Access as a responsible technology?

Access as a responsible technology?

Jul 02, 2021

Access as a responsible technology?

adalovelaceinstitute.org

An exploration of ‘access’ as a way to rethink the meaning and potential of responsible technology.



These 3 tech visionaries are reinventing the wheelchair

weforum.org

Digital technology is being harnessed to improve both accessibility and safety for the 131 million wheelchair users worldwide.



Disabilities: Technology & Innovation: New Advances Improving Lives of People with Disabilities

youtube.com

As part of a video series for the CPA's Commonwealth Parliamentarians with Disabilities (CPwD) Network, Victoria Austin, Co-Founder and CEO of the Global Disability Innovation Hub discusses the latest advances in assistive technology and how technology is improving the lives of persons with disabilities.



Age-positive image library launched to tackle negative stereotypes of later life

ageing-better.org.uk

The Centre for Ageing Better has launched a free library of positive and realistic images of people aged 50 and over.



How to open a budget Accessibility Simulation Lab

accessibility.blog.gov.uk

This is for everyone: documenting how we're rebuilding inclusive digital services across the UK Government.



To effectively reach people with disabilities, brands must prioritize accessibility and inclusivity

magnaglobal.com

People with disabilities, representing 15 percent of the global population, regularly consume all types of content, but are they able to fully access that content comfortably? A new study by Current Global, MAGNA and the IPG Media Lab, “Digital Accessibility: The Necessity of Inclusion,” answers this question and more by revealing that brands must prioritize accessibility and inclusivity in communications planning – it’s no longer a “nice to have.”



5 Marketing Techniques to Reach Disabled Customers

customerthink.com

The global disability marketing is gigantic. It is about the size of China having 1.3 billion population and 2.3 billion potential consumers that include friends and family of the disabled people. This sector controls more than $8 trillion of annual disposable income. Reaching disabled customers and their close acquaintances should be your business’s top priority irrespective of your industry.



Accessible Is the New Black: A guide to innovation in adaptive fashion

popcollab.org

“Today there are more clothing options designed for pets than there are for people with disabilities.”



How a blind scientist’s mission to get lost in London shone a light on TfL red tape - and the kin…

standard.co.uk

Documentary maker has urged transport bosses to be inspired by other world cities to give passengers with sight loss greater choice to navigate the Underground more independently.



Want to build a strong town? Make it work for people with disabilities.

strongtowns.org

Significant effort should be dedicated to creating more accessible built environments—because doing so benefits people of all abilities.



After Special Olympics: how far has inclusivity come in esports racing?

overtake.gg

Inclusivity is finally getting some of the attention it deserves in gaming. But there are questions to be answered: how do people with disabilities play? How can they be supported? And can racing games play a pioneering role in that field?



The Business Case For Accessibility: How Microsoft Is Empowering Everyone, Everywhere

blog.adobe.com

It’s hard not to think of Microsoft when talking about brands that have authentically embraced accessibility.



Valorant: Deaf Accessibility Case Study

leahybaker.com

Though Valorant includes visual cues, it is clear within an hour of gameplay that sound design is a significant portion of the gameplay. As a result, the d/Deaf community has expressed valid concerns about the competitive game. This study aims to explore and identify accessibility barriers, as well as provide next steps for the design team at Riot Games.



Marvel's Avengers Accessibility & Representation Approach Is Admirable

screenrant.com

Marvel's Avengers is setting the standards high for accessibility and representation. This is what other games should learn from the new title.



Improving Accessibility in Unity Games

raywenderlich.com

Take your games to the next level with support for a range of accessibility options. Help deal with subtitles, color blindness, audio controls and more!



Accessibility Considerations for Augmented and Virtual Reality for the Classroom and Beyond

boia.org

Augmented and virtual reality offers amazing opportunity, but the technologies have unique accessibility considerations, brought to you by the Bureau of Internet Accessibility.



Universal design for people with disabilities

newsday.co.tt

Accessibility is one way in which inclusion can be practised.



Why I wrote “Giving a Damn About Accessibility” and why you should read it

sheribyrnehaber.medium.com

I wrote the accessibility book I needed 17 years ago when I made my career shift to focus on disability and accessibility.



Distracted and disabled: Designing our internal tools in an inclusive way

medium.com

Designing internal tools for Kolonial.no means you quickly realise and get constant reminders of why inclusive design matters.



BBC Subtitle Guidelines

bbc.github.io

This document is intended to serve as the basis for all subtitle work across the BBC and to guide subtitle creators and developers.



Web Accessibility is Broken

convergeaccessibility.com

Our Current Web Accessibility Consulting Model is Broken.



Twitch is adding over 350 tags to help make streams more inclusive

engadget.com

Twitch knows it has failed some marginalized communities, and it's taking some steps to encourage more inclusive streams. The livestreaming service is adding over 350 channel tags that reflect a wide range of communities, including ones for gender and sexual orientation, ethnicity, abilities and veteran status. You might only have to search for a tag to find streams that exactly match the community you're looking to talk to.



An avenue to other worlds: Auditorial, a new idea for accessible storytelling

theguardian.com

The Guardian has launched an experimental feature format on World Accessibility Awareness Day, in partnership with Google and the Royal National Institute of Blind People.



Alexa Trust Boss Beatrice Geoffrin Talks Accessibility At Amazon

forbes.com

Despite Amazon’s marketing blitzes and Alexa’s name recognition, one aspect of Alexa most consumers may not hear much about is how accessible she is to people with disabilities.



IBM upgrades web accessibility tool for finding and fixing issues

venturebeat.com

IBM has updated its open source web Accessibility Checker tool to make it easier to find and fix accessibility issues.



Video: Facebook Accessibility Summit 2021

facebook.com

Welcome to the Facebook Accessibility Summit 2021! This event is streamed with captions, audible cues and American Sign Language translation.



Powering Inclusion: AI and AT - the findings of an online expert roundtable

disabilityinnovation.com

The GDI Hub brings together academic excellence, innovative practice and co-creation; harnessing the power of technology for good.



Styling for Windows high contrast with new standards for forced colors

blogs.windows.com

As Microsoft Edge prepared to re-platform on top of Chromium open source, we recognized our responsibility to continue supporting those who depend on Windows high contrast for web content. We also recognized a fantastic opportunity—it was time to finally standardize high contrast styling features.



Haptic Tech Lets Visually Impaired Read Braille in Midair

digitaltrends.com

Investigators are developing a special speaker system that emits ultrasound waves with the purpose of letting visually impaired people read braille in midair.



DIY Hearing Aid Costs $1 to Build - Ready in 25 Minutes

interestingengineering.com

An ultra-low-cost hearing aid has been developed by researchers to help millions worldwide.



People with disabilities in Egypt: Towards accessibility

english.ahram.org.eg

The lack of easily accessible transport and public spaces for the physically challenged in Egypt has been made more complicated by the coronavirus.



Bewilderment after killings at German residency for acute disabled

dw.com

Potsdam is reeling after four unexplained killings in a disabled residency. A caregiver is facing manslaughter charges and has been sent to a psychiatric clinic.



Firms 'lose trillions' by ignoring consumers with disabilities

disabilityinsider.com

Some of the world's biggest firms have begun a campaign which aims to tackle prejudice towards people with disabilities in the business world.



Study: Brands Lag In Making Digital Content Accessible

provokemedia.com

Research by Current Global finds a majority of people with disabilities have difficultly consuming digital content, even when they have the tools meant to make it more accessible.



Kincart: Nike Must Step Towards Accessible Fashion Marketing

dailyutahchronicle.com

On April 30, Nike released their Go FlyEase shoes, which were priced at $120. Nike only released the shoes for a limited time and refused to disclose how many pairs would be available in their first drop. The shoes quickly sold out and are no longer available for purchase on the Nike website. But reselling websites have them in stock — priced at over $300 in some cases. A TikTok went viral for explaining the implications of this for people with disabilities. The marketing dissonance between this shoe being meant for people with disabilities while still being available to the general public caused problems. Nike must fix these issues in the time leading up to their next Go FlyEase shoe drop.



5 Simple Ways To Support Disability Activism

forbes.com

One of the keys to getting started is resolving not to center yourself from the outset. Be willing to share the stage and be a voice in a chorus. It truly can be as important and rewarding in disability activism to work behind the scenes as it is to be a lead actor or soloist.



Ableism isn't easy to talk about. This bold new book shows you how

hollandbloorview.ca

We Move Together tackles what it's like to live in a world where 'your body or mind is not considered best.'



7 Core Arguments Of Disability Rights

forbes.com

The “Disability Rights Movement” is partly built around a series of arguments about disability itself. It’s about what disability is, and what disabled people want –– and don’t want.



5 Difficult Questions Disabled People Struggle With Every Day

forbes.com

Here are 5 questions most of us who have physical, cognitive, or mental disabilities struggle with on a regular basis. It’s not always in these exact words. We’re not always aware of these inner debates. But the themes and implications are very real and alive to all of us.



#DisabilityDemandsJustice

youtube.com

Interested in making changes in your organization to accelerate your work and making disability-inclusive changes? Then, these videos are for you!



Time to Act report: preliminary findings published

disabilityartsinternational.org

Launching the preliminary findings of our new report ‘Time to Act: How lack of knowledge in the cultural sector creates barriers for disabled artists and audiences’.



Inclusive design 101

paul-smyth.com

Let’s face it, the word “inclusion” can be quite fluffy and misunderstood by many but everyone knows what the word “exclusion” means – left out or left behind. One of the best ways to understand inclusion therefore is to pay attention to who’s being left out or left behind from using the product or service you’re building. Read on for a simple explanation of what Inclusive Design is and how it helps us to cater for the needs of over-looked and under-served minority groups whether this be disability, gender, ethnicity, age or sexuality.



Google Teams Up With Sight Loss Charity RNIB To Create Accessible Storytelling Website

forbes.com

To mark Global Accessibility Awareness Day 2021, Google, the sight loss charity RNIB and The Guardian newspaper have teamed up to create Auditorial, an immersive and highly accessible online storytelling experience showcasing how creativity and accessibility can work seamlessly together.



Spotify Will Add an Auto-Transcribe Feature to Podcasts, and More Accessibility Features!

techtimes.com

Spotify will soon be adding an auto-transcribe feature to podcasts. Other accessibility features are also coming to the music app.



Audible Vision Is A Companion App For Blind People That Helps With Daily Activities

assistivetechnologyblog.com

Audible Vision uses artificial intelligence to help blind people be independent by helping them perform some of the daily chores on their own and help stay safe during the pandemic.



Xbox celebrates Global Accessibility Awareness Day with speech-to-text Party Chat features and more

windowscentral.com

Accessibility is an incredibly important aspect of video games, and Xbox has been at the forefront of accessibility for a while now. In celebration of Global Accessibility Awareness Day, Xbox has dropped a ton of information about new and upcoming accessibility features, updates to accessibility programs and resources, ways to discover accessible games and donate to charities, and more.



New Accessibility Database Aids Discovery Of Suitable Video Games

forbes.com

A new video game accessibility database has been announced by Josh Straub, to enable players to check features before purchase.



Meet the Disabled Streamers Who Are Transforming the Industry

wired.com

Gamers with disabilities aren't waiting for big companies to catch up: They're forming their own communities and making gameplay more accessible than ever.



The Third Thumb Project

daniclodedesign.com

The Third Thumb is a 3D printed thumb extension for your hand, controlled by your feet. The project investigates the relationship between the body and prosthetic technology in new ways. It is part tool, part experience, and part research; a model by which we better understand human response to artificial extensions. The Third Thumb instigates a necessary conversation about the definition of ‘ability'. The origin of the word ‘prosthesis’ meant ’to add, put onto’; so not to fix or replace, but to extend. The project is inspired by this word origin, exploring human augmentation and aiming to reframe prosthetics as extensions of the body.



The Brain Injury That Helped End Slavery

folks.pillpack.com

A vicious blow to the head may have been the catalyst that turned Harriet Tubman into an Abolitionist hero.



Stop Using Autism as an Excuse for White Supremacy and Violence

themighty.com

"Having autism doesn't excuse you from being a bad person, and being a bad person doesn't mean you have autism."



I got a new diagnosis - what now?

reastrawhill.com

A guide for anyone with a new diagnosis: What to do now, which steps to take and how to cope.



Disability identity – what I wish I could tell my younger self

paul-smyth.com

I’m a disability champion and accessibility leader who’s been thinking lots recently about disability pride and disability identity. Whilst I often talk at external events about the power and possibilities of accessible technology to enable and empower the one billion people globally living with a disability, I wanted to talk about the human aspect. I believe (like many of you) that disability is a strength and society is stronger when it’s accessible to all of us but I didn’t always think like this. Let me tell you about my journey of disability, of disability identity and what I believe it takes to be a confident disabled colleague or what it means to be a disability champion or leader.



Theresia Degener – A letter to my sixteen year old self

itsmyliferesearch.com

"I would like to tell you that you can stop thinking about committing suicide at age 18 if you have to wear arm protheses again “the age when women wear rings on their fingers“. You will wear rings on your toes and never again have to go back to institution."



Voices of thalidomide

wellcomecollection.org

In this series Ruth Blue explores the legacy of thalidomide, from its effect on public trust in the pharmaceutical and medical professions to the stories of the devastated families, and including the accounts of survivors, now adults, who continue to live with the consequences.



10 most accessible games to play

inverse.com

Global Accessibility Awareness Day is here. To celebrate, gamers of all ability levels should play these 10 awesome games.



My Journey Into Activism

wobblyyummymummy.com

It was never my life ambition to work in, or to have much to do with the disability sector. I came from a background where much of the focus was on self-improvement, on getting better, on fitting in. The closest I had experienced to disability activism as a teen was when I stayed in Clochan House with a group of seven other disabled teenagers, (including my future husband!), and we decided to keep in touch. We worked together to raise money to go away for a week to Cuisle in Co. Roscommon, which was run by the Irish Wheelchair Association. I remember feeling lazy and as if I’d let the group down because I wasn’t comfortable with the notion of raising money.



Muslims whose disabilities complicate fasting, praying find alternative ways to practice Ramadan

chicagotribune.com

As Ramadan gets underway, many Muslims are raising awareness at mosques about ways to help disabled members participate. Some are finding other ways to practice their faith like donating more money to the mosque or spending time volunteering at food kitchens.



I live with a chronic illness but I'm reclaiming Ramadan for myself

aureliamagazine.com

Yousra Samir Imran shares her experiences of guilt when a chronic illness meant she could no longer fast during Ramadan.



How do Blind People Shop for Groceries?

bemyeyes.com

Interviews with the world's most interesting, passionate people from the blind and low vision community – about living blind in a sighted world.



Inclusive Beauty: Making Cosmetics More Accessible for the Blind and for Visually Impaired Consumers

cosmeticsandtoiletries.com

This paper reviews assistive technologies developed for the blind and visually impaired (VI) relevant to shopping for cosmetics, as well as applications and systems to enable the choice of products. It also reports the outcomes of a survey exploring the shopping and product use of cosmetics by VI and blind individuals, including qualitative data that suggests the use of cosmetics among this population could be encouraged in several ways, outlined herein.



The Paralympics Finally Has a Video Game

newmobility.com

The first-ever Paralympic video game lets you create your own avatar and try out sports from wheelchair basketball to boccia.



Barriers prevent disabled people building music industry careers, research finds

disabilitynewsservice.com

Disabled people are facing significant barriers to building careers in the music industry, according to new user-led research.



Disability in German Cinema

khanblog.org

Amidst terrible encounters with tragedies like disability, war and climate change in Pakistan, I decided to look for alternative life style which would be more peaceful, humane and secure. Having my bachelor in Political science with European history as my minor, I started romanticizing western ideals of democracy. The ideas of Liberté, égalité, and fraternité from French revolution besides various other art tools like literature and films etc., played a bigger role in this image of western world in my mind. It is, however, after three years of my experiences in Germany that I decided to undress some of the cultural realities that shattered my dreams of equality and fraternity.



Disabled stereotypes on screen and stage continue in outdated, cliched ways

urevolution.com

Disabled stereotypes on screen and stage continue to be depicted in cliched and outdated ways: magical, evil, inspirational, and redemptive.



Video: Autistics On TV & Movies

youtube.com

Autistics on TV & Movies. Autistic representation in media is often white, male and has superpowers. Obviously this perpetuates the stereotypes of autism and doesn't help us to understand that all autistic people are different.



Video: Actors With Down Syndrome Redefining Representation In Film

youtube.com

When a worker falls to his death at a care home, it appears to be a terrible accident. But when a detective questions a young man with Down syndrome spotted at the scene, they uncover a crime more shocking than anyone imagined.



Mattel Unveils Helen Keller Doll — the Newest Addition to Barbie's Inspiring Women Series

people.com

Keller, who notably did not let being both deaf and blind keep her from learning to communicate, will be the latest historical figure to have her likeness immortalized, Mattel announced on Tuesday.



Video: "The new "Helen Keller"-Barbie doll has a terrible message"

twitter.com

Mattel had the chance to tell kids you can have a facial difference and be a role model, but instead they erased a big part of Helen Keller's life. So disappointing! Blind kids, and all kids, need inclusive toys.



Video: Barbie – A Doll Can Help Change The World

youtube.com

Empathy is so important to building a better world! A recent study showed that when kids play with dolls it activates the part of the brain related to empathy. If playing with dolls can help a child develop empathy, then a doll can help change the world.



How Do You Say “People with Disabilities” in Japanese?

equalentry.com

The Japanese language consists of two writing systems known as hiragana and katakana based on Chinese characters. Together, they’re known as kana. Hiragana and katakana are easily pronounced just like the English alphabet. Chinese characters have meanings. They also have certain emotions or feelings attached in a way that basic or simple letters do not.



The Changing Reality of Disability in America: 2020

humancentereddesign.org

This documentary film and research project reexamines the experience of disability in America, and shines a light on the stories of those all too often left behind. Watch the documentary below and read the full research report.



Power Outages Are Increasing. Can Medical Equipment Users Adapt?

undark.org

Millions of Americans rely on electricity to power their medical equipment. What happens when the power goes out?



We Need To Rethink The Penalties And Rewards Of Identifying As “Disabled”

forbes.com

The more we can all do to lower the practical, legal, and emotional stakes of identifying as disabled, the easier it will be for disabled people to embrace disability in the best ways, and avoid its lingering pitfalls.



You First Podcast Episode 25: Eco-Ableism

disabilityrightsflorida.org

Let's save the planet, but not at the expense of people with disabilities.



The Disability Data Advocacy toolkit: Better information for better policies

internationaldisabilityalliance.org

Data is critical for the realization of the rights of persons with disabilities. Without it, marginalization is perpetuated, and the discrimination encountered by persons with disabilities around thw world remains unaddressed.Historically, insufficient data has resulted in inadequate planning and budgeting for reasonable accommodations and, overall, ineffective policymaking.



Climate Change Solutions Must Include People with Disabilities

justsecurity.org

When natural disasters and other emergencies hit, resources become scarce, and, too often, people with disabilities cannot access them.



Global food, hunger challenges projected to increase mortality, disability by 2050

disabilityinsider.com

A new study by the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), the USDA's Agricultural Research Service (USDA-ARS) and RTI International (RTI) projects that global chronic and hidden hunger will increase the overall years of life lost due to premature mortality and years lived with disability, also known as disability-adjusted life years (DALYs), globally by over 30 million by 2050 relative to 2010. Expected impacts of climate change on the availability and access to nutritious food will exacerbate this change in DALYs by almost 10 percent.



Video: How Deaf Students Adapted to School During COVID

youtube.com

School has been incredibly difficult for students during the coronavirus pandemic, but it's been even more challenging for deaf students.



Long Covid may need to be treated as a disability, lawyer warns

personneltoday.com

Organisations may need to consider treating those with ‘long Covid’ as if they have a disability in order to avoid falling into legal hot water, an employment lawyer has warned.



The Long Tail of Covid-19

nytimes.com

Many are ready for the country to reach a pre-Covid-19 normal, but others may never reach that point. 

Enjoy this post?

Buy raulde a coffee

More from raulde