Accessibility in the News — 3/8/19.

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―James Russell Lowell

National News (U.S.)

Interpreter for deaf basketball player told she can’t stand by coach; IHSAA investigates

February 27, 2019 | Source: Indy Star |

An interpreter for a deaf Culver Community high school basketball player was told by a referee during a sectional game Tuesday night that she was not allowed to walk alongside the coach and sign in front of the bench as she has done for every other Culver game this season. Instead, the official told her to stand in one spot at the end of the bench, prompting angry words from Culver’s assistant coach followed by a technical foul, as well as boos from the crowd and shouts of “That’s wrong!” “That’s bad!”…

US Navy Settles Discrimination Claim by Blind Employee

February 28, 2019 | Source: Brown Goldstein and Levy LLP& PDF | Litigation

Mary Carla Flood had worked for the United States Department of the Navy as an Educational Technician for only a day and a half when she was summarily fired. She had done nothing wrong, but human resources officials felt constrained by the results of her physical. That physical had revealed that she was legally blind, a fact that was obvious to the personnel who hired her on the spot at her job interview (Ms. Flood sometimes uses a white cane to navigate, and reads with reading glasses or uses large print)…

How to Avoid ADA Title III Website Cases that Target Hotels & Motels

February 28, 2019 | Source: Fox Rothschild LLP |

As I posted last year, the next wave of Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”) Title III litigation was going to focus on hotels and motels and their reservation systems. And, I was right. These cases are primarily focused on the hotel’s reservation system and how detailed the hotel’s web site describes the ADA accessible rooms and the facility. As previously explained, these cases are being brought pursuant to 28 CFR 36.302(e) which provides: (1) Reservations made by places of lodging…

Portland’s New Ride Hailing Dispatch Service For Disabled Residents Might Be Imperiled By a New Bill in State Legislature

February 28, 2019 | Source: Willamette Week |

The Portland Bureau of Transportation just launched a program that makes it easier for people with disabilities to hail rides on demand. But city officials warn a bill in the Oregon Legislature could snuff out the program. The bill’s sponsor says she’ll draft an amendment to protect the program for hailing wheelchair-accessible vehicles. PDX WAV—which was launched today by PBOT and City Commissioner Chloe Eudaly—is a dispatch service that connects callers with wheelchair accessible taxis, Ubers or Lyfts located within a 30 minute radius…

Top 10 Campuses for Students with Physical Disabilities

March 1, 2019 | Source: College Magazine& Inside INdiana Business |

College is challenging for any incoming freshman. Now imagine having to navigate this completely new world with a physical disability. These students must find ways to navigate class and seek accessible accommodations all while learning in each fast-paced college class. Some colleges go above and beyond to make the transition to college life easy for students with disabilities. These ten schools offer accessible dorms, classrooms and transportation, plus they get the entire school body involved by advocating for awareness and inclusion for students with physical disabilities…

Student Struggles with Accessibility After Online Platform Change

March 1, 2019 | Source: NBC 6 South Florida |

Ben Rosenthal doesn’t believe in letting anything stop him, not even his eyes. “I can see about a foot, but I can really only focus in about 2 inches from my eyeballs,” Rosenthal said. His parents learned early on he not only has a visual impairment. “They found out I had a visual processing disorder,” he said. “It’s a lot similar to dyslexia.” He created a document and modified a pair of glasses to help show others what he sees. “I’ll mix up letters, things that look similar,” he said. “Bs become Ds. 8s become Bs … it becomes really tricky to read.”…

Municipalities and universities new targets in ADA website accessibility lawsuits

March 1, 2019 | Source: EmployerLINC |

For years, private businesses have faced demand letters and litigation over the accessibility of their websites by individuals with disabilities, with 2018 seeing a record number of website accessibility lawsuits under the Americans with Disabilities Act. Now, plaintiffs’ firms are focusing on new targets, including municipalities, county governments, and universities. People with disabilities access websites in a variety of ways, and common website problems may create barriers for these individuals…

Before Cities Become Smart, They Must Become Accessible

March 1, 2019 | Source: Mobility Management |

In the summer of 2018, start-up companies Lime and Bird flooded the streets of my hometown of Dallas with their electric scooters, which were followed by Razor scooters in the fall. Lime brands itself as “Smart Mobility for the Modern World,” and its Web site says that the company “is founded on the simple idea that all communities deserve access to smart, affordable mobility” with the ultimate aim “to reduce dependence on personal automobiles for short-distance transportation and leave future generations with a cleaner, healthier planet.”…

Ninth Circuit Ruling Bolsters ADA Website Accessibility Suits

March 1, 2019 | Source: Venable LLP |

The Ninth Circuit’s recent ruling in Robles v. Domino’s Pizza, LLC provides yet another boon to plaintiffs across the country claiming that company websites may violate the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) unless they make specific accommodations to consumers who have visual, auditory, or other disabilities.1 While such litigation was already rapidly proliferating nationwide, Robles becomes one of the few federal appeals court decisions to specifically address website accessibility…

Neurodiversity and the Digital Divide: how our neurological differences shape the way we experience the web

March 2, 2019 | Source: Today |

We sat down with autistic advocate Kathy Isaacs and Wojciech Nadachowski from the national Cooperative Research Centre for Autism to chat about the lack of accessibility standards for neurodiverse users and how technology empowers the autistic community. Let’s start with getting some clarity around the concept of ‘neurodiversity’. Can we try to define what it is? How common is the word’s usage and how widely accepted is it, for instance, by government?…

Accessible Playgrounds Aren’t About Fancy Materials, They’re About Inclusion For All Kids

March 3, 2019 | Source: Romper |

Taking kids to play at the local playground may seem like a rather straightforward parenting activity. However, for parents like Danielle Zukoski, whose daughter Iris uses a walker for mobility, going to play at a playground can be far from an easy endeavor. Earlier this month Zukoski took her 5-year-old twins Iris and Harmony to a birthday party at a playground at Anderson Snow Park in their new Spring Hill, Florida neighborhood. While they were approaching the playground, Zukoski started filming Iris as she happily navigated the sidewalk toward the playground in her walker…

Art exhibit accessible to visually impaired comes to Indianapolis

March 3, 2019 | Source: WRTV Indianapolis |

The Visually Impaired Preschool Services (VIPS) to hold its fourth tactile art exhibition in Indianapolis starting Friday, March 8. The interactive art exhibit is titled “reVISION | reEXPLORING ART, EXPRESSION & PERCEPTION.” The unique exhibition is set to present works by regional artists who explore the world of art through the eyes of the visually impaired. The aim for reVISION is to transform the traditional gallery presentation to be more inclusive by having tactile, auditory and spatial experiences for blind and sighted alike…

As the web turns 30, is it an ‘out-of-control monster’?

March 3, 2019 | Source: Yahoo |

Thirty years ago this month, a young British software engineer working at a lab near Geneva invented a system for scientists to share information that would ultimately change humanity. But three decades after he invented the World Wide Web, Tim Berners-Lee has warned that his creation has been “hijacked by crooks” that may spell its destruction. Berner-Lee’s old office at Europe’s physics lab CERN now looks no different than the others lining the long, nondescript corridor within the expansive compound…

Permanent Wheelchair Ramps Open, Making The Lawn More Accessible Than Ever

March 4, 2019 | Source: UVA Today |

Settling in to watch the University of Virginia men’s basketball team take on the University of Pittsburgh Saturday, alumnus Cory Paradis saw something that took his breath away. Paradis, who graduated from UVA’s School of Architecture in May, was born with cerebral palsy and has been in a wheelchair most of his life. Throughout his time on Grounds, he was a committed advocate for accessibility. Among other activities, he served on the University’s Barrier-Free Access Committee, working with administrators, faculty members and students to push for permanent wheelchair ramps on the Lawn…

The MTA — and New Yorkers — Must Step Up

March 4, 2019 | Source: NYU Washington Square News

The double standard of transit accessibility

March 5, 2019 | Source: Crain’s New York Business

MTA ‘On Notice’ of Need for Disability Act Compliance in Wake of Loss in Lawsuit

March 6, 2019 | Source: Law.com & Patch

22-year-old Malaysia Goodson tragically passed away after falling down a flight of stairs at the Seventh Avenue subway station. Her death breaks my heart, not only because she was just a year older than I am or because she was a mother simply trying to take her baby daughter out for a fun day in the city — but also because of how easily it could have been avoided. New York City’s subway is one of the worst public transit systems in the nation in terms of accessibility. Over 75 percent of the city’s 472 subway stations do not have elevators or other facilities that make them accessible for people who are unable to use stairs…

Changes coming to Chateau Ste. Michelle Winery to make it more accessible

March 4, 2019 | Source: KIRO Seattle & The Associated Press |

Changes are coming to the Chateau Ste. Michelle Winery in Woodinville to make it more accessible. The planned improvements to its public spaces are in response to an Americans with Disabilities Act complaint. A woman who uses a wheelchair filed the complaint during a summer concert at the winery. The winery will pay her $500 to settle the claims. “I commend Chateau Ste. Michelle for recognizing the need to correct barriers to equal access in its facilities, so that all those who want to visit the winery or enjoy a concert can do so,” said U.S. Attorney Brian T. Moran…

This Is Why We Can’t Have Nice Laws

March 5, 2019 | Source: Palisades Hudson Financial Group |

Trial lawyers working on contingency fees are nothing if not creative. Unfortunately for the rest of us, the Americans With Disabilities Act offers them an evergreen outlet for those creative urges. The latest fad in the ADA shakedown racket is website lawsuits. Lawyers are recruiting plaintiffs to sue a wide range of businesses and institutions not for maintaining inaccessible buildings or facilities, but for supposedly offering noncompliant websites. A woman in my hometown of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, reportedly has reached settlements with at least 20 hotels and motels in the state…

Escambia Set To Settle Federal Lawsuit Over County Website Accessibility

March 5, 2019 | Source: NorthEscambia.com |

The Escambia County Commission this week will vote on a proposed settlement with a man that filed a federal suit claiming the county website is inaccessible to blind and visually impaired individuals. Walter Joseph Beckman claimed the website at www.myescambia.com is in violation of Title II of the Americans With Disabilities Act. Title II of the ADA prohibits local governments from excluding qualified individuals with a disability from participation in or the benefits from services, programs or activities of the local government…

Designing for accessibility: From Frida Kahlo’s corsets to Franklin Roosevelt’s leg braces

March 5, 2019 | Source: Popular Science |

One in five Americans has a disability, whether it’s diabetes or Down syndrome, asthma or paralysis from a car accident. To make the most out of life, people invariably turn to design. Built environments are one example of the power of accessible thinking. Small choices like curb cuts in a sidewalk or elevators in subway stations can make the difference between an individual in a wheelchair (or, for that matter, with a child in a stroller) making it to their destination safely—or at all…

Tennessee might change the look of disabled parking signs

March 5, 2019 | Source: NewsChannel5 (Video) & PDF |

The handicapped sign on state property in Tennessee could have a new look thanks to a bill in the state legislature. The “Dynamic Accessibility Act” changes the standard image for handicapped accessible parking spots and entrances to a more active symbol, showing a person in a wheelchair who seems to be moving forward. “It’s just an upbeat image. And it’s one of hope and moving forward and not a stylized stick man sitting straight up. It’s just time to move on. I think this bill, this image does that,” said the bill’s sponsor, state representative Darren Jernigan…

Office of Inclusive Design proposed by Student Disability Commission will provide resources for campus-wide accessibility issues

March 5, 2019 | Source: Dailyuw |

The ASUW board of directors (BOD) passed a student senate bill proposing an Office of Inclusive Design (OID) last Thursday, Feb. 28. The proposed OID will address the campus-wide accessibility problems for students with disabilities, student parents, English language learners, and others. These accessibility issues are a common and widespread problem that is present on many college campuses. According to a federal study, students with disabilities face low retention rates at universities…

Website Accessibility: An Issue for Health Care Companies

March 5, 2019 | Source: Foley & Lardner LLP |

Website accessibility under the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) and Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Rehabilitation Act) is an issue of which health care providers and other health care companies should be aware. There have been lawsuits filed that include claims for website accessibility under these Acts. A number of entities, including health care providers, have received complaints on behalf of visually impaired individuals claiming that the entity’s web presence is not equally accessible to the visually impaired…

He’s filed dozens of lawsuits over inaccessible websites. Newest target: Islamorada

March 6, 2019 | Source: Miami Herald |

The Village of Islamorada is the latest target of a South Florida man who has filed dozens of Americans with Disabilities Act lawsuits against companies and local governments arguing that their websites do not accommodate blind and deaf people. Juan Carlos Gil and his attorneys have filed 44 similar lawsuits in the Southern District of Florida federal court system, 26 in the Middle District, and they just filed one against Panama City in the Panhandle. Some of those suits have been confidentially settled. Judges dismissed others; still others remain pending…

Medicaid clinics in our region now equipped to see patients with physical disabilities

March 6, 2019 | Source: KOAA.com Colorado Springs and Pueblo News |

Several clinics and centers which cater to Medicaid patients in our region are now better equipped to see patients with physical challenges. News 5 Investigates first showed you last year how the majority of clinics in southern Colorado are not accessible to people with disabilities. The Independence Center in Colorado Springs is working to improve accessibility and we’re already seeing positive results. The center, which primarily helps people with disabilities gave out $75,000 in accessible medical equipment last year and they plan to do the same in 2019…

Epic EHR software isn’t accessible for blind hospital employees, suit claims

March 6, 2019 | Source: ModernHealthcare.com |

The National Federation of the Blind sued Epic Systems Corp. over its electronic health record software, alleging that blind hospital employees can’t use the program. The complaint in federal court in Massachusetts last week alleges a part-time hospital dispatcher at Boston-based Brigham and Women Hospital couldn’t perform his job duties after the provider went live on an Epic EHR in 2015. The employee was ultimately placed on a paid leave of absence because of the difficulties, the lawsuit alleged…

Some UMD bathrooms aren’t accessible enough for people with disabilities

March 6, 2019 | Source: The Diamondback |

Wherever Marieh Arnett goes on the University of Maryland’s campus, she knows that a trip to the bathroom will take as much as 20 minutes. “If I have class, I’m like, ‘I’m gonna be 20 minutes late,’” Arnett laughed. “I was once even late for an exam.” The senior psychology and statistics major, who has spinal muscular atrophy and uses a wheelchair, said there are a variety of problems that make her trips to the bathroom inconvenient. Among the issues Arnett encounters are soap dispensers that are out of reach, heavy doors that are nearly impossible for her to open without a button, and “handicapped” stalls that don’t fit her wheelchair…

Students confront campus accessibility issues

March 6, 2019 | Source: Sandspur |

Accessibility issues are gaining visibility on campus as students and faculty address problems that have plagued the college for generations through meetings and forums. In the past two weeks, faculty held open meetings on accessibility initiatives; a new club, Disability Alliance, formed to raise awareness of related campus issues; and presidential candidates for the Student Government Association (SGA) campaigned with platforms including accessibility improvements…

Audubon Greenwich, 10 Area Institutions Discuss Accessibility

March 7, 2019 | Source: Patch |

Audubon Greenwich and the Bruce Museum are among 11 Fairfield County institutions who have teamed up to make visits easier for guests with special needs. On Tuesday, representatives from each institution gathered at the Maritime Aquarium for a meeting aimed at gathering information, brainstorming ideas and giving thoughts on a planned portal for local families and service providers. Tom Naiman, Director of Education and Volunteers for the aquarium, said the initiative was spearheaded by two staff members with family members who have special needs…

Federal judge rules Bronx subway station must be accessible regardless of cost

March 7, 2019 | Source: Jurist |

A judge for the US District Court for the Southern District of New York ruled Tuesday that the Metropolitan Transportation Authority must make the subway station wheelchair accessible, regardless of cost. The subway station in question, Middletown Road Station Subway in the Bronx, can only be accessed through a stairway. Although the station was renovated from 2013 to 2014, no elevators were added to the station, so it was still inaccessible for people with certain disabilities, especially wheelchair users…

Is your website ADA compliant?

May 7, 2019 | Source: WSAV-TV (Video) |

The disabled plaintiffs call themselves activists working to improve society for the disabled, one lawsuit at a time. Critics call it “legal extortion,” now targeting small business owners who feel they are “sitting ducks” for Americans with Disabilities Act lawsuits regarding their websites that are not accessible to some with disabilities. Last year, there were 2,285 ADA website lawsuits filed in federal courts across the nation, an increase of a 181 percent from 2017…

Woman’s Concert Experience, ADA Settlement Leads To Modifications At Washington Venue

March 7, 2019 | Source: Ticket News |

A disabled woman faced several “physical barriers” when attending a concert at a winery in Washington, and after a settlement with the American With Disabilities Act (ADA), the venue has agreed to make changes to its tasting room and amphitheater. U.S. Attorney Brian Moran explained the details of the settlement in a news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for Western Washington. The woman, Char Blankenship, had reached out to him after her experience at Chateau Ste. Michelle in Woodinville.

Jack Fact — According to the National Organization on Disability’s 2018 assessment of nearly 200 companies, only 49 percent reported that their recruiting websites and intranets were compliant with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) by the World Wide Web Consortium, as recommended by most courts.

Hit The Road Jack — Mystery shopper: Cardiff and Newport, accessible travel in Venice

International News

Disabled Leeds campaigner Nathan Popple’s mission for city to be most accessible in UK

March 2, 2019 | Source: Yorkshire Evening Post- UK |

Nathan Popple wants to “open people’s minds” into what life is like for those with disabilities, and after spending years at the forefront of access campaigning in Yorkshire’s biggest city, he is doing just that. In 2012, aged just 14, Mr Popple, who suffered catastrophic injuries at birth and has cerebral palsy, was inspired during a bowling trip when steps stopped him from reaching the alley to found Accessible Leeds, an award-winning website which rated the city’s shops, leisure activities and public transport for the ease of which disabled people can access them…

Jaco Beach Costa Rica is the First Beach in Central America to be Fully Accessible to People with Disabilities

March 2, 2019 | Source: The Costa Rica Star |

As part of a strategy of accessible tourism, Jacó beach inaugurated a 63 meter long ramp (206.70 ft.) built with recycled plastic and which gives wheelchair users access to the shore, this and other improvements and facilities made of Jacó the first fully accessible beach in Central America. The inauguration took place this Friday, March 1st, in the frame of the Zero Discrimination Day, and it challenges other beaches and tourism destinations in the country to follow this example…

Province releases independent review of accessibility legislation

March 3, 2019 | Source: mySteinbach- Canada |

The Manitoba government has released an independent review of The Accessibility for Manitobans Act (AMA). “The review’s recommendations will help inform how the province will continue to improve accessibility and remove barriers,” said Families Minister Heather Stefanson. “I’d like to thank Theresa Harvey Pruden for her expertise and dedication to this important issue, as well as the Manitobans who participated and shared their views. Accessibility remains a top priority for our government and we are committed to making improvements based on the findings of this review.”…

Carleton University testing Bluetooth navigation to help students with accessibility issues

March 3, 2019 | Source: CTV News- Canada |

Carleton University is launching a new pilot project to help students navigate the underground tunnel system. The app Key 2 Access uses Bluetooth navigation beacons to send location alerts. The navigational beacons are at key intersections along the tunnel to guide visually and mobility impaired students along the way. Audio will indicate entrances into buildings, corners, ramps, or accessible washrooms. There are also directional markers along the tunnel. Dean Mellway is with Carleton’s READ Initiative (Research, Education, Accessibility and Design)…

Court Dismisses BTS Accessibility Lawsuit Against City Hall

March 4, 2019 | Source: Khaosod English- India |

Commuters with disabilities received a major legal blow Monday as a court ruled City Hall did not violate their rights by not making the BTS Skytrain accessible within a court-order deadline. Activists said they would file an appeal with the Supreme Administrative Court after the Administrative Court dismissed the case against the administration by saying the years-long delay in construction of the rail network’s elevators and fixing other accessibility issues weren’t caused by negligence…

Disability support organisation leads way in accessible and inclusive workplaces

March 4, 2019 | Source: Talking Disability- Australia |

With many buildings presenting accessibility barriers for people with disability, one company is prioritising inclusive and accessible workspaces by relocating to a new office. Hireup, an online platform helping people with disability find, hire and manage their support workers has gone above and beyond the traditional standards of accessibility, enlisting the help of specialists to source the latest in assistive technology and design. The three-level office, located in St Leonards, Sydney will support a range of disabilities including autism, vision and hearing impairments, physical disabilities and wheelchair users…

Anti-Israel hackers sabotage news sites in large-scale attack, exploiting plugin for the disabled

March 4, 2019 | Source: World Israel News& The Jewish Press |

An attempt to plant ransomware and otherwise sabotage Israeli web pages over the weekend has apparently failed. However, the hackers managed to deface dozens of websites including the Ynet news site with the words “Jerusalem is the capital of Palestine.” Sites were reported to have been blocked for about an hour or perhaps more on Saturday night. The hackers – whose identity and location have not yet been determined – are said to have found a breach connected to the Hebrew-language website Nagich, which ironically means “accessible” in Hebrew…

City woman gets accessible racing rolling, with more events coming this year

March 4, 2019 | Source: BarrieToday- Canada |

Barrie’s Heather Morgan knows first-hand the exhilaration that can be achieved from accessible racing, so she wanted to provide a chance for more people to catch that feeling. Morgan, who has a muscular condition and uses a wheelchair, took part in last year’s Barrie Triathlon where her husband pushed her along the lakeshore course in a specially designed accessible racing chair. The able-bodied people who push the chairs are referred to as ‘angels’. In just a few months, she has helped get accessible racing onto the calendar for several other running events…

Accessible packaging – some good news

March 5, 2019 | Source: Scoop- New Zealand |

Arthritis New Zealand and Packaging New Zealand have joined forces to establish guidelines for accessible packaging in New Zealand. These guidelines provide practical design advice to address the problems that many people face when opening ordinary everyday products such as those that have hard-to-pull seals, tear tabs that are too small and lids that cannot easily be gripped. The ability to open packaging easily is an ongoing challenge for people with arthritis and has significant implications including easily accessing food and medicines…

Businesses and service providers glance towards a more inclusive future

March 5, 2019 | Source: Cowra Guardian- Australia |

Local businesses and service providers from around Cowra have come together with Ability Links and Everywhere Venues to implement strategies to help improve accessibility for locals living with a disability as part of the ‘Access at a Glance’ project. Launched last Wednesday at Wesley Church, the program works in partnership with local business chambers to “map” and “list” the accessibility features of local businesses online. It also provides businesses with signage and stickers that explain the accessibility features that businesses have on their premises…

HRM wants Uber and Lyft, but council dithers

March 6, 2019 | Source: The Chronicle Herald- Canada |

HRM may want to think about changing its slogan from “Be Bold” to “Go Slow and Study Things Endlessly.” This past month, council voted to commission yet another study on bringing ride-hailing companies like Uber and Lyft to Halifax. The chair of HRM’s transportation committee, Lorelei Nicoll, said this study could take up to a year to complete. It’ll be another year or more until that study bears fruit and Uber and Lyft might be allowed to operate in Halifax…

LGBT support service becomes accessible

March 6, 2019 | Source: Third Force News- UK |

A vital support service for the LGBT community has become more accessible. Scotland’s national helpline which has supported lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people since November 2009 has become fully accessible to deaf users of British Sign Language (BSL) for the first time. It is now the only LGBT+ helpline in the UK to be accessible to the deaf community. Run by LGBT Health and Wellbeing with funding from the Scottish Government, the helpline provides information and emotional support to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people and their families, friends and supporters across Scotland…

B.C. school gets Rick Hansen Foundation’s first ‘gold’ accessibility rating

March 6, 2019 | Source: Columbia Valley Pioneer- Canada & GlobeNewswire |

An Abbotsford secondary school has earned high accolades for its accessibility for persons with disabilities, a fitting accomplishment considering its namesake. Rick Hansen, the famed disabled athlete, was at the Abbotsford secondary school of the same name Wednesday morning to announce that it would be the first building in Canada to earn a “gold” rating certification for its accessibility. The rating comes from the Rick Hansen Foundation Accessibility Certification, a rating system devised by the charitable foundation through a three-year-long process starting in 2015…

With Code Jumper, experts look to jumpstart computer science interest for kids who are blind

March 7, 2019 | Source: Microsoft- UK |

It’s a warm day in early June and a group of students have gathered in the IT classroom at New College Worcester to show off their coding skills. But instead of poking at tablet screens or typing into laptops, these students are taking out brightly colored plastic pods, connecting them together with thick white wires and then adjusting the pod’s buttons and knobs. These physical components will be used to create computer programs that can tell stories, make music and even crack jokes…

What does Edmonton accessibility look like to you?

March 6, 2019 | Source: The Province- Canada |

Think about Edmontonians with disabilities when you look at the next word. Accessibility. What comes to your mind’s eye immediately? Wheelchair ramps? Grab bars in public washrooms? Braille signs? Closed captioning in entertainment? And, you would be correct. Absolutely correct. But … the time has presented itself where we, as community members, can challenge ourselves to really think out of the box when thinking about accessibility for people with disabilities…

Federal government announces $115,000 for northern accessibility projects

March 5, 2019 | Source: CBC- Canada |

The Honourable Bob Nault, Member of Parliament in the Kenora riding has announced over $115,000 to support accessibility through the small projects component of the Enabling Accessibility Fund (EAF). “The EAF is working to break down barriers which prevent persons with disabilities from fully participating in all aspects of Canadian society,” said Nault in a written release. “The projects announced today will help ensure all Northerners have equal opportunities.”…

90% of people with disabilities feel they do not have enough access to public transport – survey

March 7, 2019 | Source: Irish Examiner- Ireland |

90% of people with disabilities feel they do not have enough access to public transport, a survey has found. Many report being stranded on platforms by broken lifts, unable to access a ramp to board trains, waiting hours for accessible taxis and being left at bus stops because a buggy is in the spot designated for a wheelchair. One in four respondents said that access to transport ‘always’ limits their independence. The survey was conducted by Rehab Group as today marks one year since the ratification of the UN Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities…

The best built environment is an inclusive one, designed for ageing and disability

March 8, 2019 | Source: UNSW Newsroom- Australia |

A UNSW Built Environment professor is determined to improve the accessibility of the built environment, which could improve the outcomes for some of the most vulnerable populations – the elderly and the disabled. Professor Catherine Bridge runs the Livability Design Lab at UNSW Built Environment, which pioneers inclusive design using cutting-edge technology such as motion capture and biomechanical analysis software to analyse the barriers to accessibility in the built environment…

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