Accessibility in the News – September 13, 2019

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“My disability exists not because I use a wheelchair, but because the broader environment isn’t accessible.” ― Stella Young

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National News (U.S.)

121 elevators break down in New York City’s public housing every day, and it’s a disaster for people in wheelchairs

September 5, 2019 | Source: Insider

New York’s public housing is facing a plague of elevator outages across the city, and it’s proved to be a disaster for people who use wheelchairs. An investigation from NY1 found that there were more than 44,000 elevator outages in New York City’s 2,351 public housing buildings in 2018, averaging to about 121 breakdowns a day. On average, outages lasted about 12 hours each. For people in wheelchairs, that means staying in their apartments — or in building lobbies — until repairs are finished…

ADA compliance knocks sheriff’s website offline

September 5, 2019 | Source: Gainesville Sun

Sheriff Sadie Darnell’s staff have been working for at least nine months to ensure the agency’s website is ADA compliant. The threat of a lawsuit has kept the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office website on ice for nine months — and it may be at least two more months before it’s back up and running. “I’m very frustrated,” said Sheriff Sadie Darnell. “I’m anxious to get it back online.” Art Forgey, public information officer for the sheriff’s office, said the website was initially taken down to avoid a lawsuit over compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act…

Ranking 42 Countries by Ease of Doing Digital Business

September 5, 2019 | Source: Harvard Business Review

The World Bank’s annual Doing Business survey has been described by some as the “World Cup” or “Olympics” for governments competing to make their countries attractive to businesses. The ranking measures how easy it is to do business in a country by examining regulatory environments and is enormously influential: it has inspired more than 3,500 reforms across 190 economies; in 2017-18 alone, 128 economies undertook a record 314 reforms…

Without Accessible Restrooms: ‘You’re Not Going to Do Anything. You Can’t Participate in Things’

September 5, 2019 | Source: KBIA (Audio and Print Versions)

Christina Ingoglia and Michelle Ribaudo are both board members for the Missouri Disability Empowerment Foundation, or MoDE Foundation, in Columbia. Christina is the current President and Michelle is the current Vice President of this organization that works to advocate for people with disabilities and promote inclusion. They spoke about one of the ways their organization is working to make Columbia and the greater community a little more accessible – through their online bathroom accessibility map…

Overcoming constraints to wheelchairs restraints in the aircraft cabin

September 5, 2019 | Source: Runway Girl Network

An upcoming panel session at the Aircraft Interiors Expo in Los Angeles, called Flying for All, will review the topic of accessibility in the cabin. While there seems to be a consensus in industry that something must be done, airlines have failed to move forward on solutions. Some of the delays can be attributed to a lack of understanding of the issues, lack of awareness, and to financial considerations. But the delays are also technical, caused by real design limitations, perceived design limitations and the industry’s stringent regulatory hurdles…

Is This the World’s Most Accessible Museum?

September 6, 2019 | Source: The New York Times

On a recent afternoon, Clare Barlow, a curator at the Wellcome Collection, a museum of science and medicine here, gave a tour of its new permanent exhibition, “Being Human.” The exhibits included a fecal transplant kit used to treat gut infections, a sculpture that gave off the smell of breast milk, and a vial of cells that have been the basis of some of the 20th century’s biggest medical breakthroughs, taken in the 1950s from an African-American woman, Henrietta Lacks, without her consent…

New nursing immersion program offers students meaningful, hands-on experience at respite camp

September 6, 2019 | Source: University of Wisconsin-Madison

Katie Dowdy spent part of her UW–Madison Summer Term at summer camp. But it wasn’t all s’mores and swimming. As a student in a summer respite camp immersion, Dowdy played an important role at respite camp, providing services for people with a broad spectrum of disabilities and practicing new nursing skills. “It was a really incredible experience,” said Dowdy, a senior nursing student who plans to graduate in the spring. “Being able to learn from people on the front lines as well as the campers themselves was just a great opportunity.”…

Self-driving vehicles: The future of inclusive transportation?

September 6, 2019 | Source: SC Times

Autonomous — or self-driving — vehicle technology has been dominating the conversation about the future of transportation infrastructure in our country. This often evokes images of a fleet of driverless cars and buses conveniently available for efficient transportation, free from user error. While the most common concern raised in these discussions is the safety and intelligence these new technologies will be able to offer, it seems the question of accessibility is often left out of the equation…

Sign Language Interpreters make hearing classroom more accessible for deaf or hard-of-hearing

September 6, 2019 | Source: 1011 Now

Jaxson Finke was born profoundly deaf. He didn’t speak until he was 4. His grandparents said his time at Beattie, along with cochlear implants, working with therapists and audiologist have all made it possible for him to speak.

“Without language, it’s a hard world,” said Sherri Erickson, a Sign Language Interpreter with Lincoln Public Schools. Mary Finke, Jaxson’s grandma, said learning to speak was difficult for Jaxson, especially after he was 4 years old…

Thinking Beyond ADA Compliance: How to Make Astronomy Accessible

September 6, 2019 | Source: Astrobites

Imagine that you’re a graduate student, with work being thrown at you from all directions: your advisor pressuring you to make progress on a research project, demanding time-consuming classwork for each of the multiple classes you need to take, and teaching responsibilities required so you can get paid and make rent. On top of this, the academic community is pressuring you to work every waking hour so that you can be one of the small fraction of PhDs that eventually gets the coveted, prestigious professor title…

America’s aging population is leading to a doctor shortage crisis

September 6, 2019 | Source: CNBC

As America’s population ages and demand outpaces supply, a physician shortage is intensifying. Projections from the Association of American Medical Colleges say the U.S. will see a shortage of 46,900 to 121,900 physicians by 2032 in primary and specialty care. The aging of America’s population is slicing the health-care industry in multiple ways. Americans are living longer and seemingly healthier lives — and requiring more care later into life. What’s more, one-third of all doctors currently working will be older than 65 in the next decade, and retirements may squeeze supply…

A Young Woman, A Wheelchair And The Fight To Take Her Place At Stanford

September 6, 2019 | Source: Disability Scoop

Sylvia Colt-Lacayo is 18, fresh-faced and hopeful, as she beams confidence from her power wheelchair. Her long dark hair is soft and carefully tended, and her wide brown eyes are bright. A degenerative neuromuscular disease, similar to muscular dystrophy, has left her with weak, underdeveloped muscles throughout her body, and her legs are unable to support any weight. Each time she needs to get in or out of her wheelchair — to leave bed in the morning, use the bathroom, take a shower, change clothes — she needs assistance…

This Deaf TikToker Showed Everyone The Power Of Accessibility And Community

September 7, 2019 | Source: BuzzFeed News

If you don’t live with a disability, you may not appreciate how crucial and meaningful community and accessibility are — but one viral TikTok is showing exactly why. Chrissy Marshall, a 19-year-old content creator living in Los Angeles, was born hard of hearing and became profoundly deaf in high school. Now, she makes content on YouTube and TikTok about her disability and American Sign Language. One of those videos captures a “special” day she had recently…

LYRASIS Calls for Greater Collaboration on Accessible Digital Content

September 6, 2019 | Source: Library Journal

Many libraries have established formal or informal policies to ensure the accessibility of licensed and library-created digital content, but libraries also report uncertainty regarding the responsibilities for auditing and enforcing such policies, according to the “LYRASIS 2019 Accessibility Survey Report,” by Hannah Rosen, Licensing Specialist and Digitization Program Coordinator, and Jill Grogg, Licensing Program Strategist, for LYRASIS. Published in July, the survey included 155 responses primarily from academic libraries, along with a small number of public libraries, government archives, independent archives, museums, and primary education schools…

UNT dance major hopes to open dance company accessible to deaf students

September 8, 2019 | Source: North Texas Daily

Performing in a silent theater full of people, dance performance junior Emerson Braun is overcoming all obstacles placed in the way of himself and his passion. Braun has been dancing ever since he was ten years old and has been deaf ever since the age of 17. Braun lost his hearing due to an illness that deteriorated the nerves in his ears, causing him to be completely deaf. He said he did not let this get in the way of his passion for dance, as he did not become a dance major until after the loss of his hearing…

Museums making art more disability-accessible

September 9, 2019 | Source: Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

Museums are getting creative to make art more accessible to the disabled. “It’s also part of a growing trend right now of the arts in general to make art more accessible and available to all populations, regardless of geography, income, race, ethnicity and also disabilities,” said Beth Bienvenu, director of accessibility with the National Endowment for the Arts. Kim Crowell, senior museum educator and accessibility coordinator with Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, said the efforts the museum makes toward inclusion for the disabled are in keeping with its mission to welcome all…

Blind man alleges Hershey Entertainment and Resorts’ website isn’t compatible with screen-reading software

September 9, 2019 | Source: The Pennsylvania Record

A Bucks County man who is blind alleges Hershey Park’s website isn’t accessible to the visually impaired. John Mahoney, on behalf of himself and all others similarly situated, filed a complaint on Aug. 23 in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania against Hershey Entertainment and Resorts Co. alleging violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act. According to the complaint, the plaintiff uses screen-reading software to access websites and he alleges the defendant’s website is not compatible with the software…

Marca Bristo, Chicago disability rights leader who worked for Americans With Disabilities Act, CTA accessibility, dies

September 9, 2019 | Source: Chicago Tribune and WTTW

To Marca Bristo, longtime disability rights activist and founder of Access Living, change occurred on scales both large and small: from fighting for legislation in Washington and blocking CTA buses to protest lack of accessibility, to connecting with individuals to help them recognize their own place within the community of people with disabilities. Throughout her career of fighting for the rights of individuals with disabilities, she was seen as a force to be reckoned with, relentless in the fight for equality…

‘Impossible Dream’ Boat Gives NYers With Disabilities A Ride

September 9, 2019 | Source: Patch and Untapped Cities

An accessible boat that has been traveling up the entire East Coast has docked in Brooklyn to give New Yorkers with disabilities the chance to take a ride. The 60-foot “Impossible Dream” catamaran sailed into the ONE°15 Brooklyn Marina last week and has been working with local organizations to give free silting outings to New Yorkers with disabilities, serious illnesses or mobility impairments and their families since. The vessel will stay at the Brooklyn Heights marina, which is also fully accessible, until Wednesday, when it will continue on its journey across the country’s shoreline…

Cuomo calls on MTA to make stations accessible for people with disabilities

September 9, 2019 | Source: News 12

Gov. Andrew Cuomo sent a letter to the MTA outlining what the transportation authority needs to do to improve service for commuters. His top priority is making all stations accessible for people with disabilities. Some commuters who have disabilities say the Massapequa Park station is very difficult to get around. “It’s been going on for 20 years. They’re not going to fix this, they can barely get the escalator working,” said Barry Auslander…

Don’t neglect residents with disabilities when planning affordable housing

September 9, 2019 | Source: Washington Post

The Urban Institute is to be commended for its high-profile study “Meeting the Washington Region’s Future Housing Needs,” reported in Robert McCartney’s Sept 4 Regional Memo, “Report calls for regionwide action on affordable housing,” but, unfortunately, the study neglects entirely the housing needs of thousands of residents with disabilities, who require accessibility features in a future home. Accessibility has long been overlooked in planning for affordable housing, even though the Fair Housing Act and other laws require owners to meet basic standards…

California court finds inaccessible website violates ADA

September 10, 2019 | Source: Benefits Pro and Published Decision- PDF

a. No Longer a “Whisper” – California Appellate Court Joins List of Courts to Weigh in on Website Accessibility

September 10, 2019 | Source: Bryan Cave

b. California Court Of Appeal’s Midvale Decision Opens The Floodgates For More Website Accessibility Lawsuits

September 11, 2019 | Source: Seyfarth Shaw

c. California Appellate Court Adopts Broad Standing for Claims Based on Asserted ADA Violations

September 11, 2019 | Source: Pepper Hamilton

A California appellate court last week joined courts across the country that have found the Americans with Disabilities Act applies to the websites of brick-and-mortar businesses. In a 33-page published decision written by Justice Maria Stratton, the Second District Court of Appeal affirmed a lower court judgment finding that the owner of the Los Angeles restaurant The Whisper Lounge had violated the ADA—and, therefore, the state’s anti-discrimination law—by failing to render its website accessible to blind customers…

Will Only Those With Wealth And Fame Have Access To Self-Driving Cars?

September 10, 2019 | Source: Forbes

Via the advent of true self-driving driverless cars, many hope and assume that we are heading toward mobility-for-all. The supposition is that with commonly available car transportation, performed by tireless AI driving systems roaming 24×7 and ready to go, the opportunity for everyone to make use of mobility will finally become a reality. This includes those today that are at a mobility marginalized, a segment of society that oftentimes gets little attention and nor support for their mobility needs…

A city is only as accessible as its sidewalks. This map shows DC’s are often blocked

September 10, 2019 | Source: Greater Greater Washington

When Washingtonians like myself look for new apartments, we pay close attention to the walk score of a neighborhood. Any score upwards of 90 on a hundred point scale marks an area as a “walker’s paradise,” meaning major needs such as grocery stores and transit are within walking distance. However, what is not factored into the walkability score is the actual condition of the sidewalks. For parents pushing babies around in strollers, a big crack in a sidewalk can be an unwelcome nuisance…

If a Child’s Schoolwork Slips, Don’t Rule Out Hearing Loss

September 10, 2019 | Source: HealthDay

Falling school grades could be a sign of hearing loss in children, according to the American Academy of Audiology. “A child with just minor hearing loss can be missing a significant amount of the classroom discussion,” said academy president Lisa Christensen. “There are children who have been diagnosed with a learning disability when really what they need are hearing aids,” Christensen added in an academy news release. She’s with Cook Children’s Medical Center in Fort Worth, Texas…

Upgrades ordered at APS for disability needs

September 11, 2019 | Source: Alpena News

Alpena Public Schools must upgrade its Career and Technical Education program to adequately serve students with disabilities, the Michigan Department of Education says. District officials say they will complete the upgrades at Alpena High School and the district administration building to meet Education Department’s standards. Mandated upgrades include new parking spaces, lifts or ramps, and other changes, according to documents provided by the district…

Nicollet Mall Station safety and the visually impaired

September 11, 2019 | Source: Minneapolis Star Tribune

The Nicollet Mall light-rail station in Minneapolis is a busy one during the afternoon rush hour, with everyone wanting to go home from long days at work. At this point in the day, people are not as friendly, patient or attentive. They are mostly just Minnesota, with an emptying tank of nice. On several occasions, I have observed as visually impaired Minnesotans exit the train and get promptly walloped by the doors, with their canes getting stuck as they try to feel their way off the train…

New law helps drivers with communication challenges during police traffic stops

September 11, 2019 | Source: KRIS 6 News and The Daily Texan

Traffic stops are stressful for drivers and officers. They can be even more difficult, if the driver has a condition or disability that prevents them from speaking clearly to the officer. A new state law is trying to prevent that type of miscommunication. Senate Bill 976 was passed during the legislative session earlier this year. It’s named after Samuel Allen, a San Antonio man with autism who now advocates for others like him. The bill allows people with a health condition or disability that impacts their communication to indicate it on their vehicle registration…

‘Moonlight Sonata’ Review: A Deaf Family Connected by Beethoven

September 12, 2019 | Source: The New York Times

The documentary “Moonlight Sonata: Deafness in Three Movements” places the work of Ludwig van Beethoven in an intimately modern context. Like the storied composer at the end of his career, the filmmaker Irene Taylor Brodsky’s 11-year-old son and her parents are deaf. In this sweet, but formally unimaginative film, deafness is observed through three generations: Brodsky’s child, her parents and, in brief animations, the long-gone artist…

Jack Fact — According to results from the 2017 Canadian Survey on Disability, more than 6 million Canadians aged 15 and over (22 percent of the population) identify as having a disability, and it is expected actual numbers are likely higher.

Hit The Road Jack — 12 of the most accessible days out for families in Gloucestershire

International News

New ‘dynamic’ accessibility symbol in Cambridge a long time coming: advocates

September 6, 2019 | Source: CBC- Canada and The Record- Canada

The traditional accessibility symbol in Cambridge is getting a facelift, thanks to a recent push from accessibility advocates in the city. This week, Cambridge city council voted unanimously to approve a new accessibility logo for use on public property. The change has been a long time coming, said Sheri Roberts, chair of the city’s accessibility advisory committee who pushed for the change. The new logo is more dynamic and inclusive of people with disabilities, she said…

Here’s why there’s a need of accessible infrastructure in educational institutions

September 6, 2019 | Source: India Today

Accessibility means uninterrupted mobility for all of us to reach our fullest potential. People with reduced mobility, permanent to impermanent disabilities, like pregnant women, senior citizens, children and youth, have the right to inclusive and accessible environments. This means equal opportunities for all, in all aspects of life, from education to work. It is only in realizing and striving to achieve our fullest potential that we become empowered…

Key topics in economics made accessible for students with hearing and vision disabilities

September 6, 2019 | Source: NewzHook- India

The National Council for Educational Research and Training and Raised Lines Foundation, IIT Delhi have partnered to develop a thorough package for teachers on key topics in Economics for students with vision and hearing disabilities in classes 11 and 12. Lack of accessible textbooks and other learning materials in subjects like science, technology, engineering and math is a major barrier that students who are blind and low vision face in India. This is a barrier that Raised Lines Foundation (RLF), Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi is working towards bridging…

Goa notifies rules under RPWD Act 2016

September 7, 2019 | Source: NewzHook- India

Over two years after the RPWD Act came into force, the Goa government has finally issued rules under it. Something the disabled community here has been demanding for a while now. Relief for the over 30,000 people with disabilities in Goa with the state government finally framing rules under the RPWD Act 2016. This will be called the Goa Rights of Persons with Disabilities Rules, 2018.. The Act is vital to ensure the protection of disabled people against inequality and discrimination…

Are our council buildings providing enough disabled access?

September 7, 2019 | Source: Teesside Live- UK

Are Teesside’s council buildings accessible for disabled people? That was the question raised by disabled mum, Philippa Donegan, after she struggled to access Middlesbrough Town Hall using her wheelchair. She had been invited to participate in a meeting of Middlesbrough Council’s Health Scrutiny Panel but missed the meeting after getting stuck in the lift. Cllr Philippa Storey, who had invited Mrs Donegan, said it was not acceptable that disabled people should have to struggle in order to attend meetings that are supposed to be accessible to the general public…

Bengaluru: E-governance space has many blind spots

September 8, 2019 | Source: Deccan Chronicle- India

Being in an era of e-governance where all our day-to-day transactions are just a click away, but people born with disabilities are fighting for inclusion with respect to digital space. Siddaraju N, a young visually impaired gentleman, has received a notice from the ESI department to pay up a huge penalty for violating ‘The Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 (RPD Act) despite making many requests to get his ESI account cancelled. Siddaraju, who is also coordinator of National Federation of the Blind, Mysore sub-branch, has entered the court of the State Commissioner for Persons with Disability…

Access and design helps remove disability

September 8, 2019 | Source: SunLive- New Zealand

Tauranga is making strides towards becoming a wheel-chair friendly destination, but more work needs to be done to make the city physically accessible for everyone. Tauranga Disability Advisory Group co-chair Paul Curry has been in a wheelchair for 50 years. He is urging the Tauranga City Council to commit to “universal design” throughout all spaces. Universal design considers various life scenarios such as disability, old age, childhood, injury and pregnancy in all design…

Disabled passengers say new rules present some greater barriers to air travel

September 8, 2019 | Source: Yahoo- Canada

Tracy Odell recalls with a mix of pride and pain the sunny spring day two years ago that her daughter got married in California. Pride in the milestone. Pain at having to miss it. Airlines, she said, effectively failed to accommodate her disability, a problem that thousands of Canadians continue to face despite new rules designed in theory to open the skies to disabled travellers. As seating space shrank and cargo doors were often too small for customized wheelchairs, Odell cut back on the flights she once took routinely for her work with a non-profit…

Remembering Aya Aghabi, who helped make Jordan accessible to all

September 8, 2019 | Source: The National- Jordan

When Aya Aghabi suffered a spinal cord injury in a car accident when she was 18 years old, leaving her wheelchair-bound, everyone assumed she would have to give up her dreams of studying abroad and of making a living. She proved them wrong. One year after her accident, she went on to pursue an undergraduate degree in international development at the University of California, Berkeley. In the decade after she graduated, this young activist went on to achieve a remarkable amount in her short life, with a focus on advocating for accessibility in public spaces through the platform she launched in her home country, Accessible Jordan…

Landlords must make provisions for people with disabilities

September 8, 2019 | Source: The Star- Kenya

On three occasions, we have had to either cancel, change room and physically carry our guests to the meeting room or podium, simply because they have a disability and the hotels didn’t provide space for such. This happened in Nairobi, Kisumu and Mombasa, in leading hotels, and on all the incidents, the management seemed unbothered. Its not only embarrassing, but serious insensitivity to the rights of others. Institutions must be held to account, and where necessary, a fund be made available to ensure buildings are made suitable for people with disabilities…

‘It felt like a prison’ – too many young Australians are still stuck in nursing homes

September 8, 2019 | Source: The Conversation- Australia

The Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety turns its attention this week to hearings focused on younger people with disabilities living in residential aged care facilities. Around 6,000 Australians aged under 65 live in aged care, and numbers have only changed slightly in the last decade. Young people most commonly enter aged care after acquiring a disability. This means they need support in everyday activities, as well as specialised equipment, home modifications or accessible housing…

New figures show an increase in disabled people supported by Access to Work

September 9, 2019 | Source: Disability Horizons- UK

A record number of employees with a disability or health condition have been supported by the Access to Work scheme over the past year. New figures reveal in 2018/19, 36,240 people received the life-changing grant last year – an increase of more than 2,000 on the previous year. The statistics from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) show that the Access to Work scheme is up to record levels, with £129.1 million spent last year, an increase of £15 million since 2010. Minister for Disabled People, Justin Tomlinson said:…

Old City of Jerusalem now more accessible

September 9, 2019 | Source: Travel Daily- Jerusalem

The Old City of Jerusalem has become more accessible for both wheelchair users and the visually impaired, thanks to improved infrastructure and audio apps to help residents and visitors better navigate the small streets and alleyways. The accessibility of the city is an innovative and ground-breaking project that enables wheelchair bound residents and visitors to enjoy the historic and cultural wealth of the city. Among other things, four kilometres of streets in the Muslim, Armenian and Christian quarters have been adapted, and about two kilometres of handrails have been installed alongside staircases…

Flitwick dad takes railway station disability fight to Westminster law-makers – and you can help by signing his petition!

September 9, 2019 | Source: Bedford Today- UK

A Flitwick dad who is sick of accessibility problems whenever he needs to get on the train is taking his fight for disability access at railway stations national. Ian Cook, believes that all railway stations in the UK should be upgraded to ensure that all passengers can board and alight safely. Mr Cook suffered from polio as a child after going into hospital with tuberculosis of the spine which has left him having to wear and full body cast. As a result he suffered with lifelong mobility problems…

Make all new buildings accessible, Rick Hansen says

September 10, 2019 | Source: The Compass- Canada

This downtown St. John’s building is one of the most accessible in Canada

September 10, 2019 | Source: CBC- Canada

It’s been more than 30 years since Rick Hansen set out on his Man in Motion World Tour wheelchair marathon that raised $26 million and changed the way people with disabilities are perceived. The six-time Paralympic medalist hasn’t stopped moving since, and he’s back in St. John’s this week to help break down a fundamental barrier that people with disabilities still frequently face: physical barriers in buildings and sites. He met with Premier Dwight Ball Monday morning, and attended the St. John’s city council meeting Monday evening…

How gaming technology is helping to design more accessible homes

September 10, 2019 | Source: Domain- Australia

How videogames can work towards a more accessible state of play

September 11, 2019 | Source: ArtsHub

A group of Perth university students and real estate agents have teamed up to design an accessible home using construction software inspired by the gaming industry, with the goal of raising awareness of the importance of creating universal affordable accommodation. Created for a Town of Victoria Park-owned site on Boundary Road, Victoria Park, the project was initiated and managed by JLL project and development services, supported by architectural firm Studio Halton and software developer PropIntel…

I and B ministry announces accessibility standards for the hearing impaired

September 11, 2019 | Source: Livemint- India and Firstpost- India

Union Minister of Information and Broadcasting Prakash Javadekar has announced the implementation of accessibility standards for television programmes for persons with hearing impairment. This will be done by providing captions and Indian sign language. Javadekar said all news channels will carry a news bulletin with sign language interpretation at least once a day and all TV channels and service providers will run at least one programme per week with subtitles or captioning…

Royal New Zealand Ballet awarded for accessibility

September 12, 2019 | Source: Scoop- New Zealand

The Royal New Zealand Ballet’s commitment to making ballet accessible to diverse communities around New Zealand was recognised in Parliament when it received the Arts Access Creative New Zealand Arts For All Award 2019. Te Putanga Toi Arts Access Awards 2019, held in the Banquet Hall of Parliament, celebrate the achievements of individuals and organisations providing opportunities for people with limited access to engage with the arts as artists and audience members…

Is This London Gallery the World’s Most Accessible Museum?

September 11, 2019 | Source: Smithsonian- England

The Wellcome Collection—a free museum and library dedicated to the intersection of science, medicine and art—is widely considered one of the English capital’s most inclusive cultural institutions. (Its backer, the Wellcome Trust, is Europe’s second-richest charitable foundation.) But the institution’s latest permanent exhibition has outdone itself, prioritizing accessibility to an extent rarely seen in museums and galleries. As Alex Marshall reports for the New York Times, Being Human, set to replace a previous permanent exhibition titled Medicine Now…

Accessibility Standard for TV Programmes policy to be implemented from 16 Sep

September 12, 2019 | Source: Television Post- India

In order to enhance the accessibility of television programmes for the hearing impaired, the Accessibility Standard for TV Programmes for persons with hearing impairment will be implemented from 16th September. The overall implementation of the Standards will be done in a phase-wise manner in the next five years. The policy will be reviewed after two years. Information and Broadcasting (I and B) minister Prakash Javadekar announced the implementation of the policy on Wednesday. This will be done through the provision of captioning and Indian Sign Language.

There can be a happier ending for wet AMD patients

September 12, 2019 | Source: National Post- Canada

Think about your favourite moments from your favourite films. The car chase in The French Connection; John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John dancing in Grease; A flying DeLorean in Back to the Future. As the Toronto International Film Festival continues in Toronto, we celebrate film’s ability to create moments that stay with us a lifetime. For a group of vision-focused patient organizations, a love of film must come with an appreciation of eyesight…

Public Awareness For Eye Donation Can Help Alleviate Blindness In Country: Specialists

September 12, 2019 | Source: UrduPoint Network- Pakistan

In order to raise awareness about eye related ailments and the need for the donation of eyes for cornea transplantation in country, eye specialists Wednesday stressed for public knowledge for ‘eye donation’ as it is best service to ailing humanity. Talking to ptv news channel on Thursday, President Al Shifa Eye Trust Maj general (r) Rehmat Khan said in Pakistan, we have an estimated 200,000 people with corneal blindness that is curable through corneal transplantation made possible by eye donation…

Deaf children are being shut out of UK cinemas because of ‘disgraceful’ refusal to put on subtitled screenings

September 12, 2019 | Source: iNews- UK

Cinemas are shutting out thousands of deaf children and their families due to their “disgraceful” refusal to put on subtitled film screenings, a charity has said. The vast majority of UK cinemas are letting down deaf and hearing impaired children, with 71 per cent failing to put on subtitled screenings of popular kids’ films in their opening weeks over the summer, analysis published today by the National Deaf Children’s Society (NDCS) shows. The top 11 children’s films released this summer were shown in an average of 581 cinemas, but just 171 of these venues provided a single subtitled screening, the figures reveal…

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