Accessibility in the News- Knowledge is Power — 8/11/2023.
The U.S. Access Board has issued comprehensive accessibility guidelines for pedestrian facilities in the public right-of-way, addressing the significant challenges faced by pedestrians with disabilities across the United States. These guidelines set forth essential requirements for federal, state, and local government agencies to make sidewalks, crosswalks, shared use paths, and more accessible to people with disabilities. The guidelines encompass a range of elements such as accessible pedestrian routes, signals, curb ramps, crosswalks, and street furniture, serving as a crucial step toward equitable access to transportation for individuals with disabilities. The guidelines will become mandatory upon adoption by relevant departments and agencies, ensuring compliance with accessibility standards and promoting inclusivity in pedestrian infrastructure.
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Feature Stories
U.S. Access Board Issues Final Rule on Public Right-of-Way Accessibility Guidelines
August 8, 2023 | Source: U.S. Access Board
Pedestrians with disabilities throughout the United States continue to face major challenges in travel because many sidewalks, crosswalks, and other pedestrian facilities are inaccessible. Today, the U.S. Access Board addressed this inequity by issuing a final rule on accessibility guidelines for pedestrian facilities in the public right-of-way. These guidelines inform federal, state, and local government agencies on how to make their pedestrian facilities, such as sidewalks, crosswalks, shared use paths, and on-street parking, accessible to people with disabilities…
National News (U.S.)
How Achilles International Is Making Running More Accessible—And How You Can Get Involved
August 4, 2023 | Source: Shape
“Running helped me redefine what I thought was possible,” says Francesco Magisano, director of Achilles NYC Metro Region. Magisano was a freshman in high school when he lost his vision while battling a rare form of eye cancer. Now 28, Magaisano is an elite para-triathlete. One of his top athletic achievements includes completing the 2023 Boston Marathon with the help of an Achilles Guide. “Whether you are blind like me or live with another disability, there is more to running than just putting on shoes and going out the door,” Magisano tells Shape…
Accessible housing and sports for people living with disabilities
August 4, 2023 | Source: WTXL
One in three adults in Florida are living with a disability. That’s according to recent data from the Florida Department of Health. One recreational organization and a new affordable housing complex are working to create a more inclusive community for people with disabilities. David Jones had to relearn how to walk, talk and live again after a brain injury from a hunting accident in 1988. After realizing how few resources were available for people living with disabilities to get active, he started Sports Ability Alliance in 1990 to make sure people with all abilities could enjoy sports…
At Open Door Theater, inclusivity and accessibility take center stage
August 4, 2023 | Source: WGBH
When Sam Gould first joined Open Door Theater, an Acton-based theater program committed to fostering an inclusive and accessible theater environment, she wasn’t sure what she had walked into. “I thought that I had joined a cult because the community was very inclusive, and the accommodations were abundant,” she said. “I first came to it in 1999, [and] I never left. It’s become a lifestyle choice for me.” Now, over 20 years later, she is the president of the nonprofit and remains dedicated to providing an accessible theater experience for all…
How accessible playgrounds foster independence for kids with disabilities
August 4, 2023 | Source: STLPR
When Natalie Mackay’s son Zachary Blakemore was 3 years old, typical playgrounds were challenging for him to navigate in his wheelchair. Often, they were places of burden. “It would emphasize his limitations. He would start to ask questions why he couldn’t play,” she told St. Louis on the Air. “And I wanted to fix that problem.” Inspired by her son’s experience, Mackay founded Unlimited Play nearly 20 years ago. Her first project was Zachary’s Playground in Lake St. Louis, an accessible playground honoring him…
Why United’s decision to add Braille to its cabins is profound
August 6, 2023 | Source: Runway Girl
United Will Be the First U.S. Airline to Add Braille to Its Plane Interiors
August 10, 2023 | Source: Smithsonian Magazine
United Airlines recently announced it is in the process of adding Braille signage in the cabins of its mainline fleet, including for seat row numbers and within and around aircraft lavatories. As a blind traveler, I’m excited about the increased level of independence that the addition of this tactile reading system will provide while flying. United deserves a lot of credit for going above and beyond minimum compliance and finding innovative ways to improve air travel for passengers with disabilities…
Twitter – Microassist
Class-action lawsuits target Oklahoma small businesses
August 7, 2023 | Source: The Journal Record and McAfee and Taft
Multiple small businesses in the state are part of a wave of accessibility class-action lawsuits nationwide, as retailers with e-commerce sites increasingly are targeted for Americans with Disabilities Act compliance. Lawsuits were filed last month in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York against Duncan-based Distinctive Decor and Oklahoma City clothing retailer Blue Seven. Plaintiff Angela Wahab, represented by New York City-based consumer protection law firm Stein Saks PLLC, alleges that companies’ websites are inaccessible to blind and visually impaired customers…
Arnold Schwarzenegger Just Shared How He Manages His Dyslexia
August 7, 2023 | Source: Men’s Health
In his daily Pump Club newsletter, bodybuilding legend and movie star Arnold Schwarzenegger has been sharing anecdotes from his long and storied career, including tips on how to build good habits, get fitter, and pursue your goals. In the most recent edition, he opens up about his experiences with learning difficulties, and how he is managing dyslexia at the age of 76. “Here’s my secret: I’m a terrible reader,” he began. “They didn’t talk about learning disabilities in Austria in the 1950s, so most of the time, when I was asked to read out loud in class, it was just a disaster, and I got smacked with a ruler. But now I know that I’m dyslexic.”…
A boy on the autism spectrum struggled with a haircut. His barber saved the day
August 7, 2023 | Source: NPR
A few years ago, LaQuista Erinna’s seven-year-old son, Jackson, was diagnosed with autism. This wasn’t a surprise; ever since he was a baby, Erinna had noticed Jackson was sensitive to everyday things — textures in his clothes, light touches and loud sounds. But one of the most difficult things was getting a haircut. He’d get so anxious that he’d start kicking and screaming. It was really hard for Erinna to watch, so she decided to stop taking him to the barber…
Tapping into tech solutions, Gucci enhances in-store accessibility
August 7, 2023 | Source: Luxury Daily
Italian fashion house Gucci is expanding a standing partnership rooted in equity for all. The brand is setting its sights on elevated levels of inclusion, bringing live, human-to-human interpretation service Aira — the app offers assistance to blind and visually impaired individuals — to new retail locations across the United States and Canada. Alongside the update, Gucci is documenting the importance of making the in-store experience engaging to all types of consumers in light of Disability Pride Month…
The Texas School for the Deaf’s humble beginnings and strong legacy
August 7, 2023 | Source: ATX Today
The first day of school is just around the corner, so we’re taking the opportunity to share the story of one of Austin’s most treasured educational institutions: The Texas School for the Deaf. In addition to being the oldest continually operating public school in the state, the Texas School for the Deaf is one of the oldest sites in Austin. The 167-year-old institution is older than the Texas State Capitol building. The school’s origins can be traced back to a deaf man named Matthew Clark, who petitioned the state to open its first school for deaf residents in 1856…
Five reasons to get excited about governmentwide Section 508 assessment criteria
August 8, 2023 | Source: Federal News Network
In July 1990, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was signed into law, yet it is understandable that people are concerned about the lack of progress over the last 33 years. Far too often, accessibility has become just a checklist item that agencies cross off without understanding it. That said, under the Biden administration, there has been a renewed effort to address accessibility. Recently, I was impressed by the General information — Governmentwide section 508 assessment criteria pages published on Section508.gov…
Nordstrom class action claims website not equally accessible to blind, visually impaired consumers
August 9, 2023 | Source: Top Class Actions
Plaintiff Samaya Hussein claims Nordstrom’s website contains access barriers that prevent it from being compatible with screen-reading software used by individuals who are blind or visually impaired to browse the internet. Hussein argues Nordstrom is denying individuals who are blind and visually impaired with full and equal access to the goods and services offered on its website, in an alleged violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)…
Jack Fact — According to the CDC, “Up to 1 in 4 (27%) adults in the United States have some type of disability.” This includes 12.1% who have serious difficulty walking or climbing stairs and over 10% who have a hearing or vision disability.
Hit The Road Jack — Travel for All: How Ludington is Embracing Accessible Travel and Unearth the Wonders: The Top Museums near Castro Valley, CA, Their Highlights, and Accessibility and Florida’s Walt Disney World Resort: a wheelchair accessible guide to the Happiest Place on Earth and Greece is Transforming Beaches to be Wheelchair-Accessible
International News
Vancouver Pride Parade route change necessary for accessibility, say disability advocates
August 4, 2023 | Source: CBC- Canada
Organizers and disability advocates say the 2023 Vancouver Pride Parade will be more inclusive than ever after a major change to the parade route that will take it out of the West End. The Vancouver Pride Parade and Festival, which began in 1978, historically had thousands of people wind through Vancouver’s West End neighbourhood and end up at a festival at Sunset Beach. In May, parade organizers announced that the parade would start in the West End at Davie and Denman streets before proceeding down Beach Avenue and Pacific Street…
Major sporting events are rarely accessible to disabled fans. This Women’s World Cup, FIFA is trying to reverse that trend
August 4, 2023 | Source: ABC- Australia
Going to cheer on your favourite sports team should be fun and easy to do, but when you have a disability it’s rarely that simple. At a recent sports event I attended my friend and I had our ‘accessible’ seats given away before we arrived. The couple sitting in them had mobility issues and had struggled to access their own seats, which were down several stairs. The usher’s solution was to grab two portable chairs and squish my friend and I next to the pair who had our ticketed seats…
Mada Center enhancing digital accessibility for persons with disabilities
August 5, 2023 | Source: The Peninsula- Qatar
Promoting and safeguarding the rights of persons with disabilities (PWDs) are among top priorities for Qatar. The role of technology and digital innovation in supporting persons with disabilities is vital. Mada Center (Qatar Assistive Technology Center) released recently the annual Impact Report for the year 2022 entitled ‘Towards an Inclusive Smart Future’. It highlights the impact of the center’s projects and achievements in 2022, in addition to statistics on digital accessibility programmes and services, training and capacity building, innovation, and research…
Special Olympics at Berlin: A Glimpse into a World of Inclusion and Empowerment
August 6, 2023 | Source: Navhind Times- Germany
The Special Olympics Summer Games held in Berlin, Germany, were a remarkable display of inclusivity and empowerment for athletes with intellectual disabilities. The event showcased the city’s unwavering commitment to accessibility, offering a plethora of accessible facilities and services for people with disabilities. Moreover, the Games saw the participation of more than 7,000 athletes from over 170 countries, fostering a sense of global unity and community engagement. The dedication of the volunteers, some of whom were corporate professionals, further emphasized the event’s impact and significance…
I had no idea how inaccessible urban Britain is – until I faced it in a wheelchair
August 7, 2023 | Source: The Guardian- UK
As global populations age, the question of how our cities are designed and built to accommodate all abilities is a pertinent one. Last week, transport officials proposed an array of measures to make British towns and cities more accessible to a modern population. Allowing people extra time to cross the road at traffic lights, and improved visibility of street signs, were some of the ideas put forward by Active Travel England (ATE) – a welcome first step in the right direction…
Johnnie Walker Princes Street extends accessibility with British Sign Language Tastings
August 7, 2023 | Source: Deadline News- UK
Johnnie Walker Princes Street has added British Sign Language (BSL) whisky tasting sessions to its range of experiences this August and October. In Whisky Explorers: British Sign Language Edition guests will enjoy a specially curated 90-minute tasting led by a whisky specialist, alongside a BSL interpreter and support from Deaf Action. The experience will offer those using BSL a chance to enjoy a specially curated sensory experience in the Learning for Life Lab at the Johnnie Walker Princes Street venue, recently named the Best Whisky Experience in the World by Whisky Magazine…
Coquitlam mayor speaks out after resident stranded while waiting for wheelchair-accessible taxi
August 8, 2023 | Source: CBC- Canada
B.C. man’s frightening taxi incident highlights woeful lack of transport accessibility
August 9, 2023 | Source: Vancouver Sun- Canada
The mayor of Coquitlam, B.C., says he spent Monday evening trying to help a resident who uses a wheelchair find a ride home after being stranded at a restaurant for hours when an accessible taxi didn’t show up. Richard Stewart said he spent hours on the phone with Bel-Air Taxi, the company the resident had called earlier that night. The dispatcher told Stewart there were no wheelchair-accessible taxis on the road that evening. “This company continues to not put its wheelchair cabs on the road,” he said…
Amphibious wheelchair rental makes Ontario beach town more accessible
August 9, 2023 | Source: CBC- Canada
Beaches aren’t the most wheelchair accessible places but the town of Goderich, Ont. is aiming to make a change at their main beach by offering people free access to a floating wheelchair. It is called a Mobi-chair and unlike regular wheelchairs, it’s designed to roll out on the sand and float on the water. It will be available to use August 21, though booking starts Tuesday through the Goderich Tourism Centre. The project came together so quickly it was like all the stars aligned to make it happen, said Julie Sawchuk, an accessibility strategist from Blyth who donated the floating wheelchair to the town…
Making adventure accessible for those of all abilities
August 9, 2023 | Source: News and Star- UK
High ropes adventure company Treetop Trek has introduced new measures to help a range of people with physical disabilities and learning difficulties enjoy the thrill of outdoor adventure. New videos in British Sign Language (BSL) are now available to would-be adventurers, featuring practical information like using a safety harness and making the most of the Brockhole-based attraction’s treetop challenges and 250 metre zip line. Meanwhile, the company is currently creating a new accessibility-friendly visual ‘storybook’ in conjunction with Bendrigg Trust, to help support participants with conditions like autism and ADHD…
TTC piloting two new accessibility technologies
August 10, 2023 | Source: Mass Transit- Canada
The Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) is piloting two new accessibility technologies across the system. The first, a subway-style, rear-door exit chime on new hybrid-electric buses, gives customers who experience low vision an audible cue that doors are about to close. The second pilot is the Contactless Access™ elevator app at select subway stations, which allows customers to control elevators at certain stations, providing a quick, sanitary and touch-free experience…
Accessibility Blogs, Information, and Videos
- New Threads app fails accessibility test- Paul Speller
- Get It Growing: Accessible gardening- Sequim Gazette
- Celebrating Disability Pride Month- Department of Labor (YouTube)
- Automated Accessibility Scanners and Their Uses- Granicus
- NY Transit Museum hosts webinar on accessibility- Caribbean Life
- Women with Disabilities and the Labor Market- Department of Labor
- The Communications, Video and Technology Accessibility Act- COAT
- The Role Of AI In Making CX More Accessible And Inclusive- Forbes
- Accessibility Requirements in Medicaid and CHIP February 2023- CMS
- For captioning, humans are still the key to accessible, AI-driven tech- Mashable
- How do you encourage accessibility and inclusion design with colleagues?- LinkedIn
- Pushing Boundaries Beyond the Five Senses with Artificial Intelligence- Equal Entry
- Advancing Cisco’s Commitment to Accessibility and Disability Inclusion- StreetInsider
- Office of the Chief Disability Officer – Accessibility- NYS Office of General Services (YouTube)
- Guidelines aim to put accessibility and inclusion at the heart of building design- AT Today
- Why is accessible tech still so expensive, and is there anything we can we do about it?- ITPro
- How can you improve your training accessibility with technology?- Employee Training- LinkedIn
- A Brief But Spectacular take on blending the worlds of art, ASL and accessibility- PBS NewsHour
- When The Silver Screen Meets Real Life: My Unforgettable Encounter with Tom Sullivan- Mike Calvo
- San Francisco, the Oakland Athletics, and the United Airlines Trial Comes to a Close- WheelchairTravel
- Inside Capital One’s Mission To Build ‘Accessibility At Scale’ For Every Person, Everywhere- Steven Aquino
- Hot off the Presses: DOJ Issues Proposed ADA Regulations For State and Local Government Websites- Seyfarth Shaw
Higher Education Blogs and Information
- Experience Champaign-Urbana launches Accessible CU- WAND
- Accessibility Compliance Monitoring Tools- University of Houston System
- Championing Accessibility and Innovation in Scholarly Publishing – Library Journal
- Special Accessibility in Education Issue of UW-Published Journal Now Available- University of Wyoming
- Welcome and Keynote: The Power of Digital Accessibility to Build Bridges and Open Doors in Higher Ed- Presenter Details: HighEdWeb 2023 Accessibility Summit
Legal Blogs and Information
- Is your app ADA compliant?- Anne Marie Estevez
- Digital Accessibility Regulation in 2023: An Update- UsableNet
- ESG Academy: Digital accessibility and your ESG strategy- Hogan Lovells
- Rick Scott, Bob Casey Champion the Veterans Accessibility Act – Florida Daily
- Accessibility in Typing: Empowering Individuals of All Abilities – Digital Journal
- Bill would ensure VA services are accessible for veterans with disabilities- Times Leader
- DOJ Proposes Regulations for Accessibility of State and Local Government Websites- Manatt
- ADA Accessibility Lawsuit Tracker Final Numbers in Digital Lawsuits for July 2023- UsableNet
- DOT Issues Rule on Aircraft Lavatory Accessibility for Passengers with Disabilities- Cozen O’Connor
- One click closer to website accessibility guidance: DOJ proposes new rule for state and local governments- DLA Piper
- JMBM Wins Second ADA Lawsuit for Zarco Hotels, Bringing Total Defense Awards to $113K- Jeffer Mangels Butler and Mitchell and Court Order
- Employers, Stay Tuned: Department Of Justice’s New Proposed Rule Will Establish Online Accessibility Standards For People With Disabilities- Duane Morris
- Public Comment Sought on Proposed New “Access to Video Conferencing” Rule Published by the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC)- Lainey Feingold
- Justice Department Advances Proposed Rule to Strengthen Web and Mobile App Access for People with Disabilities- U.S. Department of Justice and NPRM and Fact Sheet and Submit Comments
Accessibility Announcements and Products
- Making Musikfest’s action accessible to all
- 7 Transformative Accessibility Tech Solutions
- The Best OTC Hearing Aids of 2023- Reviewed
- Federal program seeking youth accessibility leaders
- Top Tech Trends for Disabled People- Insider Paper
- Illinois State Fair providing wheelchair accessibility
- Brighton and Hove’s first Accessible City Strategy agreed
- Amtrak Invests $770 Million to Advance Accessibility Projects
- Samsung TVs bag the ‘Best Accessibility’ product award in the UK
- Nominations are being accepted for the Sarnia Accessibility Awards
- Improvements to be made in Manitoba schools for better accessibility
- LaGuardia’s new Terminal B wins awards for its design and accessibility
- Comment Sought on T-Mobile Petition for Waiver of TTY ASCII Format
- Windows 11 will soon let you adjust color filter intensity for better accessibility
- OKO App Deploys AI To Make Crossing The Street Safer For Blind Pedestrians
- 2023 People’s Coast Summit to feature accessibility keynote from Wheel the World
- Statement from Premier Pillai on new accessible duplexes open in Mayo and Carmacks
- Kincardine Moves To Adopt Accessibility Standards For Municipally-Owned Facilities
- How Samsung TVs and RNIB Are Setting a New Benchmark for Accessible Technology
- Empowering Inclusivity: How Audio Description Services Transform Media Accessibility
- Transport for London awards Via with multi-year contract to transform accessible transport
- ‘Equal opportunity’: City of Orillia releases accessibility survey to help inform 2023-2028 plan
- Enjoy the Ultimate Windows Experience With the 2023 Microsoft Store Editor’s Choice Apps
- How to Use the New IBCCES Accessibility Card and Accommodations Process for the Universal Parks
- Share your thoughts on the Canada Revenue Agency’s progress in delivering upon its Accessibility Plan
- FCC Announces Compliance and Comment Dates for Interoperable Video Conferencing Services Proceeding
Accessibility Forums, Tips, and Gaming
- What is alt text?
- 8 common heading questions
- 15 Ways You Can Make Events More Accessible
- Accessibility Tips: Using Headings in WordPress
- 5 heading accessibility issues and how to fix them
- Quake II Enhanced Release Accessibility Options
- How Accessible is Stray Gods: The Roleplaying Musical?
- How do you follow web accessibility and SEO guidelines?
- AI Avatar Turns Speech Into Sign Language In Real Time
- 10 Proven Techniques for Improving Website Accessibility
- How to create better (and more accessible) heading structures (YouTube)
- Mozaic Receives Grant to Enhance Accessibility with VR Headsets
- Navigating the Trends: A Guide to Modern Web Design Aesthetics
- Designing for Accessibility: Creating Inclusive and User-Centric Products
- Game Changers: Inside The Epic Quest to Make Gaming More Accessible
- How do you ensure web accessibility and SEO by following WCAG and WAI-ARIA?
- Designing Accessible Text Over Images: Best Practices, Techniques, And Resources (Part 1)
- World Wide Web Day 2023: How WWW has evolved from 1989 to the Current Day? Check Here
- GAconf USA 2023 accessibility conference in Redmond – registration open and first speakers announced
Accessibility Statements
- Creo
- Spotify
- Mjøsparken
- Impact Frontiers
- Rocky Mountaineer
- Florida Virtual School
- Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law
- California Professional Fiduciaries Bureau
- S. Department of Education Office of Inspector General
- HM Hochschule München University of Applied Sciences
Microassist Digital Accessibility Services
Have you received an accessibility demand letter because of your website or application? 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 popular commentaries include:
- What is a VPAT®? A VPAT Primer
- Understanding Digital Accessibility in the Procurement Process
- 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
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