Accessibility in the News — 10/30/2020.
With election turnout being the highest in years, more people will flocking to the polls this Tuesday with hopes of casting their ballot. Election accessibility has been of big concern in many states, from absentee ballots, to accessible polling places. Our featured selection of articles this week offer a variety of information and tips when heading to vote this week.
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 Announcements and Products
Accessibility Fourms, Tips and Gaming | Accessibility Statement Pages
Microassist Accessibility Services
AITN Quote of the Week
“Be not simple good; be good for something.”
― Henry David Thoreau
Feature Stories
COVID-19 pandemic highlights barriers to disabled voters
October 23, 2020 | Source: KPVI News 6
Voting machines help vision-impaired voters in Alachua County cast ballots
October 23, 2020 | Source: Gainesville Sun
State of Rhode Island Board of Elections- Settlement Agreement
October 16, 2020 | Source: ADA.gov
Have a plan to vote, said advocates for disabled veterans
October 23, 2020 | Source: KSHB
Disabled May Not Get To Vote? US Attorney Monitors Vote Centers
October 23, 2020 | Source: MyNewsLA
As A Young, Disabled Voter, My Life Is On The Ballot — Why Is It So Hard For Me To Vote?
October 23, 2020 | Source: Elite Daily
Absentee voting now accessible to people with sight disabilities
October 26, 2020 | Source: Carolina Public Press
How voting rights groups are providing free and safe transportation to the polls during the pandemic
October 26, 2020 | Source: CNBC
Blind And Visually Impaired Mass. Voters Worry About Disenfranchisement Due To Mail-In Voting
October 27, 2020 | Source: WGBH
NCAM Supports Voters With Disabilities By Ensuring Access To Digital Information
October 27, 2020 | Source: WGBH
For Voters With Disabilities, The Polling Location Can Sometimes Be A Barrier To Accessibility
October 27, 2020 | Source: KUT
Voters With Disabilities Face An Inaccessible System
October 28, 2020 | Source: WBUR- Here And Now
A Look At Voting Accessibility In Utah, Areas Of Improvement
October 28, 2020 | Source: Utah Public Radio
Ableism and voter suppression: struggles are intertwined
October 28, 2020 | Source: Workers World
Heading To The Polls? If You Have A Disability, Here’s What To Know
October 28, 2020 | Source: NPR
New Jersey offers accessibility options to voters with disabilities
October 28, 2020 | Source: NorthJersey.com
‘We deserve to be heard’: Man on mission to make voting accessible to Americans with disabilities
October 28, 2020 | Source: WANE
Coffee with Kalari: Fighting for Voting Accessibility
October 29, 2020 | Source: The Chicago Lighthouse
Voting accessibility, how to digest Election Day updates, and gratitude for life-changing individuals.
October 29, 2020 | Source: Slate
From Our President: Enabling Democracy
October 29, 2020 | Source: WGBH
The June primaries were the first time Jim Marks, a blind man, tried to vote absentee in a Montana election. It was an experiment for Marks, who tried for the first time using the electronic ballot system for people with disabilities. Montana voters with disabilities may use the Electronic Ballot Request System to fill out an absentee ballot electronically for federal and special elections with software compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act. The system has been in place since 2015…
National News (U.S.)
Woman wearing ‘Just Deaf, Not Rude’ mask speaks out after rude encounter with flight attendant: ‘I was very hurt’
October 23, 2020 | Source: Yahoo & NY Daily News
When Kelli Adrienne Duncan, a Tampa, Fla.-based paramedic specializing in occupational health, was boarding a Delta flight to Hartford earlier this month, she wore a mask that read “Just Deaf, Not Rude.” The 43-year-old, who is deaf and uses sign language while speaking to others, wears the mask to let others know about her disability. “My friend and I were flying…to visit family. I was so excited to see them and introduce her, I was on cloud nine,” Duncan tells Yahoo Life. Unfortunately, that feeling was short lived — at least, temporarily. As the pair boarded, Duncan says they were greeted by two flight attendants…
Deaf U: The diversity of deafness and the messy joys of young adulthood
October 23, 2020 | Source: The Georgetown Voice
If you travel five miles directly east of Georgetown’s gates, you will reach a campus that is unlike any other, even if that isn’t immediately noticeable. Indoors, the hallways are wider than normal, to allow for side-by-side, ambulatory conversation. The windows streaming in natural light are larger, to optimize sight. The traditional college student may not realize that the brightly colored furniture contrasts with skin color, or that the sounds of footsteps and laughter bounce off the walls, with acoustics more reverberant to account for different levels of hearing ability…
Inclusion, Don’t Forget About Us: Disabilities in Performing Arts
October 24, 2020 | Source: Harvard Political Review
Imagine sitting in an audience in a theatre, waiting for a musical to start. The lights go up and a cheerful song starts playing. Actors cluster onto the stage, and you notice something rather unusual. Some of the performers are in wheelchairs, some are using other aids, and some are only using sign language. You look around at the audience and notice them beaming, wiping tears of happiness and trying to copy the signs of the song lyrics. This unique form of theatre has not stolen any of the magic of live performance, and I am happy to tell you this picture exists outside your imagination. I am one of the actors that has seen it firsthand…
MTA’s New OMNY Tap-and-Go Fare Setup Leaves Disabled Subway Riders Waiting
October 25, 2020 Source The City
The MTA’s new contactless fare-payment system, already in use at hundreds of subway stations, is on track to be working at every stop and on all buses by the end of the year. But OMNY will not be an option for subway riders with disabilities until the fall of 2021, after its tap-and-go scanners are installed and activated at the automatic gates that are the way in to accessible stations for commuters in wheelchairs or with service animals. “I couldn’t use OMNY in the subway even if I wanted to,” said Dustin Jones, a wheelchair user from The Bronx and founder of United for Equal Access, a transportation advocacy group…
GW meets Department of Education’s standards for website accessibility
October 25, 2020 | Source: GW Hatchet
Three years after a disability discrimination complaint was filed against the University, officials have met the Department of Education’s standards for website accessibility. University spokesperson Crystal Nosal said GW’s Digital Accessibility Committee was notified in September that the ED’s Office of Civil Rights has officially concluded GW’s “monitoring period” since the 2017 complaint. Website accessibility experts said maintaining digital accessibility is an ongoing process for universities and is particularly necessary during the COVID-19 pandemic as many students take classes online…
Relief at Last? Proposed ‘Online Accessibility Act’ Gives Retailers Hope on ADA Cases
October 26, 2020 | Source: Steptoe & Built In & G3ict & Forbes & Frankfurt Kurnit
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) has long been the enforcement mechanism to ensure that citizens with disabilities obtain equal treatment and access by businesses. As with many well-intentioned laws, however, the ADA has most frequently been used in recent years by a niche plaintiffs’ bar targeting businesses – primarily retailers – based on claims that retailers’ websites are not accessible to low-vision or otherwise disabled consumers…
How COVID-19 affects the deaf community
October 26, 2020 | Source: Eastern Progress
The coronavirus pandemic has affected many people, including the deaf community. Students who are hearing impaired, along with those who are taking American Sign Language courses have had to adjust their lives completely to be able to adapt to the current pandemic. With the current statewide mask mandate requiring the wearing of masks, it is harder for those students who read facial expressions and lips to communicate with their peers and professors…
DNR welcomes people with disabilities at wildlife management areas
October 28, 2020 | Source: Monte News
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) wants more people with disabilities to know about ways to use wildlife management areas (WMAs). “We want all Minnesotans, including those with disabilities, to be able to access public lands and re-engage and reconnect with nature,” said David Trauba, southern region wildlife manager. The DNR is publicizing current access opportunities now, during hunting seasons. This February, the agency will make recommendations to the legislature about accessibility improvements on WMAs…
College Students With Learning Disabilities Are Asking For More Support. Will They Get It?
October 28, 2020 | Source: EdSurge
College students with learning disabilities experienced a sudden rupture of the status quo this spring when most of their courses moved online. In some cases, the change interfered with the coping strategies students use to learn. But in other instances, institutions seized the unusual opportunity to encourage professors to redesign courses to be more accessible to people with varied needs. More than two-thirds of colleges saw additional students apply for academic accommodations during the spring 2020 semester, according to a national survey of 212 colleges that shifted to remote instruction because of the pandemic…
10th Circuit says no adverse action required to prove ADA accommodation claims
October 28, 2020 | Source: Reuters
A deeply divided U.S. appeals court on Wednesday became the latest to rule that plaintiffs do not have to show that they were fired or otherwise suffered an adverse employment action to prevail on claims that an employer failed to accommodate a disability. The en banc 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in a 7-6 decision, which revived a lawsuit by a former health inspector for Weld County, Colorado, said the Americans with Disabilities Act imposes an affirmative, “unvarnished” duty on employers to make reasonable accommodations for workers with disabilities…
Meet The Deaf And Blind Dancer Teaching Salsa Classes To Destigmatize People With Disabilities
October 28, 2020 | Source: Talent Recap
Kerry Thompson is deaf and legally blind, but she doesn’t let that stop her from dancing. Kerry teaches salsa classes to people with and without disabilities throughout Boston. In a video from Localish, Kerry talks about her experience pursuing dance as a deaf blind person, and what her class means to people. Check it out below, and read on to learn more about her. Kerry’s family learned that she was deaf when she was two years old, and found out she was going blind at ten years old. She’s able to see enough to read lips, but doesn’t have peripheral vision…
Autism and Associated Conditions: Medical Challenges
October 28, 2020 | Source: Autism Parenting Magazine
Certain health conditions may be associated with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). These are described below, though there is no evidence for a causal relationship with ASD. Children with ASD often have difficulty processing everyday sensory information in all senses, from noise to touch to smells, sounds, and tastes. Any of the senses may be over- or under-sensitive, or both, at different times. This can include hearing impairments and hearing loss…
Most common types of employment discrimination
October 29, 2020 | Source: Mooresville Tribune
Stacker compiled a list of the most common types of employment discrimination using data from the Center for Public Integrity. The data spans 2010 to 2017 and was released in 2019. Types of discrimination are ranked by the number of cases with relief. Relief, in this case, are remedies to the cases in question, such as compensation for damages, back pay, reinstatement, proper training, and reasonable accommodations for the position. 17.6% of closed cases resulted in relief. Categories with “other” in the name were excluded…
What Is The Internet Doing To Boomers’ Brains?
October 29, 2020 | Source: Huff Post
The last time they spoke, John’s father accused him of being part of the deep state. They have never exactly gelled politically — John, 38, is an executive at a left-wing think tank and his father is a lifelong reader of the New York Post — but there was a time when they could at least work through their disagreements. When he was an aide to a Democratic legislator during the debate over health care reform, John kept a big yellow copy of the Affordable Care Act in his living room…
Jack Fact — According to the World Health Organization (WHO) there are 466 million people across the world that live with disabling hearing loss, which equates to more than 5% of the world’s population. WHO also estimated that by 2050, more than 900 million people will have disabling hearing loss.
Hit The Road Jack — Bird, nature lovers will have more to enjoy at Pulau Ubin
International News
Former lawyers file complaint with Manitoba Human Right Commission over courthouse accessibility
October 23, 2020 | Source: Canadian Lawyer Magazine- Canada
Two former Winnipeg lawyers living with disabilities have each filed a complaint with the Manitoba Human Rights Commission detailing how many Manitoba court buildings are inaccessible, a situation that made it virtually impossible for them to pursue their livelihood. Mike Reimer and Peter Tonge allege that an “attitude of indifference” exists within the Manitoba justice system including the Province of Manitoba, the Court of Queen’s Bench, the Provincial Court and the Law Society of Manitoba to “rectify these historic and ongoing issues.”…
Deadline approaching to sign petition that pushes warning labels for visually impaired
October 23, 2020 | Source: Kenora Online- Canada
The deadline to sign a new petition calling on the House of Commons to require braille or tactile symbols on consumer product warning labels is Saturday, October 24 at 2:15 CDT. 6-year-old Jo-Hannah Atchison was born with optic nerve hypoplasia, which rendered her completely blind. “She has no light, no day. When she was a baby I had a bit of a break down and got mad at the world. I would look around and nothing was accessible for her. Then I started looking at dangerous stuff and there isn’t a label on anything that is legible to anybody that can’t see it,” says Jo-Hannah’s mother Samantha Atchison, who has initiated the petition…
Why technology isn’t always the most accessible solution for the disabled
October 23, 2020 | Source: Verdict- UK
Inaccessibility is a huge issue for the disabled and, for many, technology has been the answer to making the world more accessible. Social media users are used to seeing viral videos of what appears to be groundbreaking technology designed for ultimate accessibility. A wheelchair that can climb stairs, a lift mechanism that allows the disabled to vertically “walk” up stairs themselves, or a robotic exoskeleton that lets disabled people stand and walk upright…
Disabled juror forced to quit case because all five court lifts were broken
October 24, 2020 | Source: Mirror- UK
A disabled juror was discharged from a robbery trial because all five lifts in the court were broken. The woman had spent a fortnight listening to the case but could not get back in. It left just 10 out of 12 jurors because another was discharged earlier. The case finished the next day with unanimous guilty verdicts against two men at Maidstone Crown Court, Kent. Alison Kerry, of disability equality charity Scope, said: “Disabled people shouldn’t be barred from doing their civic duty because our courtrooms aren’t accessible…
Telehealth has been a godsend, so why limit its use?
October 25, 2020 | Source: Brisbane Times- Australia
When I go to the doctor and request iron studies or a pregnancy test, it can be difficult to convince them to focus on the task at hand. Why? They usually want to know first whether I was born deaf. Then there are comments about my speech, and questions to the Auslan interpreter, who has to explain that she cannot participate in the conversation. When I go to the doctor and request iron studies or a pregnancy test, it can be difficult to convince them to focus on the task at hand. Why? They usually want to know first whether I was born deaf…
Fewer veterans have applied for disability during COVID-19, sparking accessibility concerns
October 25, 2020 | Source: Globalnews- Canada
The federal government is being criticized for not doing enough to help disabled veterans as new figures appear to confirm fears COVID-19 is making it more difficult for them to apply for assistance. The figures from Veterans Affairs Canada show about 8,000 veterans applied for disability benefits during the first three full months of the pandemic, which was about half the normal number. The sharp drop in the number of applications helped the department make a dent in the backlog of more than 40,000 requests for federal assistance waiting to be processed…
Offering support for those growing up with deafness
October 25, 2020 | Source: Sunderland Echo- UK
Childline began as a call service for young people to reach out for support over the phone, but as time has gone on, there are more options for online chats to suit the needs and preferences of children. And children who experience deafness are likely to face the challenges of growing up just like every other young person. As a result, it’s useful for us to understand how we can accommodate their needs when we support them. It can be particularly challenging if children are in unsafe households…
AuDacity 2020 Highlight: Using the COM-B Model to Understand Hearing Aid Accessibility, Affordability
October 26, 2020 | Source: LWW Journals- Australia
Cost and inaccessibility are often thought to be the primary factors why people with hearing loss are not getting over-the-counter hearing aids. But according to Brent Edwards, PhD, Director at the National Acoustic Laboratories in Australia, it may not be enough to only think about accessibility and affordability. “[If] you Google affordable hearing aids or you go to Amazon and search for hearing aids, you’ll find all kinds of hearing aids that are fairly affordable that can be delivered to you tomorrow,” Edwards noted. There are many other factors that may explain why OTC or direct-to-consumer hearing aids are not fully adopted, he said…
Deaf blind woman’s rights breached by how student loan administered: court
October 27, 2020 | Source: Kamloops This Week- Canada
An Ontario court has ruled that the provincial and federal governments must operate their student loan program in a way that ensures those with disabilities who take longer to complete their studies are not saddled with more debt than their able-bodied peers. But Superior Court Justice Lorne Sossin says the Canada Student Loan Program is not itself discriminatory because it already includes mechanisms and discretionary powers to remedy the additional debt some students with disabilities may accrue…
The reality of accessible housing during lockdown
October 27, 2020 | Source: Planning, BIM & Construction Today- UK
As the government consults on how to raise accessibility standards for new homes, Nicholas Bungay of Habinteg discusses recent research into the challenges many disabled people have faced during lockdown because of a lack of even basic accessible features. Shortly before the start of our recent fifth annual campaign #ForAccessibleHomes, the government launched its open consultation into raising accessibility standards for new homes. The consultation asks how best to achieve an increase in the number of accessible homes and what changes to the policy and regulations…
Bengaluru-based Prateek Khandelwal’s ventures aim to promote inclusion & accessibility across India
October 27, 2020 | Source: NewzHook- India
In ‘My Take’ this week, Bengaluru-based Prateek Khandelwal, founder of ‘Ramp my City’ and ‘I Break the Barrier’ talks about the need to promote accessibility and inclusion. Prateek met with an accident a few years back after which he started using a wheelchair. I was born and raised in Jaipur and came to Bengaluru to pursue my engineering studies. I worked with MNC Infosys for a while. In May 2014, I had my own business. I was working at a construction site. So while walking down the stairs, I fell down from the second floor which injured my spinal cord. Ever since then, I have been using a wheelchair…
Town of Kentville looking for public feedback for accessibility and inclusion initiatives
October 27, 2020 | Source: The Chronicle Herald- Canada
Members of the public will soon have multiple chances to help the Town of Kentville become a leading municipality in the areas of accessibility and inclusion. “We’re always striving to be the best version of ourselves by being accountable to the community through meaningful dialogue about important subjects. Accessibility and inclusion are two of the most important subjects when it comes to how welcoming and viable a community is, and viability is key to sustainability,” said Rachel Bedingfield, Kentville’s director of parks and recreation, in a news release…
Ensure digitalised financial services are accessible to visually challenged persons: PIL in Delhi HC
October 28, 2020 | Source: Yahoo- India & India Legal
A public interest litigation (PIL) has been moved in the Delhi High Court seeking directions to ensure digitalised financial services are accessible to visually challenged persons and that the employees and customer care service providers of all banks and financial service providers are trained and sensitised towards their needs. The petitioner has named the Central government through the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Ministry of Finance, and Reserve Bank of India as respondents in the matter…
IN-DEPTH: Calls for change as 98% of British courthouses don’t meet accessibility criteria
October 29, 2020 | Source: Access and Mobility Professional- England
The past decade has seen the government follow a programme of reforms designed to improve the courthouse process for all users. However, while accessibility was a factor in these reforms, the closure of courthouses disproportionately affected people with accessibility issues. Campaigners also say that ease of access hasn’t improved significantly enough. Specialist lawyers Bolt Burdon Kemp sought to demonstrate how these reforms – and the general courthouse landscape in Britain – affect court users with a variety of accessibility issues…
Voting accessibility 2020: A mixed report card
October 29, 2020 | Source: RNZ- New Zealand
Two elections ago in 2014, I picked up the phone to make two quick calls. The first was to register for Telephone Dictation Voting, and in the second, I, a blind New Zealander, cast my very first Election vote. Telephone Dictation Voting (TDV) had been newly introduced in New Zealand that year as an option for voters who were blind, had low vision or could not not physically mark a ballot paper independently. At the time, that convenient and almost secret voting process was as new to me as the whole shebang of voting itself…
Advancing Accessibility in Ontario: Improving Understanding and Awareness about Accessibility
October 29, 2020 | Source: Government of Ontario News- Canada
Advancing Accessibility in Ontario is a framework designed to help focus the government’s work in four key areas: breaking down barriers in the built environment, government leading by example in its role as a policy maker, service provider and employer increasing participation in the economy for people with disabilities, and improving understanding and awareness about accessibility. To make progress on the area of improving understanding and awareness about accessibility, the government is working with its stakeholders, including partner ministries…
Pandemic Proves Need for NDP’s Promised Accessibility Laws
October 29, 2020 | Source: The Tyee- Canada
For Amy Amantea, who lives with sight loss, the pandemic has made it harder to navigate the grocery store she’s shopped at for 15 years. Products she usually knows where to find have been moved around. Arrows on the ground to guide customers through the store don’t help her. “They’re good for everybody else, but it would be nice if they can check in with me if I seem to be confused about the directions,” said Amantea. “The independence I get from navigating a typical place like that the same way I always do has been robbed from me.”…
Feature: “Disability does not mean inability,” says blind man running radio station in Afghanistan
October 29, 2020 | Source: XINHUANET- Afghanistan
In war-battered Afghanistan where countless disabled people have been living in misery, Musawir Shija has established an FM radio station to demonstrate the capability of people with physical impairments. According to Shija, being disabled is not a disadvantage if the disabled person makes good use of his or her personality, wisdom and capabilities. Shija named the station after himself and the owner said with pride that 15 people including females have been employed since its inauguration two months ago…
‘Even though I can’t see images around me, the images in my mind are crystal clear’: New exhibition for blind artist
October 29, 2020 | Source: Echo Live- Ireland
A BLIND painter and former UCC lecturer is taking the art world by storm as he hosts his first online exhibition. Robert Fourie suffers from retinitis pigmentosa, which resulted in him gradually losing his eyesight over time. Rather than give up on painting, Robert has made it his passion and adapted to life with a disability using several creative means. The Turners Cross local now creates all of his artwork on an electronic canvas. The device was introduced to him by a young cousin in Australia who had been using it for school work…
COVID-19 Resources and Information
- The Virtual Workplace: PEAT Priorities and Next Steps
- Top Tips for an Online Learning Content Strategy- FE News
- Communicating through a facemask- Safety and Health Magazine
- As winter bites, employers need to cover working from home costs- Wired
- Tackling web accessibility: 5 tips for colleges and universities- University Business
- Educause outlines universities’ 3 pandemic recovery options in annual report- EdScoop
- What are specialist colleges doing to support home learning? #CollegesWeek- FE News
- Pandemic amplified students’ growing reliance on technology, says Educause- EdScoop
- Doing NTI Blind: Pandemic Reveals Online Accessibility Equality Gap- Spectrum News 1
- Opinion: The online transition must be more accessible, accommodating for students- Varsity
- Online cheating is on the rise amid remote learning, according to Cisco Talos- Yahoo Finance
- Zoom meetings: You can now add live captions to your call – and they actually work – ZDNet
- Office of Disability Services offers accommodations to Rutgers community amid pandemic- The Daily Targum
- With 25 years at Microsoft, Mike Tholfsen is old school — and a champion of education accessibility- GeekWire
- Restaurants need to improve the accessibility of their online ordering systems post the pandemic lockdown- TechEngage
- Japan Airlines and ANA Formulate New Accessibility Guidelines to Ensure a Safe and Comfortable Journey for All Passengers During COVID-19 Crisis
Accessibility Blogs and Information
- Texas Disability History Collection
- Kandu presents Making the Most of Now
- Featured Article: What is Accessibility?- SeeWriteHear
- National Disability Employment Awareness Month 2020
- Are Web Accessibility Lawsuits Slowing Down?- Ken Nakata
- The Disabled Community Doesn’t Want Your Pity- The Nation
- University creates the Campus Accessibility Committee- The Justice
- Guilty As Charged: Ableism Is Everywhere- Forbes- Dana Manciagli
- “Digital Accessibility” is another word for “empathy”- UX Collective
- Video Relay Service Rules Effective Date and Compliance Dates- FCC
- What Is WCAG 2.1 And Why You Should Adopt It ASAP- UsableNet
- Social Media Accessibility Guidelines- University of Southern California
- Your right to hearing accessibility in public venues- Wicked Local Concord
- We Have Right Of Free Speech But Where Is Our Right To Receive- Forbes
- Career coach gives tips for disclosing disability to employers- Disability Horizons
- Why technology isn’t always the most accessible solution for the disabled- Verdict
- Your first attempt at making anything accessible will be awful- Sheri Byrne-Haber
- Students encouraged to start search for accessible housing early- OSU – The Lantern
- Workplace Accessibility Tips from Milwaukee-Based Nonprofit- Virtual-Strategy Magazine
- The State of ADA in 2020: A Guide to Online Accessibility Lawsuits amid the Pandemic- UsableNet
- Fashion makes people with disabilities feel invisible. This designer wants them to stand out- Fast Company
- Increasing Access and Opportunity: Using Quality Data to Inform Evidence-Based Policy- U.S. Bureau Of Labor Statistics
Accessibility Announcements and Products
- Wavefront Centre scores highest accessibility rating
- The SIP Softphone You’ve Been Looking For From T-Metrics!
- Swifty Announces ADA-Compliant Apartment Website Themes
- Section Sports Complex now ADA accessible thanks to new grant
- Watch App Identifies Sounds For Deaf And Hard-Of-Hearing People
- Ottawa inventor sees rising interest in hands-free elevator-hailing app
- Top Delhi college sets up signage for students with visual impairments
- FCC Expands Audio Description of Video Content to More TV Markets
- MTA Pilots Smartphone App to Help Blind and Low-Vision Bus Riders
- Accessibility at the new U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Museum reviewed
- Freeview Play’s Accessible TV Guide now available on supported devices
- Japan Airlines and All Nippon Airways launch new accessibility guidelines
- Google’s new Chromebook update promotes accessibility for disabled people
- Facebook’s Workplace brings new features on its platform for better accessibility
- XR Association Releases Update To Developers’ Guide Focused On Accessibility
- Accessibility Enhancements on the Horizon for HBO Max Customers Who are Blind
- Passport Partners With iAccess Life, Bringing Accessible Parking to Communities Nationwide
- CoordiKids launches affordable, markerless programs to help children with learning difficulties
- Accessible Home Health Care Recognizes Caregiver of Veteran with 2020 Hidden Hero Award
- AudioEye Sets Third Quarter 2020 Earnings Call for Thursday, November 12, 2020 at 4:30 pm ET
- Tokyo Aquatics Centre Inauguration Highlights Tokyo’s Continued Readiness To Host The Games
- United Airlines Redesigns Mobile App To Be More Accessible for People With Visual Disabilities
- This new Peoria park is fully accessible for people with disabilities, as are these other Phoenix area parks
- Group Aims to Revolutionize Hearing Testing with Innovative New Technology, Backed by Scottish Investment Group
- Inclusively: The Human-First Employment Platform With Job Matching Technology Launches For People With Disabilities
Accessibility Forums, Tips, and Gaming
- Towards an Accessible Basemap
- Accessibility in 360° video players
- Html structure fails to pass accessibility checks
- Building Your Donation Page: 7 Best Practices
- An Accessibility Checklist for Your Website: Part 2
- Tips for making your firm’s website ADA compliant
- How to Make Your Video Content More Accessible
- 7 Web design tips to keep people coming to your website
- Gears 5 Trailer Is All About Dave Batista as Marcus Fenix
- Building Universally Accessible Websites, the Smart Way
- Top 5 Resources to help you write better Image Descriptions
- Super Mario 3D All-Stars update will add accessibility options
- Gamers Forge Their Own Paths When It Comes to Accessibility
- Understanding the Experience of Gamers with Visual Impairments
- Shut Down & Restart the iPhone 12, 12 Mini, 12 Pro, or 12 Pro Max
- Not Another Doppelganger! – How to Ensure Your Website Is Unique
- Xbox Series X Succeeds In Fostering Accessibility Where The PS5 Fails
- How To Write Alt Text And Image Descriptions For Photojournalism Images
- iPhone Accessibility Tip: How to Hear What’s on Your Screen With VoiceOver
- How Much Does a Website Cost? How to Budget For Your Next Business Website
- Here Are 4 Fundamentals to Analyze When Choosing a Website Design for Your Business
- What can I do when JAWS® or Fusion® stop speaking while navigating in Microsoft® Skype?
- How audio description within games could make them more accessible for blind and low vision players
- How Chrome Browser and Chrome OS make your organization’s computing experience more accessible
Accessibility Statements
- Unia
- Odellus
- nu
- Net4Society
- GrantConnect
- EDP Sciences
- Fusion Connect
- University at Buffalo Libraries
- Clair County Community College
- Technical College System of Georgia
- Accessibility in the News: Accessibility Statement Pages
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:
- The WCAG 2.1 Update: A Brief Look at What’s Changed
- Introducing VPAT®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
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.