Francisco Chronicle

Nearly three decades after a landmark federal law mandated that public facilities be made equally accessible to those with disabilities, there are still thousands of public places in Colorado Springs and El Paso County that don’t comply and no clear plan to fix most of them. City and county officials have touted their recent efforts to bring public spaces in line with the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act by adding curb ramps, re-striping parking lots to include more accessible spaces and making other adjustments…

UI professor, students work on website that assesses restaurant accessibility

November  11, 2019   |  Source: Daily Illini & News-Gazette

When picking a restaurant for dinner, many will decide based on the food quality, wait time or distance from home. However, people with physical disabilities often must consider many other factors about restaurants to determine if they are accessible. Meghan Burke, professor in Education, has been working on a project with her students to create a website called Access Urbana-Champaign, a tool that assists those with disabilities in choosing a restaurant…

The Importance Of Making Music Venues More Accessible

November  11, 2019   |  Source: Music Think Tank

When booking agents, planners, and even artists are putting together a tour, accessibility isn’t always at the forefront of their minds. It’s understandable — they have a lot to think about, after all. But, with over 3.6 million people in the U.S. bound to a wheelchair and countless others with disabilities, music venues that are more accessible should be an important consideration for every single show. By not booking at venues that are more accessible, you’re cutting yourself off from certain members of your audience…

Touch-based art at Ulrich Museum makes exhibit accessible to all

November  12, 2019   |  Source: Wichita Eagle

For a limited time, visitors to Wichita State University’s Ulrich Museum of Art can touch some iconic pieces of art and also get a sense of what it’s like to be visually impaired. With the “Solving for X = Accessibility” exhibition, the Ulrich Museum explores the topic of making art accessible, a topic that is getting more attention by museums all over the country and by others who say more needs to be done to involve individuals with vision impairment in the cultural life of a community…

Settlement Reached In Deaf Group’s Website Accessibility Suit Against Harvard

November  12, 2019   |  Source: Lexis Legal News- Mealey’s (Subscription)

In a Nov. 8 electronic order, a Massachusetts federal magistrate judge reported that a deaf civil rights group and Harvard University have successfully settled putative class claims over the purported inaccessibility of the university’s website to the hearing-impaired (National Association of the Deaf, et al. v. Harvard University, et al., No. 3:15-cv-30023.) In February 2015, National Association of the Deaf and four of its members (NAD, collectively) filed simultaneous lawsuits against Harvard and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts, asserting that the schools’ websites are not equally accessible to Americans who are deaf or hard of hearing…

State legislators cynical about MTA approach ADA accessibility, debt

November  12, 2019   |  Source: amNY

Cost of MTA Accessibility Study Rising Faster Than Elevators

November  13, 2019   |  Source: The City

Tuesday’s joint hearing between the MTA and state leaders was filled with equal parts cynicism and frustration. State leaders are questioning the MTA on how it plans to modernize the transit system in its $51.5 billion five-year capital plan. Tuesday’s joint hearing between the MTA and members of the state Senate and Assembly was filled with equal parts cynicism and frustration, with much of the angst focused on the lack of ADA-accessible subway stations and the authority’s plans to service debts from bonds…

Move Over Website Accessibility Suits, Cases Over Braille Gift Cards are Making Their Way to Courts En Masse

November  13, 2019   |  Source: The Fashion Law & Manatt

Fenty Beauty engaged in “intentional discrimination” by “making it impossible” for visually impaired customers to “properly and fully utilize its [e-commerce] website.” That is what plaintiff Beatriz Gutierrez asserted in the lawsuit that she filed against Rihanna and LVMH’s beauty brand this summer, adding them to the long – and still growing – list of brands and retailers that have been hit with lawsuit accusing them of running afoul of federal law, namely, the Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”), and/or state civil rights law for failing to make their websites available to all…

Companies Need to Do More for Employees and Customers with Disabilities

November  13, 2019   |  Source: Harvard Business Review

In 1990, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) opened a new world for millions of people with disabilities by requiring businesses to make their physical locations accessible. Forward thinking business leaders are making sure their digital spaces are also accessible and are embracing the universal design that will help them tap into new consumer markets. But too many businesses—including pizza chain Domino’s—have made their websites (often unintentionally) inaccessible…

Uber Must Face Court Challenge Over Wheelchair Accessibility

November  13, 2019   |  Source: Bloomberg Law

Uber must face a proposed class suit alleging it discriminates against riders who need wheelchair-accessible vehicles, a federal district court said, denying Uber’s motion to compel arbitration. A group of Pennsylvania residents and an advocacy group aren’t bound by the arbitration provision in Uber’s terms of use because they didn’t download the Uber rider app, the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania said. The court also rejected Uber Technologies Inc.’s argument that the plaintiffs still can’t proceed in court because their claims are entwined with Uber’s contract terms, including the arbitration provision…

Julián Castro Is the Latest Democratic Candidate to Release a Disability Plan

November  13, 2019   |  Source: TIME & Huffington Post

Julián Castro on Wednesday became the latest Democratic presidential candidate to unveil a policy aimed at expanding the rights of people with disabilities, promising to help the more than 60 million disabled Americans access “dignified work, decent housing, quality education, affordable health care, to live independently and achieve self-sufficiency.” The plan says it will build on the promise of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) by proposing a number of reforms to Social Security…

There’s a really simple way to build websites that include everyone

November  14, 2019   |  Source: Fast Company

In 2016, a man who is blind could not use his screen reading software to place an order on the Domino’s Pizza website and mobile app. He later sued the company, arguing that its digital properties were in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Domino’s tried to take the lawsuit to the highest levels of our judicial system. But the Supreme Court declined the case and maintained a previous ruling from the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, which rejected the argument made by Domino’s: that the ADA does not apply to websites and mobile apps because it predates the Internet…

Alan Alda Opens Up About Parkinson’s Disease and Living in ‘Reality’: ‘We All Die’

November  14, 2019   |  Source: Closer Weekly

Even though he has been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, Alan AlanOpens in a new Window. has had no problem speaking out about it, even letting everyone know his outlook on life. “I love reality. I’m more comfortable with the uncertainty of reality than I am with wishes and hope,” the 83-year-old told The Guardian in an interview. “I am sort of optimistic, so that represents hope for me but reality is even more connected to hope than that because what is … so why waste time wishing it away?”…

Shopping for Those With Visual Impairments and Blindness

November  14, 2019   |  Source: Spectrum

If you’ve started shopping for this holiday season, you probably want to make a point to get special gifts for each one of your friends and family members.  For people who are blind and visually impaired there are a few things you should keep in mind before you check them off your list. According to the Central Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired, there are many resources to ensure the gift you purchase is appropriate for a person who is blind or visually impaired…

In ‘Mockingbird,’ a deaf actor finally gets his wish: Not to be defined solely by deafness

November  14, 2019   |  Source: The Washington Post

Russell Harvard has been waiting not so patiently for this his entire career. And now, at long last, for a deaf actor channeled inexorably into deaf roles, the moment has arrived: Playing a hearing character. Harvard is part of the (mostly) new cast of Broadway’s hit production of “To Kill a Mockingbird,” with Ed Harris following Jeff Daniels as Atticus Finch and LisaGay Hamilton succeeding LaTanya Richardson as the housekeeper Calpurnia. Harvard assumes two supporting parts: Boo Radley, the mysterious, rarely seen neighbor of the intimidated youngsters, Scout and Jem Finch, and more…

Jack Fact — According to Transwestern, the age 65-and-older cohort will rise to just over 56 million by 2020, comprising 17% of the nation’s total population. This represents an annual growth rate of 3.5%, which is approximately 14 times the rate of those aged 64 and younger.

Hit The Road Jack — The UK’s most accessible cities for wheelchair users

International News

No reason for museums to be stuck in the past

November  7, 2019   |  Source: Planning, BIM & Construction Today- UK

Ian Streets, managing director of About Access, says consultation is key when it comes to making art and culture accessible to all. Opened just over a year ago as Scotland’s first design museum, you’d expect the V&A Dundee to leave nothing to chance in making sure its own design is as accessible as possible. Accolades have indeed followed for a facility that has accessible loos on all floors, a Changing Places toilet on one floor, lift access throughout and plenty of space to accommodate wheelchairs…

A museum designed for everyone

November  8, 2019   |  Source: The Hill- England

Over the summer, Ciara O’Connor visited the Tate Modern in London to see its colorful, oft-instagrammed exhibition “Olafur Eliasson: In Real Life.” But O’Connor, a wheelchair user, was blocked from experiencing part of the exhibit by a set of stairs with no corresponding ramp. An attendant suggested she go around the outside. O’Connor, who writes for the Irish Sunday Independent, aired her frustrations on Twitter, where her viral posts sparked a conversation about accessibility in museums…

Ten organisations club together to campaign for more accessible homes

November  8, 2019   |  Source: Show House News- UK

Ten organisations have come together to form a coalition, Housing Made for Everyone (HoME), to combat the fact that only 7% of Britain’s homes are currently accessible. “We write today to call on whoever forms the next government to take urgent action to tackle the growing shortage of accessible homes in the UK,” the nine organisations said in an open letter. The letter highlighted the serious shortage of homes which are safe and suitable for older and disabled people…

New Maltese e-passport to convert text into speech for the visually impaired

November  8, 2019   |  Source: Independent- Malta

Addressing a stakeholders’ meeting for persons who have a visual impairment, Parliamentary Secretary Julia Farrugia Portelli held that the blind and visually impaired persons will now be able to make independent use of their e-passport. Malta will be amongst the first in the EU to offer such a service. Portugal was the first EU member state to have created a Braille version of their e-passport (PEP). Instead of opting for a Braille version of the Maltese e-passport, the blind and visually impaired will have a Speech Code, in the form of a QR code sticker, affixed to their current or new e-passport on request and at no charge.

Uber told to compensate person with disability for cancelled ride

November  9, 2019   |  Source: The Hindu- India & Deccan Herald

The Delhi State Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities has ordered Uber India to compensate a traveller who was discriminated against for his disability. In his order on November 5, Commissioner Thakur Datt Dhariyal set a three-month deadline for the cab aggregator to compensate Arman Ali an unspecified amount for causing mental and physical trauma besides ₹14,000 he lost on June 24 when he missed his flight to Bengaluru after a cab driver in Chennai cancelled the ride because of his wheelchair…

Gżira and Sliema waterfront stores drastically fail disability access test

November  9, 2019   |  Source: Times of Malta

Only 12 per cent of businesses on the Gżira and Sliema waterfront are physically accessible for people with disabilities, a report by the Commission for the Rights of Persons with Disability (CRPD) has found. Of those inspected, only 42 out of 334 companies passed the official design guidelines which have been in place since 2011. The Commission began collecting data after a series of complaints about a lack of facilities for those in need…

Nodal officers to monitor children with disabilities in Delhi govt schools

November  9, 2019   |  Source: Hindustan Times- India

The Delhi government’s department of education (DoE) has appointed nodal officers from its own department in each district to deal with all matters related to children with disabilities in government schools and government-aided schools. The officers will deal with all the matters related to the admission of children with disabilities and the facilities to be provided to them in the schools. The move, a first in Delhi, is to implement the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (PWD) Act,2016 properly, the DoE has said…

Assistive technology for persons with disabilities

November  10, 2019   |  Source: Financial Express- India

Technological advancements in hospitals are no more restricted to the facilitation of surgeries by humanoids and the like. The wave of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) is rampant across the globe, prompting professionals in different fields to explore areas that have remained dormant for years. Exoskeletons are being developed, organs on a chip are gaining traction, mobile applications that can convert textbooks into audio are writ large, and so on…

Companies Still Fail On Online Accessibility, Even As New Challenges Emerge

November  11, 2019   |  Source: Which-50- Australia

A US lawsuit against Domino’s Pizza has highlighted that popular food delivery apps are yet to meet accessibility standards for vision-impaired users, despite universal guidelines having existed for a decade. Which-50 has confirmed several leading food ordering apps in Australia do not fully meet Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0, the global standards for web content released in 2008. Australian versions of Deliveroo, UberEats, and Domino’s applications and web sites do not yet fully comply with WCAG 2.0…

Are businesses making their printed materials accessible enough?

November  11, 2019   |  Source: Training Journal- UK

Inclusivity and accessibility are essential traits in every modern business. Yet new research suggests this doesn’t come across in most of their printed materials. Over half of UK companies don’t create printed material with conditions like dyslexia, colour blindness and early onset dementia in mind – according to results of a recent survey. This not only creates a disconnect between organisations and a broad cross-section of their customers, it also disqualifies certain audiences from understanding precisely what they’re trying to communicate…

5 Indian companies ‘Ideal Workplace’ for differently-abled

November  11, 2019   |  Source: Deccan Chronicle- India

Kamat urges govt to provide easy accessibility to persons with disabilities at govt depts, public places

November  11, 2019   |  Source: Goa Chronicle

India is home to 2.7 crore people with a disability, be it physical or mental, according to the 2011 Census. As per the country’s latest statistics, an estimated 2.1 per cent of the Indian population has a disability; a humbling figure of over 26 million people. While differently-abled battle multiple challenges with regard to people’s attitudes, acceptance. Inclusion, lack of access to good quality education and employment keep many from being financially independent…

Retailers urged to be more accessible this Purple Tuesday

November  11, 2019   |  Source: Third Force News- Scotland & Drapers- Scotland & BDAILY & Internet Retailing

Banking sector urged to improve customer experience for disabled people

November  12, 2019   |  Source: Finextra

A Scottish learning disability charity is helping retailers become more accessible this Purple Tuesday. Enable Scotland has pledged to engage with Scottish shops and businesses to help them become more inclusive for disabled consumers and employees. The move comes ahead of Purple Tuesday on 12 November, a global day for raising awareness of the contribution of the so-called Purple Pound – the spending power of disabled households…

Persons with disabilities form less than 0.5% of staff in India’s top firms

November  12, 2019   |  Source: Business Standard- India

A poor farmer’s son who was supported by National Association for the Blind cracked the prestigious National Law University exams. Accessibility tools such as a laptop with screen-reading software helped him fulfill his potential, said Dipender Manocha, President of the Association’s Delhi arm. The lack of similar support to crores of other Indians may have contributed to the fact that the representation of persons with disabilities (PwDs) in some of India’s largest companies remains marginal…

Disability web access: ‘I’ve already clicked away’

November  12, 2019   |  Source: BBC News- UK

Imagine entering all your details and payment card information online and then being unable to find the submit button to make a purchase. For some using screen readers, owing to sight loss or impairment, that may be the case on some websites that do not label properly. Elsewhere, websites using capitals may lead to every letter being sounded out. It does not take long for these potential customers to click away. These are examples of the costs of failing to design websites that are accessible for people with disabilities and compatible with specialist software…

Malaysia gets first AI for Accessibility hackathon

November  12, 2019   |  Source: Open Gov- Malaysia

In a bid to create a more inclusive world using artificial intelligence (AI), an American multinational technology company has hosted its first-ever AI for Accessibility hackathon in Malaysia. The hackathon saw teams of IT professionals, university students and young developers working side-by-side with universities, international organisations, start-ups and non-profit organisations to tackle more than 23 different problem statements, identifying opportunities to use AI to build a more inclusive and accessible world…

Israeli vet builds site for travelers with disabilities

November  13, 2019 Source: ISRAEL21c

Lioz Amar had booked a hotel online for a trip to Barcelona. He specified that he needed a walk-in shower but when he got to the room, he discovered it only had a bathtub. That might have been a disappointment but not a deal breaker for most people. But Amar is not most people. In 2011, he was wounded during his service in the Israel Defense Forces and, since the age of 21, requires a wheelchair to get around. “I went to the front desk and I said I need a roll-in shower,” Amar tells ISRAEL21c…

One in five British people are disabled. So why does politics continue to ignore us?

November  13, 2019   |  Source: The Guardian- UK

The issue of disability rights has risen socially and culturally in recent years. Politically, however, disabled people remain in the shadows. Austerity has been brutal for disabled people. In 2017 the UN accused the government of violating disabled people’s rights and causing a “human catastrophe”. Disabled people in Britain remain some of the most marginalised and forgotten people in British society. As the Brexit debate has raged on, silence has prevailed when it comes to its implications for disabled people – the challenges they are likely to face or the measures being put in place to mitigate fallout…

Young York innovator up for national sight loss award

November  13, 2019   |  Source: York Press- UK

A York woman has been shortlisted for a national award in recognition of her work on breaking down the barriers of sight loss. Holly Tuke, who has retinopathy of prematurity after being born at 24 weeks, has been shortlisted in the Social Media Influencer of the Year category at the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) See Differently Awards 2019. The 23-year-old from Haxby said: “It means the world to have been shortlisted for an RNIB See Differently Award…

Disabled campaigners hit out as fewer than half of Glasgow stations fully accessible

November  13, 2019   |  Source: Evening Times- Scotland

Glasgow disability campaigners have hit out as it emerged fewer than half of all railway stations in the city are fully accessible. An investigation by the Evening Times found only 26 out of the 59 stations in Glasgow had complete step-free access. Meanwhile, a shocking 23 stations – around 39% – had no disabled access at all. The remaining 10 stops had partial access – including stations where only one of two platforms had step-free access. It’s feared the lack of access means disabled people in the city are being stopped from accessing work and social opportunities…

Corrie star Cherylee Houston booked a wheelchair accessible room – only to be asked ‘do you mind being lifted every time you leave?’

November  13, 2019   |  Source: Manchester Evening News- UK & Entertainment Daily & Daily Mail & BBC

Coronation Street star Cherylee Houston has revealed she was asked if she minded ‘being lifted every time you enter or leave’ as she spoke out about the problem of hotels and rooms wrongly being advertised as ‘wheelchair accessible.’ Cherylee, Corrie’s first ever disabled actress, told how she was reduced to ‘tears of frustration’ and described the issue as a ‘constant reality’ of her life. In an interview with the M.E.N. to raise awareness of the problem wheelchair users face, she said: “There are so many horror stories. It’s systemic across the board…

St. Vital Park toboggan slide wins international awards for unique, accessible design

November  13, 2019   |  Source: CBC- Canada

An accessible toboggan slide in St. Vital Park is so cool, it’s getting international praise for its design. The slide, aptly named Manitoboggan, recently won not one, but two awards at a competition in Germany last week: an International Olympic Committee award for design excellence, and an International Paralympic Committee award for the same thing. Designed by Public City Architecture for the City of Winnipeg, the structure includes two toboggan slides, one that is universally accessible, as well as an accessible ramp that acts as a forest walkway, an upper lookout level, and a picnic shelter below…

Air travel experience for disabled passengers key focus at IATA’s first Global Accessibility Symposium

November  14, 2019   |   Source: THIIS- Dubai & Gulf Digital News & MICEBTN

In a bid to improve the air travel experience for passengers with disabilities, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) recently held its inaugural Global Accessibility Symposium. The event, hosted by Emirates in Dubai saw guests from airlines, regulators and accessibility advocacy groups across the world come together to address a wide variety of accessibility and inclusion topics. A first for the airline sector, the Symposium follows an industry resolution agreed upon by IATA member airlines in June 2019, committing to enhancing the passenger experience for travellers with visible and invisible disabilities…

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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.

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