Accessibility in the News — 10/22/2021.
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AITN Quote of the Week
“Whether someone is useful only matters if you value people by their use.” ― Corinne Duyvis, On the Edge of Gone
The Digital Accessibility Legal Digest Volume I & II:
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Feature Stories
FDA proposes rule to offer over-the-counter hearing aids
October 19, 2021 | Source: The Hill & FDA & The Washington Post & WWLP & WPRI & KXAN & Anchorage Daily News
The Different Types of Hearing Aids and How They Work
October 18, 2021 | Source: NewsCenter1 & The Brunswick News
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is proposing a rule to offer a new category of over-the-counter hearing aids in an attempt to boost accessibility and lower costs for the devices for Americans. The agency announced its proposal on Tuesday that would allow certain hearing aids to be sold directly to the millions of adults who have “perceived mild to moderate” hearing loss, once it is finalized. Under the updated rule, these patients could purchase specific air-conduction devices in stores or online without undergoing a medical exam or fitting…
National News (U.S.)
Browns working to improve handicap accessibility to their rides after the game
October 17, 2021 | Source: Cleveland 19
It’s a story we first told you about on 19 News several weeks ago. Cleveland Browns’ fans with disabilities say they are concerned about the barriers they face trying to leave the stadium after a game. So, has there been any improvements to make it easier for people with disabilities to get home after a trip to the stadium? Shawn Philpot of Shaker Heights tweeted his concerns that had 19 News investigating the issue. That criticism and the photo he posted caught the attention of the Cleveland Browns…
United States Settles with Private School to Resolve Allegations of Disability Discrimination
October 18, 2021 | Source: Department of Justice & WTVQ
The United States has reached a settlement with Sayre School (Sayre), a Lexington-based private school, resolving allegations of disability discrimination and taking steps to ensure that individuals with disabilities have equal access to the school’s facilities. The settlement agreement resolves a compliance review, initiated in 2016 by the United States, under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), after receiving a complaint about physical access barriers for individuals with mobility disabilities, at Sayre’s Lower School…
Birdability Week 2021 Celebrates Birders with Disabilities and Other Health Concerns
October 18, 2021 | Source: National Audubon Society
Today marks the start of Birdability Week 2021, the second annual event launched by Birdability, a nonprofit organization working to ensure the birding community and the outdoors are welcoming, inclusive, safe, and accessible for everybody through education, outreach, and advocacy. From October 18 to October 24, festivities include online workshops, panels, and interactive activities celebrating inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility…
How Online Shopping Is Excluding the Disabled Consumer
October 18, 2021 | Source: POPSUGAR
As a legally blind woman, I’m constantly getting questions like who dresses you, do you have a stylist and how are you able to dress so stylish? There is a major misconception that people with disabilities are not interested in fashion. And if you are a person with a disability that society views as “fashionable”, then it usually comes as a surprise. The major problem with this type of thinking is that it directly affects how much access we have to fashion. And since we are not considered fashion consumers, we are often left out of the conversation of how fashion is marketed and produced…
Disability ambassadors successfully complete Zero-G flight
October 19, 2021 | Source: Space.com
A crew of 12 “disability ambassadors” successfully completed a weightless flight Sunday (Oct. 17) in the pursuit to make space accessible for all. On Sept. 15, Hayley Arceneaux became the first person with a prosthesis to fly to space when she launched aboard SpaceX’s private Inspiration4 orbital mission. And earlier this year, in February, the European Space Agency put out a call for people with disabilities to apply to become astronauts, or “parastronauts,” with the agency. However, spaceflight is not yet fully available to those with disabilities: a problem that Mission: AstroAccess aims to solve…
Improving campus visits for job applicants with disabilities
October 19, 2021 | Source: Inside Higher Ed
When designing campus visits for job candidates, colleges and universities must understand that many factors can create barriers that hinder candidates from fully demonstrating their talents. Those obstacles can especially impact applicants with disabilities by creating contexts that situationally impair them. The reality is that people are ability and functionally diverse, and all of us might acquire limitations at any time. As such, institutions must be more intentional in designing and planning an accessible, inclusive campus visit…
MCDOT announced a guide to improve accessibility for people with vision disabilities
October 19, 2021 | Source: WDVM
The Montgomery County Department of Transportation is creating new ways to improve accessibility for people with vision disabilities. MCDOT has a guide design titled Planning and Designing Streets to be Safer and More Accessible for People with Vision Disabilities. According to the department, this guide will work to create accessibility for people vision-impaired residents by developing strategies for public engagement, staff training and improved pedestrian walkway design…
Bangor Savings Bank launches accessible banking for people with disabilities
October 19, 2021 | Source: Daily Bulldog
Bangor Savings Bank introduced its newest product on October 18. The first of its kind in the nation, Maine ABLE Benefit CheckingSM was created for people with disabilities to allow greater accessibility to financial products and services, while protecting eligibility for federal and State of Maine means-tested benefits. Historically, individuals receiving benefits such as Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) are limited to $2,000 in resources. ABLE Accounts provide new avenues for financial health, planning, and empowerment for individuals with disabilities and their families…
Mindy Eisenberg Makes Yoga Accessible for People with Multiple Sclerosis
October 19, 2021 | Source: The Detroit Jewish News
Mindy Eisenberg believes that yoga should be accessible to everyone. The certified yoga therapist and founder of nonprofit adaptive yoga organization Yoga Moves MS believes that yoga, among other holistic health remedies, can help alleviate symptoms of certain conditions like multiple sclerosis, a disease of the nervous system. The power of yoga, among other topics, will be at the forefront of the annual Yoga Moves Holistic Health Forum. The virtual forum, taking place on Nov. 6, will feature panel discussions with experts on MS sharing their insight on how to manage the disease through holistic ways…
MBTA introduces new accessibility initiatives
October 19, 2021 | Source: Boston University News Service & The Heights
In the coming months, MBTA passengers with vision issues will have access to new features to make their ride easier, from braille signs, tones indicating the location of doors, elevator urine detecting sensors and better PA systems. “Blind folks need public transportation to get around in the community—to go to the store, visit friends, and doctor appointments,” John Oliveira, deputy commissioner of the Massachusetts Commission for the Blind (MCB), told a virtual town hall earlier this month…
Blind LSU students struggle to navigate campus; school still relegates services to volunteers
October 20, 2021 | Source: The Advocate
Halftime at Tiger Stadium: football fans roared, crowds shuffled single-file along the walkways ferrying snacks and sodas from concession stands, and Ryan Barnes was left stranded. The blind LSU junior came to the game against Auburn last month with his visually impaired roommate and a seeing student who volunteered to help them navigate the 120,000-seat venue. But midway through the event, their escort had vanished and the two men had lost track of each other…
Tips For An Inclusive Halloween For All
October 20, 2021 | Source: LocalSYR
Halloween is a holiday that so many look forward to but for children with mental and physical disabilities, it can leave them feeling afraid and excluded. With a little extra holiday planning, Autism Advocate Christina Van Ditto Warter says you can create a fun and inclusive Halloween for all. Accessibility, choices and lighting are three ways that everyone can help make the spooky night a lot easier for all, she says. And if you’re handing out candy, having a few non-candy items can make a big difference in someone’s experience too…
Disabled Astronauts Blaze New Space Trails
October 20, 2021 | Source: Scientific American
The mission to break barriers to space travel for people with disabilities
October 20, 2021 | Source: The Verge
Mona Minkara is a bioengineer at Northeastern University, where she leads a laboratory focused on applying computational modeling to pulmonary research. She is also one of the only blind faculty members in her field. Recently, Minkara embarked on a different kind of experiment. She and 11 other individuals who have mobility, vision or hearing disabilities traveled on a parabolic flight with the Zero Gravity Corporation. The mission—which allowed participants to feel weightless but did not actually reach space—was organized by AstroAccess, an initiative dedicated to “advancing disability inclusion in space.”…
‘He is one-of-a-kind’: USPS honors blind San Diego mail clerk
October 20, 2021 | Source: CBS8
Behind the scenes, there are thousands of United States Postal workers making sure you get your packages and letters on time. October is National Disability Employment Awareness month. At San Diego’s Margaret Sellers Mail Processing facility, there’s one special employee who is an inspiration to his colleagues and those with physical limitations. Frank Facio, 63, is not your ordinary United States Postal Service mail processing clerk. “You can tell there is a window here and a flap here,” said Facio…
The world’s largest movie theater chain is adding open captions at 240 U.S. locations
October 21, 2021 | Source: NPR
The world’s largest movie theater chain is adding onscreen captions at hundreds of U.S. locations in an effort to make moviegoing more accessible. AMC Theatres announced last Friday that 240 of its locations — in more than 100 U.S. markets — are adding open captioning to certain showings. The change took effect last week and is aimed at improving the viewing experience for people who have hearing loss and for whom English is not their first language…
It’s Unacceptable That Disabled People Still Can’t Access COVID Vaccines
October 21, 2021 | Source: Verywell Health
Earlier this month, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released data showing that disabled people were less likely to be vaccinated than non-disabled people. The CDC surveyed nearly 57,000 people who lived outside of nursing homes and other care institutions. Among 50 to 64-year-olds, 63% of disabled people had gotten COVID-19 vaccines, compared with 72% of non-disabled people. For people older than 75, the gap was much smaller but still there: 88% of disabled people were vaccinated, compared with 90% of people without a disability…
Antidepressant could treat leading cause of blindness
October 21, 2021 | Source: CBS 19 News
Scientists Enable Blind Woman To See Simple Shapes Using Brain Implant
October 21, 2021 | Source: University of Utah Health Hospitals and Clinics
Nearly 200 million people worldwide suffer from age-related macular degeneration or loss of eyesight. A new study at the University of Virginia has found early evidence of a potential treatment. UVA researchers have found that the antidepressant best known as Prozac could be the first effective treatment against age-related macular degeneration, which is the leading cause of blindness among people over the age of 50. Dr. Bradley Gelfand said it all started when an Albemarle High School student volunteering in the lab decided to look at re-purposing medicines for diseases like AMD. She found similarities in the antidepressant Prozac and AMD…
Blind street vendor uplifting Arizona community with his attitude
October 21, 2021 | Source: KSBY
Marco Zepeda is legally blind. He’s been making a means for his family by selling mops and brooms at the intersection of 75th Avenue and Thomas Road in west Phoenix for over two years. “I prefer to sell something instead of asking for money,” said Marco Zepeda. Zepeda is a street vendor and a small business owner. He is very well known in the west Phoenix community. The viewers in this area contacted ABC15 to see him, cover his inspirational story, and how he never let difficulties stop him…
Jack Fact — According to the WHO, around 50 million people worldwide have epilepsy, making it one of the most common neurological diseases globally. Nearly 80% of people with epilepsy live in low- and middle-income countries. It is estimated that up to 70% of people living with epilepsy could live seizure- free if properly diagnosed and treated.
Hit The Road Jack —Walt Disney World Transportation Accessibility Review & UK’s top 10 most accessible walks revealed in new report & Accessible Travel Press
International News
Moving hearing-impaired candidates from job seekers to job creators
October 15, 2021 | Source: IOL- Africa
As a fitting tribute to mark the end of Deaf Awareness month in September, INMED South Africa partnered with the Deaf Empowerment Firm (DEF) to host an aquaponics training workshop for a group of individuals with hearing impairments at the INMED Aquaponics Social Enterprise (INMED ASE) in Vanderbijlpark. The INMED ASE is a new type of incubator of entrepreneurial agro-enterprises for climate-smart food production. Driven by DEF and INMED South Africa, with the support of strategic partners Mondelēz International Foundation and USAID Southern Africa, this project promotes positive aspects of deafness…
Is Strictly Come Dancing’s Rose Ayling-Ellis deaf?
October 17, 2021 | Source: Reality Titbit- UK
The “cha cha chas”, rumbas, quicksteps and waltzes are officially underway as BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing is back in 2021 with a brand new celebrity cast. Judi Love, AJ Odudu, Tom Fletcher, Tilly Ramsay and many more familiar faces have graced the Strictly dance floor this year. Sports stars, big names in music and recognisable soap stars are all taking part, so let’s find out more about actress Rose Ayling-Ellis, is she deaf? Rose Ayling-Ellis is a 26-year-old actress who hails from the South East coast of England…
Ensuring that UK public transport is accessible for all
October 18, 2021 | Source: Intelligent Transport- UK
Accessibility across our transport network has improved vastly in recent years – a fact that I’m immensely proud of. But, of course, there’s still more to do. Many of our iconic railway stations were built in the Victorian era and were not designed with accessibility in mind. So, we must continue to work hard to make them accessible to everyone. That’s why I was pleased to announce the various transport elements included in the new National Disability Strategy. Through it, we will empower disabled passengers to use all forms of transport with the same confidence as everyone else – whether by train, taxi, bus or ferry…
Minister Rabbitte opens the first funding call for the Disability Participation and Awareness Fund 2021
October 18, 2021 | Source: gov.ie- Ireland
The Minister of State with Responsibility for Disability, Anne Rabbitte, T.D., today announced €2.5 million in funding under the first year of a new annual Disability Participation and Awareness Fund (DPAF). The purpose of DPAF 2021 is to provide funding for Local Authorities across Ireland to support the participation of people with disabilities in local activities, to help remove barriers to community involvement, and to support the promotion and implementation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) in communities…
Under half of Israel’s bus stops accessible for people with disabilities
October 19, 2021 | Source: The Jerusalem Post- Israel
Less than half of bus stops in Israel are suited for people with disabilities, according to a report released by the State Comptroller on Tuesday. The report revealed that public transportation still has many accessibility issues for people with disabilities. Out of 27,000 bus stops, 13,500 stops with inter-city services and 3,500 city line stops are not accessible. Out of 80 cities that were surveyed, 37.5% have not made all their bus stops accessible, with 22.5% standing at a rate lower than 85%…
COVID-19 made life more accessible for people with disability. Will it stay that way?
October 20, 2021 | Source: SBS News- Australia
At the start of the coronavirus pandemic, the lives of billions of people across the world changed dramatically. Lockdowns forced us to stay at home for extended periods of time, and events and appointments traditionally held in-person moved online. While the sudden change was a shock to many, the move brought an element of accessibility into the lives of people with disability and chronic illnesses like never before. Telehealth appointments became the norm, and students and workers traded campuses and offices for their homes, allowing those with mobility concerns to expend less energy and money moving around…
Plans for new tri-municipal committee promise to improve accessibility on Saanich Peninsula
October 20, 2021 | Source: Saanich News- Canada
Steps promising to improve the lives of differently-abled individuals in all communities of the Saanich Peninsula are underway. Sidney council Tuesday unanimously asked staff to assess the feasibility of establishing a tri-municipal advisory committee whose mandate, as imagined by Coun. Terri O’Keeffe, would be to supply comments and recommendations designed to “improve the livability, inclusivity and accessibility for persons with disabilities” to local governments and staff…
Radio host goes on hiatus after insulting MK for being deaf
October 20, 2021 | Source: The Jerusalem Post- Israel
Right-wing radio broadcaster Yossi Ben-Atar is being put on a short hiatus from the airwaves, following the controversial remarks he made about Yamina MK Shirly Pinto. During a broadcast Tuesday, Ben-Atar insulted Pinto and made defamatory remarks against her for being deaf. “Shirly Pinto is stupid and dim-witted. It is good that you are deaf and we don’t hear your high-pitched voice; it’s good that you don’t know how to speak,” Ben-Atar said on the Galei Israel radio station during his daily program “Nerve Center,” which is characterized on the station’s website as “a program that enables its listeners to say their opinion on any topic in the news.”…
The TTC is finally getting a new website with a whole bunch of new features
October 21, 2021 | Source: blogTO- Canada
A long-awaited and much needed new TTC website launches this week and the design focus is on mobile phones. A new website was promised back in 2018 when Brad Ross, who was the TTC’s executive director of corporate and customer communications at the time, admitted the old version was “not mobile friendly” or “world class accessible.” After multiple delays, the TTC said the company designing the new website shut down and that the commission’s legal team was working to have the code transferred to them…
In An Australian First, Adaptive Fashion Retailer Every Human Now Offers Individual and Multi-Sized Shoe Purchases
October 21, 2021 | Source: Broadsheet- Australia
I love getting dressed up. As a disabled woman, I like to say that if people are going to stare at me, I want to make sure it’s because I look and feel amazing. Unfortunately, access needs often make shopping for fashion and style a dreaded chore. Imagine my delight when friends started recommending Every Human – an online fashion and lifestyle shop with high-quality products made accessible to people of all abilities. Easy to use, fun, sexy and fashionable? With things we love, want and need? Yes please…
Timpson silent over ‘accessibility fails’
October 21, 2021 | Source: Disability News Service- UK
The high street retailer Timpson is facing allegations from disabled campaigners that many of its stores are inaccessible to disabled people. The concerns focus both on its high street stores and on the small “pods” – factory-built kiosks – it has increasingly used in recent years to set up tiny stores in the car-parks of out-of-town supermarkets, but which frequently do not have wheelchair-accessible entrances. Access campaigner Esther Leighton, co-founder of the disabled-led campaigning organisation Reasonable Access, told the company on Twitter this week that she was frustrated with how many of its stores do not have step-free access, or even a portable ramp…
Blindness has decreased by 35%: Health minister
October 21, 2021 | Source: The Business Standard- Bangladesh
The prevalence of blindness in the country has dropped by 35% over the years, Health Minister Zahid Maleque said on Thursday. At the same time, the prevalence of bilateral cataract blindness has declined by 18%, he also noted while addressing an event virtually, arranged by National Eye Care under the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) marking World Sight Day. “Different types of eye care are being provided through 90 community vision centres in different districts and upazilas of the country…
Hope for the Hearing Impaired: Short Stories
October 21, 2021 | Source: The Citizen- India
Raj Lakshmi Dube’s book Hope for the Hearing Impaired brings to the fore the heartrending stories of 15 people who are hearing impaired, and their trials and tribulations. Each of these stories tells its own tale. Abha’s is a unique case of deaf blindness, but it goes to her credit that she courageously overcomes all her hurdles in order to achieve her goal, while in the case of Vivek and Nisha, it is poverty that defines their lives. And if his parents were alert, they could have prevented the disability of their son Jordon…
How cochlear implants gave profoundly deaf toddler Charlotte the gift of sound
October 21, 2021 | Source: ABC- Australia
All it took was a simple cold for three-year-old Charlotte Rivett to lose her hearing completely. Charlotte was born deaf in one ear, but when a cold virus robbed her of her partial hearing ability, her parents were faced with a huge dilemma. “She was completely and profoundly deaf for about four months while we waited to see if her hearing would come back,” said her mother, Catherine Rivett. It was devastating for the Yeppoon family and confusing for Charlotte, until medical specialists recommended cochlear implant surgery…
I refuse to learn sign language to communicate with my step-daughter
October 21, 2021 | Source: Kidspot- Australia
Being somewhat accommodating of your partner’s child (or children) is something you expect when you marry a man with kids from a previous relationship. But what about when you don’t know about said child and she appears after the fact? One woman has decided she won’t learn sign language in order to communicate with her husband’s surprise teenage daughter and the Internet has a lot to say about it. “I have been married to Buford for about a year. I brought Jay (8) and Juniper (5) from a past marriage, and until very recently we thought Buford had no children,” the woman wrote in her post to Reddit…
COVID-19 Resources and Information
- Digital life encroaches on US ‘quiet zone’ refuge- Yahoo
- Short Semesters: A Diminished Education- The Davidsonian
- COVID-19 Resources for Policymakers- Department of Labor
- The Book of Hope: A Survival Guide for Trying Times- Jane Goodall
- Coping with COVID-19 stress easier with a dose of humor- EurekAlert!
- Working Around the Disadvantages of Masks at Meetings- MeetingsNet
- Colleges With Federal Contracts Consider Biden Vaccine Order- Inside Higher Ed
- College students struggle with mental health as pandemic drags on- The Washington Post
- Study Reveals Nearly 1,500 Canadians Lost Vision Due to Optometrist Appointment Delays- VOCM
- Digital inaccessibility directly impacts students’ ability to engage in your course online- UCCS Communique
- Texas Employer Conundrum: Conflicting State and Federal Rules on Vaccine Mandates- Wood Smith Henning & Berman
Accessibility Blogs and Information
- Verizon accessibility resource center
- 4 Steps to Inclusive Conversational UI- CIO
- Raised by Parents who are Blind- Braille Works
- What is an Accessibility Audit?- Madhusree Das
- State Exchange on Employment and Disability (SEED)
- Web accessibility auditing- National Disability Authority
- First Steps To An Accessible Website (Part 5)- Jeff Singleton
- The red flag meme is a red flag for accessibility- TechCrunch
- Accessibility Statement Generator’s Roundup- Digital A11Y
- Guide: Dealing With Ageism In The Workplace- Chris Kolmar
- Accessible Futures DePaul: The future is accessible – The DePaulia
- Check out the Latest 2021 LEAD On! Newsletter- The LEAD Center
- Grad student fights for more housing accessibility – The Daily Aztec
- What is a screen reader, and why are they important?- Marissa Sapega
- Which websites are most accessible for visually impaired people?- Digit
- Commission on Disabilities Addresses Numerous Matters- Revere Journal
- Building Equitable Workplaces Requires the Right Tools- Emily M. Dickens
- ADA Compliance and Your Promo Business: What to Know- Promo Marketing
- How to Be More Inclusive with Your Legal Marketing- Denver Legal Marketing
- The Great Accessibility Overlays Battle – Part 1- Accessibility Track- Chris M. Law
- Race and Disability: the Financial Impact of Systemic Inequality- The LEAD Center
- Access Brookline: A monthly selection of accessibility-related news, events and info
- Accessibility of Remote Meetings- W3C First Public Working Draft 14 October 2021
- What are web accessibility compliance laws and do I need to follow those?- Know Techie
- Shining a light- Recognizing National Disability Employment Awareness Month- Gazette
- Sefton Council celebrate ‘What Does Accessibility Mean to Me’ awareness week- InYourArea
- What is aging in place? or How to Make your Home Accessible and Visitable- ScripType Publishing
- Mike Shebanek and Matt King share W3C accessibility project at Sight Tech Global 2021- Tech Crunch
- Investing in Accessibility- Ensuring people of all abilities can enjoy our parks- National Park Foundation
- U.S. Federal Judge Rules for Walmart, against Blind Shoppers, in Self-checkout Kiosk Case- Lainey Feingold
- For federal accessibility managers, adding ‘A’ to new DEIA initiative is a welcome change- Federal News Network
- ADA lawsuit settlement involving an accessibility overlay- What the settlement agreement included, and what does it mean for the industry?- Sheri Byrne-Haber
- 91% Of Educators Agree That Access to Neurodiversity Inclusion Training Will Help Teachers Create a More Inclusive Learning Environment for Students- Yahoo
Accessibility Announcements and Products
- Travel Guides
- Assistive Tech & Products
- Hello Goodbye Dog- Fun 4 The Disabled
- NALC publishes website accessibility guide
- Comment Sought on Convo VRS Recertification Application
- Normal moves up Carden Park project for inclusive playground
- Bombay Sapphire’s “Sensory Auction” makes art more accessible
- Prairieland Elementary ‘thrilled’ for $107,283 accessible playground
- Lawton Council for the Blind working to make city more accessible
- Toledo Refining donation to fund accessibility projects in E. Toledo
- Two sides struggle to meet on Tolland historic sidewalk accessibility
- Best Hearing Supplements: Top Ear Health Products for Hearing Loss
- Award-winning startup aims to boost accessibility for readers at all levels
- Apple Developer app updated with picture-in-picture, Accessibility improvements
- ‘air 4 all’ will make air travel more accessible for passengers with reduced mobility
- The Ultimate Guide to Caption and Description Formats for Popular Video Players
- Digital Accessibility Rights Education Academy Scholarship Fund Program- Cycle 2
- Level Access Recognized For Exemplary Disability Hiring and Employment Practices
- Arizona Office of Tourism Expands Reach to Build Upon Certified Autism Center™ Designation
- Thompson Street Capital Partners Portfolio Company T-Base Communications Acquires CommonLook
- Announcing the 2021 Lex Frieden Employment Award Winners and Texas HireAbility Employer Forum
- GCPD Promotes Disability Employment Awareness Month with Distribution of Free 2021 DEAM Poster
- Vox Media has built a visual way to experience podcasts. It’s accessible to deaf audiences — and gorgeous
- Montgomery County Releases Street Design Guide To Facilitate Accessibility For People With Vision Disabilities
- ‘The biggest barrier can exist in our heads’: Museum hosting virtual STEAM showcase for students with disabilities
- Cadillac Fairview Achieves Rick Hansen Foundation Accessibility Certification™ Across 10 Office Buildings in Toronto
- Moodle’s commitment to accessibility highlighted by addition of Brickfield Accessibility Toolkit to suite of Certified Integrations
- Audicus, First Company To Offer Fully Customizable Hearing Aids Online, Applauds FDA Announcement To Move Closer To Making Hearing Care More Accessible To Millions Of Americans
Accessibility Forums, Tips, and Gaming
- Fix web accessibility systematically
- Blaming Screen Readers- Red Flag ×5
- 10 Tips On How To Build Accessible Digital Forms
- Updates to Captions and Audio Features on YouTube
- What’s the Difference Between Difficulty and Accessibility?
- How to customize accessibility settings per app on iPhone and iPad
- Apple introduces Tech Talks 2021, live online sessions for developers
- IGDA’s Game Accessibility Conference Was the Experience I Needed
- FIFA 22’s customisable pitch lines are causing an accessibility problem
- Xbox will soon automatically mute your speakers when you plug in headphones
- Supreme Customizability Is One Way Microsoft Makes Gaming More Accessible
- Xbox Reveals A Huge New Accessibility Feature That Puts Sony And Nintendo To Shame
- Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy – In-Game Settings and Accessibility Features Revealed
- Returning to Spider-Man: Miles Morales is a reminder of how a single series can really evolve its accessibility options
Accessibility Statements
- Mediaite
- Fox Business
- Law & Crime
- The Kew Shop
- The Mary Sue
- Niagara College
- Focal Point Gallery
- Southwestern College
- Norwich City Football Club
- Bureau of Internet Accessibility
- Dominican University of California
Microassist Digital Accessibility Services
Have you received an accessibility demand letter because of your website or application? Please contact us for any questions you have about our accessibility services and how we might support your organization.
Services include:
- Accessible Website and Application Development— We rely heavily on accessibility best practices and using HTML5 and ARIA (Accessible Rich Internet Applications) standards to build WCAG-compliant and human-tested accessible environments. Our teams are proficient in open source technologies such as WordPress, Drupal and Moodle, as well as custom frameworks in .NET, PHP, AngularJS, and other frameworks. Our Learning and Development team can also help you create accessible custom training.
- Accessible Document Services— Whether you’re dealing with a few or a warehouse of Microsoft Office documents, PDFs, or other files, there are several ways Microassist can enable your team to offer documents and materials that meet stringent accessibility standards.
- Accessibility Remediation— Our accessibility remediation services help you fix existing materials so that they conform to WCAG, Section 504 and 508, Department of Education OCR, and ADA Title II/III requirements. We remediate websites, applications, documents, and elearning, recommending re-creation when that is more efficient and economical. Especially for website and applications, to find out what is in need of remediation, we’ll start with an Accessibility Audit.
- Accessibility Training— With several courses available for developers, testers, and content creators, your team can become equipped to consistently and expertly produce accessible digital products and online environments.
- VPAT®Evaluation Services— Primarily used by government purchasers and government vendors during the procurement and sale of ICT products and services under Section 508, a Voluntary Product Accessibility Template® (VPAT) attests to the accessibility of a given product or service. Contact us to make sure the VPAT you write or review is accurate and meaningful.
Learn More About Digital Accessibility
Our Digital Accessibility Digest blog covers our Accessibility in the News archives as well as expert commentaries on digital accessibility issues.
Our most popular commentaries include:
- The WCAG 2.1 Update: A Brief Look at What’s Changed
- Introducing VPAT®0, the More Stringent Accessibility Reporting Tool Required for Government IT Procurement
- Accessibility in the News, Legal Edition: Updates on ADA Title III News and More
- What Lawyers Need to Know: A Primer on Digital Accessibility Terms and Today’s Legal Landscape
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