Accessibility in the News — 4/5/2024.
On April 8, during the total solar eclipse crossing North America, visually impaired individuals will have the opportunity to experience the celestial event through sound and touch devices. Using a LightSound box, translating changing light into sound. This innovative device, developed by astronomer Wanda Díaz-Merced and Harvard astronomer Allyson Bieryla, will be distributed at eclipse events across North America. The Perkins Library plans to broadcast the sounds online and by telephone for accessibility. Additionally, the Cadence tablet from Tactile Engineering offers a tactile experience, allowing users to feel the moon’s movement over the sun. Many are eager to participate in eclipse-watching events using these accessible technologies, emphasizing the inclusivity of such experiences for the visually impaired community.
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Feature Stories
Blind people can hear and feel April’s total solar eclipse with new technology
March 29, 2024 | Source: AP and Smithsonian Magazine and MSN and WKBN
How can people who are blind or have other vision impairments experience the eclipse?
April 2, 2024 | Source: Niagara Frontier Publications
How Harvard University is helping the blind community experience the solar eclipse
April 3, 2024 | Source: ABC (YouTube)
While eclipse watchers look to the skies, people who are blind or visually impaired will be able to hear and feel the celestial event. Sound and touch devices will be available at public gatherings on April 8, when a total solar eclipse crosses North America, the moon blotting out the sun for a few minutes. “Eclipses are very beautiful things, and everyone should be able to experience it once in their lifetime,” said Yuki Hatch, a high school senior in Austin, Texas…
National News (U.S.)
This New Service Can Help You Find Medical Equipment to Borrow for Free
March 26, 2024 | Source: Verywell Health
A new online directory of medical equipment loan programs aims to make it easier for people to borrow durable medical equipment such as wheelchairs, walkers, and shower chairs at no cost. The service, called GotDME?, is a first-of-its-kind resource listing lending programs in all 50 states. Durable medical equipment (DME) refers to tools and devices that can be used many times at home. “Easy borrowing of this kind of equipment is crucial,” Elliot Sloyer, founder and director of Wheel It Forward, a DME loan program in Fairfield County, Connecticut, told Verywell…
Susan’s Dance Academy makes dancing accessible
March 29, 2024 | Source: WKRG
Every parent wants their child to be able to participate in the normal everyday activities of life. Although sometimes, physical, emotional or mental challenges can keep a child on the sidelines, one dance teacher says that does not have to be the case. Susan Florkiewicz with Susan’s Dance Academy has been teaching dance in Daphne for 35 years. A few years ago, Florkiewicz said her heart prompted her to become certified to begin a class for students with disabilities…
Blind Triplet Contemplated Suicide Before Blind Man Adopted Them. Now Boys Are Pursuing Their Dreams
March 30, 2023 | Source: People
When Ollie Cantos looks back on the 14 years since he first met triplets Nick, Leo and Steven, he has tears in his eyes and endless gratitude in his heart. “I can’t believe how far we have all come,” Ollie, now 53, tells PEOPLE. “Knowing the path that they were heading on and the path they’re on now, I just feel so grateful that we’re a family.” “Having them as sons and seeing how they prosper and how they are making their own way in the world is really so heartwarming. It means I was able to help prepare them for adulthood and leadership,” he adds…
How a Blind Oceanographer Studies Temperature-Regulating Currents
March 30, 2024 | Source: Sierra Club
Up on deck, black smoke was spewing from the stack of oceanographer Amy Bower’s research vessel, but she didn’t know that. She was locked in her stateroom below. The plume of smoke came from an engine in overdrive; the vessel was lurching at top speed across the Gulf of Aden, off the coast of Yemen, with grenade-launching pirates in pursuit. The crew, Bower, and her team of scientists had drilled for this, but now it was actually happening. Before long, the pirates gave up the chase. The scientists, rattled, revised the mission….
New Hampshire towns are lagging on providing accessible voting machines. This bill could help.
March 31, 2024 | Source: Valley News
At his town election this month, Andrew Harmon faced a realization: He knew someone on the ballot. In fact, he’d gone to high school with him. But for the New Hampton resident, what might have been a common, small-town occurrence became a minor problem. Harmon, who is legally blind, was not voting with pen and paper. He was sitting with a town election official in an enclosed tent, dictating his choices aloud to the official, who was marking the ballot. And his former classmate was somewhere outside of that tent, there in the polling place — possibly within earshot…
Disabled Drivers Can’t Use Many Electric Car Chargers. It Doesn’t Have to Be This Way
April 1, 2024 | Source: Mother Jones
Rolling up to a Tesla charging port, Illinois Republican state Sen. Dan McConchie grimaced that wheelchair users like him couldn’t use it—or any of the others at the gas station where he filmed his Instagram reel. They’d all been placed on a raised surface that he couldn’t readily reach. McConchie introduced a state bill to improve relevant accessibility standards, including electric car chargers. But it’s a national problem: Electric vehicle charging stations are often inaccessible, despite being designed and built decades after the Americans with Disabilities Act became law…
Time Machine: The evolution of accessibility in Iowa
April 2, 2024 | Source: The Gazette
The blue and white sign depicting a stick figure in a wheelchair, known as the International Symbol for Accessibility, first appeared on buildings in Cedar Rapids, not on parking places. The signs were used to indicate a building was accessible to people who did not have full mobility. Even then, the buildings may not have had fully accessible restrooms or elevators. The sign simply meant people with mobility issues could get into the building. The signs were created at the urging of the Cedar Rapids Employment of the Handicapped Committee and the Governor’s Committee for the Employment of the Handicapped…
Fun for everyone: accessibility in family entertainment centres
April 2, 2024 | Source: Blooloop
Texas theme park reopens following a major expansion to its accessible rides
April 2, 2024 | Source: NPR and KERA
Gen X kids tend to be familiar with the idea of fighting for your right to party. However, beyond a catchy song, this fight is very real for many in our society when it comes to options for finding ways to have fun and share experiences with others. Amusement venues have always worked to attract people to their businesses. Our society has always been a diverse one. In recent years, there has been more awareness of the many different ways in which individuals navigate, identify, and want to interact with the world…
How the U.S. National Park System Is Welcoming Neurodiverse Travelers
April 2, 2024 | Source: AFAR
The sense of peace is palpable along the Big Trees Trail in California’s Sequoia National Park. All around my family, 2,000-year-old giant sequoia trees—some of the world’s oldest and largest—stand in quiet solitude in a mountain landscape suited specifically to their needs. My teenage son Bennett, who has autism, feels grounded here, too. Though he struggles to verbalize his feelings, I can tell by his calm behavior: Instead of fidgeting, he is perfectly happy to sit on a bench in the grove and look up at the trees…
USD raises awareness about neurodivergent talent in the classroom, workplace
April 2, 2024 | Source: CBS8
April is Autism Awareness month; accessibility still needs improvement
April 2, 2024 | Source: WZDX
April 2 is world Autism Awareness Day, the movement has sparked improvements in how children are taught and adults are employed, but discrimination is still prevalent against people who are on the spectrum. Academics said that some educators and companies are missing out when they overlook neurodivergent people. “As they recognize their genius, we begin to realize their strengths and what an asset they bring to the table,” said Kimberly A. White-Smith, PhD., USD Dean of School of Leadership and Education Sciences…
Quiz: How much disability history do you know?
April 2, 2024 | Source: WGBH
Schools across the United States are implementing more inclusive curriculums, and the disability community wants to be represented in those efforts. A local nonprofit, Easterseals Massachusetts, has launched a campaign to bring more awareness to disability history and encourage teachers in Massachusetts to include more of that history in their classrooms. A handful of states, including New Jersey, Nevada, California and Kansas have laws on the books about including disability history in their curriculum standards. And in 2023, Pennsylvania launched a pilot program at 10 schools to incorporate disability into their lessons…
Vineyard lacks accessible beaches, new study finds
April 3, 2024 | Source: The Vineyard Gazette
A new report found that Island beaches are not fully accessible, prompting officials to consider ways to make it easier for people to enjoy the Vineyard’s coastline. The analysis, titled “Beach within Reach,” determined that while some beaches are close to meeting accessibility standards, none of them have the infrastructure needed to allow people with mobility issues to get into the water and otherwise access the shores available to everyone. A survey was conducted last year by Healthy Aging Martha’s Vineyard, Martha’s Vineyard Community Services, and the Dukes County associate commissioner for disabilities to address the state of beach accessibility across the Island…
‘I feel proud’: Youth-led push for accessible sidewalk in Seattle pays off
April 3, 2024 | Source: King5
Charlie Howe is a person who has low vision. In the summer of 2021, he took note of how his commute to get to the Ryther campus in Northeast Seattle was difficult and dangerous, and he decided to take action. With help from Disability Rights Washington, his daily journey was documented on video, showing where the sidewalk ends and where the unpaved, and uneven, path begins. It was an extra obstacle for someone already dealing with vision impairment…
Disabled people advocate for more accessibility, and the travel industry is listening
April 4, 2024 : | Source: Boston Globe
When Erik Kondo and his wife traveled to Copenhagen, they landed in a spacious airport. The train to the city had doors flush with the platform, and in the station at the other end they found a working elevator leading to a flat, paved path to their hotel. “I was thinking, ‘Wow, this is amazing,’” said Kondo, an entrepreneur who works in real estate and lives in Lexington. “The city was super accessible.” Seemingly small things like these matter a lot to Kondo. Since a motorcycle crash almost 40 years ago, he’s used a wheelchair…
Coalition of disability groups demand immediate action to ensure accessible ballot return for 2024 elections
April 4, 2024 | Source: Disability Rights Advocates
Today, a coalition of disability organizations and California voters with disabilities filed a motion for a preliminary injunction requiring the California Secretary of State to (SOS) to implement accessible electronic mechanisms for voters with print disabilities to return their vote-by-mail ballots privately and independently by the November election. This motion comes after the coalition filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Norther District of California on March 8, 2024, against the SOS to challenge discrimination in the state’s vote-by-mail program…
Edison hotel accused of not having accessible restrooms during conference for disabled
April 4, 2024 | Source: My Central Jersey
A Route 27 hotel is facing allegations brought by the state Office of Attorney General that it violated civil rights laws by not providing handicapped accessible restrooms during a conference for people with disabilities. Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin announced Wednesday the state Division of Civil Rights found evidence that the Crowne Plaza Edison hotel may have violated the state Law Against Discrimination after complaints were made by people who attended a conference sponsored by the Spina Bifida Resource Network based in Flemington…
Women with disabilities proceed with lawsuit against Detroit, Wayne Co., Michigan
April 4, 2024 | Source: Detroit Free Press
Several women with disabilities fighting for greater mobility accessibility in public buildings have won the right to pursue their case, despite efforts to dismiss the lawsuit. Jill Babcock, Ashley Jacobson and Marguerite Maddox, each with physical disabilities, allege in a federal lawsuit several disability rights violations by the state of Michigan, Wayne County, city of Detroit and the Detroit-Wayne Joint Building Authority, which runs the Coleman A. Young Municipal Center…
Jack Fact — According to the U.S. Census Bureau, there are 8 million people with blindness or low vision in the U.S. More than 4.23 million of them are working age, but only about half of that working-age population are employed. Employment rates for people with blindness or low vision have historically been much lower than for the general population.
Hit The Road Jack — Accessible travel, a RM277b market, gets its 1st one-stop shop and Jupiter rebuilds beach walkovers to help people in wheelchairs; ‘Everybody should enjoy our beaches’
International News
Halifax student disappointed at delay in work to improve school’s accessibility
March 28, 2024 | Source: CBC- Canada
A Halifax student who launched a petition calling for a stairlift to a basement classroom in her school is frustrated the installation has been delayed. “It’s disappointing that they didn’t get it done, but it’s not surprising,” said Lux Melanson, who is in Grade 9 at Fairview Junior High School. “There was absolutely no work done on the stairs throughout this entire month.” Melanson started the petition in February, because she was upset that some students are unable to access the school’s technology-education classroom…
Japan Travel Awards promote inclusive tourism
March 29, 2024 | Source: The Japan Times- Japan
There are so many groups handing out travel awards now that it’s almost necessary to award the awardees in order to make sense of it all. It seems like you can’t go two seconds without hearing that another organization you’ve never heard of has declared this city or that country as the next big thing for tourists looking to avoid the well-trodden path. There’s no accounting for taste, however, and one traveler’s commodification of the globe-trotting experience is another’s essential if not handy guide…
Despite disability law, 98.5% of public buildings not accessible to PWDs
March 30, 2024 | Source: The Cable- Nigeria
A recent incident at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Lagos has cast a spotlight on the glaring gap between Nigeria’s disability rights legislation and the reality faced by persons with disabilities (PWDs) on a daily basis. On March 27, Debola Daniel, son of Gbenga Daniel, former governor of Ogun state, recounted how he and his family were denied entry to a Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) outlet at the airport because of his wheelchair…
The initiative holding accessible and inclusive events for all
March 30, 2024 | Source: 1News- Australia
An Auckland-based initiative is working to make live events more accessible and inclusive for the disabled community. The programme, Gig Buddies, has already run several events – all funded by the philanthropic Spectrum Foundation. Initially beginning in England, Gig Buddies has expanded to other cities across the UK, Ireland and Australia. Those with a disability are paired with a volunteer buddy who can help them navigate social outings…
Vancouver schools lag on playground accessibility, parents say
March 30, 2024 | Source: Vancouver Sun- Canada
Parents of children with disabilities say new playgrounds at Vancouver elementary schools are inaccessible for their kids. Wheelchair users are finding the thick, slippery artificial turf surface recently installed at some schools difficult or impossible to navigate, parents say. It has been frustrating Laura Van Doormaal, who has a son at Dickens Elementary in east Vancouver and a daughter, who uses a wheelchair, expecting to go there next year. Van Doormaal hopes that by the time her daughter starts kindergarten, the inaccessible play surface installed in December will have been replaced…
Blind and vision impaired people call for beauty products to be more accessible
March 30, 2024 | Source: ABC News- Australia
Lizzie Eastham is passionate about beauty products, despite being born without sight. “I love makeup — I enjoy the sense of normality and empowerment it gives me,” Ms Eastham said. “There are stereotypes that [say people who] can’t see, don’t care about the way [they] look or give minimal thought to [it]. Ms Eastham lives with a rare condition called Septo-optic dysplasia, which affects early brain and eye development. “I’ve never seen colour [or] shapes,” she said. “Sometimes I pick up light but it’s very rare.”…
Costa Rica Falls Short in Providing Accessible Health Services for Disabled Individuals
March 31, 2024 | Source: Tico Times- Costa Rica
The United Nations (UN) issued a long list of areas that Costa Rica must improve regarding the rights of people with disabilities. The organization identified 70 “areas of concern” and only 10 positive aspects. Recommendations were also provided to address the negative points. The UN report highlighted the lack of accessibility to health services for people with disabilities, primarily due to shortages in medical equipment, facilities, and furni2hings. Therefore, the Committee asked the country to ensure that persons with disabilities have access to quality health services with equipment adapted to their specific needs…
Frustrated wheelchair user unleashes over ‘inconsiderate’ parking act
March 31, 2024 | Source: Yahoo- Australia
An Aussie wheelchair user has unleashed on “inconsiderate” drivers who park their cars on the yellow lines beside accessibility bays, an act that advocates say highlights yet another example of the frequent struggles millions around the country face every day. Dane Procter from Newcastle in NSW said it’s “quite frustrating” to find vehicles parked on the lines, which are in place to cater to people who require extra space to get in and out of their car or to get out any equipment they may need…
‘Choose your adventure’: Manitoba expo shows how sports can be part of life with disability
March 31, 2024 | Source: Global News- Canada
Recreation organizations gathered in Niverville, Man., on Saturday for the Accessible Sport Connection Manitoba Expo, where they tood advantage of opportunities to demonstrate how they’re bringing sports to people living with disabilities. Kirby Cote, executive director of ASC Manitoba, said this year’s event represents the first time the event was held outside of Winnipeg, a move that helps reach a newer audience. “Whether you’re a person who uses an adapted device like a wheelchair, or if you’re blind or visually impaired, there is something here for you,” Cote said…
Empowering inclusivity: NADRA’s doorstep digital ID service for persons with disabilities
March 31, 2024 | Source: Biometric Update- Pakistan
In response to the need for accessibility for people with disabilities (PWDs) in Pakistan, the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) has launched a service wherein PWDs can receive their Computerized National Identity Cards (CNICs) right at their doorsteps. NADRA’s Doorstep Service Initiative not only enhances the CNIC issuance system but also simplifies the process by which differently-abled citizens can get hold of their digital IDs without much disturbance…
Scunthorpe mother calls for better disabled play access
April 3, 2024 | Source: BBC- UK
A Scunthorpe mother has said it is “heart-breaking” that her disabled daughter is unable to use play parks like other children. Lorna Fillingham said many playgrounds did not have equipment suitable for her 14-year-old daughter Emily-May. A recent report by charity Scope found that only one in 10 parks nationally was fully accessible. Ms Fillingham said she just wanted her daughter “to have the same play opportunities as any other child”…
Which UK music venues lead in accessibility?
April 3, 2024 | Source: Reader’s Digest- UK
While some of the UK’s legendary live music venues are beacons of accessibility and inclusivity, others are lagging behind in catering for disabled music fans. In today’s digital age, where music is readily accessible through streaming platforms like Apple Music and Spotify, the immersive experience of live music often takes a backseat. However, within the realm of ageing music venues across the UK, there exists a crucial conversation surrounding accessibility and inclusivity…
Emirates achieves Certified Autism Center designation
April 3, 2024 | Source: Future Travel Experience- Dubai
Furthering Dubai’s commitment to accessible travel, Emirates has achieved Certified Autism Center Designation for all of its Dubai check-in facilities, including Emirates City Check-in and Travel Store in DIFC, Emirates Cruise Check In – Port Rashid, Emirates Cruise Check In – Dubai Harbour, and Emirates City Check-In Ajman, as well as its dedicated hub in Terminal 3 at Dubai International Airport. The certification, awarded by the International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards (IBCCES) ensures that all Emirates facilities in Dubai have taken a significant step towards making travel more inclusive and accessible…
Northants disabilities campaigner calls for accessible sport
April 3, 2024 | Source: BBC- UK
Nick Wilson, from Towcester, spent 14 years in the Army and suffered a spinal injury. Since the height of the Covid-19 pandemic he has filmed and published videos showcasing the difficulties he faces accessing day-to-day activities. The charity, Northamptonshire Sport, said it was working with local clubs to promote inclusivity. “My [online] followers have told me how they struggle,” said Mr Wilson, who has been using a power chair since 2021…
The sudden rise of AuDHD: what is behind the rocketing rates of this life-changing diagnosis?
April 4, 2024 | Source: The Guardian- UK
He had beaten more than 19,000 applicants for a place at medical school, yet Khurram Sadiq was now bunking off his hospital shifts. The 19-year-old felt inexplicably anxious around strangers on the wards and was hiding from his own patients. During lectures he couldn’t focus on what he was being taught. He deemed himself “a goof, a dunce” in contrast to his peers. Sadiq couldn’t motivate himself to revise for his exams and instead found himself panic reading textbooks in the final days…
Qantas criticised over disability policies after ‘appalling’ treatment of artist
April 4, 2024 | Source: ABC- Australia and 6PR (Audio)
For most people, booking a domestic flight is quick and simple. But when Anwen Handmer tried to book a work trip with Qantas last month, it turned into a $6,400, weeks-long ordeal that made her feel like she didn’t belong in society. The 46-year-old wheelchair user is on the board of Regional Arts Australia (RAA) and needed to fly between Perth and Canberra for work. Ms Handmer and her support worker had to book business class flights — at a huge cost — because Qantas couldn’t accommodate her accessibility needs in economy…
Accessibility Blogs, Information, and Videos
- Disability Rights Iowa
- ASICS Little Reminders (Video)
- WID Monthly Newsletter: March 2024
- Schisms in the Church- Alexander Ogheneruemu
- Web accessibility for mobile screen readers- Silktide (PDF)
- The Value of a Fellowship- The Glaucoma Foundation (YouTube)
- Autism Awareness and Acceptance Month – April 2024
- The Complete Guide to Captioned Videos- Meryl Evans
- How to make your workplace accessible- Charity Digital
- Ireland Digital Accessibility Laws: EAA and Beyond- TPGi
- Our Accessibility Story- A Place for Everyone- Real District
- 10 Guidelines for Creating Great Captioned Videos- Meryl Evans
- ADA Checklist for Existing Facilities- New England ADA Center
- What is Web Accessibility and Why it matters so much?- TechRadar
- How Web Accessibility Impacts Your Online Presence- Tycoonstory
- Why The C-Suite Needs To Consider Digital Accessibility- Tara May
- How to balance Accessibility and Security in an AI world- Dean Halstead
- Can AI-Powered Content Be Accessible and Inclusive?- Izabela Misiorny
- Nursing Career Guide for People With Disabilities- Abby McCoy, RN, BSN
- AI For Accessibility Means AI For All—No Magic Needed- Cheryl Goodman
- Breaking Down Barriers: Accessible Web Development For All- Adil Husnain
- GBH’s Accessibility Teams Enhance Experiences for Moviegoers, Voters- GBH
- Vision loss’s role in accessibility advocacy with Rebecca Alexander- Optometry Times
- Implementing an Accessible Virtual Twin for Learning in Virtual Reality- Meryl Evans
- A complete guide for content creators to start making accessible content- Whitney Lewis
- Creative CAPTCHA puzzles can help promote web accessibility—and security- Kelcee Griffis
- What AI Can Do For (and To) Existing Web Accessibility Tools- Ricky Onsman and Hans Hillen
- Increasing Accessibility in the Community: It’s a Mission for this RE/MAX Broker/Owner- TAPinto
- Access is only the starting point. We’re co-creating a world where people with disabilities can thrive- Google
- Krishna Tyner Explores the Impact of AI on Empowerment Through Accessibility- Financial Content Services
- Converting space images into audio can improve trust, accessibility among visually-impaired- Deccan Chronicle
- ICMR, Svayam conduct discussion on ‘Accessibility and Assistive Devices are crucial for Viksit Bharat’- Healthworld
- The WebAIM Million- The 2024 report on the accessibility of the top 1,000,000 home pages and Latest WebAIM’s Million – some thoughts- Bogdan Cerovac
Federally Speaking
- Unlocking Accessibility: Public Inspection File Access Made Easy- ELBLOG.PL
- Advancing Disability Inclusion in Very Small Businesses Online Dialogue- Idealscale
- Balancing Big Dreams and Financial Security- Vander Cherry- U.S. Department of Labor
- CIE Resources for People with Disabilities and Their Families- Office of Disability Employment Policy
- US Department of Labor To Award Up To $67.1M To Help Youth, Young Adults With Disabilities Overcome Obstacles To Employment
Higher Education Blogs and Information
- LSU’s path to ASL accessibility on campus- Tiger TV
- A Guide To ADA Compliance in Higher Education- P54
- Students with disability diminished in education revamp – Shepparton News
- Seeking spaces: the UA studio and design center’s accessibility problem- The Arkansas Traveler
- Yale celebrates opening of Good Life Center at Student Accessibility Services- Yale Daily News
- OIT’s Digital Accessibility Team completes Document Accessibility Pilot Project – Ohio University
- Johnson and Wales University makes accessibility and inclusion a priority – Charlotte Business Journal
- Disability justice and accessibility featured by latest Perlman Teaching Museum exhibit- Carleton College
- Activist And Paralympian Anjali Forber-Pratt To Speak About Disability Inclusivity And Representation In Research- UMass Amherst
Legal Blogs and Information
- Global Law and Policy- Lainey Feingold
- Legal Update Double Issue: February-March 2024- Ken Nakata
- Caravan for Disability Freedom and Justice to arrive April 1 in San Bernardino- San Bernardino Sun
- Torrid class action claims company denies vision-impaired customers access to website- Top Class Actions
- Opinion: A B.C. class action may prompt Uber and Lyft to ensure accessible services for wheelchair users- Tricity News
Accessibility Announcements
- Indy Accessibility Guide- Visit Indy
- Nominations sought for accessibility awards
- B.C. Invites Input on New Accessibility Standards
- MAC wins Accessible and Inclusive Tourism Award
- Revolutionising Accessibility for Wheelchair Users in India
- Red Sea Looks to Make its Diving Centers Disability-Friendly
- FC Barcelona raising awareness of autism with ‘Quieter Hours’
- Connecticut launches micro-transit pilot to enhance accessibility
- DNR website offers accessibility information about its properties
- Digital for All Sweden AB (formerly Funka Nu AB) in bankruptcy
- Spectrum stores now feature ASL pilot program for hearing-impaired
- Top Gloucestershire attraction wins gold award for accessible tourism
- Svayam’s national campaign stresses accessibility and inclusion for all
- Local state parks receive all-terrain wheelchairs to increase accessibility
- How people with cerebral palsy can participate in voice recognition research
- PANYNJ Advances Plan to Transform Access for Underserved NJ Communities
- $20K grant to boost Montague Public Libraries access for patrons with disabilities
- Twin Cities Seek Resident Feedback to Shape ADA Accessibility and City Services
- OpenDialog Extends Accessibility Standards Across Its Conversational AI Platform
- CODO Seeks Keyamo’s Intervention In Developing Accessibility Policy At Airports
- New feature on DNR’s website shows lakes, parks accessible to those with disabilities
- 101 Mobility® Eden Prairie: Leading the Way in Mobility and Accessibility Solutions
- Credimax and Nasmaakum join forces to enhance accessibility for the deaf community
- The PDF Association’s specification for reuse and accessibility is now an ISO standard
- Seattle Scores Top Honors for Digital Equity and Accessibility in Smart Cities Awards
- NGO partners with ICMR to foster sensitivity towards individuals with reduced mobility
- Notify guidelines by July 15 to make films accessible to hearing visually impaired HC to Centre
- Greenwich’s Julian Curtiss School needs accessibility and safety improvements, including elevator
- United Airlines launches digital tool to enhance experience of customers travelling with wheelchairs
- ‘An equitable outdoors for all’- Local nonprofits propose action steps to promote outdoor accessibility
- San Diego theme park designated Certified Autism Center, expands amenities for neurodiverse guests
- Svayam’s campaign looks to highlight the need for inclusive environments and assistive technologies for people
- Healey-Driscoll Administration Announces $167,000 in Grants to Support Inclusive and Accessible Outdoor Recreation
- Smobler and A11yVerse to Pioneer World’s First Disability-Led Accessibility Park and Training Program in the Metaverse
- The Accessibility Green Tech Coalition and Industries of the Blind Operation Announce New Initiative to Empower the Blind
- Jukebox Health Partners with Sonder Health to Administer Home Safety and Accessibility Modifications As A Benefit in 2024
- Minnesota DNR announces plans to invest $35 million in Get Out MORE funds on wide-ranging access and accessibility improvements across the state
Accessibility Products
- Savvy Senior: Best cell phones for seniors
- AI-based website accessibility – the future generation
- Accessibility filters on listings an industry game changer
- 12 Best Hearing Aid Companies and Brands in the World
- Android 15 introduces three new keyboard accessibility features
- eand Introduces Autistic-friendly Mobile Extension eand Wider Web
- Uber-style platform helping to solve accessibility issues at major airports
- Mango Animate’s Text to Speech Generator Online Makes AI Accessible
- MagnusCards Accessibility App Widens Reach by Offering Five New Languages
- GTR expands innovative app to enhance accessibility for visually impaired passenger
- memoQ Introduces Accessibility Enhancements for Linguists who are Visually Impaired
Accessibility Forums, Tips, and Gaming
- Accessible gaming on Xbox and Windows
- Set up this feature on older adults‘ iPhones to help them navigate more easily
- A Plain Language Guide: How to Write Inclusive Digital Content in 2024- Peggy McGregor
- Helldivers 2 director joins fans rallying around player “disheartened” to find the shooter’s anti-cheat gets in the way of their accessibility tools
Accessibility Statements
- Fable
- Three
- WeCo
- South Yorkshire Police
- Chiangmai Diner and Bar
- University of Notre Dame
- The Sierra Group Academy
- Sheridan County Journal Star
- York College of Pennsylvania
- Phoenix Theatres Entertainment
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.
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