Accessibility in the News — 12/20/2024.

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Feature Stories

Secretary Buttigieg Announces Sweeping Protections for Airline Passengers with Disabilities

December 16, 2024 | Source: U.S. DOT and Mass Transit

DOT finalizes rule for ‘dignified air travel’: What wheelchair users can expect

December 16, 2024 | Source: USA Today and Cure SMA and MDA

U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg today announced that the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has issued new protections for people with disabilities in commercial air travel that will ensure that they can fly safely and with dignity. The new final rule requires that airlines meet more rigorous standards for accommodating passengers with disabilities, especially for passengers who use wheelchairs. The rule sets new standards for assistance, mandates hands-on training for airline employees and contractors who physically assist passengers with disabilities and handle passengers’ wheelchairs…

National News (U.S.)

Baltimore commits $44 million toward ADA-accessible sidewalks

December 11, 2024 | Source: Baltimore Beat

The majority of Baltimore’s sidewalks and curb ramps are in disrepair due to vegetation overgrowth, decades of wear and tear, and narrow design. For people who use wheelchairs, scooters, and other mobility devices, these cracks and inaccessible paths become an incredible inconvenience and at times a life-threatening experience. Janice Jackson, the executive director of disability peer counseling group Women Embracing Abilities Now, said the conditions of the sidewalks meant she would often have to ride in the street, leaving her vulnerable to large vehicles and triggering PTSD from previously being hit by a car in Prince George’s County…

Room for improvement: A look at accessibility for voters with disabilities

December 11, 2024 | Source: Afro News

A Rutgers University report out of the Program for Disability Research estimated that nearly 40.2 million people with disabilities were eligible to vote in the 2024 election, comprising about one-sixth of voters. This is 5.1 percent higher than in 2020. Though a number of laws, like the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Voting Accessibility for the Elderly and Handicapped Act (VAEHA) and Help America Vote Act (HAVA), codify protections to ensure people with disabilities have the ability to cast a ballot, challenges still persist…

Digitized Discrimination: A Study of Hiring Assessments

December 11, 2024 | Source: Government Technology

A recent report from the Center for Democracy and Technology (CDT) explores organizations’ use of digitized assessments in the hiring process — underlining the potential negative impact on people with disabilities. There has been an increased focus on digital accessibility at both the state and local levels of government, in part due to a new federal ruling mandating it. And while technology is transforming the hiring process for many organizations, hiring tools can have disproportionately negative outcomes for people with disabilities…

The Future Is Now: Children’s TV Creators Embrace New Technology to Make Content More Accessible

December 12, 2024 | Source: TheWrap

“I went into television because I hated it so,” the late Fred Rogers famously told CNN in 1999. “I thought there was some way of using this fabulous instrument to be of nurture to those who would watch and listen.” Twenty-five years after the creator of the groundbreaking “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood” said those words, the production company that bears his name is embracing technology to make children’s content easier to watch for a wider swath of young viewers…

Local businesses adapt to meet accessibility needs with a RAMP ‘stamp of approval’

December 12, 2024 | Source: Johnston SunRise

‘Nothing to lose, everything to gain. Why wouldn’t a business want to increase their bottom line?’ In an initiative aimed at improving accessibility for individuals living with disabilities, resident Tina Guenette is empowering businesses across Rhode Island to enhance their facilities and practices. As the CEO and founder of Real Access Motivates Ramp (RAMP), she is distributing her “stamp of approval” to establishments that commit to meaningful changes in accessibility…

How this expert’s advice for an inclusive holiday parties benefits all guests

December 13, 2024 | Source: Delaware News Journal and WISH-TV

Hosts typically focus on decorations, menus and entertainment when planning holiday celebrations. Yet creating a truly memorable gathering starts long before the event itself. Accessibility experts recommend that hosts adopt inclusive party planning practices, especially those with professional ties to their guests. Anne Deschamps, director of the Mid-Atlantic Americans with Disabilities Act Center in Rockville, Maryland, advised that small actions can make a big difference in guest comfort and participation…

Commission On Disability Battles Website Accessibility Issues

December 13, 2024 | Source: Sandwich News

The Sandwich Commission on Disability has been grappling with online accessibility for months, despite discussing solutions for the problems in past commission meetings. One of the most problematic issues is that the meeting agendas created by the commission have been losing accessibility features once they are posted online by the Town of Sandwich. The commission has discussed the issue in its meetings and has brainstormed a plethora of solutions…

Republicans take aim at subsidies that help tens of millions of women

December 13, 2024 | Source: The Guardian

As they prepare to take control of the White House and Congress next month, conservatives are eyeing cutbacks to federal programs that help tens of millions of women pay for healthcare, food, housing and transportation. Slashing or overhauling social support programs, long a goal of Republican lawmakers, could be catastrophic for women experiencing poverty. Supporters contend the social safety-net programs are already grossly underfunded…

OCR settles with UCLA over disability access

December 13, 2024 | Source: Healthcare Finance News

The Department of Health and Human Services’ Office for Civil Rights (OCR) has reached a Voluntary Resolution Agreement with the Regents of the University of California over its early intervention program over complaints that the program violated disability rights laws. The settlement addresses allegations that the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) Intervention Program violated these laws by terminating the participation of a toddler with developmental disabilities in its early intervention program…

UnitedHealth is strategically limiting access to critical treatment for kids with autism

December 13, 2024 | Source: MPR News

Benji was nearly 3 when he was diagnosed with severe autism and soon after started a specialized therapy to help him develop basic skills. After two years in treatment, his murmuring gave way to small words, with “bubbles” among the first. To celebrate, Menard powered up a bubble machine she found at the dollar store, and for hours, they watched the iridescent orbs drift over their porch. Menard, who is raising Benji alone in south-central Louisiana, began to picture a future for her son that diverged from the stories she’d heard about some kids with similar diagnoses…

My sister needed the right wheelchair to survive. Insurance refused it till the end | US healthcare

December 13, 2024 | Source: The Guardian

My sister had a condition called “aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase deficiency”. Mouthful, right? It’s also exceedingly rare: something like seven other children had been diagnosed with it back when she finally got the diagnosis at age 12. The condition is so unusual that no pharmaceutical company would ever invest in studying it. It’s a pediatric neurotransmitter disorder, but from when she was born until her death at age 17, it was easier to just say she had cerebral palsy – a blanket diagnosis given for many neurological disabilities caused by damage to the brain around the time of birth…

How Disney’s Accessibility Policy Changes Impact Disabled Parkgoers?

December 13, 2024 | Source: Travel And Tour World

Disney theme parks have long been regarded as a haven for families with disabilities, offering accommodations that made the magic of the parks accessible to all. However, recent changes to Disney’s disability access policy have left many disabled parkgoers frustrated and questioning the company’s commitment to inclusivity. Disney’s disability access service (DAS) has been a cornerstone of the company’s reputation for accommodating disabled visitors…

Casey Chairs Final Aging Committee Hearing on Disability Rights

December 13, 2024 | Source: Franklin County Free Press and Lancaster Online and Senate Special Committee On Aging

U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA), Chairman of the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging, held an Aging Committee hearing entitled “Empowering People with Disabilities to Live, Work, Learn, and Thrive.” At the hearing, Chairman Casey highlighted his long record as a champion for people with disabilities, and laid out his vision for how Congress must continue to work to empower them. The hearing was Casey’s last as Chairman of the Aging Committee…

New stroke guidelines urge lifestyle changes and accessibility to reduce risk

December 13, 2024 | Source: ABC30

Stroke is a leading cause of disability and death in California, according to state health leaders. They say more than 14,000 Californians die of stroke each year and it’s a cause for concern in the Valley. “Merced County actually has the fourth highest stroke rate here in California,” said Leslie Thompson, a Nutrition Production Manager at Mercy Medical Center in Merced. “So this is a big deal.” Newly updated guidelines released this year aim to help people reduce their risk of stroke…

Some disabled workers are making pennies per hour. Will that change under Trump?

December 13, 2024 | Source: The 19th

Under section 14(c) of the U.S. Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938, some people with disabilities can legally be paid pennies an hour. A new rule proposed by the Department of Labor would end the practice. In a proposal released last week, the federal government would stop issuing new certificates that allow companies to pay subminimum wage to disabled workers while phasing out old certificates over a three-year period. The proposal is a first step toward fulfilling one of President Joe Biden’s longstanding campaign promises…

Love and Activism: Alan Hejl and Emily Obert Fight for Accessibility

December 14, 2024 | Source: Oakland County Times

When Alan Hejl met Emily Obert back in 2014, they were planning on meeting for a first date. Obert informed Hejl that she was a wheelchair user, and he took it upon himself to call around to places ahead of time to accommodate her needs. Their first date at Eastern Market was a success. Two things Hejl was unaware of at the time: he was on a date with his future wife, and that he would eventually become a passionate disability and accessibility activist. Love leads to interesting places…

Ohio Board of Pharmacy launches tool to help those living with disabilities

December 14, 2024 | Source: News5Cleveland

On Monday, the Ohio Board of Pharmacy launched a tool to help people with low vision, hearing loss, or who face language barriers find pharmacies that can serve them. For many, the pharmacy is the most frequent point of contact with the healthcare system. Pharmacists can consult about their medications and help them manage chronic conditions such as hypertension and diabetes. The new website will help people with accessibility challenges find pharmacies that can serve their specific needs…

Justice Department Finds Arizona’s Department of Child Safety Discriminates Against Parents and Children with Disabilities

December 16, 2024 | Source: U.S. DOJ

The Justice Department announced its findings that the State of Arizona’s Department of Child Safety (DCS) violates Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) by discriminating against parents, including foster parents and other caregivers, and children with disabilities. Following a comprehensive investigation, the department found DCS failed to communicate effectively with parents and children with hearing disabilities, including by not providing interpreters…

ArtsBoston Calendar adds accessibility feature to its website

December 16, 2024 | Source: The Boston Globe

Tanja Milojevic spends a lot of time thinking about how to improve accessibility for people with disabilities. The 35-year-old Peabody resident is an accessibility consultant and owns a Braille production business. She also loves musicals. As someone with low vision due to glaucoma and retinopathy of prematurity, she knows firsthand what it’s like to have trouble accessing live performances. On a recent afternoon, she recalled trying to catch a production of a popular musical when it came to Boston in 2018…

Do Car-Free Zones Hurt Disabled People? We Asked Experts

December 19, 2024 | Source: Mother Jones

Dani Izzie, a wheelchair user with quadriplegia, tried to take public transit, as she usually does, when visiting Miami in 2022. Heading to catch a bus, Izzie came to the end of a street without curb cuts—meaning she couldn’t safely cross it to the bus stop. She tried to get an accessible taxi; none were available. The door-to-door paratransit service wasn’t an option, since it needs advance scheduling. It ultimately took a call to police, who helped her down the curb…

Six Million and Lonely: Startup founder uses experience with accessibility challenges to help others

December 19, 2024 | Source: WABE

Brandon Winfield, who grew up in Johns Creek, Georgia, had dreams of becoming a professional motocross rider. At 14, a crash left him paralyzed from the chest down. After rehab at Shepherd Center, he quickly realized the challenges people with disabilities face in accessing public places like restaurants and venues. “I was starting to feel like I was slowing everybody else down. It’s like, oh, you guys want to have a good time, but you can’t have a good time because of me, which, even when you’re with somebody, can feel pretty isolating,” Winfield said…

Jack Fact — An estimated 2.2 million children aged 5 and under and 3 million parents of children in this age group have a reported disability, according to GAO’s analysis of the 2019 Early Childhood Program Participation Survey and 2022 Survey of Income and Program Participation data.

Hit The Road Jack — The Palm Beaches strive to be an accessible destination for all travelers and The complete guide to accessible cruises and Traveling in Japan over New Years with a Disability and See the world: how to plan a holiday for visually-impaired travellers

International News

Digital inclusion of the elderly is hampered by lack of accessibility to technological resources and perpetuation of stereotypes

December 12, 2024 | Source: UFRGS- Brazil

After a trip to the United States in mid-2009, retired tour guide Stella Harris heard from a customer the word “e-mail” for the first time. After that, in her efforts to adapt to the changes in contemporary society, she made her first contact with the Internet. The unfamiliar terminology piqued her curiosity, and over time, she soon encountered more and more terms related to the digital world. 76-year-old Harris has witnessed the advent of the Internet, the widespread use of computers, the shift to smartphones, and the rise of social networks…

U2’s Larry Mullen Jr. Reveals Dyscalculia Diagnosis, Which He Says Makes Counting Feel ‘Like Climbing Everest’

December 13, 2024 | Source: People- UK

Larry Mullen Jr. has always found it difficult to comprehend arithmetic, and now he knows why. After years of struggling with numeracy skills such as adding and counting, the U2 drummer, 63, has been diagnosed with Dyscalculia, a learning disability that makes it difficult to understand numbers and do math. The musician revealed his diagnosis for the first time in an interview with Times Radio published Thursday, Dec. 12. “I’ve always known that there’s something not particularly right with the way that I deal with numbers. I’m numerically challenged,” he said…

96-year-old veteran’s thoughtful donation enhances accessibility at Art Gallery of Algoma

December 13, 2024 | Source: The Spec- Canada

An art installation at the Art Gallery of Algoma received an unexpected enhancement, thanks to the generosity of a community member who wanted to improve the visitor experience. The Confluence exhibit, a multimedia art installation, shares Canada’s history of colonization through the personal stories of four individuals projected on the gallery’s walls. Designed to immerse visitors in this powerful narrative, the exhibit has drawn considerable attention since its opening…

Devon-born disability radio station goes digital

December 13, 2024 | Source: BBC- UK

An Exeter based community radio station for disabled people can now be listened to on digital radio. Access All Aerials (AAA) has got its DAB+ licence, making it the first disability broadcaster to go fully digital. The radio station is operated by 50 people with disabilities and airs shows aimed at empowering the disabled community to have its voice heard. Access All Aerials is run by Community Equality Disability Action (CEDA) from its radio studio in Marsh Barton and says thousands of listeners tune in to its range of music shows and talk radio…

Why online shopping isn’t so fun for those who are blind or have low vision

December 14, 2024 | Source: ABC- Australia

Brave. Chrome truth. Tara peacock. Confused by what any of that means? So was I. Those were image descriptions of a lipstick, handbag and pair of shorts I was browsing online. I’m blind and lost my vision when I was six months old, so I don’t have any concept of colour, tone, shade or what objects look like. I use screen reading software, which reads aloud the text and image descriptions on the device I’m browsing on. But what exactly did “brave” look like? I knew “chrome” was a colour, but I’d never seen it…

My struggle to plan an accessible Christmas party

December 14, 2024 | Source: BBC- UK

I, like so many others, look forward to the Christmas season and a party with colleagues. However, as someone with a disability, looking for a location is not simple. This is my first year working for Newyddion S4C in Cardiff, and everyone is looking forward to finding somewhere to celebrate together. I have a rare form of muscular dystrophy: a condition that means weak muscles, which means I can’t climb stairs very well and therefore, a location without them was required…

Cathedral given £500k wheelchair access boost

December 14, 2024 | Source: BBC- UK

A cathedral has been awarded nearly £500,000 to help improve accessibility. The grant will enable Bristol Cathedral to go ahead with planned works to install a lift and level out flooring. At present, wheelchair users have to go around the outside of the cathedral in all weathers to access facilities. “There’s more than that needed but it gives a core amount and hopefully we can build on that with more fundraising to make the project a reality,” said the Reverend Canon Neil Patterson…

Indonesia’s KND targets better data for disability rights fulfillment

December 14, 2024 | Source: ANTARA News- Indonesia

Indonesia’s National Commission on Disability (KND) is optimizing the data collection of people with disabilities to ensure the fulfillment of their rights. In an online discussion on Saturday, KND Chairperson Dante Rigmalia stated that her commission identified several issues related to people with disabilities in Indonesia, one of which is data collection of disabled individuals that had yet to be optimal. “The number of people with disabilities in the population administration system is less than 800,000…

Accessibility for All: Paving the Way to Inclusive Excellence

December 16, 2024 | Source: UoH Herald – University of Hyderabad- India

In a significant event held on Monday, 16 December 2024, the Vice Chancellor of University of Hyderabad (UoH), Prof. B.J. Rao formally inaugurated the facility of wheelchairs in all academic units, administrative offices, auditoria, lecture hall complexes and guest houses of the University. UoH, as an all-inclusive campus, has been placing a huge premium in creating accessible environment for people with mobility needs. At a cost of around 5 and half crore rupees the University modified the pathways to major academic and administrative buildings and built ramps and installed elevators 7 years ago…

Bus accessibility: Let’s not forget those who are less ambulant

December 16, 2024 | Source: Route One- UK

Let me go back around 40 years. One of the themes of the mid-1980s was making modifications to buses to improve accessibility for the less ambulant, a ‘wee bit shoogly on ma pins,’ as one woman referred to it. Those adaptions were referred to colloquially as ‘DipTAC mods’ and focused on step heights, distances between grab rails and their ‘gripability’, and adding bright, high-contrast colour to step edges and stanchions to aid the visually impaired…

New accessibility standard about creating ‘culture of change,’ says director

December 16, 2024 | Source: HRD- Canada

The latest employment standard from Accessibility Standards Canada is about creating a “culture of change” for all stages of the employment lifecycle, according to Maureen Haan, director of the Accessibility Standards Canada Board of Directors. Expansive in scope, it addresses each phase of the employment journey. “The standard really talks about the life cycle of employment for people with disabilities,” she said. “We’re not focused enough on retention or career development; we need to shift our focus and make sure workplaces become truly inclusive.”…

Burnaby releases draft Accessibility Plan

December 16, 2024 | Source: Burnaby Beacon- Canada

The City of Burnaby unveiled its draft accessibility plan almost one year after initiating the process. In December 2023, the city announced that it was initiating the process of creating the plan in cooperation with a consulting firm, Urban Matters. The city and its consultants hosted several engagement events with city staff, members of the community, and service providers in late 2023 and early 2024. The city’s Access Advisory Committee discussed the results of these public engagement events during its meeting on May 30, 2024…

Taxi drivers warning over accessible vehicle rules

December 17, 2024 | Source: BBC- UK

Proposed changes to North Yorkshire’s taxi licensing rules threaten to push drivers out of the industry, councillors have been warned. North Yorkshire Council is revising its hackney carriage policies in a bid to increase the number of wheelchair accessible vehicles (WAV) and to meet equality legislation. Under a draft plan, which is due to go out to consultation next year, the council is proposing to only allow new taxi registrations for WAV, electric or potentially hybrid vehicles…

On the move: Ensuring accessible transportation for everyone

December 17, 2024 | Source: Deccan Herald- India

Accessible transportation is not just a convenience; it is a fundamental human right. On November 8, 2024, the Supreme Court of India reaffirmed this by declaring accessibility essential for upholding the dignity and equality of persons with (PwDs). Achieving inclusive cities and spaces for PwDs requires addressing transportation as a key element of accessibility. Global frameworks like the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) emphasise inclusive and accessible transport…

Inclusive Resilience: Euro 6.45 million from Finland to Empower Persons with Disabilities to Lead Community Transformation in Syria

December 17, 2024 | Source: United Nations Development Programme- Finland

The Government of Finland announced a new contribution of Euro 6.45 million to the United Nations Development Programme to strengthen the resilience and overall well-being of communities in Syria through the active involvement and contributions of persons with disabilities (PWDs) in development and peacebuilding. The project will follow a comprehensive approach integrating community-led initiatives with social protection, capacity building and inclusive policy advocacy…

Region hopes Multi-Year Accessibility Plan breaks down barriers

December 18, 2024 | Source: Niagara-on-the-Lake- Canada

Last week, the 2024-2029 Multi-Year Accessibility Plan was presented to Regional Council. The plan is used as a guide to make the Region’s facilities, operations and services accessible and inclusive to all residents. The plan builds on the successes of the 2018-2023 accessibility plan, including audible/visual fire alarms installed at 12 locations, new accessibility staff training and accessible parking upgrades at multiple Regional facilities to name a few. It also outlines 31 specific actions across six focus areas aimed at further advancing accessibility in the Region…

What Strictly Come Dancing can teach marketers about catering for disabled consumers

December 18, 2024 | Source: Jonathan Hassell- The Drum- UK

I must admit, I am not an avid watcher of Strictly Come Dancing, the BBC’s Saturday evening TV fixture that dominates the schedules in the run up to Christmas. However, you would have to be living under a rock to not have known that this year’s show featured its very first blind contestant, the comedian Chris McCausland. Of course, this is not the first time the programme has included people with disabilities. This year’s cast also includes Tasha Ghouri, who wears a cochlear implant, and Deaf actress Rose Ayling-Ellis won the show a few years ago. Paralympians have also competed in previous seasons…

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