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The ADA Has Made America Great, But Accessibility Can Still Be Better

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Automatic door opener button at building entrance, with "Push to Open" and International Symbol of Access.

Accessibility in the News — 7/31/2020.

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AITN Quote of the Week

“If you see something that is not right, not fair, not just, you have a moral obligation to do something.”

―  John Lewis

John Robert Lewis- 1940 – 2020

Feature Stories

 

Texas Advocates Discuss Rights, Accessibility on 30th Anniversary of Americans with Disabilities Act

July  24, 2020   |  Source: San Antonio Current

On the 30th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, Houston looks forward

July  23, 2020   |  Source: San Antonio Express-News

The ADA at 30: The Power of Inclusion on Main Street

July 23, 2020   |  Source: Main Street America- Steve Wright

30 years ago, the Americans with Disabilities Act changed our world — but more accessibility is needed

July  23, 2020   |  Source: Chicago Tribune

The ADA isn’t just about ramps — over 30 years, it has profoundly changed the deaf community

July  24, 2020   |  Source: Rochester Institute of Technology

Women and Disability Panel: The 30th Anniversary of the ADA Only Shows How Much Work Remains

July  24, 2020   |  Source: IndieWire

The A.D.A. at 30: Beyond the Law’s Promise

July  24, 2020   |  Source: The New York Times

The ADA turns 30: How an NJ couple fought for accessibility since its inception

July  25, 2020   |  Source: NorthJersey.com

That’s how we roll: How the ADA helped me thrive and America stand out globally

July  25, 2020   |  Source: NY Daily News

30 Years After ADA’s Passage, Cleveland’s Disability Community Celebrates

July  25, 2020   |  Source: ideastream

The story of the Americans with Disabilities Act is all about bridges

July  25, 2020   |  Source: CNN

The Americans with Disabilities Act, at 30 years old, has helped bring accessibility, meaning to the lives of the disabled

July  25, 2020   |  Source: cleveland.com

 ‘Crip Camp’: Where disability rights stand 30 years after these kids fought for recognition and changed the world

July  26, 2020   |  Source: KTVZ

The ADA is turning 30. It’s time that it included digital accessibility

July  26, 2020   |  Source: NBC

One Laid Groundwork For The ADA; The Other Grew Up Under Its Promises

July  26, 2020   |  Source: NPR

30 years after ADA, inaccessibility persists for the disabled

July  26, 2020   |  Source: PBS & PBS NEWSHOUR

After 30 Years, Making Accessibility Information Accessible

July  27, 2020   |  Source: Forbes- Peter Slatin & Forbes- Jamie Gold & Forbes- Gus Alexiou & Forbes- Andrew Pulrang

30 years after the ADA, disabled workers continue to fight for employment equality

July  27, 2020   |  Source: Fast Company

As ADA turns 30, tech is just getting started helping people with disabilities

July  27, 2020   |  Source: TechCrunch

How is NYC doing on accessibility 30 years after the ADA?

July  29, 2020   |  Source: City & State

National News (U.S.)

 

Police Violence Against Black Disabled People Can’t Be Ignored Anymore

July  23, 2020   |  Source: Huff Post

Pearl Pearson Jr. was driving home from a Starbucks in Oklahoma City in 2014 when he noticed police lights flashing behind him. Oklahoma Highway Patrol troopers suspected him of being involved in a hit-and-run, but Pearson — a then-64-year-old Deaf Black man whom his daughter described as “gentle and kind” — had no idea why he was being pulled over. He parked his car and placed his hands on the steering wheel as a trooper approached his vehicle with a gun drawn. Pearson couldn’t hear what the trooper was saying and reached for a placard he kept in his car that explained his disability…

Courts not much more accessible than 25 years ago, says campaigner

July  23, 2020   |  Source: Disability News Service

The courts are not much more accessible than they were a quarter of a century ago, a disabled campaigner has told lawyers and fellow campaigners. Natalya Dell  has been collecting information about disabled people who take civil cases through the courts, both as “litigants in person” and those who are represented by solicitors and barristers. She said that many aspects of litigation are “really difficult, impossible or stressful” for disabled people. She said: “I don’t feel courts are any more accessible than they were 10 years ago…

Majority of public schools have physical barriers that limit accessibility

July  24, 2020   |  Source: MSN Money

Nearly two-thirds of public schools contained things like inaccessible door handles, steep ramps, playground barriers and door vestibules that limit accessibility, the report said. “According to our national survey, an estimated 63%  of school districts have barriers that may limit access for people with disabilities in a quarter or more of their school facilities,” the report published by the Government Accountability Office said. “Additionally, we estimated that 17% of districts nationwide—enrolling over 16 million students— have one or more schools that are not typically attended by students with physical disabilities due to the number of barriers.”…

Activist Annie Segarra is on a mission to make disabilities more visible

July  24, 2020   |  Source: Yahoo Sports

Annie Segarra spent decades without a diagnosis. The 30-year-old, who was born with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS) — a genetic tissue disorder that can affect joints, skin and several internal organs — didn’t know she had a disability until she was well into her 20s. In school, she struggled in P.E. class and never knew why. She couldn’t run as fast as the other kids. Sometimes, she’d pass out after showering. When she exercised, her face got extremely red. It took years for her to realize that none of this was “normal.”…

Largest damages settlement in Disabilities Case puts Levi’s Stadium and 49ers in the spotlight

July  24, 2020   |  Source: Peiffer Wolf

Peiffer Wolf’s Cat Cabalo, along with two co-counsels, scored largest damages settlement in a case alleging discrimination in public accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The story of the case involving the 49ers and the Levi’s Stadium highlights the importance to have an experienced ADA lawyer on your side. As a disability civil rights attorney, I have had the luxury of feeling good about what I do every day. But there are some cases that remind me exactly why I do what I do and the impact that one case can have for hundreds of people, if not more…

Disability, Equality, and Museums

July  24, 2020   |  Source: MoMA

In Reopening, The Smithsonian Looks To Balance Safety And Disability Access

July  26, 2020   |  Source: NPR

July is Disability Pride Month. This may seem like an oxymoron to some, as often disability is seen as a flaw, a loss, or something to be cured. But many of those living with disability see it as a fundamental part of their identity—their unique way of navigating the world. And, as such, a source of pride. It’s not blindness, hearing loss, or the need for a wheelchair that disables someone. Rather, it’s the unavailability of Braille signage or image descriptions, the lack of assistive listening devices or captioned video, the absence of ramps or elevators—the kinds of barriers that can prevent people from engaging in all the activities of daily life…

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Paul O’Hanlon: A wake-up call to Pittsburg

July 24, 2020   |  Source:  Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

It’s the 30th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Somebody please tell the city of Pittsburgh. When the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was passed in 1990, public space in America was largely inaccessible to people with disabilities. The ADA promised an incremental, but ever-forward path toward an accessible future. But in Pittsburgh, that promise is threatened by weak processes and policies, and the inattention of leadership. Mayor Bill Peduto consistently expresses city government’s commitment to “access for all” — and there is no doubt about his sincerity…

Braille trails: Helping the visually impaired experience nature

July  24, 2020   |  Source: CNN (Video)

At age 11, Evan Barnard came across a vandalized Braille nature trail, one of the few places in his home state of Georgia where the visually impaired could comfortably explore the outdoors. As he began fixing up the trail and working with the Georgia Council of the Blind, Barnard promised to do whatever he could to help his new friends. A few years later, he created his own Braille trail. As he searched for other Braille trails around the world, he founded Nature for All, an online community for the visually impaired to find nature experiences near them…

School Districts Need Better Information to Help Improve Access for People with Disabilities

July  24, 2020   |  Source: GAO & ABC & Disability Scoop & The Mighty

Two-thirds of U.S. public school districts have schools with physical barriers that may limit access for people with disabilities, according to GAO’s survey of district officials. Barriers, such as a lack of accessible door hardware and steep ramps, can make it challenging for students, teachers, and others with disabilities to use public school facilities (see fig.). In 55 schools across six states, the most common areas with barriers GAO observed were restrooms, interior doorways, and classrooms. GAO also observed barriers related to safety and security…

It’s time to make parishes accessible to people of all abilities

July  24, 2020   |  Source: U.S. Catholic

In the spring of 2006, I made a decision to try a new Catholic church. As the mother of an 8-year-old with severe autism, I had already experienced my fair share of hurt and disappointment while attempting to include my daughter in community activities. My efforts to try to include her with her typical peers at the Catholic church where she was baptized had failed. As I walked into an appointment with the religious education director at a new church, I braced for another disappointment…

When Frank Lloyd Wright Pioneered Accessible Design

July  25, 2020   |  Source: InsideHook& Smithsonian Magazine

The 30th anniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act (or ADA) has prompted plenty of reflection on both the law’s impact on design and the work that still needs to be done. While the ADA played a significant role in making spaces around the country more accessible, there were some efforts to achieve a similar goal which were carried out long before the passage of the ADA. Writing at Smithsonian Magazine, Jennifer Billock looks at one such example, designed by one of the nation’s most revered architects…

Disability Rights Gain Traction Among ESG Investors

July  26, 2020   |  Source: Bloomberg

Disability inclusion is shaping up to be the next frontier of ESG investing. Investors are pushing companies to create more welcoming workplaces for employees with disabilities, whether they use a wheelchair or have a mental illness. Twenty-two institutions managing $2.8 trillion of assets urged corporations in late May to review their policies and set hiring targets, among other steps. Last year’s call to action, the group’s first, featured 15 supporters running $1 trillion. Companies worldwide are confronting the dearth of diversity in their ranks, which some investors argue affects financial results…

‘Disabled People Love Clothes Too’

July  26, 2020   |  Source: The New York Times

What Disabled Americans Really Want

July  26, 2020   |  Source: The New York Times

We’re 20 Percent of America, and We’re Still Invisible

July  26, 2020   |  Source: The New York Times

Has Fashion Become More Accessible?

July  29, 2020 WNYC Studios (Podcast)

I have always believed that fashion is the window to the soul. As a Black disabled woman with cerebral palsy, a neurological disorder that affects movement on the right side of my body, I have gone through what I call the stages of fashion grief. First, there was denial, which led to pretending fashion did not matter to me. Anger, depression, bargaining and acceptance came when I realized that I was no longer going to deny myself the things that allowed me the opportunity to share myself with the world…

Octavia Spencer calls on Hollywood to increase casting of people with disabilities

July  26, 2020   |  Source: CNN

Octavia Spencer is urging Hollywood to make casting people with disabilities a priority. The actress is part of a new PSA that calls for increased inclusion of those with disabilities in entertainment. The campaign coincides with Sunday’s 30th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The video shows Spencer discussing the importance of everyone being able to see themselves and their lives accurately reflected on screen. “Nothing can replace lived experience and authentic representation,” she said. “That’s why it’s imperative that we cast the appropriate actor for the appropriate role.”…

MTA ‘affirms commitment’ to ADA on law’s 30th anniversary; advocates call it a PR stunt

July  27, 2020   |  Source: New York Daily News

MTA officials on Monday debuted a new set of elevators at the Astoria Blvd. station on the N and W lines — an opening that came a day after the 30th anniversary of the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Transit honchos said the newly-accessible station — along with three more subway stops that will get elevators later this summer — affirms their commitment to the law, which the agency’s lawyers have battled against in court for decades…

Roosevelt Island’s FDR Park Moves Towards Wheelchair Accessibility

July  27, 2020   |  Source: The City

The Franklin D. Roosevelt Four Freedoms Park, a tree-lined four-acre expanse on the southern end of Roosevelt Island with panoramic views of Manhattan and Queens, is dedicated to the only U.S. president to use a wheelchair while in office. But wheelchairs cannot be used to climb the flight of 22 stone steps at the park’s entrance. “There’s no equality here,” said Edith Prentiss, a wheelchair user who lives in Washington Heights. “You’re kept at a distance, you’re just not part of it.”…

Protest signs means lending hands and ears

July  27, 2020   |  Source: Daily Democrat

When Michael Agyin saw a flash of red and blue lights behind his car, his body grew tense with fear. He was heading home from a friend’s house that night 13 years ago. A California Highway Patrol cruiser following close behind, he left the road and made sure to drive to a spot where streetlights cut through the darkness. After parking, Agyin, who is Black and deaf, turned to what he calls “survival tactics”: Don’t try and sign to the officer, because quick hand movements can look violent; don’t try to talk (Agyin learned to speak through speech therapy as a child), because the officer will think you are lying about your deafness.

Veterans Affairs Web Designer Calls for Accessible Government Websites

July  28, 2020   |  Source: MeriTalk

Technologists responsible for the website of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and other government websites emphasized the need for accessibility, ensuring that no one is excluded from access. “No one gets left behind or forgotten,” said Jennifer Strickland, in web design at the company Ad Hoc, “In my work at VA.gov, that was my driving force because we need to make sure at the VA that no one gets left behind or forgotten, especially after all our veterans have done for us.”…

County upgrading parking deck after ADA lawsuit

July  28, 2020   |  Source: Akron Beacon Journal

Summit County will make improvements to its parking deck after an Akron man sued the county over the deck’s accessibility. The Summit County Council on Monday approved a resolution authorizing the county executive to advertise for bids for the project at the Summit County Parking Deck in downtown Akron for an estimated $85,000. As part of a settlement agreement, the county agreed to pay Spencer Neal, who has spina bifida and uses a wheelchair, an amount not exceeding $15,000 and make improvements to the parking deck by Aug. 1, 2022…

Scientists Get Closer to Blood Test for Alzheimer’s Disease

July  28, 2020   |  Source: U.S. World & News Report

An experimental blood test was highly accurate at distinguishing people with Alzheimer’s disease from those without it in several studies, boosting hopes that there soon may be a simple way to help diagnose this most common form of dementia. Developing such a test has been a long-sought goal, and scientists warn that the new approach still needs more validation and is not yet ready for wide use. But Tuesday’s results suggest they’re on the right track. The testing identified people with Alzheimer’s vs. no dementia or other types of it with accuracy ranging from 89% to 98%….

Building Goodwill and Accessibility in Transportation

July  28, 2020   |  Source: My Oregon News

ODOT has made steady progress in bringing accessibility to the state transportation system. There are still many curb ramps and pedestrian signals out of compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) standards; nearly all are planned for improvements in the next few years. But sometimes ODOT needs to address an issue sooner. ODOT hears about these issues in several ways, including through its comment, question, concern or request form, or CQCR, available on the agency’s website. And sometimes, it’s a phone call…

Office for Civil Rights Delivers Annual Report to Congress Highlighting Major Milestones and Achievements in Protecting Students’ Rights

July  29, 2020   |  Source: U.S. DOE

Today, the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) released its Annual Report to the Secretary, the President, and the Congress (Annual Report) for Fiscal Year (FY) 2019. The Annual Report illustrates the significant progress made throughout the first three fiscal years of the Trump Administration (FYs 2017-19) in processing complaints, closing cases, and requiring schools to protect students’ civil rights. “This report demonstrates that OCR is once again the neutral, fact-finding agency that it should be, and as a result, students have seen swift justice when their school has failed to protect them,” said Secretary DeVos…

Congress still playing catch-up on accessibility, despite progress, 30 years after ADA

July  29, 2020   |  Source: Roll Call

Thirty years after the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act and 25 years after Congress decided to apply those standards to itself, significant advancements have been made in accessibility in and around the historic buildings. But challenges remain for people navigating Capitol Hill in person and in the digital space. Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that 26 percent of adults in the United States have some type of disability, but representation in Congress is far below that and the institution is still playing catch-up in providing accommodations mandated by the ADA for equitable access to daily life, as well as the government…

Disabled Nurses Find Covid-19 Silver Lining; Hope For More Inclusive Future

July  29, 2020   |  Source: Forbes

After Andrea Dalzell graduated from nursing school in 2018, she interviewed for 76 hospital/clinical nursing jobs. She got 76 rejections. What Dalzell found was that employers were very interested in her on paper, right up until the moment she rolled into the interview with her wheelchair and revealed her disability: transverse myelitis, a neurological disease that affects the spinal cord. Eventually, Dalzell was forced to find work elsewhere, starting as a camp health director and then finding a school nurse job. She was thankful for the opportunities but felt defeated. Working in acute care had always been her ultimate goal…

DOJ reaches settlement agreement with Miller-Valentine over Fair Housing, ADA claims

July  29, 2020   |  Source: WHIO & Dayton 24/7 Now & Cincinnati & Highland County Press

The U.S. Department of Justice announced Wednesday an agreement with Miller-Valentine Operations Inc. that would result in the company paying $475,000 to resolve claims that they violated the Fair Housing Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act. The claims surrounding the case involved designs and construction of apartment complexes that were “inaccessible to persons with disabilities.” The settlement will still need approved by the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio and would resolve the May 2019 lawsuit…

American cities are a nightmare for disabled people. Coronavirus is giving us a chance to change that

July  29, 2020   |  Source: Mic

Over the past few decades in San Francisco, the benches dotting parks and sidewalks around the city have been disappearing. The trend, in one of the most expensive housing markets on the planet, is a cruel turn of policy and planning aimed at disposing of underhoused community members. For Maddy Ruvolo, a disabled urban planner focused on transportation access for the disability community in San Francisco, the trend is infuriating but familiar. Ruvolo lives with Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS), a condition which causes lightheadedness and fainting…

Making the Arts More Accessible

July  30, 2020   |  Source: WVIK

A new effort is underway throughout Illinois to help make arts and culture accessible to all, including people with disabilities and older adults. In celebration of the 30th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act on July 26th, the Illinois Arts Council announced a new partnership initiative with the Chicago Cultural Accessibility Consortium and creation of a new Illinois Cultural Accessibility Network. Brittany Pyle, Director of Audience Services at the Chicago Humanities Festival, and steering committee member of the six-year-old CCAC, is program manager for the new volunteer statewide network…

Justice Department Settles with School District to Resolve Disability Discrimination Complaint

July  30, 2020   |  Source: The US Department of Justice & Complaint & Agreement

The Justice Department today announced that it reached an agreement with Spencer East Brookfield Regional School District in Spencer, Massachusetts to resolve the department’s lawsuit alleging disability discrimination in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The department’s complaint alleges that the school district terminated an elementary-school paraprofessional with knee and shoulder impairments on the basis of her disability…

UW Researchers Devise Approach To Treat Rare, Incurable Form Of Blindness

July  30, 2020   |  Source: University of Wisconsin‒Madison

Best vitelliform macular degeneration, or Best disease, is an inherited eye condition that typically leads to blindness over the course of a few decades. The disease can be caused by more than two hundred mutations in the BEST1 gene. The researchers were able to correct the disease in stem cells from patients with BEST1 mutations by overwhelming broken copies of the gene with many functional copies of BEST1. This approach worked for most, but not all, of the BEST1 mutations that they tested…

Jack Fact — Statistics Canada 2019 data indicates that about 6.5 million people are 65 years and older in Canada and account for 17.5 percent of the population. The proportion of seniors in the population is expected to double by 2025.

Hit The Road Jack — This Travel Planner Helps Families Build Accessible Trips

International News

Athens Inks Accessibility Protocol with National Disability Group

July  24, 2020   |  Source: GTP Headlines- Greece

In efforts to make Athens a more accessible city, Mayor Kostas Bakoyannis met this week with the president of the National Confederation of Persons with Disabilities (ESAmeA), Ioannis Vardakastanis, to discuss joint initiatives. The two parties signed a protocol of cooperation on Tuesday, which among others foresees the inclusion of disability issues in municipal policies, actions, measures and programs; awareness raising and training of city staff and services providers; information campaigns about the rights of people with disabilities…

How medical assistance in dying law has affected my family: A caregiver’s perspective

July  24, 2020   |  Source: CBC- Canada

Accessibility issues around medical assistance in dying in Canada are often spoken about within the parameters of “slippery slopes,” bioethical arguments with no clear answer given, and the discriminatory unfairness currently upheld by MAID legislation. What often gets forgotten is that MAID isn’t about hypothetical cases in an academic debate, it’s about people. Real people who are suffering. Chapter 7 of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms states, “Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of the person and the right not to be deprived thereof except in accordance with the principles of fundamental justice.”…

Coronavirus masks create communication barriers for deaf Australians. This woman wants to help

July  24, 2020   |  Source: ABC- Australia

Masks became mandatory in Melbourne and Mitchell Shire this week. But for some Australians, they can be a barrier to essential communication. A 2016 report showed one in 10 Australians were affected by complete or partial deafness. It is this community that Tracey Nuthall is hoping to assist. The costume designer says she was inspired by her father, himself affected by hearing loss, to come up with a face mask option that includes a see-through panel for lip-reading…

SC orders federal, provincial govts to fill all vacant posts for disabled persons

July  25, 2020   |  Source: Pakistan Today

The Supreme Court (SC) has ordered the federal and provincial governments to fill all vacant posts as per the employment quota reserved for people with disabilities. “It must be ensured that disabled persons from the same area/region are accommodated/appointed against regional quotas,” says the 11-page written order. Justice Ijazul Ahsan authored the order while hearing a constitutional petition filed by members of the disability movement in Pakistan through their counsel Barrister Raheel Kamran Sheikh seven years ago…

Coronavirus: How Hong Kong’s visually impaired struggle with the pandemic

July  26, 2020   |  Source: Hong Kong Free Press

As her friend put a compact disc containing anti-epidemic information into the player, Lau Yuk-ping pricked up her ears to make sure she would not miss anything. There were multiple tracks detailing ways to maintain personal hygiene during the coronavirus pandemic, which has infected more than 2,500 people in Hong Kong and led to 18 deaths. “Wet your hands and don’t turn off the tap. Add soap and make sure you rub your palms, the back of your hands, the gaps between your fingers, the back of your fingers, your thumbs, fingertips, and lastly your wrists…,” the recording says…

Poreč Supports and Implements Projects for Adaptation of Cultural Sights to People with Disabilities

July  27, 2020   |  Source: Total Croatia News

Last year, the City of Poreč implemented a project to adapt the Euphrasian Basilica for people with disabilities. Next year, they plan to implement more similar projects. In this way, they work on strengthening and encouraging inclusive tourism, which aims to bring the contents of tourist destinations closer to all people, regardless of their abilities. The USEFALL (UNESCO Site Experience For All) project aims to make the rich UNESCO cultural heritage as accessible as possible for all, regardless of different needs or impaired mobility…

RNIB offers coronavirus advice in braille

July  27, 2020   |  Source: Third Force News- UK

RNIB Scotland is offering braille versions of the Scottish Government’s Test and Protect guidance on coronavirus. The move comes after a survey found one in four Scots with sight loss had struggled to access information in a format they could understand, sparking concerns that many could miss out on vital health advice while the crisis is ongoing. The charity has now partnered with the government to produce a range of materials covering Covid-19 guidelines which are accessible to those who are blind or partially-sighted…

The autistic web developer aiming to make sites accessible for disable users

July  27, 2020   |  Source: Yorkshire Post- UK

Callum Gamble and his mum Caren Launus-Gamble launched Leeds-based digital agency KreativeInc in 2019 after Callum lost his first job just three weeks after starting it due to a lack of understanding about autism. Mr Gamble is now embedding artificial intelligence (AI) software, which helps people with disabilities and impairments navigate the internet more easily. The software provides functions such as a magnifier, emphasises titles and links, allows users to hide images and emphasise focus…

Pandemic increases vulnerabilities of India’s disabled women, says Rising Flame-Sightsavers report

July  28, 2020   |  Source: NewzHook- India

From difficulty in accessing education to lack of support at work to domestic violence, the pandemic has affected women with disabilities in India in multiple ways. A report by Sightsavers and Rising Flame done across 19 states in India highlights just how deep this impact is. “If online store people have dropped the groceries at my society gate, they don’t offer to help. I am not able to pick up and request them to carry this product. They refuse … I am forced to pick that grocery up from the gate to my home and then the whole night I spend in pain.”…

84% of disabled people say access to height-accessible sanitising stations will encourage them to return to stores

July  29, 2020   |  Source: THIIS- UK

Disabled access review site Euan’s Guide has published the results from its latest survey, which asked disabled people what they were most worried about when returning to venues as lockdown restrictions begin to lift across the UK. The ‘Covid Concerns and Precautions Survey’, which took place from the 18th of June 2020 to 19th of July 2020, asked 450 disabled people about their views on lockdown restrictions being eased and how this would directly affect them. Euan’s Guide’s survey addresses: the concerns disabled people have about visiting places post-lockdown…

What are the most common types of blindness in 2020? Are you aware of the most common types of blindness in the UK?

July  29, 2020   |  Source: Chad- UK

Vitamin B3 shows promise for glaucoma patients in clinical trial

July  29, 2020   |  Source: Medical Express- Australia

If you know someone who is blind or partially blind, you’ll understand just how much this affects their life. While some people are born blind or with sight issues, others develop blindness over time – around 80% of blindness is actually preventable. Despite this, it is still extremely common in many parts of the world. One of the most common types of blindness is Glaucoma. Sadly glaucoma is not curable. However, glaucoma can be treated and alleviated using a small operation, helping patients to live easier lives…

‘Many disabled people cannot go out without being able to park’: Access concerns as blue badge parking bays shut to allow queues

July  30, 2020   |  Source: iNews- UK

A disabled woman has spoken of her frustration and exhaustion at the numerous accessibility issues caused by lockdown, including blue badge parking bays being cordoned off to be used by queuing shoppers, and a hand sanitiser station blocking her ability to enter a store. Wheelchair user Gem Hubbard, 35, from Sussex, has said that accessibility in the UK has “gone out of the window” since lockdown restrictions were relaxed. The disability campaigner, who has an incomplete spinal cord injury, has expressed her frustration ahead of shielding being paused for millions of clinically extremely vulnerable people around the UK in the coming days…

New guidelines for public transport accessibility

July  30, 2020   |  Source: Mirage- Australia

New guidelines on ensuring accessibility for people with disability for public transport operators and providers have been launched by Disability Discrimination Commissioner Dr Ben Gauntlett. The Australian Human Rights Commission partnered with the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications on the development of the ‘Guidelines: Equivalent Access under the Disability Standards for Accessible Public Transport 2002 (Cth)’. Dr Gauntlett said the Guidelines provided information on the operation of the equivalent access provisions of the Transport Standards…

Amazing deaf and autistic Plymouth teen hopes to become next Dawn French

July  30, 2020   |  Source: Plymouth Live- UK

An inspiring young Plymouth college student is following her passion and defying the odds to become an actress just like her idol Dawn French. Hannah Tustain, an 18 year old from Plymouth, suffers from autism and Branchiootorenal (BOR) syndrome, which affects her hearing. But Hannah says she’s using her disabilities as her strengths and wants to encourage others to do the same as she pursues her dream of acting. The budding actress and her mum went to watch the filming of a Dawn French series, and although the youngster didn’t get to meet Dawn herself, she loved seeing how television worked…

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  • 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:


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