Accessibility in the News — 11/4/2022.
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Feature Stories
A Scientist’s Quest for an Accessible, Unhackable Voting Machine
October 27, 2022 | Source: Undark Magazine
‘Not accessible to everyone’: People with disabilities face voting obstacles
October 31, 2022 | Source: The Daily Tar Heel
‘We don’t read print’: Blind voters say new accessible ballot measures fall short
November 2, 2022 | Source: Gothamist
Voter Accessibility for disabled in New York
November 3, 2022 | Source: NEWS10 ABC
South Carolina polls add accessibility options for voters
November 3, 2022 | Source: WRDW
Disabled Georgia activist gives free, accessible voting rides
November 3, 2022 | Source: The Christian Science Monitor (Video)
In late 2020, a large box arrived at Juan Gilbert’s office at the University of Florida. The computer science professor had been looking for this kind of product for months. Previous orders had yielded poor results. This time, though, he was optimistic. Gilbert drove the package home. Inside was a transparent box, built by a French company and equipped with a 27-inch touchscreen. Almost immediately, Gilbert began modifying it. He put a printer inside and connected the device to Prime III, the voting system he has been building since the first term of the George W. Bush administration…
National News (U.S.)
Habitat for Humanity breaks ground on development geared toward people with disabilities
October 28, 2022 | Source: Fox 17
Lakeshore Habitat for Humanity broke ground Friday on a new project in Holland that aims to provide an opportunity for people with disabilities to feel more at home. The development, called “Haven Townhomes,” will have five townhome-style units designed with accessibility in mind. The layouts include zero-step entries and easy access to bus stations and local businesses. “I think builders in the future can take a little better look at what they’re building and make it more accessible for people with disabilities,” Don Wilkinson, the executive director of Lakeshore Habitat for Humanity, said…
Southern Indiana to get another playground focused on accessibility and inclusivity
October 29, 2022 | Source: WFPL
For children with disabilities, traditional playgrounds often present barriers, whether that be issues with mobility aids or a lack of sensory spaces. Some Southern Indiana communities are working to change that so children of all abilities can play equally. Charlestown will soon have a new inclusive playground after the city received a $150,000 grant from the Community Foundation of Southern Indiana (CFSI). Greenway Park will undergo a $366,000 transformation, using the CFSI grant, around $60,00 from Bluegrass Recreation and funds from the city…
New federal IT requirements coming to higher ed, Educause says
October 28, 2022 | Source: EdScoop
There are some big changes on the horizon for universities’ IT policies, relating to cybersecurity, data privacy, and web accessibility, speakers at the Educause 2022 conference in Denver, said on Thursday. One change is coming after the Federal Trade Commission published its revised Safeguards Rule last Dec. 9, with a one-year deadline to come into compliance with new cybersecurity protections and requirements. Higher education IT leaders should be working toward meeting that rule’s long list of requirements, said Jarett Cummings, senior adviser for policy and government relations at Educause…
U.S. Revises Disability Waiver For Naturalization, Reversing Trump-Era Changes
October 28, 2022 | Source: HUFFPOST
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) simplified and shortened its disability waiver on Oct. 19 to improve the accessibility of the naturalization process, effectively reversing barriers for disabled immigrants put in place by former President Donald Trump’s administration. The disability waiver provides an exception to the English and civics requirements for naturalization applicants who cannot meet the requirements because of a physical, developmental or mental disability…
‘This is going to help improve accessibility’: Disability commission gathers for first time since pandemic
October 28, 2022 | Source: Live 5 News
Committee members gathered Friday evening at the Gillard Center for the first time since 2020 to re-establish the mayor’s commission on disability issues. Commission members discussed accessibility for disabled people regarding sidewalks, public transportation, accessible bathrooms, swimming pools and building layouts throughout the city. The committee first started in 2000 with most members personally having disabilities that can provide feedback from personal experiences. Alex Jackson joined the commission in 2016 and hopes the group can fight for the rights of disabled people…
Blind to problems: How VA’s electronic record system shuts out visually impaired patients
October 29, 2022 | Source: Salon
Sarah Sheffield, a nurse practitioner at a Veterans Affairs clinic in Eugene, Oregon, had a problem. Her patients — mostly in their 70s and beyond — couldn’t read computer screens. It’s not an unusual problem for older people, which is why you might think Oracle Cerner, the developers of the agency’s new digital health record system, would have anticipated it. But they didn’t. Federal law requires government resources to be accessible to patients with disabilities. But patients can’t easily enlarge the text. “They all learned to get strong reading glasses and magnifying glasses,” said Sheffield, who retired in early October…
Safe crossings: New product promises safety, accessibility at intersections
October 30, 2022 | Source: Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
In 2019, William “WD” Feeney attempted to cross a Columbus, Ohio, street in his wheelchair. He never made it to the other side as a dump truck struck and killed the 30-year-old educator in the crosswalk, sending shock and sadness throughout people in the community. Arkansas native Helen Michelle Brown Dowdell, who was working in Columbus at the time, was one of them. “I was floored because [the accident] was less than a block away from one of our offices. Everyone was talking about it,” says Dowdell, who has since made her home in the Atlanta area…
Tippecanoe County properties face ADA lawsuits from out-of-state legal team
October 31, 2022 | Source: Journal and Courier
A couple of lawsuits alleging accessibly noncompliance recently landed in Tippecanoe County from an attorney several states away. The lawsuits allege two apartment complexes in Greater Lafayette ‒ Anvil 38 Luxury Apartments and WestRidge Flats ‒ did not meet the Americans with Disabilities Act code compliance. Last week, the Accessibility Coalition of Tippecanoe County, a community group of volunteers, met to discuss the appearance of the lawsuits that had recently appeared in Tippecanoe County claiming the buildings did not meet the Americans with Disabilities Act compliance…
Hospitals need to make their websites as accessible as their physical spaces
October 31, 2022 | Source: STAT
It would be anathema for a health care facility in the U.S. to have a main entrance that’s not physically accessible to all people. Yet many of their digital front doors block people with disabilities. They need to change that. More than 30 years after the Americans with Disabilities Act was signed into law with the aim of removing obstacles to people who are blind, deaf, or have other physical or mental disabilities, the digital landscape continues to erect barriers to access…
Airlines Pledge To Better Serve Travelers With Disabilities
October 31, 2022 | Source: Disability Scoop
In a joint statement, American, Delta, United and other major air carriers are committing to a series of new steps to improve travel for people with “mobility, cognitive and social disabilities.” Seven of the nation’s passenger airlines are part of a new pledge organized through the industry trade group Airlines for America to increase accessibility in plane travel. Specifically, the airlines say they will each create a passenger accessibility advisory group to work with the disability community to improve policies and operations…
Meg O’Connell: Disability disclosures require preparation for inclusive workplace
October 31, 2022 | Source: Jacksonville.com
There is a saying: “My disability may be invisible but your reaction to it is not.” People with disabilities have a variety of concerns when disclosing their disability to an employer. Will people see you differently, treat you differently, say something awkward? Will you still be chosen for key projects? Disability disclosure isn’t simply about being ready to share something deeply personal. It is also about being adept to respond to the various reactions people will have when you disclose your disability. Not all reactions are good, or even appropriate…
The Constantly Evolving Nature of Accessible Design
October 31, 2022 | Source: Built In Chicago
Over the course of only a few years, the Chicago Digital Accessibility and Inclusive Design Meetup has hosted dozens of events and grown to nearly 3,000 members comprised of engineers, developers and designers. The group’s continued growth and presence is emblematic of a simple yet often overlooked truth: in an industry defined by evolving technologies that demands continuous learning, accessibility must not be left on the backburner. Alissa Bankowski, product design lead at Evive, has over a decade of experience designing for mobile and web applications…
UPS class action alleges website not accessible to blind, visually impaired customers
October 31, 2022 | Source: Top Class Actions
UPS does not make its website accessible to blind and visually impaired people using a screen reader, in violation of the law, a new class action lawsuit alleges. Plaintiff Warren Zinnamon filed the class action lawsuit against United Parcel Service Inc. (UPS) Oct. 24 in a New York federal court, alleging violations of the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA). Zinnamon is a visually impaired and legally blind person who requires screen-reading software to read websites using his computer…
ADA Settlement with Cinemark USA, Inc. Improves Accessibility of Enfield Movie Theaters
October 31, 2022 | Source: Department of Justice
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that Cinemark USA, Inc. (“Cinemark”) has entered into a settlement agreement with the government to resolve allegations that the Cinemark Enfield Square 12 theaters, located at 90 Elm Street in Enfield, does not comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”). The settlement, which resolves a complaint filed with the U.S. Department of Justice that alleges that the Cinemark Enfield Square 12 is not physically accessible to persons with mobility disabilities, requires Cinemark to add ADA-compliant signage at exits and auditoriums…
Expanding Accessibility for Disabled People Living in Poverty
October 31, 2022 | Source: BORGEN Magazine
Disability has long been described as “both a cause and consequence of poverty,” according to TalkPoverty. People living in poverty can develop disabilities due to a lack of health care and are more likely to live in environments that create poor health conditions. A 2000 report by the British government’s Department for International Development noted that as many as half of all disabilities are not only preventable but are also linked to poverty. Disabled people living in poverty face a variety of setbacks, including economic and health care obstacles…
‘Campus needs to be accessible’: Disabled students struggle to navigate campus, earn a degree
October 31, 2022 | Source: Daily Texan
During her first week of in-person classes in spring 2022, Emily Flores was certain to show up early to campus so she wouldn’t be late for class. She struggled to find accessible routes and ramps to get into buildings, causing her to be continuously late to classes. Having grown up in Austin, Flores, who has muscular dystrophy and uses a wheelchair, never ran into accessibility issues when it came to going places and entering establishments, so the question of whether she’d run into problems at UT wasn’t at the forefront of her mind. But now, she regularly runs into challenges trying to attend her classes…
Christina Applegate can’t walk without a cane and gained 40 pounds after MS diagnosis: ‘I want people to know that I am very aware of all of that’
November 1, 2022 | Source: Yahoo
Christina Applegate says making the third and final season of Dead to Me after her multiple sclerosis diagnosis is the hardest thing she’s ever done. The 50-year-old actress also known for Married With Children and Anchorman was diagnosed with the disease of the central nervous system, which interrupts the flow of information within the brain as well as between the brain and body, while in production on the final season of the Netflix show in the summer of 2021. The show took a five month pause so she could start treatment. She told the New York Times in a new interview that coming back and pushing through to the end took a lot…
How some doctors discriminate against patients with disabilities
November 1, 2022 | Source: NPR
NPR’s Mary Louise Kelly talks with professor of medicine at Harvard Lisa Iezzoni about a new study that finds some doctors don’t want patients with disabilities. Lisa Iezzoni uses a wheelchair to get around, which I mention because it is relevant to this next story about a new study that finds some doctors don’t want patients with disabilities. In a series of anonymous interviews with 22 U.S. doctors, some admitted to refusing care to people with disabilities, making the excuse that they weren’t taking on new patients. One specialist called them a disruption to the practice…
Disabled New Yorkers File Lawsuit Against MTA Over Subway Gaps
November 1, 2022 | Source: HUFFPOST
Three disabled New Yorkers have filed a lawsuit against the Metropolitan Transportation Authority alleging it has failed to address dangerous gaps between subway trains and station platforms. The MTA acknowledged “as early as 2012” that the gaps should never exceed 2 inches vertically or 4 inches horizontally at wheelchair-accessible platform locations, but gaps as large as 6 inches remain pervasive throughout the transit system, rendering it inaccessible or unsafe for people with physical or visual disabilities, the lawsuit says…
Improvements in Accessibility to Cancer Screenings Are Needed for Individuals With Disabilities
November 2, 2022 | Source: Oncology Nursing News
According to the World Health Organization1 there are over 1 billion individuals living with a disability, representing approximately 15% of the world’s population. In the United States, the Center for Disease Control reports that 1 in 4 adults have some type of disability.2 Individuals with disabilities can be described as the largest minority group in the world; disability intersects across all demographics and rates of disability are increasing. Almost everyone will experience either a temporary or permanent disabling condition along their life span…
Feeling, Not Seeing, the Performing Arts: Theaters Get Creative About Accessibility
November 2, 2022 | Source: KQED
Tiffany Taylor studied theater in college, but she hadn’t truly felt welcome in the performing arts as a blind audience member or artist. That changed in 2016, when she first felt the work of San Francisco dance choreographer Jess Curtis. Curtis’ show began with a haptic access tour that allowed Taylor to touch the props, stage and even performers before taking her seat. She wore a headset connected to a wire transmitter that channeled the voice of a sighted audience member who sat next to her. The narrator described the show’s dance sequences and other visual cues to Taylor as her hearing and sense of vibration completed the experience…
Chicago Taxicab Drivers Awarded with Free Medallion For Exemplary Service to the Disability Community
November 2, 2022 | Source: City of Chicago
Today, the Chicago Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection (BACP), along with the Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities (MOPD), presented the Taxicab Driver Excellence Award to 10 local taxicab drivers in recognition of their premier customer service and dedication to riders with disabilities. The recipients each also received a free taxicab medallion license. The award highlights the City’s effort to expand access to Wheelchair Accessible Vehicles (WAV) taxicabs and serves as an incentive for taxicabs drivers to lease WAV taxicabs to serve people with disabilities…
Colleges face ADA accessibility lawsuits over websites
November 3, 2022 | Source: Top Class Actions
Mercer University, Lafayette College and Loyola University of Chicago websites fail to offer full Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accessibility to the blind or visually impaired, a trio of new class action lawsuits collectively allege. Plaintiff Joseph Ortiz claims Mercer, Lafayette, and Loyola University Chicago have failed to design, construct, maintain, and operate their respective websites so that they are fully accessible for individuals who are blind or visually impaired…
Jack Fact — According to a 2021 study from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, only 19.1% of people with a disability had employment. In comparison, 63.7% of people without a disability were employed. Additionally, the unemployment rate for people with a disability was twice as high as for those without a disability…
Hit The Road Jack —The State Of Accessible Travel and 7 of the Best National Parks for Seniors and Wheel the World
International News
This mom sits outside her child’s school all day. She wants more help for students with disabilities
October 28, 2022 | Source: CBC- Canada
Michelle Cousins follows her 14-year-old daughter Colette to school each morning. Cousins meets her bus at Marshall McLuhan Catholic Secondary School in north Toronto. She helps Colette and her wheelchair onto the ground and parks her van on a nearby street. She stays there until the end of the school day in case she needs to help her daughter, who has arthrogryposis, which causes joint stiffness and affects her mobility, among other conditions. “It’s been really, really challenging,” said Cousins, a single mom…
Resident questions voter accessibility in Oro-Medonte
October 28, 2022 | Source: Barrie Today- Canada
‘It’s not even just about accessibility’: Guelph’s election day easier for some than others
October 29, 2022 | Source: Guelph Mercury- Canada
This week’s municipal election in Oro-Medonte made waves after voters ousted almost the entire previous council, but the township is also being questioned now on accessibility options at a local polling station. BarrieToday received an email from voter Sandy Richmond regarding the voting situation at Shanty Bay Public School indicating that, in order to vote this past Monday, people had to walk downstairs to get to the gym. This was concerning to Richmond…
York: Council chamber ‘excludes disabled people’ – report
October 29, 2022 | Source: BBC- UK
A recently refurbished council chamber has been deemed “not fit for modern day life” by an independent report due to problems with its disabled access. York’s Guildhall chamber recently started being used for meetings again after a £26m redevelopment. But disability rights campaigners said fixed wood seating and raised platforms excluded them from council business. Bryn Roberts, the council’s director of governance, said a cross-party group would address issues the report raised…
By Dec 3, Chennai Metro stations to be disabled-friendly?
October 30, 2022 | Source: The New Indian Express- India and The Logical Indian- India
Persons with disability are hopeful that Chennai’s Metro stations would be retrofitted for universal accessibility by December 3, which is the International Day of Disabled Persons. On Saturday, members of various organisations, including Disability Rights Alliance (DRA) and the December 3 Movement, inspected Ekkattuthangal Metro station and suggested changes to comply with the harmonised guidelines for universal accessibility. DRA members said Metro officials promised to hold a meeting within a week to discuss the changes…
Manchester Piccadilly ramps up accessibility investment
October 31, 2022 | Source: Rail News- UK
A major £800,000 accessibility upgrade project has begun at Manchester Piccadilly station, with works in place to build and inclusive and accessible Assisted Travel Lounge. The Network Rail funded scheme will look to transform a disused room near platform one into a quiet and inviting waiting space for passengers with additional mobility and sensory needs. This area will be staffed with a dedicated team to assist when needed. The works for this lounge construction began on Friday 28th October and will reach culmination by the new year…
“Blindfolded walk” explores accessibility for blind and partially sighted pedestrians
October 31, 2022 | Source: News Anyway- UK
Some of our transport engineers and councillors got a fresh perspective on the challenges of navigating one of Exeter’s most popular streets on a recent visit organised by the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB). Local campaigner Marilyn Lant was joined by RNIB regional campaigners officer Steve Hyde to meet with our representatives for a blindfolded walk along Exeter’s leafy Magdalen Road which is home to many independent shops.
The road was chosen as it had been part of one of the Department for Transport’s Emergency Active Travel Schemes during the COVID-19 pandemic…
Push for improvements to Exeter shops accessibility
November 1, 2022 | Source: BBC- UK
Disabled adults are aiming to help make shops in Exeter more accessible. It is part of an initiative called Purple Tuesday which hopes to improve shopping experiences for disabled people. People who receive support from Community Equality Disability Action (CEDA) will provide advice on what changes might need to be made. Dan Smith, who uses a wheelchair, said: “I won’t buy from a shop if I can’t get all the way around it.” The 24-year-old added: “It’s not a choice to be in the chair, I’m in the chair and that’s how it is. It’s the same way everyone else can go everywhere and be fine, we should be treated the same way.”…
Accessibility issues on job hunting websites could be proving costly for applicants
November 1, 2022 | Source: TechCentral- Ireland and techbuzzireland and Silicon Republic
Recent analysis found that 89% of job search sites are not digitally accessible – meaning any individual with a disability would likely struggle to interact with the website and engage with even its most basic functions. Such functions include applying for a job, navigating the scope of a webpage, or searching for relevant employment opportunities. Commissioned by the NCBI and prepared by Inclusion and Accessibility Labs (IA Labs), the Irish Digital Employment Audit (IDEA) assessed Ireland’s leading job recruitment websites, performing a manual accessibility audit that used Google Lighthouse as its control…
Needs of people with disabilities must be considered in emergencies, advocates say
November 2, 2022 | Source: Halifax Examiner- Canada
Governments, communities, and individuals must do better when taking into account the experiences and needs of people with disabilities during emergencies. That was the messaging shared Tuesday during a panel discussion hosted by Dalhousie University’s MacEachen Institute for Public Policy and Governance. Titled Come Hell or High Water: Improving Response for People with Disabilities, the online discussion focussed on the unique considerations of people with disabilities in the face of emergencies and evacuations…
Charity looks for new panel members to promote inclusive design and accessibility in Scotland
November 2, 2022 | Source: AT Today- Scotland
Disability charity Disability Equality Scotland held a webinar on the 1 November 2022 to look for new members to join the new access panel in Moray, Scotland, to help promote inclusive design and accessibility in the area. Disability Equality Scotland is a membership organisation for disabled people and disability groups/organisations, working to make life more accessible, equal, and inclusive for disabled people. It is the umbrella organisation for all disability access panels in Scotland, providing them with support and guidance to improve the lives of disabled people at a local level throughout Scotland…
New recruitment brings new accessibility requirements
November 3, 2022 | Source: PBC Today- UK
Accessibility requirements aren’t just about the here and now – at its best, it involves building in provisions for the future, so if something changes significantly, any challenges which result can be met seamlessly
In the public sector, that scenario is addressed by the anticipatory approach required by the public sector equality duty, which means that in planning a project, an organisation must demonstrate that they have considered all the protected characteristics under the Equality Act 2010 and the effect the proposed policy will have on them to meet accessibility requirements…
Return to in-person lectures causes accessibility problems for students
November 3, 2022 | Source: Cherwell- England
The end of COVID-19 restrictions at Oxford University has brought about the return to in-person learning. Students now have to get used to attending lectures in actual theatres and auditoriums instead of their own rooms, which has caused accessibility issues for some. As we revert back to our pre-pandemic lifestyle, most departments have resumed in-person lectures, but only some of them have resorted to the harsher measure of removing previous recordings from Canvas, Oxford’s online learning environment. The University’s actions have had various effects on different students and courses…
Disability rights activist Vicky Levack to move into new home this month
November 3, 2022 | Source: Halifax Examiner- Canada
Vicky Levack will move to an apartment later this month after living in a nursing home for 10 years. Levack, 31, a writer and activist who has cerebral palsy, has been a strong advocate for the inclusion of people with disabilities.
Although Levack needs someone to provide 24/7 assistance, she is not unwell and has fought hard to convince the government she and many other young adults should be moved out of institutions. “It’s basically like a tiny hospital,” Levack said about Arborstone Enhanced Care…
When Technology Makes Music More Accessible
November 3, 2022 | Source: The New York Times- England
As the audience at Cafe OTO, a venue here, settled down to hear Neil Luck introduce his ambitious new piece, “Whatever Weighs You Down,” bemused smiles flickered across many faces. The evening’s performances had already featured an intriguing selection of musical technologies, including sensor gloves, text-to-speech software and recordings of bird song processed by artificial intelligence. So when Luck launched into a low-tech étude, raucously inflating a balloon while gasping into a microphone, audience members couldn’t help but laugh…
Few Indian websites are technically accessible to disabled people – despite the law requiring this
November 4, 2022 | Source: Scroll- India
In August, the court of the Chief Commissioner of Persons with Disabilities in a ruling against Practo asked the online healthcare service provider to make its website and application accessible to persons with disabilities. For a website or application to be accessible to persons with disabilities, especially for those with visual disabilities, it must allow them to obtain the same information and to engage in interactions as easily as individuals without disabilities can…
Accessibility Blogs and Information
- Diverseability Magazine
- PIA Newsletter October 2022
- EARN Newsletter: October 2022
- Accessible In-Home Displays- RNIB
- WID Monthly Newsletter: October 2022
- Was Sandy a wake up call?- Lens15 Media (YouTube)
- Wheelchair Travel Newsletter
- October 31, 2022
- JONES: Improve Campus Accessibility – The Hoya
- PUANG: Accessibility is not a privilege- Yale News
- Greater demand for accessible communications- Axios
- Common sense the key to accessibility- Airlines.iata.org
- Accessible Travel Press – How about Facebook – Issue #29
- ADA Compliance for Law Firm Websites in 2022- Lawmatics
- Students Build Lego Ramp to Promote Accessibility – The Hoya
- The ultimate TOP 75 must know list on social media – Issue #28
- Illinois prioritizes accessibility in IT planning- StateScoop Radio
- On Patience and Accessibility: An Elevator Pitch – Chicago Maroon
- Toward a More Accessible Metaverse- Sheila Meldrum and Yao Ding
- Making Your Website ADA Compliant Is A Win For Everyone- Forbes
- E-books and the impact of the European Accessibility Act- Taylor Wessing
- Online microaggressions strongly impact disabled users- Cornell Chronicle
- 10 famous and successful people with Down’s syndrome- Disability Horizons
- Why accessibility must be considered from the start of a project- Design Week
- Viewpoint: Where accessibility thrives, leaders thrive- Philadelphia Business Journal
- Making our products and services accessible for everyone- Ellie Runcie Chief Design Officer, BBC
- Continuous innovation for more inclusive work: What’s new in Microsoft 365 accessibility- Microsoft
- New Website, Who Dis? How to Manage Your New Website While Maintaining Accessibility- Mission
- Three product foundation researchers at Meta share what it’s like to work in accessibility- Meta Research
- These Amazon employees are on a mission to build a more accessible world through technology- Amazon
- Take 10 with a Triton: Jimmy Cong is a Disability Specialist, DJ and Digital Media Lover- UC San Diego
- The ALS MOTOR as a Beneficial and Accessible Tool for Virtually Tracking ALS Progression- Neurology Live
- Evidence standards framework (ESF) for digital health technologies- National Institute for Health and Care Excellence
- SGA calls on Quinnipiac to audit Office of Student Accessibility over accessibility concerns- The Quinnipiac Chronicle
- First Circuit Court of Appeals Rules Website Tester Has Standing for ‘Informational Injury’, Deepens Circuit Divide- Pierce Atwood
Accessibility Announcements and Products
- Accessible Voting
- Accessibility is changing in Walla Walla
- Digital Tools Implementation Checklist (PDF)
- WPS to address value creation in the passenger journey
- Wilkes gets $2.5 million for accessibility at Darte Center
- Pine Belt Habitat launches new accessibility ramp program
- Ontario Supporting Stronger, More Accessible Communities
- Lens15 Media- Focusing on Disability in New Jersey and Beyond
- Accessibility Efforts Across Campus Honored in Recognition Ceremony
- Framingham State Awarded $75K For ADA Accessibility Improvements
- IAAP Call for Webinars Professional Education Series – Digital Accessibility
- Local park opens universally accessible playground for children with disabilities
- Employees invited to self-disclose race/ethnicity, disability status and veteran status
- Researchers show off iPhone and iPad brain-control tech in accessibility breakthrough
- Inventor uses the USPTO’s Patent Pro Bono Program to advance accessibility technology (Video)
- New accessible changing station at KPU Surrey gives wheelchair users a lift to toilet, table
- Prevent Blindness Revamps, Expands its “Living Well With Low Vision” Online Resource
- University Of Greenwich: AccessAble And University Of Greenwich Launch New Accessibility Guide
- Newton Plans Accessibility And Safety Upgrades In Pettee Square Using Investments Totaling $3 Million
- Community Members Invited To Participate In 4th Annual Pasadena Adaptive Sports Festival Saturday, Nov. 5
Accessibility Forums, Tips, and Gaming
- iPhone User Guide
- Alternative Access Plans
- Technical Accessibility Guidelines
- Protocol for Creating Accessible OER
- Digital accessibility resources and information
- 5 Visual Treatments that Improve Accessibility
- Banish common web accessibility horrors this Halloween
- God of War: Ragnarök has extensive accessibility options
- All accessibility settings in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
- 4 ways Amazon is making Alexa and its devices more accessible
- How to Use Accessibility on Mac to Customize Your Experience
- Social Game VRChat Provides New Possibilities For Sign Language Support
- Ashley Coffey Joins Us! Women in XR, VR Accessibility and What’s Happening To Your Data?
- VT branded accessible slide template available as part of the Keep C.A.L.M. and Simplify Slides campaign
Accessibility Statements
- ADP
- Western Libraries
- Benedum Foundation
- Australian Government
- Georgetown University
- Pacific Lutheran University
- University College London
- University of Ontario Institute of Technology
- Lund University Department of Chemical Engineering
- California Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology and Hearing Aid Dispensers Board
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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