Accessibility in the News — 5/20/2022.
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AITN Quote of the Week
“Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.” ― Ralph Waldo Emerson
Developing an Accessibility Culture:
Buy-In, Metrics, and Structure
Feature Stories
Global Accessibility Awareness Day is May 19. Is Your Business Website Accessible?
May 18, 2022 | Source: Jewish Journal
Celebrating the Forward for Good Disability Innovation Showcase
May 18, 2022 | Source: Verizon
Recognizing Global Accessibility Awareness Day
May 19, 2022 | Source: Meta
Accessibility and Inclusion for Future Talent
May 19, 2022 | Source: T-Mobile
How to recognize Global Accessibility Awareness Day
May 19, 2022 | Source: USA Today
Global Accessibility Awareness Day: Everyone Included
May 19, 2022 | Source: Walmart
99% of disabled people think smart home tech isn’t accessible
May 19, 2022 | Source: Tech Advisor
What is Digital Accessibility? A Global Accessibility Awareness Day Post
May 19, 2022 | Source: UsableNet
The City of Chicago Honors Global Accessibility Awareness Day
May 19, 2022 | Source: Office of the Mayor
Google adding Gmail alt-text support, Meet multipin, and more for Android 13 Talkback
May 19, 2022 | Source: 9to5Google
Netflix is beefing up its audio description and subtitling accessibility features
May 19, 2022 | Source: The Verge & Essence
Global Accessibility Awareness Day 2022: What’s Changed In Our Four Years Covering This Space
May 19, 2022 | Source: Forrester
This Global Accessibility Awareness Day, let’s talk tech and employment for people with disabilities
May 19, 2022 | Source: Microsoft
Apple Celebrates Global Accessibility Awareness Day with Special Sessions, Curated Collections, and More
May 19, 2022 | Source: The Mac Observer & Apple
Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD) in many ways highlights what being Jewish is about: Making the world a better, more inclusive place. “I cannot think of a better way to practice my yiddishkeit than doing good work in accessibility,” GAAD co-founder Joe Devon told the Journal. GAAD, which is celebrated on the third Thursday of May, is a day of awareness about the need to make digital products accessible to people with disabilities…
National News (U.S.)
Apple CEO Tim Cook Highlights Accessibility at Gallaudet University Commencement
May 13, 2022 | Source: CNET & The Washington Post & iMore & CNBC
Apple CEO Tim Cook reiterated his company’s commitment to the environment, privacy and accessibility during a commencement address at the country’s leading university for deaf people. Cook said his company’s partnership with Washington, DC’s Gallaudet University underscores Apple’s efforts to create inclusive products. He singled out cooperation with the Gallaudet community as being particularly important in helping the company create a guide within Apple Maps to help people find deaf-owned businesses…
DOJ warns that misuse of algorithmic hiring tools could violate accessibility laws
May 13, 2022 | Source: TechCrunch & Seyfarth Shaw & Understanding the ADA
AI tools for the hiring process have become a hot category, but the Department of Justice warns that careless use of these processes could lead to violations of U.S. laws protecting equal access for people with disabilities. If your company uses algorithmic sorting, facial tracking or other high-tech methods for sorting and rating applicants, you may want to take a closer look at what they’re doing. The department’s Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, which watches for and advises on industry trends and actions pertaining to eponymous matters, has issued guidance on how company can safely use algorithm-based tools…
“It Can’t Just be Ford.” How Rebecca Cokley Is Centering Disability Rights at Ford and Beyond
May 13, 2022 | Source: Inside Philanthropy
Not long after Darren Walker became president of the Ford Foundation in 2013, he set a bold social justice agenda for the grantmaker, challenging “inequality in all its forms.” At the time, Rebecca Cokley was executive director at the National Council on Disability. “When he laid out that platform, it talked about racial justice; it talked about gender justice; it talked about LGBT justice; it talked about immigrant justice; it talked about economic justice. It was what we in the disability community call ‘A, B, D — all but disability,’” said Cokley…
Seeding stem cells into the brain may help cure Parkinson’s motor symptoms — it works in mice, so far
May 13, 2022 | Source: ZME Science
Researchers at Arizona State University are homing in on a new and excitingly efficient cure against the motor symptoms of Parkinson’s disease. While promising, their results so far have only been obtained from lab rats. Parkinson’s disease is a neurodegenerative disease that affects over 10 million people worldwide. Like other conditions of its kind, it leads to neurons becoming damaged or destroyed altogether, leading to significant symptoms and substantial declines in patients’ quality of life…
Newport Beach shows off new ‘human lift’ to improve access for disabled boaters
May 13, 2022 | Source: Los Angeles Times
Ann Marie Jones was trying to figure out how the lift worked. Jones was familiar with pool lifts, which allow for disabled swimmers to move into a chair or sling and be lowered down into the water. But she wasn’t familiar with the contraption attached to the base of the gangway in Newport Beach’s Marina Park that city officials said was meant to help transport disabled boaters from land to sea. The “human lift” is the first of its kind in Newport Harbor and is one of only a handful throughout Southern California…
UMass Lowell graduate is making local transportation more accessible for herself, others
May 13, 2022 | Source: The Lowell Sun
Meaghan O’Brien is more than your average business school graduate. She’s also a disability advocate, organization nut, market researcher and analyst and hardworking student. Now, the 23-year-old Dracut resident gets to wear all of those hats after landing the perfect job, right in Lowell. After graduating from UMass Lowell with her master’s degree in business administration on Friday, O’Brien can now devote all her time to the Lowell Regional Transit Authority, where she works as the director of procurement and compliance. She spends all day writing and reviewing contracts, which may not be for everyone, but O’Brien said she couldn’t be happier…
How Cambridge’s first universal design playground created accessible and artful fun
May 13, 2022 | Source: The Boston Globe
At Cambridge’s first and only playground that follows the concept of universal design a 20-foot-wide wooden tower rises into the air. Children can enter the tower in several ways, including up a ladder, via a climbing wall, or over a bridge wide enough to accommodate a wheelchair. Located within Danehy Park in West Cambridge, the space was conceived to offer diverse play options to kids of all abilities. The equipment and other structures follow universal design principles — a term coined and defined by a team of researchers, designers, and engineers at NC State University — that prioritize equity and accessibility…
Urban Villages for People with Disabilities
May 15, 2022 | Source: Planetizen
Every community has diverse travel demands, including people with disabilities (PWD) and other special mobility requirements. With good planning, everybody can enjoy freedom, opportunity, and romance, even if they depend on mobility aids such as walkers and wheelchairs. According to the National Household Travel Survey, about 9 percent of U.S. residents are people with disabilities (PWD). Ability advocates describe the rest of us as “temporarily abled,” which recognizes that most people will spend part of their lives with some sort of mobility impairments…
Dell Class Action Alleges Website Not Accessible To Blind, Visually Impaired
May 16, 2022 | Source: Top Class Actions
Dell denies blind and visually impaired people access to its services because its website is not accessible to those using a screen reader, a new class action lawsuit alleges. Plaintiff Lamar Brown filed the class action lawsuit against Dell Technologies May 14 in a New York federal court alleging violations of the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA). Brown, who is legally blind, uses a screen reader to browse web pages on the internet, and says he would like to use the services that Dell provides…
More people are turning to this housing idea for aging parents, but obstacles still exist in much of the country
May 16, 2022 | Source: MarketWatch
Janie Morisette taught school in Hardin, Montana, for 32 years before retiring in 2019. Her longtime home, with five bedrooms, 2.5 baths, and an attached garage, was too much home for a 72-year-old. She and her daughter, who lives in St. Paul, Minnesota, decided that Morisette would move to St. Paul and live in her daughter’s backyard. Morisette calls her new home a “carriage house.” Her daughter says it’s “Janie’s coop” since they moved a chicken coop to make room. Urban planners and building inspectors call such homes “accessory dwelling units” or ADUs…
Students, faculty design accessibility aid for local special education public school
May 16, 2022 | Source: Eckerd College
Cristiano Taboas-Gonzalez stares intently at the little metal box attached to the tray in front of him. “You can do this. You can reach it,” whispers someone in the group from Eckerd College. If Cristiano can pass his hand over the box, he will activate the tiny sensor inside, and a recorded message will play. He also can ask for help or for something he needs. He slowly lifts his right arm and aims it at the target. Cristiano has an intellectual and a physical disability—he uses a wheelchair and has limited ability within his hands and arms, and with his head…
Justice Department Secures Agreement to Provide Community-Based Services to Children with Disabilities in Rhode Island
May 18, 2022 | Source: Department of Justice
The Department of Justice today entered into a settlement agreement with the Rhode Island Executive Office of Health and Human Services (EOHHS) to resolve alleged violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The parents of a child with autism filed a complaint with the Justice Department, alleging that Rhode Island failed to provide their minor son with community-based Medicaid services that the state had authorized. These services allow children with disabilities to remain in their homes and communities rather than enter residential treatment facilities…
Justice Department Files Statement of Interest in ADA Lawsuit Against a Blood Plasma Donation Center
May 18, 2022 | Source: ADA.gov (PDF)
The Justice Department filed a Statement of Interest in a lawsuit in the Northern District of Illinois to clarify that blood plasma donation centers are “public accommodations” under Title III of the ADA. The lawsuit, Gomez v. CSL Plasma, Inc., alleges that Defendant violated Title III of the ADA by refusing to provide Plaintiff, who is deaf, with an American Sign Language interpreter, making it impossible for him to donate plasma at Defendant’s plasma donation center…
College students with disabilities deserve accessible campuses
May 18, 2022 | Source: The Washington Post
University of Maryland student Shreya Vuttaluru could have picked any topic to spend months investigating. She chose one that saw her pushing automatic door buttons across campus and considering what also comes to a halt when elevators stop working. Last week, Vuttaluru and a group of students who work for the Diamondback, U-Md.’s independent student newspaper, published a project under the headline, “Disability on Campus.” For it, they scrutinized multiple aspects of accessibility on the College Park campus and interviewed students, workers and faculty members with a wide range of disabilities…
I Have Involuntary Tics. This Is What It’s Like When You Can’t Control Your Body.
May 18, 2022 | Source: HUFFPOST
It started small. I was 20 when I began to experience the rapid blinking, head tilting and flinching, as if someone had just jumped around the corner to scare me. Soon I couldn’t go five minutes without the paradoxical impulse to move while simultaneously praying to be still. Car rides meant constant flapping, banging my fist to my chest, involuntary shoulder shrugging, face grimacing. Meals were a separate battle altogether: The crunch of teeth chewing made me cringe, along with forks and knives against plates, my English bulldog snorting under the table, my Labrador retriever’s bark, their high-pitched squeaky toys, the dishes being loaded into the sink…
Colgate University Class Action Claims Website Not Accessible To Blind, Visually Impaired
May 19, 2022 | Source: Top Class Actions
Colgate University failed to design its website so that it would be fully accessible to blind and visually impaired individuals, a new class action lawsuit alleges. Plaintiff Kimberly Miller, who is blind, claims Colgate is in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and The Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (RA) by not making its website independently usable for individuals who are blind or visually impaired. Miller claims Colgate’s website is not compatible with screen-reading software used by blind and visually impaired individuals to browse the internet…
For people with disabilities, AI can only go so far to make the web more accessible
May 19, 2022 | Source: Protocol
“It’s a lot to listen to a robot all day long,” said Tina Pinedo, communications director at Disability Rights Oregon, a group that works to promote and defend the rights of people with disabilities. But listening to a machine is exactly what many people with visual impairments do while using screen reading tools to accomplish everyday online tasks such as paying bills or ordering groceries from an ecommerce site. “There are not enough web developers or people who actually take the time to listen to what their website sounds like to a blind person. It’s auditorily exhausting,” said Pinedo…
Location plays role in access to diabetic eye disease trials
May 19, 2022 | Source: Healio
Patients who live in rural areas of the United States have to travel farther to participate in diabetic eye disease clinical trials, according to a study presented at the Retina World Congress. Yoshihiro Yonekawa, MD, said that eye disease related to diabetes is a growing concern, but clinical trial sites are clustered in areas with higher populations. “Diabetes is everywhere, but clinical trial sites are not,” he said. “Are there therefore geographic access disparities where some people have easier access to clinical trials while others don’t?…
Jack Fact — Nearly one in six Americans have or will experience a sensory or communication disorder in their lifetime, the U.S. Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion reported.
Hit The Road Jack — Hiking guide offers a new way to find accessible trails & Wheelchair Accessibility Throughout Philly — An Independent Destination?
International News
Concern from MP as DWP refuses to release websites access report
May 12, 2022 | Source: Disability News Service- UK
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has refused to release a report which would show which of its websites and other digital services are breaching its legal duties on accessibility. Last month, DWP released a summary report from February which showed that fewer than one third of the websites and other digital services it runs complies with regulations. That report showed that 36 of the 141 “live” digital services run by DWP were currently said to be “very high risk”, with another 23 considered “high risk”…
Accessibility with a plan: new accessibility regulations in British Columbia and Manitoba
May 12, 2022 | Source: Osler- Canada
Following the lead of the federal and Ontario governments, British Columbia and Manitoba have introduced expanded accessibility requirements for organizations operating in those provinces. While human rights legislation in these jurisdictions already prohibit discrimination in employment and services on the basis of disability, accessibility requirements go further by reducing barriers to access and promoting equal participation with respect to public services and employment for individuals with disabilities…
Fashion brand Chi Chi London apologizes after being called out by disabled model
May 13, 2022 | Source: The Drum- England
Fashion retailer Chi Chi London has issued an apology after its disabled brand ambassador called it out for tokenism after hosting an event that was inaccessible. The incident has led to renewed calls for brands to “upskill themselves on disability” and do better at serving the disabled community that goes beyond just showing a disabled person in an ad. Model and content creator Lucy Dawson took to social media to share how Chi Chi London hired her for a campaign called ‘Celebrate You,’ which was intended to champion diversity…
Disability Groups Ask Nigeria Airports to Be More Accessible
May 14, 2022 | Source: Reduced Mobility Rights- Nigeria & Simply Flying
Disabled people have been asking for greater access to Nigerian airports and terminals. This means ensuring accessibility through providing equipment and personnel, as well as creating infrastructure that gives a seamless experience. The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) is responsible for the construction and maintenance of Nigerian airports. It is also in charge of the administration, regulation, control, and supervision of all air transport services in Nigeria. FAAN has been accused by Disability Rights Associations of failing to meet national and international standards on accessibility at Nigerian airports…
Fintech can help improve lives of people with disabilities
May 14, 2022 | Source: China Daily- China
Financial technology companies, with the support of governments, can lead the way in making technology a tool for people with disabilities to have greater access to financial services. One in six people live with a disability in our world today. These individuals suffer a range of auditory, cognitive, physical, speech and visual disorders that can hinder access to financial services. Indeed, when stranded by mobility limitations, they are most likely to live in a “financial services desert” with inadequate or no access to mainstream financial services…
Reimagining live theatre: How a local production is making a performance more accessible
May 15, 2022 | Source: CBC- Canada
A community theatre production company is reimagining the theatre experience to create the opportunity for everyone to enjoy live theatre’s magic. Musical Theatre Productions (MTP) is offering a relaxed performance of their upcoming show, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. The experience is designed to be accessible and sensory-friendly. During this performance, the house lights will be kept on, the theatrical lighting and sound effects will be reduced, two American Sign Language (ASL) interpreters will be on-site, and audience noise is welcomed…
Inspired by daughter, architect approaches accessibility as a ‘lifestyle’
May 15, 2022 | Source: CBC- Canada
Megen Olfert smiles thinking about the backyard treehouse her father designed for her when she was a kid. It was wide enough for a motorised wheelchair to maneuver inside, and a cement path wound its way through the backyard up to the treehouse instead of stairs or a ladder. “I felt like I was on equal ground as a kid,” said Megen, recalling friends coming over to hang out, “because sometimes when you’re disabled it means you have to do things differently even though you can do the same thing. It made me feel included.”…
People with disabilities in Ukraine facing crisis within crisis. Human aid should take note
May 15, 2022 | Source: The Print- Ukraine
People with disabilities in Ukraine have been confronting a crisis within a crisis on a daily basis. This invasion by Russia – typified by its attacks on civilian targets including hospitals and apartments – has put people with disabilities in peril. For those in wheelchairs, with vision impairment or any other form of disabilities, the exodus from war zones can be particularly arduous. As resources dwindle, many Ukrainians with hearing loss and intellectual disabilities are not even afforded a chance to evacuate…
Employers fear the cost of making workplaces accessible. Turns out it’s mostly free
May 15, 2022 | Source: ABC- Australia
Nathan Basha didn’t let his disability prevent him from getting his dream job at a Sydney radio station. “I might have Down syndrome, but that is not who I am,” he said. With a passion to work somewhere that embraced his interest in film, music and celebrities, Mr Basha said it was his supportive mum who asked him “how do we make this happen?” Mr Basha has now been with NOVA FM for more than 12 years as a highly valued member of the team…
Digital inequality: why can I enter your building – but your website shows me the door?
May 16, 2022 | Source: The Conversation- Australia
When people hear the term “accessibility” in the context of disability, most will see images of ramps, automatic doors, elevators, or tactile paving (textured ground which helps vision impaired people navigate public spaces). These are physical examples of inclusive practice that most people understand. You may even use these features yourself, for convenience, as you go about your day. However, such efforts to create an inclusive physical world aren’t being translated into designing the digital world…
Calls for Western Australia to meet new housing accessibility guidelines
May 17, 2022 | Source: Sky News- Australia (Video)
There are renewed calls for Western Australia to join other states and territories in meeting the Liveable Housing Australia silver standard guidelines, which require new builds to include basic accessibility features. Western Australia is one of three states that opted out of the revised National Construction Code…
This Ontario family has moved eight times in eight years in search of wheelchair-accessible housing. They have yet to find it
May 17, 2022 | Source: Ontario Star- Canada
When Khadija Zafar first held her newborn child eight years ago she couldn’t have imagined how heavy that weight would become. Zafar’s son wakes up each morning and, like his younger brother and sister, waits for his mom to pick out outfits, brush their teeth, and choose which toys to bring downstairs. But as her younger children race down the stairs, Zafar scoops her oldest child up. Her shoulders and back ache as she carries him down the stairs that separate the bedrooms from the rest of their home. She tries to conceal her heavy breathing. “I’m sorry,” he says.
Disability advocates ask about accessibility voting measures
May 18, 2022 | Source: The Mandarin- Australia
Advocates have queried why accessibility-specific voting programs, like the NSW iVote model, have not been adopted at a federal level to enhance the democratic participation of people living with a disability. According to the Physical Disability Council of NSW and Vision Australia, real measures should be taken to deliver voting equality for people living with a disability. The advocacy groups claim accessibility and privacy issues have been put in the ‘too hard basket’ for too long, preventing voters with special needs from being able to vote in person at a federal election…
NCBI urges digitally equality for students who are blind or vision impaired
May 18, 2022 | Source: Irish Tech News- Ireland
NCBI is calling on the Department of Education and the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science to immediately take action to ensure students who are blind or vision impaired across all levels of education no longer face barriers when accessing online information due to inaccessible websites and applications. Despite robust legislation put in place by this Government to ensure digital inclusion and accessibility for people with disabilities, the IA Labs Digital Accessibility Index, which was commission by NCBI, audited 28 websites from Ireland’s leading universities, private and public secondary schools and each failed…
From ‘door detection’ to scanning braille, phone accessibility keeps expanding
May 19, 2022 | Source: Sydney Morning Herald- Australia
As smartphones become our default computing platform, the devices are having to adapt to make connectivity more accessible for people with disabilities. From making sure everyone can read and understand the information being displayed on screens to solutions for specific problems that might keep a person from using live map directions or voice assistants, accessibility has become a major push for all big tech companies. Apple’s upcoming accessibility features, include the ability for iPhones to detect and give information about the location and design of doors, which it had heard was an issue for some users…
Celebrating Global Accessibility Awareness Day
May 19, 2022 | Source: TimeOut- Australia
Global Accessibility Awareness Day: How accessible is South Africa?
May 19, 2022 | Source: CapeTalk- Africa (Podcast)
According to the Australian Human Rights Commission, nearly four million Australians have a disability. That’s almost 20 per cent of our country’s population and for context, Melbourne has a population of just over five million. We all have a part to play in ensuring venues, events and the digital sphere are accessible for all, and that’s what spurned the advent of Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD). GAAD is celebrated on the third Thursday in May of each year, and its aim is to bring awareness to how someone with a disability may experience web-based content compared to those without a disability…
Blindness charity launches new voice-based service for smart speakers
May 19, 2022 | Source: Irish Times- Ireland
The National Council for the Blind of Ireland has launched a voice-based platform for Google and Amazon smart speakers that provides information on sight loss, and access to support and technology services. The myNCBI Smart Hub Skill on Alexa and Google Home uses the voice-based platform to provide a full suite of features that can be accessed with simple commands once the skill has been enabled and launched on the device. It can be found in the Amazon Skill section of the Amazon app or the Google Action section of the Google App, and full access is available for free when a myNCBI account is linked to it…
Accessibility Standards Canada and the International Code Council sign agreement to increase accessibility in public buildings
May 19, 2022 | Source: Newswire- Canada
Accessibility Standards Canada and the International Code Council signed an agreement today that will facilitate the sharing of best practices and information related to building accessibility. This collaboration aims to improve and coordinate accessibility requirements in building codes and standards between Canada and the United States. This is the first international agreement for Accessibility Standards Canada. It is the beginning of harmonizing accessibility standards across North America and the world…
COVID-19 Resources and Information
- President Biden offering another round of free COVID-19 tests to public
- Accessibility Gains From the Pandemic Shouldn’t Be Forgotten, Advocates Say
- Top Biden health officials sound warning on rising coronavirus infections- The Washington Post
- Global Accessibility Awareness Day shines a light on virtual access for the Deaf and hard of hearing- Global News
- A Practical Approach to Telework as a Reasonable Accommodation During the Pandemic- Job Accommodation Network
Accessibility Blogs and Information
- Closed Captioning Law: Is It Mandatory- Film Daily
- Observing a seizure- Steps to Take- Dr. Thomas Chappell
- Demanding accessibility at the doctors’ office- City News (YouTube)
- Perspectives on Workplace Wellbeing- Department of Labor
- Partnership on Inclusive Apprenticeship Newsletter May 2022
- Converge Accessibility Presentations (May 2022)- Ken Nakata
- The Importance of Website Accessibility in 2022 – TechBullion
- Accessibility is excluding the neurodivergent- Computer Weekly
- How accessibility tools can help kids do more in school- Microsoft
- We need better accessibility in NYC- New York Amsterdam News
- Destigmatizing Mental Health Part 4: Dyslexia- Fun 4 The Disabled
- Able and the battle to make NZ television accessible to all- The Spinoff
- What is Accessibility Testing? Why is it Important?- Security Boulevard
- How can we design more accessible musical instruments?- Design Week
- Access for all; why digital design for your whole market matters- Shots.net
- Gore Hall elevator fire sets students’ accessibility concerns ablaze- UD Review
- The Hitchhiker’s Guide to Global Accessibility Awareness Day- Lainey Feingold
- What Software Can Dramatically Improve Your Digital Accessibility?- Tech Times
- Meet Thibault Trancart: A True Accessibility Champion at P&G- Procter & Gamble
- Here’s How Coldplay Ensures Their Shows Are Inclusive And Accessible To All- KIIS FM
- Assistive Technology for Online Learning- Stanford University Office of Accessible Education
- Accommodations and accessibility challenges students with disabilities on campus- The Rambler
- Episode 83 – Rewired Not Retired, This Is Your Life Larry Goldberg- That Real Blind Tech Show
- State Employment Policies for Veterans with Disabilities- National Conference of State Legislatures
- Making Accessibility a Top Priority in UCLA’s Digital Spaces- UCLA Samueli School Of Engineering
- Students improve mobile app accessibility for people with disabilities- USC Viterbi School of Engineering
- DOJ’s Recent Guidance on Website Accessibility and the ADA — What Does It Tell Us?- Troutman Pepper (Podcast)
- Mental Health Awareness Month: Recognizing Efforts to Meet Growing Challenges- The Council of State Governments
- EEOC Informal Discussion Letters Relating to Selection, Pre-Employment Inquiries, and Confidentiality- Partnership on Employment & Accessible Technology
Accessibility Announcements and Products
- HP Office of Aging and Accessibility
- NY Senate Passes Disability Protection Package & PDF
- 20 Accessibility Products Showcasing Inclusive Design
- Aurigo Masterworks Cloud Achieves ADA Compliance
- ‘The Blind Life’ host shares top accessible web products
- Fight for accessible Braille texts hinges on concourt ruling
- Shopify’s Inclusive Accessibility Tool For Small Businesses
- CivicPlus Buys Optimere, Adding Compliance Tools to Suite
- Thirty-eight Tokyo Tech accessibility leaders certified in AY 2021
- Android TV to Improve Picture-in-Picture, Accessibility in Update
- NJ Transit introduces new technology to aid customers in their travel
- Idaho counties adopt voter accessibility measures for primary election
- Kentucky startup invents new accessible product for Deaf+ community
- Michigan indoor amusement park debuts wheelchair accessible go-karts
- Israel holds event to boost public awareness of accessibility for disabled
- What’s new at the Mu? Accessible Expressions Ohio Exhibit in Massillon
- iOS 16 accessibility features likely to benefit everyone, argues Macworld
- Portland park gets new play area, more accessible to people of all abilities
- Hayden Homes Amphitheater updates will improve accessibility, usability
- Comment Sought on State of Competition in Communications Marketplace
- Q4 Inc. and eSSENTIAL Accessibility Announce Strategic Joint Partnership
- Odisha universities asked to make websites accessible for People with Disabilities
- B.C. invests $789 million for new safe, accessible and culturally inclusive museum
- County of San Diego Wants Input on Raising Awareness of Accessibility of Services
- Your input will help us benefit those with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities
- 2022-2023 Annual NBDEDP Allocations & FCC Announces NDBEDP Certifications
- Community, inclusion inspire new Home Accessibility Center to support those with disabilities
- Syracuse Regional Airport Authority (SRAA) Enhances Support for Travelers with Hidden Disabilities
- InMoment Demonstrates Commitment to Disability Inclusion With the Industry’s First Accessibility Compliance
- Mississauga Focuses on Building an Inclusive, Barrier-Free City by Advancing Its Multi-Year Accessibility Plan
- The National Captioning Institute Appoints Accomplished Accessibility Leader As New Technology Operations Manager
- Announcing Microsoft AI for Accessibility Hackathon APAC winners: Thailand, Singapore, and Philippines accelerate inclusive innovation
- Toronto’s Fable raises US$10.5-million to make online accessibility a reality for disabled users & Fable Announces New Product- Fable Pathways
- Susan Bennett, voice of Siri, partners with accessibility startup UserWay & UserWay Appoints Raghavendra Satish Peri as Director of Accessibility
- US Department Of Labor Announces $8M Funding Availability To Advance Equitable, Inclusive Workforce Service Delivery For People With Disabilities
Accessibility Forums, Tips, and Gaming
- Simple Accessibility Checklist
- Should I Use An Accessibility Overlay?
- Rediscovering My Love of Lego Star Wars
- WCAG 2.2 is delayed again and I’m ok with that
- God of War Ragnarök accessibility features revealed
- Ask LISI Anything: Website Design + Development (Video)
- Scoping Out the Accessibility Features of Sniper Elite 5
- If Microsoft is serious about accessibility, fix Windows 11
- Checking for accessibility: boosting opportunity in 3 clicks!
- Evil Dead The Game has a shocking lack of accessibility options
- 4 Usability Principles that Make Visitors Stick and Boost Your SEO
- 3 Questions That Will Help Your Developers Prioritize Accessibility
- Accessibility (a11y) – Turn-key research data management repository
- What Software Can Dramatically Improve Your Digital Accessibility?
- ‘Elden Ring’ accessibility: How disabled players conquered the Lands Between
- Steam Deck’s built in button mapping sets a new bar for convenience and accessibility
- Saints Row Accessibility Options, HUD Customization Elements Revealed by Volition
- Final Fantasy 14 Fans Think the Game Needs to Improve Its Accessibility Options for Colorblind Players
- How to activate and use the magnifying glass on Android and iPhone to enlarge the screen of our terminal
- Deathloop update includes new accessibility options, photo mode, and more & Deathloop finally adds accessibility features
Accessibility Statements
- Bates Wells
- Harper College
- Chatsworth House
- Albert S. Cook Library
- Sarah Lawrence College
- Collective Impact Forum
- Southern Arkansas University
- Software Sustainability Institute
- American Psychiatric Association
- US Department of Agriculture OIG
- 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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