Accessibility in the News — 4/23/2021.
NOTE: To get news like this every week in your inbox, before it hits our website, subscribe to our Accessibility in the News e-newsletter. There are no ads or graphics, and we never send spam. Just use the sign-up form on this page to subscribe and stay up to date!
Skip to National News (U.S.) | Skip to International News
More Accessibility Resources on this Page
Accessibility Blogs and Information | Accessibility Announcements and Products
Accessibility Fourms, Tips and Gaming | Accessibility Statement Pages
Microassist Accessibility Services
AITN Quote of the Week
Although the world is full of suffering, it is also full of the overcoming of it.” ― Helen Keller
Feature Stories
How to Avoid ADA Lawsuits
April 20, 2021 | Source: FacilitiesNet
Did you know your sales and service counter cannot exceed 36 inches in height (34 inches in California)? Did you know that most accessibility litigation begins in your parking lot? Did you know 36 inches is required between your clothing sales racks to maintain an accessible route? The 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) matters for all businesses. The law states it is illegal to provide “goods and services to the public” that are not also readily accessible to individuals with disabilities…
Appeals Court Finds Grocer’s Website Did Not Violate Americans with Disabilities Act
April 20, 2021 | Source: Duane Morris & Kelley Drye & McGuireWoods & Parker Poe & Crowell & Moring & Law.com & Hunton Andrews Kurth & Bradley & McAfee & Taft
Over two years after hearing oral arguments, the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals finally issued an opinion in Gil v. Winn-Dixie, Case No. 17-13467, overturning the Florida federal district court’s finding that the grocery store chain violated Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) by having an inaccessible website. In the 67-page decision, the Court of Appeals held that “websites are not places of public accommodation” under the ADA and that the Winn-Dixie website was not an “intangible barrier” to goods, services, privileges and advantages of Winn-Dixie’s physical stores…
Justice Department Finds that Alameda County, California, Violates the Americans with Disabilities Act and the U.S. Constitution
April 22, 2021 | Source: Department of Justice
The Justice Department concluded today, based upon a thorough investigation, that there is reasonable cause to believe that Alameda County is violating the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in its provision of mental health services, and that conditions and practices at the county’s Santa Rita Jail violate the U.S. Constitution and the ADA. The department’s investigation found that the county fails to provide services to qualified individuals with mental health disabilities in the most integrated setting appropriate to their needs…
National News (U.S.)
Advances in Deaf Education
April 15, 2021 | Source: Inside Higher Ed
Educational attainment for deaf people, according to the latest research from the National Deaf Center on Postsecondary Outcomes, has been increasing since 2008. In 2019, about 5 percent of deaf and hard-of-hearing adults under 65, according to census data, were enrolled in higher education. That’s more than 190,000 people. Deaf students still face barriers in higher education, but some institutions, departments and individuals are making changes to make that education more advanced, inclusive and accessible…
Study To Shed Light On Women Living With Disabilities, Better Position Clinicians To Help
April 16, 2021 | Source: UVA Today
Navigating the world with a physical or intellectual disability is hard enough. But for the 1 million American women living with disabilities who are of childbearing age, navigating the labyrinth of reproductive care, family planning and health care can leave them feeling frustrated, humiliated and unheard. As a result, women in this group face a troubling lack of access to quality reproductive and family planning care that can have dire consequences for their well-being, and the well-being of their babies…
Do Published Website Accessibility Rankings Help Organizations Perform Better?
April 18, 2021 | Source: Forbes
Whether a carrot or stick approach works best for enforcing website accessibility compliance remains an ongoing debate across government and industry at large. The former focuses on educating those controlling digital assets on both the business and moral case for maintaining websites and apps that can be easily accessed by individuals with a wide range of physical or cognitive impairments. The latter entails a punitive response to websites that fail to comply with digital accessibility standards either through public naming and shaming or recourse to legal remedy through the courts…
Many outdoor dining spaces lack full accessibility
April 18, 2021 | Source: Manhattan Times
Before the pandemic, Daphne Frias and her mother spent their summers eating at as many different types of restaurants as possible, but their favorite was Italian. The pair would rank their favorite meals – creamy pasta with mushrooms and crumbly bruschetta is currently in first place – and they maintain an exhaustive list of the city’s best tiramisu. Although it is a cherished pastime, eating out is not always easy for Frias because she uses a wheelchair…
Birmingham’s Adjacent Space building bridges between the deaf and hearing communities
April 18, 2021 | Source: Yellowhammer
Joe Kaplan’s hands come together, fists first meeting in front of his chest in a pantomime of clasping hands. Then, in one swift. graceful movement, his fists twist in midair, fingers spreading wide but hands staying connected. Although this movement might look like a choreographed part of a dance routine, in reality it is the American Sign Language (ASL) name for Adjacent Space, a Birmingham-based nonprofit dedicated to improving accessibility and equity for local deaf, deaf-blind and hard-of-hearing residents…
How ‘Sound of Metal’ got in tune with deafness
April 19, 2021 | Source: CNN
Oscars filmmakers hail disability progress
April 19, 2021 | Source: Global Times
Riz Ahmed: ‘Being with the deaf community taught me what listening really means’
April 17, 2021 | Source: The Irish Times
In a room in Paris, sound designer Nicolas Becker and director Darius Marder sat in silence. They were inside an anechoic chamber, a room designed to swallow noise. In the silence, their bodies awoke. Tendons and bones creaked, hearts thudded; blood found a voice as it coursed through veins. The sound of silence was anything but — a useful reminder for the project they were about to embark on. The two were preparing for “Sound of Metal,” a film about Ruben, an American rock drummer and recovering addict who suddenly loses his hearing…
Making the Outdoors More Accessible Takes All of Us
April 20, 2021 | Source: Backpacker
Many of us head out for a day in the mountains with a trail in mind—the more challenging, the better. But for people with a disability, whether intellectual or physical, enjoying an adventure in the great outdoors often takes a lot more planning. Considerations like trail width, grade, terrain, crowds—and the assistive equipment needed to navigate these aspects—are all factors that a person with a mobility issue must address before even arriving at a trailhead…
Accessibility Is Not Optional
April 21, 2021 | Source: The Regulatory Review
As COVID-19 vaccine distribution accelerates across the country, federal and state officials have received simple orders from the Biden Administration: “Protect those most at risk and advance equity.” For too many Americans with disabilities, this directive has been an empty promise. Early reports have found that many vaccine outreach campaigns and facilities fail to comply with federal laws to promote access to medical services for individuals with disabilities. These laws include the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act…
Grocers look to help seniors bridge the digital shopping divide
April 21, 2021 | Source: Grocery Dive
When the coronavirus pandemic swept the U.S. last spring, Community Foods Market in Oakland, California, turned to free delivery to encourage seniors to shop online. “Even though we were doing kind of everything to keep our store clean and sanitized daily and limit traffic coming into the store, I just was not that comfortable with the idea of encouraging seniors to come out at what was the peak of the first [COVID-19] surge,” said Brahm Ahmadi, CEO and president of the store…
New ‘playground-for-all’ will let kids with and without disabilities play side-by-side in Sacramento
April 21, 2021 | Source: ABC10
Fall of 2021 marks a special point in time for 12-year-old Mary Jane Medal. It marks a point where wish becomes reality and where the construction of a park might set the standard for what a “playground-for-all” can truly be. Mary Jane is the daughter of Sarah Medal, a lifelong Sacramento resident. Sarah’s daughter has Cerebral Palsy, is nonverbal, and needs a wheelchair to get around. But the most important thing for anyone to know about Mary Jane is that she loves to smile and play with others – just like any other kid her age…
‘One-Handed Lady Golfer’ tees up Adaptive Golfers, making the sport accessible to all
April 22, 2021 | Source: Jersey’s Best
Gianna Rojas was born without fingers on her left hand. Rather than view this as a limitation, the Oak Ridge resident has embraced her uniqueness. Making a name for herself on the golf circuit as the “One-Handed Lady Golfer,” Rojas is on a mission to create opportunities for other differently abled individuals to get in the game. Though she only began hitting the fairways several years ago, the 58-year-old founded the nonprofit Adaptive Golfers, which brings the sport to all who wish to play…
Driving 200 MPH Is Terrifying – Imagine Doing it As a Blind Man
April 22, 2021 | Source: PowerNation
Anyone that’s been on the ground in something that reaches speeds in excess of 200 mph can attest to how quickly everything passes you by. Going 100 mph is considered dangerous, so imagine going twice that speed. If anything goes wrong, it doesn’t matter how quickly you react; you likely won’t survive an accident. If you’re operating a vehicle at 200 mph, you need all of the senses working harmoniously to mitigate potential dangers. Knowing what can go wrong at any second, it takes a special kind of person to attempt that, even without a disability, so imagine doing this without your sight…
Pandemic hits workers with disabilities hard
April 22, 2021 | Source: Monadnock Ledger-Transcript
The pandemic continues to eat away at the workforce, with unemployment reaching 4% in December—up from 2.6% the previous year. But a segment of the workforce—those with disabilities—is being hit even harder. Workers with disabilities experienced an unemployment rate of 11% during the fourth quarter of 2020. The pandemic has disproportionately hurt disabled workers, with unemployment rising by 37% in the first few months of the pandemic and a loss of 10,000 jobs, according to the University of NH’s Institute on Disability. This is in stark contrast to the 13% reduction experienced among workers without disabilities.
Jack Fact — According to the National Center for Health Statistics, approximately 20% of the U.S. population is deaf or hard-of-hearing. However, studies suggest 80 to 90% of those in the deaf community with mental illness don’t have access to mental health services, compared to about 64% of the general population.
Hit The Road Jack — 5 Unique (and Accessible) Things to Do in Barcelona
International News
Wollongong night out highlights accessibility issues people with disability still encounter
April 16 , 2021 | Source: Illawarra Mercury- Australia
A recent experience of a well-known Illawarra resident has highlighted the obstacles people with disabilities continue to face in accessing public spaces that many people take for granted. Professor Justin Yerbury, a motor neurone disease researcher who himself has the degenerative disorder and uses a power wheelchair, attended Wollongong Town Hall last weekend to see comedian Ben Elton after receiving tickets for his birthday. But his experience at the venue was far from ideal. “As we always do when we plan to go out, we make several phone calls to organise and plan,” Prof Yerbury said…
Rail companies apologise after Prince Philip ‘mark of respect’ leaves websites inaccessible
April 15, 2021 | Source: Disability News Service- UK
National Rail Enquiries was just one of several rail industry websites that turned grey “as a mark of respect” following Prince Philip’s death. The Rail Delivery Group (RDG), which runs the website, and represents the companies that run Britain’s railways, appears to have made the changes despite knowing that they would cause accessibility problems to some disabled people. Among other rail industry organisations that made similar changes to their websites were Northern and Network Rail…
In anticipation of a BC Accessibility Act
April 17, 2021 | Source: Peace Arch News- Canada
Imagine for a moment you were the keynote speaker at an event, but you arrived and couldn’t get onto the stage. What if you couldn’t speak and were refused medical services unless you allowed someone to speak for you? What if you booked a vacation of a lifetime and arrived at your destination only to be told they didn’t have the special room you’d carefully booked, despite promises? What if you applied for a job, but when they called you to book an interview and learned you had a disability they hung up?…
Selected cities, villages to become disabled-accessible
April 17, 2021 | Source: Tehran Times- Iran
According to the national document on improving accessibility in cities for persons with disabilities, fifty-five cities, five villages, and three metropolitan areas should be considered as pilots until Iranian calendar year 1402 (March 2023-March 2024). The national document includes a five-year action plan which analyzes the country’s weaknesses and strengths being accessible for the people physically challenged, with the participation of representatives of the country’s responsible bodies and NGOs…
Equal Rights Commission releases annual report on state of disabled rights
April 17, 2021 | Source: The Jerusalem Post- Israel
Israel’s Equal Rights Commission for Persons with Disabilities released its annual report on Monday, summarizing the activities of disabled people in employment and ongoing lawsuits in relation to disabled people’s rights, according to a commission statement. Some 965 enforcement and supervision actions were carried out by the commission, resulting in 130 lawsuits filed, according to the report. Some 18% of the Israeli public, or 790,000, are people with disabilities in 2020…
NGO’s Disability Inclusion Index aims to help Hong Kong firms catch up on hiring front
April 17, 2021 | Source: South China Morning Post- China
When Walter Tsui Yu-hang graduated from Chinese University with a degree in economics, he felt good about his chances of landing a job. But it would take more than six months and dozens of interviews before he finally landed a human resources position. Tsui, who is visually impaired, with only 5 per cent sight, knew his experience was not an isolated one. It ultimately led him to set up CareER in 2013 – a local non-profit organisation dedicated to helping students and graduates with disabilities find jobs…
When it comes to reproductive health in Ireland, disabled people are being left behind
April 18, 2021 | Source: Her- Ireland
A conference taking place at the end of this month will explore the real-life experiences of disabled people in Ireland in accessing reproductive health services. The event, which is the first of its kind, is presented by Re(al) Productive Justice, a project based at the Centre for Disability Law and Policy at NUIG. The overall aim of Re(al) is to “make visible the experiences of disabled people in Ireland seeking reproductive justice”. Their Online Roadshow will shine a light on the issues people with disabilities face when it comes to accessing services relating to fertility, contraception, abortion, pregnancy, childbirth and parenting…
People with learning disabilities face ‘being excluded’ from democratic process, charity warns
April 19, 2021 | Source: ITV- Wales
Two brothers from Holyhead have shared their experiences of politics and voting ahead of the Senedd election in May. It comes after the charity Mencap warned that people with learning disabilities face being excluded from the democratic process. Mike and Gary Gallagher have a keen interest in politics and want to highlight that everyone has a right to vote and should be able to use it. But Mencap has raised concerns about “inaccessible language” and even some people with learning disabilities being turned away from polling stations at previous elections…
How pandemic responses neglected disabled people’s rights
April 19, 2021 | Source: The Conversation- UK
The pandemic has had a disproportionate impact on disabled people, who make up six out of ten COVID-19 related deaths in the UK, according to the Office of National Statistics. So far no other country has published the same data, making it difficult to assess the global impact, particularly in low and middle-income countries where 80% of the world’s disabled population live. Despite the ratification of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities by 182 countries, disabled people still face significant discrimination, stigma, and poverty globally…
What’s Behind This Sudden Hearing Loss in Both Ears?
April 19, 2021 | Source: MedPage Today- Denmark
A 53-year-old man presents to a hospital emergency department (ER) in Copenhagen, Denmark after suffering sudden complete loss of hearing in both ears. He is accompanied by a friend, who tells clinicians that the hearing loss developed while the patient was watching television, and he also mentions an unusual speech problem, although he didn’t elaborate. The hearing did gradually come back, however, over the next 4 hours. The patient is assessed in the ED by an internal medicine resident, who learns that the patient is a smoker, and that his medical history also includes high blood pressure, hypercholesterolemia, and chronic heart failure…
City of Delta urging feds to avoid ‘devastating’ funding cuts for accessible books
April 20, 2021 | Source: Delta-Optimist- Canada
The City of Delta is asking the federal government to ensure those with visual impairments don’t lose access to specialized books. Council last week endorsed a staff recommendation to ask Delta MP Carla Qualtrough, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion, and MP Chrystia Freeland, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, for sustainable funding for the Centre for Equitable Library Access and the National Network for Equitable Library Services to support the continued production of accessible reading materials for Canadians with print reading disabilities…
Only 8% of buildings are accessible to disabled people in Latvia
April 21, 2021 | Source: Public broadcasting of Latvia
The environment inside buildings for people with disabilities is only fully accessible in 8% of buildings, according to a study carried out on behalf of the Ministry of Welfare (LM), LM said April 20. The study “Analysis of the Self-Assessment of Environment Accessibility in State and Local Government Institutions” compiled a self-assessment of a total of 2,249 buildings. In 8% of the buildings, space is fully accessible, in 26% it is partially accessible and in 67% it is not accessible…
The need for clear rules on accessible housing
April 21, 2021 | Source: CDB News- Australia
Good disability policy benefits all Australians. Sometimes it requires governments to mandate outcomes to overcome market failures. It is important that we house all Australians, rich or poor, because it reduces pressure on Australia’s health, welfare, disability support and aged care systems. More than four million Australians presently have a disability and to future-proof the country from health and disability policy challenges it is necessary for all levels of government to act decisively (and cleverly) on housing policy…
Don’t exclude people from voting in the 2022 election, accessibility committee tells council
April 21, 2021 | Source: GuelphToday- Canada
Many residents will be excluded from voting during next year’s municipal election unless city council approves new options for casting ballots, beyond the mail-in system endorsed earlier this year, says the Accessibility Advisory Committee (AAC). During a Tuesday afternoon meeting, the committee unanimously approved a motion calling on council to consider implementing a remote mail-in system which would allow people to use assistive technology to read their ballot and mark it digitally, yet still provide a printed paper version that can be counted and verified…
Portugal to approve strategy for boosting inclusion of disabled
April 21, 2021 | Source: EURACTIV- Spain
Portuguese Prime Minister António Costa has announced that at the end of this month the government will approve a national strategy for the inclusion of people with disabilities, which will include measures to support employment and improve accessibility. At the opening session of the second day of the high-level videoconference on the European Strategy for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities 2021-2030, under the Portuguese presidency of the Council of the European Union, Costa considered the adoption of this instrument as “a milestone in the construction of Europe”…
Prime minister ignored accessibility of media briefing room, his office admits
April 22, 2021 | Source: Disability News Service- UK
Disability News Service (DNS) revealed last month that the platform in the room was not step-free and that civil servants or ministers with a mobility impairment would have to use a removable ramp if they wanted to address the media. It later emerged that the prime minister and his team of civil servants had also failed to ensure that the facilities would allow an on-platform British Sign Language (BSL) interpreter. Now the Cabinet Office has admitted – in response to a DNS freedom of information request – that it has no record of any discussions about the accessibility of the new facility in the 12 months leading up to its unveiling…
What will it take to make Nova Scotia fully accessible?
April 22, 2021 | Source: CBC- Canada
Well, this morning, we are going to launch a new series at CBC Cape Breton that we’re calling Ready and Able, an ongoing look at accessibility and inclusion. Nova Scotia is about to change. The Accessibility Act heralds a sweeping strategy that aims to make the whole province, rural and urban, inclusive and barrier-free by 2030. That’s the deadline, which is less than a decade away. And over the next number of weeks, we’re going to look at what’s been done, what needs to be done and what is on the horizon to make sure everybody can participate fully no matter what your abilities…
Disability in Goma. The Power of Staying Together Against Covid-19, War, and Stigma
April 22, 2021 | Source: Inter Press Service- Democratic Republic of the Congo
Sylvain Kakule Kadjibwami lost the use of his legs during one of those ambushes that bloodlessly bleed North Kivu. “When I was shot, I thought it was the end of my life, but when I shared it with other disabled people, I discovered that life is still possible,” he said. Now it is Covid-19 that risks destroying the dreams of Sylvain, a small trader from Goma, a city whose roads are volcanic rock-ridden screes where pick-ups trudge. Those who walk face the risk of falling at every step. However, for those who cannot, the same roads can become traps where it is not only war that kills but also a stigma fostering misery and disease…
COVID-19 Resources and Information
- Imitating Mom Working (YouTube)
- Accessibility of Online Classes- Marquette Wire
- St. John’s Updates Accessibility Guidelines for Pedestrian Mall- VOCM
- COVID-19 vaccine prioritisation for people with disabilities- The Lancet
- ACBVI helps those who are blind get vaccinated against COVID-19- 12News
- Disabled people ‘ignored’ in ‘inaccessible’ of lockdown easing- The London Economic
- Return to the Workplace: Developing Disability Inclusive Telework and COVID-19 Health (YouTube)
- Local nonprofit breaks barriers to create disability-friendly COVID-19 vaccination sites- Fox
- States ranked by accessibility of COVID-19 vaccine sign-up websites- Becker’s Hospital Review
- Government should do more to protect well-being in the digital world, says report- ComputerWeekly
- Missouri’s work toward vaccine accessibility for those with disabilities highlighted at national level- EIN News
- Covid-19 vaccines: how they work and who is eligible if you have a disability or chronic illness- Disability Horizons
- Getting Ahead of the Curve: Ensuring Safe, Healthy and Inclusive Workplaces During the COVID-19 Recovery- EARN
- U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia Reminds Community Partners That the Americans With Disabilities Act Applies to COVID-19 Related Services
Accessibility Blogs and Information
- AFB Accessibility Resources
- Ask Me Anything- Mariella Paulino (YouTube)
- Visually impaired at SPPU feel tested- Pune Mirror
- WebAlign: Proving A Proof Of Concept- Ken Nakata
- Transportation Accessibility – World Institute on Disability
- Making Heritage sites accessible to all- The Kashmir Images
- What Is the World Wide Web Consortium (WC3)?- MakeUseOf
- Making Geology Accessible for Blind Students- Inside Higher Ed
- How to Improve Accessibility For Virtual Events- Verywell Mind
- Researcher Makes Restroom Accessibility Her Life’s Work- CMM
- The Current State of ADA Digital Enforcement- ABA Banking Journal
- Companies Can Be Sued for Poor Website Accessibility- Building Indiana
- Accessibility isn’t optional, even when it’s inconvenient- Middlebury Campus
- A Researcher’s Experience with Accessibility & Learning Capabilities – ETS Open Notes
- Study Shows Brands Need to Do a Better Job Reaching People With Disabilities- Adweek
- How retailers can improve online accessibility and why it matters- Retail Insight Networks
- Open Source Web Accessibility Tools User Group- University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
- Designers encourage amplifying marginalized voices for greater accessibility- The Stanford Daily
- How to Facilitate Disabled People Commute, Take a Taxi, or Rideshare- The Web Writer Spotlight
- ‘We’re proud of the steps UM is taking to create an inclusive and accessible environment’- UM Today
- Using Youth Leadership Programs to Improve Postsecondary Outcomes for Youth and Young Adults with Disabilities
- Why Latino children tend to be diagnosed with autism later than other children according to social work researchers- Newswise
- US Department Of Labor ‘s Efforts to Advance Racial & Social Equity in Employment for People with Disabilities National Online Dialogue
- US Department Of Labor Selects Seven States To Participate In Its Initiative To Improve Employment Outcomes For People With Mental Health Conditions
- Trump Judge Rules that Grocery Chain Can Legally Discriminate against Visually Impaired People by Providing them with Inferior Services: Confirmed Judges, Confirmed Fears- People For the American Way
Accessibility Announcements and Products
- Apple introduces AirTag
- Accessibility Guide | Kaunas2022
- P.E.I. launches accessible taxi program
- Arkansas House OKs accessibility-panel bill
- Feds amplify funding for accessibility upgrades
- Disaster Readiness Survey of Texans with Disabilities
- The thrills of The Dare Skywalk now accessible for all
- Accessibility Coalition joins ASU Council of Coalitions
- Cerebral Palsy Sport launches new online club finder platform
- CDOT to update curb ramps for ADA accessibility in Rifle, Silt
- Research Study into Web Accessibility for people with Dyslexia
- Popular Botanical Garden in Torremolinos is now accessible to all
- Brampton performing arts theatre to receive accessibility upgrades
- Support People With Special Needs By Buying Nothing Bundt Cakes
- New online tool provides accessibility map for people with disabilities
- Get out and enjoy nature with these wheelchair-accessible trails in Maine
- Edlio Acquires eChalk, Leading Provider of Accessible School Websites
- Disability Advocates Call For Improved Accessibility At Illinois State Capitol
- US City Websites Need Improvements To Meet Resident Needs & Expectations
- Waterbury hotel included in launch of ‘Red Vest Accessible’ as disability-friendly
- Charles ‘Chuck’ Geschke, founder of Adobe and developer of PDFs dies at age 81
- Texas Association of the Deaf (TAD) launches Statewide Survey for Deaf Seniors
- Designing for disability: Pioneering the next evolution in multi-use accessible design
- Audioeye (AEYE) Announces DealerCenter Selects it as Digital Accessibility Partner
- Microsoft’s Visual Studio for Mac getting complete overhaul with native UI and more
- Sauce Labs and Deque Systems Join Forces to Help Enterprises Ensure Digital Accessibility
- Crawford Technologies Announces Second Annual Customer Communications Virtual Summit
- Lumina Datamatics Receives Accreditation from Benetech Global Certified Accessible™ Program
- TikTok Adds Automated Captions, Making Platform More Open to Deaf People- The Wall Street Journal
- Ruderman Foundation Grants $1M to Academy Right Before The Oscars to Promote Accessibility and Equity
- Duct Tape Marketing Announces Strategic Partnership With Online ADA To Improve, Promote Digital Accessibility
Accessibility Forums, Tips, and Gaming
- Hands on: Returnal review
- Captions How-To WCAG 3- W3C
- Visually Distinct How-To WCAG 3- W3C
- MyQ X 8.2: New Horizons of Web Accessibility
- Accessibility and Perf improvements to WinForms
- What Are iPhone Color Filters & How To Use Them
- Sony AI Patent Could Make Games More Accessible
- Font characteristics contrast How-To WCAG 3- W3C
- New in knitr: Improved accessibility with image alt text
- 3 Usability Standards For Web And Mobile Applications
- Path Of Exile Player’s Accessibility Macro Ban Was A Hoax
- Android 12’s Accessibility Menu is getting a handy new shortcut
- WoW’s patch 9.1 will introduce text-to-speech accessibility options
- Fake Reddit Post Starts Serious Debate About Video Game Accessibility
- Disco Elysium: The Final Cut’s voice acting is a much needed accessibility feature
- How to make sure your fundraising videos are accessible: approaches and tips from the experts
Accessibility Statements
- CRKT
- Sanofi
- MED-Project
- Fix My Street
- Michelin Tires
- Cochise College
- Bemidji State University
- Queensland Music Festival
- The University of Liverpool
- Northern Ireland Fire & Rescue Service
- Accessibility in the News: Accessibility Statement Pages
Microassist Digital Accessibility Services
Have you received an accessibility demand letter because of your website or application? Please contact us for any questions you have about our accessibility services and how we might support your organization.
Services include:
- Accessible Website and Application Development— We rely heavily on accessibility best practices and using HTML5 and ARIA (Accessible Rich Internet Applications) standards to build WCAG-compliant and human-tested accessible environments. Our teams are proficient in open source technologies such as WordPress, Drupal and Moodle, as well as custom frameworks in .NET, PHP, AngularJS, and other frameworks. Our Learning and Development team can also help you create accessible custom training.
- Accessible Document Services— Whether you’re dealing with a few or a warehouse of Microsoft Office documents, PDFs, or other files, there are several ways Microassist can enable your team to offer documents and materials that meet stringent accessibility standards.
- Accessibility Remediation— Our accessibility remediation services help you fix existing materials so that they conform to WCAG, Section 504 and 508, Department of Education OCR, and ADA Title II/III requirements. We remediate websites, applications, documents, and elearning, recommending re-creation when that is more efficient and economical. Especially for website and applications, to find out what is in need of remediation, we’ll start with an Accessibility Audit.
- Accessibility Training— With several courses available for developers, testers, and content creators, your team can become equipped to consistently and expertly produce accessible digital products and online environments.
- VPAT®Evaluation Services— Primarily used by government purchasers and government vendors during the procurement and sale of ICT products and services under Section 508, a Voluntary Product Accessibility Template® (VPAT) attests to the accessibility of a given product or service. Contact us to make sure the VPAT you write or review is accurate and meaningful.
Learn More About Digital Accessibility
Our Digital Accessibility Digest blog covers our Accessibility in the News archives as well as expert commentaries on digital accessibility issues.
Our most popular commentaries include:
- The WCAG 2.1 Update: A Brief Look at What’s Changed
- Introducing VPAT®0, the More Stringent Accessibility Reporting Tool Required for Government IT Procurement
- Accessibility in the News, Legal Edition: Updates on ADA Title III News and More
- What Lawyers Need to Know: A Primer on Digital Accessibility Terms and Today’s Legal Landscape
Subscribe to Accessibility in the News
Stay informed! Get your weekly update on digital accessibility standards, private and public sector trends, litigation, events, and more.