Accessibility in the News — 10/23/2020.
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Crafted while listening to: Western Stars
“I can’t change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to always reach my destination.”
― Jimmy Dean
How a Deaf Player Changed the Game
Feature Stories
US Election Rules Overhaul Only Way To Ensure Disabled Voters Are Heard
October 16, 2020 | Source: Forbes
Coalition reports Tennesseans with disabilities have among worst voter turnout in country
October 16, 2020 | Source: WZTV & Full Report
Disability Rights, Elections Security Advocates Discuss Digital Voting
October 16, 2020 | Source: WFSU
Voters with disabilities have accessible voting options
October 16, 2020 | Source: WZDX
Drop-off ballot boxes are not always accessible to voters with physical disabilities
October 19, 2020 | Source: Boing Boing
2020 Election: Accessible Voting Options
October 19, 2020 | Source: WZDX
Just 2 Weeks Out From the Election, But Assistive Technology for Voters With Disabilities Is Growing
October 20, 2020 | Source: Mother Jones
1 in 6 Pennsylvania voters has a disability. Why don’t candidates campaign for their support?
October 20, 2020 | Source: The Philadelphia Inquirer
New app empowers voters with disabilities
October 21, 2020 | Source: Oak Park
Supreme Court Blocks Curbside Voting In Alabama, An Option During Pandemic
October 21, 2020 | Source: NPR
Why Voting Matters for the Disability Community
October 22, 2020 | Source: Center For American Progress
Mail-in ballot applications peppered with accessibility issues
October 22, 2020 | Source: GCN
According to recent projections from Rutgers University, 38 million American citizens of voting age have a disability. Inaccessibility, in the context of an election, can take many forms spanning both inadequate facilities at polling stations and the failure of state authorities to provide accessible alternative voting options. Concerning the former, this may include poor physical access to polling locations, such as lack of wheelchair ramps and disabled parking, narrow doorways and poor signage…
National News (U.S.)
Nevada must improve blind people’s access to government websites
October 14, 2020 | Source: Nevada Current
The internet has become an integral part of most people’s daily lives. This is truer than ever during the COVID-19 pandemic, when most of us are spending a great deal of time in our homes interacting with the outside world through websites, apps and video conferences. Unfortunately, despite some efforts by a few officials and agencies and clear state mandates and federal laws, blind Nevadans like me and the thousands represented by the National Federation of the Blind (NFB) and its Nevada affiliate, of which I serve as president, still can’t access many of the state’s internet resources.
Congressmen aim to help retailers avoid ADA website lawsuits
October 15, 2020 | Source: Home Furnishings Association& GRA & Blank Rome & Klein Moynihan
A bipartisan bill in Congress addresses a problem that has cost many Home Furnishings Association members thousands of dollars. It’s called the Online Accessibility Act. If it becomes law, it would bar plaintiffs from filing legal actions before businesses had time to fix website deficiencies and government agencies could seek administrative remedies. Consumer-facing business websites and other online platforms must comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act…
Focus on accessibility earns Wellesley woman a spot with digital series
October 15, 2020 | Source: Observer Xtra
An entrepreneur with more than 20 years in the graphic design and marketing industry, Wellesley’s Jolene MacDonald is also an advocate for people with disabilities, both as a parent and through her own experiences. The combination of those two facets of her life led to the launch of Accessibrand, a marketing and design venture organized in 2018 as a collective of those with disabilities or whose lives have been touched by disability. MacDonald’s work is being profiled in the just-launched second year of How She Hustles’ Startup & Slay digital series…
Arizona Attorney General Issues Warning to Consumers About OTC Hearing Aids
October 16, 2020 | Source: The Hearing Review
Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich has issued an announcement on his website cautioning consumers to watch out for “misleading sales tactics from companies selling over-the-counter hearing amplifiers.” Over the past year, the Attorney General’s Office (AGO) said it has received approximately 140 complaints about over-the-counter hearing aids. “In this era of new technology and self-service, many innovations bring true improvement to the quality of our lives. Consumers, however, need to be careful before purchasing these products,” said Brnovich…
Travelers With Disabilities Face New Challenges During Covid
October 16, 2020 | Source: Skift
For most segments of the population, Covid-19 has largely shut down non-essential travel. But even the local travel happening now is adding to the challenges faced by one group: travelers with disabilities. “Covid-19 has put a 100 percent hold on our tours for individuals with developmental disabilities,” said Don Douglas, the owner of Able Trek Tours, a Wisconsin-based tour company that specializes in accessible travel, as “many destinations and attractions (such as sporting events, festivals, and concerts) we frequent are closed.”…
The One Barrier To Employment No One Thinks About Unless It’s Happened To You (And The Good News)
October 16, 2020 | Source: Forbes
What if fashion, no matter how much money you have, is still inaccessible? Meaning you can’t get in or out of your clothes without help or you can’t even find what you need? My friend, Judy Heumann, who is one of the most famous women in disability rights advocacy to ever roll the planet, has worked with two presidents and the World Bank, but has to shop in the kids aisle at Payless to find herself the right shoes for her smaller feet. Now with Payless gone, she says she’s out of shoes…
New Publication Shares Ways for Museums To Be Accessible and Inclusive
October 16, 2020 | Source: Webwire & PDF
A new digital publication, “Inclusive Digital Interactives: Best Practices + Research,” aims to spur innovation, encourage information sharing and motivate cultural organizations to consider accessible and inclusive digital interactive design as an essential component of their work. Featuring 16 case statements, the online publication was published recently by Access Smithsonian, the Institute for Human Centered Design and MuseWeb. “‘Inclusive Digital Interactives’ is about new ways of designing museum digital interactives so that the broadest range of visitors…
Inside Sinéad Burke’s new adaptable clothing marketplace
October 18, 2020 | Source: Vogue Business
Imagine getting stuck in a dress because you can’t reach the zip at the back, or because there are too many fiddly buttons to undo by yourself. Imagine the indignity of having to sleep in the dress overnight. It isn’t a direct comparison, but educator and advocate Sinéad Burke says this is the closest many able-bodied people will get to understanding how people with disabilities experience fashion. Adaptive design exists to remedy this, giving people with disabilities “permission to be themselves and reinsert the dignity that the world has removed”, Burke says…
The Presidential Debates: Inaccessible To The Deaf
October 19, 2020 | Source: Forbes– Peter Slatin
Deaf community feels ‘overlooked,’ pushes for sign language interpreters at presidential debates
October 21, 2020 | Source: Fox News
“If you guys make any of my TikToks viral, pls make it this one – it’s so important.” That was the plea that young Erin Sydney Rosenfeld led off with on her now viral TikTok post as she vented her frustration during the first presidential debate on Sept. 29. She was just one of the millions of deaf and hard of hearing Americans trying to watch the debates in real time on a national broadcast or cable network despite the lack of fully accessible options. The post got right to the point: “Okay, so I’m really frustrated right now because I’m trying to watch the presidential debate, but there’s not an ASL (American Sign Language) interpreter…
How embracing universal design could make the world better after COVID-19
October 19, 2020 | Source: Seattle Times
If there is one good thing that can come from this year, it might be that we have a chance to dramatically reset our way of doing things. One of the opportunities we have now as we look ahead to the future is in the realm of accessibility. If you have never thought about accessibility before, you likely will in the future. Today, 26% of people have some kind of disability, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says, and that number is expected to increase with the aging of the baby boomer generation…
Colorado restaurants face ADA lawsuits over websites; ‘right to cure’ period in disability law urged
October 19, 2020 | Source: Complete Colorado
The Colorado Restaurant Association (CRA) issued a warning in their October 5 member newsletter that a blind resident of Douglas County has been filing lawsuits against Colorado businesses, including restaurants, because their websites do not comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Title III of the ADA, written in 1990, before the internet existed as it does today, prohibits discrimination against persons with disabilities in providing services and goods in places of public accommodation. Courts have ruled that websites fit the definition of places of public accommodation…
Arts Study Highlights Better Ways To Serve Audiences With Disabilities
October 19, 2020 | Source: ideastream
People with disabilities don’t necessarily feel included in the local arts scene, according to a report issued this month by Arts Cleveland,“Open Caption: Rethinking Accessibility in Cleveland’s Arts and Culture.” The findings highlight various ways the arts and culture community could better serve people with mobility, hearing, cognitive and other challenges. Arts Cleveland Community Relations Manager Meg Matko said they used a broad definition of “disability.” “It’s really any kind of limitation, be it physical, mental, cognitive, emotional, that sort of inhibits a person from partaking in the regular activities of everyday life,” Matko said…
To Build More-Inclusive Technology, Change Your Design Process
October 19, 2020 | Source: Harvard Business Review
In technology, inherent bias can be hard to root out. Our tech tends to reflect the people who create it — their perspectives and experiences shape how products are designed. Whether you’re talking about a smart city or a smart speaker, the systems that underpin our lives are the sum of designers’ decisions; inequality and exclusion are often the unintentional consequences of those choices. To address this, organizations, experts, and regulators have worked to make technology more accessible for people with different physical and cognitive abilities; the tech industry has taken meager steps to diversify its workforce…
‘Deaf U’ doesn’t represent all deaf people. It shouldn’t have to
October 19, 2020 | Source: Los Angeles Times
When I started watching “Deaf U,” Netflix’s docusoap about a group of students at Gallaudet University, the first thing I noticed was a gradual pain in my cheeks. Then I realized it was because I couldn’t stop smiling. I immediately fell in love with the series’ charismatic subjects: the hilarious Rodney (and his incredible family); the probing and thoughtful Renate; Alexa, on a search of self by way of other people; Cheyenna, fighting for a space to call her own; Cameron, the truth-telling friend everyone wishes they had; Daequan, who only just learned to sign and as a result seems to be discovering himself…
Judge Barrett’s view of Obamacare stirs fear among disabled Americans
October 19, 2020 | Source: CNN
As I watched the Supreme Court confirmation hearings of Judge Amy Coney Barrett last week, I couldn’t help but think how much her confirmation would hurt families like hers and mine. Nobody questions that Judge Barrett loves her family, but it is a simple fact that whether she is promoted to the Supreme Court or not, she will have a level of guaranteed health care for life that many if not most disabled people can only dream of — especially if the Affordable Care Act is repealed…
It’s time to end employment discrimination for people with disabilities
October 19, 2020 | Source: The Hill
Today, 61 million adult Americans live with some type of disability. More significantly, this cohort is growing; anyone can acquire a disability as a result of health issues, accidents, injuries or the normal wear and tear of aging. A chilling proof point is the Social Security Administration’s 2019 Fact Sheet that estimates 1 in 4 of today’s 20-year-olds will have a temporary or permanent brush with disability by age 67. et there are a significant number of Americans with disabilities who need — and want — to work…
NYC intersections violate ADA by lacking enough audible signals for the blind, judge rules
October 20, 2020 | Source: New York Daily News & AP
Blind people need better traffic signals to help them safely cross New York City intersections, a Manhattan federal judge ruled Tuesday. The city’s lack of proper signals for blind and sight-impaired people violates the Americans with Disabilities Act, Manhattan Federal Judge Paul Engelmayer said. In particular, Engelmayer ruled the city had failed to equip traffic signals with accessible pedestrian signals — APS for short — which include alarms or other audible alerts…
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources welcomes people with disabilities at wildlife management areas
October 20, 2020 | Source: Faribault Daily News
New Accessibility Resources Available For Minnesota Voters With Disabilities
October 21, 2020 | Source: CBS Minnesota
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources wants more people with disabilities to know about ways to use wildlife management areas (WMAs). “We want all Minnesotans, including those with disabilities, to be able to access public lands and re-engage and reconnect with nature,” said David Trauba, southern region wildlife manager. The DNR is publicizing current access opportunities now, during hunting seasons. This February, the agency will make recommendations to the Legislature about accessibility improvements on WMAs…
Diversity deserves celebration
October 20, 2020 | Source: UI The Daily Iowan
Diversity, inclusion, and accessibility seem to many people like tedious political correctness. I have recently discovered it has nothing to do with politics. It is everything about caring about others, making them feel welcomed and valued. During The Daily Iowan’s recent community chat about accessibility in the media, speakers were asked what news organizations can do to make newsrooms more accessible and encourage journalists with disabilities to be a part of their staff. The questions were not asked in a way which sounded like it was about political correctness…
Animals, people rescue each other in heartfelt docuseries
October 21, 2020 | Source: AP
In a new docuseries, a child who uses a walker meets a dog with its own version of wheels. Inmates find solace in training canines for adoption, and pigs strut their stuff in a “body positivity” celebration. That and more is part of “That Animal Rescue Show,” an endearing project that reflects its unexpected creators as well as its stars, human and otherwise. All 10 episodes are out Oct. 29 on the CBS All Access streaming service. “What the series is about is people rescuing animals, and animals rescuing people,” said Oscar-winning documentarian Bill Guttentag…
Teledoc Sued Over Website Allegedly Inaccessible to Blind
October 21, 2020 | Source: Bloomberg Law
Teledoc Health Inc., a leading provider of telemedicine services, is facing a proposed class action in federal court in New York over the accessibility of its website to blind and visually impaired people. Cedric Bishop is a legally blind man who needs screen-reading software to use website content on his computer. He sued Teledoc Tuesday in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, alleging it has failed to adopt technology that would make its website independently usable for people in his situation. Through its actions, Teledoc has denied blind people full and equal access to its…
‘We’re a fixture’: Looking into Berkeley’s disability resources
October 21, 2020 | Source: Daily Californian
Berkeley City Council discusses city accessibility, UC Berkeley development
October 21, 2020 | Source: Daily Californian
‘We have a lot to contribute’: UC Berkeley student advocates talk accessibility, disability
October 21, 2020 | Source: Daily Californian
Sitting on the edge of South Berkeley and formed by various disability organizations, the Ed Roberts Campus, or ERC, provides resources and services at a universally accessible transit hub. Considered a global model of universal access and disability rights, the ERC celebrates Ed Roberts, a leader in the independent living movement of persons with disabilities, according to the ERC website. The ERC consists of seven partner organizations, two state agencies and six nonprofit organizations that offer more than 100 different services with a disability focus, according to Eric Smith, ERC executive director…
He felt at home at a school for deaf kids. Then came the pandemic — and online learning
October 21, 2020 | Source: AZ Central
Marci Barenburg’s 8-year-old son, Eric Cardenas, is deaf and attends the Arizona State Schools for the Deaf and the Blind’s Phoenix campus. Eric has been with the same cohort of kids since kindergarten, forming “really tight” bonds that Barenburg doesn’t believe would be as plentiful in a school not specifically designed for kids like him. She said all students and staff on campus know sign language. “They get direct communication there and to me that’s the most amazing part about it — there’s this community they can’t find easily elsewhere,” she said…
Akron family starts outdoor classroom for students with disabilities
October 21, 2020 | Source: Cleveland
Akron Public Schools offered Lyra Thomas, a student with Down’s Syndrome, specialized therapy, support in the classroom and a social network. Lyra, 8, was on-track to match her peers when the pandemic hit, parents Max Thomas and Holly Christensen said. But when APS closed in the spring, she fell behind. The district is still in remote learning, as the board of education looks to pinpoint a time for return as coronavirus cases in the state spike again…
This New Program in Denver Is Paving the Way for Birders With Reduced Mobility
October 21, 2020 | Source: National Audubon Society
“I’m seeing a female merganser, and she looks like she’s having a bad hair day,” says Bob Roark pointing to Tabor Lake in Denver’s Prospect Park. The other attendees on this mid-October birding trip aim their binoculars in search of the “hoodie,” known for her spikey cinnamon crest. The temperature is cooler than expected, and when a woman with a walker mentions her hands are cold, Roark gives her his insulated gloves—which he’d brought to wear under the fingerless cycling gloves he wears to propel his wheelchair. This outing is part of a new initiative that Roark created to get mobility-impaired people out in nature and birding…
Plain Language Writing — An Essential Part Of Accessibility
October 22, 2020 | Source: Forbes
How do you make writing accessible? We know how to replace steps with ramps. We know how to widen doorways and make restrooms larger for wheelchair users. We can accommodate Deaf people with Sign Language and captions on videos. Blind people can use large print, Braille, or audiobooks. But how do we make information, instructions, and ideas more cognitively accessible, particularly for people with intellectual, developmental, and learning disabilities? An important way to provide greater cognitive accessibility is to use “Plain Language” writing…
For those affected by COVID-19 shutdown, Texas will spend $30M to help students with severe disabilities but advocates worry it’s not enough
October 22, 2020 | Source: Dallas News
Texas public school students with severe cognitive disabilities could receive up to $1,500 for tutoring, therapy, and other support services to address any learning disruptions suffered during the coronavirus pandemic. The Texas Education Agency and Gov. Greg Abbott announced the creation of the $30 million effort — the Supplementary Special Education Services program — on Wednesday. Students would qualify for a one-time spending account for up to $1,500 in services if they are currently enrolled in public school, were enrolled during the closures brought on by the pandemic in Spring 2020…
Stuttering Awareness Day – How To Spot The First Signs In Your Toddler
October 22, 2020 | Source: Babygaga
October 22nd is National Stuttering Awareness Day, but for over 70 million people worldwide, stuttering awareness is a daily practice. 1 in every 100 people stutter, with over 3 million in the United States today. The annual event helps to raise awareness for those who may have disruptions in their speech. For 5% of children between the ages of 2 to 5, some stuttering will be present during childhood. It may last for a short period of time or persist into adulthood. For 1 in 100, that is a reality…
Jack Fact — According to the World Health Organization (WHO) there are 466 million people across the world that live with disabling hearing loss, which equates to more than 5% of the world’s population. WHO also estimated that by 2050, more than 900 million people will have disabling hearing loss.
Hit The Road Jack — Kelvingrove is ranked in Top 5 most accessible UK attractions
International News
The Government of Asturias takes steps to redress unfairness to accessibility
October 16, 2020 | Source: The Mayor EU- Spain
A bill allowing the unrestricted entry of service dogs to areas that are normally off access to pets is currently under consideration in the regional parliament (Junta General) of Asturias. The reasoning behind is that it unfairly discriminates against people with disabilities who usually rely on the service dogs for their mobility needs. The text of the draft law which is discussed by legislators in the northern Spanish autonomous region seeks to define what a bonding unit exactly is. For those who are unfamiliar with the term, a bonding unit is to be understood as the functional unit formed between a person and his or her assistance dog…
How the 2000 Sydney Paralympics changed perceptions of disability
October 17, 2020 | Source: ABC News- Australia
The memory of carrying the Australian flag into a packed stadium for the Sydney 2000 Paralympic Games, 20 years ago this week, still makes Brendan Burkett’s heart beat a little faster. The Games were among the nation’s most dominant sporting performances with the team topping the medal count for the first and only time, as well as setting a host of world records. But two decades on, those who competed also remember an even greater achievement — seeing the perception of people with a disability change dramatically…
Some tips to improve quality of life when you have a disability
October 17, 2020 | Source: NewzHook- India
When you have a disability, there can be many challenges ahead of you. But moving forward with positivity is the key to happiness. Read on some tips to know how to improve quality of life when you have a disability. Living with a disability can be challenging at times, especially when it comes to attitudes of people towards the disabled and accessibility issues. In spite of challenges, disabled people can lead a fruitful and happy life because in the long run, self-care is what matters the most. From the food that you intake to people you interact with, make sure that you do not compromise on the best…
Renting while disabled: ‘Being in a wheelchair means I pay double the rent’
October 17, 2020 | Source: BBC News- UK
Finding an affordable place to rent can be a challenge for many young people. But for Emma, who has cerebral palsy, her first battle isn’t paying the bills or finding fast enough broadband. It’s trying to safely navigate her wheelchair from her bedroom to the inaccessible bathroom. The room is so small and cramped she can’t fit her chair inside and instead is forced to precariously rely on crutches to reach the sink and shower. Without grab rails for support, every morning feels a dangerous struggle…
Woman with Down’s syndrome says she is ‘better off dead’ in eyes of the law, ahead of legal challenge
October 17, 2020 | Source: The Telegraph- Yahoo- UK
A woman with Down’s syndrome has claimed that she is “better off dead” in the eyes of the law, ahead of launching a landmark legal challenge to the Government’s abortion legislation. Heidi Crowter, who has Down’s syndrome, has called for a judicial review to change the current law which allows parents to terminate pregnancies where the foetus has the condition from at any time up until its birth. Following months of campaigning and legal battling, the High Court has given the green light for her landmark challenge against health secretary Matt Hancock to be heard on the grounds of discrimination against disabled people…
UK ministers accused over impact of Covid on minorities and disabled people
October 19, 2020 | Source: The Guardian- UK
The UK government has broken the law by failing to tackle the disproportionate impact of coronavirus on ethnic minorities and disabled people, Labour has claimed in a letter to the equality watchdog. The shadow women and equalities secretary, Marsha de Cordova, has written to the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) urging it to investigate the government for breaching the Equality Act, which requires public authorities to have due regard to the need to advance equality of opportunity when performing their functions…
London Accessibility Advisory Committee sees second resignation amid months-long pause in meetings
October 20, 2020 | Source: Globalnews & London Free Press- Canada
A second member of London’s Accessibility Advisory Committee (ACCAC) has resigned from their post amid charges the city is breaching the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) by continuing to put the committee’s meetings on hold amid the coronavirus pandemic. Michael Dawthorne announced his resignation Sunday night through an email sent to city councillors, other city hall officials, and members of the media. “It is a disappointing end to over 10 years of service on this Advisory Committee (as well as a number of other roles within the City)…
Former lawyers file human rights complaints, allege accessibility issues in Manitoba courts
October 20, 2020 | Source: CBC- Canada
Two former lawyers have filed human rights complaints against the province, saying Manitoba’s law courts are not fully accessible for people living with disabilities. Mike Reimer and Peter Tonge left the profession in part because they said they faced ongoing challenges getting into and out of courts. In a joint news release Tuesday, the two former lawyers said they have each filed a complaint with the Manitoba Human Rights Commission, alleging accessibility issues and “an attitude of indifference … within the Manitoba justice system” to correcting “historic and ongoing issues.”…
Accessibility biggest challenge for Cape Breton woman born with spina bifida
October 21, 2020 | Source: The Chronicle Herald- Canada
Susan Burke has no regrets about chasing down the mother who quieted her son and pulled him away when he asked why Burke was in a wheelchair. The Coxheath resident, who was born with spina bifida and has scoliosis, has used a wheelchair her whole life and overheard the young boy ask his mother the question while they were crossing paths near a Cape Breton Regional Hospital entrance. Following the woman and child inside, Burke got their attention and told the mother she wanted to answer her son’s question…
NDP pledges accessibility legislation for those living with disabilities
October 21, 2020 | Source: Daily Hive- Canada
The BC NDP announced today it would introduce and pass accessibility legislation in the first legislative session if elected. “Accessibility legislation is a matter of human rights, empowering people who live with a disability to be fully included in society,” said Spring Hawes, the BC NDP candidate for Kelowna-West. “For too long, we’ve lived with a system where the only way to make any advances for people with disabilities is for someone to complain about it. That is no way to deal with matters of basic human rights.”…
Connecting Across Canada: Canadian Accessibility Network’s Governing Bodies Hold Inaugural Meetings
October 22, 2020 | Source: Carleton Newsroom- Canada
The discussions may be virtual—but the energy and momentum is real. The Canadian Accessibility Network’s (CAN) inaugural Governing and Advisory Councils are in place and the teams have hosted their first meetings. CAN, which launched in Dec. 2019, is a pan-Canadian initiative representing post-secondary leaders, community service providers, government champions and corporate collaborators who are invested in advancing accessibility for people with disabilities. Carleton University’s READ Initiative is serving as CAN’s operational hub and hosts its national office…
Blindness is increasing in the country at double the speed, include these things in your food
October 21, 2020 | Source: Pledge Times- India & Nasdaq
You will be surprised to know that in the last 30 years the number of people in India, whose eyes have become completely weak and have problems in seeing them. This has been revealed in reports of two different international organizations. A detailed report was recently shown by Navbharat Times about this. You can read this report in the link given at the end of this story. It has been clearly stated in this report that most of the blind people in the world are currently in India. That is, after diabetes, our country has also become the hub of blindness…
Fungal eye infection blinds over a half-million in one eye a year
October 22, 2020 | Source: Medical Express- Manchester, London and Nairobi
Between 1 and 1.4 million fungal eye infections occur in the developing world per year, leaving over 600,000 people blind in one eye, find researchers from Manchester, London and Nairobi. Lead researcher Lottie Brown from the University of Manchester today publishes the first estimation of global fungal keratitis figures in Lancet Infectious Diseases. Infection of the transparent cornea of the eye can be devastating, especially if it is caused by fungal keratitis, say the team…
PLUM and HATS helping to save Indigenous kids hearing
October 23, 2020 | Source: Mirage- Australia
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families are being encouraged to use an Australian Government toolkit to ensure young children are meeting their milestones for hearing and speaking. The Australian Government has made ending avoidable deafness for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children a priority, with their rates of hearing loss and ear disease significantly higher than the non-Indigenous population. Between 2018-19 and 2022-23, almost $104.6 million will be provided for ear health initiatives to reduce the number of Indigenous Australians suffering avoidable hearing loss, and give Indigenous children a better start to education…
Sign Language Interpreter Gets OD for Contribution to Deaf Community
October 22, 2020 | Source: Jamaica Information Services- Jamaica
Little did Antoinette Aiken know that being a child of deaf adults (CODA) would ignite a passion to represent the deaf community in Jamaica and for inclusivity in everyday life. Nor did she know that her work with the deaf community would lead to her receiving a National Award. Ms. Aiken was awarded the Order of Distinction in the rank of Officer (OD) on National Heroes’ Day (October 19), for outstanding contribution to the Jamaican Deaf Community through Jamaican Sign Language (JSL) and Spoken English Interpreting…
How people with speech, hearing loss are denied healthcare services in Abuja (Part 2)
October 22, 2020 | Source: ICIR- Nigeria
Normally, children of the age of Nuhu Yakubu, the son of the village chief of Tunga-Ashere, Sani Yakubu are able to communicate directly with the doctors about their symptoms. But for the 8-year-old born with speech and hearing loss, that is almost impossible. Hence, Yakubu acts as an interpreter for his son in the absence of a sign language interpreter. His worry, however, is the difficulty other children with speech and hearing loss in his community would encounter when they are fully grown and become independent if the hospitals continue to operate without addressing their needs…
COVID-19 Resources and Information
- Eye transplants hit by Covid-19 storm- Ahmedabad Mirror
- A New Way to Judge Ed-Tech Products: ‘Learner Variability’- Education Week
- Four Tips for Choosing the Right Digital Tools to Support Hybrid Learning- Inside Higher Ed
- Student lawsuits asking for COVID-19 refunds pile up against universities- The San Diego Union-Tribune
- Q&A: Yidan Prize winner Carl Wieman talks disparities in STEM, education accessibility- The Stanford Daily
Accessibility Blogs and Information
- Web Accessibility- Ladybug Podcast
- Introduction to Web Accessibility- M.A.W. Consulting
- Webinar: Making Web Accessibility Easy- Ken Nakata
- Seniors Demand … Digital Banking- Credit Union Times
- Technology Accessibility Quality Measures- Sarah Horton
- Working together for an accessible future- Telstra Exchange
- First Steps To An Accessible Website (Part 3)- Jeff Singleton
- SU’s online classes aren’t accessible- The Daily Orange Podcast
- Accessibility: The Missing MVP Requirement- Claudio Vera (YouTube)
- Frank Lloyd Wright architecture limits mobility- The Southern
- The Importance of UX for Neglected Demographics- BBN Times
- Living with acute retinal necrosis: what it means for me- Disability Horizons
- At Knowbility, Sharron Rush Leads the Fight for Equal Technology Access- The Forrest Files
- Accessibility Standards, Compliance Reporting and Digital Platforms- Open Research Community
- UNC’s Digital Accessibility Office works to make virtual spaces usable for all- The Daily Tar Heel
- How thousands of people with disabilities shape the technology you probably use every day- Microsoft
- Black Deaf Women Are Invisible on Netflix’s Deaf U, and That’s Just Part of the Problem- POPSUGAR
- Upcoming Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) Compliance Deadlines- Rudner Law
- Nothing About Us Without Us…Including Pizza: The Practice of Designing with Accessibility in Mind- AIGA
- WeWALK joins Microsoft’s AI for Accessibility Programme Using artificial intelligence to change the lives of the visually impaired
- Reminder to Ontario employers: Mandatory AODA compliance reports due December 31, 2020 and other important workplace requirements- Miller Thomson
Accessibility Announcements and Products
- 25 Braille Toys for Kids Who are Blind
- Seward announces grant funds for local libraries
- Startups to improve accessibility and walkability
- ‘Accessible’ Teen Comedy From Ryan O’Connell
- Birdability Week 2020 (held online, October 19-25)
- Northern AZ U Tackles Accessibility Mapping Project
- Google Improves Tool To Help People Who Are Nonverbal
- WeWALK joins Microsoft’s AI for Accessibility programme
- Find an Accessible Voting or Same-Day Registration Location
- Announcing the 2020 Lex Frieden Employment Awards Winners
- Aylesbury: AccessAble guides will help residents get around town
- Edge gets new “axe” accessibility tester extension from Deque Systems
- Accessibility of Trails and Outdoor Recreation in the Snoqualmie Valley
- How Microsoft Is Enabling Its AI-Based Technology To Be Disability-Inclusive
- Kellogg’s Makes Cereal Boxes Designed for the Blind with Inclusive Packaging
- Google Rolls Out New Updates for Chromebook to Help People With Disabilities
- Accessibility Enhancements on the Horizon for HBO Max Customers Who are Blind
- Soundscape and Seeing AI: Microsoft launches two accessibility applications in Brazil
- Southwest Michigan nonprofit builds accessible baseball field for kids with disabilities
- Contentsquare Acquires AMW to Accelerate Accessibility to Digital Content Worldwide
- Google is making Assistant’s voice features much easier to use for people with disabilities
- Passport partners with iAccess Life, bringing accessible parking to communities nationwide
- RNIB Creates Accessible Pregnancy Test Prototype to Raise Awareness of Accessible Design
- WeBank’s Accessible App Makes Online Banking Easier for Visually Impaired Citizens in China
- What’s that? Microsoft’s latest breakthrough, now in Azure AI, describes images as well as people do
- ReadSpeaker Partners with Muzzy Lane Software to Deliver Immersive Remote Learning Experiences
- Superfest Disability Film Festival highlights Blackness, Blindness, impact of audio description services
Accessibility Forums, Tips, and Gaming
- Dialog Focus in Screen Readers
- Understanding SC 2.5.3 Label in Name
- Best Practices for Designing Web Forms
- An opinionated guide to accessibility testing
- PlayStation 5 UI unveiled: Better accessibility
- Web Content Accessibility Guidelines for Mobile
- Giving users and developers more control over focus
- 5 False Claims 1-Line “AI” Accessibility Script Vendors Make
- Guide: How to Add Automatic Closed Captions to your Videos
- Accessibility checklist to design products that people will love… and use
- “Accessibility provides disabled gamers the freedom to spread their wings”
- B.ARK Is Looking to Bring More Accessibility to the Shoot ‘Em Up Genre
- The accessibility features of ‘Assassin’s Creed Valhalla’ were detailed a month…
- Ikenfell Dev Talks Adding Sensitivity and Accessibility Options to More Games
- How audio description within games could make them more accessible for blind and low vision players
Accessibility Statements
- Luas
- Deluxe
- MyFuture
- DIGITAL
- Charlie’s Produce
- University of Westminster
- PA-X Peace Agreements Database
- Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago
- Penn Abroad – University of Pennsylvania
- Durham University Library and Collections
- Accessibility in the News: Accessibility Statement Pages
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