Accessibility in the News — 3/1/2024.
The Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC) in New York City is seeking to abandon a 10-year-old settlement that mandated 50% of yellow cabs be wheelchair accessible by 2020, which they narrowly missed. Disability advocates, including Jean Ryan of Disabled in Motion, emphasize the importance of accessible taxis, offering more flexibility compared to the rigid scheduling of the MTA’s Access-a-Ride service. Many in the disability community lack smartphones or face vision challenges, making street-hailing essential. Currently, about 4,300 of over 9,000 yellow cabs are accessible, just below the requirement. Advocates have filed a motion to enforce the settlement, challenging the TLC’s stance that they’ve done enough, while the TLC claims over 9,000 accessible vehicles when including for-hire and livery cabs out of nearly 100,000 Ubers and Lyfts. The dispute underscores the ongoing struggle for accessible transportation for people with disabilities in the city.
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Accessibility in the News- Knowledge is Power
Crafted while listening to: Mac Sinise- Resurrection and Revival and The Barber of Little Rock
“The only place success comes before work is in a dictionary.” ― Winston Churchill
Accessibility in the News: Accessibility Statement Pages
Feature Stories
Court settlement on accessible taxis in jeopardy
February 23, 2024 | Source: NY1
Disability advocates say NYC failing to meet settlement agreement on accessible taxis
February 25, 2024 | Source: amNY
Jean Ryan of the advocacy group Disabled in Motion said yellow cabs offer freedom for those who use a wheelchair like herself, where Access-a-Ride must be booked days in advance. “You can’t change where you’re going to meet, you can’t change the times, they’re set in stone,” said Ryan of the MTA’s Access-a-Ride. “And it is so frustrating. I have left dinners with friends and thrown my money on the table.” That’s why she said accessible taxis are so important, especially because many in the disability community either don’t have smartphones, have poor vision or can’t use apps. Instead, they need to hail cabs on the street…
MTA unveils new elevators, renovated staircases at Tremont Avenue subway station
February 27, 2024 | Source: Bronx Times
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) announced that the Bronx’s Tremont Avenue subway station, running B and D trains, is now fully accessible in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) with the addition of three new elevators, two reconstructed staircases and new platform edges. The Tremont Avenue station has become the second fully accessible station this year, following the Beach 67th St. station in Queens, according to the MTA…
National News (U.S.)
Silent brain changes precede Alzheimer’s. Researchers have new clues about which come first
February 22, 2024 | Source: Fortune
Alzheimer’s quietly ravages the brain long before symptoms appear and now scientists have new clues about the dominolike sequence of those changes — a potential window to one day intervene. A large study in China tracked middle-aged and older adults for 20 years, using regular brain scans, spinal taps and other tests. Compared to those who remained cognitively healthy, people who eventually developed the mind-robbing disease had higher levels of an Alzheimer’s-linked protein in their spinal fluid 18 years prior to diagnosis, researchers reported Wednesday…
Accessibility is at the forefront in Inclusive Arts Vermont’s new ‘CYCLES’ exhibition
February 23, 2024 | Source: Vermont Public Radio
Right now, the fourth floor of the University of Vermont’s Davis Center hosts an art exhibition titled CYCLES. It’s the fifth show put on by Inclusive Arts Vermont, displaying the work of 25 artists with disabilities. Among them is Winooski artist Persephone Ringgenberg. She has a piece titled Hair Suspension, which includes four photos of a woman hanging from a carabiner attached to her hair at the Champlain Valley Fair. Ringgenberg said she was drawn to the woman’s movement, and as a person living with epilepsy, she said making art is how she catches memories…
Woman with disability gets results after firing off email to Airport Authority about seating
February 23, 2024 | Source: WXYZ
On Instagram, it’s clear Alexandra Ayaub not only loves fashion but also being an advocate for people with disabilities. And she recently shared the joy of having made a difference at Detroit Metro Airport. “They answered the email right away,” Alexandra shared with her followers in a video she posted to Instagram, commending the Airport Authority for taking swift action by installing new seating in the tram areas. Alexandra, who was born with a disability, called it a “great lesson on how to do accessibility.”…
Next stop: Destination Accessibility
February 23, 2024 | Source: Albuquerque Journal
Seat belts were fastened, overhead baggage was secured and table trays were placed in their upright positions. Everything was set for Destination Accessibility’s liftoff on Thursday morning at Give ABQ in Albuquerque. A new nonprofit, Destination Accessibility’s mission is to address an emerging issue in tourism: accessibility for seniors and those with disabilities. More than 6 million people visit Albuquerque each year, according to Visit Albuquerque’s website, visitalbuquerque.org…
Maryland School for the Blind Accessibility Resources
February 24, 2024 | Source: Fox Baltimore
February marks low vision awareness month and millions of Americans live with some form of low vision. That’s why Dr. Joshua Irzyk and Director of Statewide Services and Outreach from the Maryland school for the Blind, Diane Colburn joined the fox 45 morning show. they discussed the common barriers people with low vision encounter in everyday life, and some of the latest tools that can eliminate those barriers and make our communities more accessible…
For city’s new ADA coordinator, passion for accessibility hits home
February 24, 2024 | Source: The Santa Fe New Mexican
As a boy, Daniel Lopez collected eyeglasses for the Lions Club. It was the just the beginning of what’s become a lifelong effort to make the world more accessible for people with disabilities. Lopez joined the city of Santa Fe as its new Americans with Disabilities Act coordinator in October after decades working on accessibility issues in both the public and private sectors. The El Paso native has ambitious plans for Santa Fe, which he believes can become a more accessible city for both residents and visitors…
Star Trek and Marvel star Kenneth Mitchell is dead at 49 after heroic five-year battle with ALS
February 25, 2024 | Source: Daily Mail and HuffPost and Variety
Star Trek actor Kenneth Mitchell has died at 49 years old after a five-year battle with ALS, his family has confirmed. Mitchell played the Klingons Kol, Kol-Sha, and Tenavik, as well as Aurellio, on Star Trek: Discovery and voiced several characters in an episode of Star Trek: Lower Decks. Born on November 25, 1974, in Toronto, Mitchell starred in several films and television shows including Captain Marvel, Miracle, Jericho, The Astronaut Wives Club, Ghost Whisperer and Switched at Birth…
Troy Kotsur says accessibility in Hollywood has improved after Coda success
February 25, 2024 | Source: The Standard
Oscar-winning deaf actor Troy Kotsur said he has seen improvements in accessibility in Hollywood following the success of 2021 film Coda. The 55-year-old, who presented an award at the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Awards broadcast live on Netflix, praised the streaming giant for making the show accessible for all. “They have accessibility this year regarding closed captioning and audio description on Netflix so I am thrilled, we’re really looking forward to it,” he said, ahead of the ceremony…
Broken wheelchairs plague disabled air travelers
February 25, 2024 | Source: Colorado Springs Gazette
When Julie Reiskin took off from the Denver International Airport to Kansas City for a business meeting in October 2022, she did not know she was headed to disaster. She said she was greeted by a snapped wheelchair joystick at the end of her Southwest flight. “I was stuck, the chair was broken,” she said. “Again, totally preventable damage, careless damage.” Instead of going to the hotel after a day of painful travel with a push of her fingers, Reiskin said she could not even use the bathroom on her own without her chair…
How Amazon MGM Studios is writing the playbook for representation – on-screen and off
February 25, 2024 | Source: BBC
Latasha Gillespie, head of global diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility at Amazon MGM Studios, enters the BBC’s Executive Lounge to talk about leading the charge on inclusivity in entertainment. Latasha knows inclusivity isn’t one-sided. At Amazon MGM, the film and television production and distribution studio, she’s a staunch believer that representation needs to be both in front of the camera and behind it. In a first in the entertainment industry, the company launched its inclusion policy guide and playbook under Gillespie’s leadership as head of global diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility…
‘Lacrosse My Heart’: High schoolers band together to make sports accessible for people with disabilities
February 25, 2024 | Source: Fox
Long Island high schoolers’ big hearts are helping athletes with disabilities play the sport by taking up funds to support inclusive initiatives. “Lacrosse My Heart,” a nonprofit spearheaded by six student lacrosse players from Roslyn High School in New York, most recently raised enough funds to support a wheelchair lacrosse team, the Long Island Hammerheads. “My friends, my co-founders and I have been playing together since we were five years old and lacrosse has done so much for us, so we wanted to give back to the community by connecting through organizations like the Hammerheads” said Zach Mashaal, co-founder of the organization…
Congestion Pricing Must Move Forward to Pay For Accessible Transit Upgrades
February 26, 2024 | Source: BKReader
Approximately three quarters of all subway stations in New York City are currently not up to the standard of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Advocates for congestion pricing are urging the government to implement the plan so the funds raised can help make systemic changes. Advocates, alongside State Senator Andrew Gounardes and Assemblymember Jo Anne Simon, rallied at the Smith-9th St subway station on Friday in support of congestion pricing, which will provide funding for critically needed ADA accessibility upgrades at stations across the city…
North Branford woman with rare genetic disorder advocates for accessible parking laws
February 26, 2024 | Source: Fox 61
A North Branford woman is sparking change on the state level by using her rare disease to inform people, including lawmakers, about accessible parking laws. Alex Bode has a genetic disorder called Friedreich’s ataxia (FA), which impacts the nerves and gradually deteriorates various functions of the body. She isn’t letting her disease stop her; Alex started a nonprofit called “Peace, Love, and Accessibility” to educate and lobby for more accessible parking options in Connecticut…
Actor introduces audiences to the deaf world through performances using American Sign Language
February 26, 2024 | Source: Click Orlando
Lately, we’ve seen theater become more and more accessible for the deaf and hard-of-hearing community. Television shows are hiring more actors who are deaf and even have their own episodes from their perspective, theaters are offering special performances, and plays are including American Sign Language shadow interpreters. For Keith Banks, it’s something he has added to his own performances at Orlando Fringe’s annual winter festival through his show, “Becoming Grandma Kat.”…
How drinking coffee may lower your risk for diabetes
February 27, 2024 | Source: The Washington Post
Decades ago, many scientists believed that drinking coffee was bad for your health. But coffee has experienced a remarkable turnaround. Study after study has found that enjoying a daily cup or two of Joe — either caffeinated or decaffeinated — may lengthen your life span and lower risk for chronic disease. One of the most striking findings is that coffee drinkers are less prone to developing Type 2 diabetes. Many large studies have found that people who drink three to four cups of coffee daily have about a 25 percent lower risk of the disease compared with people who drink little or no coffee…
Television Academy Releases Impact Report On Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility Initiatives
February 28, 2024 | Source: HOOTonline and Report (PDF)
The Television Academy, in partnership with ReadySet–a leading culture change consulting firm–released its 2024 Impact Progress Report. Highlights of the report, an analysis of survey data measuring membership perceptions of the Academy’s DEIA (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility) progress along with comparisons of member demographics year over year, include: The demographic diversity of the Academy’s membership has increased, with new members over the past two years holding more diverse identities than in the past…
Portland Settles Lawsuit, Commits to Improved Sidewalk Accessibility
February 28, 2024 | Source: Hoodline
The City of Portland has been slapped with a lawsuit by a group of citizens with disabilities, leading to a settlement agreement aimed at clearing the pathways for those with mobility difficulties. The legal tussle, which started back in September 2022, when nine individuals challenged the city’s maintenance of its sidewalks, has ended with the city vowing to clean up its act—literally. According to the settlement documents, the plaintiffs, which included individuals with mobility and vision disabilities, accused Portland of not keeping sidewalks clear of debris and tent encampments…
Jack Fact — According to The Return on Disability Group, with an estimated population of 1.85 billion, people with disabilities (PWD) are an emerging market larger than China. Their Friends and Family add another 3.3 billion potential consumers who act on their emotional connection to PWD. Together, the disability market controls over $13 trillion in disposable income.
Hit The Road Jack — Revealed: Europe’s most accessible capital cities and Accessible Beach Opens in Costa Rica’s Caribbean Coast and Accessible Tourism
International News
Halifax looks to improve accessibility rules around construction sites to avoid pedestrian injuries
February 22, 2024 | Source: CBC- Canada
Halifax is moving ahead with improvements to its accessibility guidelines to protect people who have difficulty navigating obstructed sidewalks near construction sites. On Thursday, the city’s transportation standing committee sent a list of changes to regional council for a final vote. They include making sure temporary ramps have a gentle slope, and pedestrian routes have a continuous channel around construction work that are wide enough for wheelchairs, walkers and mobility scooters…
Accessibility still lacking in town
February 23, 2024 | Source: Local Journalism Initiative- Canada
Kahnawake’s accessibility group Connecting Horizons has seen a lot of progress over the years when it comes to making buildings more accessible in town – but there’s still a lot left to be desired, said Iris Phillips, the group’s coordinator. They’ve been reaching out to the managers of public buildings like the post office and sports arena for years now. Since then they’ve had a lot of success seeing their recommendations come to fruition, but they’ve also encountered many roadblocks too, Phillips said, often going ignored…
How Visually Impaired Engineers Are Guiding China’s Accessibility Efforts
February 24, 2024 | Source: Sixth Tone- China
For Ma Yinqing, using a smartphone can sometimes feel like being stranded in the ocean. As a user with impaired vision, she relies on her phone’s built-in screen reader to access everyday apps, but often all it emits are random words like “button” or “underscore,” or it simply beeps at her. According to the China Disabled Persons’ Federation, the country is home to more than 17 million blind or partially sighted people. However, despite rapid advancements in phone accessibility functions, not all software developers take disabled users into consideration when designing new apps…
Croatia Leads EU in Accessibility for Persons with Disabilities
February 24, 2024 | Source: The Dubrovnik Times- Croatia
In a significant stride toward inclusivity and accessibility, Croatia has emerged as a pioneer in the European Union regarding public documents for persons with disabilities. This achievement follows the successful realization of the project “Improvement of the System for the Use of Rights of Persons with Disabilities in the Field of Mobility (MOSI),” facilitated by the Ministry of the Sea, Transport, and Infrastructure. At the final conference, the project’s outcomes were showcased, marking a ground-breaking moment for Croatia’s commitment to enhancing the lives of persons with disabilities…
Revolutionizing Braille: A Leap Forward in Accessibility for the Visually Impaired
February 24, 2024 | Source: BNN- China
Imagine a world where the touch of your fingertips can unlock the mysteries of the universe, where intricate graphics and complex concepts come alive under your hands. This is the future Professor Song Yanlin and his team at the Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, are crafting for visually impaired individuals around the globe. Through a groundbreaking Braille printing technology, they are transforming educational opportunities and daily experiences for those who navigate the world through touch…
Transport services are ‘failing’ Australians with disability. It shouldn’t and doesn’t have to – be that way
February 24, 2024 | Source: ABC- Australia
Unless you have a disability, you probably won’t know how much of a nightmare transport can be. You won’t know what it’s like to try and book a taxi or Uber, only to be refused because you have a guide dog. You won’t know what it’s like to have an expensive, custom-built wheelchair broken during air travel, or spend hours planning a trip only to arrive at the station and find the accessible train has been replaced by a bus with steps. After receiving and sifting through hundreds of transport horror stories from people with disability, two things became clear…
Smart tourism destination through accessible built environment
February 25, 2024 | Source: Macau Business- Macau
Smart tourism has become a buzzword nowadays. Many people have associated smart tourism destinations with those that adopt advanced technologies (e.g. big data, Geographical Information System (GIS), and artificial intelligence (AI)) to collect data on visitors’ behaviors and predict future patterns, to assist in service delivery (e.g. robots), and to facilitate visitors in retrieving information more easily (e.g. Apps). However, the roles played by accessibility in smart tourism destinations are often neglected…
Laura Wharton: The accessibility advocator fighting for an equal Jerusalem
February 25, 2024 | Source: The Jerusalem Post- Israel
Laura Wharton is no stranger to advocating for equality, accessibility, and fairness in the capital. A longtime city council member, Wharton’s journey started from her birthplace of New Jersey to Harvard University, followed by her move to Israel about 40 years ago. She has served as a lone soldier and lived on a kibbutz before relocating to Jerusalem. Ahead of the municipal elections, In Jerusalem sat down with Wharton and discussed her positions and goals she hopes to advance as part of Yossi Havilio’s Jerusalem Union…
Talking fast linked to better brain health in old age
February 26, 2024 | Source: Study Finds- Canada
It turns out that talking slowly and clearly may not be so great after all. Researchers from the Baycrest Centre for Geriatric Care and the University of Toronto have found that talking speed can serve as an important indicator of brain health – even more so than having a difficulty finding certain words in old age. Study authors add this is one of the first studies to assess both the differences in natural speech and brain health among a group of healthy adults…
Ableton on Live 12’s accessibility revolution: “When you say ‘accessibility is not on your roadmap’, you’re cutting out a lot of musicians from being able to use the tools that you make”
February 26, 2024 | Source: Music Radar- Germany
As the imminent release of Ableton Live 12 makes the inevitable waves, we all begin to focus on our new favourite features, things that we just know will become part of our daily workflow. Then, there are the additions which have less widespread appeal, but are equally – if not vitally – important for some. One example in Live 12 is in the arrival of accessibility for visually impaired musicians. Live 12 is the first iteration of the popular DAW to include screen reader support on macOS and Windows. On macOS and iOS, there’s the built-in VoiceOver application, while on Windows there’s Narrator, and third-party solutions including Jaws…
Everyone should be able to watch TV — including those with disabilities
February 27, 2024 | Source: | Source: The Indian Express- India
Akshat Baldwa, a young law student at the National Law School of India University (NLSIU), happens to be blind. He is “passionate about pushing for constructive change to help the disabled lead more dignified lives”. Baldwa and others — three of them blind and one deaf — have mounted a legal challenge in the Delhi High Court to ensure that all films in theatres, on TV, and OTT provide accessibility features like Audio Description (AD) for the visually impaired and Same Language Captions (SLC) for the hearing impaired…
White Rock approves pier accessibility report
February 27, 2024 | Source: Peace Arch News- Canada
Accessibility advocate Susan Bains says she has been disappointed by the response of some White Rock council members to a campaign to make the pier more accessible. The Equal Access Collective’s campaign to have an accessibility mat installed on the pier – to make it safer for those with mobility challenges – came up again at council’s meeting. Council ultimately approved a motion from Coun. Ernie Klassen directing city staff to provide a comprehensive report on feasibility, costs and maintenance requirements for such a mat, including funding options, to be submitted to the city’s Accessibility Committee – of which he is a member – for comments…
69 of the 70 websites of Vinnytsia local authorities have accessibility issues – monitoring
February 27, 2024 | Source: Institute of Mass Information- Ukraine and ReliefWeb and United Nations Development Programme
69 out of the 70 official websites of Vinnytsia communities have accessibility issues, meaning that the information on these resources may be partially or completely inaccessible to people with disabilities and the elderly, according to the report the Vinnytsia Oblast Military Administration (OMA) issued after monitoring the official websites of the OMA, the district military administrations and the oblast’s territorial communities. The monitoring was carried out in the second to fourth quarters of 2023…
‘Enhanced accessibility’ as online application launched for pensioners, persons living with disabilities
February 27, 2024 | Source: News Room- Guyana
In a bid to ensure the vulnerable groups can access their benefits with ease, the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security on Tuesday launched an online application portal for pensioners and persons living with disabilities.
Through the portal, these individuals can fill out their application forms for their benefits at the comfort of their homes within three minutes. Once on the site, there are options to apply for old age pension or permanent disability benefits…
Comment: Floating bus stops go against accessible design
February 27, 2024 | Source: Times Colonist- Canada
“Floating or island” bus stops located between bike lanes and the road, away from the curb, pose ongoing danger to all pedestrians but particularly blind transit users. We, more than anyone else rely on this essential service. Presently, a provincial review of our public infrastructure is taking place with a report pending in March. Provincial politicians, however, have an incompetence unworthy of their designated social standing that reveals a callus disregard for proven endangerment…
Calls for better beach accessibility for people with disabilities
February 28, 2024 | Source: The Senior- Australia
Walking along the beach and getting sand between your toes is a common pastime in Australia, particularly as 87 per cent of the population live within 50 kilometres of the coastline. But for the one in five people living with a disability in Australia, accessing the beach is tough; people who use wheelchairs or have mobility challenges can’t cross the sand to the water. As such, Accessible Beaches Australia has launched a petition and campaign urging the government to fund accessibility infrastructure, including beach wheelchairs, beach matting, and other accessible features, to help people with disabilities and mobility challenges access our coastline.
‘Accessibility’ is for everyone
February 29, 2024 | Source: Newsroom- New Zealand
Much of the world we have built to live in – from the things we use, to signage, to magazine and website pages, to homes, towns and cities – has been designed by fit and healthy people. And much of it doesn’t work for many of us. March 1 is International Wheelchair Day and having an international awareness day for wheelchair users is a worthy idea – but I bet it won’t filter through to those busy people who park in a space designated with a wheelchair “just for a minute” or because “no one ever uses it”…
‘Unfair practices and outdated attitudes’ – how can HR make recruitment accessible to people with autism?
February 29, 2024 | Source: People Management- UK
Poor preparation by employers, unfair hiring practices, unclear processes and outdated attitudes are keeping people with autism out of work, according to a government report. The report said those with autism have “far more negative experiences of interviews, group tasks and psychometric tests” compared to ‘neurotypical’ jobseekers. The Buckland Review of Autism Employment, led by Conservative MP Sir Robert Buckland, centres on supporting employers to recruit and retain people with autism…
Accessibility Blogs, Information, and Videos
- Howe Innovation Center
- JAN Newsletter
- February 2024
- Why Accessible UX Matters- Ipsos
- Screen Reader User Survey #10 Results- WebAIM
- The latest trends in user accessibility- Charity Digital
- What I’ve learned in conversation- Áine Kelly-Costello
- Leadership Spotlight: Dr. Heidi M. Lambert- Ori Learning
- Black History Month: Lifelong Perspectives- Tonya Brown
- Kara Technologies: Signing up for accessibility- Uniservices
- Accessible Museum of Science and Industry- Fun4TheDisabled
- The Deaf Experience in Telehealth Accessibility- Meryl Evans
- My WebAIM 10th SR User Survey Takeaways- Adrian Roselli
- Five Assistive Technologies You Should Be Aware Of- Nomensa
- Website Development Best Practices and Trends for 2024- Techopedia
- Accessible Engagement- Ontario Ministry for Seniors and Accessibility
- CAPTCHA Is Still Most Problematic Issue on the Web- Bogdan Cerovac
- Speaking with a Pilot from Avatar Robot Cafe DAWN- Accessible Japan
- Certification Dates – International Association of Accessibility Professionals
- Krishna Tyner on Inclusive Design Principles for Digital Accessibility- OCNJ Daily
- Empathy In Design: Making Our Surroundings More Accessible To Everyone – NDTV (Video)
- BMC audit of city footpaths aimed at accessibility for differently abled – Times of India
- Difference between the accessibility page and the accessibility statement- Tom Babinszki
- Recommendations for Presenters from AMS BRAID Accessibility Committee- American Meteorological Society
- The curb-cut effect and how building for accessibility creates value for banks and its employees ft. Bank of America- Tearsheet
- Update to State of Minnesota Digital Accessibility Standard Launches July 1- Chief Information Accessibility Officer Jay Wyant answers questions about the updated Standard and its impact
- Digital transformation in Banking, Finance, and Telecom: The Impact of Web Accessibility and Secure Web Chatbots by Mr. Naga Simhadri Apparao Polireddi, AI/ML Software Architect- TechBullion
Federally Speaking
- Media Bureau Grants Requests for Audio Description Exemption
- Making AI Hiring Tools More Inclusive: National Online Dialogue- Ideascale
- FCC Reminder About Accessibility Recordkeeping and Contact Information Requirements
- Secretary Buttigieg Announces Proposed Rule to Ensure Passengers Who Use Wheelchairs Can Fly with Dignity- U.S. Department Of Transportation and Video
- U.S. Department of Transportation Issues Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to Expand Protections for Airline Passengers Who Use Wheelchairs- Governor’s Committee on People with Disabilities
- People with Disabilities in Good Jobs: Employment Success Stories- ODEP-funded National Center on Leadership for the Employment and Economic Advancement of People with Disabilities- LEAD Center
Higher Education Blogs and Information
- Smart glove teaches new physical skills- MIT CSAIL
- Why the College needs an accessibility map- The Williams Record
- Accessibility issues facing the East Annex move- The Maine Campus
- March 2024 Accessibility Training- University of Nevada, Las Vegas
- @ease Supporters: Roundtable Discussion on Accessibility- Keio University
- Column: Kenyon must pave the way for greater accessibility- The Kenyon Collegian
- This week in ASCSU: Accessibility report, off-campus housing – The Rocky Mountain Collegian
- What Students With Physical Disabilities Should Look for in a College- U.S. News and World Report
- Student Government holds disability advocacy, accessibility panel for student organizations- The Daily Texan
- Campus Accessibility Initiatives Foster Safety and Success for University Community- Pepperdine University
- The Goals of Universal Design- University at Buffalo’s Center for Inclusive Design and Environmental Access
- History student Hannah Thieryung uses 3D scans to improve museum accessibility- University of South Florida
- Introducing GW’s New Director of Disability Support Services- GW Today – The George Washington University
- The Social Justice Collaborative to host a two-part disability accessibility workshop series- The Berkeley Beacon
- New AEDs, accessibility button repairs part of campus safety update- University Times – University of Pittsburgh
- Revolutionizing Accessibility: KSU Professor Spearheads MABLE Project for Disabled Navigation- BNN Breaking
- Diversity and Inclusion Vice President Mary Grace A. Almandrez to Host Campuswide Forum March 4- Syracuse University News
- ’Gate Take: Institutions Like Colgate Should Normalize a Culture of Accessibility on College Campuses- The Colgate Maroon-News
- “Reaching beyond the bare minimum of accessibility and equity”: Students and Access advocate for an inclusive campus- The Alestle
- Instructional Technology Accessibility Officer Kate Bohan earns award from SUNY Council of Chief Information Officers- New Paltz Sites – SUNY New Paltz
Legal Blogs and Information
- The Digital Accessibility Legal Landscape- Lainey Feingold (You Tube)
- How to Make Your Job Application Process More Accessible- Built In
- Ninth Circuit Green Lights Kiosk Accessibility Class Action- Seyfarth Shaw
- Making It Easier for Seniors to Register and Vote- American Bar Association
- Does your website invite litigation? Here’s how to avoid risks- Rochester Business Journal
- HHS, DOJ Seek to Enhance Healthcare for People with Disabilities- The National Law Review
- Navigating the Legal Landscape: The Crucial Fight for Website Accessibility in California- BNN
- IP theft in the accessibility world: Deque Systems files a lawsuit against BrowserStack- Tearsheet
- Understanding the Public Service Vehicles (Accessible Information) Regulations 2023- Shoosmiths
- How Integrating Data Elevates Your Website Forms in the Legal Industry- American Bar Association
- Landmark Decision: Federal Judge Rules Online Platforms Outside ADA’s Reach in Pennsylvania- BNN
- ADA Defense Lawyer: JMBM wins second ADA lawsuit for Zarco Hotels, bringing total defense awards to $113K- Jim Butler and the Global Hospitality Group®
Accessibility Announcements
- Delta receives accessibility grant
- Making beginner birding more accessible
- Georgia State Parks Promote Accessibility
- Council leaves door open to ADA discussion
- Committee drafts Kent’s first accessibility plan
- Supporting accessibility through Unite for Access
- State park accessibility for persons with disabilities
- Metro-North’s Purdy’s Station Now Fully Accessible
- Building reviews could open doors to accessibility funding
- National award for Donegal’s beach accessibility initiatives
- NJ students develop app to track accessibility of businesses (YouTube)
- Chatsworth opens new accessible Changing Places facilities
- Lac Seul First Nation to host Emergency Accessibility Vehicle
- Council Approves 2023 Joint Annual Accessibility Status Report
- Accessibility guides for Lichfield District to be launched in March
- City of Prince George wants residents to report accessibility issues
- PCMC to take accessibility assessment for 65 government buildings
- New accessible voting machines to debut in March village elections
- Arkose Labs Earns WCAG 2.2 Compliance for Digital Accessibility
- New accessibility improvements to the Forest of Dean’s Daffodil Way
- SMILE Mass Continues to Create a World of Inclusion and Accessibility
- Kathleen Harvey Recognized as Accessibility Champion by TravelAbility
- Destination Accessibility: New program provides wheelchairs, scooters to visitors
- Level Playing Field: Celebrating The Relaunch Of The Disabled Supporters Association
- Commission on Disability focuses on website accessibility, goals gleaned from public forum
- Academy Museum Promotes Accessibility, Inclusion at 2nd Annual Community Celebration
- Niramaya Health Insurance Scheme: Empowering Accessibility for Persons with Disabilities
- Commission Works to Make Bedford a Welcoming, Safe, Accessible, Inclusive Town for Disabled
- Investing in your City: More Buses, Drivers and Updated Burlington Transit Multi-Year Accessibility Plan
- Ensuring Safety and Accessibility: The Critical Role of Rooftop Walkway Systems in Commercial Buildings
- Sarasota-based Mobility and Accessibility Device Company Merges and Moves Missouri Facilities to Raymore, MO
Accessibility Products
- Be My Eyes
- Microsoft Improves Windows 11 Voice Accessibility
- Google brings AI to Google Messages, Android Auto, Wear OS and more
- Google Maps’ best accessibility feature just got an upgrade at MWC 2024
- ChromeOS has a hidden automatic click accessibility feature that’s super convenient
- TOMRA begins market testing for reverse vending machine designed for accessibility
- Windows 11 Gets its First Big Update of the Year With Copilot and Accessibility Improvements
- Pilot program reviews New Haven businesses for accessibility: ‘Yelp for the disability community’
Accessibility Forums, Tips, and Gaming
- Use Reading mode
- Lists Formatted Properly
- Reasonable Wcag Additions
- Accessibility Is More Than Just ‘Easy Mode’
- EA adds more patents to its accessibility pledge
- A couple of screenreader / accessibility issues I noticed
- Which accessibility features are available on my Fitbit device?
- Media Molecule unveils accessibility-focused studio program for future games
- Accessibility and fancy footwork with GLYDR’s John Warren – Game Developer Podcast ep. 40
Accessibility Statements
- TEGNA
- Europass
- Synchrony
- SEIU Healthcare
- Interpublic Group
- Teknologiakampus Turku
- Royal Museums Greenwich
- Another Broken Egg of America
- New York State Board of Elections
- Wisconsin Department of Transportation
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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