Accessibility in the News — 7/17/19.

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AITN Quote of the Week

“Today I choose life. Every morning when I wake up I can choose joy, happiness, negativity, pain… To feel the freedom that comes from being able to continue to make mistakes and choices – today I choose to feel life, not to deny my humanity but embrace it.”

― Kevyn Aucoin

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National News (U.S.)

Business groups urge Supreme Court to wade into ADA website litigation fray

July 16, 2019 | Source: Reuters |

The battle over whether websites are covered by the American with Disabilities Act may be headed to the Supreme Court. The Retail Litigation Center and the National Retail Federation on Tuesday asked the U.S. Supreme Court to take a case that will enable the Court to establish a reasonable, nationwide standard for evaluating website accessibility claims filed under the Americans with Disabilities Act. At issue is whether a website is a “public accommodation” like a physical store within the meaning of the ADA…

Retailers ask Supreme Court for clarity in ADA website claims

July 16, 2019 | Source: Chain Store Age |

The Retail Litigation Center and the National Retail Federation on Tuesday asked the U.S. Supreme Court to take a case that will enable the Court to establish a reasonable, nationwide standard for evaluating website accessibility claims filed under the Americans with Disabilities Act.

How Cooking Websites Are Failing People With Disabilities

July 9, 2019 | Source: Serious Eats |

Cooking is about far more than basic sustenance. We cook and share food to establish, affirm, maintain, and repair interpersonal connections. We feast the wed and the dead, endear ourselves to coworkers with morning breakfast-taco runs, and research standard rates to ship edible affection cross-country. Many of us teach our communities to value us through the frenetic act of feeding them. Food can be one of the most accessible ways to forge relationships, particularly for those who are easily marginalized—out of impatience, indifference, ignorance, or fear…

Accessible Websites: Compliance and a Big Opportunity

July 11, 2019 | Source: Franchise Times |

Making a business website easy for disabled customers to use is required under the Americans with Disabilities Act, but it’s not just a matter of compliance. Keeping websites usable by everyone is just smart business. A recent count by law firm Seyfarth Shaw found that of the more than 2,200 web accessibility lawsuits filed in federal court in 2018, one in 10 cases involved a restaurant company and that number is growing. The average settlement cost restaurant owners $16,000—not a minor gamble…

Disabled voters left behind in push to amp up 2020 security, advocates say

July 12, 2019 | Source: The Guardian |

Russian attacks on American democracy in 2016, carried out over the internet, have triggered a national debate over the use of technology in the United States’ upcoming 2020 elections. But some of the best ways to beef up the security of the voting process and fight off future cyber-attacks could have an unintended consequence: limiting access to the vote for people with disabilities. Voting on hand-marked paper ballots – which by definition can’t be hacked – combined with robust audits of how the elections were carried out and how the votes were counted is widely seen as the most secure way to run an election…

Fenty Beauty Accused of “Intentional Discrimination” in New Lawsuit Over the Accessibility of its e-Commerce Site

July 12, 2019 | Source: The Fashion Law& HYPEBAE |

Fenty Beauty has been slapped with a new lawsuit, accusing it of engaging in “intentional discrimination” by “making it impossible” for visually impaired customers to “properly and fully utilize its [e-commerce] website.” According to the case that Beatriz Gutierrez filed against Fenty Beauty in state court in a Los Angeles, the industry-disrupting beauty brand – which is a joint venture between music mega-star Rihanna and French luxury goods conglomerate LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton – is the latest in a growing list of brands being taken to court for allegedly running afoul of California state civil rights law…

American Council of the Blind names new leadership, continues battle for accessibility and inclusion

July 12, 2019 | Source: WXXI News |

The American Council of the Blind, an advocacy group for the rights of visually impaired and blind people, elected new leadership at the organization’s 58th Annual Conference and Convention in Rochester. Around 1,200 people attended, along with roughly 300 guide dogs at the Riverside Convention Center for the week-long event, which wrapped up Friday. ACB President Dan Spoone said his journey of progressively losing his sight while growing up, not only presented its own challenges, but was matched by a culture of stigma and discrimination…

Cities face increased, innovative wheelchair accessible vehicle options

July 12, 2019 | Source: Smart Cities Dive |

May Mobility unveiled details about the wheelchair-accessible version of its autonomous shuttle, which the company has been testing at its Ann Arbor, MI shop and in Columbus, OH. The company expects to bring the vehicles to its existing service networks in Columbus, Providence, RI and Grand Rapids, MI after some design changes. The shuttles have a ramp for entry and exit, and mechanisms to secure wheelchairs inside the vehicle. Based on feedback from tests in Columbus, May Mobility says it will redesign the ramp to be more gradual, and add rubber bumpers so that it touches the ground…

New York government’s refreshed digital presence shows its successes

July 12, 2019 | Source: Albany Business Review |

In my first story, I discussed the New York State government’s commitment to transforming its IT infrastructure via the WebNY initiative. I highlighted that the Drupal content management system (CMS) is the centerpiece technology of the initiative. Why did New York choose Drupal and what benefits does it bring to the state government? The newly created New York State Information Technology Services agency had several open source content management systems to choose from, so why did they commit themselves to Drupal?…

Mindset Matters: Travel, Inclusion And How Companies Are Attracting The World’s Largest Minority

July 12, 2019 | Source: Forbes |

Travel is an expression of design and creates a singular experience that offers numerous possibilities. This idea has truly begun to be articulated throughout the industry as they continue to iterate and explore new opportunities to enhance the experience of travelers with disabilities. As this market continues to grow, the industry is beginning to realize that it serves their benefit to find new avenues to see design as a conduit to this growing area of business and share in seeing accessibility as not something that is just an afterthought but an essential aspect…

There are now more people over age 65 than under 5. Here’s what that means.

July 11, 2019 | Source: National Geographic |

For almost all of human history, the Earth’s population has skewed younger. But since the last World Population Day on July 11, a major shift occurred: There are now more people age 65 and older than there are under age five.

World Population Day was established by the United Nations Development Program in 1989 to bring attention to population issues. Having more people on the planet is not the only concern, though, since a population’s age structure matters too…

Despite Americans with Disabilities Act, websites are often inaccessible to the impaired

July 13, 2019 | Source: USA TODAY |

Many of the headlines began the same way: “Blind man sues Playboy …” That’s page view gold for news websites. Stories breathlessly detailed Donald Nixon’s lawsuit claiming the Playboy website lacks compatibility with screen reading software, including “alt text” used for photo descriptions. That was in November 2018. Would the reaction have been the same if the lawsuit targeted websites with crucial public policy information? Take the websites for all of the 2020 presidential candidates, for example…

If it’s not required and ROI isn’t clear, should we do it anyway?

July 13, 2019 | Source: Pensacola News Journal |

Should an organization or person do value-added things that are not required by law? You might assume that, of course, the answer is yes because it benefits the customer. But what if there is not a clear return on investment? My experience in observing and connecting to organizations is that the “required/not required” issue just isn’t that simple. Leaders in many organizations — whether they’re for-profit businesses, not-for-profits or communities — struggle with knowing how far to go when something isn’t required…

House committee adopts Elaine Luria amendment to help blind veterans

July 14, 2019 | Source: Augusta Free Press |

This week, the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs unanimously adopted an amendment introduced by Congresswoman Elaine Luria (VA-02) to ensure that blind veterans get the housing adaptations they need to live independently at home and with their families. “Blind veterans sacrificed for America,” Congresswoman Luria said. “They deserve equal access to important opportunities for growth and independence, and I am honored to champion their cause. It’s great news that the Committee unanimously moved our amendment forward.”…

Chicago Cultural Accessibility Consortium celebrates abilities by making arts, culture more accessible

July 14, 2019 | Source: ABC 7- Chicago |

A local organization is making cultural spaces accessible for all. For many like Beth Finkle, enjoying major events, cultural spaces and theater was not always an option. “I used to feel like walk into a theater or a museum and I’d get the feeling like oh no what are we going to do with her, she can’t see,” said Finkle. That is exactly what the Chicago Cultural Accessibility Consortium (CCAC) is working to change. The volunteer organization is partnering with cultural spaces across the city offering training, educational resource and accessible equipment…

Metro to launch new app and website to help riders with disabilities navigate rail and bus

July 14, 2019 | Source: The Washington Post |

People with disabilities will soon be able to use a smartphone app to navigate Metro’s rail and bus systems, the transit agency said. A free app and accompanying website being developed by the agency will provide riders with audio-based navigation beginning next fall. Here’s how it would work. Suppose you find yourself at an unfamiliar bus bay and are unsure where to go. Launch the app and an automated voice — think Siri or Alexa — would respond to questions and provide information, such as step-by-step directions to the next stop, when the next bus is arriving, or where the route will take you…

How a Laudable Historic Renovation Led to ADA Violations

July 14, 2019 | Source: Whitman Legal Solutions |

College Street Music Hall in New Haven, Connecticut is one of many historic movie theaters which have been preserved. Many have been given new lives as live music performance venues. With more than a century of use as a performance venue, the location first was home to the Rialto movie theater. When the Rialto burned down, the Robert Sherman Theatre was built on the location in 1926. After a period of inactivity, the theatre reopened at the Palace Theatre in 1984…

Ohio legislature reversing course on accessibility signs after feds threaten funding

July 15, 2019 | Source: The Columbus Dispatch & The Statehouse News Bureau & WOSU |

Ohio didn’t have time to put ink to sheet metal — let alone allow it to dry — on new handicap-accessible signs before state lawmakers scrambled to reverse their decision to depict a revamped “dynamic” character, in response to a federal warning. Tucked amid dozens of higher-profile amendments to the transportation budget, including the much-ballyhooed increase in the gas tax, was a provision to require the Ohio Department of Transportation to use a new logo for the “international symbol of access” when replacing those signs…

Teleglaucoma in the community: Taking it to the neighborhood

July 15, 2019 | Source: Ophthalmology Times |

Traditional in-office glaucoma screening and treatment approaches fail to reach many patients in the population, resulting in an increase of significant visual deterioration or even blindness. Community models that provide accessible, convenient, and efficient care to high-risk populations could be part of the solution, said Lindsay Anne Rhodes, MD, assistant professor, Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Alabama at Birmingham…

Sports Venues and the Americans with Disabilities Act

July 15, 2019 | Source: The National Law Review- Jackson Lewis |

Throughout the country, sports teams and their venues have been hit with an uptick of public accommodation lawsuits under Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), along with its state and local counterparts. The ability to obtain attorney’s fees makes these cases attractive to plaintiffs’ firms. Plaintiffs include fans, who team up with firms to travel around facilities or sign onto websites to “test” ADA compliance, and others who felt aggrieved after attending an event…

Inclusion and the Internet – Applying ADA Regulations to Retail Websites and Mobile Apps

July 15, 2019 | Source: The National Law Review- Ballard Spahr |

As courts determine the applicability of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in the digital landscape, litigation involving the accessibility of online services is continuing to evolve. Recently, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit ruled that Domino’s Pizza must comply with the ADA to make online services—namely, their website and mobile application—fully accessible to people with visual impairments. In Robles v. Domino’s LLC, a visually impaired man filed suit in federal court against Domino’s…

Deaf sign language interpreter, first of his kind in Louisiana, goes viral during storm coverage

July 15, 2019 | Source: WBRZ |

In some circles, the talk this weekend wasn’t the storm but the animated sign language interpreter who rose to viral fame helping the deaf understand important governmental updates in Ascension Parish. Ari Latino, 19, the interpreter, is worthy of his newfound fame. Latino is deaf and is signing through his own interpreter in the audience. As a “native signer,” Latino is able to speak more directly to a deaf audience and can sign the messages more conversationally – perhaps even easier to understand – for deaf viewers…

Woman says ride-share drivers repeatedly canceled trips over service dog

July 15, 2019 | Source: WSB Atlanta |

A Gwinnett County woman says an Uber driver left her behind because of her service dog. “It’s just frustrating that I can’t be treated equally like other people,” said McClain Hermes. Hermes is a star Paralympic athlete from Metro Atlanta. The blind 18-year-old said she now wants to advocate for others who are experiencing what’s happened to her at least three times — ride-share cancellations due to her travel needs with a service animal. The latest incident happened in Orlando on Sunday when Hermes was traveling with her mother…

Seattle’s 5th Avenue Theatre to make new ADA accommodations after court ruling

July 15, 2019 | Source: KING5 |

Seattle’s historic 5th Avenue Theatre will be modified to improve access for those with disabilities following a lawsuit. In December 2018, the Washington Civil & Disability Advocates (WACDA) filed a suit in federal court against the 5th Avenue Theatre Association for not having adequate accessibility under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Washington resident Rhonda Brown filed the initial suit. Brown requires a scooter for mobility and claimed in her suit that the facility was not ADA compliant…

Archives and the Road to Accessibility

July 15, 2019 | Source: American Historical Association |

It’s 9 a.m., and as I walk into the building housing the archive I need to work in, I wonder if it will be a productive day for my research or if the words on the pages will all blur together. The archivist on staff might not allow me to bring my reading strips into the room. They’re only simple pieces of colored paper that might look like trash, but they’re assistive technology—so necessary for my executive function when I’m reading and sorting pages of notes…

NYC Public Accommodations Will be Required to Post Signs that Portable Ramps are Available

July 15, 2019 | Source: Littler |

Starting January 1, 2020, New York City public accommodations that provide portable ramps for entrance accessibility will be required to post signs advertising portable ramp availability and listing a phone number for portable ramp requests. Places of public accommodation include a wide range of entities, such as restaurants, hotels, theaters, doctors’ offices, pharmacies, retail stores, museums, libraries, parks, private schools, and day care centers. The law, which was enacted on June 29, 2019, does not impose a requirement to supply a portable ramp…

Businesses face lawsuits over website accessibility

July 15, 2019 | Source: Marketplace (Podcast) |

Last fall, Jason McKee was bouncing around business ideas with two friends when they realized something: all three had a family member or friend with a disability, that made it difficult to access the internet. They soon discovered something else: people with disabilities, specifically those who are blind or visually impaired, were filing Americans with Disabilities Act lawsuits against businesses over website accessibility issues. And many of them were winning…

Scientists close in on blood test for Alzheimer’s

July 15, 2019 | Source: STAT |

Scientists are closing in on a long-sought goal — a blood test to screen people for possible signs of Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia. On Monday at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference, half a dozen research groups gave new results on various experimental tests, including one that seems 88% accurate at indicating Alzheimer’s risk. Doctors are hoping for something to use during routine exams, where most dementia symptoms are evaluated, to gauge who needs more extensive testing…

How a West Virginia group helped make video games accessible to the disabled

July 16, 2019 | Source: SFGate |

In 2018, when Sony Interactive Entertainment unveiled the latest versions of two of its top-grossing video game titles — “God of War” and “Marvel’s Spider-Man” — they included new features that meant a lot to a specific subset of players: those with disabilities. To aid people with motor skill impairments, for instance, “God of War” introduced an option to press and hold a single button instead of tapping it repeatedly; it also let players with hearing disabilities adjust individual audio settings such as volume, dialogue and sound effects…

ADA Center helps businesses understand, implement the disabilities act

July 16, 2019 | Source: Colorado Springs Business Journal |

The Rocky Mountain ADA Center is one of 10 federally-funded technical assistance centers in the United States tasked with providing information, training and guidance on the Americans with Disabilities Act. Located in Colorado Springs, we provide services in a six-state region: Colorado, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah and Wyoming. The services we provide help businesses, state and local governments, community organizations, and people with disabilities understand their rights and responsibilities under the ADA…

Marching for Disability Rights in New York City

July 16, 2019 | Source: Human Rights Watch |

On Sunday, Human Rights Watch marched in the 5th annual Disability Pride Parade in New York City, alongside thousands of people with disabilities, disabled persons organizations, companies, local politicians, and others. The participants marched for inclusion, awareness, visibility, and a dignified perception of disability, and to encourage New Yorkers to view people with disabilities through a lens of pride rather than charity. Beyond New York City, disability pride parades also occurred in in Brighton, Rome, and Calgary, demonstrating that the disability rights movement is growing…

Jack Fact — According to UN data, at present, there are almost 1 billion people aged 60 or over in the world, comprising 13% of the global population, and the population aged 60 or above is growing at a rate of about 3% year.

Hit The Road Jack —Luxembourg Best City For Disabled Travellers

International News

Accessibility Fund Set to Benefit Passengers with Disabilities

July 12, 2019 | Source: Best Brothers Group- UK & THIIS- UK |

Disabled rail passengers across the UK are set to benefit from a raft of accessibility improvements following the opening of a £20m government fund. This fund is open for applications from stations in need of accessibility improvements, leading to small-scale enhancements such as tactile paving or handrails. The fund’s opening came a year after the launch of the Inclusive Transport Strategy, the government’s flagship accessibility programme…

The internet thinks you’re a robot, and other ‘dark patterns’ people with disabilities face online

July 13, 2019 | Source: ABC- Australia |

Scott Hollier logged into an online portal recently, and was immediately faced with a familiar yet irritating internet question: “How many of these pictures include buses?” CAPTCHA security tests, or the “Completely Automated Public Turing Test, to Tell Computers and Humans Apart”, are not always accessible to people with disabilities — sometimes putting them, ridiculously, in the “robot” category. “I had two choices,” said Dr Hollier, a digital access specialist who is legally blind…

How technology can help break down barriers of accessibility in education

July 13, 2019 | Source: Education Technology- UK |

When we talk about accessibility in education, we tend to offer a blinkered view on what it truly means, becoming drawn into primarily domestic debates of admission fees and entry requirements. However, the issue is much broader than this. The latest UN figures reveal that there are over 263 million young people out of full-time education globally, the equivalent to one out of every five people aged between 5 and 17. There are a number of reasons why, some being clear – such as physically not having an educational facility to attend – while others are less obvious, like a teacher not having the adequate training or resources to deliver an effective education.

There Are No Winners In This Beach War, And People Like Me Are The Casualties

July 13, 2019 | Source: 10 daily- Australia |

It’s amazing the sheer joy a little bit of cement or several slabs of timber can create. I remember my first trip to the beach after that initial year in hospital. The risk of sunburn and sand in all the wrong places did nothing to deter me. I felt so free and alive to finally be doing what I had dreamed about for so long. Although my body didn’t resemble the typical bikini-clad beach goers, I really didn’t care. I could see the sand and the ocean with what was left of my eyesight and was grinning like a Cheshire cat…

Odisha misses deadline of making government buildings accessible for Persons with Disabilities

July 13, 2019 | Source: The New Indian Express- India |

Odisha has missed the deadline of making all government buildings fully accessible to Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) in the capital city. As per the Supreme Court deadline, all government buildings were to be made fully accessible to PwDs by end of June. However, around 40 per cent buildings in the city are yet to comply with the direction. Sources said of the 253 buildings initially identified in the state capital by the Social Security and Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (SSEPD) department, retrofitting work has been completed in 139 so far…

Hundreds of disabled travellers miss their flights from the UK

July 13, 2019 | Source: Hillingdon Times- UK |

Report finds most UK airports ‘good’ on disabled access

July 16, 2019 | Source: Business Traveller- UK |

Hundreds of disabled travellers were left stranded at UK airports due to failures with assistance services, we can reveal. More than 700 people with disabilities or reduced mobility missed their flights between 2015 and 2018, according to an investigation by Newsquest’s data unit. In one case, a passenger missed a deportation flight from London Gatwick after the service provider was not notified of the support requirements. Staff shortages, short connection times, gate changes and system errors were blamed for passengers being forgotten, stranded at assistance points and left at the wrong gate…

Brain implant restores partial vision to blind people

July 13, 2019 | Source: The Guardian- UK |

Partial sight has been restored to six blind people via an implant that transmits video images directly to the brain. Some vision was made possible – with the participants’ eyes bypassed – by a video camera attached to glasses which sent footage to electrodes implanted in the visual cortex of the brain. University College London lecturer and Optegra Eye Hospital surgeon Alex Shortt said it was a significant development by specialists from Baylor Medical College in Texas and the University of California Los Angeles…

The trials of traveling with a disability – and how it can be improved

July 14, 2019 | Source: Telegraph- Germany |

Millennials are known to have an obsession with newness, and I’m one of them. I live in a new-build property and rave about new exhibitions and restaurant openings in my local area. However, while a new restaurant might have an Instagrammable flower wall, what I’m actually banking on is step-free access and a spacious bathroom. I can lift myself and my wheelchair into my car on my accessible driveway, and I expect new experiences to include people with sensory impairments by providing audio guides or portable hearing loops…

Israel Gives PA Ultimatum: Make Tomb of Patriarchs Handicapped Accessible or Israel Assumes Full Control over Site

July 14, 2019 | Source: Breaking Israel News |

The Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) penned a letter to the Palestinian Authority mayor of Hebron demanding that he approve the construction, renovation, to ensure that the Tomb of the Patriarchs is accessible to the handicapped or Israel will assert full control over the site Hakol Hayehudi reported. COGAT made clarified to the Arab mayor that if he refuses, to comply, Israel would confiscate the property of the tomb and carry out the renovations unilaterally…

Accessible Aviation: Galloping Growth

July 14, 2019 | Source: ZAWYA- Dubai |

Every day, over 100,000 flights transport over 10 million passengers across a global air transportation network comprising over 1,400 scheduled airlines, 26,000 aircraft in service and 3,900 airports. The aviation industry is increasingly recognizing the need for accommodating People with Disabilities in airports and into airlines. A big number of passengers with disabilities have long been complaining about lost or damaged wheelchairs, struggles with access on airplanes and in airports, and poor customer service…

“We Can Build a Truly Inclusive Railway for Wales and the Borders”

July 15, 2019 | Source: Business News- Wales & Rail Advent- Wales |

That’s the message from Transport for Wales’ new Accessibility and Inclusion Manager ahead of Disability Awareness Day on 15 July. Dr. Robert Gravelle brings a wealth of professional experience to the role and says he is impressed by the willingness and financial commitment being made to build a better railway and network of public transport. As part of the £800 million South Wales Metro project, Transport for Wales is committing to making 99% of all journeys on the Core Valley Lines step-free…

Celebrating Inclusion

July 16, 2019 | Source: Macau Business- Macau |

At first sight, it might appear out of place to have an article on inclusion in a magazine concerning business. But inclusion is the business of us all. With increasing prominence being given to inclusion in public statements, Macau putatively promotes inclusion, but how far this extends beyond rhetoric is an open question. Whilst NGOs, charitable organizations and associations focus on inclusion in Macau, in many respects citizens of Macau who have challenges, special needs and disabilities are an almost invisible minority, exacerbated for those whose disabilities are not immediately observable…

Accessing the ability of all Canadians

July 15, 2019 | Source: The Chronicle Herald- Canada |

You walk to into the office, juggling a cup of coffee in one hand and your laptop in the other, rushing to your desk where your phone is ringing. This may seem like a typical hectic day at the office for you, but for countless Canadian adults with a physical disability, this would be an impossible day. The environment your business creates has the potential to either access the full ability of your employees or create additional barriers for them. Canada is inadequately addressing the barriers to accessibility that nearly four million Canadians with a mobility, vision or hearing disability face daily…

Auckland student Grace Stratton makes InStyle 50 Badass Women for 2019

July 16, 2019 | Source: Stuff- New Zealand |

A Kiwi accessibility entrepreneur has joined the ranks of Rihanna, Anne Hathaway and Nobel Prize-winners in a global list of “badass women”. AUT student Grace Stratton was the only New Zealander to feature in InStyle magazine’s annual list of 50 Badass Women for 2019. Stratton, who has cerebral palsy, created the accessibility focused online shopping platform All is for All in 2017. A first of its kind, the site makes fashion more convenient for people who are disabled – featuring detailed descriptions about zips, buttons, fabric, and lengths that can impede some wearers…

Accessibility a priority

July 16, 2019 | Source: International Paralympic Committee- Peru |

The 2019 Parapan American Games are the latest example of how Para sports act as agents of change to break social barriers, as the Organising Committee and The Office of Public Defender of Peru signed an agreement to promote accessibility across the country. Lima 2019 President Carlos Neuhaus and Peruvian Ombudsman Walter Gutierrez agreed to stage joint capacity-building activities to help raise awareness on the rights for people with disabilities in Peru…

China Focus: Internet integrates disabled people into society

July 16, 2019 | Source: XinhuaNet- China |

Living with disabilities, Guo Hui never expected that a job on the Internet, which he took up by chance, would help him get his life back on track. In 2004, he was involved in a liquid gas container explosion that burned 95 percent of his body and disabled eight of his fingers. At that time, it was seemingly impossible for him to earn a living. But now, using his two fingers, Guo manages to earn about 5,000 yuan (about 726.8 U.S. dollars) a month by working as an online customer service support staff…

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