Accessibility in the News — 2/24/2023.

U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth and Deb Fischer have introduced bipartisan legislation called the Prioritizing Accountability and Accessibility for Aviation Consumers Act of 2023 to improve transparency surrounding disability-related complaints with air travel. The bill would require the U.S. Department of Transportation to publish an annual report that discloses all disability-related complaints made throughout the year, including specifics about how the complaints were resolved. The legislation is aimed at holding airlines accountable for their treatment of passengers with disabilities, who have reported obstacles and challenges when flying, including lost or damaged wheelchairs, untrained staff at ticket counters, etc.

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New bipartisan Duckworth-Fischer Bill introduced to help travelers with disabilities

February 14, 2023 | Source: Senator Tammy Duckworth and USA Today and The Hill

Senators Want Disability Complaints Against Airlines Made Public

February 20, 2023 | Source: Disability Scoop

As far too many passengers with disabilities continue to experience unnecessary obstacles and challenges when flying, today U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Deb Fischer (R-NE) introduced bipartisan legislation that would improve transparency surrounding the increasing disability-related complaints with air travel. The Prioritizing Accountability and Accessibility for Aviation Consumers Act of 2023 would ensure the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) publishes an annual report disclosing all disability-related complaints made throughout the year, including specifics about how these complaints were resolved…

National News (U.S.)

How to Make the Most of an ABLE Account

February 15, 2023 | Source: New Mobility

Dante Allen used his savings to pay for an upgrade to his everyday wheelchair. Valerie Crisci is saving money to cover costs related to her service dog. Gayle Stanford used her savings to pay off her home mortgage so she could better afford recurring medical expenses. Disability life is expensive. There are a thousand potential costs that nondisabled people rarely have to think about. Achieving a Better Life Experience accounts offer an easy, tax-advantaged way to save for disability-related expenses, plus they let you save without violating draconian disability benefits asset limits…

Tourism Unprepared to Accommodate Growing Segment of Older Travelers

February 15, 2023 | Source: Skift

While the share of the global population over the age of 65 continues to grow, the tourism industry remains behind when it comes accommodating, supporting and providing equitable access to them. People over the age of 65 are the world’s fast growing age group, according to the United Nations. For the first time in 2018, older persons outnumbered children under the age of five. By 2050, older persons will outnumber those ages 15 to 24, and one in six people will be over 65…

Denver council member dragged himself onto stage before a political debate due to a lack of wheelchair accessibility

February 16, 2023 | Source: CNN and USA Today

A Denver city council member who uses a wheelchair faced a difficult situation this week when he participated in a political debate at a venue that did not have full accessibility, prompting him to drag himself onto its stage. Chris Hinds, who is running for reelection, said he has received apologies from the venue for the incident. “I felt like a circus monkey. I felt exploited,” Hinds told CNN Thursday. When Hinds arrived for the Monday debate, which was held at the Cleo Parker Robinson Dance facility’s theater in Denver, he was told organizers intended to carry him onto the stage…

SB 585 – Disability Access Litigation

February 16, 2023 | Source: California Globe

On February 15, 2023, Senate Bill 585 (Niello) was introduced regarding disability access litigation and would add Civil Code Section 55.565. This bill would prohibit a construction-related accessibility claim for statutory damages from being initiated in a legal proceeding against a defendant until the defendant has been served with a demand letter specifying each alleged violation of a construction-related accessibility standard and given 120 days to correct the alleged violation…

FBI Analyst With Blindness Can Sue Over Software Accessibility

February 17, 2023 | Source: Bloomberg Law (Paywall)

An intelligence analyst for the Federal Bureau of Investigation can pursue a lawsuit accusing the agency of failing to use computer software that’s accessible to employees with blindness, the D.C. Circuit ruled Friday. The Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the first major federal statute focused on individuals with disabilities, authorizes private lawsuits by people with disabilities—including employees of federal agencies—who file administrative complaints about inaccessible technology, the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit held…

Here’s What Really Matters in Preventing Dementia. It’s Not All Brain Teasers and Crosswords

February 18, 2023 | Source: Barron’s

Put down that brain teaser you torture yourself with and get your hearing tested. If you are interested in preserving brain function as you age, some of the clearest benefits come from staying socially connected, scientists have found. That means getting a hearing aid if you can’t hear what people around you are saying. People with untreated hearing loss have a 90% higher rate of dementia than others in their age group, according to the 2020 report of the Lancet commission on dementia prevention, intervention, and care…

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Blind, visually impaired kids gear up for Accessible Ski Day at Perfect North

February 18, 2023 | Source: Fox19

On Saturday at Perfect North Slopes, blind and visually impaired kids were skiing with the aid of volunteers thanks to something called adaptive sports. Clovernook Center’s Adaptive Sports Coordinator Dez Scruggs said that “some kids may not be able to see the boards they are skiing on, some kids may not be able to see the hill that they are going down. But being paired with the right person makes it a lot easier which is called ‘adaptive,’ so like they are able to adapt skiing for each kid to enjoy it the proper way.”…

What are the rules for accessible parking?

February 19, 2023 | Source: Everett Herald

Regulars at a bar, diner or restaurant come to feel familiar with their environs. Some prefer the same booth or stool, ordering “the usual” dish or parking in the same spot (the ones next to landscaping are the best for shade and hopefully reducing the risk of a door ding or scratch). When that person has a disability, where they can park and enter carries a certain gravity to it. Len Arnold of Lake Stevens recently noticed someone parking in accessible spaces at his regular lunch spot in Everett. But Arnold didn’t think it was a fellow customer or someone who had a disability placard or license plate…

19 Ways Companies Can Engage the Disability Community and Build a More Accessible and Inclusive Workplace

February 20, 2023 | Source: Darren Bates

Even though more than 61 million adults — or about one in four — have a disability in the US, they still face significant barriers to employment. However, employers who take steps to engage with the disability community have found that they can benefit from a more productive, innovative, and creative workforce. By fostering an inclusive work environment, employers can expand their pool of qualified candidates, retain employees, and promote innovation and creativity…

Vella-Wilkinson Submits ADA Website Compliance Bill

February 20, 2023 | Source: Warwick Post

Sen. Linda Ujifusa and Rep. Camille Vella-Wilkinson have introduced legislation to make the state’s publicly available websites compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The goal, advocates say, is to ensure individuals with visual impairments can access the information presented on state websites. “This bill will ensure our neighbors with visual impairments can access the same information as everyone else,” said Senator Ujifusa (D-Dist. 11, Portsmouth, Bristol)…

Sudden Hearing Loss (SSHL): What To Know

February 21, 2023 | Source: Forbes

Everything You Should Know About OTC Hearing Aids

February 21, 2023 | Source: Make Use Of

Sudden hearing loss is a condition that affects one in 5,000 adults each year. The most affected group is adults in their 40s or 50s, though anyone can experience sudden hearing loss. While common, sudden hearing loss is often treatable. About 85% of those who quickly receive treatment recover at least some of their hearing. Here’s everything you need to know about sudden hearing loss, including its causes, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment options—and why you should seek out a qualified medical professional anytime you experience sudden hearing loss…

Casey asks government to prioritize tech accessibility for people with disabilities

February 22, 2023 | Source: WTAJ and Bradford EraAfter a Decade of Noncompliance, DOJ Issues Report on Federal Website Accessibility

After a Decade of Noncompliance, DOJ Issues Report on Federal Website Accessibility

February 23, 2023 | Source: Nextgov

New data shows that 1 in 10 public federal websites that were tested are not fully accessible for people with disabilities. Following ongoing bipartisan efforts led by U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA), the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) released data on the accessibility of federal government technology for the first time in a decade. The DOJ is required by Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act to provide a report to Congress and the President every two years on federal technology accessibility. However, despite this mandate, the latest report was from 2012…

Roll Mobility, a new app that’s a Yelp for accessible spaces, launches at a brewery that sets the standard

February 22, 2023 | Source: Colorado Public Radio

Trying to join her friends at a restaurant on a recent Friday required real effort from Allyson Mallory. First, she had to find a handicap-accessible parking space at a grocery store across the street. Then she had to maneuver her electric wheelchair across snow-covered sidewalks — or try anyway. Finding they had not been shoveled, she had to turn around, go back and find a better path. All that to get to a pizza joint designed to be wheelchair-friendly. Ordeals like that have led to the creation of a new app that offers accessibility reviews of local businesses open to the public…

Dancing in the Dark

February 22, 2023 | Source: 5280

Connoisseurs of roller coasters know that rides feel wilder at night. In the dark, our brains stop receiving the visual cues that help us stay balanced, so movement feels destabilizing enough that most of us teeter like drunkards whenever we simply close our eyes. But wobbling through life felt like defeat to Brenda Mosby, who lost her sight to an autoimmune disease at age 40. At 68, she sought an unlikely cure for her chronic instability: ballet. Walk into any ballet studio, and you’ll understand that seeing is critical to the way this dance form is taught and learned…

Blind Iowans concerned about governor’s proposal to appoint Department for the Blind director

February 23, 2023 | Source: Iowa Public Radio

Blind Iowans are expressing concerns to lawmakers that the governor’s plan to streamline state government would lead to worse services for the blind community. The director of the Iowa Department for the Blind is chosen by the Commission for the Blind. Gov. Kim Reynolds’ bill would change that so she would appoint the director. “With this proposed legislation, the director will now be appointed by and serve at the pleasure of the governor and be subject to Senate confirmation,” said Molly Severn, the lobbyist for Reynolds’ office. “If Iowans currently perceive a government official to be accountable to the governor, that official should be.”…

How modern life has mutated the human body in 50 years

February 23, 2023 | Source: New York Post

Humans are evolving – but not exactly for the better. Additives, chemicals and other byproducts of manufacturing have pervaded our day-to-day — but how exactly they affect the human body is still being revealed nearly 50 years after the landmark Toxic Substances Control Act debuted. Recent research has shown that chemicals in the foods we eat, pollution in the air we breathe and toxins in the goods we use on a daily basis are changing our bodies in bizarre ways…

AB 950: Internet Website Accessibility

February 23, 2023 | Source: California Globe

Assembly Bill 950 by Assemblyman Brian Maienschein (D-San Diego) was introduced to address internet website accessibility. AB 950 would add Civil Code Section 55.565 and would amend Government Code Sections 4469.5 and 14985.6. Section 1 of the bill would amend the heading of Part 2.53 of Division 1 of the Civil Code so that Part 2.53 is called “Attorney’s Fees and Statutory Damages in Accessibility Standards Claims.” Section 2 of the bill would add Civil Code Section 55.565 to provide that statutory damages can only be recovered against an entity based upon the inaccessibility of an internet website of that entity…

Jack Fact — Some 17 percent of people living in the United States, or more than 1 in 6, were 65 or older in 2020, according to a report from the Administration on Aging.

Hit The Road Jack — Accessible Minnie Van Reservations Now Open to All Walt Disney World Guests and Goa: Select beaches to be made accessible for specially abled travellers

International News

When youthful invincibility is taken too far: What happens when deafness takes away Jet’s confidence in his 20s

February 17, 2023 | Source: HONEYCOMBERS- Singapore

It’s said that your 20s represent the best years of your life. You’re moving into adulthood and discovering new things about yourself. And possibly finding (or losing) love along the way. It’s a time when you can party all night long and never worry about hangovers as you let the invincibility of youth take you through the day. Most of us are fortunate to be able-bodied, without handicaps to disrupt our days. But for others, that indestructibility is short-lived. The best years of their lives are tangled up with new disabilities. Being blind, wheelchair-bound, and deaf in Singapore are just a few examples…

Accessibility legislation a tokenistic toothless failure, disabled people say

February 20, 2023 | Source: RNZ- New Zealand and 1News and New Zealand Doctor

Disability Minister has ‘heard concerns’ about accessibility bill

February 22, 2023 | Source: 1News- New Zealand

Disabled people have told MPs proposed accessibility legislation should set up standards backed with real enforcement, or be scrapped. The Accessibility for New Zealanders Bill was initially welcomed by disabled communities, but when the details became public it seemed to just set up yet another advisory group – with no accountability from the minister. Submitters to the Social Services and Community Committee on Monday said it practically would do nothing to improve accessibility for disabled people, and it could do more harm than good in its current form…

Develop policies to benefit PWDs–WAFOD Urges West African Leaders

February 20, 2023 | Source: Business Ghana- West Africa

The West African Federation of Persons Living with Disabilities (WAFOD) has urged West African leaders to develop strategies to include Persons with Disabilities in government programs and policies, particularly in the area of accessibility. Addressing participants at a forum held in Accra President of the Federation, Mr. Yatma Fall disclosed that Persons Living with Disabilities(PWDs) in West Africa are most often faced with accessibility challenged and blamed successive governments for failing to address this challenge…

Opening up accessibility in the built environment

February 20, 2023 | Source: Planning, BIM and Construction Today- UK

In today’s environment, people want to work with businesses that are truly committed to accessibility and inclusivity. That’s why diversity across your business and workforce isn’t just desirable; it’s essential. This commitment is something we at the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) recognise with our annual Chamber Business Awards, not just because it’s the right thing to do but also because it makes good business sense. Diversity and inclusion are key to tackling some of the major challenges faced by businesses…

From blind gamers to a brand-new superhero: How people with disabilities are affecting change in their hobbies

February 20, 2023 | Source: CBC Radio- UK

For people with disabilities, hobbies aren’t just fun and games, says Chloe Atkins, a University of Toronto political scientist. People with disabilities can get very isolated, says Atkins, who is the lead researcher for a project on employment and disability. “It’s really important that these types of activities exist so that this is an avenue back to a social life. These are a way to share this knowledge and to actually demonstrate how flexible and adaptive you can be.”…

Disability Rights : Supreme Court Invites Suggestions From Persons With Disability and Rights Activists On Improving Accessibility

February 21, 2023 | Source: Live Law- India

The official website of the Supreme Court of India now displays questionnaires on Accessibility. On 3rd December, 2022, the Chief Justice of India, Justice D.Y. Chandrachud constituted a Committee on Accessibility with the aim to conduct a comprehensive accessibility audit of the Supreme Court premises. The aim of the audit is to ensure accessibility in the justice system and understand the hardships faced by the persons with disability in their interface with the Supreme Court of India…

Sydney-Made FPS Has A Game-Changing Accessibility Feature For Deaf Players

February 22, 2023 | Source: Kotaku- Australia

A Sydney game studio is developing a first-person shooter called Sector’s Edge with a feature that might appeal to deaf players. The game is called Sector’s Edge, and it’s being developed by Vercidium, a studio run by two brothers from Sydney. The game is a free-to-play multiplayer shooter for PC that deploys a custom engine and destructible environments. The game’s visual style could be described as a blend of Minecraft and Apex Legends, which allows it to do a lot of cool things with the destructible terrain — watch it collapse in the video below and tell me you didn’t find it satisfying…

Accessibility at Sydney Laneway Festival leaves music fans with disability feeling unwelcome

February 23, 2023 | Source: ABC- Australia

Festival-goers want music festival organisers to improve accessibility at their events, following a series of blunders at this year’s Laneway Festival. Patrons have told Hack that security at the Sydney leg of the festival were turning away people with disability from their accessible viewing platform, even when they provided correspondence from organisers granting them access to the space. There were also no disabled toilets listed on the site map, and one accessible toilet had a step leading up to it, making manoeuvring in a wheelchair difficult…

Accessibility barriers cause people with disabilities to fight harder to attend concerts

February 23, 2023 | Source: Disability Support Guide- Australia

As musicians flock to Australia in droves to lap up the summer sun and festival season, people living with a disability who have accessibility needs continue to fight with ticket outlets and venues about the hassle of purchasing accessible tickets. Disability advocates around the country have been calling out venues and ticketing sites like Ticketek and TicketMaster for having a nightmarish purchasing process, only to be placed in lacklustre seats in a venue’s accessibility section…

Baby shop’s colour Check Initiative Helps Teachers and Parents spot Colour Blindness in Kids

February 20, 2023 | Source: Branding in Asia- Dubai

A new campaign highlights that around 300 million people are colorblind, yet most colorblind people find out about their condition at a much later stage in their lives. For colorblind children, simple everyday encounters such as picking fruit, reading diagrams, completing assignments, or crossing the street can be confusing, and worrying for parents. To help parents diagnose this condition as early as possible, Babyshop has launched the colourCheck initiative – a set of double-sided pencils created to spot color blindness in younger children, including those too young to express themselves verbally…

Loss of visual acuity, quality may be first sign of CLN3 disease

February 23, 2023 | Source: Batten Disease News- Poland

Vision problems — specifically deteriorating visual acuity and quality — were some of the first symptoms of juvenile Batten disease detected in four children with the rare inherited disorder, also known as CLN3 disease, according to a new study. These early vision problems appeared before or alongside other neurological symptoms, the researchers noted. But the unspecific nature of these symptoms led to different first diagnostic steps being taken, affecting the time to a correct diagnosis…

Smokers twice at risk of developing macular degeneration and visual loss

February 23, 2023 | Source: Arabiya News- UAE

Smokers are at least twice as likely to develop macular degeneration – which can lead to visual loss – compared to their non-smoking counterparts, doctors in the United Arab Emirates have warned. Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a progressive form of vision loss that is the leading cause of visual loss among adults aged 50 and over. Known risk factors for AMD — alongside increasing age — include certain genetic factors – and being a smoker…

Genetic test for newborns to prevent deafness from antibiotic use

February 23, 2023 | Source: Nursing in Practice- England

A genetic test for newborns which can determine whether a baby is vulnerable to deafness if treated with the commonly used antibiotic gentamicin has been conditionally recommended for use by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) within the NHS. The test is performed by undertaking a cheek swab on critically ill babies. It can reveal within less that half an hour whether or not the newborn is genetically predisposed to permanent hearing loss if subsequently treated with gentamicin. The researchers estimate the test will save the hearing of 200 babies in England each year.

Deaf football club launch £10k fundraiser plea to play in Deaf Champions League

February 23, 2023 | Source: Deadline.- England

A Deaf football club has launched a £10,000 fundraiser appeal after they qualified for the Deaf Champions League – but don’t have the money to get there. Farsley Celtic Deaf Football Club won last year’s iteration of the England Deaf Football Championship, which qualified them for this year’s Deaf Champions League. The competition, which is taking place in Warsaw, Poland, starts on 26 June and will see the Leeds-based club compete amongst the European elite…

Recognising The Achievements Of Cochlear Implant Advocates On Cochlear Implant Day

February 24, 2023 | Source: Scoop- New Zealand

On February 25th, as the world celebrates Cochlear Implant Day, recognising the life changing benefits of cochlear implants on the lives of people with severe to profound hearing loss, the Pindrop Foundation is honouring some of the outstanding individuals in the cochlear implant community in Aotearoa New Zealand who have tirelessly advocated for this life-changing technology, providing hope to many. One such person is Nikki Maloney from Tauranga, who has been a dedicated cochlear implant advocate for almost a decade…

Dementia overtakes coronary heart disease as leading cause of premature death in older Australians

February 24, 2023 | Source: ABC- Australia

Learn how to prevent deafness and hearing loss for World Hearing Day 2023

February 20, 2023 | Source: Canberra Times- Australia

Melbourne woman Mithrani De Abrew first noticed something wasn’t right when she kept stumbling and losing her balance on her daily walks. “I thought, this is not normal,” Ms De Abrew said. “So, I made an appointment to see my primary physician.” After a round of tests, the 71-year-old was referred to a geriatrician who immediately recognised the signs of dementia. But she needed further brain scans to determine which type. During these investigations, Ms De Abrew’s symptoms got worse. She remembers seeing and hearing things that weren’t there…

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