At Microassist, we are proud to reaffirm our commitment to supporting efforts to fully implement accessibility and inclusion, and ensuring the same principles of barrier-free access outlined in the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) also extends to digital environments. Digital content that is accessible to people with visual, auditory, cognitive, and mobility impairments reduces barriers in both the government and commercial arenas – opening access to resources and opportunities for everyone.
Throughout the year, we will be sharing updates and events to raise awareness and celebrate the impact the ADA continues to make.
Accessibility in the News
Miss last week’s Accessibility in the News, our weekly newsletter on digital accessibility standards, private and public sector trends, litigation, events, and more. Read the recap.
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Disability Awareness 2023 Calendar
Scroll to Monthly Events
January | February | March| April | May | June | July | August | September | October | November | December
March Spotlight
Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Month
Did you know – nearly one million individuals are living with MS in the United States. Women are two to three times more likely to develop MS versus men. Most people with MS experience their first symptoms and are diagnosed between the ages of 15 and 50.
The North American Research Committee on Multiple Sclerosis (NARCOMS) has an MS registry with an active database of more than 35,000 individuals with MS. If you are interested in learning more or becoming a part of this registry, please visit narcoms.org.
Follow #MSAwarenessMonth on Twitter
Disability Awareness 2023 Calendar
January
- Glaucoma Awareness Month – January
- Braille Literacy Month – January
- World Braille Day – January 4
- Moebius Syndrome Awareness Day – January 24
- Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy Awareness Day – January 30
February
- Low Vision Awareness Month – February
- Rheumatoid Arthritis Awareness Day – February 2
- World Cancer Day – February 4
- Anosmia Awareness Day – February 27
- Rare Disease Day – February 28/29
March
- International Wheelchair Day – March 1
- World Down Syndrome Day – March 21
- Purple Day for Epilepsy – March 26
- World Autism Awareness Week (UK) – March 29 – April 4
- Cerebral Palsy Awareness Month – March
- Developmental Disabilities Month – March
- Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Month – March
April
- World Autism Awareness Day – April 2
- World Bohring-Opitz Syndrome Awareness Day – April 6
- Cusing’s Disease Awareness Day – April 8
- World Parkinson’s Day (UK) – April 11
- Parkinson’s Awareness Month – April
- Autism Acceptance Month – April
May
- International Cri du Chat Awareness Day – May 5
- Fibromyalgia Awareness Day – May 12
- Global Accessibility Awareness Day – May 19
- World Multiple Sclerosis Day – May 30
- ALS Awareness Month – May
- Mental Health Awareness Month – May
- Arthritis Awareness Month – May
- National Stroke Awareness Month – May
June
- The Longest Day (Alzheimer’s Awareness) – June 21
- Dravet Syndrome Awareness Day – June 23
- National PTSD Awareness Day – June 27
- Alzheimer’s & Brain Awareness Month – June
- Dravet Syndrome Awareness Month – June
- Cataract Awareness Month – June
July
- Disability Awareness Day – July 14
- American Disabilities Act 31st Anniversary – July 26
- Williams Syndrome Awareness Month – Julyhttps://www.disabilityawarenessday.org.uk/show/
August
- International Assistance Dog Week – Begins the First Sunday in August
- National Purple Heart Day – August 7
- National Senior Citizen’s Day (U.S) – August 21
- Spinal Muscular Atrophy Awareness Month – August
- National Immunization Awareness Month – August
- Back to School Resources, New Guidance on Supporting Students with Disabilities
September
- Colour Blindness Awareness Day (UK) – September 6
- World Alzheimer’s day – September 21
- International Week of the Deaf 2022 – September 19-25
- International Day of Sign Languages – September 23
- ID24 (Inclusive Design 24) – September 23
- Limb Girdle Muscular Dystrophy Awareness Day – September 30
- World Alzheimer’s Month – September
October
- World Cerebral Palsy Day – October 6
- World Sight Day – October 10
- World Mental Health Day – October 10
- White Cane Awareness Day – October 15
- Invisible Disabilities Week – October 17-23
- National Disability Employment Awareness Month – October
- Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Awareness Month – October
- Down Syndrome Awareness Month – October
- Dyslexia Awareness Month – October
- Spina Bifida Awareness Month – October
November
- WordPress Accessibility Day – November 2-3
- International Stress Awareness Week – November 7-11
- Global Usability Day – November 10
- World Diabetes Day – November 14
- World COPD Day – November 17
- Epilepsy Awareness Month – November
- Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month – November
December
- World AIDS Day – December 1
- International Day of Persons with Disabilities – December 3
- Human Rights Day – December 10
- International Day of Epidemic Preparedness – December 27
Why Making Knowledge Accessible Matters
One in four people in the United States has a disability.* For many of them, much of today’s online hosted content can be difficult or virtually impossible to understand, use, and enjoy:
- Image details are often hidden from the blind or visually impaired. This affects charts, graphs, text rendered as images (buttons, some scanned PDFs, etc.) and hard-to-detect hyperlinks.
- Navigation can be difficult for those who can’t view menus or who struggle with fine motor movement.
- Multi-media impact may be diminished for those who can enjoy only portions of the presentation.
- Motion, timeouts, and other dynamics can startle or distract those with cognitive impairments.
Does your content meet WCAG and Section 508 compliance standards? Learn how to create, test, and remediate your digital content from our team of accessibility experts.
Upcoming Accessibility Courses From Microassist
*Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention press release, 08/16/2018: One in 4 U.S. adults – 61 million Americans – have a disability that impacts major life activities, according to a report in CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
Last updated:03/04/2023
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