Accessibility in the News—9/28/18.

Though the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) passed more than 20 years ago, compliance with the Act is still an issue. While it could be argued that website accessibility is a relatively new issue, equal access and nondiscrimination violations continue to occur in traditional settings. This week’s news covers inaccessible fraternity houses, sororities not admitting a cheerleader with Down Syndrome, and buildings, websites, and city infrastructure that include barriers to easy use for people with disabilities.

On the flip side, people are making games, concerts, and tourist attractions more accessible in a variety of ways. And often, like with the OXO vegetable peeler (also covered), that means better usability for everyone.

NOTE: To get news like this every week in your inbox, before it hits our website, subscribe to our Accessibility in the News e-newsletter. There are no ads or graphics, and we never send spam. Just use the sign-up form on this page to subscribe and stay up to date!

Skip to National News (U.S.) | Skip to International News

More Accessibility Resources on this Page

Accessibility Blogs and Information | Accessibility Statement Pages
Accessibility Announcements and Products | Accessibility Q&A and Tips

Microassist Accessibility Services

AITN Quote of the Week

“The measure of a country’s greatness is its ability to retain compassion in times of crisis.”

— Thurgood Marshall

National News (U.S.)

Autism At Work Programs: When Your Workforce Reflects The Diversity Of Your Customers

September 19, 2018 | Source: Forbes | Cognitive, Workforce, Businesses

According to Gartner research, 350 million people with disabilities will enter the workforce in the next decade. The early results from four companies with Autism at Work programs demonstrate the incredible possibilities for families and employers in this VIDEO interview at the recent the SAPPHIRE NOW and ASUG Annual Conference. Families in over 40 cities participate in a program developed by American Airlines to acclimate children with autism for airplane flights. Called It’s Cool to Fly, the program creates a mock travel experience for families with children on the autism spectrum…

University Cheerleader With Down Syndrome Denied From Every Sorority on Campus

September 19, 2018 | Source: The Mighty | Higher Education, Cognitive, Discrimination

On Sunday, 19-year-old AnnCatherine Heigl, who has Down syndrome, was released from every sorority during recruitment at George Mason University in Fairfax, Va. Her sister, Lillie Heigl, 22, posted an email she sent to Phil McDaniel, associate director of student involvement, on Twitter, expressing disappointment over her sister’s exclusion. AnnCatherine is a sophomore and a Division I cheerleader for the university’s basketball team. According to her sister, she is the first collegiate cheerleader in the nation with an intellectual disability…

UConn recognized as leader in accessibility for students with disabilities

September 21, 2018 | Source: UConn Daily Campus | Higher Education, Inclusion, Awareness

The University of Connecticut (UConn) has been recognized as one of the best and most affordable online schools for students with disabilities by SR Education Group in its 2018 student support rankings. “The University of Connecticut stood out because it provides a high level of support, a wide breadth of accommodations and comprehensive resources for students with disabilities,” Nicole Hopler of the SR Education Group said. “Additionally, faculty members are provided with various tools and training methods to assist them in creating accessible online courses for students of all backgrounds.”…

Spider-Man’s accessibility options, from the people who benefit from them

September 21, 2018 | Source: Digital Trends | Gaming, Inclusion, Innovation

Marvel’s Spider-Man released exclusively for PlayStation 4 on September 7, and it’s not only one of the best games starring Peter Parker in recent memory, but a great example of accessibility in the AAA space. Since its launch, people across the world have been applauding Insomniac Games for their work on options that make playing Spider-Man a welcoming experience for everyone. These settings can be found right before starting the game in a window in the main menu that lets players customize their experience beforehand…

Playwrights Horizons Installs GalaPro To Increase Accessibility For Deaf And Hard-of-Hearing Patrons

September 21, 2018 Source:Broadway World & Playbill | Deaf/Hearing Impaired, Inclusion, Innovation

As Playwrights Horizons (Artistic Director Tim Sanford, Managing Director Leslie Marcus) begins their 2018-2019 season with the New York Premiere of Craig Lucas’s I Was Most Alive with You-a play featuring both Deaf and hearing casts-the company continues to emphasize a commitment to accessibility with the launch of an expanded captioning program, powered by GalaPro. GalaPro, which lets Deaf and hard-of-hearing patrons view captions on their smartphones/devices, allows captions to be available at every post-opening performance on both Playwrights stages…

10 Amazing Wheelchair-Accessible Tourist Attractions

September 21, 2018 | Source: Smarter Travel | Mobility, Travel, Accessible Design

Traveling with limited mobility can be a challenge in destinations that don’t have wheelchair accessibility standards like those established by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). But some of the most worthwhile tourist attractions across the globe are completely step-free, and it’s not just parks and museums. Some surprisingly precarious and unique spots should be on your to-do list if you’re traveling in a wheelchair (or with someone who is). Here are the best wheelchair-accessible tourist attractions, and some tips from a world traveler who’s visited them on two wheels himself…

New Nonprofit Works to Make Concerts More Accessible

September 21, 2018 | Source: OPB News | Entertainment, Accessible Design, Inclusion

Like most 20-year-old music fans, Boring, Oregon’s Cassie Wilson is counting down the days until her 21st birthday — the day she can finally go to most concerts. But for Wilson, who loves pop-star Harry Styles and Portland dream-pop group Glacier Veins, age isn’t the only barrier to seeing live music. She was born with a form of dwarfism, needing multiple surgeries on her legs and back. This leaves her wheelchair-bound during strenuous activities like concerts…

Colorado Springs settles accessibility lawsuit filed by disabled veteran

September 21, 2018 | Source: The Gazette | Lawsuits/Litigation, Mobility, Discrimination

Colorado Springs will pay a disabled veteran and his wife $19,000 to settle a lawsuit they filed in February claiming systemic noncompliance with federally required accessibility standards. The lawsuit was filed by Stetson Hills residents Chris and Nikole Sweeney. Diversified Property Management and the Stetson Hills Master Home Owners Association were also named as defendants in the lawsuit. The couple claimed that their neighborhood has lacked ramps and sidewalks necessary to reach public accommodations for years…

Charity that trains disabled veterans not wheelchair accessible

September 21, 2018 | Source: WFLA | Mobility, Inclusion, Advocacy

Tampa charity VetMade Industries, Inc. collected millions of dollars to train disabled veterans, but apparently not if they sit in wheelchairs. “There are veterans everywhere and disabled people that need help. There’s not a lot of options for them,” VetMade founder John Campbell said. An 8 On Your Side investigation has found the charity collected more than $6.5 million in car donations since 2010, kept its doors closed for most of that time and has not trained any veterans in years…

Does Your Business Comply With The ADA’s Accessibility Requirements? – Part II

September 21, 2018 | Source: Ford Harrison | ADA, Awareness, Inclusion

Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires businesses that provide goods and services to the public to remove architectural barriers and ensure their facilities are accessible to individuals with disabilities. Generally, businesses must provide goods and services to individuals with disabilities in an integrated setting the same as is provided to the general public. The ADA regulations and Standards for Accessible Design establish the criteria for accessibility. All new construction and alterations to commercial facilities commenced after January 26, 1992, must comply with the ADA guidelines for new construction…

In 1960, about a half-million teens took a test. Now it could predict the risk of Alzheimer’s disease.

September 21, 2018 | Source: Washington Post | Cognitive, Awareness, Education

In 1960, Joan Levin, 15, took a test that turned out to be the largest survey of American teenagers ever conducted. It took two-and-a-half days to administer and included 440,000 students from 1,353 public, private and parochial high schools across the country — including Parkville Senior High School in Parkville, Md., where she was a student. “We knew at the time that they were going to follow up for a long time,” Levin said — but she thought that meant about 20 years. Fifty-eight years later, the answers she and her peers gave are still being used by researchers — most recently in the fight against Alzheimer’s disease…

Wisconsin man creating app to help disabled people travel

September 22, 2018 | Source: Minneapolis Star Tribune | Digital Accessibility, Travel, Disability Rights

A 23-year-old Wisconsin man with cerebral palsy who uses a wheelchair is creating an app he hopes will make traveling more accessible for those with disabilities. Gabriel Schlieve spent several weeks in Swaziland developing the “Rebel Traveler’s Guide to the World” app through the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders Reciprocal Exchange, The Leader-Telegram reported . The program aims to address global and local community challenges. “We have so many great opportunities and great things to see in this world — no one should miss out on that,” Schlieve said…

South Bend Civic and Shakespeare at Notre Dame team up for autism inclusive program

September 23, 2018 | Source: In the Bend | Inclusion, Cognitive, Education

The only sounds in the room are the shuffling of feet across the red-orange carpet and the ring of a Tibetan singing bowl. Twenty people stand in a circle. Half pretend to be trees. They hold out their hands and lead the other half, who follow the movements of their palms. The partners then switch. Half of the participants in the circle are actors from South Bend Civic Theatre’s production of the upcoming “As You Like It,” while their partners are individuals on the autism spectrum or, in some cases, their siblings…

The untold story of the vegetable peeler that changed the world

September 24, 2018 | Source: Fast Company | Innovation, Inclusion, Awareness

One of the most important moments in the history of industrial design occurred in 1990, when the kitchen brand OXO defied the traditional, knuckle-bleeding tools of culinary tradition, and released its Good Grips line. To this day, these tools are the best articulation of the potential of inclusive design: Developed for people with arthritis, Good Grips had thick rubbery handles that were also better tools for everyone to use. The Swivel Peeler was the collection’s flagship product. Created by Smart Design, it raised the bar for accessible consumer products, and changed the way kitchen tools were designed forever…

Serving the Hardest Hit

September 24, 2018 | Source: Center for American Progress | Discrimination, Awareness, Disability Rights

It’s often said that natural disasters don’t discriminate—that no individual is more or less likely than another to fall victim to a large-scale natural disaster. But the truth is that people with disabilities—particularly those living in disaster-vulnerable, low-income communities1—endure disproportionate harm.2 For the purpose of this issue brief, the term “disability” includes those with physical and mobility disabilities; sensory disabilities such as Deafness or Blindness; and learning, mental health, neurodiverse, and intellectual or developmental disabilities…

Assessments Become More Accessible With Speech Synthesis—and an Almost Human Voice

September 24, 2018 | Source: EdSurge | Innovation, Technology, Accessible Design

These are exciting times in the world of assistive learning technology. Recent advances in artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) are behind next-generation improvements in a range of software tools for students with sensory or learning disabilities. Speech synthesis in particular is benefiting from deep learning technologies, which are used to generate speech that sounds like a human voice. For the assessment mavens at Educational Testing Service (ETS), these evolving capabilities present both a challenge and an opportunity, says the organization’s Markku “Mark” Häkkinen…

Greek life lacks accessible living

September 24, 2018 | Source: Daily Illini | Higher Education, Discrimination, Disability Rights

Thousands of students go through a selective rush process each fall to join Greek life at the University; however, some students who wish to participate are not given the same experience due to accessibility issues. Of the 19 Panhellenic sororities on campus, Kappa Delta is the only one that completely complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act standards, which means that other houses are at least partly inaccessible to students with physical disabilities. Panhellenic Council President Ariel Shilitz said the organization expects all chapters make their first floor wheelchair-accessible during formal recruitment, she said…

What You Can Learn from Major Accessibility Lawsuits

September 24, 2018 | Source: 3PlayMedia | Lawsuits/Litigation, Businesses, Awareness

There is a growing trend of companies being sued for having inaccessible websites. With the rise of the digital era, organizations are moving away from just having a brick and mortar store, to creating an online platform as well. There are even some companies that solely operate online. Before the internet became mainstream, laws like the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Rehabilitation Act were enacted to protect people with disabilities against discrimination. These laws didn’t specify internet accessibility when they were created, so there weren’t any precedents set in place…

Home Care Lawsuits Target Non-Compliant Websites, Payment for Training

September 25, 2018 | Source: Home Health Care News | Housing, Lawsuits/Litigation, Digital Accessibility

Typically, litigation trends in any given industry are on a bell curve — activity peaks and then starts to drop, as companies button-up their practices. But in home care, litigation has been pretty steady over the last three years, according to Angelo Spinola, a shareholder and attorney at international labor and employment legal firm Littler Mendelson. Many of the cases involve wage disputes — about 1,500 pay practice lawsuits have been filed against home care companies since 2015, Spinola said last week at the Home Health Care News Summit in Chicago…

Let’s Call Adaptive Fashion What It Is — Fashion

September 25, 2018 | Source: The Mighty | Fashion, Higher Education, Inclusion

Earlier this year, I visited my sister, a sophomore at the University of Florida, and got a tour of the campus, including her dorm. Though my sister doesn’t have a disability, she lived in disability-inclusive housing. As part of the dorm’s accessibility features, the elevators have large, about 3-foot-long, panel buttons. If you want to call an elevator, you can push it with your hand, tap it with your foot or roll into it with your wheelchair. All of the students use these buttons, regardless of ability. When I asked my sister why that was, her answer was simple, “It’s just good design.”…

Not Impossible Labs, Zappos Hope to Make Concerts More Accessible for the Deaf — and Cooler for Everyone

September 25, 2018 Source:Billboard | Deaf/Hearing Impaired, Entertainment, Innovation

From the street, the Venice Beach headquarters of Not Impossible Labs looks more like a yoga studio than a tech company. Behind a wooden fence adorned with an inspirational quote in flowing cursive letters (“Most of all we wish for you to inspire and create a beautiful world today for everyone”) sits a modest but gorgeously restored Craftsman that was once the private residence of Not Impossible’s founder and CEO, Mick Ebeling. Today it’s home to a team of designers, programmers and engineers who, in Ebeling’s words, “look at the world for things that we consider to be absurd, then we figure out how we can use technology to solve [them].”…

Parking lots violate Americans with Disabilities Act; City and Regional Building don’t inspect them

September 26, 2018 Source:KOAANews5 | ADA, Discrimination, Accessible Parking

The Americans with Disabilities Act has been in place since 1990, but News 5 Investigates has learned many businesses are still not accessible to people with physical challenges. The Independence Center in Colorado Springs partnered with ADA Surveys and Plans (ASAP) to audit more than 100 parking lots in the Pikes Peak Region. Out of 108 parking lots surveyed, only two were compliant with the ADA. Pikes Peak Regional Building and the City of Colorado Springs have employees that check to make sure buildings and establishments are accessible for people with disabilities…

Blind Woman Files Discrimination Complaint Against Durham Parks & Rec

September 26, 2018 | Source: ABC11 | Blindness/Visual Impairment, Discrimination, Disability Rights

Elvira Basnight is a tax-paying, adventure-seeking, Durham professional — who also happens to be blind. She’s been in an ongoing dispute with the Durham Parks and Rec department since last fall about DPR’s Mature Adults Program. It’s for residents 55 and older. “They take trips, go places in Durham and do a few things,” Basnight explained. It’s an active group doing things Basnight likes to do, unlike DPR’s group for visually-impaired adults which includes, “knitting, crocheting, and support groups,” Basnight said. “These are inactive activities. I don’t wish to do those.”…

DoJ Refuses Request to Issue ADA Guidance for Websites

September 26, 2018 | Source: Credit Union Times | ADA, Digital Accessibility, Discrimination

The Justice Department isn’t ready to come to the rescue of credit unions and others being hounded by lawsuits alleging that their websites are not compliant with the Americans for Disabilities Act. The Department is “evaluating whether promulgating specific web accessibility standards through regulations is necessary and appropriate to ensure compliance with the ADA,” Assistant Attorney General Stephen Boyd wrote in a letter Tuesday to Rep. Ted Budd. He said that “public accommodations have flexibility in how to comply with the ADA’s general requirements of nondiscrimination and effective communication.”…

Tasty civics lesson stresses voting accessibility

September 26, 2018 | Source: WIVB | Voting, ADA, Advocacy

During the Presidential Election of 2016, Disability Rights New York, a statewide group that advocates for people with disabilities, found that 84 percent of the polling places surveyed in Erie County were not accessible to the standards set by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). In the past two years, disability advocates say, those deficiencies have been rectified, but that survey also indicates many Western New Yorkers’ fundamental right to vote can still be a tough fight. That was the focus of a workshop conducted by the Self Advocacy Association of NYS, Wednesday…

City settles disability discrimination case over lack of elevator at a satellite city hall

September 26, 2018 | Source: Hawaii News Now | Discrimination, Mobility, Buildings/Facilities

The City and County of Honolulu along with the Civil Rights Commission has settled a disability discrimination case over accessibility issues at the Fort Street Mall Satellite City Hall. City officials say the case spawned from the lack of an elevator for individuals unable to use the stairs to enter the facility. The settlement was announced Wednesday, and calls for a review of the city’s non-discrimination policy, training for the staff at the location to ensure understanding of disability discrimination in public accommodations, and the maintenance of visible signs at the stairs and elevator…

Can smart cities work for the visually impaired?

September 26, 2018 | Source: Smart Cities Dive | Blindness/Visual Impairment, Accessible Design, Innovation

In his two decades as a self-described “IT and network nerd,” Mike Hess has become accustomed to being the only blind employee at his companies. That’s why six years ago, he struck out on his own to found the nonprofit Blind Institute of Technology (BIT), with the goal of getting visually impaired people into tech and business jobs, and making sure more blind workers wouldn’t be relegated to “token” status. Now, Hess is turning that attention towards smart cities…

Restaurants Continue To Face Litigation Over ADA

September 26, 2018 | Source: Total Food Service | ADA, Lawsuits/Litigation, Food Service

Back in the early 2000s, a federal judge in Florida decried that certain aspects of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) created a “cottage industry” where lawyers would be able to make significant money bringing lawsuits against restaurants and other commercial establishments for not being handicap accessible. The law’s original intent was to ensure that all members of the public, no matter if they have certain disabilities or not, are able to receive the same type of access and protection against discrimination…

Rockford school adds tool to improve accessibility for students who are Deaf

September 27, 2018 | Source: WREX-TV | Education, Accessible Design, Deaf/Hearing Impaired

Rolling Green School is now fully equipped with flashing light technology for those students and teachers who are deaf or hard of hearing. During an emergency situation, students are typically alerted with an alarm or an announcement, but students at Rolling Green School are now able see what type of emergency is going on. “It’s very important its something the staff here has been pushing for, for about ten years so its nice that they are finally doing that,” Rolling Green 5th Grade Teacher, Cole Brickey said…

How Synagogues And Day Schools Are Failing People With Disabilities

September 27, 2018 | Source: Jewish Week | Inclusion, Education, Religion

Diversity and inclusion have become watchwords in our Jewish community, and rightly so. In the past few decades, we have considered how our congregations and institutions can better serve the needs of various populations, among them women, LGBTQ people, Jews of color and interfaith couples. Now, a new survey from the nonprofit advocacy group RespectAbility shows – as we suspected – we have made progress but we still have much work to do in how we create more space in our communal life for people with disabilities…

Jack Fact — Adults at the age of 65 and older outnumbered children in Canada for the first time in 2016 a clear illustration of our country’s aging population. Statistics Canada further predicts that by the year 2031, one in every four Canadians will fall into the 65-plus demographic.

International News

Nova Scotia announces plans to support accessibility law passed in 2017

September 21, 2018 | Source: 680 News- Canada | Government, Inclusion, Awareness

Nova Scotia has announced the next steps to reach its goal of making the province more accessible for those with disabilities by 2030. Justice Minister Mark Furey has released an implementation strategy for the province’s Accessibility Act, passed in April 2017. Furey says the document, entitled Access by Design 2030, identifies priorities for accessibility standards, including the formation of committees that will develop standards for public buildings, streets, sidewalks and shared spaces, as well as education…

New Accessibility Symbol In Ontario

September 21, 2018 | Source: Bayshore Broadcasting News Centre- Canada | Mobility, Disability Rights, Inclusion

Ontario MPPs have voted in support of Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound MPP Bill Walker’s motion to adopt the Dynamic Accessibility Symbol. The new symbol will be used to represent people with disabilities in a number of cities across Ontario. The Dynamic Accessibility Symbol shows a person in motion, leaning forward and moving ahead with wheels spinning. It will replace the current symbol — a static person in a wheelchair — that has been in use for the past 40 years…

Disability Rights Advocate Wants Cancelled Thunder Bay Accessibility Hearing Rescheduled

September 21, 2018 | Source: AODA- Canada | Advocacy, Litigation, Government

Thunder Bay hearings on Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act to be rescheduled

September 26, 2018 | Source: CBC | Advocacy, Litigation, Government

Disability rights advocate David Lepofsky wants the public hearings in Thunder Bay, about Ontario’s accessibility act, to be rescheduled after they were cancelled due to low registration. He says the event was poorly publicized. A disability rights advocate is expressing concern about the cancellation of a public hearing in Thunder Bay, saying people have lost an important chance to share their experiences during a provincial review of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, led by the Honourable David C. Onley…

Ontario Human Rights Commission Releases Policy on Accessible Education

September 21, 2018 | Source: AODA- Canada | Education, Disability Rights, Awareness

The Ontario Human Rights Commission (OHRC) recently released a new policy on accessible education for students with disabilities, which says students with disabilities continue to face barriers in all levels of education. “All students have the right to an education that allows them to meet their full potential and contribute to society, and yet students with disabilities continue to face obstacles accessing education services in Ontario,” Renu Mandhane, OHRC chief commissioner, said in a press release…

Dubai Expo 2020 staff ‘live with disabilities’ for a day

September 22, 2018 | Source: Khaleej Times- Dubai | Awareness, Inclusion, Disability Rights

“On the day I used crutches, I changed my lunch routine because it would be difficult to carry my food tray. Instead of a hot meal on a plate, I ordered a sandwich and chips so I could take my meal to the table without help,” said Steven Smith, manager of guest services at Expo 2020 Dubai, one among a group of employees who decided to ‘live with a disability’ for a day to gain better understanding on inclusivity ahead of the mega event. The week-long Expo 2020 Dubai’s Inclusive Experience saw 79 employees living with a variety of disabilities using accessibility devices…

B.C. deaf community wants different sign languages on federal accessibility act

September 22, 2018 | Source: Barriere Star Journal- Canada | Deaf/Hearing Impaired, Government, Awareness

Members of the province’s deaf community were at the B.C. Legislature on Saturday afternoon advocating for American Sign Language (ASL), Langue des Signes Quebecoise (LSQ) and Indigenous Sign Language (ISL) to be officially recognized by the federal government. Sept.22 is the National ISL, ASL and LSQ Awareness Day, and Sept. 23 is the first ever International Day of Sign Languages, which happens to falls in line with creation of bill c-81:the Accessible Canada Act…

Danish law sets accessibility requirement for websites and apps within 3 years

September 24, 2018 | Source: Telecompaper- Denmark | Digital Accessibility, Government, Inclusion

The Danish Digitisation Authority said a new law came into effect on 23 September to make all public websites and applications accessible for people with disabilities and special needs within three years. This is to bring Denmark into line with EU law. The accessibility requirement is essentially the same as an existing agreement between local and regional councils and the national government, but including apps is a new feature…

New accessibility law for public sector websites and apps

September 24, 2018 | Source: Nomensa- UK | Government, Digital Accessibility, Mobile Accessibility

A new UK law has just come into effect on 23rd September: The Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) Accessibility Regulations 2018. It is intended to make all Public Sector websites and apps more accessible. It puts an obligation on Public Sector organisations to provide accessible websites and mobile apps, and to provide details of that in an accessibility statement. By “Public Sector bodies”, it means organisations at all levels of government (central, regional, local), including Councils, Police and NHS. If your organisation is covered by the EU procurement regime, it would be covered by this new law as well…

Are Hong Kong’s banks doing enough to help their disabled or elderly customers?

September 24, 2018 | Source: South China Morning Post- China | Banking, Aging, Inclusion

Given the extreme geography of the city, one step up may seem like the least difficult task of the day for many Hong Kong residents. But, for the disabled, it can be an insurmountable barrier that keeps them from accessing the most basic of services. The step – you’ll find it in the vast majority of shops and restaurants in the city – keeps water from heavy rains, such as those brought by Typhoon Mangkhut last week, from invading businesses and homes as it flows downhill…

Is Auckland’s transport becoming more or less accessible?

September 25, 2018 | Source: Scoop- New Zealand | Transportation, Awareness, Inclusion

Increasing the use of public transport – buses, trains, ferries and trams/light rail – and reducing reliance on private cars is recognized by most on the Left and centre as an essential part of the transition to a sustainable, post-capitalist future. But consider the public transport you actually know in your city. Is it good enough to enable you to live life to the fullest? Or would you not be able to function in life if you didn’t have your own private car? The real goal of a public transport system should be to make working, living and playing Accessible to all citizens, whether they own a car or not – and whatever their physical or mental health…

New push to remove barriers to digital accessibility for PWDs

September 26, 2018 | Source: The New Times- Rwanda | Digital Accessibility, Inclusion, Disability Rights

Software developers have been urged to promote digital inclusiveness by mainstreaming special needs of people with disability (PWDs) in applications they develop. The Minister for ICT, Jean de Dieu Rurangirwa, said digital applications can also be designed to specifically address the needs of PWDs, to help them be more independent in their daily lives. “There are many digital tools out there, including mobile built-in apps which have plenty of solutions to ease the lives of PWDs, but the majority are not aware of them or some can’t afford such technology…

Working towards a disabled-friendly India

September 25, 2018 | Source: The Hindu BusinessLine- India | Disability Rights, Inclusion, Buildings/Facilities

India has around 80 million people with disability, which may be age related, accident related or due to some medical conditions. According to the Word Bank, one in every 12 households in India has a person living with disability. The Indian policy-makers are aware of the issue and Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016, tried to address some of the concerns faced by differently-abled persons in India. The Act specifically refers to ease of access to public or private buildings, workplaces, commercial activities, public utilities, religious, cultural, leisure or recreational activities…

Odia text-to-speech software for differently-abled on cards

September 25, 2018 | Source: OrissaPOST- India | Government, Inclusion, Innovation

The Social Security and Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (SSEPD) department of the state government Tuesday decided to develop software which can convert Odia text to speech for the differently-abled. The software is aimed at bridging the digital divide between normal and differently-abled citizens. The decision was taken by the department after the maiden meeting of the State Advisory Board on Disability, constituted under the Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016, held at the Secretariat here Tuesday…

Changing the way we think about audio accessibility

September 26, 2018 | Source: ArtsHub- Australia | Deaf/Hearing Impaired, Inclusion, Disability Rights

There are a number of audio producers offering additional ways for people to consume podcasts that include the Deaf and Hard of Hearing communities alongside English-speakers who are seeking foreign language podcasts. Here, we explore their aims and their techniques. Eleanor McDowall is a multi-award winning audio producer whose documentaries have been broadcast on the BBC and KCRW. She began Radio Atlas – an online platform and podcast with subtitles – to help people listen to audio made in languages they don’t necessarily speak…

Revealed: The Top Universities With No Mental Health Policy – And Those Rushing To Publish One

September 27, 2018 Source: Huffington Post- UK | Higher Education, Health, Government

Some of Britain’s top universities still lack comprehensive student mental health policies despite a surge in demand for pastoral care and a government crackdown. In an analysis of student mental health policy at the UK’s top 20 institutions, as defined by The Complete University Guide, HuffPost UK found that the issue of student mental health is growing. There has been a five-fold increase in the number of students declaring a mental health condition since 2006-7, according to the Institute for Public Policy Research…

Accessibility to buildings, places Indispensable need to enjoy Civil Rights

September 27, 2018 | Source: Daily Mirror- Sri Lanka | Buildings/Facilities, Disability Rights, Inclusion

Have you not yet realised that the chances are now very high that, at any stage or any moment in life, for a short time or for a long time, for different reasons, you or your loved ones, could experience physical and/or sensory impediments, and fall into the category of “People with Disabilities” as defined by the Law? You will then realise that the world around you once you knew to be cheerful and kind, is no more so; and most of your essential needs and activities that were easy doing, are now a burden and you are unwanted and depending on others?…

When it comes to the mistreatment of disabled people, the Tories really are ‘the nasty party’

September 27, 2018 | Source: Independent- UK | Discrimination, Government, Disability Rights

If you thought we’d reached a low point regarding the flag waving rabble gathering in Birmingham to slap themselves on the back later this week for screwing their own country, I have news for you. The Tories aren’t just set upon kissing goodbye to the European Union. They’re engaged in a bid to to kick away crutches, smash wheelchairs and shoot guide dogs on their way out, through an attempt to gut a piece of legislation that would go some way to making the lives of disabled Europeans and Britons – lots of us want to be both – a little better…

Accessibility Blogs and Information

Accessibility Resources

Accessibility Announcements and Products

Accessibility Forums, Tips, and Q&A

Accessibility Statements

VPATs®

Microassist Digital Accessibility Services

Make sure your website, applications, and documents are usable by people with disabilities. Please contact us for any questions you have about our accessibility services and how we might support your organization.

Services include:

Accessible Website and Application Development — We rely heavily on accessibility best practices and using HTML5 and ARIA (Accessible Rich Internet Applications) standards to build WCAG-compliant and human-tested accessible environments. Our teams are proficient in open source technologies such as WordPress, Drupal and Moodle, as well as custom frameworks in .NET, PHP, AngularJS, and other frameworks. Our Learning and Development team can also help you create accessible custom training.
Accessible Document Services — Whether you’re dealing with a few or a warehouse of Microsoft Office documents, PDFs, or other files, there are several ways Microassist can enable your team to offer documents and materials that meet stringent accessibility standards.
Accessibility Remediation — Our accessibility remediation services help you fix existing materials so that they conform to WCAG, Section 504 and 508, Department of Education OCR, and ADA Title II/III requirements. We remediate websites, applications, documents, and elearning, recommending re-creation when that is more efficient and economical. Especially for website and applications, to find out what is in need of remediation, we’ll start with an Accessibility Audit.
Accessibility Training — With several courses available for developers, testers, and content creators, your team can become equipped to consistently and expertly produce accessible digital products and online environments.
VPAT^® Evaluation Services — Primarily used by government purchasers and government vendors during the procurement and sale of ICT products and services under Section 508, a Voluntary Product Accessibility Template^® (VPAT) attests to the accessibility of a given product or service. Contact us to make sure the VPAT you write or review is accurate and meaningful.

Learn More about Digital Accessibility

Our Digital Accessibility Digest blog covers our Accessibility in the News archives as well as expert commentaries on digital accessibility issues.

Our most-read commentaries include:

The WCAG 2.1 Update: A Brief Look at What’s Changed
Introducing VPAT^® 2.0, the More Stringent Accessibility Reporting Tool Required for Government IT Procurement
Accessibility in the News, Legal Edition: Updates on ADA Title III News and More
What Lawyers Need to Know: A Primer on Digital Accessibility Terms and Today’s Legal Landscape
Mobile Applications and Litigation: Why Accessibility is Important and What to Consider before Launching, Part 1 of 2
Mobile Applications and Litigation: Why Accessibility is Important and What to Consider before Launching, Part 2 of 2

Icons representing government and technology, with caption "What is a VPAT?"

Subscribe to Accessibility in the News

Stay informed! Get your weekly update on digital accessibility standards, private and public sector trends, litigation, events, and more.

Name(Required)

First Last

Work Email(Required)

Job Title(Required)

Organization(Required)

Name

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.