Accessibility in the News—08/04/17Fullcover

Last week’s federal regulatory announcement effectively put website accessibility rulemaking on hold. But while some bemoan a lack of guidance from the U.S. Department of Justice, groups such as EDUCause are pursuing meeting the digital needs of those with disabilities on a voluntary basis. Furthermore, many say the lack of federal action doesn’t throw out the business, litigation, or human rights justifications for making sites and mobile apps usable and navigable by a larger audience, including people with disabilities. Designers and developers should take care, though, not to only rely on automated accessibility checkers to declare an app or website barrier free.

Travel for those with disabilities can be considerably more difficult than for those who don’t need to consider the need for wheelchair care, accessible trails, or transit conditions, but several destinations are making their areas more accommodating and inclusive. This includes Mammoth Cave National Park, Chicago, and the City of San Antonio, one of the most accessible destinations in the U.S.

The accessibility of public spaces, and the disability rights that undergird them, is also in the spotlight. Humboldt County, California has a “monumental” task of making its government facilities accessible. Pending city approval, certain Springfield, Illinois, Department of Corrections facilities will also get accessibility upgrades.

Microsoft and Apple continue to blaze new trails in harnessing technology to meet disability-related needs, but the innovation doesn’t stop there. Nike’s Marty McFly shoes are in the mix this week, as is the story of a teen who used artificial intelligence to diagnose her grandfather’s eye disease. The W3C is also looking at digital rights management standards and online accessibility interference. Some argue that new standards from W3C will criminalize those who adapt media for accessibility reasons.

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AITN Quote of the Week

“Normal is just a dryer setting.”

— Patsy Clairmont

National News (U.S.)

7 facts about Americans with disabilities

July 27, 2017 | Source: Pew Research | ADA, Awareness, Statistics

There were nearly 40 million Americans with a disability in 2015, representing 12.6% of the civilian non-institutionalized population, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Yet the share of Americans with disabilities varies widely across demographic groups and geography. (The Census Bureau’s American Community Survey defines disability status through six types of questions measuring serious difficulty with hearing, vision, cognition, walking or climbing stairs, as well as difficulty with self-care and independent living. Other surveys with different definitions have estimated that a considerably larger share of Americans have disabilities.)…

ADA Web Accessibility Regulatory Processes Now “Inactive”

July 27, 2018 | Source: EDUCAUSE Review | ADA, Digital Accessibility, Web Design, Government/Legislation

Late last week, the Trump Administration published its 2017 Unified Regulatory Agenda. The list of “inactive” regulatory processes (i.e., ones that the Administration does not intend to pursue for the time being). The current step does not permanently block rule-making in this area — inactive status means that DOJ can recall the ANPRM and/or SANPRM at its discretion. It likely signals, though, that DOJ will not pursue web accessibility regulations in the foreseeable future. That poses significant challenges for all of the process stakeholders. For colleges and universities, clear standards and compliance processes for web accessibility under the ADA would establish baseline expectations for meeting student, faculty, and community needs…

The Practical Role of Automated Web Accessibility Testing Tools

July 28, 2017 | Source: Microassist | Digital Accessibility, Web Design, Tech | Texas

With the proliferation of actions taken against organizations with websites and web applications that are not perceivable and usable by someone with vision, hearing, mobility and/or cognitive disabilities, it is only natural that institutions would respond by seeking out automated testing tools that can scan an entire web-based experience and report accessibility issues. At first this strategy of remediating errors detected by automated scanning proved effective as many of the entities bringing actions used the same tools to identify organizations to focus on. This led to a distinctive pattern where organizations were only remediating the automated test defects which only identify ten to thirty percent of accessibility issues…

Disabled Texans say bathroom bill could further complicate their lives

July 28, 2017 | Source: Community Impact | Building/Facilities Access, Disability Rights, Advocacy, Government, Policies/Legislation | Texas

For Octavio Armendariz, using the bathroom while he’s home is no big deal. When the autistic eight-year-old is out in public with his mom, it’s a different story. Rosanna Armendariz isn’t comfortable with Octavio, who has the social and emotional development of a three-year-old, navigating the men’s bathroom alone. So she brings him into the women’s bathroom with her instead. “We started getting looks from the time he was around seven,” she said. “I guess by that age many boys are using the men’s room, and since autism is an invisible disability, people don’t automatically realize why my son would be in the women’s room with me.”…

Mammoth Cave to improve accessibility at trail

July 29, 2017 | Source: Bowling Green Daily News | Accessible Design, Travel, Inclusion | Kentucky

In a world built for able-bodied people, people with disabilities can miss out on a lot. Mammoth Cave National Park is launching a project to improve accessibility for its Echo River Spring trail. After receiving a grant from the National Park Service, the park will begin building a half-mile, 8-foot wide concrete walkway along the trail and four exhibits with tactile features for visually impaired people. “Our project was really attractive to the people that were evaluating the applications because it was all outside,” said park spokeswoman Vickie Carson, adding that many features for people with disabilities are set up indoors. “They were really interested in the fact that this was an outdoor, accessible project and that it involved being near water.”…

The Pros and Cons of Traveling in a Wheelchair

July 28, 2017 | Source: SMA News Today | Mobility, Personal Account, Travel, Awareness

I don’t know about you, but this time of the year always has me daydreaming of some sort of tropical getaway complete with life-changing excursions and the ability to immerse oneself in new cultures and traditions. At heart, I’m consumed by wanderlust. I love seeking new adventures and exploring all the beauty this world has to offer. (Portugal ranks No. 1 on my list!) There’s something to say about the feeling you get after returning home from a trip, you know? It’s a feeling that you want to chase, a feeling that you wish you could bottle up and tuck under your arm to carry it wherever you go. It’s a feeling of refreshment and renewal after having just experienced something new and unfamiliar. But, all feelings and sentiments aside, traveling is kind of terrifying when you’re in a wheelchair…

Pyfferoen: Let’s ensure that public spaces are truly accessible to all

July 29, 2017 | Source: Columbus Journal | Transit/Transportation, ADA, Disability Rights, Building/Facilities Access

The “Americans with Disabilities Act” (ADA) was signed into law on July 26, 1990. This year marks ADA’s 27th anniversary. Unfortunately, this isn’t an anniversary we can celebrate. Some 27 years after its passage into law, many seemingly ignore it or perhaps do not fully understand it. This fact of ignoring the issue, or the lack of understanding is making it impossible for individuals in wheelchairs to enjoy each and every establishment. The ADA provides, among other things, that “no individual shall be discriminated against on the basis of disability in the full and equal enjoyment of the goods, services, privileges, advantages, or accommodations of any place of public accommodation by any person who owns, leases (or leases to), or operates a place of public accommodation.”…

County’s ADA tab at $17 million

July 29, 2017 | Source: Mad River Union | ADA, Government, Accessible Design, Inclusion, Building/Facilities Access | California

The county has launched into what a staff report describes as the “monumental task” of making all government facilities handicapped-accessible, with total construction costs estimated at $17 million. Last year, the county entered into a settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and agreed to modify facilities to make them compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The DOJ has identified more than 50 county facilities that are non-compliant. In addition to the costs of physically removing barriers to accessibility, the county is hiring planning specialists and additional staff to administrate the changes…

Major accessibility upgrades planned at Corrections’ campus

July 30, 2017 | Source: The State Journal Register | Building/Facilities Access, Accessible Design, Government | Illinois

Major accessibility upgrades to Illinois Department of Corrections administrative and training facilities in Springfield are planned in coming months, pending final approval from the city. Work is planned across the 15-acre campus at 1301 Concordia Court, according to a project summary from the Illinois Department of Central Management Services. More than 350 Corrections employees work at the Concordia Court facility, which includes 22 buildings totaling 230,000 square feet. There’s an administrative office, cadet training facilities, dormitories, dining halls, a power plant and mower garage. One new building is planned as part of the project…

This Nike Engineer Hopes Her Marty McFly Sneaker Will Break Down Accessibility Barriers

July 31, 2017 | Source: Brit + Co | Fashion, Awareness, Accessible Design, Innovation

Along with hoverboards, self-drying jackets, and food hydrators, Back To The Future II promised us self-lacing sneakers. The 1989 movie even set a deadline: 2015. When the date for the shoes’ predicted IRL debut came and went (with us still bending and reaching to tie our own damn laces) the VIPs at Nike decided it was time to press fast forward on their Marty McFly-inspired R&D work. Plastics engineer Tiffany Beers, brought into the sneaker company’s Innovation Kitchen as the team’s Senior Innovator, and put in charge of making pop culture’s most popular running shoe of the future a reality (hoverboarding skills not included)…

Why I got into a screaming match over a handicapped parking space

July 31, 2017 | Source: Dallas News | Accessible Parking, Accessible Design, Mobility, Discrimination, Personal Account | Texas

An otherwise-pleasant road trip was briefly soured last week when I got into a screaming match with a perfect stranger in a convenience store parking lot in Longview. It was not my best moment. Here’s what happened: I pulled into the store’s single handicapped-access parking space and hung up the legally required blue placard before unloading Mike’s zippy little mobility scooter. He wheeled inside the store while I pulled to a gas pump to refuel. Then I returned to the parking space and went to join him inside…

Disability Committee Works to Increase Access & Mobility

July 31, 2017 | Source: FOX 15 | Mobility, Accessible Design, Inclusion

The Mayor-President’s Awareness Committee for Citizens with Disabilities (ACCD) actively seeks to identify unique solutions to mobility and accessibility challenges in order to create a more inclusive community for those living with a disability. Ongoing Downtown accessibility improvements have been the main focus of the ACCD and the committee has identified and prioritized several key points of interest. Focusing on areas most in need of improvements, highest areas of traffic and overall functionality, the committee is working to understand and address accessibility issues facing handicapped citizens in Downtown Lafayette…

DOJ Disables Titles II and III Website Regulations

July 31, 2017 | Source: National Law Review | ADA, Digital Accessibility, Web Design

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has placed its once-planned website accessibility regulations under Titles II and III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) on an inactive list, putting to rest speculation about what the Trump administration may do with respect to the long-promised regulations. As published in the Unified Regulatory Agenda, a semiannual compilation of information about regulations under development by federal agencies, plans that once had the Title II and III regulations coming in Fiscal Years 2017 and 2018, respectively, are now inactive…

Microsoft will use Tobii’s eye tracking to make Windows 10 more accessible

August 1, 2017 | Source: Venture Beat & ARS Technica | Innovation, Accessible Design, Inclusion, Digital Accessibility

Tobii has pioneered technology that lets you control a computer with your eyes, and today it is announcing that it will collaborate to bring eye tracking to Microsoft’s Windows. The Eye Control feature in Windows 10 is currently beta and leverages what Tobii calls “eye gaze” technology, which uses a camera on a computer to track where you are looking on a screen. The beta integration will also let you activate icons and move a cursor or targeting reticle with your eyes. It will be a new standard way to provide input to a computer in an upcoming version of Windows 10, alongside keyboard, mouse, pen, and touch…

IPC President hopes Los Angeles 2028 will help Paralympic Movement grow in United States

August 2, 2017 | Source: Insidethegames.biz | Paralympics, Athletics/Entertainment, Inclusion

International Paralympic Committee (IPC) President Sir Philip Craven hopes the 2028 Paralympic Games in Los Angeles will provide a platform for his Movement to experience a period of growth in the United States. Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti announced yesterday his city had agreed to host the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games, meaning Paris will stage the event in 2024. It will be the first time either Paris or Los Angeles has hosted the Paralympic Games, despite both cities having previously staged the Olympics twice. There may be more than 11 years to go until Los Angeles 2028 but Sir Philip warned “there is not a moment to waste to ensure that these Games are finally the ones where the Paralympic Movement makes a breakthrough in the USA”…

San Antonio is becoming the nation’s go to tourist destination

August 2, 2017 | Source: eTurboNews | Travel, Accessible Design, Inclusion | Texas

San Antonio’s array of attractions and historic sites, partnered with its dedication to accessibility, is making the destination one of the leading options for vacationers of all abilities. While attractions like Morgan’s Wonderland, the world’s first ultra-accessible theme park, are a big draw for vacationers seeking accessible options, visitors also will find that many of the city’s top cultural and historic sites are also accommodating. With wheelchair accessibility along the River Walk, theme parks offering sign language translation at shows, a sensory garden for visually impaired and exhibits specifically for people on the autism spectrum, San Antonio is setting the accessible vacation standard. Here’s a sampling of what an ultra-accessible vacation in San Antonio may include:…

Accessibility for teams

August 2, 2017 | Source: Google Developers | Workforce, Awareness, Accessible Design

Making your site more accessible can be a daunting task. If you are approaching accessibility for the first time, the sheer breadth of the topic can leave you wondering where to start. After all, working to accommodate a diverse range of abilities means there are a correspondingly diverse range of issues to consider. Remember, accessibility is a team effort. Every person has a role to play. This article outlines criteria for each of the major disciplines (project manager, UX designer, and developer) so that they can work to incorporate accessibility best practices into their process…

This Android banking malware steals data by exploiting smartphone accessibility services

August 2, 2017 | Source: ZDNet & Naked Security | Digital Accessibility, Mobile App, Banking

Svpeng is one of the most notorious banking Trojans because it receives regular upgrades in order to stay fresh and keep infecting victims. It has just been upgraded again with new keylogger functionality in a bid to steal any text entered on the phone, including usernames and passwords — and it does so by exploiting accessibility services, the Android function designed to help people with disabilities use their phone. By abusing this feature, not only can Svpeng steal text entered into the phone’s apps, as well as open URLs and read text messages, it also has the ability to prevent itself from being uninstalled by granting itself additional permissions and rights…

Why Your Website Should Get With The Program On Accessibility Compliance

August 2, 2017 | Source: Arkansas Business Online | Digital Accessibility, Web Design, WCAG, Disability Rights

There’s probably a real good chance you’ve never heard of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG). But if you have any responsibility associated with your business’s’ website, there are some real good reasons why you should not only know it, but make certain that your website complies with the guidelines. The first reason is that it should expand your marketing base to a more inclusive audience. The second reason is that it could help you avoid a lawsuit…

Edtech company Course Arc inked a deal with Baltimore schools

August 2, 2017 | Source: Technical.ly | Education, Technology, Inclusion | Maryland

More than 100,000 students attend public schools in Baltimore and the district has been looking for a way to continue the learning online and expand resources. They’ve found a local partner in Course Arc, an e-learning content creation platform. “We had a variety of requirements beyond simply looking for a course creation resource that could be easily implemented,” said Dr. Mary Boswell-McComas, interim chief academic officer of Baltimore County Public Schools. “We were thrilled that the best fit for our needs also happened to be a local company. CourseArc has exceeded our expectations and has made the onboarding process completely seamless.” Egan said the school district’s focus on accessibility for all students made the partnership a no-brainer…

Moovit Gets Travelers with Restricted Mobility the Most Comprehensive Wheelchair Access Routes

August 2, 2017 | Source: MassTransitMag.com | Travel, Mobility, Accessible Design, Transit

People who identify as disabled just got a boost for their public transport needs as Moovit has announced the most comprehensive route planning service for people with restricted mobility. The accessibility feature adds to other industry-leading features the company has implemented on its app to help transit riders with disabilities. Last year the company added comprehensive VoiceOver / TalkBack support for the visually impaired, which provides clear voice directions including get off alerts. Earlier this year Moovit introduced larger buttons strategically placed on the app’s bottom bar to assist users with limited motoric skills…

Correu helped make San Antonio more accessible for those with disabilities

August 2, 2017 | Source: mySanAntonio.com | Disability Rights, Inclusion, Advocacy, Accessible Design | Texas

Making the decision to become a minister at an early age, Lawrence McNeil “Larry” Correu later discovered a second calling — advocating for people with disabilities. Hired as the executive director of San Antonio Independent Living Services, or SAILS, in 1986, Correu helped increase accessibility at the local and state levels. “It wasn’t something that he planned,” said his daughter, Lori Crownover. But “he was made for the job … had good leadership qualities. It was very successful time for SAILS and for him.”…

Non-Profit Makes Visiting Chicago More Doable For The Disabled

August 2, 2017 | Source: CBS Chicago | Nonprofit, Travel, Disability Rights | Illinois

Chicago is an exciting city with many things to do. For people with disabilities, visiting Chicago might seem impossible, but a local organization created a resource to make it more doable. Open Doors Organization (ODO), a nonprofit group, launched almost two decades ago to help disabled people visiting or living in the Windy City. The organization serves visitors through a website called Easy Access Chicago…

New report offers more detail on Apple’s work w/ Cochlear to improve iPhone accessibility

August 2, 2017 | Source: 9to5Mac | Apple, Digital Accessibility, Mobile Accessibility, Innovation

Earlier this month, it was reported that Apple was working with hearing-aid manufacturer Cochlear on Bluetooth and other technologic challenges to offer a direct connection to iPhones. Now, a new piece from Wired offers more detail on the efforts and talks about how “Apple is putting voices in users’ heads” with the technology. Tim Cook shared the story on Twitter this evening, saying he is proud of the work Apple is doing in this area. The Wired piece tells the story of Mathias Bahnmueller, a 49-year-old who suffers from hearing loss and uses a system developed by Apple and Cochlear…

Paralyzed veterans sue over delay of a rule requiring airlines to track lost or damaged wheelchairs

August 2, 2017 | Source: LA Times | Mobility, Travel, Disability Rights

A veterans group has sued the U.S. Transportation Department for delaying a rule that would have required airlines to track data on lost or damaged wheelchairs and scooters in the same way that carriers report lost or damaged luggage. Starting next year, airlines operating in the U.S. were expected to begin reporting when they had lost or damaged passengers’ wheelchairs and scooters. But the Transportation Department has delayed implementation of the rule until 2019, prompting a lawsuit by Paralyzed Veterans of America contending that the reporting would help fliers identify which carriers are most likely to lose or damage a wheelchair…

Service for all

August 3, 2017 | Source: Marshall Independent | Inclusion, Accessible Design, Disability Rights, Businesses | Minnesota

Accessibility has become a hot topic in Minnesota — though not for entirely positive reasons. After a long string of lawsuits alleging violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act were filed against businesses across the state, many people are asking how to make their businesses accessible to customers with disabilities. But speakers in Marshall on Tuesday reminded local businesspeople that accessibility isn’t just about keeping potential lawsuits away. It’s about equal rights. “It’s really about having the same level of service for everybody,” David Fenley said during a talk with Marshall area businesspeople on Tuesday. “It’s good business, and the right thing to do.”…

Are Internet Standards Standing in the Way of Digital Accessibility?

August 3, 2017 | Source: Pacific Standard | Digital Accessibility, Discrimination, Web Design, Disability Rights

Last March, when a judge ordered the University of California–Berkeley to make 20,000 videos and podcasts accessible to people with disabilities, the university balked. The videos and audio files contained lectures by Berkeley professors that the university wanted to make available to anyone, as an act of public outreach, but disability rights groups had sued on the grounds that the materials lacked captions, were often incompatible with the screen readers that blind people use to access the Internet, and other related issues. So the judge ordered the university to make the materials accessible. Instead, Berkeley shut the program down, locking the formerly public materials behind a firewall. The university said it was just too expensive to retrofit accessibility into their public program…

Teenage Whiz Kid Invents an AI System to Diagnose Her Grandfather’s Eye Disease

August 3, 2017 | Source: IEEE | Innovation, Blindness/Visual Impairment, Aging

When 16-year-old Kavya Kopparapu wasn’t attending conferences, giving speeches, presiding over her school’s bioinformatics society, organizing a research symposium, playing piano, and running a non-profit, she worried about what to do with all her free time. It was June 2016, the summer after her junior year in high school, and Kopparapu was looking for a new project that would use her computer science skills. Her thoughts quickly turned to her grandfather, who lives in a small city on India’s eastern coast. In 2013 he began showing symptoms of diabetic retinopathy, a complication of diabetes that damages blood vessels in the retina and can lead to blindness. Eventually he was diagnosed and treated, but not before his vision deteriorated. Still, he was lucky:..

DRM in web standards creates new barriers to accessibility

August 3, 2017 | Source: BoingBoing | Digital Accessibility, Web Design, Discrimination

The World Wide Web Consortium is pressing ahead with its project to standardize a DRM system for the web, without taking any legal steps to protect people whose legitimate activities would be impaired by the DRM system. DRM systems are protected by a global set of laws that ban tampering with copyright-controls, even when you’re engaged in otherwise legal activities. This notoriously interferes with security research (researchers who disclose defects in systems with DRM face legal threats, lawsuits and even jail time, leaving the users at risk of being attacked as these defects fester). But an equally important activity that DRM interferes with is accessibility adaptation, which, despite being protected in many countries’ copyright laws, turns into a legal minefield if DRM has to be removed in order to make a copyrighted work accessible for people with disabilities…

The Americans with Disabilities Act has changed how we talk — and has made life better for people like me

August 2, 2017 | Source: Tampa Bay Times | ADA, Inclusion, Disability Rights, Personal Account

The Americans with Disabilities Act, a civil rights act signed by President George H.W. Bush, just had its anniversary, and I am reminded of the great strides our great nation has taken since 1990 to include all people with disabilities into every phase of society. People who use wheelchairs for mobility can now get inside privately owned facilities, including supermarkets, shopping malls, theaters, sports complexes and restaurants. Taxi fleets now have a percentage of wheelchair-accessible vehicles. We now have captioning on websites and TV screens. Telecommunication (TTY) services allow people who are deaf or hard of hearing or who have a speech impediment to communicate by typing messages with a special telephone. Movie theaters have installed assistive listening devices…

Jack Fact — A Duke University study found the percentage of people worldwide with hearing loss has been on the rise, increasing from 14 percent to 18 percent over the past 25 years. Recent data estimate half a billion people worldwide have moderate to severe hearing losses

International News

A brief history of time, space and disability

July 27, 2017 | Source: Disability Horizons- UK | Disability Rights, Awareness, Inclusion | United Kingdom

Life is widely believed to have arisen from the accidental fusion of two nuclei, that gave rise to an advantage to the subsequent organism. It is even speculated that this was a single occurrence, resulting in a single unit of diversity that evolution subsequently favoured. Now 4.6 billion years later that same evolutionary force has produced millions of species on our planet, and who can say that we are even at the end of that evolutionary web. Evolution produces ever greater diversity. Disabled people are certainly part of that diversity and their experience brings new perspectives on the human condition…

Accessible housing needs to be on the government’s agenda post-election

July 28, 2017 | Source: PBC Today- UK | Housing, Accessible Design, Government | United Kingdom

Christina McGill, Head of Communications, Habinteg shares her wish list following the snap General Election and calls for accessible housing to be a priority. Now that the general election is over, we can once again start to think about what we hope to see from government policy. Although there is not much clarity at the time of writing, what we do know is the nature of a hung parliament means that the Queen’s Speech will be somewhat different to the manifestos published by the parties. So in the wake of these significant parliamentary changes, it is important that accessible and inclusive housing doesn’t get overlooked, especially given the momentum and cross-party support achieved before the election…

Siri, Show Me What’s Disability-Friendly in China

July 28, 2017 | Source: Sixth Tone- China | Digital Accessibility, Building/Facilities Access, Inclusion | China

More than 300 people with disabilities have co-signed a letter asking the developers of one of China’s most widely used online maps to mark the locations of ramps, elevators, platform lifts, and other tools that make navigating cities less daunting, as even when such “barrier-free facilities” exist, they are often difficult to find. Though China has legal provisions for protecting the rights of people with disabilities, compliance is often lax. Outside of tourist hot spots and crowded public facilities, accessible toilets are scarce, and sometimes the only way to cross multi-lane roads is to climb a flight of stairs to an elevated pedestrian walkway. Tactile sidewalks for the visually impaired are becoming more prevalent in cities, but so are shared bikes that get in the way if parked improperly…

#APCTop20 – No.5: Carla Qualtrough elected to Canada’s Cabinet

July 29, 2017 | Source: International Paralymic Committee- Canada | Paralympics, Mobility, Government | Canada

In November 2015, former Americas Paralympic Committee (APC) Vice-President Carla Qualtrough was named Canada’s Minister of Sport and Persons with Disabilities. “I am absolutely delighted that Carla has been appointed to such a significant and influential role within the Canadian government,” said International Paralympic Committee (IPC) President Sir Philip Craven at the time. “On behalf of the whole Paralympic Movement I would like to pass on all of our congratulations and wish her well in her new role.” Qualtrough is a successful lawyer, human rights activist and dedicated volunteer who represented Canada at the Seoul 1988 and Barcelona 1992 Paralympic Games, winning three bronze medals in swimming.

For Persons with Disabilities, things are looking up, but…

July 29, 2017 | Source: The Hindu- India | Disability Rights, Inclusion, Building/Facilities Access | India

He thought the availability of an elevator was a sign of accessibility when he first started working. His school and engineering college days had seen his father carrying him up the fleet of stairs. The concept of accessibility, and of a general readiness to employ Persons with Disabilities (PwDs), has come a long way since, said Saswat Swain, who has osteogenesis imperfecta, a disorder characterised by fragile bones. Now Assistant Manager at Accenture, Mr. Swain has seen infrastructure and attitudes evolve in his decade-long career. “I never saw anyone on a wheelchair in offices. Around five years ago, I came across an employee on a wheelchair in the U.S. Since then, I have started seeing more even in India,” he said, indicating the slow but growing number of PwDs making it in white-collar jobs…

People with disabilities to get access to basic public utilities in smart cities

July 30, 2017 | Source: Hindu Business Line- India | Innovation, Accessible Design, Inclusion, Building/Facilities Access | India

Will people with disabilities, the much neglected lot in society get due access to basic public utilities in the evolving ‘Smart Cities’ in India? The answer seems to be a hopeful yes. At least 100 buildings each in 50 cities will be made accessible in a couple of years. These are part of the much hyped, technology intensive and ambitious ‘Smart Cities’ in the country. The Government had decided to turn 100 cities Smart. The Government has selected these 50 cities under the Accessible India Campaign. Accordingly, the focus will be on auditing and ensuring access to atleast 25-50 of the most important government buildings in these cities fully accessible to these people by the end of 2017. By end of 2018, the target is to cover 50 per cent of all government building of the national capital region and all state capitals within reach…

Road to Metro stations riddled with obstacles

July 30, 2017 | Source: Times of India- India | Transit/Transportation, Discrimination, Building/Facilities Access | India

Delhi Metro stations aren’t easy areas for people trying to reach them. A study carried out by CSIR-Central Road Research Institute clearly established this, boosting the view that accessibility to public buildings necessitates the improvement of surrounding road infrastructure too. The CSIR-CRRI study, completed in March, found that Metro stations were not easy for use due to the bad condition of footpaths, their faulty design, poor illumination and conflict areas between pedestrian and motorised users…

Disabled-friendly campus long way off

July 30, 2017 | Source: NYOOOZ- India | Education, Building/Facilities Access, Mobility | India

A PWD official responded that most of the railings were erected to “define the gates of colleges or buildings”. “Samarthyam, an organisation that works on accessibility issues, had conducted the accessibility audit of North Campus in 2015 at DU’s invitation. We are also learning from the experts and if changes required, we will do the needful,” assured an official. The official said, “Only railings at the bus stands have been installed to help people in wheelchairs. PWD is spending close to Rs 50 lakh on the effort though its officials admit that they don’t have the expertise to make everything fully disabled-friendly…

‘Lincolnshire is so accessible for wheelchair users’ #LoveLincs

July 31, 2017 | Source: LincolnshireLive- UK | Mobility, Inclusion, Building/Facilities Access | United Kingdom

With it’s not so flat landscape, beaches and quaint market towns with narrow streets, it could be easy to think that Lincolnshire may not always be easy to get around – particularly if you are disabled. But a couple from Washingborough have praised Lincolnshire as a fantastic place to live and it is down to how accessible it is for wheelchair users. Amanda and Steve Kent love visiting various places across Lincolnshire – and they don’t let the fact that Steve is in a wheelchair stop them…

New bid to scrap blue badge fees

July 31, 2017 | Source: Alton Herald- England | Accessible Parking, Mobility, Accessible Design | England

A PROTEST petition calling for Waverley to reverse “highly discriminatory” proposals to charge disabled blue badge holders, has been signed by more than 680 objectors. There was an outcry when Waverley implemented new charges in the borough’s car parks that removed the three-hours free parking provision previously enjoyed by disabled drivers, unless they were on income-related benefits, from April 3. After receiving a 390-strong protest petition claiming Waverley had not made its ticket machines safely accessible to wheelchair users – or those with walking frames – the borough council agreed a few weeks later, to suspend enforcement action “temporarily” and undertake a review…

Wheelchair user was ‘left on the train for 20 minutes’: has accessibility on trains improved?

July 31, 2017 | Source: ITV News- UK | Mobility, Discrimination, Transit/Transportation | United Kingdom

There has been an increase in the number of people with disabilities who are choosing to use the rail network to get around. There has also been an improvement in the accessibility of rail services and train stations. However, many people with disabilities still experience challenges and difficulties with using public transport and still feel there is a lot more that needs to be done. Carrie-Ann Lightely works for an organisation called Tourism for All, which helps disabled tourists with personalised holiday and travel information, as well as holiday and travel companies improve their accessibility…

More action needed to help Manitobans with disabilities seeking volunteer work: advocates

July 31, 2017 | Source: MetroNews Canada | Advocacy, Inclusion, Workforce | Canada

An accessibility advocacy group is calling for more provincial action to help Manitobans with disabilities land volunteer experience. Barrier-Free Manitoba says many Manitobans struggle with finding accessible volunteer positions – which give resumes an added boost. “For those looking to enter the labour market, especially after being away for a bit, volunteering can be critical to taking those next few steps to securing stable employment,” said Patrick Falconer, a consultant for Barrier-Free Manitoba…

Today sign-language has a voice

July 31, 2017 | Source: West- Welfare Society Territory- Egypt | Deaf/Hearing Impaired, Technology, Innovation | Egypt

From today on, sign language has a voice. Thanks to Mohamed Elwazer, 28-year old, ambitious Egyptian social-entrepreneur who invented KinTrans, that translates signs into words and vice versa. Like game consoles, the device interprets movement in space thanks to wireless technologies. And total privacy is maintained. There is no need for an interpreter or recording of the conversation. A wi-fi connection and an electrical outlet is all that it takes to be up and running…

People with disabilities feel “left out” of the modern digital workplace

July 31, 2017 | Source: MetroNews Canada | Workforce, Discrimination, Digital Accessibility | Canada

Former federal worker Abigail Shorter is taking the government to task in a human rights case. After her position was made redundant, she wasn’t able to find a new one in the public service. Because of her disability, she claims she isn’t able to use much of the software required in government jobs. Her lawyer told CBC that some public-service computer programs, including the notoriously buggy new payroll program Phoenix, can’t be used without a mouse, making them problematic for anyone, like Shorter, whose disability affects their hand-eye coordination or ability to use their hands…

A future of limitless opportunities

July 31, 2017 | Source: Disability Horizons- UK | Inclusion, Innovation, Assistive Technology | United Kingdom

We’ve all heard that the power of technology can facilitate more inclusion for disabled people. Disability Horizons Co-Founder Martyn Sibley recently tested out this theory. How? Trying out the new and exciting SmartPhone app – assist-Mi, as part of an Open Inclusion research project. Here’s how he got on…It’s Friday evening. I’m a little tired. I’ve travelled a long way today. Starting in my car, I headed to my local train station in Cambridgeshire. After an hour on the first train, I arrived at Kings cross. I was finally ready to start my pilot test of the new assist-Mi app…

Privacy commission rules in favour of accessibility advocacy group

July 31, 2017 | Source: National Post- Canada | Advocacy, Government, Lawsuits/Litigation | Canada

Ontario’s privacy commission says the provincial government significantly overcharged an advocacy group fighting for information on accessibility law compliance in the province and must now hand over the material. The commission’s decision says the government tried to charge the Access for Ontarians with Disabilities Alliance $4,200 for a sweeping access to information request seeking details on many issues, including plans to make sure private businesses are complying with accessibility laws. The alliance says it tried to get the fee waived and says the government enlisted five lawyers in its fight to uphold the pricey charge…

Inspiralive creates right kind of noise by working on inclusion for hearing-impaired people

August 1, 2017 | Source: YourStory.com- India | Inclusion, Deaf/Hearing Impaired, Workforce | India

Instead of trying to get them to hear or fit into what is perceived to be a largely able world, Inspiralive aims at empowering and creating an inclusive workforce for people having hearing loss. In a distant ideal world, the people with hearing impairment would stand out for individuality and not their disability. But in the current scenario, lack of access to information and communication is what curtails this section the most. Inspiralive has set out to bridge this chasm by not only generating employment for the hearing-impaired but also by giving both the masses and the disabled an opportunity to learn Indian Sign Language (ISL) and break the language barrier…

Sudan: JICA Assists to Create a Barrier Free Environment for Persons With Disabilities

August 2, 2017 | Source: AllAfrica.com- Sudan | Inclusion, Accessible Design, Awareness | Sudan

Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) in collaboration with National Council for Persons with Disabilities conducted seminar on “Accessibility for Persons with Disabilities” in 31st July to 3rd August 2017 reported in a press release issued by (JICA). “The aim of this seminar is to improve accessibility for people with disabilities in Sudan to integrate people with disability into society and lead a normal life. To be active, a person with disability should be able to commute between home, work and other destinations…

Summerworks Increases Accessibility and Visibility of People with Disabilities

August 2, 2017 | Source: Torontoist- Canada | Inclusion, Awareness, Disability Rights | Canada

The Summerworks Performance Festival is no stranger to the idea of inclusive, accessible shows. This year brings with it an even greater resolve among festival staff to expand the existing outreach towards would-be audience members with disabilities or conditions that might otherwise limit their participation. “I wanted to go deeper than surface level accessibility,” said Laura Nanni, the festival’s artistic and managing director. She added that the efforts towards increased accessibility at this year’s festival are in part the result of community feedback…

Calls for EFTPOS terminals to be made accessible to all

August 3, 2017 | Source: Convenience & Impulse Retailing- Australia | Blindness/Visual Impairment, Accessible Design, Discrimination | Australia

The Commonwealth Bank (CBA) touch screen EFTPOS machine has been slammed by Blind Citizens Australia for its failure to be accessible to blind people. There are currently around 750,000 of the point of sale (POS) Albert terminals in use around Australia and unlike traditional EFTPOS machines, there is no keyboard. Relying only on a touch screen, the customer has to be able to read the options on-screen and read prompts to know which buttons to press meaning that blind and vision impaired people cannot use the machines independently…

Online assessment could improve math marks of deaf learners

August 3, 2017 | Source: Science Daily- South Africa | Deaf/Hearing Impaired, Digital Accessibility, Inclusion | South Africa

Online mathematics assessment (OMA) could help improve the mathematics performance of deaf and hard-of-hearing learners in South Africa. This is one of the key findings of a new study at Stellenbosch University (SU). “OMAs can help deaf and hard-of-hearing learners to understand difficult mathematical concepts and provide them with equal opportunities to do well in formal mathematics assessments,” says Dr Nolan Damon who is a mathematics teacher and blended-learning designer and trainer from Worcester. He recently obtained his doctorate in Curriculum Studies at Stellenbosch University. Damon investigated the use of OMAs as an alternative form of assessment to current pencil and paper-based mathematics assessments which do not provide deaf and hard-of-hearing learners with a fair chance to showcase what they have learnt..

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