Accessibility in the News — 9/30/2022.

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“When you fail, you learn a lot about yourself and come back stronger. Life needs not have limits. Having an opportunity in life is important but what defines you is what you do with that opportunity.” ― Richard Whitehead

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Feature Stories

How Expanding Voting Accessibility Helps All Voters

September 22, 2022 | Source: The Takeaway (Podcast)

Court Victories Deliver Cautious Hope for Voters With Disabilities

September 24, 2022 | Source: The Pew Charitable Trusts

Making Voting Accessible to Everyone

September 27, 2022 | Source: KUAF (Podcast)

Federal Judge’s Ruling Improves Absentee Ballot Access for Voters with Disabilities in the General Election

September 27, 2022 | Source: Disability Rights Advocates and WTHI-TV and Court Order

Accessibility Matters: A voting victory

September 29, 2022 | Source: Lewiston Tribune

According to the CDC, about 1 in 4 adults in the U.S. live with some type of disability: nearly 61 million people. When it comes time to cast their ballots, voters with disabilities can face a number of challenges at the polls. For in-person voters in the 2016 election, the Government Accountability Office found that less than half of polling places were accessible from parking to the voting booth. Accessibility increased in 2020, and people with disabilities made large gains in the historic voter turnout surge of 2020…

National News (U.S.)

“A slap in the face”: Waltham pushes for accessible mailboxes

September 23, 2022 | Source: CBS News

At 79 years old, Carol Watts has lived in Waltham for roughly half of her life. The retired teacher lives alone with her dog, Eva, but keeps busy otherwise. Watts said she ran into mobility issues over the past few years. “I can walk but now I am having a hard time walking without a cane and if I am going any distance, without a walker,” said Watts. For the past five years, Watts said she has been in a constant battle over USPS drop-boxes in Waltham. Specifically, the lack of accessible ones for those with mobility challenges…

How disability is informing better products—and better organizations

September 23, 2022 | Source: Fast Company

It wasn’t so long ago that businesses were operating in what Jenny Lay-Flurrie calls the “dark ages.” As Microsoft’s chief accessibility officer, and someone who describes herself as “profoundly deaf,” Lay-Flurrie said that the concerns and needs of people with disabilities were almost completely ignored by the business world. “You would find accessibility being done by volunteers. It was volunteerism. It wasn’t part of a formalized job description. It wasn’t an industry or a discipline,” said Lay-Flurrie…

Elon among dozens of universities sued over website accessibility

September 23, 2022 | Source: Elon News Network

A New York resident has included Elon University in a series of lawsuits alleging the university’s website design violates the Americans with Disabilities Act. Emanuel Delacruz filed the lawsuit Aug. 2 in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. He has also filed similar lawsuits against dozens of other companies and universities going as far back as 2017. He is seeking class-action status for the lawsuit. In the lawsuit, Delacruz claims that both the Elon University website and the Elon Athletics website are not equally accessible for blind and visually impaired consumers…

‘Abbott Elementary’ Opens Second Season with Emphasis on Accessibility

September 23, 2022 | Source: Newsweek

Hit ABC sitcom Abbott Elementary returned to the airwaves on September 21, bringing with it an emphasis on accessibility and representation in elementary schools. Following a successful first season that hooked viewers with an endearing, yet harshly realistic, look into the teachers and students that make up the Philadelphia Public School System, the sitcom’s second season premiere picked up where its predecessor left off. As faculty, staff members and fan-favorite Principal Ava Coleman, played by Janelle James, prepare for yet another year at the fictional Willard R. Abbott Public School, two teachers facing unique challenges are spotlighted…

Grassroots movement seeks to make hiking trails more accessible to all

September 23, 2022 | Source: PBS NewsHour (Video)

Outdoor enthusiasts know well the physical and restorative benefits of spending a beautiful day in the woods on a trail. But, for many people, there are a lot of barriers even to taking a simple hike because of a disability or difficulty with balance. In Yarmouth, Maine, just a little north of Portland, volunteers are nearly finished building the 11-mile multiuse West Side Trail. The final mile, this section, will be accessible to those with disabilities…

Netflix’s head of accessibility grew up with deaf parents, and it made her more aware that TV subtitles can be terrible

September 24, 2022 | Source: Insider

It was only when she watched TV at a friend’s house as a child that Heather Dowdy realized people didn’t always use subtitles. Dowdy, who was hired as Netflix’s first director of product accessibility last year, used to watch shows like “Family Matters” at home when she grew up in Chicago in the 1990s. The subtitles would always be on, because her parents are deaf. “That’s what my parents automatically had,” she told Insider. This experience shapes her job at Netflix, where she is tasked with making the platform more accessible to people with disabilities…

Accessible float trip still going strong after 28 years

September 25, 2022 | Source: Springfield News-Leader

Squirt guns are a necessity for a group of Springfieldians on their annual float trip. Of course, there were bottles of water, saran-wrapped sandwiches, potato chips, personal flotation devices and more, but the water guns were the main event. Before even launching from the embankment at Bennett Springs, everyone was bubbly with the excitement for a water war about to commence on the Niangua River on Sept. 18. The float group has grown from five people to encompass even more paddlers with intellectual disabilities in a continuing effort to make the outdoors accessible for everyone since it started 28 years ago.

My Parents Are Hackers Out of Necessity

September 25, 2022 | Source: The New York Times

About 15 years ago, I accompanied my mother during her first visit to the nonemergency wing of the Los Alamitos Medical Center in California. I was 14 at the time, obsessed with skateboarding. Mom, who has cerebral palsy, used a walker back then and decided to give the accessible entrance a try. It was a gently ascending switchback ramp, roughly 80 feet long. The ramp was ideal for wheelchair users, but its length and 180-degree turn made it difficult for my mother. She was winded by the time she got to the door and had to sit on a nearby bench to rest before continuing. Even on her best days, switchbacks exhausted her…

I’m Lovin It: McDonald’s Remasters Jingle In Sign Language For Hearing-Impaired

September 26, 2022 | Source: Creative Market

Though McDonald’s I’m Lovin It is one of the most recognizable commercial jingles worldwide, some people have never heard the famed tune. And instead of leaving them out, the fast food chain has decided to release a brand-new iteration of the track that they, too, can enjoy. To commemorate the International Week of the Deaf, McDonald’s has teamed up with Finnish rapper Signmark to create a music video for its jingle that it hopes will be just as catchy for customers with hearing impairments…

Mom shares video of daughter enjoying wheelchair-accessible pool

September 26, 2022 | Source: ABC News

An Illinois mother is raising awareness of inclusive design by sharing a video of her daughter enjoying a wheelchair-accessible swimming pool. Katrina Placzek posted a vlog on YouTube earlier this month of her daughter Dallas using a special pool-friendly wheelchair at Tiff’s Place, a wheelchair-accessible vacation home in Chuluota, Florida, about 22 miles east of Orlando. In a related Instagram video post, she asked, “Have you ever seen an aquatic wheelchair at an accessible pool?”…

John Cena sets a new Guinness World record by granting 650 Make-A-Wish wishes

September 27, 2022 | Source: NPR

John Cena has just set a new record — and it didn’t happen in the wrestling ring. The Guinness Book of World Records recognized the actor and WWE superstar for the most wishes granted through the Make-A-Wish foundation, coming in at 650. Cena has become one of the most popular wrestlers in the history of the WWE since his 2002 debut. He granted his first wish in 2002 and, in 2012, he granted the foundation’s 1,000th wish. The Make-A-Wish Foundation helps fulfill the wishes of children who have been diagnosed with a life-threatening illness…

Justice Department Files Disability Discrimination Lawsuit Against St. Louis, Missouri, Apartment Complex

September 27, 2022 | Source: Department of Justice

The Justice Department announced the filing of a lawsuit against Missouri-based LJLD LLC and Westminster Properties LLC, the owners, developers and builders of a multifamily housing complex in St. Louis, Missouri. The lawsuit alleges that these defendants failed to design and construct housing units and related facilities at the Bridgewater Residences Apartments to make them accessible to persons with disabilities in compliance with the Fair Housing Act (FHA) and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)…

Justice Department resolves disability discrimination lawsuit against Maryland developer involving multifamily housing complexes

September 27, 2022 | Source: DOJ and CBS

The Justice Department announced today that Maryland-based developer Stavrou Associates Inc. and related entities have agreed to pay $185,000 to settle claims that they violated the Fair Housing Act (FHA) and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) by failing to build 11 multifamily housing complexes in Maryland with required accessible features for people with disabilities. As part of the settlement, the defendants also agreed to make extensive retrofits to remove accessibility barriers at the complexes…

Senators Demand Answers On Web Accessibility

September 27, 2022 | Source: Disability Scoop

How to Handle ADA Website Accessibility Claims

September 26, 2022 | Source: Davis+Gilbert

Zola class action claims website inaccessible to visually impaired, blind consumers

September 28, 2022 | Source: Top Class Actions

A bipartisan group of senators is calling out the federal government for failing to do enough to make information and services accessible to people with disabilities. Under Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act, the government is supposed to ensure that its electronic and information technology — including websites — are accessible. But compliance efforts are severely lagging, according to U.S. Sens. Bob Casey, D-Pa., Tim Scott, R-S.C., Dick Durbin, D-Ill., Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, Patty Murray, D-Wash., Richard Burr, R-N.C., and Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill…

None of These Major Midterm Campaign Websites Are Fully Accessible to Disabled Voters

September 27, 2022 | Source: Time and Forbes

At the height of the coronavirus pandemic, many states and politicians focused on how to help voters with disabilities safely cast ballots. But two years later, focus on supporting disabled voters is fading, and a new review found that none of the campaign websites for major midterm candidates are fully accessible to blind voters. “It’s truly shocking,” says Virginia Jacko, president and CEO of Miami Lighthouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired, which conducted the study. “It just is a great concern when access to communication is denied to a certain population.”…

2022’s Best and Worst Cities for People with Disabilities

September 27, 2022 | Source: WalletHub

Memphis is growing, but accessibility for pedestrians and public transportation options are lacking behind

September 27, 2022 | Source: Local Memphis

When searching for a new home, people with disabilities often have a longer and more complicated list of considerations compared with other individuals. In addition to common wish-list items, such as reliable public transportation and diverse entertainment options, people with disabilities also must think about things like the accessibility of facilities or even the cleanliness of the air. They’ll also need to consider how well the city is handling COVID-19, since they can be more at risk for serious symptoms…

Unilever Goes Back to the Drawing Board With Accessible Deodorant Design

September 28, 2022 | Source: The Wall Street Journal

It has been more than 17 months since Unilever PLC-owned deodorant brand Degree said it had created a concept for what it called the “world’s first inclusive” deodorant for people with disabilities. The prototype, which was designed with customers who have limited sight and arm mobility in mind, and the campaign unveiling it won multiple advertising, design and innovation awards for Unilever and its marketing agency. But the deodorant never appeared on shelves…

He hit Bay Area small businesses with disability lawsuits. Video may uncover ‘a monumental fraud’

September 28, 2022 | Source: San Francisco Chronicle

A Florida man who has filed disability lawsuits against hundreds of businesses, including dozens of Bay Area wineries and restaurants, may not actually have the disability he claims, defense attorneys allege. The suits filed by Andres Gomez of Miami claim that numerous businesses’ websites fail to meet accessibility standards. One of his complaints is that images on the websites are not compatible with screen-reader software, which Gomez said he uses because of a visual impairment. Fast Toys’ attorneys at the Karlin Law Firm commissioned an investigation of Gomez, resulting in surveillance footage of him walking on the street…

Justice Department Settles Discrimination Claims Against Architect of Pennsylvania Senior Living Facilities

September 29, 2022 | Source: Department of Justice

The Justice Department announced that J. Randolph Parry Architects P.C. (Parry) has agreed to settle a federal lawsuit alleging that it violated the Fair Housing Act (FHA) and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) by failing to design and construct senior living facilities to be accessible to people with disabilities. Under the consent order that was approved by the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, Parry will pay $350,000 to fund retrofits at eight Pennsylvania properties, $75,000 into a settlement fund to compensate individuals harmed by the inaccessible housing…

F.D.A. Approves A.L.S. Treatment Despite Questions About Effectiveness

September 29, 2022 | Source: DNyuz and The ALS Association

The Food and Drug Administration on Thursday approved an experimental treatment for A.L.S., a severe neurological disorder that causes paralysis and death, despite questions about the therapy’s effectiveness. The treatment, conceived about a decade ago by two college students, was approved even though analyses by the F.D.A.’s reviewers concluded there was not yet sufficient evidence that the medication could help patients live longer or slow the rate at which they lose functions like muscle control, speaking or breathing without assistance…

Jack Fact — According to the U.S. Election Assistance Commission, expanded access to mail-in ballots pushed disability turnout to 17.7 million in 2020, up from 16 million in 2016.

Hit The Road Jack —German tourism reaches new levels of accessibility and Plan your Almost Heaven accessible getaway to a West Virginia state park

International News

How Australia Post embraced accessible marketing to make a difference

September 23, 2022 | Source: AdNews- Australia

Diversity and inclusion have become hot topics in the marketing world, but accessibility – the design of products, devices, services, tools and technologies so as to be usable by people with disabilities – is often overlooked in marketing and communication efforts. Despite being around for nearly 50 years – or over a century if you want to count their predecessor of the Postmaster-General’s Department – Australia Post is hardly stuck in the past when it comes to incorporating the needs of disabled Australians into their marketing efforts…

Accessibility advocate draws attention to issues with Spring Garden Road development work

September 23, 2022 | Source: CBC- Canada

Frustration is an all too familiar feeling for Gus Reed as he navigates the streets of Halifax. For years, the accessibility advocate has brought attention to barriers people face as they make their way through Nova Scotia. That could be trying to use the bathroom in restaurants housed in buildings constructed years before people took into account that not everyone can navigate steps, or just trying to move about in a city where new buildings seem to be going up on a weekly basis…

How to create a Bengaluru that ensures accessibility for everyone

September 23, 2022 | Source: Citizen Matters- India

Mohammad Irshad, a person with a disability and a native of Bengaluru, when asked about the current state of accessibility for the disabled in the city, said: “I have never been to a public washroom”. Irshad, diagnosed with a condition called Spina Bifida, where a baby’s spinal cord fails to develop properly, has been a wheelchair user for as long as he can remember. Irshad believes that the lack of accessibility in Bengaluru stems from the fact that the public and policymakers are unaware of the types of disabilities that exist…

The EV revolution is an opportunity to close a critical industry knowledge gap about accessible vehicles. Why aren’t more OEMs taking advantage?

September 23, 2022 | Source: Electric Autonomy- Canada

As the auto industry retools to become EV-centric, it has the chance to improve the driving experience for the over six million Canadians living with disabilities — but most OEMs don’t have an accessibility plan in place

For able-bodied drivers, the experience of buying a combustion-engine vehicle is well-catered to. Dealerships team with sales associates waiting to bend the ear of a prospective buyer; shopping from home is easy with webpages so sophisticated you can customize and purchase your vehicle from your desk…

Queensland tourism operators make travelling more accessible for people with disability

September 23, 2022 | Source: Hotel Management- Australia

Tourism Tropical North Queensland (TTNQ) is making it easier for people with mobility impairment to travel to the region by introducing an accessibility hub on the Cairns and Great Barrier Reef website. TTNQ worked closely with Spinal Life Australia and Out There Travel Care to showcase accessible experiences and accommodation for travellers. “It has been an informative exercise discovering wheelchair-friendly beaches, Quicksilver’s water-powered lift to lower people into the water so they can snorkel on the Great Barrier Reef, and which rainforest boardwalks are best suited to wheelchairs,” said Mark Olsen…

‘Critical last piece’ enhances accessibility at Heartland Forest in Niagara Falls

September 23, 2022 | Source: The Star- Canada

Whether you’re a fleet-footed marathon runner, have trouble walking more than a stone’s throw or are confined to a wheelchair doesn’t matter at Heartland Forest in Niagara Falls: you can now navigate virtually the entire property regardless of your level of mobility. The forest haven that opened back in 2004 with its first accessible trail took a major leap forward in promoting accessibility for all on Friday, when members of the Heartland community gathered to celebrate the opening of a huge new concrete section that links fully accessible washrooms that opened just as the pandemic was starting in 2020…

Digital accessibility for the disabled is a right; legal community can provide enormous support

September 24, 2022 | Source: Bar and Bench- India

Rahul Bajaj is one of the very few persons with disabilities from the legal field to be awarded the prestigious Rhodes Scholarship at Oxford University. On graduating from Nagpur University in 2017, Bajaj worked with Trilegal for a year. Against all odds, the visually impaired lawyer went on to do his BCL from the University of Oxford, where he also completed his MPhil in Law. After this, Bajaj came back to India to work as a judicial law clerk to Justice DY Chandrachud of the Supreme Court…

Need to ensure greater accessibility for people with disabilities: Justice Chandrachud

September 24, 2022 | Source: Indian Express- India and Devdiscourse and News18

Supreme Court Justice D Y Chandrachud Saturday called on government and private entities to work towards a more just world for people with disabilities while noting the lack of accessibility for them in public and other spaces.

“Government or private entities must ensure that laws and policies are being complied with. This is of foremost importance. In our individual capacities, the least we can do is accord persons with disabilities the respect they deserve and treat them as equals,” he said at the Professor Shamnad Basheer Memorial Lecture on “Making Disability Rights Real: Addressing Accessibility and More”…

How to make Whistler more accessible

September 24, 2022 | Source: Pique Newsmagazine- Canada

Illegally parking in accessible stalls will soon cost you more in Whistler

September 25, 2022 | Source: Pique Newsmagazine- Canada

A municipality with sidewalks lacking ramps to the street; plazas paved with bricks instead of smooth concrete; and buildings only accessible by stairs. For most people, these features in our public spaces don’t even cross our minds. But for the differently-abled, the wheelchair bound, the elderly, and the like, such design choices can have a detrimental effect on how people experience the Resort Municipality of Whistler (RMOW). To improve accessibility and meet new requirements set out by the provincial government, Whistler’s mayor and council voted at the Sept. 6 council meeting to adopt a new Accessibility Action Plan…

‘Accessible housing nearly impossible’ to find across Australia

September 25, 2022 | Source: 9News- Australia

Amy Marks had to wait for hours on the floor of her “inaccessible” Melbourne apartment after she fell while reaching for a glass. Marks lives with cerebral palsy and is one of many Australians with a disability who are unable to find accessible housing in Australia’s intensifying rental crisis. She told 9news.com.au she had to settle with an inappropriate home or face being forced into a retirement home at the age of 26. Marks can’t reach her kitchen cabinets and has to keep her plates on the floor. Even getting an Uber has become a nightmare as there’s no accessible parking nearby…

A wheelchair user who was filmed dragging herself toward an airplane bathroom said the cabin crew had refused to help

September 27, 2022 | Source: Business Insider- UK

A woman has gone viral on TikTok after sharing a video of her degrading experience as a wheelchair user needing to use the bathroom on a flight. Jenny Berrie, from the UK, was filmed dragging herself down the aisle of an AlbaStar plane, saying in a voiceover that the cabin crew had refused to help her on the Spanish airline’s flight from a Newcastle airport to Palma, Spain. In her video, which has garnered over 5 million views, Berrie added that a crew member on the flight told her that “disabled people should just wear” diapers to avoid such a situation…

Improving accessibility for Deaf Canadians

September 25, 2022 | Source: Toronto Star- Canada

All Canadians have the right to participate in society — but full participation is impossible without equal access to information. For many members of the Deaf and hard of hearing communities, this means communication in sign language. In Canada, American Sign Language (ASL), la langue des signes québécoise (LSQ), and Indigenous sign languages (ISL) are recognized as the primary languages of Deaf persons, according to the Accessible Canada Act (ACA). In 2019, the federal government passed this landmark legislation to create barrier-free communities, workplaces, and services in key areas such as employment, communications and transportation…

QF event sheds light on World Cup as a catalyst for accessibility-focused change in Qatar

September 25, 2022 | Source: Gulf Times- Qatar and Gulf Times

Accessibility improvements in Qatar and the areas where the nation must look to improve ahead of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 were in the spotlight during a talk at Qatar Foundation’s (QF) Education City. Representatives from the Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy ( SC) and Qatar Social and Cultural Centre for the Blind (QSCCB) discussed the accessibility services which will be available during the tournament. It highlighted the accessibility leap Qatar has achieved over the past 10 years in terms of staff training, equipment, transportation, and accommodation…

E-commerce Is Failing Disabled People, Say Experts

September 26, 2022 | Source: The Drum- UK

At its core, e-commerce should be something that removes the barriers to a shopping experience for everyone, says Dom Hyans, head of strategy at specialist disability and inclusion marketing agency Purple Goat. “Unfortunately, though. many people are doing it badly.” The figures speak for themselves. According to an evaluation of over a million websites carried out by accessibility specialists WebAim, 98% don’t meet basic accessibility needs. Hyans says the issue is that brands are so focused on “designing websites that look beautiful from a brand perspective“ that the experience for someone who uses accessibility software is just not being considered…

They propose to create the first accessibility science club in Corrientes

September 26, 2022 | Source: SmallCapNews- UK

They propose to create the first accessibility science club in Corrientes in order to promote the inclusion of people with disabilities. In addition, they will hold events so that teachers, non-teachers, students and interested people can be a part of it. No more than a month ago, the Undersecretariat for Audiovisual Content was created with the main objective of developing digital education and promoting materials in the province. The new portfolio aims to boost programming, robotics, and 3D printing, among other things…

Proposed accessibility law is useless without enforceable standards

September 26, 2022 | Source: Stuff- New Zealand

Disabled people in Aotearoa have long been treated as second-class citizens, with access to basic rights, such as housing and education, often out of reach. Successive governments have done very little to improve this hideous injustice. With the introduction of the Accessibility for New Zealanders Bill, it’s apparent the Government is only offering empty promises, and empty legislation to fix this situation. “Accessibility” is about making sure disabled people can participate in society, free of unnecessary barriers…

Is Africa a good choice for clients with disabilities?

September 26, 2022 | Source: Travel Weekly- Africa

Accessibility for tourists with specific access requirements could be a game-changer for destinations around the world, according to a report by the U.N.’s World Tourism Organization. Africa is no exception, and the tourism industry on the continent is stepping up its accessibility offering. “Africa’s great wilderness is becoming more and more accessible to travelers who use wheelchairs. As lodges have made it more accessible for people with disabilities to travel, we have seen a greater demand,” says Maija de Rijk-Uys, managing director at Go2Africa…

Inside Indonesia’s Grassroots Fight For Accessibility

September 26, 2022 | Source: Fair Planet- Indonesia

Despite the fact that Indonesia has mandated a level playing field for people with disabilities, they struggle to find employment in the formal sector and continue to face discrimination. But hope is emerging from community-level initiatives. Dodi Supriadi, 29, was panting as he walked slowly. He took several days off from work to renovate his father’s house in Bandung, the capital of Indonesia’s West Java Province. Being a low-income family, they received financial aid from the Bandung city government to renovate the house…

Fully accessible housing should be a given, not a nice-to-have

September 27, 2022 | Source: Newsroom- New Zealand

Accessible housing. What’s the first thing you think of when you read those words? Is it the ramp into the front door, the modified bathroom with a rail? Is it something functional but not beautiful? If that was you, you’re not alone. Most of us have little understanding of the fullness of the meaning of an accessible home. As a country, we hold very little complete data on the full range of accessibility needs and exactly how many and what kind of accessible homes we have…

Accessible? You’re Joking!

September 27, 2022 | Source: Scoop- New Zealand

It’s hard to depend on and survive in a system that isn’t built to cater for your physical needs. Our provisions implemented to ensure equitable access for disabled peoples have only shown themselves to be political checkmarks to acclaim the title: ‘helper of the disabled’ that in a practical sense, has little to no real world impact. It’s been quite demonstrable that this is the case with the Accessibility Bill only working to establish a committee that has no legal powers but only provides recommendations to the minister for disabilities…

Voting more accessible than ever in Pōneke

September 27, 2022 | Source: Wellington City Council- New Zealand

General details about the election are available in New Zealand sign language, audio, large print, and e-text formats, and candidate statements are available in large print, audio and braille files for the first time nationwide. Resource packs include specific information on enrolling and voting with additional needs, and there are more places to cast a special vote in Wellington than ever before. Enrolment information is available on Vote.nz in several different languages including te reo Māori, NZSL, Arabic, Burmese, Chinese, Farsi, Tokelauan, Tongan, and Vietnamese…

Fractured, fighting, fixed: adventures in hospital

September 27, 2022 | Source: Peter Torres Fremlin- UK

This is a personal update. Many of you know that last year I fell at home, fractured my hip, and spent almost two months in hospital. This year my physical rehabilitation stalled and then went into reverse. It turned out I needed another operation – I’m just back home from a hip replacement. The operation was successful, I was out of hospital in less than two weeks, and physical recovery is going well. It hasn’t been easy. This edition is about the challenges of the past year and why I was so worried when I heard I would need another operation…

‘Pedestrians should be our priority’: Toronto man voicing accessibility concerns

September 27, 2022 | Source: Global News- Canada

A Toronto man is voicing concerns about pedestrian safety and accessibility. Brian Provini, who lives near Yonge and Wellesley streets, says a Bike Share rack located in the Wellesley car park is causing safety hazards and making it difficult for pedestrians with disabilities to pass through. “This is a hazard,” Provini told Global News, adding “pedestrians should be our priority.” The area gets a lot of foot traffic, as people often cut around the parking lot to get from Wellesley to Maitland Street…

Public and private sector failings on digital accessibility revealed in new report

September 29, 2022 | Source: Onrec- England

Failure to create digitally accessible products and services is putting both public and private sector organisations at risk of costly litigation, with a new benchmarking study revealing an average score of just 24% for their capabilities in this area. 35% of organisations involved in the study said they would launch digital products with known accessibility issues. Just 14% check that digital products created for them by external suppliers meet accessibility requirements. Almost half of organisations (47%) do not have a board member responsible for digital accessibility.

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