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Accessibility in the News — 11/3/2023.

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AITN Quote of the Week

“Today matters.” ― John Maxwell

 

The Expedition School

 

The Expedition School-  We believe you belong here


Feature Stories

 

 Making progress in serving passengers with disabilities

October 26, 2023   |  Source:IATA’s Aviation Business Magazine & Business Travel News & TTG Asia & Aviation Pros

 The 5 UK Airports That Rank Highest For Accessibility

October 29, 2023   |  Source: Simple Flying- UK

80% of Passengers With Disabilities Satisfied With Air Travel Accessibility, IATA Survey Shows 

November 1, 2023   |  Source:Schengen Visa 

IATA announced the results of its 2023 Global Passenger Survey (GPS) related to accessibility of air transport to passengers with disabilities, showing significant satisfaction levels among passengers who used special assistance services. 80% of travelers using special assistance services said that their expectations were met. “In 2019, the IATA Annual General Meeting adopted a resolution reflecting our members’ commitment to ensure that every traveler has access to safe, reliable and dignified travel…

 


National News (U.S.)

 

San Antonio nonprofit builds accessible playground, outdoor space for hard-of-hearing kids

October 27, 2023   |  Source:KSAT 

Emma Faye Rudkin said the new playground at her nonprofit, Aid the Silent, has no simple design. “We designed it where it has limited static electricity,” Rudkin said. “When I was growing up, I always felt lonely on the playground. That’s where I felt like I couldn’t belong or understand. I played by myself a lot.” Aid the Silent is a San Antonio nonprofit that advocates and supports the deaf and hard-of-hearing community. Rudkin said she first started the organization when she was 18, but she had longed for a sense of belonging since the age of 3 when she went profoundly deaf…

Women from across Maryland’s Eastern Shore came together to give the gift of accessibility

October 27, 2023   |  Source:WMDT 

What started as a mission for better mobility turned into something bigger than just that. Women from across Maryland’s Eastern Shore came to Princess Anne, to give a resident the gift of accessibility. “Chesapeake housing is a nonprofit, faith-based organization, that builds wheelchair ramps, for those critically in need,” executive director of Chesapeake Housing Mission, Lachelle Scarlato, said. The idea is for women to support other women. Scarlato said for the volunteers, they’re simply doing a good deed. But to the people they serve, the new addition to their homes makes a world of a difference…

Mesa recognized as one of the most accessible destinations by travel booking app

October 27, 2023   |  Source:AZ Family

Mesa is becoming more inclusive and recently, the city was recognized as the first autism-certified city in the United States. Now they’re adding to that list, being recognized as one of the most accessible destinations for people with disabilities. The recognition comes from Wheel the World, a company booking accessible experiences for travelers. The founders describe it like Expedia but for people needing accommodations for their disabilities. In Mesa, there are 10 hotels, 13 activities and 11 restaurants listed as accessibility-certified…

 ‘Shocked and devastated’: Tight-knit Deaf community mourns 4 killed in Lewiston shooting

October 27, 2023   |  Source:GBH

The mass shooting in Lewiston, Maine, which killed 18 people and injured more than a dozen, has hit one community particularly hard: the local Deaf community. Four of the victims of the mass shooting were Deaf, and had gathered at Schemengees Bar and Grille Restaurant Wednesday evening for a tournament organized by American Deaf Cornhole. The victims have been identified as Joshua Seal, Billy Brackett, Steven Vozzella and Bryan MacFarlane…

CRAB’s Adaptive Boating Center is 100% accessible, fully sustainable

October 28, 2023   |  Source:Capital Gazette 

The opening of Chesapeake Region Accessible Boating’s Annapolis Adaptive Boating Center in April this year marked a major milestone in our historic city. Rarely does a facility open that is 100% ADA accessible and fully sustainable. During the past three years, this project was the second largest public-private partnership constructed in the city thanks to the support of the state, Anne Arundel County, City of Annapolis and hundreds of CRAB donors and supporters…

The Cost of Being Disabled in New York City Housing

October 31, 2023   |  Source:The New York Times

As a wheelchair user, I have always had to pay a premium to live in an apartment independently. In my nine years living in New York City, I have spent more than $18,500 on automatic door openers, amenities just to make the places I’ve lived in accessible. I shouldn’t have had to do this; in almost every case, it was legally the landlord’s responsibility, experts have told me. But in the early years, I didn’t know better, and more recently, my landlords have refused to pay. I was worried that I would lose the apartment if I put up a fuss… 

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‘I can finally vote by myself’: Disability advocate works to improve accessibility at the polls

October 31, 2023   |  Source:The Lakeshore

Since she turned 18, Miranda Grunwell has voted in every election for the past 22 years. But it hasn’t been easy because of a severe learning disability. “I can’t read well on my own, and so a ballot was hard to read,” Grunwell says. Early on, she was assisted by her mother, and then her college roommate. But she soon wanted to do it independently. Fortunately, a ballot marking device called AutoMark was introduced in 2003. Voters could use the device to mark their ballot through the use of a large-font touch screen, braille keypad and audio headset, or with the aid of their own personal sip/puff device or foot pedal…

7 Things Dementia Experts Would Never, Ever Do

November 1, 2023   |  Source:HuffPost

More than 6 million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s and dementia, making it the seventh leading cause of death globally. While myriad factors, including genetics and environment, can cause dementia, it can also present as a result of certain lifestyle choices and general health. Some involve making big changes, but consistent, more minor shifts can be helpful, too, according to Jessica Caldwell, director of the Women’s Alzheimer’s Movement Prevention Center at Cleveland Clinic…

State Officials Tour Recreational Area in Pinelands to Spotlight Nature Accessibility Efforts

November 1, 2023   |  Source:The SandPaper

N.J. Department of Human Services Commissioner Sarah Adelman and Department of Environmental Protection Assistant Commissioner of State Parks, Forests and Historic Sites John Cecil recently highlighted the implementation of Inclusive Healthy Communities grant funding with a tour and hike at the Atsion Recreation Area, part of Wharton State Forest in the heart of the Pinelands National Reserve. Adelman and Cecil were accompanied by advocates for individuals with disabilities and organizations granted funding through IHC, including the Pinelands Preservation Alliance…

Former NYC deputy mayor raises millions for ALS research while facing his own mortality

November 1, 2023   |  Source:PBS

The High Line was an abandoned freight line. That sat dormant for decades before the city’s former deputy mayor, Dan Doctoroff, led a project to transform the area into a six-acre park and green space. It is one of the hundreds of projects across New York that bears Doctoroff’s fingerprints, from the Hudson Yards neighborhood, to the new Yankee Stadium, and the World Trade Center. I have always been a pretty good juggler, doing multiple things at the same time…

Advocates demanded $1.25 billion to make NYC schools more accessible. They got $800 million

November 1, 2023   |  Source:Chalkbeat New York

New York City plans to spend $800 million over the next five years to boost school building accessibility for people with physical disabilities, officials revealed Wednesday. That figure is far short of what advocates had demanded. Fewer than 1 in 3 of the city’s public schools are fully accessible to students and staff with mobility impairments, according to a recent report from the group Advocates for Children. The organization previously called on the city to dramatically ramp up spending to $1.25 billion to ensure that at least half of buildings would become fully accessible over the term of the new capital plan, which runs from 2025 through 2029…

NYC far behind other US, global cities in transit accessibility: report

November 1, 2023   |  Source:amNewYork

New York City’s subway system is far less accessible for people with disabilities than other American and global cities, according to a new report from Public Advocate Jumaane Williams. Just 29% of New York City Subway and Staten Island Railway stations are accessible via elevators, according to the report released by the Public Advocate on Wednesday. The MTA has significantly picked up the pace of accessibility work at subway stations in recent years, but New York remains a laggard compared to many of its peer cities in the United States and around the world…

Beyond Barriers: the man making luxury hotels wheelchair-accessible

November 1, 2023   |  Source:CN Traveller

In the world of Disability, each life story – and each impairment – is as unique and individual as a fingerprint. Yet, within our diverse intersectional community, smaller groups who share more than just a common identity exist. Take, for instance, the community of wheelchair users and, within us, the group to whom I belong: the spinal cord injured. When individuals within specific subsets get the chance to connect, all small talk instantly goes out the window. You get straight to the heart of the matter, especially when you speak of parallels in both the cause and effect of your Disability…

 CATS breaks ground for 1,500 ADA accessible bus stops after lawsuit

November 1, 2023   |  Source:BRProud

After the court ruled in favor of two handicapped men who filed a lawsuit against CATS for not having the right accommodations for their needs, the transportation system launched an ADA Program and broke ground for handicap-accessible bus stops in the Greater Baton Rouge Area. On Wednesday, members of the Capital Area Transit System (CATS) turned the soil on a decades-long project to revamp 1,500 bus stops across the capital region. “We’ll see these stops being installed with the best pads that would give our customers more accessibility…

 Ady Barkan, activist who championed health care reform, dies of ALS at 39

November 2, 2023   |  Source:NPR

Ady Barkan, the progressive attorney and activist who grew to prominence campaigning for health care reform after being diagnosed with ALS, has died of complications of the disease. He was 39. His death was announced on Wednesday by Rachael King, his partner of 18 years, as well as Be A Hero, the political organization he co-founded in 2018. Barkan was a lifelong social justice advocate who championed a variety of causes, from expanding worker rights to reforming the Federal Reserve…

 Disability Rights Ohio advocates for accessible voting for all

November 2, 2023   |  Source:WDTN

Ohio is just five days away from Election Day and one organization is working to make sure voting is accessible to all. According to the Ohio Secretary of State’s website, accessible voting equipment is available to every voter. That includes audio ballots, braille ballots, larger text, screen contrast and other navigation features. But even with accommodations, around one in seven voters with disabilities encountered difficulties voting in 2022, according to a report from Rutgers University…

New museum concept in Louisville focuses on making every exhibit accessible, inclusive 

November 2, 2023   |  Source:WHAS11

Since breaking ground about six months ago, The American Printing House for the Blind has made significant progress on “The Dot Experience.” The project, focused on the history and experiences of people who are blind or low vision, aims to overhaul standard museum structure by being completely accessible and inclusive. It will step into the place of APH’s existing museum on Frankfort Avenue. Right now, APH is in the process of designing exhibits, making sure people who are blind or low vision have “wow” moments when visiting…

 


Jack Fact — According to estimates made by the Department for Work and Pensions, 16 million people in the UK had a disability in the 2021/2022 financial year, representing 24% of the population. It is important to note that the specific disabilities were not revealed.

 

 Hit The Road Jack —   Discover the Top 12 Senior-Friendly Travel Spots in Montana & Cuba’s major coastal resort becomes more accessible to tourists


International News

 

New ‘Accessibility Guides’ to improve access to Council venues

October 27, 2023   |  Source:Fermanagh & Omagh District Council- Ireland

Fermanagh and Omagh District Council has launched a range of new ‘Accessibility Guides’ for a number of its venues for people with a disability and their families. Funded by the Public Health Agency (PHA), the ‘Accessibility Guides’ include Visual Guides and Social Stories to help people to research and plan their visit to some of the Council’s most popular leisure and recreation facilities. The Visual Guides will help people with disabilities and their families find out about the support available at each venue and make them aware of what they can expect to see, hear and smell when they visit…

Accessible Cities For People With Disabilities- The Urban Agenda

October 27, 2023   |  Source:NDTV- India (YouTube)

Are Indian cities truly inclusive when it comes to public places and transportation? Persistent concerns about accessibility for persons with disabilities (PwDs) remain, despite existing disability laws and campaigns like Accessible India. Implementing change poses significant challenges. Manisha Natarajan discusses with Nidhi Ashok Goyal, Founder of NGO Rising Flame, and Dikshu Kukreja, Managing Principal Architect at CP Kukreja Architects…

Cities across Peace Region join committee to remove barriers for people living with disabilities

October 27, 2023   |  Source:CJDC-TV- Canada

A number of cities across the Peace Region have joined the Northeastern BC Accessibility Committee which looks to remove barriers for people living with disabilities and increase accessibility in the area. The Committee revolves around the Northeastern BC Accessbility Plan which will focus on addressing physical, systemic, attitudinal, informational, technological and sensory barriers. This includes washrooms without automatic door openers, videos or meeting that don’t have closed captioning, requiring a driver’s license for a job when transit could be used and websites that aren’t accessible for screen readers…

IDMIF informs MIB about content accessibility steps taken for people with disabilities

October 28, 2023   |  Source:Exchange4media- India & Mint

The Indian Digital Media Industry Foundation (IDMIF) has written a letter to MIB about how its members have been making efforts to promote accessibility and taking measures voluntarily to make their content more accessible for people with disabilities. The letter comes after the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting sought inputs regarding the formulation of accessibility standards from self-regulatory bodies of Online Curated Content Publishers (OCCPs)…

Wheelchair User Woman In Bengaluru Struggles To Find Accessible Apartment

October 29, 2023   |  Source:NDTV- India

The lack of wheelchair accessibility in numerous apartment buildings can be a significant inconvenience for individuals who rely on wheelchairs for their mobility. These obstacles often hinder the ability of wheelchair users to maintain independent living within standard apartment settings, necessitating reliance on others for assistance with daily activities. Recently, a Bengaluru-based woman with a disability has spoken up about the difficulty of finding a wheelchair-accessible apartment in the city…

CRTC urged to mandate better supports for Deaf Canadians during phone service outages

October 29, 2023   |  Source:Moose Jaw Today- Canada

When a major telecommunications outage left more than 12 million users without wireless service in July 2022, the disruption was far more dire for the many Canadians dependent on accessibility apps. That day, Rogers Communications Inc. customers spent hours unable to use their mobile devices for calling, texting or browsing the web unless they were able to find a Wi-Fi connection. But for those like Kimberly Wood, who is Deaf, it meant any form of communication was practically impossible…

SC’s Green Signal for Lawyer With Disability: Still a Long Road to Accessibility

October 29, 2023   |  Source:The Quint- India

In a first before the Supreme Court of India, a lawyer with a hearing impairment was allowed to virtually argue a matter with the assistance of a sign language interpreter. While the Bench’s forthcoming attitude towards making the hybrid court infrastructure accessible for the lawyer was lauded from all corners, the road to genuine inclusivity continues to be paved with barriers limiting access to justice for Persons with Disabilities (“PwDs”)…

Disabled man drags himself off plane after Air Canada fails to offer wheelchair

October 30, 2023   |  Source:The Guardian-UK

Air Canada has been forced to apologize after a man with spastic cerebral palsy was forced to drag himself off a plane when the flagship carrier failed to provide a wheelchair for him. Rodney Hodgins, 49, a hardware salesman from British Columbia who requires the use of a motorized wheelchair, flew to Las Vegas with his wife, Deanna, to celebrate their anniversary in August. But when the plane landed, the flight attendant told the couple there wasn’t time to get a wheelchair on board before the plane had to prepare for takeoff again, Deanna Hodgins wrote in a recent Facebook post…

‘Get comfortable with failure’: How the industry can tackle accessibility

October 30, 2023   |  Source:Mumbrella- Australia

Diversity and inclusion is an ongoing conversation in this industry, but according to Guide Dogs NSW CMO, Michael Apte, there is work to be done when it comes to accessibility. The question of accessibility is broad, and understandably intimidating for much of the media and marketing industry who bare no real lived experience when it comes to disability. However, Apte feels it’s an issue that doesn’t need to be hard, at least not when it comes to access of Australians with low vision and blindness – a group set to reach more than one million by 2030, according to 2020 Vision Australia…

Except for pre-election harassments, lack of accessibility, BSKE in Cebu smooth

October 30, 2023   |  Source:Cebu Daily News- Philippines

Save for the harassment reported in two southern towns, and the lack of accessibility support for seniors and persons with disabilities (PWDs), the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) in Cebu went orderly and peacefully. Officials from the police, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), and the Commission on Elections in Central Visayas (Comelec-7) said the conduct of the BSKE this year was ‘generally peaceful.’ Ivan Delos Santos, administrative officer of Comelec-7, said they recorded no untoward incidents as voters cast their ballots on Monday, October 30…

Sport accessibility Over half of disabled fans ‘face additional costs to attend games’

October 31, 2023   |  Source:Morning Star- UK

More than 53 per cent of the 1,651 disabled supporters involved in the Level Playing Field charity’s Annual Fan Survey reported additional costs related to their disability, averaging an extra £111 to attend each away match, over and above usual match-going expenses including tickets. That extra expense included accessible travel and parking-related costs, paying for a companion or personal assistant to attend, accommodation, medication and disability-related equipment. 

Officials say funding a barrier to accessibility in Cape Breton Regional Municipality

October 30, 2023   |  Source:CBC- Canada

Funding is one of the main barriers to accessibility in Cape Breton Regional Municipality and it’s creating an uphill battle for the municipality to meet the Nova Scotia government’s goal of having all municipalities fully accessible by 2030, officials say. Last week, CBRM adopted a plan to reach that goal. Coun. Cyril MacDonald, who chaired the municipality’s now-expired accessibility committee, said the plan is a good first step, but figuring out what can be done will start in earnest next spring during planning talks for the new fiscal year that starts in May…

Planned closure of ticket offices in England axed over accessibility concerns

October 31, 2023   |  Source:ITV News- England

The planned widespread closure of railway station ticket offices in England has been scrapped after the government raised concerns about the impact it would have on accessibility. Transport Secretary Mark Harper said the government has asked train operators to withdraw their proposals. The move was made in response to watchdogs Transport Focus and London TravelWatch announcing they opposed every single planned closure due to issues such as the impact on accessibility…

Co-able brought accessibility to Port Adelaide — next, it’ll be the nation

October 31, 2023   |  Source:Disability Support Guide- Australia

Shane Hryhorec has set his sights on a new target in his ongoing quest to transform Port Adelaide — inclusive gyms are on their way to Adelaide’s western suburbs. After that, the Co-able founder is looking to take this idea across Australia, offering an accessible future for the nation through the success of and great community response to the company. Mr Hryhorec founded Push Mobility in 2013 to offer people with disabilities better quality equipment with more attractive designs and better functionality…

Feedback wanted: New national accessibility standards for disabled employees released

November 1, 2023   |  Source:HRD- Canada

Accessibility Standards Canada has published the first draft of its proposed Draft Employment Standard on accessible employment – the exhaustive 90-page document is the first step in what could be new accessibility regulations for federal employers. The draft – “CAN-ASC 1.1 Standard on employment”— was created with the goal of eliminating barriers for disabled employees along all phases of the “employment lifecycle”. If adopted by the senate, it will become law for federally regulated employers such as banks and airlines, and will work alongside provincial accessibility laws already in place in some provinces as well as the Canadian Human Rights Act.

Major Irish websites inaccessible to thousands with disabilities

November 2, 2023   |  Source:Independent- Ireland

Three-quarters of the country’s top 100 websites are technically inaccessible to 600,000 people with disabilities, according to new research from the National Council for the Blind of Ireland (NCBI). The new report, prepared by the NCBI’s IA Labs, also shows that the vast majority of schools and universities have inaccessible websites, as do 17 of Ireland’s top 20 public and private hospitals. “Inaccessible” means that the website cannot be used in a normal way by some people with a disability such as restricted eyesight or motor functions…

 

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