Accessibility in the News — 9/25/2026.
NOTE: To get news like this every week in your inbox, before it hits our website, subscribe to our Accessibility in the News e-newsletter. There are no ads or graphics, and we never send spam. Just use the sign-up form on this page to subscribe and stay up to date!
Skip to National News (U.S.) | Skip to International News
More Accessibility Resources on this Page
Accessibility Blogs, Information and Video | Accessibility Announcements
Accessibility Fourms, Tips and Gaming | Accessibility Statements
Higher Education Blogs and Information | Federally Speaking
Legal Blogs and Information | Accessibility Products and Services
AI Employment and Legal Trends | Microassist Accessibility Services
AITN Quote of the Week
“As the alluring song of September begins to whisper in my ear, my passionate spirit yearns for the splendor of its promise.” — Peggy Toney Horton
Accessibility in the News: Accessibility Statement Pages
Feature Stories
Is Meta Using Disabled People to Promote Its Glasses?
September 17, 2026 | Source: Mother Jones
In July, Meta published a press release saying that it would issue $2 million worth of grants to 30 organizations that would test ways its AI glasses could “help people work safer, learn faster, and live more independently.” The grantees include organizations that would develop workshops to help Blind people utilize the devices and assist people with intellectual disabilities prepare to enter the workforce. “We want to ensure the future is for everyone—giving every person the tools to reach their full potential,” Meta wrote in the release…
How Fashion Helps Disabled People Own Their Identity
September 21, 2026 | Source: TZR
For the past several years, fashion’s biggest buzzwords have been “inclusivity” and “authenticity,” but one of the most marginalized groups continues to be excluded from the conversation. Disabled people account for nearly 14% of the United States population, and study after study continues to show that most people will become disabled in their lifetime. I lost my left eye at the age of 5, finding myself within the disability community. I found much of my personal style because of it, embracing “fun eyes,” or custom colorful medical-grade prosthetics, oftentimes matching them to my outfits…
National News (U.S.)
Voting is a key part of Democracy. So, how do you make sure it’s accessible to everyone?
September 18, 2026 | Source: KSMU
With Missourians between two critical elections, the August 4th primary and the November 3rd general election. It’s important for counties to make sure that everyone who is registered to vote can cast a ballot. “Empower abilities is a nonprofit center for independent living. And our mission is to remove barriers and empower independent living for all people with disabilities,” said Shelby Butler, director of advocacy and public policy for Empower Abilities. “We serve eight counties in the Southwest Missouri area…
Call for ‘honest conversations’ on accessibility
September 19, 2026 | Source: Jersey Evening Post
Employers and government bodies have been urged to start an “honest conversation” about inclusivity – which could help Islanders with disabilities, ADHD and more. Skills Jersey’s head of skills Stuart Penn – who was born with one fully-formed limb and has worked as a military training consultant and motivational training facilitator – spoke at an event marking National Inclusion Week and organised by Maison des Landes yesterday. Organisations, he said, should follow the UK’s framework of national inclusion which “reflect on remaining workplace barriers, build trust through honest dialogue, take practical action to create measurable progress, and embed inclusion into everyday workplace culture”…
Tactile exhibit in central Iowa makes deep space images accessible to all
September 20, 2026 | Source: KMAland
A new exhibit at the Iowa Department for the Blind aims to open the night sky and the spectacle of distant stars, galaxies and colorful nebulas to blind, low-vision, and sighted visitors alike. Denise Bean, youth services librarian at the agency’s Des Moines office, says this traveling exhibit features gorgeous photographs from the James Webb Space Telescope and renderings of those images in three-foot-wide tactile displays. “You reach down and you touch and you explore with your fingers,” Bean says. “It’s not smooth, it’s not flat, it’s not one-dimensional. It’s actually surfaces that are raised, lowered, textured, and when you touch it, it’s like no other sensation.”…
MBTA Green Line Platform Upgrades Will Require Second Round of Construction for New Trains
September 22, 2026 | Source: Boston’s ROCK 92.9 and Planetizen
The MBTA Green Line’s platform upgrades, designed to match the new Type 10 cars, may not fully accommodate existing reconfigurations. Despite years of accessibility work, the Green Line remains a major hurdle for the MBTA, as many stations were built before ADA regulations and 23 of 70 stations remain inaccessible. According to The Boston Globe, “Eventually, Green Line riders will have to live through an additional bout of construction and shutdowns as the T reworks the platforms to make their height compatible with the so-called Type 10 cars.”…
New Jersey church puts late member’s large bequest to work, upgrading for accessibility
September 22, 2026 | Source: Episcopal News Service
Natalie Whiting was an active member of her congregation, Calvary Episcopal Church in Flemington, New Jersey, for most of her 79 years. In loving her church, Whiting wasn’t afraid to offer some constructive criticism. The historic building was woefully inadequate to accommodate people with disabilities and older people who had difficulty climbing its stairs. Whiting, in life, pressed for the church to upgrade the facility for accessibility, but church leaders deemed the costs prohibitive. Whiting died in January 2025 from cancer and is now posthumously addressing the church’s accessibility issues…
Give people with disabilities a chance to work
September 22, 2026 | Source: Concord Monitor
There is a lot of discussion these days about New Hampshire’s workforce shortage. Employers across our state struggle to find dependable people willing to work. At the same time, there is a group of Granite Staters who very much want to work but too often struggle to find an employer willing to give them a chance: people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. I see this firsthand at Next Step Living in downtown Concord. Next Step Living is home to 11 adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities who are building independent lives in the community…
Block Trump’s Push to Lock up Disabled People
September 21, 2026 | Source: The Progressive Magazine
During the same summer in which Americans marked the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, disabled Americans have faced a renewed threat to their freedom: an effort by the administration of President Donald Trump to reopen the door to forced institutionalization. On June 18, Trump’s Department of Justice (DOJ) issued a memorandum opinion concluding that neither Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act nor Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires states to integrate individuals with disabilities into community settings…
Jack Fact — Future Market Insights estimated the global patient self-service kiosk market at about $1.4 billion in 2025 and projected it would reach $6.3 billion by 2035, a compound annual growth rate of 16.6%. Research Nester published a similar forecast, placing the 2025 market above $1.45 billion and projecting $6.29 billion in revenue by 2035.
Hit The Road Jack —The Best U.S. Vacation Towns for Accessible Travel and Guidebooks for Accessible Travel and Accessible Salem: Rolling through history, cobblestones and witch trial stories
International News
Critics say mayor’s disability plan ‘lacks ambition’
September 17, 2026 | Source: London, England
The mayor of London’s first strategy for deaf and disabled Londoners has been criticised for lacking ambition, with one London Assembly member warning it risks “papering over London’s accessibility failures”. The action plan includes measures to improve access to housing, transport, jobs, benefits and public services for the capital’s 1.2 million deaf and disabled residents. But Hina Bokhari, leader of the London Assembly Liberal Democrats, said the plans lacked “the scale of ambition, transformation and investment needed to even make a dent in the barriers”…
Most human rights complaints in N.W.T. based on disability, commission says
September 18, 2026 | Source: CBC- Canada
The N.W.T. Human Rights Commission says a majority of discrimination complaints in the territory are based on disability — and it’s again urging the government to pass accessibility legislation. During a public committee briefing at the Legislative Assembly on Thursday, commission chair Charles Dent told MLAs that nine other Canadian jurisdictions already have accessibility laws, and the N.W.T. should follow suit. The commission says the N.W.T. mainly relies on National Building Code standards of accessibility, while the Department of Infrastructure has “no mandate to set standards for private or municipal infrastructure.”…
The second coming of charity in disability discourse
September 19, 2026 | Source: Supreme Court Observer- India
In Season 2 of Maamla Legal Hai the protagonist, Justice V.D. Tyagi, wishes to take some ‘bold’ steps towards judicial reform. When his court staff remind him that the system will not allow him to go too far, he makes a ‘balanced’ decision to make the Patparganj court disabled-friendly. The makers of Maamla Legal Hai offer a sharp commentary on the Indian judiciary’s treatment of disability as a low-intensity, non-controversial human rights issue. The Supreme Court’s disability rights jurisprudence evolved considerably during Justice D.Y. Chandrachud’s tenure as a judge and Chief Justice…
Visually impaired IRS officer Puranasundhari recalls accessibility barriers, setbacks behind UPSC success
September 19, 2026 | Source: The Weekend Leader- India
Securing All India Rank 286 in the Civil Services Examination was the culmination of years of perseverance for visually impaired Indian Revenue Service officer Puranasundhari M., who overcame repeated setbacks and serious accessibility barriers during her preparation. Speaking in an interview with The Weekend Leader at a recent TWL–VIT awards function in Chennai, Puranasundhari said she cleared the examination on her fourth attempt after failing to clear the preliminary examination in her first attempt and reaching the interview stage in her second and third attempts…
Accessible Cambridge baseball diamond reopens after multi-million-dollar transformation
September 19, 2026 | Source: CTV News- Canada
A Cambridge baseball diamond has reopened after a multi-million-dollar transformation aimed at making the facility accessible to athletes of all abilities. The KIN1 diamond at Riverside Park officially reopened Saturday, giving players in the city’s growing Buddy League an accessible field designed around their needs.The celebration included exhibition games, family-friendly activities, a ribbon cutting and the unveiling of a new donor wall, recognizing those who contributed to the facility. For Buddy League athlete Kristen Saroli, the reopening means having a place to play alongside her friends…
Zain, KSCD partner to advance Kuwaiti Sign Language accessibility, inclusion
September 20, 2026 | Source: Kuwait Times- Kuwait
Zain Kuwait has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Kuwait Sports Club for the Deaf (KSCD), marking International Day of Sign Languages and the International Week of Deaf People. The collaboration opens a new chapter in Zain’s journey to advance accessibility, inclusion, and meaningful engagement with the disabled community in Kuwait. The MoU was signed at Zain’s headquarters in Shuwaikh by Chief Corporate Affairs and Relations Officer Waleed Al-Khashti and KSCD Chairman Khaled Al-Mutairi…
SeMA becomes first Korean art institution to win international award for accessibility program
September 20, 2026 | Source: Korea JoongAng Daily- South Korea
The Seoul Museum of Art (SeMA) won the 2026 Outstanding Museum Practice Award (OMPA) on Friday, becoming the first Korean art institution to win the prestigious award presented by the International Committee for Museums and Collections of Modern Art (CIMAM). The CIMAM awarded the OMPA to a branch of SeMA, the Buk-Seoul Museum of Art, for an accessibility program “Parallel Views: Art in Conversation” hosted by the museum. “Parallel Views” is a nonregular program provided by SeMA where museumgoers with visual disabilities are paired with those who are nonimpaired and view an exhibition together…
Most government agency websites found inaccessible to people with disabilities
September 21, 2026 | Source: 24kg- Kyrgyzstan
Ombudsperson of Kyrgyzstan Jamilya Jamanbaeva called on government agencies to make their websites and online services accessible to people with disabilities, the Ombudsman’s Institute reported. The institution, together with the Plus Public Foundation and with support from the UN Development Programme (UNDP), reviewed 18 official websites of government agencies. The monitoring was conducted in June and July 2026. The assessment showed that none of the websites met all accessibility requirements…
JudoBraille programme opens door for visually impaired martial arts training
September 21, 2026 | Source: sportanddev-Slovenia
Judo has long opened its tatami (soft mats) to blind and visually impaired athletes. But true inclusion means more than being able to train or compete. It means being able to learn, progress, and belong, with access to the same knowledge and opportunities as every other judoka. There are things in judo that most of us never have to think about. You enter the dojo. You watch your coach demonstrate a technique. You look at an illustration. You read the requirements for your next belt examination…
Disability discrimination disputes are on the rise, says Acas chair
September 22, 2026 | Source: HR Magazine- UK
Employers are “struggling to understand” what reasonable adjustments they must provide in the workplace, the chair of dispute resolution service Acas told the Financial Times on Sunday (20 September). Acas’ Maggie Jones said that disability-related cases had driven a 26% increase in demand for the organisation’s individual dispute resolution service over the past year, as employers tried to meet the needs of neurodiverse staff and those with mental or physical health conditions. Speaking to the Financial Times, Jones said: “Employers are struggling to understand what reasonable adjustments they really have to make. They understand the concept of [their legal obligation, but they don’t understand the practicality.”…
Accessibility Blogs, Information, and Videos
- Disability Media Alliance Shared Spaces
- The staggering cost of accessible vehicles- CBC (Video)
- How I Curate Accessibility Weekly- David Kennedy
- Does Humour Belong in Accessibility?- Steve Faulkner
- San Francisco Disability Cultural Center October Events!
- Mid-Atlantic ADA Center E-Bulletin: September 22, 2026
- Do Screen Readers Actually Read the Screen?- Russ Weakley
- We read 102 accessibility statements written by EU online shops- Scandiary
- In Focus with Wendi Dwyer: From disability to accessibility- PBS Wisconsin
- Fora travel advisors flag outdated, inconsistent accessibility data- PhocusWire
- The “Profound Autism” Label Hurts Autistic People- Autistic Self Advocacy Network
- Opinion: For blind riders, accessibility begins before a vehicle arrives- Times of San Diego
- What Is Website ADA Accessibility And What Businesses Need to Know- Technology Org
- How Inclusive Marketing Can Help Brands Connect With More Diverse Audiences- Technology Org
- San Francisco Disability Cultural Center This Week: Week of September 21- Strong Cores + Creative Care
- Twenty Years Later: Measuring the Accessibility of the U.S. State Government Websites- Tanya Goette Sean Lynch (PDF)
- US Tourism Websites Face New Accessibility Era as ADA Digital Rules Raise Stakes for Public Travel Platforms- Travel And Tour World
Federally Speaking
- Make Work Pay Hub- U.S. Department of Labor
- The Industry Group (TIG) and Kiosk Association Advance Accessibility with U.S. Access Board
- Mental Well-Being and Substance Use Recovery: Work Is Part of the Process- U.S. Department of Labor (YouTube)
- What the FCC’s revised broadband facts labels mean for pricing, accessibility and shoppers- KOMO News
- Insights on the Americans with Disabilities Act: Questions and Answers for Workers- Job Accommodation Network (JAN)
- Federal Real Property: GSA Should Publicize Accessibility Complaint Process for Its Office Buildings- Government Accountability Office (GAO)
Higher Education Blogs and Information
- Headings | Digital Accessibility- UC Berkeley
- BYU fan with disability says he felt unsafe at CSU game- KDVR
- Accessibility requires increased communication– The Daily Texan
- Can Students With Disabilities Be Lawyers Too?- The Concordian
- Accessibility highlight: Social media and email- Penn State University
- Accessibility: the Abysmal state that persists at Delhi University- Countercurrents
- Why students with disabilities face a digital and remedial learning gap- The Hindu
- Celebrating All Abilities events begin next month- Clemson News- Clemson University
- Applications open for accessibility, community, and equity committee- Queen’s Gazette
- ADA Accessibility Hints and New Tool- McCormick Teaching Excellence Institute – Cornell University
- What do you hear? Why accessibility matters- Analisa McMillan, University of Nebraska Medical Center
- Celebrate National Disability Employment Awareness Month in October- Arkansas News- University of Arkansas
- SFU’s 2026 Schulich Leader Scholars pursue innovation in accessibility and data science- Simon Fraser University
- Disabled scholars have long been asking universities to think critically about access. TMU is just catching up- The Eyeopener
- Accessibility Ambassadors help digital accessibility take root across Nebraska- Nebraska Today – University of Nebraska–Lincoln
Legal Blogs and Information
- Colorado judge: Doctor’s burnout wasn’t a disability- HR Dive
- Disability Insurance Law Group Highlights Recent ERISA Court Rulings- Kitsap Sun
- Groupon class action alleges website inaccessible to screen reader users – Claim Depot
- Businesses Face Rising ADA Lawsuits Over Website Accessibility For Blind Users- USA Herald
- Canberra Apple store sued for indirect discrimination after using disabled bathroom for storage- ABC
- Apple ordered to pay $18,000 over workplace toilet access for employee with disability- People Matter
- New Technical Standard for European Accessibility Act Compliance Released- Davis Wright Tremaine
- Access to Justice Commission to Accept Proposals for 2027 Disability Access Grant- Illinois State Bar Association
- Website Accessibility Compliance Under the Americans with Disabilities Act: The Latest Guidance for State and Local Government Entities- Hospitality Lawyer
Accessibility Announcements
- Help Enhance the Future of Accessible Transit
- Remembering Gerry Post, a Champion for Accessibility
- Governor Healey Announces Accessible Fall Recreation Opportunities
- Kohima DC Directs Places Of Worship To Ensure Accessibility For PWDS
- Table Mountain introduces WhatsApp ticketing and new accessibility measures
- Access to Justice Commission to Accept Proposals for 2027 Disability Access Grant
- Accessibility standards for bus manufacturers- Applies to England, Scotland and Wales
- Accessibility and Disability Commission to Hear Overview of Pasadena’s First Environmental Justice Plan
- Hawai‘i Civil Rights Commission Seeking Public Comment on Proposed Admin Rules on Digital Accessibility
- Apptegy Launches Content Pro, Bringing AI-Powered Content Creation and Accessibility to Every K-12 District
Accessibility Products and Services
- Accessible Art at Phoenix Airport
- Keeping Bend accessible with curb ramps
- What do you hear? Why accessibility matters
- OK State Fair expands accessibility, sensory-friendly spaces
- Glasgow’s Citizens Theatre staff receive sighted guide training
- 10 apps to understand better digital experiences of Deaf people
- How Adaptive Beauty Tools Make Makeup Easier for Everyone (YouTube)
- Tel Jezreel lookout gets fresh new look with upgraded accessibility
- Wheelchair lift specialist supports historic aircraft accessibility project
- 10 Home Accessibility Upgrades for Safer, More Independent Living in 2026
- Foldable Phones and Accessibility: Benefits, Barriers, Weight, Care, and Cost
- New Standards to improve station design, accessibility and passenger facilities
- Free Accessibility Options Expand for Great Camp Santanoni, Frontier Town Campground
- I stopped feeling sick on my bus commute after finding this Android 17 accessibility feature
- Disney Finally Listens: New Accommodations Promise Major Win for Disabled Park Guests
- Wheels4Wheels: Bolt and Serviceplan turn everyday scooter rides into open accessibility data
Accessibility Forums, Tips, and Gaming
- Rayman Legends Retold Accessibility Spotlight
- Building an Accessible Ecommerce Product Page with WCAG 2.2
- Accessibility in video and board games: a game no one wants to miss
- Rayman Legends Retold Is Fun, But Accessibility Needs Work- PREVIEW (YouTube)
- Veteran Games Accessibility Leader Tara Voelker Launches Rebind Studios
- Chat GPT Audible/Spoken Alerts for Scheduled Reminders- Accessibility Feature
AI Employment and Legal Trends
- AI Recruiting Risks – Harder to Ignore- The Global Recruiter
- AI as a barrier and bridge for HR’s dealings with current employees- HR Executive
- AI and the Growing Risk of Employment Claims for Business Owners- FIRST and 42
- AI Workplace Legislation: State Laws on Employee Monitoring and Hiring- MultiState
- Connecticut’s AI Act Takes Effect October 1: What Employers Need to Do Now- Shipman
- These workers say an AI hiring platform discriminated against them. But who should pay?- Reuters
- AI law is live in nine days – and your clients think their tech vendor is handling it- Insurance Business
- Workday Discrimination Lawsuit: Who’s Liable if AI Hiring Software is Biased?- The Legal Examiner
- ‘Reject the Rejections’ Campaign Launched as Study Warns AI Is Filtering Ethnic Minority Candidates Out Before Interview= Fair Play Talks
Accessibility Statements
- Soluna
- Lynn University
- 1% for the Planet
- Scholarly Software
- County of San Diego
- Texas Cyber Command
- European Fisheries Control Agency
- University of Alabama in Huntsville
- Minnesota State University, Mankato
- South Carolina Commission for the Blind
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
Subscribe to Accessibility in the News
Stay informed! Get your weekly update on digital accessibility standards, private and public sector trends, litigation, events, and more.