Accessibility in the News — 11/15/2024.

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Feature Stories

Trump wants to shut down the Department of Education. Here’s what that could mean

November 12, 2024 | Source: CNN

Project 2025: A Potential Reshaping of Disability Rights in America

November 10, 2024 | Source: Disabled World

What could Trump’s return mean for Minnesotans on Medicaid and safety net programs?

November 12, 2024 | Source: Minnesota Star Tribune

President-elect Donald Trump has pledged to abolish the Department of Education. On the campaign trail, he repeatedly pointed to the agency as a symbol of federal overreach into the everyday lives of American families. “I say it all the time, I’m dying to get back to do this. We will ultimately eliminate the federal Department of Education,” he said in September during a rally in Wisconsin. “We will drain the government education swamp and stop the abuse of your taxpayer dollars to indoctrinate America’s youth with all sorts of things that you don’t want to have our youth hearing,” Trump said…

National News (U.S.)

Meet Dr Mona Minkara, the blind scientist redefining accessible travel and adventure

November 10, 2024 | Source: Tatler

Being diagnosed with macular degeneration and cone-rod dystrophy at just seven years old was certainly not the end of Mona Minkara’s incredible story, but the beginning. Born and raised in Maryland, USA to Lebanese immigrant parents, Mona’s family was told by one specialist that investing in her education would be a waste. Her parents were determined to prove otherwise, and it turns out, they were right. “Growing up, I was told that science wasn’t for me because of my blindness, but I refused to accept that narrative,” says Minkara, who is also an assistant professor of bioengineering at Northeastern University…

Inside a Massachusetts studio showcasing the work of artists with disabilities

November 10, 2024 | Source: PBS (Video)

As major American museums reexamine their collections to ensure diversity and inclusion, there’s a growing realization that they need more art by people with disabilities. In Massachusetts, one organization has been celebrating that work for half a century. Around 8:30 every weekday morning, artists begin arriving at Vinfen’s Gateway Arts in Brookline, Massachusetts, heading upstairs to studios where they paint, weave textiles or mold ceramics. This is their job…

Alzheimer’s timeline shows changes start as trickle, become torrent

November 11, 2024 | Source: NPR

A study of cells from 84 cadaver brains suggests that Alzheimer’s has two distinct phases, and that one type of neuron is especially vulnerable. “There’s an early phase where there’s a very slow increase in the amount of pathology,” says Ed Lein, a senior investigator at the Allen Institute for Brain Science in Seattle, “then a more exponential phase where suddenly things get really bad.” The study also found evidence that a small subset of neurons known as somatostatin inhibitory neurons begin to die off during the early phase of Alzheimer’s, Lein and a team of nearly 100 other scientists report in the journal Nature Neuroscience…

What It’s Like to Be a Poll Worker With a Disability

November 11, 2024 | Source: Mother Jones

It can be challenging to manage the symptoms of a disability or chronic illness during a long workday. For disabled and chronically ill poll workers, Election Day—which can mean 14-hour shifts—certainly takes the cake. Being a poll worker can be a meaningful civic duty for those who participate. Disabled poll workers are also crucial: They understand the importance of making sure disabled voters’ access needs are met—11 percent of disabled people had trouble voting during the 2020 presidential election, according to the Election Assistance Commission…

Army veteran receives wheelchair accessible, mortgage-free home in Nolensville

November 11, 2024 Source: WSMV

As homes go up in droves throughout the Metro area, there’s a new home in Nolensville that means the world to the family living there. That home, now where the Hargis family lives, was gifted to them by the Gary Sinise Foundation in honor of Sergeant Joshua Hargis’ service and loss of his legs during his time in Afghanistan. “To the kids it’s just a home,” Sgt. Hargis said. “But to our family it means so much more.” Sgt. Hargis served four tours in Afghanistan as an Army Ranger. His and his family’s life changed forever in October of 2013 when his unit was ambushed by suicide bombers and hidden explosive devices.

‘Money’s worth’: Chicopee city councilor requests accessibility audit of city

November 12, 2024 | Source: MassLive

Does the city have an Americans with Disabilities Act compliance officer and perform ADA audits on municipal buildings? Depends upon whom you ask. A city councilor and the Disability Commission say no, as they’re working to make City Hall and other municipal buildings more accessible, to possibly hire an Americans with Disabilities Act compliance officer and to find a vendor to conduct citywide audits. Meanwhile, the mayor’s office contends that those measures and position already exist…

Advocates worry about accessibility in New York’s CDPAP overhaul

November 13, 2024 | Source: CBS 6 Albany

New York State is outsourcing the Consumer Directed Personal Assistance Program (CDPAP) starting in April 2025. The company of choice, Public Partnerships LLC (PPL), a Georgia based company has received backlash from New Yorkers and disability advocates. The rollout will include removing the more than 600 fiscal intermediaries across the State, with PPL looking to bring that number down to about 30. The State made this decision on October 1st, citing Comptroller and other reports that some of the programs in CDPAP were found to be abusing the system, including one recently being indicted by the U.S. Attorney’s office for fraud…

More info about why and how to apply for a $300 Project Sidewalk grant to document accessibility barriers

November 13, 2024 | Source: Streetsblog Chicago

As discussed during the Active Transportation Alliance’s recent Chicago Advocate Connect session, they’ve partnered with the University of Illinois Chicago’s Institute of Disability and Human Development on Project Sidewalk. This initiative to document the conditions of local sidewalks and bikeways is offering $300 stipends to 10 participants who will virtually move through city streets using Google Streetview, and document accessibility barriers. We asked ATA for some more details about the program…

Ensuring Digital Accessibility in K-12 Schools in a Technology-Driven Era

November 13, 2024 | Source: Center for American Progress and CAP20

Advancements in technology have revolutionized education, from the surge in online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic to the introduction of ChatGPT in 2022. These developments have led federal agencies and education leaders to develop guidelines and recommendations for the field, including a National Educational Technology Plan, guidance for artificial intelligence (AI) designers and developers in education, and guardrails for using AI in schools…

A 13-year-old with autism got arrested after his backpack sparked fear. Only his stuffed bunny was inside

November 13, 2024 | Source: WPLN

On the second day of school this year in Hamilton County, Tennessee, Ty picked out a purple bunny from hundreds of other plushies in his room. While his mom wasn’t looking, the 13-year-old snuck it into his backpack to show to his friends. It was the 10th anniversary of his favorite video game franchise, Five Nights at Freddy’s, and Bonnie the bunny is one of the stars. Ty has autism and Bonnie is his biggest comfort when he gets agitated or discouraged. No one other than Ty, not even his mom, is allowed to touch Bonnie…

And the Word Became Accessible: Publishers Release Dyslexia-Friendly Bibles

November 13, 2024 | Source: Christianity Today

The lines land with slightly thicker strokes and dashes at the bottom. The letters leave little spaces inside as they curve up, like a stencil. This new typeface, a curly variation of a slab serif font, is called Grace—made especially for millions of Christians who struggle to read Scripture due to dyslexia. Major Bible publishers partnered with a specialty design firm to develop the Grace typeface and are now releasing Bibles using the new lettering…

Inside The NHL’s Work To Give Ice Time To Deaf Fans

November 13, 2024 | Source: Forbes

The 2024–25 NHL season is young—and with accessibility in tow. On its website, the NHL is providing weekly game highlights in American Sign Language (ASL). The work follows the league’s coverage of last year’s Stanley Cup Finals, which saw the Florida Panthers defeat the Edmonton Oilers 4–3 in the best-of–7 series, that featured an alternative telecast in ASL. The broadcast, which the NHL boasted was “the first major sports telecast dedicated fully to the Deaf community, featuring live Deaf broadcasters calling real-time play-by-play and color commentary entirely in ASL,” was available on ESPN+ and SportsNet+…

Baltimore reaches $44 million settlement in suit over pedestrian accessibility

November 14, 2024 | Source: The Baltimore Banner and WMAR and CBS and City of Baltimore

White Marsh Mall adding more accessible food court parking following civil rights complaint

November 13, 2024 | Source: WMAR

Baltimore has reached an initial $44 million settlement to start closing out a yearslong legal battle alleging that sidewalks, crosswalks and footpaths were not compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act. The settlement is part of a “partial consent decree” which requires the city to upgrade its sidewalks and curb ramps, according to a news release. As part of the deal, the city agreed to create a program overseen by Baltimore’s Department of Transportation dedicated to pedestrian accessibility…

Fauquier board blocks family’s request to build an accessible home for their disabled daughter

November 13, 2024 | Source: Prince William Times

Like many millennials, Tabitha Jones has been stuck in her parents’ basement for seven years, dreaming of a home that now seems out of reach. The dream was simple: a single-level home with wide door frames that her daughter’s wheelchair could fit through. So, when her mother offered Jones a piece of the family property to build an accessible home on, she jumped at the chance. “Building that home was a dream for us,” said Jones, who shares the basement with her husband, Michael Jones, and three children, including McKenna, an 8-year-old who was born with spina bifida…

Groundbreaking New PBS Kids Series “Carl the Collector” Features Authentic Autistic Representation On Screen

November 14, 2024 | Source: Disability Belongs

PBS Kids has a history of ensuring authentic inclusion in its series. Its newest show Carl the Collector not only continues this pattern but elevates it. The 2D animated series, aimed at 4-to-8-year-olds, features Carl, a warm-hearted autistic raccoon who enjoys collecting things, and his woodland creature friends including Lotta, a quiet and self-assured fox who is also autistic. By featuring two autistic characters, viewers can see how autistic individuals are not all the same…

Milwaukee Curling Club expands accessibility with adaptive curling

November 14, 2024 | Source: TMJ4

It may be the camaraderie, the competitiveness of curling, or the thrill of trying something new — but Bruce Jensen is hooked on the sport. “This is something that I never even dreamed of doing,” said Bruce. Bruce is here with a group of veterans from the Milwaukee VA who are wheelchair users. The veterans are able to be on the ice and push the 44-pound granite stone down the rink thanks to adaptive curling. “I didn’t know if there were any curling clubs around the Milwaukee area,” said Bruce…

Jack Fact — According to the Multiple Sclerosis Association of America, nearly one million individuals are living with MS in the United States.

Hit The Road Jack — Accessibility, diversity and global expansions: 5 big hotel news stories this week and Accessibility on the Tillamook Coast

International News

Why travelling to Japan with a disability is not the problem many people believe it to be

November 8, 2024 | Source: South China Morning Post- Japan

Japan is currently more of a tourist hotspot than ever, with its weak yen making it very attractive for holidaymakers. In the first half of this year, about 1.3 million people from Hong Kong visited the country. For some people, however, the prospect of having a holiday in Japan can be a daunting one, with fears over the language barrier and being able to find their way around. For travellers who are physically challenged, have dietary restrictions, or need accessible accommodation, it can be even more formidable…

Latest Hearing on Australian Live Music Crisis Discusses Accessibility and Mental Health

November 8, 2024 | Source: City Hub- Australia

The Standing Committee on Communications and the Arts held another public hearing today, as part of its inquiry into the challenges being faced within the Australian live music industry. The event heard from peak bodies and service organisations about funding, accessibility, consumer behaviour and more. Arty Owens spoke in the hearing on behalf of Arts Access Victoria, the peak body for arts and disability in Victoria. They discussed the difficulties disabled people faced, both as performers and as audience members…

SC directs Centre to establish mandatory accessibility standards for disabled persons

November 8, 2024 | Source: The Economic Times- India and Business Standard and The Hindu and Legality Simplified and LiveLaw and Scroll and SCC Online and The New Indian Express

The Supreme Court on Friday directed the Centre to implement mandatory accessibility standards within three months, in a significant order aimed at improving access to public spaces for persons with disabilities. The order by a three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud comes in response to slow progress on the accessibility directives issued by the court in a judgement on December 15, 2017. The bench, also comprising Justice J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, underscored the necessity of “meaningful access” for disabled persons to public spaces and mandated a two-pronged approach…

City’s recreation centres lack accessible equipment or trained staff: disability advocates

November 8, 2024 | Source: Burnaby Beacon- Canada

The lack of accessibility at recreation centres in Burnaby sparked a heated debate among members of the city’s Access Advisory Committee during its Oct. 24 meeting. Several resident representatives expressed dissatisfaction with the lack of adaptive equipment and the absence of staff trained to assist patrons with disabilities. Brad Domaas, director of facilities management, said the city had just completed an inventory of the adaptive equipment in its recreational facilities and that it will do its best to improve accessibility in the future…

NI rise creates massive hole – disability charity

November 8, 2024 | Source: BBC- UK

A charity for disabled adults has said it will be nearly a quarter of a million pounds worse off because of changes to employer national insurance contributions (NICs). The Papworth Trust has joined more than 7,000 other charities in signing an open letter to the chancellor asking that the voluntary sector be exempt from the NIC rise. The government said the NIC changes would raise an additional £25bn a year. But the trust, based in Huntingdon in Cambridgeshire, argued it was “unfair” and was creating “a massive hole” in its funds…

‘A disabled South Park character from 24 years ago is getting me harassed today’

November 8, 2024 | Source: BBC- UK

I can feel the anger rising. How am I facing this abuse again after 20 years? My name is Alex. But increasingly young people shout “Timmy” at me in the street. This isn’t mistaken identity – it‘s mockery because I use a wheelchair. I should ignore it, but this time, I react. I turn to see a group of young teenage boys smirking in front of me. “I heard you,” I tell them. “I know exactly who Timmy is.” I know this because although we do not share a name, I have felt the shadow of Timmy since childhood – never through choice…

Why people with disabilities in Nairobi are looking beyond public transport to navigate busy city

November 8, 2024 | Source: Associated Press- Kenya

Caroline Mwikali lost her ability to walk at age 13 after an illness. She quickly learned how difficult it is to get around in Kenya’s busy capital, Nairobi. Mwikali, who now works at a car financing company, said public transport is not designed to accommodate wheelchair users like her. Nairobi’s most popular modes of transport include motorbikes along with minivans and minibuses that are not fitted with ramps. They also are not designed to fit wheelchairs in their aisles, so users must be hoisted up the stairs and placed on regular seats while their wheelchairs are put with luggage…

Beyond Barriers: How Dubai became the ultimate destination for Disabled travellers

November 9, 2024 | Source: CN Traveller- Dubai

Dubai is more than just a city to me. It’s a place I’ve been visiting for years; a place I feel genuinely valued, welcomed and respected – especially as a South Asian Disabled woman. With over 22 DXB stamps in my current passport, each visit deepens my connection to this incredible place. Over the years, Dubai has continued to dazzle me. It’s not just the stunning skyline or the world-class attractions; it’s the warmth of hospitality and thoughtful design that truly set this city apart…

Blind ambassador wants to make the world accessible

November 9, 2024 | Source: BBC- UK

Claire Sisk says she is “aiming high” and wants to “make the world accessible”, after being announced as the latest celebrity ambassador for the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB). The TV presenter, online content creator and disability advocate, from Hertfordshire, said she was shocked when she was offered the role. Because she thinks of herself as “dorky and outspoken”, she did not think she fitted the mould but was delighted to accept…

Regional parents call for disability education support for WA children

November 10, 2024 | Source: ABC- Australia

For a year, Nicole Dowers and her son Cooper did a weekly 360-kilometre round trip from their small town in Western Australia’s Midwest so he could attend the only special education school north of Perth. The pair stayed in Geraldton three days a week, away from the rest of their family, so Cooper could attend year one at Holland Street School. Cooper, who is now 12, was born with a rare chromosome disorder — 1p36 deletion syndrome — which affects every body system…

UNESCO releases Cambodia’s first information needs assessment for persons with disabilities

November 11, 2024 | Source: UNESCO- Cambodia

Currently, around 15% of the global population, an estimated 1 billion people, live with some forms of disabilities. Given the growing life expectancies, medical advances and population growth, this number is increasing, making persons with disabilities (PwDs) the world’s largest minority and most disadvantaged group, who tends to experience discrimination and various barriers to inclusion. Universal access to information is an internationally recognised human rights for all, including for persons with disabilities, as highlighted in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development…

Buildings across Jersey to be lit purple to support accessibility drive

November 11, 2024 | Source: Jersey Evening Post- UK

Buildings across Jersey will be lit up purple today in a move designed to raise awareness about improving customer experience for disabled people and their families. Landmarks such as Fort Regent will join hospitality venues across the Island in marking Purple Tuesday for the first time. The event is being hosted by Visit Jersey and local disability wellbeing consultancy Connecting Communities. This year it is expected that 7,000 organisations across 13 jurisdictions will take part in what organisers describe as a record…

Access in the Channel Islands needs to improve – wheelchair user

November 12, 2024 | Source: BBC- UK

A wheelchair user in Jersey has said access for disabled people needs to improve as the Channel Islands joins an international movement raising awareness of disabled customers. Organisations are participating in Purple Tuesday, a day for retailers to focus on improving the experience of disabled people and their families. James Bedding, who is paralysed from the neck down, said accessibility in Jersey was “going in the right direction” but “there’s a lot of space for improvement”…

Ontario is supposed to be fully accessible by Jan. 1, but advocates say it’s ‘nowhere close’

November 12, 2024 | Source: CBC- Canada

In the new year, Ontario is supposed to be fully accessible for disabled people, but advocates say the province is “nowhere near” meeting standards it created 20 years ago. In 2005, the Ontario Legislature enacted the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA). It set a 20-year goal to meet standards in five areas that affect everyday life: information and communication, employment, transportation, customer service and the design of public spaces…

Group to discuss additional £200k boost for disabled facilities grants

November 12, 2024 | Source: Rushcliffe Borough Council- UK

A boost of an extra £200,000 of further support for Disabled Facilities Grants (DFG) for Rushcliffe residents is set to be discussed, with a view to approval by the Council’s Cabinet in early December. Rushcliffe Borough Council’s(RBC) Corporate Overview Group will discuss the possible extra support at its meeting on November 19 that could see more people with disabilities benefit from home adaptations which can promote independence and safety, including greater mobility to get around their home and carry out everyday tasks…

Disabled people are excluded from London planning systems

November 12, 2024 | Source: Transport for All- England

Transport for All’s latest research discovered that the calculations dictating locations for housing and shopping developments in London fail to include accessibility, leaving the city’s 1.2 million disabled residents out of the picture. We have worked with disabled people who live and work in the city to create three measures that can be added to the system to begin including our community in planning. We are calling for Transport for London to adopt the accessibility measures whilst it undertakes a comprehensive review of the system with disabled people…

Tokyo, Out to Make Art and Culture Accessible for All

November 13, 2024 | Source: JAPAN Forward

On November 5, Tokyo outlined its commitment to making art and cultural experiences more accessible to all. This initiative comes in preparation for two significant upcoming events in 2025: the World Athletics Championships and the Deaflympics. The press event was hosted by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government (TMG) and the Tokyo Metropolitan Foundation for History and Culture (TMFHC). Representatives highlighted their efforts to make the metropolis a diverse cultural hub accessible to all residents and visitors…

Inez Playford on making the Australian film industry more accessible for disabled creatives and audiences

November 14, 2024 | Source: Missing Perspectives- Australia

A recent Screen Australia report shows that Australian television’s disabled representation has increased from 3.6 to 6.6% on screen. Yet why aren’t there aren’t any statistics for how many disabled creatives work off screen in the Australian film industry? Did you know that around 20% of the Australian population identify as ‘disabled’ and or’ living with disability’? Despite this, a recent Screen Australia report shows that Australian television’s disabled representation has increased from 3.6 to 6.6% on screen…

New report calls for overhaul of London’s transport accessibility standards

November 14, 2024 | Source: Global Railway Review- UK

A report released by accessibility advocacy group Transport for All, Accessibility Review of the PTAL Index, calls for a major revision of how transport accessibility is assessed in London. The report critiques the current Public Transport Access Level (PTAL) index, used in planning, for overlooking essential accessibility factors and offers new criteria aimed at better meeting the needs of disabled residents. Produced by Frontier Economics and Revealing Reality with funding from the Motability Foundation, the report highlights how the PTAL index’s existing metrics – like walking distance to stations and frequency of service…

Research shows how transport bodies could add accessibility into vital planning tool

November 14, 2024 | Source: Disability News Service- England

Transport bodies planning station upgrades could take easy steps that would allow them to take greater account of accessibility when deciding where to invest, new research commissioned by disabled people has shown. The research, published yesterday (Wednesday) by the disabled-led campaigning organisation Transport for All (TfA), shows that a key measure used by Transport for London to measure public access to the capital’s transport network does not take account of accessibility…

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