Accessibility in the News — 5/16/2025.
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AITN Quote of the Week
“The moral test of government is how that government treats those who are in the dawn of life, the children; those who are in the twilight of life, the elderly, and those who are in the shadows of life, the sick, the needy, and the handicapped.” ― Hubert H. Humphrey
Yes! Access | Together, We Can Change The Story.
Feature Stories
RFK Jr. says autism database will use Medicare and Medicaid info
May 8, 2025 | Source: NPR
House Energy and Commerce Committee’s Budget Reconciliation Threatens the Lives of 13.7 Million Americans
May 12, 2025 | Source: AAPD
Historic Medicaid Cuts Are on the Table This Week. Here’s What People With Disabilities Need to Know
May 12, 2025 | Source: The Arc
Medicaid cut protesters disrupt GOP megabill markup, 25 arrested
May 13, 2025 | Source: Politico
‘No cuts to Medicaid!’ Disabled protesters shut down GOP House hearing
May 13, 2025 | Source: Raw Story
People with disabilities who rely on Medicaid say federal cuts could disrupt essential services
May 15, 2025 | Source: WABE
House Panel Green-Lights Sweeping Cuts To Medicaid Despite Outcry From Disability Advocates
May 15, 2025 | Source: Disability Scoop
Disability advocates respond to Trump administration proposals
May 15, 2025 | Source: Connecticut Public Radio
Proposed cuts to Medicaid, health care services will produce actual harm to Idahoans
May 15, 2025 | Source: Idaho Capital Sun
The National Institutes of Health will use information from federal health insurance programs Medicare and Medicaid to create a “real-world data platform” to determine the cause of autism, the agency announced this week. The Department of Health and Human Services said in a statement on Wednesday that the NIH would team up with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to create the database utilizing insurance claims, electronic medical records and data from wearable devices with health sensors, like smartwatches…
Experts call Kennedy’s plan to find autism’s cause unrealistic
May 10, 2025 | Source: AP News
Autism Leaders United in Call for Action Following Roundtable in Washington D.C.
May 15, 2025 | Source: Autistic Self Advocacy Network
For many experts, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. ’s promise for “pulling back the curtain” to find autism’s causes in a few months is jarring — and unrealistic. That’s because it appears to ignore decades of science linking about 200 genes that play a role — and the quest to understand differences inside the brain that can be present at birth. “Virtually all the evidence in the field suggests whatever the causes of autism — and there’s going to be multiple causes, it’s not going to be a single cause — they all affect how the fetal brain develops,” said longtime autism researcher David Amaral of the UC Davis MIND Institute…
National News (U.S.)
The ‘R-word,’ embraced by Joe Rogan and Elon Musk, inches back into the mainstream
May 8, 2025 | Source: NBC News
In a recent episode of his highly influential podcast, Joe Rogan declared what he sees as the latest triumph in the cultural battle over language: the return of the “R-word.” “Every time I see people that disagree with any that’s happening, any gigantic world events, it’s one of these retarded shows where they’re screaming,” he said April 10 on an episode of “The Joe Rogan Experience,” before he interrupted himself to go on a quick rant about the word. “The word ‘retarded’ is back, and it’s one of the great cultural victories that I think is spurred on, probably, by podcasts,” he added…
“Stairs Should Not Just Be A Full Aesthetic”: “Wicked” Star Marissa Bode Criticized The Met Gala
May 12, 2025 | Source: BuzzFeed
Wicked star Marissa Bode called out the Met Gala and the fashion industry at large for their lack of disability inclusion. Despite people with disabilities forming the largest minority in the world (around 28% of people in the US), they are hugely underrepresented at the annual event, which typically has around 450 attendees. Some of this year’s Black dandy-inspired looks featured items that can also be seen within the context of disability, such as canes and eye patches…
How accessible are New Rochelle’s city buildings? NYS comptroller releases audit
My 13, 2025 | Source: Lohud
New Rochelle was one of 20 municipalities included in a recent state audit of accessibility in public, government-owned facilities, and the only one in the Lower Hudson Valley. State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli and the New York State Division of Local Government and School Accountability identified 171 accessibility components in New Rochelle city buildings that needed improvements. They released their report May 6. The state recommended updating items like interior signs with raised lettering and Braille, wheelchair accessible lavatories in restrooms, elevator doors that reopen automatically when obstructed by an object or person, and more…
New tech at poll sites helps Bexar County voters with hearing, mobility issues
May 13, 2025 | Source: Fox San Antonio
Voting will soon get easier for Bexar County residents with hearing impairment, as well as those with mobility issues. On Tuesday, Bexar County Judge Peter Sakai and the County Commissioners approved a request from Elections Administrator Michele Carew to purchase new technology aimed at replacing outdated voting equipment. The decision, made on May 13, 2025, is set to bring state-of-the-art technology to polling sites, facilitating streamlined check-ins, improved curbside voting access, and enhanced services for the Deaf community…
Thompson School District sued over accessibility issues at Loveland High School
May 13, 2025 | Source: KDVR
A parent in the Thompson School District has filed a lawsuit claiming the district didn’t follow accessibility law standards and ignored parent concerns. A Loveland High School mom, Joanna Johnson, claimed she’s had to miss nearly a dozen school events because she couldn’t safely enter the school with her disability. She has limited mobility due to some rare diseases similar to multiple sclerosis. “They are fluctuating conditions that come and go in severity, and my medical team has provided me with a lot of resources, and one is a variety of mobility aids to help me get around,” Johnson said…
Advocates fight for Detroit educators to follow IEPs for special education students
May 13, 2025 | Source: Bridge Detroit
Sharon Kelso tries to do everything she can to help Detroit families navigate the often confusing and complicated world of special education. The advocate is frequently on the phone, listening to parents complain that their child has yet to receive an individualized education program, or IEP, a plan that spells out what services and accommodations students with disabilities should receive, as required by federal law. Sometimes, families want her guidance for talking to teachers and school administrators…
Over 25% of Americans have a disability, but only 3% of doctors do
May 15, 2025 | Source: NPR
All through her 20s, Taylor Carty chased her dream of becoming a doctor. Carty, now 30, was diagnosed with cerebral palsy when she was a baby, and was inspired by the many doctors and health care professionals who helped and encouraged her. “I knew it was the path I wanted to pursue,” she says. In 2022, it looked like her dream was about to become a reality. She was accepted to Wayne State University School of Medicine in Detroit. Her grandfather, who was a physician, attended medical school there…
Vets disability claims backlog down to 200K cases, a post-pandemic low
May 15, 2025 | Source: Military Times
The backlog of veterans disability claims this week fell to about 200,000 cases, its lowest mark since the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic during President Donald Trump’s first term in office. In testimony before Congress, Veterans Affairs leaders praised the milestone as evidence that new leadership is producing results at the department, noting a drop of more than 50,000 overdue cases since Trump’s second inauguration. But the numbers have decreased by more than 200,0000 cases over the last 18 months, with most of that improvement coming during the final year of President Joe Biden’s term in office…
‘We’re in a crisis’: N.C. lawmaker, advocates call for disability support in budget
May 15, 2025 | Source: Spectrum News
The North Carolina General Assembly is in the midst of budget season, and one group of people fear they’re being left out. One North Carolina woman has become an outspoken figure in the fight to get people living with intellectual or developmental disabilities more help. Wilmington native Cheryl Powell has dedicated her life to helping others. Now, she’s asking for help. She wants the North Carolina General Assembly to add more funding to the Innovations Waivers program, which pays for “direct support professionals” to help people living with intellectual or developmental disabilities…
Tuberville introduces bill to expand VA coverage of vehicle disability modifications
May 15, 2025 | Source: Alabama Supporter
On Tuesday, U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Alabama, introduced the Automotive Support Services to Improved Safe Transportation Act, a bill which would expand the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs’ coverage of vehicle modifications for disabled veterans. Tuberville’s bill acts as companion legislation to H.R. 1364, which unanimously passed the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee last week. Currently, the VA can only offer financial assistance for specific vehicle modifications like wheelchair tie-downs, van lifts and raised roofs…
‘Everyone leaves empowered’: Rare by Design creator shows disabilities in a positive light
May 15, 2025 | Source: Sioux Falls Argus Leader
When Kendra Gottsleben was growing up, she wore dresses made by her grandmother. Many grandmothers care for their grandchildren this way, but Gottsleben was born with Maroteaux-Lamy syndrome, a rare genetic disorder that affects fine motor difficulties and can cause skeletal abnormalities or cardiac problems. Her family’s effort to sew clothing that was easy for her to put on was providing her an essential need that generally could not be found elsewhere…
Poudre School District settles with families over bus aide’s abuse of students with disabilities
May 15, 2025 | Source: CPR News
The Poudre School district will pay $16.2 million to the families of children who accused a former district school bus aide of abuse. The payment settles a lawsuit brought by the parents of 10 children who were repeatedly slapped, pinched and punched by former bus paraprofessional Tyler Zanella. It comes a year after he was sentenced to more than 12 years for assaulting the students with disabilities. The elementary children who are autistic and mostly non-verbal and were unable to complain to anyone during weeks of torment…
City Cuts From the Very Department That Could Prevent Lawsuits — After Paying $2B to Settle Them
May 15, 2025 | Source: West Side Current
The City Department on Disability (DoD) is expected to face the highest percentage of layoffs among all city departments next year, with 40% of staff positions on the chopping block according to DoD Executive Director Stephen David Simon. These cuts are part of an effort to address budget shortfalls—shortfalls largely caused by nearly $2 billion in legal settlements, some of which are directly tied to the City’s failure to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA)…
Milford candy store provides job opportunities to those living with disabilities
May 15, 2025 | Source: WHDH
A Milford candy store is giving people living with disabilities the opportunity to work. “Sweet Inspirations” candy shop is a non-profit where nearly the entire staff is living with intellectual and developmental disabilities. “They could do all of tasks in the store from running the register, to packing the candy, to pricing. We wanted to set them up for success. Not only is it a happy environment but its a place where they can do it all.” The shop was opened by “The Aaron Zenus Foundation” three years ago, in honor of a 12-year-old boy who died from the flu…
Missouri unveils plan to transform program for students with disabilities
May 15, 2025 | Source: News Tribune
Missouri education officials are considering a plan to consolidate schools serving students with disabilities after consultants deemed the current program “not sustainable.” Missouri is the only state to operate separate day schools for special education, dubbed the Missouri Schools for the Severely Disabled. The program serves K-12 students in 34 schools statewide, with anywhere from 5-60 students in a school. Some students spend the majority of their education as a MSSD student, concerning stakeholders who prefer to integrate students with disabilities into a broader student body…
Jack Fact — According to the European Commission, around 87 million people in the EU have some form of disability and only half of persons with disabilities are employed compared to 3 in 4 persons without disabilities.
Hit The Road Jack — 9 heritage sites in India with wheelchair accessibility and ‘Well received’ accessibility upgrades coming to more Penticton beaches and Accessible Travel in Japan
International News
Nova Scotia releases updated accessibility plan with focus on infrastructure, services, and inclusion
May 8, 2025 | Source: CKBW- Canada
Nova Scotia has released its updated accessibility plan, outlining the government’s next steps toward becoming a fully accessible province by 2030. The 2025–2028 Government Accessibility Plan is the third such roadmap since the province passed the Accessibility Act in 2017. It builds on earlier work from the 2018–2021 and 2022–2025 plans, and sets new priorities to prevent and remove barriers for persons with disabilities across public life.
Previous iterations of the plan led to accessibility upgrades at Peggy’s Cove, including improved walkways and facilities to better accommodate visitors with mobility challenges…
Three learning disability wards told to improve
May 8, 2025 | Source: BBC- UK
Three NHS wards caring for people with learning disabilities or autism have been told to improve after a high number of assaults on staff and injuries to patients. Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspectors visited the wards in Northumberland, South Tyneside and Cumbria last year and said it had “significant concerns” about how restraints were used on patients. One family member told inspectors they felt their relative was “not safe” while on the ward and “staying there was making him worse”…
Access and the law: Entertainment without barriers is a right, not a favour
May 8, 2025 | Source: Deccan Herald- India
Any accessibility standards for India’s media and entertainment (M&E) sector must contend with the complexity of content produced in 22 official languages and numerous dialects. This content is distributed through three modes – 900 television channels, 60 Over-The-Top (OTT) platforms, and 10,000 cinema screens nationwide – and consumed on a wide range of devices such as TVs, mobile phones, computers, and tablets. In 2024, India produced over 130,000 hours of General Entertainment Content (GEC), of which 95 per cent was first produced for television, 3 per cent for film, and 2 per cent for OTT (FICCI-EY, 2025).
UK financial sector falling short of digital inclusion and accessibility standards, report finds
May 9, 2025 | Source: HR News- UK
A new report warns that several UK financial sub-sectors are falling short of regulatory standards for digital accessibility and inclusion – a concern that extends to recruitment and workforce inclusion strategies. The ‘Accessibility in Financial Services Report’, by compliance training provider Skillcast, analysed over 270 leading UK companies in nine financially regulated sub-sectors, considering key factors directly related to accessibility and digital inclusion – including page speed, best practices and number of errors…
Accessibility in the conditions of war: what has changed and why inclusion still does not work to its full extent
May 9, 2025 | Source: UNN- Ukraine
The war has exacerbated the need to adapt infrastructure for people with disabilities, the number of which is growing. Without control and investment, accessibility will remain on paper. Despite the Barrier-Free Strategy adopted back in 2021 and the updated state building codes, inclusiveness in Ukraine remains more of a declaration than a reality. The war has only exacerbated the need to update approaches to adapting infrastructure, transport, housing and the labor market for people with disabilities, the number of which is growing rapidly…
Piss and Pity: A Disabled Person’s Eternal Search for an Accessible Convenience
May 9, 2025 | Source: Byline Times- UK
In something bordering on the miraculous, though not for religious reasons of any kind, I recently rose from ongoing challenges of poor health to perform a spoken word set in a new Hastings venue. To my delight, this venue has level access, a spacious entrance, and reasonable lighting. I’d been offered the headline slot by the organiser who had gone to some effort to make the event inclusive, for which I thank him. The event was packed, the crowd eager…
How technology is redefining accessibility for people with disabilities
May 9, 2025 | Source: YourStory- India
In the early 2000s, disability rights advocate Rajive Raturi filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) in the Supreme Court of India, calling attention to the exclusion of persons with disabilities from public transport and infrastructure. His efforts contributed to a 2017 Supreme Court directive urging states to report on their accessibility compliance. But when the states failed to respond, the Court turned to the disability sector for guidance. This led to the submission of Finding Sizes for All: A Report on the Status of the Right to Accessibility in India by the Centre for Disability Studies at NALSAR University in 2024…
Albertans protest federal disability benefit clawback and call for accessibility legislation
May 10, 2025 | Source: Edmonton Journal- Canada
Dozens of Albertans came out to the legislature on Tuesday protesting clawbacks for the federal disability benefit and called on the province to put forward accessibility legislation. Starting in June, Albertans with disabilities can begin applying for the Canada Disability Benefit (CDB) with the first payment of up to $200 expected in July. But while the province says the Assisted Income for the Severely Handicapped (AISH) payments will remain unchanged, advocates say the province will claw back the CDB benefit, garnering protests from those in the community…
Bournemouth disabled-led orchestra ‘removing barriers’
May 10, 2025 | Source: BBC- UK
A violinist says playing in a disabled-led youth orchestra is “a way of proving we are good enough”. Cass Alabaster plays the violin and viola in the Bournemouth ensemble of the National Open Youth Orchestra (NOYO). He said performing in the group has meant having his needs as someone with a disability “understood and accepted”. Cass is set to perform with the national ensemble at the Lighthouse in Poole during a special livestreamed concert at 15:00 BST on Saturday…
Ali France’s election isn’t just a boon for Labor — it’s big for the disability community too
May 10, 2025 | Source: ABC News- Australia
Ali France couldn’t be prouder of her two best friends. They give her support and are an extension of herself. “My first best friend is my prosthetic leg and my second is my wheelchair,” she told ABC NEWS this week. In a matter of weeks, Ms France and her two best friends will enter the House of Representatives with pride. “I’m proud of my leg,” she said, sitting on a park bench with titanium ankle crossed over human knee. It’s also clear that she’s proud to be the new MP for the Queensland seat of Dickson and proud of doing it as a woman with disability…
Accessibility improvements made at Horseshoe Quarry
May 11, 2025 | Source: BBC- UK
Improvements have been made to a climbing hotspot in the Peak District to make it more accessible for people with disabilities. Changes at Horseshoe Quarry, near Stoney Middleton in Derbyshire, include the installation of a wheelchair-friendly gate and the removal of boulders from an access path. The work was funded by the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs through its Farming in Protected Landscapes Programme. The British Mountaineering Council (BMC) says climbing is a sport which can be adapted to suit people with a wide range of disabilities and has welcomed the improvements…
Mum of boy with disability told no access taxis available for Adelaide hospital trip
May 11, 2025 | Source: ABC News- Australia
A mother and her son with a disability waited two hours for an access taxi before a Good Samaritan drove them to an Adelaide hospital. Eleven-year-old Oliver, who uses a mobility aid, travelled from Toowoomba to attend a medical appointment at Adelaide Memorial Hospital to wean him off a feeding drip. His mother Jodie Sandy booked a disability cab from an Adelaide CBD hotel they were staying at, but on Monday morning the ride never arrived…
Liz Kendall to overhaul DWP’s assessment for disability benefits
May 12, 2025 | Source: The Guardian- UK
Liz Kendall is to begin an overhaul of the disability benefit assessment process long decried by campaigners as cruel, calling on groups to engage with the changes amid criticism of the government’s forthcoming welfare cuts. The work and pensions secretary said on Monday she was beginning the process of abolishing the work capability assessment and overhauling the process to apply for the personal independence payment (Pip) – which can be paid to those in or out of work – to form a single assessment process…
Devon’s Freetrike disability charity reaches 50,000km milestone
May 12, 2025 | Source: BBC- UK
A rehab cycling service has covered more than 50,000km (31,000 miles) with its clients – more than the circumference of the Earth. Freetrike, based in Exminster, launched in 2010 and uses specially adapted electric trikes to take people with mobility issues out on Devon’s traffic-free trails like the Exe Estuary Trail. Founder Tom Pales said the group had helped people who had suffered strokes, head injuries and respiratory disorders, as well as those who are normally housebound…
UCP faces barrage of disability and accessibility questions after rally-goers call for action and ‘meaningful consultation’
May 12, 2025 | Source: The Hamilton Spectator- Canada
The NDP bombarded cabinet last week with questions and statements critical of the province’s treatment of persons with disabilities. The onslaught by more than a dozen members of the Opposition caucus challenged the UCP on Alberta’s lack of accessibility legislation, its dollar support for people with disabilities, and its approach to housing, health care and home care. Also on the hit list were wait times for services and programs, access to sports and recreation facilities, transportation in rural areas to and from appointments, and the evacuation of persons with disabilities during wildfires…
Locals experience daily challenges faced by people with disabilities in Barrhead event
May 12, 2025 | Source: Athabasca Advocate- Canada
The community of Barrhead has a way to go until it becomes truly accessible to people with physical limitations. However, there is a group that hopes to lessen those barriers, in large part by raising awareness among the able-bodied about the challenges people with disabilities face in accessing services and activities that many take for granted. On May 5, the Barrhead Accessibility Coalition held its first-ever accessibility challenge. Town of Barrhead councillor and accessibility coalition member Dausen Kluin told the Barrhead Leader that the idea behind the event is to have able-bodied people take part in a series of challenges…
Smiths Hill High principal returns after cycling crash leaves him with quadriplegia
May 14, 2025 | Source: ABC News- Australia
When David Deitz crashed his road bike in a cycling event at Wollongong in 2023, the Smiths Hill High School principal had not long won a national masters championship. The accident was life-changing and left him with quadriplegia. Two years after the crash, he has returned to full duties at his school. “I hope that by returning to the workforce, people can see that it is possible, and it can have a positive impact upon their personal lives in terms of reconnecting with purpose,” Mr Deitz said…
Barry Manilow superfan almost missed out on Toronto concert due to lack of accessible seating
May 14, 2025 | Source: CTV News- Canada
There are some big-name acts coming to Toronto this summer, with the city is hosting concerts including Oasis, Coldplay and Stevie Knicks among others. Barry Manilow will bring six decades of hits to Toronto’s Scotiabank Arena on his “Last Concerts” tour on May 31st. Superfan Cynthia from Brampton – who asked we only use her first name – said she was extremely excited to see him perform. “I’ve played his CDs so much that some of them have worn out,” Cynthia told CTV News…
Archaeologists shed light on the treatment of individuals with disabilities in the late Middle Ages
May 15, 2025 | Source: PHYS.org- Sweden
The skeleton of a man with a severe dislocated fracture of the knee, found in a cemetery in Lund, southern Sweden, is helping to unravel the complexities of social attitudes toward individuals with disabilities in the late medieval period. The research combines traditional osteological methods and 3D modeling—a cutting-edge technique for viewing and studying traumatic injury and related skeletal changes—with contextual information from historical texts and digitized excavation records to build a more nuanced understanding of disability and care in the past…
Pioneering New Media Platform Visible Voices Offers A Different Perspective On Disability
May 15, 2025 | Source: British Vogue- UK
It began with a spark. When the writer Bérénice Magistretti first met designer and tech entrepreneur, Reuben Selby, over a coffee in West London two years ago, it quickly kindled into a meeting of minds. “It was rare to meet someone so open about their disability,” recalls Selby, while admitting that it was “equally rare” for him to chat freely about his neurodiversity. “Normally, it’s something I keep hidden, even from people I know well. That conversation planted a seed: why is disability still something we tiptoe around?”…
Advocate invites premier to build legacy with disabilities act
May 15, 2025 | Source: Inside Halton- Canada
Twenty years ago, on May 10, 2005, the Ontario Legislature unanimously passed the historic Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA), after people with disabilities tenaciously campaigned for a decade to win its enactment. I had the honour of leading that grassroots campaign. Many who took part in our blitz in communities across Ontario are still alive to mark this anniversary. Sadly, too many are no longer with us. I fondly cherish the visionary dedication of them all…
Accessibility Blogs, Information, and Videos
- What’s Up With WID
- May 2025
- Access Ready In Support of Policies and Positions
- An accessibility checklist for your stories- Lara Winegar
- ‘Shifting left’ for better accessibility in Firefox- Kim Bryant
- Protect Medicaid for All!- National Down Syndrome Congress (YouTube)
- Global Accessibility Awareness Day is coming- Johny Cassidy
- Three ways AI can improve digital accessibility- Jonathan Hassell
- Accessibility Roles and Responsibilities Mapping (ARRM)- W3C
- Digital accessibility: Why inclusive tech matters – Jasmina Khanna
- Bringing lasting change to society through accessible technology- Sony
- Changing Places: creating comprehensive accessibility- Hannah Massoudi
- Eight ways to make your digital platforms more accessible- Charity Digital
- What Is ARIA? How ARIA Helps Make Websites Accessible- Rob LeFebvre
- Do Not Publish Your Designs on the Web with Figma Sites…- Adrian Roselli
- State of Retail: How to Better Serve Customers With Disabilities- National Jeweler
- Reflecting on a Year of Progress in Accessibility and What’s Ahead- Heather Dowdy
- Accessibility and Instrumentality: A Conversation- Marianna Ritchey and Greg Stuart
- From silence to strength: why accessibility should shape the future of work- Chris Goodall
- OPINION: Building a more inclusive digital world – Our shared responsibility- Ingka Group
- The Role of Accessibility in Employee Health and Well-Being- George Grayland Smallwood
- Design system annotations, part 1: How accessibility gets left out of components- Jan Maarten
- At WAVES 2025, panellists call for smarter, human-centred accessibility in media- Priti Salian
- CSUN Center on Disabilities Newsletter: Explore the Newest Journal and Reflect on CSUNATC25!
- Making digital inclusion real: Reflections on digital accessibility in Uzbekistan- Dilmurad Yusupov
- A day in the life: exploring the human side of digital accessibility- Leandro Camilo and Tuneet Randhawa
- How Empathy Can Transform the Passenger Experience- From Compliance to True Inclusion- Christiane Link
- Five key barriers impacting the rights of people with disabilities from indigenous and minority communities – Minority Rights Group
- The Impact of Web Accessibility Overlays on the Usability and User Experience for People with Permanent Visual Impairments- Daniela Kubesch, MSc
- The impact of transformational leadership on the workplace well-being of employees with disabilities: series mediation and moderation process- Abdulaziz Alfalih and Wided Ragmoun
Federally Speaking
- Digital Asset Accessibility Under ADA Title II- Microassist
- FCC Renews Waiver of Accessible Emergency Information Requirement
- Celebrating 25 Years of the Ticket to Work- Social Security Administration
- Federal government cuts $35 million in grant funding for digital accessibility services- WMTW
- 70 VA Disability Eligibility Requirements 2025: Check New Criteria and Payment Dates- Acs COMP
- 159 Advocates Send Letter Opposing Plan to Eliminate the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC)
- ADA Title II Revision – Addition Of Technical Requirements For Accessibility Of Web Information And Services Of State And Local Government Entities- Hiram Kuykendall
Higher Education Blogs and Information
- William and Mary’s Commitment to Digital Accessibility
- Disability and Access Services – MIT Division of Student Life
- How to Help Faculty Meet New Accessibility Requirements- Inside Higher Ed
- The Digital Accessibility Handbook for Libraries- American Library Association
- Ten Honored with SU Disability Resource Center Access Awards – Salisbury University
- Hopkins marks Global Accessibility Awareness Day- JHU Hub – Johns Hopkins University
- Spotlight on Faculty: Jennifer Mankoff – Accessibility at the UW- University of Washington
- UW researchers developing app to easily assess home for accessibility improvements- Fox47
- University Libraries: Support for Accessible Design – Accessibility at the University of Washington
- UT big on excuses, small on solutions for disabled accessibility on campus- Austin American-Statesman
- UVA Opens New Accessible Route Just in Time for Final Exercises- UVA Today – The University of Virginia
- Accessible Iowa initiative sets campus standards, next steps for digital accessibility- Iowa Now – The University of Iowa
- Saint Mary’s University – More than a website: FSC’s new digital hub centralizes accessibility at SMU- Education News Canada
Legal Blogs and Information
- Disability, Human Rights and Contract Law- Eliza Varney
- European Accessibility Act: Application to firms – Macfarlanes
- Digital Accessibility Requirements for Public Entities- Schwabe
- (Digital) accessibility from 2025- Coalition agreement of the new German government and the European Accessibility Act at a glance- DLA Piper
Accessibility Announcements
- Disability Rights Iowa Areas of Focus Planning Survey 2025
- Council receives update on City of Ottawa’s accessibility plans
- Blind SA and Checkers Sixty60 collaborate on app accessibility
- Dept. of Veterans Affairs: Launches new and accessible website
- Accessibility plan approved to make Kelowna more inclusive for all
- Report Advocates for Enhanced Accessibility in Professional Exams
- Celtic champion accessibility and inclusion at Saturday’s title homecoming
- Paralympian to speak at county’s National AccessAbility Awareness Week event
- Accessibility changes coming to Rickwood Field for people physically challenged
- Hayward City Council to take up accessibility by design standards for new housing
- New website expands resource access for aging, disabled in Solano and Napa counties
- Getty Images Grant Photographers $20,000 Each to Improve Disability Representation
- Access Award: Seeking Nominations for Businesses in Honor of Disability Pride Month
- Bexar County commissioners approve new polling site technology aimed at accessibility
- T.E.D.E. Foundation announces mobile accessibility vehicle to be at DuBois Community Days
- Governor Hochul Signs Legislation to Fully Fund Improvements for Transit Riders as Part of FY 2026 Budget
- Samsung Electronics Hosts Accessibility Festival Week in Europe To Promote and Advance Accessibility for All
- The National Museum of the Great Lakes’ Certified Autism Center (CAC) renews Certified Autism Center designation
- Policy Arm of World’s Largest Computing Association Urges Baseline for Accessibility-Driven Technology Development
- Old Town Trolley Tours and Attractions Continues to Enhance Accessibility, Renews Certified Autism Center™ Designation
- Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD) Foundation Launches AI Accessibility Checker with ServiceNow to Advance Inclusive Code Standards
- Access Ready Strategic Joins the ITEM Coalition, the Consortium for Constituents with Disabilities, and Other Organizations on Vital Policy and Public Interest Positions
Accessibility Products and Services
- How We’re Advancing Accessibility at Meta
- Consumer Reports: There’s a phone hack for that
- WhatsApp to offer enhanced accessibility settings
- Mobility Operations showcases wheelchair-accessible EV
- 5 Chromebook accessibility features for inclusive classrooms
- Accessibility in Microsoft Edge with ARIA and ARIA Notify
- Founder with limited vision raises €2m for accessibility start-up
- New AI and accessibility updates across Android, Chrome and more
- TikTok rolls out new accessibility tools, including AI-generated ALT text
- Apple Unveils New Accessibility Features For iPhone, Apple Watch And Mac
- Introducing Kia PV5 WAV: A New Era of Wheelchair Accessible Electric Vehicles
- UW researchers developing app to easily assess home for accessibility improvements
- Chrome’s Android app will now let you zoom in on text without affecting the webpage
- Designing for Everyone: How Samsung Embeds Accessibility at the Heart of Innovation
- An Independent Man: Ed Roberts and the Fight for Disability Rights- Scot Edward Danforth
- Mobility start-up ORA shares ambitions for new wheelchair accessible vehicle rental service
- Ramping Up Rights: An Unfinished History of British Disability Activism- Rachel Charlton-Dailey
Accessibility Forums, Tips, and Gaming
- How To Create Accessible Content
- Improving React Accessibility with `useId`
- DOOM: The Dark Ages Accessibility Guide
- Pimax Expands Dream VR Lineup with Accessible Headsets
- Call of Duty’s accessibility features are a player-developer collaboration
- Sony Patents PS5 Controller That Reads Players’ Biological Stress Levels
- Founder of accessibility nonprofit AbleGamers accused of abusive conduct and financial mismanagement
Accessibility Statements
- ECMC
- 360°kids
- Yes Access
- NBCUniversal
- National Gallery of Art
- Amsterdam University Press
- Waukesha County Technical College
- New York State Adirondack Park Agency
- Federation for the Humanities and Social Sciences
- Norway University of Technology and Natural Sciences
Microassist Digital Accessibility Services
Have you received an accessibility demand letter because of your website or application? Please contact us for any questions you have about our accessibility services and how we might support your organization.
Services include:
- Accessible Website and Application Development— We rely heavily on accessibility best practices and using HTML5 and ARIA (Accessible Rich Internet Applications) standards to build WCAG-compliant and human-tested accessible environments. Our teams are proficient in open source technologies such as WordPress, Drupal and Moodle, as well as custom frameworks in .NET, PHP, AngularJS, and other frameworks. Our Learning and Development team can also help you create accessible custom training.
- Accessible Document Services— Whether you’re dealing with a few or a warehouse of Microsoft Office documents, PDFs, or other files, there are several ways Microassist can enable your team to offer documents and materials that meet stringent accessibility standards.
- Accessibility Remediation— Our accessibility remediation services help you fix existing materials so that they conform to WCAG, Section 504 and 508, Department of Education OCR, and ADA Title II/III requirements. We remediate websites, applications, documents, and elearning, recommending re-creation when that is more efficient and economical. Especially for website and applications, to find out what is in need of remediation, we’ll start with an Accessibility Audit.
- Accessibility Training— With several courses available for developers, testers, and content creators, your team can become equipped to consistently and expertly produce accessible digital products and online environments.
- VPAT®Evaluation Services— Primarily used by government purchasers and government vendors during the procurement and sale of ICT products and services under Section 508, a Voluntary Product Accessibility Template® (VPAT) attests to the accessibility of a given product or service. Contact us to make sure the VPAT you write or review is accurate and meaningful.
Learn More About Digital Accessibility
Our Digital Accessibility Digest blog covers our Accessibility in the News archives as well as expert commentaries on digital accessibility issues.
Our most popular commentaries include:
- What is a VPAT®? A VPAT Primer
- Understanding Digital Accessibility in the Procurement Process
- Accessibility in the News, Legal Edition: Updates on ADA Title III News and More
- What Lawyers Need to Know: A Primer on Digital Accessibility Terms and Today’s Legal Landscape
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