Accessibility in the News — 8/7/2020.

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Feature Stories

Blind voters are being disenfranchised, N.C. lawsuit says, and coronavirus doesn’t help

July 29, 2020 | Source: The News & Observer of Raleigh

Lawsuit claims Virginia’s absentee voting system violates Americans with Disabilities Act

July 29, 2020 | Source: Richmond Times-Dispatch

Focus groups highlight barriers to voting for people with disabilities

July 31, 2020 | Source: My Champlain Valley

An in-depth look at voting accessibility for the blind

August 5, 2020 | Source: WGN Radio (Podcast)

Another Election Day In Wisconsin Means More Voting Access Challenges For People With Disabilities

August 6, 2020 | Source: WUWM

St. Louis lawyer initially denied vote due to accessibility issues

August 6, 2020 | Source: Saint Louis Post Dispatch

Blind and visually impaired voters will face discrimination and difficult choices in the 2020 elections, a new lawsuit claims, unless North Carolina acts quickly to improve options for voting by mail. North Carolina has specialized voting machines for people with disabilities who vote at any polling place around the state. But this year, the coronavirus pandemic is expected to lead to a massive increase in voting by mail. And the only option for that is a paper ballot…

National News (U.S.)

Justice Department Settles With Ridgewood Preparatory School, Incorporated To Ensure Compliance With The ADA

July 30, 2020 | Source: ADA.gov

The Justice Department entered into a settlement agreement with Ridgewood Preparatory School (Ridgewood) under Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Ridgewood is a private, nonsectarian school that provides education to children in prekindergarten to twelfth grade. The agreement resolves allegations that Ridgewood violated the ADA by denying a child with spina bifida admission to its pre-kindergarten and kindergarten programs on the basis of his disability, failing to reasonably modify its policies, practices, and procedures to enable the child to access the school’s programs…

Court finds that ADA allows for “technical infeasibility” defense in website accessibility cases

July 30, 2020 | Source: DLA Piper

In DeSalvo v. Islands Restaurants, L.P., 2020 WL 4035071 (C.D. Cal. July 16, 2020), the court concluded that the ADA allowed defendants to assert the affirmative defense of “technical infeasibility” in website accessibility allegations. Here, the court struck the defendant’s technical infeasibility affirmative defense with leave to amend…

MTA says bleak financial outlook could delay upgrades for disabled

July 31, 2020 | Source: Newsday & WCBS 880

From the Desk of Ed Ra: 30th anniversary of ADA, path forward

July 30, 2020 | Source: The Island Now

The fiscal crisis facing the MTA because of the coronavirus pandemic is threatening to set back several planned accessibility upgrades for disabled riders, including improvements on the LIRR, transportation officials and advocates said. With a looming budget deficit that could total $16.2 billion by 2024, Metropolitan Transportation Authority officials have said all options are on the table to reduce costs. That includes deferment of much of the agency’s $55 billion Capital Program, which was to fund infrastructure in the transit system through 2024…

Florida’s ADA celebration reveals lack of understanding

July 31, 2020 | Source: Tallahassee Democrat

Sunday marked the 30th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act being signed into law. While the anniversary events that decided to move forward amid COVID-19 scrambled to transition to virtual platforms, some seem to have lost sight of what, and whom, this day is about. The state held its two-part ADA event on July 24. In the first part, “Stroll in Support of the ADA,” participants were asked to walk around their neighborhoods, while following recommended social distancing guidelines, and take pictures to post on social media using the hashtag #ADA30FL…

California retailers threatened with lawsuits over their websites’ accessibility

July 31, 2020 | Source: Bicycle Retailer

At least 15 bike shops in California have received emails and letters from a law firm threatening suits over their websites’ compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and a California statute. The law firm, representing a blind woman from California, said in the letters that it would seek statutory damages of $4,000 per violation, plus attorney fees and other costs. It said it was open to settlement negotiations if dealers responded before Aug. 14. Otherwise, it said, it plans to sue in a U.S. district court…

5 Ways To Avoid An Accessibility Fail

July 31, 2020 | Source: Forbes

Are inaccessible buildings really all that much of a problem, next to some of the other problems disabled people face? No … and yes. For comparison: Only about 19% of people with disabilities in the U.S. have a job. The poverty rate for Americans with disabilities is about double the rate for non-disabled people, and the gap has narrowed only slightly over the last ten years. One-third to one-half of people killed by police in recent years have had some kind of disability. Preliminary data from April 2020 suggested that about 27% of the total deaths from Covid-19 in the U.S. were people with disabilities in long-term congregate care…

Bringing light to the news, for those who can’t hear it

July 31, 2020 | Source: Christian Science Monitor (Video)

In emergency situations, deaf and hard of hearing people are often the last to know. As COVID-19 swept the United States, government briefings and hospitals have failed at times to provide sign language interpreters. News updates in written English aren’t necessarily accessible, since English is a second language for many deaf and hard of hearing Americans. For this group of more than 10 million people nationwide, the biggest source of sign language news comes from a small home studio near Detroit, with just one full-time staffer…

USDOT celebrates 30th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act

July 31, 2020 | Source: MassTransitMag.com & CBS Pittsburgh

The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) is creating a first-of-its-kind accessibility strategic plan as it works to achieve access and mobility for all in transportation, according to an announcement by U.S. Secretary of Transportation Elaine L. Chao. “This strategic plan creates a unified vision for the department to support the development of new inclusive, affordable transportation technologies that address mobility and access challenges,” said Secretary Chao…

ADA at 30: Much done, much left to do

August 1, 2020 | Source: Rome Sentinel

The summer that the federal Americans With Disabilities Act turns 30 years old is a season of celebrating vast improvements in the lives of people with disabilities, but it is also a time to acknowledge what hasn’t changed, to watch for the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, and a time to have guarded optimism about creating new opportunities, advocates in the Mohawk Valley say. Then-President George H.W. Bush signed the legislation into law in July 1990…

The Disability Rights Movement Needs to Be More Inclusive

August 2, 2020 | Source: Yahoo Lifestyle

With the anniversary of the Americans With Disabilities Act, a lot of disabled people are in an odd position. We’re supposed to be celebrating legislation that’s supposed to ensure accessibility. It’s kind of America’s way of saying “look at what we (able-bodied/neurotypical people) have done for you as a disabled person.” Then we are supposed to clap and cry, or something. However, a lot of people who aren’t in our community don’t understand the ADA. The Americans With Disabilities Act is supposed to ensure accessibility if you have needs in relation to physically or mentally being in a space…

Meet the Youtuber who’s schooling developers on how blind people really use tech

August 3, 2020 | Source: Fast Company & The Mighty

Kristy Viers owned an iPhone for five years before her tech-savvy boyfriend showed her a trick: Instead of thumb typing on the screen’s tiny lettered keyboard, she could flip around her phone, and type with the six dots of braille that appeared directly under her fingers. The difference was night and day. Text messages that took her minutes to compose now took seconds. Given that Viers is blind, it might be surprising that it took her so long to learn her iPhone had a trick built specifically for her. But the truth about technology, even accessible technology, is that it’s not always so accessible to everyday users…

Lawsuit: Disability group teamed up with Muskegon to allow inaccessible businesses

August 3, 2020 | Source: Detroit Free Press

An advocate for people with disabilities says the city of Muskegon conspired with a local developer and a nonprofit that is supposed to advocate for disabled people to retaliate and discredit her, after she complained two businesses in a city-backed downtown revitalization project were not accessible to customers who use wheelchairs. In a federal lawsuit, Eleanor Canter alleges the nonprofit Disability Network West Michigan, which has a contract with the city, gave the Heritage Square Commons project its “seal of approval,” despite the fact the project did not comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act…

Affordable housing company settles DOJ lawsuit over access issues at 82 complexes in 12 states

August 4, 2020 | Source: McKnight’s Senior Living

A developer, builder and manager of affordable senior housing and other apartment complexes has settled one of the largest housing accessibility lawsuits filed by the Department of Justice. Miller-Valentine Operations has agreed to make extensive modifications at 82 multifamily housing complexes and pay $475,000 to resolve claims that it violated the Fair Housing Act and the Americans with Disabilities act by designing and constructing apartment complexes that are inaccessible to people with disabilities…

Pitt To Study How Autonomous Vehicles Can Better Serve Those With Disabilities

August 4, 2020 | Source: WESA

The University of Pittsburgh will lead a consortium of institutions to study how autonomous vehicles can be made accessible to those with physical disabilities. The U.S. Department of Transportation awarded the school a $1 million grant last week. The department awarded grants to four new University Transportation Centers to advance research and education programs that address transportation challenges. “Researchers at these four new [centers] and their consortium members will address important 21st Century transportation topics,” said Deputy Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology Diana Furchtgott-Roth..

For blind students anticipating virtual learning this fall, inaccessible learning platforms are top concern

August 4, 2020 | Source: WSAW

As Universities Move Fall Classes Online, Are Disabled Students Being Considered?

August 5, 2020 | Source: Rewire.News

Micah’s world is one of sound. Only able to see light and shadows since birth, his digital devices and audio tools are one of the main ways he interacts with the world around him. “I like to explore technology,” he explains. Throughout the interview, the almost-seventh grader takes pride in describing the audio capabilities of his devices, his analysis of his church’s recording capabilities, his drum set–all while twirling his iPod and cycling through apps with Siri, faster than most of us can open an email…

Deaf farmer finds ways to overcome

August 4, 2020 | Source: Ohio Country Journal

Riding next to his dad in the tractor, a young Matt Fry could tell there was a problem with the machine. He and his father were working ground on their farm in Bellville when Matt noticed a difference in the way the tractor was running. He could feel it in the vibrations of the engine that something was not right, even before the beeping alarms let his dad know there was an issue. Although Fry was unable to hear the alarms, his other senses alerted him to the problem…

Clear masks help the hard of hearing, but they could benefit everybody

August 5, 2020 | Source: Popular Science

Allysa Dittmar still remembers the day clearly. While undergoing a hospital procedure in 2017, the doctors, suited up in their surgical gowns and masks, asked her a number of pre-op questions. But she couldn’t understand their words or give them answers. Dittmar is deaf and relies on lip reading, sign language, and other visual cues to communicate. The interpreter for the hospital never showed up due to a clerical error. Eventually, the medical staff just stopped trying to talk to her, and instead moved her body around for her as if she were a doll. It was dehumanizing and disorienting, she recalls…

The Forgotten History of How Accessible Design Reshaped the Streets

August 5, 2020 | Source: Bloomberg

In the summer of Covid-19, sidewalks are expanding — making room for new outdoor restaurant seating or extending the square footage of existing dining areas much further, all the way into the street. In what used to be parking spaces, there are now tables and chairs, surrounded by cheery temporary fences and bunting, all to provide the social distancing that our new rules for public life require. The street itself is being temporarily remade. When my home city of Boston recently announced a new program for restaurants…

Wanted: allies in the fight for disability rights

August 5, 2020 | Source: The Boston Globe

When the landmark Americans With Disabilities Act turned 30 last month, Carol Steinberg was doing what she always does: pushing hard for more accessibility for people with disabilities. As Beacon Hill lawmakers took up a major economic development package — which includes money for affordable housing — Steinberg was lobbying to add language that would require that buildings constructed before 1991 that are being converted into apartments must include units that can be adapted to the needs of senior citizens or people with disabilities…

One Simple Tip to Improve Workplace Communication

August 5, 2020 | Source: Clearance Jobs

Communicating is one of the most important things we do as humans. Our communication abilities allow us to work with others, navigate workplace struggles, take in multiple perspectives, and move forward to solve problems and learn valuable information about our workplace, our peers, and our customers. While most of us would agree that listening is an essential part of communication, we might not consider that our ability to listen is affected by our ability to hear…

Patients With Highest IOP Benefit Most From Laser Therapy In Glaucoma: Study

August 6, 2020 | Source: Medical Dialogues & News Medical Life Sciences

Why Hypertension Can Increase Likelihood Of Glaucoma

August 6, 2020 | Source: Nigerian Times

Researchers have found in a new study that selective laser trabeculoplasty (SLT) is most effective treatment for glaucoma in patients where intraocular pressure (IOP) is very high.The patients with highest pressure will benefit the most from this laser therapy, according to the new study. Second in frequency only to cataracts, glaucoma causes more cases of blindness worldwide than any other ocular disease. More than 70 million people worldwide suffer from glaucoma, a condition that causes a build-up of fluid and pressure inside the eye and can eventually lead to blindness…

New Artist Profile: Shihori Turns Disability Into ‘Perfect Imperfection’ For Charity

August 6, 2020 | Source: Your EDM (Video)

Shihori is an artist who started out life with what many perceived as challenges. She was born deaf in her left ear and it was later discovered that she also had a form of dwarfism and Asperger’s. Her family and those around her sought to correct these things but because of the unique combination of the Asperger’s and partial deafness, Shihori was largely unaware of these things as problems. What she called her “half-silent world” helped her develop her creativity and her extraordinary singing voice…

Jack Fact — Nearly 500 million people globally have “disabling hearing loss,” according to the World Health Organization (WHO), a figure it expects to rise to 900 million in the coming decades.

Hit The Road Jack — Accessible Beach Life

International News

Bringing down barriers for travelers with disabilities in Korea

July 27, 2020 | Source: The World- South Korea & The Week- South Korea

Hong Seo-yoon maneuvers through shifting clusters of picture-snapping tourists outside of Deoksugung, a palace in downtown Seoul. Before passing through the former royal residence’s wooden gate, she adjusts her motorized wheelchair’s speed ahead of a gradual incline in the stone walkway that leads into a tree-lined courtyard. The 32-year-old explains that even small modifications, such as replacing a step with a ramp, give people like her access to places that otherwise would have been difficult if not impossible to enter independently…

Canada’s contact tracing app simple to use, but missing key features: security expert

July 31, 2020 | Source: Yahoo- Canada

The federal government’s contact tracing app is now available for download, and while it is easy to use, a security expert says it needs to be offered in more languages to encourage wider use. The voluntary app that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced on June 18 aims to help stop community spread of COVID-19. The app uses technology developed by Google and Apple called Exposure Notification Bluetooth Specification, the Prime Minister’s Office said at the time…

Lothian MSP calls for stores to be more accessible for deaf customers

July 31, 2020 | Source: Linlithgow Gazette- UK & Edinburgh News- UK

The Access for All in Retail campaign was created by UK charity, Action on Hearing Loss, to address the issues that the 12 million people across the UK who are deaf or have hearing loss face whilst shopping, particularly during Covid-19. The charity has penned an open letter to leading retailers encouraging them to minimise the barriers created by face coverings; reduce background noise; use hearing loops; and provide staff with deaf awareness training. Mr Balfour (Con), who is the convenor of the Cross-Party Group on Disability, has signed the letter and encouraged others to do the same…

The Accessible Football Program is back up and running

August 1, 2020 | Source: Gold Coast Bulletin- Australia

Jay Hoy can remember the exact moment he decided it was time to create an inclusive and accessible football program. “I was coaching Under-14’s football at the time and I remember looking over to the sidelines and seeing a special needs boy sitting down watching us train,” he said. “He looked like he wanted to join in and I wanted to get him involved but it’s so hard to find a suitable program.” A few months later and Hoy partnered with Gold Coast United to launch the Accessible Football program, offering players of all abilities a safe, fun structured environment to enjoy the game…

Accessible sailing hoping to make waves for people with disabilities in NL

August 1, 2020 | Source: CBC- Canada

Many people in Newfoundland and Labrador love a day out on the water sailing, and one group from this province is making sure everyone is able to experience it. Able Sail NL was created in 2018 with the goal of helping make sailing more accessible to those with physical or mental disabilities. “If someone’s got a physical or mental disability, we don’t want that to be a barrier to sailing,” said Matt Debicki, president of Able Sail NL, on Friday. “We’ve partnered with the Royal Newfoundland Yacht Club along with other partners such as Ocean Quest and Ocean Yacht Sales and several others to try and be as inclusive as possible with our sailing school.”…

Northern Ireland mum campaigning for fully accessible play parks for children with disabilities

August 1, 2020 | Source: Belfast Live- Ireland

A Coleraine mother is urging local councils across Northern Ireland to make all play parks accessible for children with disabilities. Christine McClement’s daughter Lilia has a rare genetic disorder which causes her to have severe physical and learning difficulties. The mother of three campaigned in 2016 for an accessible play park in her area, resulting in the Diversity Park opening within the grounds of Flowerfield Arts Centre in Portstewart. This was the first play park in NI that was designed ‘to provide high quality-play for every child including the most severely disabled’…

Job counsellor Faisal Ashraf uses humour to create awareness about disability

August 1, 2020 | Source: NewzHook- India

From lack of accessibility to sexuality, Faisal Ashraf does not flinch from taking up sensitive aspects related to disability. This employment counsellor and comedian uses cartoons on Instagram and Facebook to break widely held stereotypes about disability and disabled people. They are laugh out loud, even stinging, and always quirky. Welcome to the world of @Faisalnama01 on Instagram and Facebook. This parallel universe on social media is where Faisal Ashraf, an employment counsellor with v-shesh, disability rights advocate, comedian and innovator, gives voice to the activist in him…

Why people should stop designing prosthetics that look realistic—and start designing ones that work

August 1, 2020 | Source: Fast Company- UK

Amputation can have a devastating effect on a person’s body image and sense of self. The use of prosthetic limbs may help, but when it comes to their appearance, options are often limited. The choice, if there is one, usually comes down to either a prosthesis with a realistic appearance that helps users hide the limb loss, or a mechanical version which offers greater functionality, but is more easily noticeable. To address this gap between function and appearance, some companies and designers are now working on “expressive prostheses.”…

‘My doll with a hearing aid looks like me’

August 1, 2020 | Source: BBC- UK

A mother who set up a not-for-profit company adapting toys to represent all disabilities has told how it is “empowering” for children. Clare Tawell started Bright Ears UK to sell dolls with hearing aids after her daughter had one fitted as a baby. The former Milton Keynes Hospital radiographer said she had not been able to find any others on the market. “I’m not doing it to make money,” she said. “This is just fulfilling the need that isn’t being met.” Mrs Tawell had wanted to buy her four-year-old daughter, Matilda, who was born deaf, a doll featuring a hearing aid but “couldn’t find anything”…

Sign language avatar creator wins $30,000 grant from Possibility Fund

August 2, 2020 | Source: Stuff- New Zealand

A New Zealand company has come up with a game-changer for the deaf community – an expressive, hyper-realistic avatar called Niki who can appear at the bottom of any screen or device. There are other sign-language avatars around, but they are robotic, lacking the facial expression and body language which is crucial to help convey meaning. Niki has been created by Kara Technologies, which uses artificial intelligence and animated digital characters to translate content into sign language…

Mental health website for people with intellectual disability created with help of those with lived experience

August 3, 2020 | Source: ABC News- Australia

Fiona McKenzie has spent much of her life proving people wrong. The Sydney woman, who lives with an intellectual disability, has at times felt excluded, but she’s always figured out how to take the power back. “They say you can’t do certain things because of your disability and you know you can do them,” she said. “I get out there and I prove them wrong.” The 45-year-old became depressed after years of being teased and called names. But as she got older, she started working and got involved with disability advocacy groups…

Thompson Okanagan Tourist Association: How accessible is your business?

August 3, 2020 | Source: Salmon Arm Observer- Canada

Many people of all ages experience road blocks to participating in activities, based simply on their varying abilities. The Thompson Okanagan Tourist Association (TOTA) would like to change that. TOTA has created a video, Accessibility in a New Light, to emphasize the importance of creating region-wide experiences that everyone can enjoy. Glenn Mandziuk, TOTA president and CEO, said the tourism industry can help make a difference by thoughtfully working to create accessible experiences…

Accessible Tourism for All in the New Reality

August 4, 2020 | Source: FTN News- Europe & Majorca Daily Bulletin

The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) is calling on destinations to recognize the needs of travelers with disabilities or specific access requirements as they open up to visitors again. In partnership with the ONCE Foundation of Spain and the European Network for Accessible Tourism (ENAT), the United Nations specialized agency has released new guidelines to ensure accessibility and inclusivity as the responsible restart of tourism gets underway. According to the newest data from UNWTO, 40% of global destinations have now eased restrictions on travel introduced in response to COVID0-19…

New rules on workplace accessibility for disabled workers in Romania

August 4, 2020 | Source: Ius Laboris- Romania

The new law introduces a series of amendments to various aspects in the field of disabled persons’ rights. The most relevant from an employment perspective are listed below. The definitions for the following terms are amended: ‘reasonable adaptation of the workplace’, ‘assisted employment’ and ‘authorised protected unit’. In relation to the integration of disabled individuals within work, the law states that employers must ensure disabled individuals have access of to an adapted workplace, as appropriate, in accordance with the functional potential and the adaptation capacity of the workers in question…

Palestinians Protest Elevator for Disabled at Hebron Flashpoint

August 5, 2020 | Source: The Media Line- Israel

The Israeli Supreme Court this week rejected a petition by the Palestinian Authority’s Hebron Municipality against the installation of an elevator for people with disabilities. The municipality in the southern West Bank city wants the accessibility project stopped, saying construction is taking place on land it owns together with the Palestinian Waqf Islamic trust, which operates under the aegis of the PA Religious Affairs Ministry, but the court said the Israeli Civil Administration’s Higher Planning Council could move forward…

Tourism association kick-starts new campaign to boost accessibility in Thompson-Okanagan region

August 6, 2020 | Source: CBC- Canada

The Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association (TOTA) has launched a new campaign to promote full inclusion and accessibility in all aspects of travel experiences in the region. The Accessibility in a New Light project is being conducted in partnership with AccessBC and Spinal Cord Injury B.C., with the purpose of allowing equal opportunity for people with different capabilities to enjoy the products and services offered in the region in the province’s Interior. Sonja Gaudet, a three-time Canadian Paralympic gold medalist wheelchair curler, is TOTA’s regional accessibility specialist and one of the voices in the campaign video…

Making heritage websites accessible to all

August 6, 2020 | Source: The National Lottery Heritage Fund- UK

As society moves increasingly online, heritage projects need to be able to make use of new opportunities for outreach and support. Online accessibility is fundamental to this. At its core, online accessibility is about understanding how disabled people engage online. Different disabled users have different requirements – deaf people and blind people have entirely different needs, for example. Inclusive digital design minimises barriers for everyone. To help heritage organisations with this, I was asked by The National Lottery Heritage Fund to produce a short, easy-to-use online accessibility guide for its Digital Skills for Heritage initiative…

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