Accessibility in the News — 10/18/2024.
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AITN Quote of the Week
“Once we accept our limits, we can surpass them.” ― Albert Einstein
Feature Stories
Here’s how New Hampshire makes voting accessible to people with disabilities
October 15, 2024 | Source: Seacoastonline
Here’s how Minnesota makes its polling places more accessible
October 11, 2024 | Source: KTTC
Judge strikes down strict voter assistance rules in Texas’ 2021 rewrite of election laws
October 11, 2024 | Source: Texas Tribune
Voters with disabilities are feeling ignored by presidential candidates
October 15, 2024 | Source: AP
First-in-the-nation accessibility initiative coming to some Charleston Co. polls
October 16, 2024 | Source: Live 5 News
Shapiro Administration Reminds Pennsylvanians with Disabilities of Available Resources to Help Eligible Voters Make Their Voices Heard
October 16, 2024 | Source: Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
Efforts to Protect Accessibility of the Electoral Process
October 16, 2024 | Source: American Bar Association
Satellite voting location offers more accessibility to disabled Iowans
October 17, 2024 | Source: KCCI
With the presidential election rapidly approaching, politicians and celebrities alike are urging people to get out to vote. For those with disabilities, going to the polls isn’t always as simple as it sounds. However, the New Hampshire state Constitution mandates that all polling places be accessible, and that absentee voting is available to voters who are unable to vote in person. New Hampshire has mechanisms in place to help people of all abilities vote. The following information is from Secretary of State David Scanlan and his office…
National News (U.S.)
A non-profit created the ‘able table’, an accessible picnic table
October 10, 2024 | Source: WFSB
The Rise Up organization created a wheelchair accessible picnic table. They call it the ‘able table’. Rise Up is a non-profit that connects the youth with artists to create beautiful murals. The organization took on this new project to make the able table. These tables have a cutout in the center, allowing wheelchairs to fit comfortably. “It’s handicap [accessible] to allow wheelchairs to access both sides and give everyone a seat at the table,” said Executive Director of Rise Up, Matt Conway…
AI Can Make Sets More Accessible, but the Tech Still Reflects Ableist Bias, Experts Warn
October 10, 2024 | Source: The Wrap
AI can make Hollywood sets more accessible for disabled people, but it still has no idea how to replicate diversity on screen or in its output, experts and advocates said at TheWrap’s Grill conference this week. “AI is not intelligence. It’s mimicking intelligence,” Candis Welch, the Chief Equity Officer for California’s Department of Rehabilitation, said. “It’s mimicking what our society is putting in. So if our society … has ableism and different levels of discrimination, it’s not going to produce something different when you type it into ChatGPT, or whatever you may use.”…
Cabbies Say Cost to Move to Wheelchair-Accessible Cars Is Too High
October 10, 2024 | Source: THE CITY
Taxi medallion owners facing a new deadline for making their vehicles wheelchair accessible by next March say conversion costs could take cabbies off the road. Drivers and taxi industry workers pushed back at a Taxi and Limousine Commission hearing on Thursday following a federal judge’s August order that all new yellow taxis must be wheelchair accessible. They say they want the city to cough up more cash to help meet the repeatedly blown 50%-of-the-fleet mandate from a decade-old lawsuit settlement…
Vermont Supreme Court rules man with disabilities has right to services
October 11, 2024 | Source: VTDigger
The Vermont Supreme Court ruled Friday that the state Human Services Board must reconsider a decision that denied a man with disabilities access to services he is entitled to. The unnamed individual, who has autism and a seizure disorder among other conditions, was entitled to 30 hours of care per week from Washington County Mental Health Services, the court’s ruling said. Instead, he has received two to five hours per week since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, according to the findings of fact in the case…
Some say Wichita’s new city website still poses problems for people with disabilities
October 11, 2024 | Source: The Beacon
Staff at Wichitia’s City Hall weren’t happy with their virtual footprint. In 2022, they described the city’s website, www.Wichita.gov, as “suboptimal,” “outdated” and “confusing.” So the city spent $312,000 on a website refresh intended to flip that description and create a welcoming and easy-to-use virtual gateway to local government. The city’s communications staff say the project worked. The new version of the Wichita website debuted in December 2023, and staff point to one algorithm’s rating of the website as among the top 3% percent of accessible municipal websites as a success…
UDOT installs touchless crosswalk buttons, making streets more accessible for pedestrians
October 14, 2024 | Source: KMYU
The Utah Department of Transportation installed radar-enabled crosswalk buttons at nearly 250 intersections across the state. The department is among the first in the nation to implement widespread use of the accessible pedestrian signal (APS) technology at crosswalks, making the pedestrian experience safer, UDOT said. APS technology reportedly utilizes action movements — like nodding or waving — or activation via an app to assist pedestrians…
‘Everybody benefits’: Why the beauty industry needs to get serious about accessible packaging
October 14, 2024 | Source: Retail Dive
For Paralympic swimmer Anastasia Pagonis, makeup has always been a passion. But when she lost her usable vision at age 14, Pagonis had to find new ways to apply and shop for her favorite products. “Most people take independence for granted, which is something that you can lose hold of quickly when you have a disability,” Pagonis said in an email. “The ease of discovering new products became challenging.” Many beauty products on shelves today are inaccessible to individuals with disabilities, whether they are part of the blind and low-vision community or face dexterity challenges, like arthritis…
Phoenix police’s violent arrest of deaf Black man with cerebral palsy criticized
October 15, 2024 | Source: Reuters
Civil and disability rights advocates expressed outrage on Tuesday after body camera footage was released showing Phoenix, Arizona, police violently arresting a Black man who was deaf and has cerebral palsy.
Tyron McAlpin, 34, was tasered and punched by two Phoenix officers named Benjamin Harris and Kyle Sue. McAlpin was charged with aggravated assault and resisting arrest. While the arrest took place in August, footage of the incident gained traction in multiple media outlets on Tuesday after its release on Monday…
Uber Launches Improvements To Boost Accessibility
October 15, 2024 | Source: Disability Scoop
Uber is rolling out new features to assist riders with disabilities and is adding training for drivers to help better accommodate them. The ride-sharing company said this month that it will offer riders who are deaf or hard of hearing as well as those who are blind or who have low vision the option to self-identify on the app and set communication preferences. Riders will be able to choose if they wish to be contacted by chat, phone or both. In cases where riders select chat, for example, drivers will not be given the ability to call them, Uber said…
City and University representatives discuss the exclusion of 125th Street station accessibility project in Capital Plan at recent Elevator Lobby meeting
October 15, 2024 | Source: Columbia Daily Spectator
Following approval of the MTA’s 2025-29 Capital Plan in September, community leaders and representatives from Columbia and the MTA attended the most recent Elevator Lobby meeting where Columbia officials confirmed that there are no Columbia-MTA joint construction projects to bring an elevator to the 125th Street and Broadway subway station. The 1 train currently has no Americans with Disabilities Act accessible stations between 96th Street on the Upper West Side and Dyckman Street in Inwood…
Blind people rally against Uber, Lyft in SF claiming discrimination
October 16, 2024 | Source: NBC Bay Area
Blind people and their supporters rallied Tuesday against Uber and Lyft in San Francisco, claiming the ride share apps discriminate against them. Tuesday’s rally started at 10 a.m. in front of Uber headquarters in Mission Bay. Another rally then happened at 1:30 p.m. in front of Lyft headquarters in China Basin. The National Federation of the Blind led Tuesday’s rally, and its members told NBC Bay Area they hope to draw more attention to what they say is the companies’ failure to stop discriminations against blind individuals, particularly those accompanied by guide dogs…
A Staggering 2.0 Billion Women Live in Poverty With No Access to Social Protection
October 16, 2024 | Source: Global Issues
The growing gender gap between men and women is reflected not only in the world’s highest political hierarchies but also in the daily social and economic lives—with most women fighting a losing battle against poverty. The latest flagship report from UN Women reveals a widening gender gap in social protection -– the raft of policies, including cash benefits, unemployment protection, pensions and healthcare – which leaves women and girls more vulnerable to poverty…
October deer hunt offers community, accessibility to hunters with disabilities
October 16, 2024 | Source: Wisconsin Public Radio
John Martinson grew up in a family of hunters. He started when he was just 12 years old, hunting pheasants and deer in the woods on his family’s farm near Sun Prairie. When a fall in 2002 caused Martinson to become paralyzed from the chest down, he was unsure if he would ever hunt again. But while he was in the hospital, a fellow hunter with a disability told him about a way to continue deer hunting each October. With the help of Rock Creek Disabled Outdoors, Martinson got back out into the woods and harvested a deer the year after his injury…
Christopher Reeve’s kids on love, loss and his life-changing accident: ‘He celebrated every single thing we did’
October 17, 2024 | Source: The Guardian
It’s eerie being in a room with the Reeve siblings. All three are dead ringers for their father, Christopher. Matthew, 44, resembles Reeve as Clark Kent. Alexandra, 40, shares his angular beauty. The youngest, Will, 32, looks like him as Superman. They are almost as tall as their 6ft 4in father: Will is 6ft 3in, Alexandra 6ft and Matthew 6ft 2in. As for their jobs, Matthew makes films, Alexandra is a legislation lawyer based in Washington DC and Will is a TV sports journalist…
Zoo Atlanta launches “Voice”, allowing visitors to rate accessibility
October 17, 2024 | Source: Local 3 News and Zoo Atlanta & Hypepotamus
Zoo Atlanta has launched a new initiative called “Voice” in partnership with iAccessLife to allow visitors with mobility impairments to rate, review, and research locations on zoo grounds based on their accessibility. The zoo, along with the Diversity, Equity, Access, and Inclusion (DEAI) committee, will use the information collected to assess and identify ways to increase accessibility for guests with mobility, hearing, or visual impairments. “Voice” allows visitors and members to provide anonymous feedback on the accessibility of guest pathways, restrooms, food service areas, parking and entry, and more…
SDOT addresses accessibility issues with Seattle’s newest RapidRide service
October 17, 2024 | Source: KIRO Newsradio
The RapidRide G Line, which provides rapid bus service from the Central District to Madison Valley, opened in September. It’s the first bus line in Seattle with island platforms and those platforms are too tall for wheelchair access, as they are a fraction of an inch over the height to meet Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) guidelines. This is the first time the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) said it has seen this type of issue. “This is the only bus line in Seattle that has this exact kind of center island,” SDOT spokesperson Ethan Bergerson told KIRO Newsradio on Wednesday…
Jack Fact — A 2023 survey by Age UK revealed that nearly half of older adults (46 percent) feel that technology companies are not designing products with them in mind.
Hit The Road Jack — New York’s Must-See Wheelchair Accessible Attractions For Tourists and Welsh national parks make top five ‘most accessible’ list
International News
Sask. seniors voice accessibility concerns over voting locations
October 10, 2024 | Source: Regina Leader Post- Canada
More than 100 people got together in a Regina independent living seniors complex this week to acknowledge the value of time. They celebrated the residents of Broadway Terrace who have birthdays in October. But over cake and coffee on Wednesday, some raised concerns about how residents will participate in another important event this month — the provincial election. Gail Beesley has lived at the building for around 10 years. To her recollection, there’s been a voting station in the complex for every municipal, provincial and federal election since she moved in…
Transposition of the European Accessibility Act into Portuguese law
October 10, 2024 | Source: PLMJ- Portugal
Directive (EU) 2019/882, also known as the European Accessibility Act, aims to improve the accessibility of products and services in the European Union by ensuring that people with special needs can achieve greater social and economic integration. Directive 2019/882 is clear on the divergence of measures currently adopted by Member States, which contributes to unavoidable barriers in the internal market. Harmonisation of accessibility requirements will allow economies of scale for economic operators operating in more than one Member State…
RBI asks banks to ensure easier accessibility for payment systems to persons with disabilities
October 11, 2024 | Source: The Hindu- India and ETLegalWorld and Business Standard
On Friday (October 11, 2024), the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) asked banks to review their payment systems to ensure easier accessibility to persons with disabilities. All sections of the population, including differently-abled persons, are increasingly adopting digital payment systems, it said in a circular. “To promote effective access, payment system participants (PSPs), that is, banks and authorised non-bank payment system providers) are advised to review their payment systems/devices in terms of accessibility to Persons with Disabilities,” it noted…
A Halloween for all: Making treat time more accessible
October 13, 2024 | Source: Ottawa Citizen- Canada
At a recent daytime Halloween event in Stittsville, a young boy dressed up as a firefighter was collecting treats in a bag that read, “My name is Louis. I have autism. I can’t say ‘trick or treat,’ but I love being included!’” That lone image underscores the difficulty many people have fully enjoying Halloween, with physical obstacles such as walkways and steps as well as loud, scary music, flashing lights, animatronics and the like, plus simply the expectation of being able to say “trick or treat,” turning what is supposed to be a pretend hell into a real one for many would-be participants…
Accessibility remains an afterthought when it comes to transport – advocates
October 13, 2024 | Source: RNZ News- New Zealand
More than one million New Zealanders have a physical, sensory, learning, mental health or other disability. But despite making up nearly a quarter of the population, accessibility remains an afterthought in transport, Access Matters Aotearoa says. While the government has recently introduced changes to help level the playing field, there is still so much more that needs to be done, the organisation added. On 1 October, the fine for misusing mobility parks increased by 400 percent – from $150 to $750…
It can cost up to 39% more to thrive in the GTA if you have a disability: research
October 14, 2024 | Source: CBC- Canada
When Franklyn McFadden needs to repair his $15,000 wheelchair, that expense is on him. It’s just one of many extra costs that he says comes with living with a disability. “I didn’t choose to be a person in a wheelchair, and I don’t profess to enjoy the fact that I have to use one,” he said. It’s widely recognized that living with a disability comes with a distinct set of needs. And now, new research from the non-profit Wellesley Institute shows the cost of thriving in the GTA — which it defines as living a healthy, engaged life — is 39 per cent higher if you live with a disability, than it is for those who don’t have a disability…
Kingston man laments issues with live events facing people with accessibility challenges
October 15, 2024 | Source: The Kingston Whig Standard- Canada
With the hottest concert tour in history set to touch down in Ontario next month when Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour hits Toronto, a disabled Kingston man is expressing his frustrations with not only the ticketing industry, but with the live event industry for people with accessibility challenges. Drew Cumpson, who was paralyzed from the neck down in a swimming accident in Peru 13 years ago, said that sky-high prices and frustrations people are experiencing in attempting to get tickets to one of the six concerts Swift is performing at in Toronto next month only highlight a litany of issues surrounding a broken industry…
International White Cane Day: Creating Accessibility and Reducing Disability Stigma
October 15, 2024 | Source: City Hub- Australia
October 15 is International White Cane Day (IWCD) which is celebrated across Australia and the United States as a day to bring awareness to those who live with blindness or vision impairment, ensuring their confidence, safety, and independence as they move across the world. The day also serves as a moment to educate other members of the community about issues that are faced by people with disabilities across the country and what measures to take to best support them – from reducing stigma, to improving accessibility, and much more…
Accessibility Foundation on how to be at the forefront of digital accessibility as a human right
October 15, 2024 | Source: Association for Progressive Communications- Netherlands
We are delighted to continue Building a Free Internet of the Future, a monthly series of interviews with beneficiaries and consortium members of NGI Zero (NGI0) grants. Funded by the European Commission, NGI0 supports free software, free data, free hardware and free standards projects. It provides both financial and practical support in a myriad of forms, including mentoring, testing, security testing, accessibility, dissemination and more. This month we present an interview with Eric Velleman, a professor at the HAN University of Applied Sciences and co-founder of the Accessibility Foundation…
Blind, visually impaired call for urgent improvement to accessibility in Warrens
October 15, 2024 | Source: Barbados Today- Barbados
The spokesman for the blind and visually impaired community on Monday called for urgent improvements to disability access in the Warrens business district, a hub of retail businesses and public offices. Granville Mr DJ Carter, president of the National United Society of the Blind (NUSB), pointed to several obstacles that hamper the mobility of people with visual impairments. He was speaking to journalists as the NUSB and the National Disabilities Unit held a walk in the area to highlight the daily challenges faced by visually impaired individuals, ahead of White Cane Safety Day which is celebrated annually on October 15…
Govt proposes amendments to disability rules to boost accessibility in insurance sector
October 15, 2024 | Source: The Telegraph- India
The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment has issued a draft notification proposing amendments to the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Rules, 2017, aimed at improving accessibility in the insurance sector. The proposed amendments were outlined in Gazette notification and are open for public feedback for a period of 30 days from the date of publication on October 7. The draft, known as the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (Amendment) Rules, 2024, seeks to introduce new standards for accessibility in insurance services…
Six out of 10 Irish businesses ‘not prepared’ for European Accessibility Act
October 16, 2024 | Source: The Irish Times- Ireland
Some six out of 10 Irish businesses are not prepared for the European Accessibility Act which takes effect in June 2025, according to a new survey by Mason Hayes and Curran. The Act provides for digital accessibility on public sector websites, mobile apps and other software for older people and people with disabilities. Commercial partner at Mason Hayes and Curran Dermot McGirr said the fact so many businesses are not ready for the Act shows a lack of public awareness in the market “because it sort of falls between two stools” of human resources and product recognition…
Network Rail underspent by £99M on its accessibility programme during last five years
October 16, 2024 | Source: New Civil Engineer- UK
Network Rail underspent by £99M and failed to complete 72 projects in its programme to make stations more accessible during Control Period 6 (CP6), 2019 to 2024. Network Rail’s Access For All programme aims to make all stations step free with the installation of lifts and ramps, alongside other upgrades including tactile warning surfaces, lowered handrails, new ticket gates and accessible waiting rooms and toilets. Board minutes from May this year found the rail infrastructure admitting that it had “significantly underperformed” in its Access For All programme during CP6…
Accessibility matters: It Can’t Take Much of a Trick to Make a Treat
October 16, 2024 | Source: Bay Observer- Canada
With Halloween just ’round the corner thoughts go back to the homemade fudge made by Aunt Pat or the popcorn balls at the house next door. It was probably a lot of work making homemade treats, but from a child’s perspective it didn’t seem like much of a trick to make these great treats for all the kids in the neighbourhood. A pillow case full of stash did not last long in a house with four older and two younger siblings. The most important thing at the end of the evening was to dump the stash on the dining table extracting all the really good treats then stashing them away for later…
New app revolutionises accessibility for blind and partially sighted rail passengers
October 17, 2024 | Source: Rail Business Daily- UK and BBC
Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) is extending the free use of a ground-breaking smartphone app, designed to enhance accessibility for blind and partially sighted passengers, to all 236 of its Great Northern, Southern and Thameslink-managed stations. Starting today (17 October), in collaboration with Sight Loss Councils, GTR will offer free access to the innovative Aira Explorer guidance app across all of its 11 county network – which is almost the size of Belgium…
Auckland FC supporter hopes to improve stadium wheelchair accessibility across New Zealand
October 16, 2024 | Source: NZ Herald- New Zealand
Sport should be accessible to everyone – and when it isn’t, it sucks. That’s the message from Auckland football fan Jonno Ross, a wheelchair user of 13 years after a car crash and broken neck left him without the use of his legs and without one of his good mates. Attending sports events at large stadiums can be chaotic for an able-bodied fan, Ross tells the Herald. For those who use a wheelchair or have another disability, even the smallest barrier to access can become a major one…
Industry needs more training on accessibility, conference hears
October 17, 2024 | Source: Travel Weekly- UK
The travel industry still has a lot of work to do to ensure travellers with hidden disabilities and additional needs receive the support they require, InteleTravel’s annual conference heard. Ireland-based agent Doey Mulligan (pictured), who was involved in a road collision 10 years ago which continues to affect her everyday life, said regular training was needed “from the top to the bottom” of the sector. Pointing to her sunflower lanyard, which indicates the wearer has hidden disabilities, she said: “There still needs to be a whole load of work so people understand what this is.”…
Accessibility Blogs, Information, and Videos
- How to write accessible emails – Charity Digital
- EU Act demands CIO response to digital accessibility- Diginomica
- Implement These Website Accessibility Best Practices (2024)- Shopify
- “UX design to create intuitive and accessible digital products”- Delano
- Cvent: Transforming Events Through Accessibility- The Fintech Times
- Accessible housing (part 4) – podcast transcript- Scottish Housing News
- WCAG 3.0 Accessibility Guidelines: Everything You Need To Know- cielo24 (PDF)
- Want to be accessible and inclusive? Start with your culture – Arts Professional
- Better Disability Representation Means More Accessible Representation- EdTrust
- How accessible is Singapore? Novena to Suntec by wheelchair- The Straits Time (Video)
- Disability Data: Improving Representation to Drive AI Innovation- Jenny Lay-Flurrie
- All I Want is Equity: Embracing Accessibility Beyond the Holidays- Andrea Jennings
- Empowering Web Accessibility Through AI-Powered Dynamic Interfaces- Ishu Singh
- When accessibility isn’t prioritised, this can be the reality of being deaf at school- BBC (YouTube)
- Why Embracing Design Accessibility is the Path to Progress – Tata Consultancy Services
- From challenges to triumphs: How girls can lead in building an inclusive society- UNICEF
- Accessibility in Practice – The COSI Color of Science Passport Program- Informal Science
- Disability Employment Awareness Month: Best Practices and Common Pitfalls- Meg O’Connell
- I hate CAPTCHAs, the unnecessary ritual of having to prove you’re a human being- The Spinoff
- Workforces Beyond Compliance: Building a Truly Accessible Workplace for All- Andrea Jennings
- Want To Boost Revenue and Loyalty? Retailers Should Invest in Digital Accessibility- Molly Burke
- Microsoft recruits accessibility app to make its AI more useful to blind and low-vision users- Engadget
- 3 ways retailers are missing revenue opportunities: Accessibility, promotions, and checkout- eMarketer
- Updated comprehensive plan makes recommendations to increase accessibility- The Altamont Enterprise
- How A Former Paralympian Tackles Tech With The Same Tenacity That Won Her Gold- Steven Aquino
- Ensuring AI is inclusive: Five minutes with Canada’s first chief accessibility officer- Global Government Forum
- Reminder – automatic accessibility testing can detect inaccessibility but can’t detect accessibility- Bogdan Cerovac
- Exploring generative AI products: Essential recommendations for schools on privacy and accessibility- eSchool News
- How to Use the DOJ’s New Web Accessibility Regulation to Justify IT, ADA, and Legal Collaboration- Jeff Singleton
- What type of country we become- Disabled people between Georgia’s Soviet legacy and European future- Esma Gumberidze
- From accessibility to AI: The surprising trends shaping mental health care- Zia Sherrell and Laura Williams, M.S.Ed., ACSM EP-C
- How to… Plan for Emergency Situations- Developing processes for the safety of disabled people during emergencies- Christiane Link
- Unlocking the power of inclusive customer channels: Drive loyalty, enhance your brand, and realize operational efficiencies- Steve Cogan
- “Packaging Roulette”: visually impaired consumers at risk due to inconsistent access to accessible food packaging- Premier Construction News
Federally Speaking
- Individuals with Disabilities Add Value, Talent to Workplaces – DVIDS
- A Proclamation on Blind Americans Equality Day, 2024- The White House
Higher Education Blogs and Information
- ADA Title II and the University of Minnesota- Media Space
- Zimmerli Intern Finds Meaning in Museum’s Accessibility Efforts
- New digital accessibility guidance for University staff- University of Bath
- Is MTSU’s campus accessible for students with disabilities?- MTSU Sidelines
- Digital accessibility: a step towards greater inclusion – MQ Management und Qualität
- Nick Obis champions employee accommodations and accessibility- DePaul University
- Princeton’s Policy on Digital Accessibility ensures equal access for all- Inside Princeton
- UMD SGA hosts campus accessibility audit for Disability Awareness Month- The Diamondback
- Tackling the barriers that face migrant children with disability- Flinders News – Flinders University
- How Duke Ensures an Accessible, Welcoming Environment for You- Duke Today- Duke University
- Student starts petition to improve restroom accessibility on campus for disabled community- The Daily Texan
- KU master plan outlines renovations to improve accessibility, student experience- The University Daily Kansan
- Emory Accessibility Services plans first-ever Disability Inclusion Week- Emory News Center – Emory University
- Prospect House reopens, with a new aesthetic and modernized accessibility- Inside Princeton – Princeton University
- Assistive Tech for PWDs’: Crucial to bridge gaps in accessibility through inclusive education: KU VC- Brighter Kashmir
- Pitt is a top employer for people with disabilities, according to the National Organization on Disability- University of Pittsburgh
- Honoring the 79th Annual National Disability Employment Awareness Month Access to Good Jobs for All- Old Dominion University
- Director of Disability and Accessibility Services supports mentee on his pathway to becoming an associate judge- Loyola University Maryland
- KU researchers leading projects to make Library of Congress educational materials more accessible, use AI to aid writing instruction- KU News – The University of Kansas
Legal Blogs and Information
- Shopify, Accessibility Lawsuits and ‘Compliance’- Nic Chan
- Captioning Lyrics and Copyright Laws- Thomas Logan and Ken Nakata
- Tulsa Premium Outlets criticized for lack of handicap accessibility- KTUL
- Plaintiff Alleges Skincare Company Website Violates ADA Due To Inaccessibility- Cook County Record
- Athens Disabilities Commission proposes ADA lawsuit if legislation demands are not met- The New Political
- New Updates to Section 504 Clarify Nondiscrimination and Accessibility Mandates- Westfair Communications
- Recognizing Disability Awareness Month with Belinda May, Dentons’ Disability/Accessibility Affinity Group co-chair- Dentons
Accessibility Announcements
- Latonya Reeves Freedom Act
- Superfest Disability Film Festival
- Have your say on accessibility in Darwin
- Great Lakes Bay Region doing accessibility audit
- Grand Junction increases accessibility within city limits
- BLINK releases accessibility guide, maps for 2024 festival
- Have ideas to improve accessibility? City wants to hear them
- Accessible infrastructure at COP29 for inclusive participation
- United Airlines Enhances Accessibility With Digital Sizing Tool
- Emirates unveils new accessible services at AccessAbilities Expo
- Partnership aims to make Hull and East Yorkshire accessible for all
- A look at Overture Center for the Arts newest accessibility upgrades
- Diversity Equity Inclusion Accessibility Commission seeks applicants
- Teach Access Opens Applications for its National Fellowship 2025 Cohort
- Excel becomes first UK venue to work with leading accessibility consultants
- Pennsylvania Education Secretary Highlights Library Accessibility Initiatives
- In New Jersey, Barrier-Free Housing Combines Accessibility and Affordability
- Fable adds cognitive and hearing impairments to its accessibility tools with $25M round
- Guide Dogs Launches Free Digital Accessibility Workshops For Inclusive Online Content
- You Can Do Anything! Poland’s Barrier-Free Culture Festival promotes accessibility for all
- ‘Better Together’ exhibit at Newfields features 31 artists, highlights inclusivity and accessibility
- Secretary of Education Records Audiobook at the Library of Accessible Media for Pennsylvanians
- St. Louis Metro Transit making accessibility improvements to Metro Call-A-Ride paratransit services
- IMURS Dives Into Accessibility, Earns Certified Autism Center™ Designation to Make Services More Inclusive
- TAB Bank’s $10 Million Loan Propels Mobility Trust Group’s Mission to Improve Accessibility for People with Disabilities
- Hilton and Be My Eyes Launch Industry‑First Partnership to Enhance the Hilton Stay for Guests who are Blind or Low Vision and YouTube
- Government of Canada invests in a local accessible infrastructure project to increase access to programs and services for persons with disabilities in Ontario
Accessibility Products and Services
- Independence Alliance
- Making the Theater Accessible
- Maestra free live transcription tool
- New Accessibility Features in InDesign 2025
- Find accessible playgrounds near you in Pennsylvania
- Inclusive Wedding Summit Looks to Transform Industry
- Aurigny improving accessibility for customers boarding and disembarking
- RampMyCity Launches Initiative to Improve Accessibility Across Mumbai
- EnableAll: the online marketplace focused on accessible, inclusive shopping
- Inside The Be My Eyes-Meta Collaboration And The Allure To ‘Impact Humanity’
- WCBDD Constructs Accessible Home Designed For Local People With Disabilities
- A perfect fit for a modern glass lift: Combining accessibility with historical elegance
- Robots and AI-powered assistive tech are poised to transform accessibility and mobility
- tsutsumi and associates adds outdoor bath to house X in beijing for barrier-free accessibility
- Radisson Hotel Group introduces Braille menus across its portfolio to enhance accessibility for guests
- How Neurable Is Using AI And Brain Data To Make ‘Good Mental Hygiene’ Accessible To Everyone
- New CosmOS Update Reminds Humane’s AI Pin Still Seemingly Discounts Disabled People As Human
- Treat accessibility lawn signs back in Cambridge for Halloween and For more accessibility tips, visit Treat Accessibly
Accessibility Forums, Tips, and Gaming
- Nintendo’s lack of accessibility options is unacceptable
- Sony Wants to Make VR More Accessible for Deaf Gamers
- Dragon Age: The Veilguard’s Accessibility Features Revealed
Accessibility Statements
- Ligipääsuke OÜ
- State of California
- Stockholm University
- National World Corporate
- San Marcos Daily Record
- National Library of Finland
- Franklin and Marshall College
- International Distribution Services
- The University of Southern Mississippi
- American Immigration Lawyers Association
Microassist Digital Accessibility Services
Have you received an accessibility demand letter because of your website or application? Please contact us for any questions you have about our accessibility services and how we might support your organization.
Services include:
- Accessible Website and Application Development— We rely heavily on accessibility best practices and using HTML5 and ARIA (Accessible Rich Internet Applications) standards to build WCAG-compliant and human-tested accessible environments. Our teams are proficient in open source technologies such as WordPress, Drupal and Moodle, as well as custom frameworks in .NET, PHP, AngularJS, and other frameworks. Our Learning and Development team can also help you create accessible custom training.
- Accessible Document Services— Whether you’re dealing with a few or a warehouse of Microsoft Office documents, PDFs, or other files, there are several ways Microassist can enable your team to offer documents and materials that meet stringent accessibility standards.
- Accessibility Remediation— Our accessibility remediation services help you fix existing materials so that they conform to WCAG, Section 504 and 508, Department of Education OCR, and ADA Title II/III requirements. We remediate websites, applications, documents, and elearning, recommending re-creation when that is more efficient and economical. Especially for website and applications, to find out what is in need of remediation, we’ll start with an Accessibility Audit.
- Accessibility Training— With several courses available for developers, testers, and content creators, your team can become equipped to consistently and expertly produce accessible digital products and online environments.
- VPAT®Evaluation Services— Primarily used by government purchasers and government vendors during the procurement and sale of ICT products and services under Section 508, a Voluntary Product Accessibility Template® (VPAT) attests to the accessibility of a given product or service. Contact us to make sure the VPAT you write or review is accurate and meaningful.
Learn More About Digital Accessibility
Our Digital Accessibility Digest blog covers our Accessibility in the News archives as well as expert commentaries on digital accessibility issues.
Our most popular commentaries include:
- What is a VPAT®? A VPAT Primer
- Understanding Digital Accessibility in the Procurement Process
- Accessibility in the News, Legal Edition: Updates on ADA Title III News and More
- What Lawyers Need to Know: A Primer on Digital Accessibility Terms and Today’s Legal Landscape
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