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Accessibility in the News — 7/26/2024.
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AITN Quote of the Week
Crafted while listening to: Tyler Childers/Stagecoach 2023 and Smokey Robinson: Tiny Desk Concert and The Best of Townes Van Zandt and A Complete Unknown
“The federal government has an obligation to ensure that its services are accessible to people with disabilities, including its websites and technology.” ― Senator Bob Casey
![Photo of President George Bush signing the Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990](https://www.microassist.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/July-26-A11Y-Act.jpg)
Introduction to the Americans with Disabilities Act
Feature Stories
A Proclamation on the Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, 2024
July 25, 2024 | Source: The White House
City looks to be more accessible to disabled
July 25, 2024 | Source: Itemlive
Today, we celebrate the anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), one of our Nation’s most significant civil rights laws to protect people with disabilities from discrimination. For the more than 70 million Americans living with a disability, the ADA enshrines into law the idea that we all deserve opportunity, inclusion, respect, and dignity. I am proud to have co-sponsored this landmark legislation years ago, and I am honored to celebrate its lasting legacy today…
Ahead of the Anniversary of the Americans With Disabilities Act, Governor Hochul Signs Legislation to Support New Yorkers With Disabilities
July 25, 2024 | Source: Governor Kathy Hochul
Ahead of the anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, Governor Kathy Hochul today signed legislation to support New Yorkers with disabilities. Legislation S.9699A/A.10457 allows the Access to Home and Access to Home for Heroes programs to cover the cost of important home repairs that accompany accessibility modifications for low- and moderate-income households with disabilities. Legislation S.8903/A.9948 expands the real property tax exemption for people with disabilities. Legislation S.1900A/A.2487A makes it easier for New Yorkers with disabilities to apply for parking permit renewals…
National News (U.S.)
Meet Meryl K. Evans, CPACC
July 16, 2024 | Source: Bold Journey
Meryl K., looking forward to learning from your journey. You’ve got an amazing story and before we dive into that, let’s start with an important building block. Where do you get your work ethic from? Between being born profoundly deaf and having parents with a strong work ethic, you could say I was almost 100% guaranteed to have a good work ethic. Having a disability puts a person in the position of being the only one in the room who knows what it’s like to live with a disability and to encounter society’s barriers…
‘The Survival of Our Lives’: Accessible voting event encourages disability community to make their voices heard
July 18, 2024 | Source: MinnPost
At the Metropolitan Center for Independent Living, staff provide an array of resources to people with disabilities so that they can, according to the Center’s executive director, Jesse Bethke Gomez, “help people really help themselves.” On July 11, when The Disability Freedom and Justice Caravan rolled into St. Paul and the Center to spread awareness and empower the disability community to vote, the center provided Minnesotans with disabilities with resources on accessible voting…
Michigan officials deny claims state failed students with disabilities during COVID
July 19, 2024 | Source: Chalkbeat
Michigan fights Ed Dept’s findings of COVID-era student disability violations
July 22, 2024 | Source: K-12 Dive
Michigan education officials this month asked the U.S. Department of Education to dismiss all claims that the state violated the federal rights of students with disabilities during COVID-era school shutdowns. The state’s legal filing comes after an investigation by the federal department’s Office of Civil Rights found many students with disabilities did not receive the services and instruction they were entitled to under federal anti-discrimination laws…
Outdoors Beyond Barriers: DNR initiative offers accessibility to Georgians with disabilities
July 19, 2024 | Source: Albany Herald
Earlier this year the Georgia Department of Natural Resources announced its Outdoors Beyond Barriers initiative with a goal of increasing accessibility to Georgia’s state parks, historic sites, and outdoor resources to the more than 2.2 million Georgians with disabilities. This week DNR announced that the initiative, which initially provided free, high-mobility all-terrain track wheelchairs at 10 state parks, historic sites and a wildlife centers, was expanding with nine additional track chairs, providing a significant increase in the opportunities for visitors with disabilities…
Are Schools and Edtech Companies Ready for the Digital Accessibility Deadline?
July 19, 2024 | Source: EdSurge
When Jacob, a 10th grader with vision impairment, signed up for an AP class, it made him feel like a castaway. His ambitions to learn were thwarted because his teacher had assigned handouts and a three-week-long lesson plan that relied on a website that wasn’t easy for him to navigate. So he felt frustrated, isolated: “I am stranded on this desert island because that site doesn’t work [with my screen reader],” Jacob later told a researcher, also adding, “You can’t just re-change your whole teaching plan, especially when you’ve distributed it.”…
Why was a leading disability organization denied access to the RNC?
July 19, 2024 | Source: The 19th News
Days before the start of the Republican National Convention (RNC), independent journalist Pablo Manriquez dropped a scoop on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter: The American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD), one of the largest and most prominent nonpartisan disability rights organizations in the United States, had been denied observer passes to the convention. AAPD posted a response on their own social media accounts, decrying the decision…
Our historic state Capitol ought to be fully accessible to all Pennsylvanians, regardless of disability
July 21, 2024 | Source: Lancaster Online
Sarah Nicell, a recent Franklin and Marshall College graduate and intern with the Pennsylvania Legislative Correspondents’ Association, reported on the physical obstacles that people with disabilities face when they visit the Pennsylvania Capitol in Harrisburg. The building is a National Historic Landmark that was dedicated in 1906. The Pennsylvania Capitol website notes that the beautiful and historic building is “a priceless architectural and artistic treasure, a majestic symbol of history and power, and an icon of democracy and freedom.”
Conservatives’ first attack on Kamala Harris: Pronouns and accessibility?
July 22, 2024 | Source: Advocate
On Sunday, President Biden announced he will not seek a second term and endorsed his vice president, Kamala Harris, as his pick to become the Democratic Party’s nominee. In the immediate aftermath, Harris’ donations surged, and major Democratic officials rallied behind her. Republican influencers, however, seemed unprepared for a primary line of attack, initially conflating Harris’ potential presidency with the Biden administration’s policies…
How accessible is Fond du Lac? Readers share challenges of those with physical disabilities in part one of a series
July 22, 2024 | Source: Fond du Lac Reporter
How accessible is Fond du Lac? We asked, and the community answered. Many people in the Fond du Lac area live with or care for someone with a disability, and they have to navigate their community with an eye for whether their wheelchair will fit in an establishment, whether parking will suit their needs and whether staff will be accommodating. The United States Census Bureau includes six questions related to disability in its American Community Survey. Fond du Lac County’s estimated population from the 2020 Decennial Census was 104,154…
July is Disability Pride Month. Here’s what you should know
July 22, 2024 | Source: CBS News
This month marks 34 years since the Americans with Disabilities Act was signed into law, and Disability Pride Month was officially established nearly a decade ago. As one blind author and illustrator recently pointed out, disability exists on a spectrum. And the fight for community, inclusion and acceptance is still going strong today. In the U.S. in 2021, nearly 42.5 million people — or 13% of the population — had a disability, according to the American Community Survey, conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau…
Illinois faces backlash over bid to end oversight of disability services
July 22, 2024 | Source: Capitol News Illinois
As Illinois seeks to end federal court oversight of its disability services, an independent court monitor says the state continues to fall short of promises made 13 years ago to allow people with intellectual and developmental disabilities to live outside of institutions. Court hearings are set to begin this week as to whether the state will be released from what’s known as the Ligas consent decree. The consent decree originated from a 2005 lawsuit alleging that Illinois’ insufficient funding for community living options led to the segregation of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities…
WHO calls for better access to medicines to reduce vast treatment gap for neurological disorders
July 22, 2024 | Source: World Health Organization and Health Policy Watch
Despite the significant progress made in developing effective, safe, and cost-effective medicines that enhance the quality of life of individuals with neurological disorders, these medicines remain largely inaccessible. A new WHO report, Improving Access to Medicines for Neurological Disorders, sets out the barriers that prevent access to these essential medicines, and presents a framework for action to address these challenges. “The impact of neurological disorders can be significantly decreased and quality of life improved, if people living with these disorders are provided access to the essential medicines they need,” says Dévora Kestel…
Mattel introduces two first-of-their-kind inclusive Barbie dolls
July 23, 2024 | Source: USA Today and Irish Examiner and CNN and People and Forbes and AFB
Barbie has announced two new additions to its growing line of diverse and inclusive dolls: a blind Barbie and the first Black Barbie with Down syndrome. Mattel announced the two new dolls on Tuesday as part of Barbie’s 2024 Fashionistas Line, an inclusive range of dolls with over 175 varieties of skin tone, eye color, hair color and texture, body types, disabilities and fashions. The line has represented different disabilities and appearances in the past, releasing Barbies and Kens with mobility aids like wheelchairs and braces, dolls with hearing aids, hair loss and vitiligo…
For Students with Disabilities, Electric School Buses Could Transform the School Commute
July 23, 2024 | Source: World Resources Institute
School buses, intended to provide safe and secure rides for all children, are largely failing kids with disabilities, prompting urgent calls for improvements. “I experienced accessibility problems at least three times a week,” one youth reflected in a student discussion. Either there was not enough space to secure a wheelchair, or “the wheelchair securements were set up in a really awkward configuration that required me to contour myself like a pretzel.” They added that “the lift breaks all the time or it’s so slow that you are 20 minutes late to class.”…
Governor DeWine Delivers Opening Remarks at Inaugural Accessible Ohio Conference and Expo
July 23, 2024 | Source: Peak of Ohio and NY1
Ohio Governor Mike DeWine today served as the opening speaker for the first-ever Accessible Ohio Conference and Expo. The one-day conference, hosted by Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities (OOD), showcased ways to make Ohio’s businesses, communities, venues, and attractions accessible and inclusive for all Ohioans, including Ohioans with disabilities. “Ohio’s strength lies in its people, and we can’t afford to leave anyone behind. Accessibility is a mindset that we should always be thinking about, from education and employment to recreation and civic engagement,” said Governor DeWine…
Robotic aid helped improve balance, gait in children with cerebral palsy
July 24, 2024 | Source: STAT
For many kids with cerebral palsy, walking is taxing. They might spend thousands of hours step-stepping in physical therapy to make walking easier. In recent years researchers have developed robots to aid this rehabilitation.
A new JAMA Network Open study from a team in South Korea found that exoskeletons can improve a child’s gait, balance and motor function. This randomized clinical trial, which had about 90 children participating, is one of the largest studies to test the efficacy of robot-assisted gait training…
Key disability civil rights law will get a big refresh under Sen. Bob Casey’s new bill
July 24, 2024 | Source: STAT and Sen. Bob Casey and WTAJ and WGN Radio and WCIA and MyChesCo
A key piece of disability civil rights law could get a much-needed refresh. Sen. Bob Casey Jr. (D-Pa.) will introduce legislation Wednesday to strengthen and extend Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. The proposed update would boost online accessibility for people with disabilities on federal websites and significantly expand protections and working conditions for disabled federal employees. “The federal government has an obligation to ensure that its services are accessible to people with disabilities, including its websites and technology,” said Sen. Casey in a statement…
Turn accessibility setbacks into solutions
July 24, 2024 | Source: Marblehead Current
Recent incidents involving the Abbot Public Library, Riptide restaurant and other local establishments have highlighted the complexities of ensuring full compliance with accessibility standards. While these challenges have raised concerns, they also present an opportunity for the town to reassess and improve its approach to creating an inclusive environment for all residents and visitors. The newly renovated Abbot Public Library, a $10 million project, faced an unexpected hurdle when its front ramp was found to be non-compliant with accessibility standards…
Celebrating Disability Pride Month by Embracing Inclusion and Accessibility
July 24, 2024 | Source: Broadband Breakfast
As we celebrate Disability Pride Month and the 34th anniversary of the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), it’s crucial to recognize the achievements, contributions, and resilience of individuals with disabilities. This month serves as a reminder of the importance of inclusivity and accessibility in every aspect of our society, especially in the digital realm. On a personal note, Internet access has a huge impact on my life. I am Deaf and have first-hand experience with how high-speed Internet assists the disability community…
Court decision makes voting with disabilities easier in Ohio
July 24, 2024 | Source: WDTN
A federal court struck down restrictions that make it harder for people with disabilities to vote. Previously, Ohio law allowed a select list of family members to assist with casting absentee ballots. Now, a court decision has changed that. “Voters with disabilities often face unique challenges,” said Suzanne Musleh, Disability Rights Ohio legal advocacy director. The same law passed in 2023 that changed ID requirements and eliminated August special elections also made it a felony for some people to assist a voter with disabilities cast their absentee ballot…
After 23 years, Denver’s largest music festival hired its first accessibility team. Here’s what they came up with.
July 25, 2024 | Source: The Colorado Sun
Kalyn Rose Heffernan has played shows all over the world and never been asked about her accessibility needs. “It’s wild to me,” said the emcee frontwoman of hip-hop group Wheelchair Sports Camp. “Wheelchair is in my band name. All of my pictures are me in a wheelchair. And you wouldn’t believe how many times I’ve been placed at a festival upstairs.” Wheelchair Sports Camp has been a sonic staple in Denver for over a decade, and they’ve played the annual Underground Music Showcase nearly every year during that time…
This Berkeley arts organization is providing a guide to arts accessibility — with rules it hopes will soon be obsolete
July 25, 2024 | Source: SF Chronicle Datebook
As a leader in working with disabled and non-disabled dancers for nearly four decades, Axis Dance Company is accustomed to having some of the same conversations over and over. A common one comes when other performance companies call the Berkeley organization asking for accessibility advice — i.e., for an unpaid consultation. Another happens when Axis uses a new venue. Often, Managing Director Danae Rees told the Chronicle, even after she lists her artists’ needs, she asks for a video tour of a theater’s backstage, just in case…
Jack Fact — According to the Office for National Statistics, only 24.9% of disabled adults aged 21-64 have a degree or above, compared with 42.7% of non-disabled adults.
Hit The Road Jack — How Travel Brands Can Tap Into a $200 Billion Market by Enhancing Accessibility and New Accessible Beach in Costa Rica Transforms Lives with Innovative Design and This is what the Eurostar gets right about accessibility and As a traveller with a disability, I went adventuring in eight cities across Canada — here’s what I learned
International News
Halt ‘dangerous’ disability benefit changes, charities say
July 19, 2024 | Source: BBC- UK
Leading disability charities have urged the government to pause Conservative plans for “worrying” and “dangerous” changes to disability benefits. The previous government opened a public consultation into a major overhaul of Personal Independence Payments (PIP), which could involve replacing monthly cash payments with a vouchers system or one-off grants towards particular costs. New Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall has not said whether she supports or opposes the thrust of her Tory predecessor’s proposals, but has kept the consultation open…
Lasoda, NSCDC Collaborate To Safeguard Rights Of Persons With Disabilities
July 20, 2024 | Source: Lagos State Government- Nigeria
The Lagos State Office for Disability Affairs (LASODA) is set to partner with the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) to safeguard the rights of Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) in Lagos. The General Manager of LASODA, Mrs. Adenike Oyetunde-Lawal, disclosed this while welcoming a delegation from the NSCDC on a courtesy visit to the Agency at Alausa, Ikeja, recently. She said that the collaboration will address critical issues surrounding accessibility and adaptability in both government and private offices, ensuring that PWDs can effectively utilise these spaces…
Budget 2024: Disability rights activists demand increased allocations
July 20, 2024 | Source: Business Standard- India
Disability rights activists expect a substantial financial support in the upcoming budget to address the needs of persons with disabilities to ensure their development. Arman Ali, executive director of the National Centre for Promotion of Employment for Disabled People, stressed the need for earmarking budgets under central and state schemes across different ministries to ensure targeted funding for disability inclusion. This, he believes, would address the diverse needs of persons with disabilities and ensure adequate support across multiple sectors…
Sophie Morgan: ‘Pets have more rights on flights than we do’
July 20, 2024 | Source: The Times- UK
If you’re off abroad in the coming weeks, what will you think about first? Checking in online? When to arrive at the airport? Whether to pay to select a seat? What you might not be concerned with is making sure not to eat or drink a single thing before flying so you don’t have to drag yourself along the plane floor to the loo, or not being allowed to board at all. For Sophie Morgan, these are real fears. The television presenter, 39, is the driving force behind a campaign called Rights on Flights, which is calling on the UK government and aviation industry to make flying safe and accessible for the 16 million disabled people in the UK…
Advocates hope digital map makes Toronto art more accessible
July 21, 2024 | Source: CBC- Canada
Adam Cohoon says he’s always made it a point to look at how accessible art in Toronto is to people with disabilities. As someone who uses a power wheelchair, accessibility has influenced how he makes and experiences art. That’s why he joined a group of advocates behind Artmap, a community digital mapping project that will not only mark where outdoor installations are in the city, but assess how accessible they are for people with different disabilities…
Realwheels Theatre explores accessibility in Disability Tour Bus
July 22, 2024 | Source: Stir- Canada
One of the reasons Adam Grant Warren moved to Vancouver from Newfoundland in 2008 was to attend film school, but that was just part of it. A wheelchair user, the co-artistic director of Realwheels Theatre also left the eastern city of Mount Pearl because Vancouver had a reputation as being “Canada’s most accessible city”. In fact, as Warren can attest first-hand, Vancouver has a long way to go when it comes to meeting the needs of those with disabilities…
London woman with accessibility needs finds it easier to avoid festivals completely
July 22, 2024 | Source: London Post- UK
With 1 in 5 people in the UK living with a disability, adequate accessibility at public events remains a significant concern. July is Disability Pride Month, a time to celebrate the achievements and contributions of individuals with disabilities. This month also serves as a crucial reminder of the ongoing need for accessibility and inclusion in all areas of life. In light of this, our latest press release highlights the pressing issue of inadequate accessibility at UK festivals, urging event organisers to take more substantial measures to ensure that everyone, regardless of ability, can enjoy live music events safely and comfortably…
European Accessibility Act: Are airports raising digital accessibility?
July 22, 2024 | Source: Airport Technology- UK
The digitisation of the airport experience has rapidly evolved in recent years. From cheap flight websites to advanced online booking for car parks and transfers when you land, customers often have to navigate multiple digital touchpoints before they even reach the airport. Then, once they are at the airport, the digital journey continues – from check-in through to passport control. Designed to optimise efficiency and improve the passenger experience, this investment in digital infrastructure has been significant…
Implementing accessible EV charging
July 23, 2024 | Source: Transport and Energy- UK
Fraser Crichton, Corporate Fleet Manager at Dundee City Council, explains how the local authority is using the accessibility standard to ensure disabled drivers are not overlooked in the electric vehicle (EV) revolution. The accessibility of electric vehicle infrastructure is more important than ever. A recent study from Vauxhall has unveiled that, despite the UK’s growing number of EV charge points, just 2% of on-street chargers meet accessibility guidelines…
Portsmouth City Council face up to taxi and PHV wheelchair accessibility challenge
July 23, 2024 | Source: Taxi Point- UK
Portsmouth City Council has revealed a pressing need to address the limited availability of wheelchair-accessible vehicles (WAVs) among licensed hackney carriages and private hire taxis in the area. According to a council report, only 36% of hackney carriages and just 3% of private hire vehicles are wheelchair accessible. The Licensing Committee, responding to a council resolution from July 2023, aims to amend its current policies to enhance accessibility for disabled residents…
Paris 2024 Games: ensuring total accessibility for an ideal spectator experience
July 24, 2025 | Source: Olympic Games Paris 2024- France
Innovative solutions to ensure accessibility at the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games
July 22, 2024 | Source: Paris 2024- France
‘Games wide open’ is the philosophy of Paris 2024, which is expecting almost 280,000 people with disabilities to visit its venues during the summer. Thanks to a wide range of accessibility solutions, everyone will be able to enjoy the Olympic and Paralympic experience to the full. Behind the notion of accessibility, Paris 2024 has designed a complete package for people with disabilities (PWD). From the ticket purchase to the seat in the stands, everything has been planned to provide a total and ideal experience for each spectator…
Isle of Wight town council improves beach accessibility for people with restricted mobility
July 25, 2024 | Source: THIIS Magazine- UK
Ryde Town Council in the Isle of Wight has announced the official opening of its new beach accessibility facilities for visitors to enjoy, regardless of their mobility challenges. This event marks a significant step forward in ensuring that everyone, regardless of mobility challenges, can enjoy the beautiful five-mile stretch of Ryde beach. The project was born from heartfelt feedback from wheelchair users who were excluded from enjoying the beach at Ryde…
Pioneering accessible museum design
July 25, 2024 | Source: Museums + Heritage- France
‘Designing accessible museums is about more than just making exhibits available’ claims Delphine Rabat, Head of Casson Mann France. ‘It’s about creating equally rich experiences for every visitor’. The leading exhibition design firm’s most recent French project, Musée national de la Marine in Paris has just won the prestigious International Council of Museum’s (ICOM) CECA Best Practice award for its accessibility approach. The museum’s Head of Interpretation, Lucie Aertz, was commended for her work in pioneering this ambitious accessibility strategy…
Laurentian accessibility advisor headed to Paris 2024 Paralympics
July 25, 2024 | Source: CTV News- Canada
A Sudbury man who works for Laurentian University as an accessibility advisor is headed to Paris to compete in the 2024 Paralympics in men’s boccia(opens in a new tab). Lance Cryderman was 12 when he started playing the adapted version of the Italian bowling game bocce for people with severe locomotive disabilities of a cerebral or non-cerebral origin. Cryderman took several years away from the sport to earn his undergraduate psychology degree and a master’s degree in business administration…
Plea for better accessibility
July 25, 2024 | Source: The Australian Jewish News- Australia
A Western Port resident has called on Jewish community organisations to improve accessibility for disabled individuals and those living in regional areas. In a letter to The AJN last week, Bianca Felix described her family’s situation as “at the intersection of a Venn diagram that encompasses those who live in regional areas, those who have a family member who is profoundly disabled and being Jewish”. “Just because we are not physically in the room does not mean that we are not part of Am Yisrael,” Felix said…
Union wants action to improve Parliament House accessibility
July 25, 2024 | Source: The Mandarin- Australia
The CPSU has asked the Department of Parliamentary Services to commit to immediate initiatives to make work life easier for disabled workers while the department works to implement more complex changes recommended in an accessibility review. Union officials met with DPS representatives on June 19 to discuss the accessibility review and the CPSU’s concerns that insufficient work had been done to improve the parliamentary workplace for those with disabilities…
BSL accessibility a key feature of EastSide Arts Festival
July 25, 2024 | Source: BBC- Ireland
This year’s EastSide Arts Festival is incorporating British Sign Language (BSL) interpretation into more events, organisers have said. The festival, which began in 2012 as the East Belfast Arts Festival before being rebranded in 2015, will run this year for 11 days from 25 July. Some of the big names that have graced the festival in the past include Van Morrison, who headlined in 2015, and Anthony Toner, who launched his album at the festival.
The West Ocean String Quartet, known for their music being played on the International Space Station, and Irish jazz singer Mary Coughlan have also performed.
Accessibility Blogs, Information, and Videos
- Our Way | RightHear’s July Newsletter
- State of Colorado Accessibility Newsletter
- July 2024
- How blooming accessible are garden centres?- MS Trust
- World Wide Web Day – August 1, 2024- Journee Mondiale
- Why Do You Need to Update Your VPAT®?- Sanjay Nasta
- Skilling snack: Tools for creating accessible content- Microsoft
- Disability Pride Month: What You Need to Know- Meryl Evans
- Accessible Hotel Rooms in NYC- Peter Slatin, The Slatin Group
- Landmark disability law now applies to life online- Marketplace (Podcast)
- Interview with Alisa Smith, Accessibility Evangelist- Creative Pro
- Billion Strong Newsletter July 2024 – Changing Society Together!
- Accessible Design Accreditation Initiative- Great Plains ADA Center
- Dispelling myths about ‘ADA’ and poor design appeal- Rachael Bauer
- Fall with me- My childhood, told through its falls- Peter Torres Fremlin
- Embedding better accessibility in software and websites- Computer Weekly
- How to… Create a Feedback Loop with Disabled Customers- Christiane Link
- Accessibility is critical for the world’s disability community – GZERO Media (Video)
- Ignoring This Website Essential Can Hurt Your Search Ranking – Entrepreneur
- Paris region now has over 1,000 stays with step-free accessibility features- Airbnb
- Discovering a world of chocolate on a recent accessible trip – Pompe Disease News
- New research reveals dating apps are failing people with accessibility needs- Stylist
- Financial inclusion: retail banking solutions for people with disabilities- GlobalData
- Inclusive L&D: the importance of accessible e-learning content- People Management
- Make Sure You Check All Website Variations When Testing Accessibility- Bogdan Cerovac
- How Plain Language Empowers People With Disabilities- Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
- How AI can make public sector services more inclusive and accessible- Open Access Government
- Getting To The Bottom Of Minimum WCAG-Conformant Interactive Element Size- Eric W. Bailey
- Digital accessibility in the EU (and UK): Recent developments and the direction of travel- Hogan Lovells
- The 10th annual Disability Equality Index shows disability inclusion progress, but reporting gaps remain- HR Brew
- Stop Using Tone Deaf and Impaired: How To Be More Intentional And Inclusive In Disability Language- Toby Wong
- The Construction Record Podcast – Episode 355: Building accessibility with Mark DeMontis- Daily Commercial News
- Celebrating the 34th Anniversary of the Americans With Disabilities Act- Teach Access Highlights the Ongoing Need for Digital Accessibility Education
Federally Speaking
- Digital Asset Accessibility Under ADA Title II- Microassist
- ODEP News Brief- Office of Disability Employment Policy
- FCC Acts to Improve Accessibility of Closed Captioning Settings
- Statement on President Biden- National Disability Rights Network
- Commission Adopts Closed Captioning Display Settings Order- FCC
- FCC to Propose AI-Generated Robocall Rules Protecting Accessibility
- FCC Proposes to Amend Closed Captioning Rules for Video Programming
- FCC introduces new accessibility rules for closed captioning- Texoma’s Homepage
- FCC Acts to Improve the Affordability and Accessibility of Carceral Communications
Higher Education Blogs and Information
- Accessible Design Accreditation Initiative- Great Plains ADA Center
- Raising the bar in accessible standards- Nova Scotia Community College
- Universal Accessibility: Designing for All | Ahmedabad News- Times of India
- Accessibility, Learner-Centered Design Make Higher Ed More Inclusive- SNHU
- Are Schools and Edtech Companies Ready for the Digital Accessibility Deadline?- EdSurge
- Designing a More Accessible World for People with Disabilities- Tufts Now – Tufts University
- Voluntary self-identification of veteran status, disability, race, and ethnicity- Virginia Tech News
- USF co-hosting symposium on improving accessibility in STEM fields- University of South Florida
- Chancellor’s Advisory Committee for Campus Accessibility, 07/25/2024 – University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
- Learn digital accessibility skills through a self-paced course this summer- The Daily | Case Western Reserve University
- Research in 60 Seconds: Using EMG Tech, Video Games to Improve Wheelchair Accessibility- University of Central Florida
- Disability Pride Month, part 2: Empowering employee accessibility through UAB’s AWARE Program- University of Alabama at Birmingham
Legal Blogs and Information
- Hotel Accessibility Class Action Lawsuit- Equal Entry
- Navigating the new web accessibility ruling in the U.S.- Caro Sotillo Silva
- Goodwin Named a Best Place to Work for Disability Inclusion- Goodwin Procter
- Visually-Impaired Plaintiff Sues Online Retailer Over Website Inaccessibility- Cook County Record
- FCC Issues Reminder To Ensure Accessibility of Televised Emergency Information- Davis Wright Tremaine
- ADA Defense Lawyer: WCAG 2.2: Website Accessibility Standards Get an Update – What Businesses Should Know- Hotel Law Blog – Jeffer Mangels Butler and Mitchell LLP
- Commission decides to refer BULGARIA to the Court of Justice of the European Union for failing to incorporate the European Accessibility Act into national law- European Commission – European Union
Accessibility Announcements
- Hamilton launches Accessibility Awards
- Council’s Website Hits the UK’s Top Ten for Accessibility
- Tranmere Rovers offer wheelchair accessible coach for away travel
- Sarjeant Happenings: Audio describing planned for Sarjeant Gallery
- ÀNI Private Resorts, the brand making luxury hotels fully accessible
- City of Rochester begins work on ADA Right-of-Way Transition Plan
- Cornwall Celebrates Accessibility With Five New Changing Places Toilets
- Visit Lauderdale Partners with U.S. Paralympics Swimming for 2024 Season
- Disability Pride Month: Join American Bar Association’s #BeCounted Campaign
- Fannie Mae Named ‘Best Place to Work for Disability Inclusion’ by Disability:IN
- St. Pete Celebrates 34th Anniversary of the ADA with Community Event and Survey
- Alexandria launching pilot program to make buses more wheelchair and scooter accessible
- ‘Now we can go and do things without fear’: Yelp rolls out new expanded accessibility features
- Adelaide cafe launches go-fund-me to improve accessibility and inclusiveness for underprivileged
- City Committee Uses ADA Anniversary & Motorcycle Rally to Remind Public of Parking Protocols
- Information Relating to the Texas Driving with Disabilities Program from Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation
- Announcing the Advancing DEI Initiative- The Meltzer Center for Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging at NYU School of Law
- ThinkDIFFERENTLY/Disability, Dream & Do Baseball Camp Returns to Heritage Financial Park on Aug. 3rd Volunteers urged to share time and talent to make day memorable
- Airbnb, APF France Handicap Announce Accessible Homes For Paris Olympic, Paralympic Goers & Paris region now has over 1,000 listings with step-free accessibility features
Accessibility Products and Services
- Minnesota Accessible Playgrounds
- The Atlas App is a Community-Driven Solution
- New Word Game Shines a Spotlight on the Braille Alphabet
- Hyundai’s COO Tarun Garg On Accessibility And Inclusivity (Video)
- Local job-matching service with thousands of users grows nationally
- Moodle Workplace achieves WCAG 2.1 AA accessibility compliance
- New app opens up accessible amenities to Clare people with disabilities
- The Best Adaptive Kitchen Tools To Improve Accessibility For All Cooks
- Free guide for OTs about accessible hygiene room requirements in schools
- Müller partners with NaviLens to make dairy more inclusive and accessible
- Google Maps just got a huge accessibility upgrade — what you need to know
- Berkeley Rep Launches Audio Description Services To Enhance Accessibility
- Park Finder app adds feature allowing parents to search for accessible playgrounds
- ‘All-terrain’ wheelchair available for use in Delaware state park. Other accessible parks
- Mumbai Metro 3: MMRC enhances accessibility features for differently abled passengers
- ‘Now we can go and do things without fear’: Yelp rolls out new expanded accessibility features
- Dialog enhances accessibility for deaf community at customer care centres through DeafTawk services
- Mumbai Metro Line 3: New station to include enhanced accessibility features for differently abled passengers
- Robotic pods to enhance visitor accessibility at Vancouver International Airport through B.C.’s Integrated Marketplace
- With New Prime Video App, Amazon Leans On Accessibility To Steward ‘The World’s Most Inclusive Platform’ For Storytelling
Accessibility Forums, Tips, and Gaming
- Dungeons and Dragons taught me how to write alt text
- Accessibility helps bring disabled gamers a sense of community (Video)
- Steve Spohn AbleGamers: Importance of Accessibility in Video Games (YouTube)
- 20 Years Ago, Nintendo Made an Iconic Mario Game With One Glaring Flaw
- Leveling the Playing Field: Toward Equivalently Accessible Video Game Worlds
- Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree’s Only Accessibility Option Is Its Fantastic Open World
Accessibility Statements
- Vantiva
- Healthfirst
- CurbCutOS
- Computer Aid
- Fox Rothschild
- Butler University
- Bally’s Corporation
- Cohesion Open Data
- Best Practices Portal EU
- American Library Association
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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