Largest U.S. Blind Advocacy Group Bans Web Accessibility Overlay Giant AccessiBe

forbes.com

The National Federation of the Blind, America’s most powerful civil rights group for the visually impaired has issued a statement denouncing web accessibility overlay market leader accessiBe. The NFB accuses accessiBe of pursuing “harmful” practices and dismissing the feedback of blind users.

Success Stories: Overcoming Resistance To Change When Implementing Digital Accessibility Practices

forbes.com

Any organization looking to implement digital accessibility is bound to encounter at least some resistance, both internally and externally.

5 Ideas on How to Incorporate Web Accessibility into your Dev Workflow

levelup.gitconnected.com

Thoughts and philosophies for how to set up your team’s workflow to tackle accessibility.

How can technology design be made more inclusive?

information-age.com

This article will explore how technology design can be made more inclusive, for the benefit of users from a variety of backgrounds.

How digital accessibility can drive diversity and inclusion

abilitynet.org.uk

Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) have rapidly become a mainstream part of the business landscape and are increasingly seen as a business priority, with global indices tracking companies’ D&I performance and ranking them accordingly. Accessibility leaders may be familiar with the values that underpin diversity and inclusion, but what role can they play in delivering D&I goals?

Where to start on global business disability

businessdisabilityforum.org.uk

Our Global Business Disability Framework was developed in 2018 to help organisations measure and improve their approach.

Learning to Control My Computer By Voice Due to Chronic Pain

themighty.com

Would this help you?

Arizona company offers solution to ambient noise for those who use audio-assist devices

disabilityinsider.com

OTOjOY, a Phoenix, Arizona company, has solved the problem of intrusive background noise for people who use hearing aids and cochlear implants.

Vancouver pair among global winners in Apple's Swift Student Challenge

vancouversun.com

Anh Pham created audiogram app to make other apps accessible; Alan Yan taught himself to code using internet, and trial and error.

Why designers need to consider accessibility in type

designweek.co.uk

Creative projects often pose access challenges for those who struggle to read – how can designers reconcile creativity with accessibility?

Making chatbots accessible

sheribyrnehaber.medium.com

Chatbots are everywhere online customer service is necessary. However, few are accessible to people with disabilities.

Podcast: Ethics and Bias in Artificial Intelligence (AI) Technology

peatworks.org

Merve Hickok, Founder of AIethicist.org, discusses the risks employers carry when they use AI-enabled technology in HR and the questions they should ask vendors to avoid bias and discrimination.

Can AI Save Web Accessibility From An Impending ‘Market Failure’?

forbes.com

With a record number of lawsuits filed against inaccessible website owners over the past few years, SMEs are at serious risk. Is an automated AI-based solution, like accessiBe, the answer to the financially and technically complex issue of delivering accessible websites for users with disabilities?

Artificial Intelligence is Transforming Tech Accessibility

interestingengineering.com

Natural Language Processing (NLP) artificial intelligence is changing how we approach captioning and tech accessibility. Here's how it works.

12 Issues Automated Web Accessibility Checkers Can’t Detect

creative-boost.com

Just because a website passes an automated tool doesn’t mean it’s accessible. Find out 12 issues automated web accessibility checkers can’t find.

3 Accessibility Testing Tools Small Websites Should Be Using

thumbwind.com

Web Accessibility Testing tools are hot in business and eCommerce. Here are three tools to consider in your WCAG compliance efforts.

Closed Captioning vs Subtitles: What is the Difference?

3playmedia.com

Learn more about the difference between closed captions vs. subtitles in our quick guide on the use cases of both – in the U.S. and abroad!

5 Signs Your Marketing Videos Need Closed Captions

3playmedia.com

Driven by tangible results & industry insights, here are five signs you should be adding closed captions to your digital video content.

Which Is the Best Automatic Captioning Tool for Video Calls?

meryl.net

People who struggle with video calls may find help from automatic captioning tools. Here's a look at the options for captioning video calls.

Meryl Evans Is Leading the Charge to Caption the Internet

inclusionhub.com

When it comes to providing descriptions of visual content, quality is key, says one of the leading proponents of improved captioning.

Beyond Basic Alt Text - Charts, Maps, and Diagrams

equidox.co

There are ways to simplify complex images. Remember the “understandable” pillar of WCAG philosophy when writing alt text.

What Happens When a Blind Person Test Drives VoiceOver Recognition?

equalentry.com

Prior to releasing it, Apple promised iOS 14 would come with enhanced accessibility features. Sure enough, the company came through. Out of all the added accessibility enhancements, I want to share my experience with the new accessibility feature called VoiceOver Recognition, particularly Screen Recognition.

Make your PowerPoint presentations accessible to people with disabilities

support.microsoft.com

Learn how to create PowerPoint presentations that are more accessible to people with disabilities, or who are using assistive technologies.

All In - Inclusive Marketing Insights

all-in.withgoogle.com

Read more about how we’ve partnered with Googlers, experts, community leaders and other organizations to help make positive changes in the media landscape.

A history of game accessibility guidelines

ian-hamilton.com

This article is a follow up to a recent twitter chat, sharing a timeline of the development of accessibility resources.

The Paralympics’ first official video game becomes an entirely new breed of sports game

soranews24.com

Pegasus Dream Tour is a sports game people who don't even like sports can enjoy.

Oculus Quest update adds accessibility and multitasking features

tweaktown.com

Oculus software v30 is out now with new accessibility and multitasking features, microphone swapping, and Air Link for Quest 1.

Honda's accessible navigation device goes right in your shoe

inputmag.com

By using three-dimensional vibrations, the in-shoe device helps those with visual impairment to navigate with their hands (and attention) free.

Google Spotlights Forthcoming ‘6 New Features On Android This Summer’ For Safety And Accessibily

forbes.com

Google on Tuesday published a blog post in which the company detailed six features coming to Android this summer that focus on safety.

How Google Makes Android Apps, And The World’s Information, Universally Accessible To Everyone

forbes.com

To Burkhardt, Google’s mission to make the world’s information accessible to everyone has special meaning. He is legally Blind, so not only is he intimately involved in building the tools that make his company’s software accessible, he uses those same tools to have easier access the world.

Accessibility-Centric Apps Voice Dream Reader, Be My Eyes Receive 2021 Apple Design Award Honors

forbes.com

A longstanding tradition at WWDC, Apple this week announced the 2021 winners of the Apple Design Awards.

First of Its Kind Search Engine, accessFind, Helps Those with Disabilities Find Accessible Websites

influencive.com

With accessFind, users will be served search engine results of readily accessible websites, bridging the current digital divide.

Third version of Tokyo 2020 Playbooks published

disabilityinsider.com

The International Olympic Committee (IOC), the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) and the Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020 (Tokyo 2020) began publishing the third and final editions of the Tokyo 2020 Playbooks on 15 June (Tuesday).

New emergency system aims to help make beaches accessible to deaf visitors

latimes.com

The Los Angeles County Department of Beaches and Harbors unveiled the Beach Emergency Evacuation Lights System, or BEELS, on Friday.

SPIRIT Club, an all-inclusive fitness center, serves those with and without disabilities

disabilityinsider.com

The SPIRIT Club, located just outside Washington, D.C., aims to make exercise accessible to everyone, regardless of ability.

The Fight for Accessibility is a poignant look at the intersectionality of accessibility in NYC

respectability.org

"All Riders" takes a poignant look at the intersectionality of unmet access needs within the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA).

Metro Transit pilots video chat wayfinding service

startribune.com

Free video chats will be offered through the Aira app through Dec. 7.

The Need for Consent When Participating in Orientation and Mobility and Other Structured Discovery

nfb.org

From the Editor: Laura Millar is a blind outspoken disability rights and queer rights advocate who is deeply committed to advancing the field of sexual health promotion for people with disabilities. With master’s degrees in public health and sexuality studies, Laura conducts research that examines how blind and visually impaired people learn about and navigate the world of dating, sex, and intimate relationships.

Five disruptive innovations for travel that people with a disability imagined

davebanesaccess.medium.com

The TRIPS project explored how to increase access to transport for people with a disability through innovation. In a series of recent workshops, we asked participants to dream and think about “big” ideas that would address many of the barriers that they faced. Some of their answers were fascinating, and whilst some verged upon science fiction, others were technically feasible based on emerging technologies entering the marketplace.

The future of digital accessibility for the public sector

openaccessgovernment.org

Ryan Graham, CTO, Texthelp Group, explores the future of online accessibility within the public sector, with reference to WCAG 3.0

UK partners with disability charity to set standards for EV chargepoints

disabilityinsider.com

The UK government is working towards a more inclusive, reliable electric vehicle (EV) charging network, as the government and charity sector come together to set accessibility standards, Transport Minister Rachel Maclean has announced today.

Coding for the Common Good: Students, Volunteers Map Accessibility of Local Sidewalks

news.virginia.edu

Lena Nguyen has assembled student and community volunteers to map wheelchair-accessible sidewalks in Charlottesville. So far, they have mapped about 20% of the city.

Airbnb Is Offering Experiences and Stays With 'Accessibility in Mind'

travelandleisure.com

To ensure everyone can live their adventurous lives to the fullest, Airbnb is highlighting ways "to get closer to nature through Experiences designed by hosts with accessibility in mind and places to stay with accessibility features."

For Apple And Others, Accessibility Makes The Return To Office Life Greater Than Culture Or Policy

forbes.com

It’s only right to acknowledge there are a myriad of factors to consider here—notably, the aforementioned culture of Apple and the fact that, as an employer, they have a right to dictate certain terms to their workers.

How Candidates & Campaigns Can Connect with Voters with Disabilities: by Nelly Nieblas and Hon. Ste…

respectability.org

Find nine important tips from RespectAbility on how candidates and campaigns can connect to voters with disabilities.

Teletherapy Aimed to Make Mental Health Care More Inclusive. The Data Show a Different Story

diverseabilitymagazine.com

For years, teletherapy has been pitched as the next frontier in mental-health care.

VR can help boost brain rhythms linked to learning and memory

disabilityinsider.com

A new discovery in rats shows that the brain responds differently in immersive virtual reality environments versus the real world. The finding could help scientists understand how the brain brings together sensory information from different sources to create a cohesive picture of the world around us.

Why I Talk About Adapting to Disability, Not ‘Overcoming’ It

themighty.com

"I will not defeat cerebral palsy and that is OK."

Facing the physical transitions

kerry-thompson.com

When living with Muscular Dystrophy we deal with many transitions as we get weaker. It’s hard, but I’ve prevailed, yes with a lot of screaming, gritting my teeth and being angry at myself and my body. It’s easy to live in silence locking it all away and just dealing with alone. I’ve learnt to be more open with my friends and families, and embracing the transitions that happen in a more positive way. You could say all of what I’ve just said applies to most people living with any form of disabilities.

Don’t Talk About Me Like I’m Not There Because of My Disability

themighty.com

"It makes me feel invisible, inferior and dehumanized."

A Letter to Family and Friends Who See Beyond My Cerebral Palsy

themighty.com

"Thank you for noticing I'm fully capable of accomplishing many things."

Experience: I’m a blind foster parent

theguardian.com

When I first lost my sight, I thought the council wouldn’t want a carer who was disabled and single, and I was heartbroken.

Please Remember: You Could Become Disabled, Too

themighty.com

"Are you ready for a world that isn't made for people like me?"

Understanding Intent vs. Impact of Ableist and Rude Comments

themighty.com

"Good intentions don't get you off the hook for bad impact."

Fighting Ableism Is About Much More Than Attitudes And Awareness

forbes.com

To meaningfully combat ableism, we must recognize that changing attitudes and raising awareness, though important for their own sakes, is not enough.

The Right to Take Risks as a Person With a Disability

themighty.com

"Many people have the misconception that I am fragile."

Adults with learning disabilities should be able to go out and stay up late

theguardian.com

Letters: A lack of flexible support means many who would like to be out enjoying themselves are in bed by 9pm instead, say campaigners.

How Society’s ‘Health’ Obsession Hurts the Chronic Illness Community

themighty.com

"Many of us have to fight to get healthy people to view us as equal to them, and deserving of all the same things."

Who Gets to Count as a Health Care Expert?

time.com

Those who are considered lowest in status often have the best observations about the systems they are trapped in'

People With Disabilities Have A Complicated Relationship With “Positivity”

forbes.com

While positivity can certainly be an asset, it isn’t a superpower. It cannot by itself create positive outcomes. Disabled people know this better than most.

What is a dynamic disability?

reastrawhill.com

Have you ever asked yourself the question “am I disabled enough? Do my struggles even count as a disability?” And do your symptoms fluctuate a lot from day to day? Then maybe what you are dealing with is a dynamic disability!

I’m Not Angry. I’m Not Hangry. I’m Paingry

themighty.com

"There. I said it."

People With Disabilities Are Allowed to Be Angry

themighty.com

"Don't let anyone quiet your voice."

To Mute or Not to Mute

touretteshero.com

A little over a year ago the world changed overnight and for many disabled people this meant that the barriers we experience changed too.

Assume Competence: Neurodivergent Staff Don’t Need Kid Gloves

forbes.com

Helping can be patronizing. Assuming incompetence is indirect discrimination. I know some managers worry about this a lot and want to do the right thing, so let’s discuss the difference between good and bad pressure.

I’ve been diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder. Do I tell?

theguardian.com

The value of telling your mental health story is well-publicised – but though it is less visible, privacy has value too.

Understanding autism: we still have a long way to go

theguardian.com

Letters: Readers respond to a piece by John Harris about moving beyond an awareness of the condition to practical steps to help those living with it.

The Joy of Communication

neuroclastic.com

Matt Crittenden is a nonspeaking autistic who delights in the new and depending relationships he forms now that he has access to communication that works for him.

The Ableist History of the Puzzle Piece Symbol for Autism – In the Loop About Neurodiversity

intheloopaboutneurodiversity.wordpress.com

The puzzle piece is the most commonly recognized symbol for autism awareness. But many people are unaware of it’s ableist history.

DPOs welcome Disability Rights UK’s decision to quit charities’ lobby group

disabilitynewsservice.com

A leading national disabled people’s organisation (DPO) has announced it is quitting a powerful lobby group of disability charities as part of a move to work mostly with other DPOs rather than non-user-led organisations.

Nasdaq wants to improve board diversity. Why doesn’t that include people with disabilities?

fortune.com

People with disabilities needs to be included in Nasdaq's plan to increase board diversity.

Pride Month Too Often Overlooks LGBTQ Members With Disabilities

forbes.com

Pride continues to be inaccessible to LGBTQ people with disabilities, and this sends a damaging message.

A Lack of Accessibility in Queer Spaces Crushes Community Pride

hellogiggles.com

"I rarely attend standard LGBTQ+ events because I have given up expecting my disabled community to be included."

Reflecting on Accessibility and Inclusivity During Pride Month

pulmonaryhypertensionnews.com

Pride Month, observed each June, is a time to celebrate LGBTQ history, community, and life through events and parades. Curiously enough, I marched in my first Pride parade years before I had the courage to come out and live authentically. While I think about that experience in San Francisco often, for many reasons, I’ve only attended a few Pride events since I was diagnosed with pulmonary hypertension.

For Pride Month: Queer, Trans, Disabled, and Proud of All Three

thebody.com

What is disability pride? Radical acceptance of both self and community.

10 Disabled LGBTQ+ Activists To Follow

disabilityhorizons.com

To mark pride month, our writer Emma Purcell lists 10 influential disabled people from the LGBTQ+ community who you should follow.

Understanding Disability in the BIPOC Community

theparachutemedia.com

The true fight for justice and liberation acknowledges the various intersectional experiences of privilege and oppression that exist due to social identity. In the move to become a more equitable world, it is thus, our responsibility to actively center and uplift those identities that experience compounded oppression such as that of disabled people of color.

Understanding the Policing of Black, Disabled Bodies

americanprogress.org

Current data collection on state violence does not paint a picture that is inclusive of victims with disabilities.

Risk of being a crime victim goes up with mental illness diagnosis

reuters.com

Having a mental illness makes people more vulnerable to becoming the victims of a crime, a recent analysis suggests.

Helen Keller’s Birthday: Beauty, Guide Dogs, and Deafblind Activist Haben Girma

levi.com

For Haben Girma, author, disability justice advocate, and the first Deafblind graduate of Harvard Law School, disability is an opportunity for innovation. “Disabled people sparked the creation of many of the technologies we use today, from vegetable peelers to email,” she writes in her memoir, Haben: The Deafblind Woman Who Conquered Harvard Law. Born in Oakland, California, Haben is the daughter of Eritrean and Ethiopian refugees, and has battled racism, ableism, and sexism throughout her life. Her activism serves as a beacon of hope and inclusivity for both disabled and nondisabled people. She has become one of the foremost voices in the fight to make the world more accessible and accepting for all. On the anniversary of Helen Keller’s birthday, Haben shares her thoughts on beauty, Deafblindness, and her remarkable Seeing Eye Dog.

What Does It Mean to Call Helen Keller a Fraud?

daily.jstor.org

A TikTok trend is only the most recent example of how people often question the abilities of marginalized groups.

Hear My Voice: A win for music artists with a disability

paralympic.org

Rapper George Doman was part of group that helped ‘Rising Phoenix’ land a Sports Emmy award.

Paralympics will give a voice to those left behind in pandemic: IPC

reuters.com

The Tokyo Paralympics will give a voice to people with disabilities, who have been left behind during the COVID-19 pandemic, International Paralympic Committee President Andrew Parsons said.

Britney Spears’s Conservatorship Mirrors Reality for Millions with Disabilities

hrw.org

Guardianship System Subjects Many to a Range of Abuses.

Britney Spears Conservatorship Disability Rights

refinery29.com

"The implication which bothers us is that if she does have a disability, this is all okay."

Britney Spears IUD and conservatorship spark questions about rights

eu.usatoday.com

Conversations about disability and reproductive rights in relation to conservatorships and Spears have been a sticking point.

Animalisation – The Elephant Man

criphumanimal.org

Animalisation of disabled people, as a technique of inferiorising them, making them as ‘lesser than human’, as ‘not-human’. At least not the ‘human’ that is valued the most in colonial patriarchal society: the white abled bodied man.

What MacKenzie Scott is missing in her donations

sheribyrnehaber.medium.com

The glaring hole in her donation plan and why it sends a terrible message to others.

How can we redesign pill packaging to be accessible and sustainable?

fastcompany.com

Blister packs were a major innovation when they debuted, but it’s time to acknowledge that they’re hard for some people to open and that they create enormous amounts of waste. There has to be a better way.

The LapSnap™

thelapsnap.com

A versatile, adaptive carryall designed with and for wheelchair users.

Tools of freedom - the story of Christian

mo-vis.com

My name is Christian Bayerlein. I am a wheelchair user with Spinal Muscular Atrophy, web developer and activist. As such, I fight for the rights of disabled people, e.g. for better accessibility or the right to live in the community.

Coming Soon: Larger Aircraft Bathrooms – Better For All

simpleflying.com

Aircraft bathrooms have been shrinking. Today’s narrowbody lavatories are often as much as 10 inches narrower than they were 10 years ago. That’s uncomfortable for everyone, and for passengers with reduced mobility, it makes them practically unusable. So AirGo has come up with a concept that not only gives space back to the bathroom, making it fully accessible for wheelchair users but manages to do so without reducing passenger capacity.

The regular occurrence of airlines damaging wheelchairs is much more than just a nuisance

disabilityinsider.com

It’s time that airlines look at damaged and broken wheelchairs as more than just an inconvenience, say travelers with disabilities.

Woman Whose Wheelchair Delta Broke Reveals Hellish Truth About Flying While Disabled

huffpost.com

A viral video showed Gabrielle deFiebre in tears over her damaged wheelchair — but the problem goes much deeper.

The Acropolis becomes more accessible to visitors

greekcitytimes.com

The Acropolis has now become more easily accessible for everyone to visit and enjoy, according to an announcement by Greece's Ministry of Culture.

Acropolis renovations face backlash

pri.org

Greece says it wants to make the Acropolis more accessible. Critics say it’s turning the ancient site into Disneyland.

How Ancient Roman ruins can teach the modern world about accessible travel

euronews.com

We explore the iconic Roman Colosseum from an accessibility perspective.

Video: In Conversation with International Disability Rights Activist Judy Heumann

urban.org

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) became law more than three decades ago, but we know more work must be done to ensure equal rights and opportunities for people with disabilities around the world. In honor of the 31st anniversary of the ADA, please join the Urban Institute for a conversation with Judy Heumann about the history and future of the disability rights movement. ,

raulde is Autor | Moderator | Medienmacher.