Accessibility in the News — 6/5/2020.

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Feature Stories

Time to Focus on the Senior Housing Crisis

June 2, 2020 | Source: ABA Banking Journal

As America continues to respond to the coronavirus crisis, another more silent one is transpiring across the nation—a senior housing crisis. Much of the country’s available housing is neither accessible nor affordable for many older adults. And with projected demographic changes, the situation is bound to get worse. Adults 65 and older represent 16 percent of the nation’s population, but that number will significantly increase over the next decade, according to Census Bureau data. By 2035, the Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies estimates that one-third of all American households will be headed by a senior…

Age Scotland survey reveals need for more suitable homes for older people

June 1, 2020 | Source: Scottish Housing News- Scotland

Study looks into social landlords’ role in accessible homes

June 1, 2020 | Source: Access and Mobility Professional- UK

Celebrating Seniors in Ontario

June 1, 2020 | Source: Government of Ontario- Canada

Study on accessible homes aims to help vulnerable live independently for longer

June 4, 2020 | Source: Home Care Insight- UK

One in eight people say their current property is unsuitable (12%) while 46% either think it will be unsuitable in the future or are not sure. This rises to one in five older people with disabilities (20%) who say their home is not suitable for their needs, and 15% of those with long term health conditions. The main reasons include accessibility, size of home, issues with cold, damp or heating, need for repair or their location. Age Scotland and ScotInform surveyed more than 1200 people aged 55 and older, from every local authority in Scotland. The study was funded by the Scottish Government…

National News (U.S.)

For the Disabled, VOD Means Finally Seeing First-Run Movies When Everyone Does

May 28, 2020 | Source: IndieWire

If you’re a movie fan, you might wonder when theaters will open, or how they will keep patrons safe. If you’re a disabled movie fan, your question may be very different — namely: Now that I finally can see first-run movies with everyone else, am I going to lose that privilege? The experience of going to a movie theater as a disabled person can be terrific, or it can range somewhere between disheartening and demeaning, with issues that include malfunctioning closed-caption equipment, wheelchair seating occupied by strollers, and half-hearted attempts at retrofitting to meet the terms of the Americans With Disabilities Act…

Biden unveils disability rights plan: ‘Your voices must be heard’

May 28, 2020 | Source: The Hill

Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden’s campaign rolled out a wide-ranging disability-rights plan on Thursday, with provisions including appointing a director of disability policy and ensuring disabled people’s parental rights. Biden, introducing the plan virtually on Thursday, invoked his own stutter, saying, “It never fully goes away but it turned out to be one of the greatest gifts God gave me.” The former vice president also discussed his experience co-sponsoring the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in 1990 behind “the incredible moral leadership of my friends [Sen.] Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) and [Rep.] Tony Coelho [D-Calif.].”…

Advocates Sue BOE to Make Absentee Voting Accessible for the Primary

May 29, 2020 | Source: City Limits

Disability rights groups sued the New York State Board of Elections (BOE) last Friday in a bid to make absentee voting accessible for voters with disabilities by the state’s June 23 primary. There was a hearing on the lawsuit Thursday morning. But the plaintiffs are already seeing some success outside of court, with the BOE passing a resolution on Wednesday to try to make PDF ballots available to some of those who request them for the primary. The groups filed the lawsuit with the Southern District of New York (SDNY), alleging the BOE is violating the Americans with Disabilities Act by not providing an accessible absentee voting system…

Nondisabled people ran with work-from-home accessibility. Now do the same for voting.

May 29, 2020 | Source: The Philadelphia Inquirer

With the global pandemic threatening the lives of citizens across the country, people are being forced to think in a way they haven’t before: like disabled people. Why should elections be different? For decades, voting in person has been an act of resistance, a way for marginalized people to show up after eras of voter disenfranchisement to make their presence known and counted. Now, with a global pandemic, those in authority must consider accessibility for not just the disability community, but the health of all their constituents…

COVID-19 poses unnecessary risk for people with disabilities

May 29, 2020 | Source: CommonWealth Magazine

Never in our lifetime have we witnessed a disease that has devastated lives across the globe the way COVID-19 has. No family, no individual has been left untouched. But, we can all agree that the brunt of this pandemic falls more heavily on some than others. Health care professionals, grocery store workers, delivery drivers, seniors in congregate care, and those with underlying health issues are very vulnerable. Also among the vulnerable is a group of individuals who too often go unseen – those with disabilities…

Yearlong fight to make Iowa City school playgrounds wheelchair accessible ends in settlement

May 29, 2020 | Source: Press Citizen & The Gazette & KCRG & American School & University & ADA.gov

Iowa City Community School District has agreed to make playgrounds across the district more accessible to children with disabilities as part of a settlement agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice. The school board approved the settlement this week, agreeing to make more than 200 adjustments to playgrounds across campuses. The adjustments will make the structures accessible to kids with wheelchairs and otherwise comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act. According to district documents, the district has already made a majority of the changes…

Gilbert woman wins big on The Price Is Right, speaks up for people with disabilities

May 29, 2020 | Source: AZFamily

The price is right for a woman in Gilbert. Gina Schuh won big on the iconic game show in California, raking in money, prizes and more importantly, a chance to advocate for change on a national stage. “Anyone over 30 dreams of being on The Price Is Right. Let me just say, we all grew up watching it,” said Schuh, a week after her episode aired on May 22. Her name was called in the very first round, something she said she never expected to hear, right before the well-known catchphrase, “Come on down!” in a taping of the show a few months ago…

Are clear masks the way to clearer communication? The deaf community isn’t so sure.

May 29, 2020 | Source: Yahoo

Clear, Accessible Masks Now Available to Deaf and Hard of Hearing Missourians

May 29, 2020 | Source: KBIA

The precautions put in place to contain the coronavirus have created obstacles for many. But for the deaf community, it’s been a particularly harrowing battle. On top of the noticeable absence of sign language interpreters to communicate developments in the crisis, those with hearing loss who communicate through lip-reading have had to contend with the use of masks, which obstruct their ability to do so. In recent weeks, the movement to switch to masks that are either partially or fully transparent — in hopes to alleviate one aspect of this struggle — has been growing…

AI and Accessibility

May 30, 2020 | Source: Communications of the ACM- Association for Computing Machinery (Podcast)

According to the World Health Organization, more than one billion people worldwide have disabilities. The field of disability studies defines disability through a social lens; people are disabled to the extent that society creates accessibility barriers. AI technologies offer the possibility of removing many accessibility barriers; for example, computer vision might help people who are blind better sense the visual world, speech recognition and translation technologies might offer real-time captioning for people who are hard of hearing, and new robotic systems might augment the capabilities of people with limited mobility…

ASL Services Founder, Interpreter Angela Roth Says Deaf Community Needs Equal Access to Coronavirus Information

June 1, 2020 | Source: WMFE

Angela Roth is the founder of ASL Services. Her company provides interpreters to the City of Orlando and Orange County for their weekly press conferences on the virus. She’s a familiar face as she herself is an interpreter both in English and Spanish usually located on the left hand of Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer or Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings during these events. 90.7’s Danielle Prieur spoke with Roth about the progress that has been made toward greater accessibility for the deaf community-and why we still need to do more…

Disabled advocates say TestNebraska not accessible

June 1, 2020 | Source: NET Nebraska

In a Zoom news conference sponsored by Nebraska state Sen. Carol Blood, advocates and people with disabilities said TestNebraska, and a similar program in Iowa, TestIowa, is not accessible. For one thing, they said, the test sites require people to drive through in order to be tested, when many people with disabilities don’t drive. Disabled advocate Dea Henke said the free-testing program had not lived up to its promise. “The promise that TestNebraska would start to provide testing was good, until we found out that that doesn’t apply to people with disabilities who don’t drive,” Henke said…

Online Art Viewing Is Finally Being Embraced—But Does That Make It More Accessible?

June 2, 2020 | Source: Observer

Isolation has taught many of us that the role of the internet and digital spaces is paramount to staying connected to our lives and loved ones. With this, many are working hard to provide inspiration or solace online, with entire art collections now available at our fingertips, regardless of our location, budget, or time zone. Artists have always made use of new technology—whether print media, Daguerreotypes, or chisels—to enhance their practice, realize new ideas, and broaden their audience. The internet is no different…

Vote for Access: New Video Series Addresses Obstacles Facing Disabled Voters

June 2, 2020 | Source: South Seattle Emerald

If disabled people voted at the same rate as non-disabled people, there would have been 2.3 million more votes in the November 2018 elections. Breaking down barriers to access and getting votes counted is not a partisan issue; it’s part of a healthy democracy, and it’s the law. A new video series “Votes for Access,” hosted by writer and disability advocate Imani Barbarin, takes a look at the hindrances disabled citizens face when it comes to voting, and how accessible voting should be a priority for everyone, especially in the new normal of COVID-19 life…

Lawyers Lay Out Legal Issues Colleges Face This Fall

June 3, 2020 | Source: Inside Higher Ed

Whether institutions can be held liable for students, faculty and staff members contracting COVID-19 on campus is top of mind for leaders mulling reopening plans, but that’s not the only legal pitfall they have to worry about. Lawyers in higher education say an abundance of legal issues await them come September. In the final months of the spring semester, lawsuits cropped up in response to room and board reimbursements, or lack thereof, and online AP testing complications. Colleges have for weeks lobbied Congress for liability protection should students or employees get sick…

Reopen Ohio considerations for Toledoans with disabilities

June 4, 2020 | Source: Toledo Blade

Over the past months, it seems much in our world has been turned upside down as we – as a community – have come together to grapple with the implications of COVID-19. We have seen incredible stories of commitment to one another through stay-at-home orders, closure of schools and businesses, even the ways in which we interact as social beings. We have also seen amazing examples of creativity as we collectively figure out new ways of doing pretty much everything…

Automation is advancing in federal acquisition

June 3, 2020 | Source: FCW

Federal agencies are evolving from leveraging rote robotic processing bots in their acquisition operations toward more complex artificial intelligence processes to inject even more efficiencies into contracting. “We do have seeds of true AI sprouting” for federal acquisition applications, Omid Ghaffari-Tabrizi, director of the Acquisitions Centers of Excellence in the General Services Administration said during a Defense One June 3 virtual event on automation in acquisition…

Pandemic-fueled increase in online activity likely to give rise to website accessibility lawsuits

June 3, 2020 | Source: McAfee & Taft

With the COVID-19 outbreak forcing most people to either shelter in place or severely limit their outside activities, people everywhere are online more than ever. As a result, website accessibility lawsuits under the Americans with Disabilities Act are expected to sharply increase. Title III of the ADA requires places of public accommodation with websites (including retail businesses) to ensure that their websites are accessible to everyone, including visually impaired individuals using screen-reading software…

Researchers treat TMC1-related deafness with gene therapy

June 4, 2020 | Source: News-Medical.Net & Technology Networks & Fierce BioTech

When Wei Hsi (Ariel) Yeh was a young undergraduate student, one of her close friends went from normal hearing to complete deafness in the span of one month. He was 29 years old. No one knew why he lost his hearing; doctors still don’t know. Frustrated and fearful for her friend, Yeh, who graduated last month with her Ph.D. in chemistry from Harvard University, dedicated her graduate studies to solving some of the vast genetic mysteries behind hearing loss…

Accessible Mask Project to develop inclusive face masks for deaf community

June 4, 2020 | Source: The Columbia Chronicle

As a deaf person, Justin LeBlanc is hesitant to go out in public during the pandemic because of difficultly in communicating with others while wearing a face mask. The last time he went to the grocery store, LeBlanc, an associate professor in the Fashion Studies Department, said someone appeared as though they were shouting at him for being in the self-checkout lane although there was no indication he should not be there. But because he could not read their lips and they could not sign, he did not understand why he was being yelled at…

Jack Fact — One in four people, or 61 million Americans are disabled, and have an annual disposable income of $200 billion, according to the U.S. Department of Labor.

Hit The Road Jack — Accessible Travel News

International News

Airbnb Online Experiences connect guests with Paralympian hosts

May 29, 2020 | Source: International Paralympic Committee- UK

Through Airbnb Online Experiences, British Paralympic champion Stephen Miller hosted guests on a unique journey through… his mind. Born with cerebral palsy, Miller shared how he mastered the art of positive thinking to have a successful athletic career that includes three Paralympic gold medals. He felt the topic was especially applicable during the COVID-19 pandemic. “I picked this theme because I believe in the power of thinking positively, and I think it can make a big difference in people’s lives if they can change the way they think, and how they approach and react to different situations,” Miller said…

Britain’s best accessible walks for wheelchair users

May 29, 2020 | Source: Telegraph- UK

In 2008, my life changed forever. At 47 I was diagnosed with spinal degeneration. Quicker than I could have imagined, I was a wheelchair user. My husband Andy and I had always been keen hillwalkers and spent most weekends walking in the Yorkshire Dales and the Lake District. But with my diagnosis, our passion for hillwalking seemed to have come to an abrupt end, and it hit me hard. Andy stopped walking too, saying he couldn’t go without his “walking partner”. Devastated, but not defeated, I began exploring other options and stumbled across all-terrain wheelchairs…

Why airlines need to look after PRMs now more than ever

May 29, 2020 | Source: Aircraft Interiors International- UK

Several reports and forecasts have been published recently regarding the restart and growth trajectory of air travel, but few have considered the specific views of passengers with disabilities. With this in mind, Josh Wintersgill, founder of easyTravelseat, a company which manufactures devices to aid aircraft transfers of passengers with reduced mobility (PRMs), has joined up with aviation accessibility consultant, Christopher Wood, to share their findings from the accessibility sector…

City of Vaughan Case Study: A leader in accessibility

May 29, 2020 | Source: Rick Hansen Foundation- Canada

The City of Vaughan is one of the fastest-growing and most diverse municipalities in Canada. Mayor Maurizio Bevilacqua, along with Council members and all City employees are committed to fostering a community that is inclusive, respectful and where every person is valued. Vaughan has been awarded three Rick Hansen Foundation (RHF) Accessibility Certified Gold awards, and with their commitment to creating a completely accessible community by 2025, that number will surely grow…

Creating an Ontario that is Accessible and Inclusive for Everyone

May 31, 2020 | Source: Government of Ontario News- Canada

The Minister for Seniors and Accessibility, Raymond Cho, issued the following statement to recognize National AccessAbility Week. “Our government is proud to work towards creating a society and economy that is accessible and inclusive for all Ontarians. I would like to thank all of the individuals, groups and partners who have been working towards creating a barrier-free Ontario. This year, National AccessAbility Week comes during a particularly challenging time. COVID-19 has forced many people to stay home and practice physical distancing….

Tiktok mocking disabled people: A new low for the platform

May 25, 2020 | Source: Newz Hook- India

COVID-19 has compelled more than half of the world population to be under lockdown. The people hence have resorted to social media to get through this phase. People are finding novel ways from live performance on Facebook to online antakshari on Twitter. Akshay Popawala, co-founder at digital marketing agency Togglehead said that during this phase usage and engagement rates is highest at Tiktok where people are spending more time on Tiktok watching and uploadi byng more videos…

People with disabilities forgotten amid COVID-19 pandemic, advocates say in plea for federal support

May 31, 2020 | Source: The Standard- Canada

Government of Canada announces funding for the social and economic inclusion of persons with disabilities

June 1, 2020 | Source: Canada NewsWire & Mirage News- Canada

Nearly three months into the lockdown brought by the COVID-19 pandemic, advocates for people with disabilities are asking the government for financial help for a community they say has been forgotten. Dozens of organizations have come together to voice their concern about the inadequate support for people with disabilities — a group they say has inexplicably fallen through the cracks as other layers of the community receive financial help to cope with the impact of COVID-19…

Accessibility for disabled still an issue in Sooke

June 1, 2020 | Source: Sooke News Mirror- Canada

Sooke’s accessibility has come a long way, but still needs improvement, says a Sooke councillor. Coun. Dana Lajeunesse who uses a wheelchair, said if he didn’t drive his vehicle most of the time, getting around Sooke would be a challenge. “Things have gotten better everywhere, but there are obvious challenges, such as some areas not having sidewalks, or not having a lot of flat ground,” Lajeunesse said. “I drive to get around and the main reason for that is because transit isn’t always available, and part of that is low population density and lack of connectivity in the road system.”…

Working from home could be blessing in disguise for persons with disabilities

June 2, 2020 | Source: The Standard- Kenya

Working remotely as a way of recognising the right of persons with disabilities to enhance equality in accordance with the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities has been needed for many years. Today, due to Covid-19, workplaces globally have made this shift. In the midst of the pandemic, suddenly millions of organisations and their staff have successfully switched to working remotely. The pandemic has proved that one can be trapped at their home and still be productive…

How Jyothirgamaya Foundation fights for accessibility and champions disability rights

June 3, 2020 | Source: EdexLive- India

At the Jyothirgamaya Training Centre, opening doors are the first order of business. The charitable organisation that works for the rehabilitation of visually impaired people caters to students over the age of 18 and works to offer opportunities to anyone who needs it the most. They train students in computer and access technology by assisting them with the help of screen readers in computers, Android and iPhone devices. Tiffany Brar, a 29-year-old visually-impaired social activist set up the organisation in 2012 with a grand vision. She says, “We work mostly for the youth…

Greek Tourism Min Presents Plan on Accessibility in Tourism for People with Disabilities

June 3, 2020 | Source: The National Herald- Greece

Tourism Minister Haris Theoharis on Wednesday told parliament that the ministry had made accessibility for people with disabilities in tourism a priority issue. As he said, for the first time the tourism ministry will establish an accessible tourism committee, where the goal is to map out all any problems relating to accessibility issues in tourist accommodation, cultural spaces, etc. He also said that the tourism ministry is cooperating with the digital policy ministry on the creation of a website with information on accessible accommodation in Greece and any services that are useful for people with disabilities…

An English professor with vision impairment on what it means to work from home

June 4, 2020 | Source: The Hindu- India

Disability Rights Alliance activist Prof. K. Raghuraman believes that if remote working becomes a big aspect of the post COVID-19 work scenario, the participation of persons with disabilities in the workforce should ideally go up. The white cane rests against the wall. It is work-from-home for this walking-prop ever since visually-impaired professor K. Raghuraman started focussing on having his job done online. Until mid-March, the duo would commute on the Tambaram-Beach suburban, with the white cane probing the approach road to the Tambaram railway station and its platforms for obstacles…

Lack of facilities hamper job accessibility for OKU

June 5, 2020 | Source: The Borneo Post- Malaysia

Muhammad Salim Harmanain has a law degree and completed his chambering four years ago which in itself is a huge achievement for him considering that he is a wheelchair user and only his left hand is fully functional. However, he is forced to put aside his ambition of working as a lawyer simply due to the lack of facilities for people with disabilities (OKU) in workplaces. For five years, Muhammad Salim, 29, who has triplegia cerebral palsy, overcame all kinds of constraints to study diligently for his law degree at the International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM)…

Youth leaders from across Canada help build more inclusive and accessible communities and workplaces

June 5, 2020 | Source: Mirage News- Canada

During these trying times it is increasingly important that youth remain engaged in their communities, as changes to routine and isolation can have a negative impact on their mental and physical well-being. Canada’s youth have an important role in creating meaningful change in their communities, and can gain valuable experience through community engagement. During these trying times it is increasingly important that youth remain engaged in their communities, as changes to routine and isolation can have a negative impact on their mental and physical well-being…

Representatives from post-secondary schools highlight accessibility for students with disabilities

June 4, 2020 | Source: Global News- Canada

Representatives from post-secondary institutions are taking part in a panel discussion on campus accessibility as part of the National AccessAbility Week Digital Conference, hosted by Halifax-based organization reachAbility. Accessibility & Inclusion in a Post-Secondary Environment is a two-part speaker series featuring representatives from some of Nova Scotia’s foremost post-secondary universities and colleges: Nova Scotia College of Art and Design (NSCAD), Dalhousie University, Cape Breton University, Acadia University, Nova Scotia Community College (NSCC), Mount Saint Vincent University and Saint Mary’s University…

Video conferencing combats blindness in Nepal

June 4, 2020 | Source: AV Magazine- Nepal

The Tilganga Institute of Ophthalmology in the Himalayan country of Nepal has implemented a telemedicine system that unifies rural community eye centres and the main hospital based in the capital Kathmandu. A new solution provided by TrueConf enables physicians to hold video sessions with their colleagues when screening patients and making preliminary diagnoses. This initiative has been critical to improving blindness prevention in many disadvantaged communities of Nepal…

Richmond teen gets top marks in her sign language course

June 4, 2020 | Source: The Northern Echo- UK

A student has passed the British Sign Language course with 100 per cent in all ten modules. Millie Aston, a Year 12 student at Richmond Sixth Form College, was prompted to study for the qualification after encountering hearing loss herself and appreciating first-hand how challenging and alienating deafness can be. Millie, 17, said: “I was born deaf and couldn’t hear or speak until the age of four and the thought of learning sign language has always fascinated me. Having struggled with hearing from a young age, I really empathise with others who experience hearing impairments and how isolating it can be…

Born Accessible: A Win For Access And Publishers

June 5, 2020 | Source: Scoop- New Zealand

It was a monumental moment for Blind Low Vision NZ and the disability community when New Zealand become a member of the Marrakesh Treaty earlier this year. It was something we had been advocating for over ten years. Ninety percent of information is inaccessible, and this puts about 168,000 New Zealanders with a print disability, including people who are blind, low vision and deafblind, on the back foot. Not being able to access information can be a barrier to many aspects of life including employment, education and recreation…

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