Blind Website Users Drive Online Accessibility; Federal Guidance at Risk

By Jack McElaney | February 9, 2017 | | 1

Accessibility in the News—02/09/17. This week had several stories related to visual impairments and blindness, including tactile maps covered by National Geographic and improved image descriptions from Facebook. Even so, many barrier-laden websites still exist, hampering those with visual disabilities, including legally blind website users, from being able to use them easily or well. Accessibility litigation for such websites is on the rise, and as one article predicts, demands for accessible[…]

Web Accessibility Lawsuits Continue; Technology Opens Doors, Travel

By Jack McElaney | February 3, 2017 | | 0

Accessibility in the News—02/03/17. While there is certainly appropriate flag raising from various industries about the potential of website accessibility lawsuits, it’s important to highlight the phenomenal creativity that individuals and organizations bring to the table in harnessing technology rightly: This issue, Apple receives the esteemed Louis Braille Award. It’s an apt recognition for following Braille’s example of opening communication to those with visual impairments. In a stunning development, scientists[…]

Online ADA Accessibility: Industries Respond to Website Litigation, Urge Proactive Approach

By Jack McElaney | January 27, 2017 | | 0

Accessibility in the News—01/27/17. Established pre-internet, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) doesn’t explicitly require non-government websites be accessible—does it? In this issue, several industry publications—for home care, retail, banking, for example—are raising that flag with readers. Some educate and inform, others warn, but the general message is the same: digital accessibility is a real business issue. Left unaddressed, an inaccessible online presence could be courting ADA accessibility litigation. Others are already in the[…]

The VPAT^® and Section 508 Accessibility Compliance

By Hiram Kuykendall | January 20, 2017 | | 4

A Change in the Procurement Landscape for Federal and State Entities Covered under Section 508 This article reprinted, with updates and modifications, from the June 2016 issue of Mealey’s™ Litigation Report: Cyber Tech & E-Commerce. Mealey’s is a subscription-based information provider and a division of LexisNexis. Copyright ©2016 by Hiram Kuykendall. Editor’s note: The Department of Justice issued a joint report with the General Services Administration in February 2023 on[…]

U.S. Access Board Aligns Section 508 Accessibility Requirements to WCAG 2.0—Will the Department of Justice Follow Suit?

By Jack McElaney | January 19, 2017 | | 4

Accessibility in the News—01/19/17. At least six of our curated articles this week provide insights on the U.S. Access Board’s recent updates to Section 508 accessibility standards—the standards that federal government and government contractors use to make information technology, such as software and websites, accessible to all. The update aligns Section 508 organization and requirements with internationally accepted standards and ever-converging technologies. Be sure to check out the training opportunities[…]

Accessible Websites, Arts, Education, and Citizenry

By Jack McElaney | January 13, 2017 | | 1

Accessibility in the News—01/13/17. The recent update by the U.S. Access Board was perhaps the biggest news item this week. It formally aligns its website accessibility standards with other globally recognized standards, including WCAG 2.0., going as far as applying WCAG’s Level A and AA success criteria to websites, electronic documents, and software [Source: U.S. Access Board]. As Lexology reports, many see this as the writing on the wall for non-government websites[…]

Astronomy, Architecture, Aging, and the Access Board

By Jack McElaney | January 6, 2017 | | 1

Accessibility in the News—1/6/17 In this issue, accessibility in the digital, housing, and transportation realms gets a lot of attention. At the intersection of digital and government policies, the US Access Board prepares to launch a long-awaited update to its electronic information rules for federal procurements and telecommunications, and the Federal Communications Commission grants video games a waiver extension. Businesses continue to evaluate both risk and value of online accessibility. In housing,[…]

Responses to Website ADA Compliance; An End-of-Year Accessibility News Note

By Jack McElaney | December 23, 2016 | | 1

Accessibility in the News—12/23/16 A note from our AITN curator, Jack McElaney It has been a fast moving and productive year in the accessibility world and collectively we have made some very good progress and influenced some positive changes for countless people. I want to thank each of you for your hard work, dedication, and contributions that have benefited the accessibility community. Special thanks to the many individuals that have[…]

DOJ Weighs in on Winn Dixie Accessibility Case; Accessibility Awards and Solutions

By Jack McElaney | December 16, 2016 | | 1

Editor’s note: This December 16, 2016 edition of Accessibility in the News was originally published following US Department of Justice activity related to the Gil v. Winn-Dixie case. The case is back in the headlines following the decision of an appeal filed on behalf of Winn-Dixie. For the latest news around the case, and other news on legal activity around the Americans with Disabilities Act, visit our Accessibility in the[…]

Accessible Web Design: Governments Tackle It, Businesses Pressed to Do the Same

By Jack McElaney | December 16, 2016 | | 0

Accessibility in the News—12/11/16 In this issue of Accessibility in the News (AITN), government organizations at all levels and around the world, as well as institutions of higher education, continue to advance online accessibility through policy and new websites that are navigable and usable by individuals with disabilities. Businesses and industry are taking notice. Not only is accessible web design becoming increasingly subject to ADA requirements in the US (See “What[…]