‘I am valued here’: the extraordinary film that recreates a disabled boy’s rich digital life
‘I am valued here’: the extraordinary film that recreates a disabled boy’s rich digital life
I’m Raul Krauthausen the founder of SOZIALHELD*INNEN, an NPO and consultancy from Germany, focussing on Disability Mainstreaming. With this newsletter, I share hand-picked links from around the world.
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Thank you,
Raul
Hand-picked news about inclusion, accessibilty and innovation
‘I am valued here’: the extraordinary film that recreates a disabled boy’s rich digital life (theguardian.com)
Mats Steen had muscular dystrophy and died very young. But a touching new documentary has used animation and his own posts to reveal the fulfilling gaming life he led in World of Warcraft – right down to his first kiss
PBS Kids’ City Island Challenges Kids to Question Unfair Rules, Promotes Accessibility For All (respectability.org)
“Dancing Rules" calls for the audience to consider how barriers to accessibility violate one of the most sacred values held by children – fairness.
Disabled Musician Celestine Tate Harrington Proved Disabled Parents Can Care for Their Children (respectability.org)
Tate Harrington is the latest subject of “American Masters: Renegades,” a documentary series showcasing the contributions of historical figures with disabilities.
Grand Junction increases accessibility within city limits (kjct8.com)
City officials outline their infrastructure improvements for Handicap Awareness Month.
Have ideas to improve accessibility? City wants to hear them (barrietoday.com)
Online survey open until Nov. 1; city reviewing and updating its multi-year accessibility plan and age-friendly community plan
Accessible infrastructure at COP29 for inclusive participation (report.az)
The COP29 Azerbaijan Operating Company is rolling out a range of initiatives at Baku Stadium to foster an inclusive atmosphere for the COP29 climate conference, to promote accessibility and comfort for all attendees, Report informs.
United Airlines Enhances Accessibility With Digital Sizing Tool (travelagewest.com)
United Airlines has announced significant advancements in its accessibility initiatives, having launched an innovative digital sizing tool in March 2024. This industry-first feature allows travelers who use wheelchairs to better match their aircraft selections with the dimensions of their mobility devices.
Emirates unveils new accessible services at AccessAbilities Expo (aviation.direct)
Emirates has unveiled a range of new accessible services and products at the AccessAbilities Expo 2024 in Dubai.
Partnership aims to make Hull and East Yorkshire accessible for all (news.hull.gov.uk)
Visit Hull and East Yorkshire is delighted to have partnered with leading national disability organisation, AccessAble, to enable tourism and hospitality businesses to develop quality assured accessibility information and develop Hull and East Riding of Yorkshire as an inclusive tourism destination.
A look at Overture Center for the Arts newest accessibility upgrades (wmtv15news.com)
The Overture Center for the Arts has recently become one of three Madison area spaces certified by KultureCity as a sensory inclusive space.
Teach Access Opens Applications for its National Fellowship 2025 Cohort (newswire.com)
Open to Faculty and Academic Staff from Higher Education Institutions in the U.S. and Puerto Rico
Excel becomes first UK venue to work with leading accessibility consultants (conference-news.co.uk)
Excel London and The Disability Taskforce have announced a collaboration designed to set new standards in venue accessibility and become the first of its kind across UK venues.
Pennsylvania Education Secretary Highlights Library Accessibility Initiatives (mychesco.com)
Pennsylvania Secretary of Education Dr. Khalid N. Mumin recently visited the Library of Accessible Media for Pennsylvanians (LAMP) in Pittsburgh, underscoring the library’s pivotal role in providing essential services to individuals with disabilities. During his visit, Dr. Mumin recorded a narration of “It Fell From the Sky” by The Fan Brothers, which will be included in the Library of Congress’ National Library Service Catalog.
In New Jersey, Barrier-Free Housing Combines Accessibility and Affordability (huduser.gov)
With a population of approximately 92,000, Hamilton Township is the largest municipality in Mercer County, New Jersey, which faces a shortage of affordable and accessible housing, as indicated in the county's 2020 needs assessment report. This region has a particularly pronounced need for accessible housing, in part because Mercer County offers several key resources for people with disabilities, including a statewide school for deaf and hard-of-hearing students. Mercer County and Hamilton Township have a higher-than-average number of residents living with disabilities. The 2022 American Community Survey indicates that 12.2 percent of civilian, noninstitutionalized residents in Mercer County and 13.7 percent of the same in Hamilton Township live with a disability — both of which are higher than the state average rate of 11.2 percent. Meeting the needs of this special population in the area, Freedom Village at Hamilton Woods provides 72 units of affordable, fully accessible housing for low-income households.
Fable adds cognitive and hearing impairments to its accessibility tools with $25M round (techcrunch.com)
Fable has gained a reputation as the go-to startup for helping companies build digital products that are more accessible to people with disabilities.
Guide Dogs Launches Free Digital Accessibility Workshops For Inclusive Online Content (bandt.com.au)
Guide Dogs NSW/ACT aims to bring awareness around digital accessibility. That's for the humans, not the actual dogs.
You Can Do Anything! Poland's Barrier-Free Culture Festival promotes accessibility for all (polskieradio.pl)
The 12th Barrier-Free Culture Festival, themed "You Can Do Anything!", will occur from October 15 to 20 in various cities across Poland.
Secretary of Education Records Audiobook at the Library of Accessible Media for Pennsylvanians (media.pa.gov)
Today, Pennsylvania Secretary of Education Dr. Khalid N. Mumin visited the Library of Accessible Media for Pennsylvanians (LAMP) to tour the library and record a narration of It Fell From the Sky by The Fan Brothers. Secretary Mumin’s recording will be entered into the Library of Congress’ National Library Service Catalog.
St. Louis Metro Transit making accessibility improvements to Metro Call-A-Ride paratransit services (masstransitmag.com)
During the past six months, the agency has made several changes that focus on delivering reliable Metro Call-A-Ride service and improving the customer experience while decreasing the number of ADA denials.
Seeing these autistic divers flourish has been transformative for our team.”— Darren Landon, IMURS CEO and Co-FounderPLEASANT GROVE, UT, UNITED STATES, October 16, 2024 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Dedicated to providing individuals with disabilities the chance to experience the wonders of scuba diving, IMURS becomes a Certified Autism Center™ (CAC), which is a designation granted by the International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards (IBCCES).
TAB Bank's $10 Million Loan Propels Mobility Trust Group’s Mission to Improve Accessibility for People with Disabilities (morningstar.com)
TAB Bank has extended a $10 million revolving Asset-Based Loan (ABL) to Mobility Trust Group, a company specializing in financing mission-critical assistive technology products, including wheelchair-accessible vehicles and home accessibility equipment for people living with disabilities. The loan enables Mobility Trust to secure the liquidity needed for growth while continuing to focus on the needs of a vital and underserved community.
Hilton and Be My Eyes Launch Industry‑First Partnership (stories.hilton.com)
Hilton announced today an industry‑first, exclusive partnership with Be My Eyes to ensure guests who are blind or have low vision can experience a more accessible stay.
Today, Minister of Diversity, Inclusion and Persons with Disabilities, Kamal Khera, visited the Luso Canadian Charitable Society in Mississauga, Ontario, to announce $2.7 million in funding under the Enabling Accessibility Fund (EAF) for an accessible infrastructure project that will improve access by persons with disabilities to the organization’s day programs and services. Minister Khera was accompanied by Rechie Valdez, Member of Parliament for Mississauga—Streetsville and Minister of Small Business, Charles Sousa, Member of Parliament for Mississauga—Lakeshore, and Peter Fonseca, Member of Parliament for Mississauga—Cooksville.
Zimmerli Intern Finds Meaning in Museum's Accessibility Efforts (tapinto.net)
The 21-year-old, who attends the Mason Gross School of the Arts and is pursuing a fine arts degree with a concentration in photography and printmaking with a minor in women's and gender studies, has spent her summer interning at the Zimmerli Art Museum and will continue through December.
New digital accessibility guidance for University staff (bath.ac.uk)
We have new digital accessibility guidance to help you create web content, emails, and shared documents that comply with accessibility regulations.
Is MTSU’s campus accessible for students with disabilities? (mtsusidelines.com)
MTSU offers many campus resources; however, many are far from perfect. Faculty, staff and student leaders aim to refine these services, with a focus on disability accessibility.
Digital accessibility: a step towards greater inclusion (m-q.ch)
Companies are faced with the task of making their digital products and services accessible to all users. For the more than 1.8 million people in Switzerland who live with some form of disability, this is an important step towards greater inclusion. This challenge for companies was the focus of Nils Kümin's bachelor's thesis.
Nick Obis champions employee accommodations and accessibility (resources.depaul.edu)
Meet the specialist behind DePaul’s employee relations accommodations.
UMD SGA hosts campus accessibility audit for Disability Awareness Month (dbknews.com)
Attendees of the accessibility audit were encouraged to look for things that didn’t comply with Americans with Disabilities Act standards.
Tackling the barriers that face migrant children with disability (news.flinders.edu.au)
A new report has revealed the obstacles facing migrant and refugee children with disability and their carers, and the way they impact their wellbeing.
How Duke Ensures an Accessible, Welcoming Environment for You (today.duke.edu)
Since March 2020, access and accommodation requests at Duke have increased by 250%, driven mainly by rising mental health needs and greater awareness of services.
Student starts petition to improve restroom accessibility on campus for disabled community (thedailytexan.com)
Fabiola Amaya started a petition on Sept. 21 calling for the University to improve restroom accessibility for disabled students. The petition now has over 600 signatures, with 16 on-campus organizations as co-signers.
Emory Accessibility Services plans first-ever Disability Inclusion Week (news.emory.edu)
The events, set for Oct. 28-Nov. 1, will focus on equipping faculty and staff to become allies for those with disabilities. Learn more about the five workshops and other resources available on campus.
Prospect House reopens, with a new aesthetic and modernized accessibility (inside.princeton.edu)
Princeton’s private dining club for faculty and staff welcomed back guests in early September, after a year of renovations. This historic 19th-century home seamlessly blends modern amenities with history, offering an irresistible gathering space for casual and formal occasions.
Assistive Tech for PWDs': Crucial to bridge gaps in accessibility through inclusive education: KU VC (brighterkashmir.com)
To raise awareness among students and train them in the effective use of assistive technologies, the University of Kashmir (KU), organised a two-day workshop that concluded here Friday.
The University is the only institution of higher education to receive NOD’s 2024 Leading Disability Employer Seal.
Honoring the 79th Annual National Disability Employment Awareness Month Access to Good Jobs for All (odu.edu)
October 2024 marks the 79th annual National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM), a time to honor the significant contributions of people with disabilities to our workforce and economy. This year’s theme “Access to Good Jobs for All,” emphasizes the need to ensure that everyone, including individuals with disabilities, has access to quality employment opportunities that fully recognize their talents, skills, and potential.
Director of Disability and Accessibility Services supports mentee on his pathway to becoming an associate judge (loyola.edu)
Marc DeSimone, ’01, found a lifelong mentor in Marcia Wiedefeld
Making writing education more accessible (news.ku.edu)
KU researchers land two grants to improve writing ed for students with disabilities.
How to write accessible emails (charitydigital.org.uk)
Email is one of the most powerful marketing tools available to charities. But just how accessible are your emails?
EU Act demands CIO response to digital accessibility (diginomica.com)
Global action and regulations, along with AI, will put digital accessibility into view for digital leaders
Implement These Website Accessibility Best Practices (2024) (shopify.com)
By making your website accessible to everyone, you widen your audience and build an inclusive community around your brand.
“UX design to create intuitive and accessible digital products” (delano.lu)
The Paperjam Club welcomes a new member: UX Capital. Introduction in three questions.
Cvent: Transforming Events Through Accessibility (thefintechtimes.com)
Event technology specialist Cvent offers insight and advice for making your events more accessible and inclusive for all.
Accessible housing (part 4) - podcast transcript (scottishhousingnews.com)
Below is a full transcript of episode 63 of the Scottish Housing News Podcast titled ‘Accessible housing (part 4) with Simon Fitzpatrick'. Listen to the episode here.
WCAG 3.0 ACCESSIBILITY GUIDELINES: EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW (go.cielo24.com)
From Goals to Implementation: A Guide to the WCAG 2.0 to 3.0 Transition.
Want to be accessible and inclusive? Start with your culture (artsprofessional.co.uk)
It’s more important than ever, says Lauren James, head of content and web projects at Splitpixel, for the arts to be accessible to all and to work actively to include those who have previously struggled with access.
Better Disability Representation Means More Accessible Representation (edtrust.org)
Books with disabled, neurodivergent, or autistic characters are often stereotypes. Students need more accessible representation.
How accessible is Singapore? Novena to Suntec by wheelchair (straitstimes.com)
Follow wheelchair user Alister Ong on the journey from Novena MRT station to Suntec City on public transport. Alister shows us where difficulties lie and where infrastructure changes have improved accessibility.
All I Want is Equity: Embracing Accessibility Beyond the Holidays (blog.easterseals.com)
Inclusivity and accessibility should not solely be a mindset for the holiday season but a mindset and lifestyle that people can carry into their workspaces, family life, and community throughout the year.
Empowering Web Accessibility Through AI-Powered Dynamic Interfaces (techbullion.com)
In today’s digital world, where inclusivity is increasingly emphasized, organizations are adopting advanced technological methods to ensure that web applications are accessible to all users, including those with disabilities. This has become especially important in light of legal frameworks like the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). As a software developer and researcher with expertise in accessibility, Vishnu Ramineni is at the forefront of this movement, advocating for a seamless digital experience for all users.
When accessibility isn't prioritised, this can be the reality of being deaf at school (youtube.com)
Luca arrives at Waterloo Road and quickly realises it's not set up for deaf pupils.
Why Embracing Design Accessibility is the Path to Progress (tcs.com)
Listen to this podcast to explore the human first, design second approach to inclusive design and TCS’ pioneering efforts in making technology accessible to all.
From challenges to triumphs: How girls can lead in building an inclusive society (unicef.org)
Story of Sevinch Karimova, 18-year-old participant of Skills4Girls programme.
Accessibility in Practice (informalscience.org)
When Katherine Davis, Manager of Special Education Experiences and Strategies at the Center for Science and Industry (COSI), pictured the upcoming daylong event, the Color of Science Passport Program designed for ninth grade girls to expand their ideas of STEM careers, she could expect spaces set up with plenty of room for wheelchairs and lots of interaction at table height, but in her mind, blind and deaf participants were going to have a hard time following narrated visual demonstrations.
Disability Employment Awareness Month: Best Practices & Common Pitfalls (globaldisabilityinclusion.com)
National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM), established in 1988, has been dedicated to raising awareness, providing training, and educating companies about the capabilities of individuals with disabilities. This year marks the 34th anniversary of this important month, and the theme is "Access to Good Jobs for All". This theme underscores the ongoing commitment to ensuring that everyone, has the opportunity to contribute their talents to the workforce.
I hate CAPTCHAs, the unnecessary ritual of having to prove you’re a human being (thespinoff.co.nz)
Correctly identifying traffic lights doesn't make you human – but feeling irritated by it just might.
Workforces Beyond Compliance: Building a Truly Accessible Workplace for All (blog.easterseals.com)
National Disability Employment Awareness Month, known as NDEAM, is honored and observed annually each October. This year, in 2024, the NDEAM Theme is “Access to Good Jobs for All.” Assistant Secretary of Labor for Disability Employment Policy, Taryn Williams, announces this year’s official theme in this video. When I read the title of this theme, what resonates with me is that society is finally moving past disabled individuals just “securing” a job. This empowering theme indicates that we seek viable, sustainable employment beyond compliance and merely compliant-based accessibility. This theme pushes for accessible jobs and careers at the forefront that have liveable wages and are psychologically and culturally safe environments for all.
Retailers Should Invest in Digital Accessibility To Boost Revenue and Loyalty (softwareadvice.com)
Improving digital accessibility isn’t just ethical—it boosts revenue, site performance, and your competitive edge. Learn the key areas and KPIs for digital accessibility.
Microsoft recruits accessibility app to make its AI more useful to blind and low-vision users (engadget.com)
Mobile accessibility app Be My Eyes will provide anonymized video data to enhance scene understanding in Microsoft’s accessibility-focused AI models.
3 ways retailers are missing revenue opportunities: Accessibility, promotions, and checkout (emarketer.com)
Consumers are cautious with their spending, so retailers must maximize every interaction in the purchase funnel. Here are three ways retailers may be leaving money behind, and what you can do about it.
Updated comprehensive plan makes recommendations to increase (altamontenterprise.com)
Ms. [Christine] Duffy’s letter to editor comment, stating how could the town, consultants, and Comprehensive Plan Update Committee omit any reference to including persons with disabilities is factually incorrect [“No mention of the needs of disabled in comprehensive plan,” The Altamont Enterprise, Oct. 10, 2024].
How A Former Paralympian Tackles Tech With The Same Tenacity That Won Her Gold (forbes.com)
In a recent interview with me, she explained her role is on what she called the "small but mighty" team focused on Alexa shopping.
Ensuring AI is inclusive: Five minutes with Canada’s first chief accessibility officer (globalgovernmentforum.com)
This interview with Stephanie Cadieux, Canada’s first chief accessibility officer is part of a ‘Five minutes’ series featuring speakers from AccelerateGOV, taking place in Ottawa on 21 October.
Reminder – automatic accessibility testing can detect inaccessibility but can’t detect accessibility (cerovac.com)
We need to be aware of the limitation of the tools to be able to use them properly and to prevent any bias.
Exploring generative AI products: Essential recommendations for schools on privacy and accessibility (eschoolnews.com)
GenAI tools should protect student data and comply with accessibility standards to create an inclusive and secure environment.
Govia Thameslink Railway: Accessibility app extended (bbc.com)
Govia Thameslink Railway operates Southern, Thameslink, Gatwick Express and Great Northern services.
New app revolutionises accessibility for blind and partially sighted rail passengers (news.railbusinessdaily.com)
Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) is extending the free use of a ground-breaking smartphone app, designed to enhance accessibility for blind and partially Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) is extending the free use of a ground-breaking smartphone app, designed to enhance accessibility for blind and partially sighted passengers, to all 236 of its Great Northern, Southern and Thameslink-managed stations.
Accessibility matters: It Can’t Take Much of a Trick to Make a Treat (bayobserver.ca)
With Halloween just ’round the corner thoughts go back to the homemade fudge made by Aunt Pat or the popcorn balls at the house next door. It was probably a lot of work making homemade treats, but from a child’s perspective it didn’t seem like much of a trick to make these great treats for all the kids in the neighbourhood. A pillow case full of stash did not last long in a house with four older and two younger siblings. The most important thing at the end of the evening was to dump the stash on the dining table extracting all the really good treats then stashing them away for later. Siblings got the leftovers. To fill the case you had to walk up to the door, knock or bellow out the traditional “trick or treat” or “anything for Halloween” chant. The door would open. Out would come a hand, dropping into the case a handful of treats. You had to get out before dusk to get all the homemade goodies and chocolate bars. It was a real treat, and not much of a trick.
Six out of 10 Irish businesses ‘not prepared’ for European Accessibility Act (irishtimes.com)
More than 60% of survey respondents have not conducted accessibility audit, notes Mayson Hayes and Curran survey
Vermont Supreme Court rules man with disabilities has right to services (vtdigger.org)
The unnamed individual was supposed to receive 30 hours of care per week, but instead received fewer than five. The state Human Services Board said his request for care was “too vague.”
Cabbies Say Cost to Move to Wheelchair-Accessible Cars Is Too High (thecity.nyc)
Drivers rallied outside of a Taxi & Limousine Commission hearing on Thursday as the city tries to figure out how to comply with a judge's order enforcing a decade-old settlement.
AI Can Make Sets More Accessible, but the Tech Still Reflects Ableist Bias, Experts Warn (thewrap.com)
Disability experts at TheGrill conference agreed that while AI has some practical uses, it still reflects an ableist society.
A non-profit created the ‘able table’, an accessible picnic table (msn.com)
The Rise Up organization created a wheelchair accessible picnic table. They call it the ‘able table’.
‘Everybody benefits’: Why the beauty industry needs to get serious about accessible packaging (retaildive.com)
Rare Beauty and Target have taken steps to develop guidance around universally accessible design. But the industry isn’t prioritizing it yet.
UDOT installs touchless crosswalk buttons, making streets more accessible for pedestrians (kmyu.tv)
The Utah Department of Transportation installed radar-enabled crosswalk buttons at nearly 250 intersections across the state.
Wichita tried to make its website more accessible. Here’s how it went (thebeaconnews.org)
The city launched a new website in December in hopes of fixing what had been a “suboptimal” site.
Rideshare2Vote (rideshare2vote.com)
Rideshare2Vote is the nation's only Blue Ride2Vote service offering democratic campaigns, PAC's, and Democratic organizations, and communities across America a turnkey solution for GOTV, including round trip, safe transport to the polls.
Efforts to Protect Accessibility of the Electoral Process (americanbar.org)
The ABA has made numerous efforts to protect the right to vote, including protecting an accessible electoral process. Learn how here.
Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (DHS) Secretary Val Arkoosh joined representatives from Self Advocates United as 1, the Arc of Pennsylvania, and Disability Rights Pennsylvania to share resources that are available to help eligible Pennsylvanians with disabilities prepare for the November 5 General Election and exercise their right to vote.
Charleston County promoting accessible and inclusive voting (live5news.com)
With the general election right around the corner, the Charleston County Board of Elections is working to make sure every community member is able to vote without any barriers.
Voters with disabilities are feeling ignored by presidential candidates (msn.com)
A new report from Rutgers University estimates that about 40.2 million eligible voters in the quickly approaching U.S. presidential election are disabled. Add those who cohabitate with people who have a disability, and you’re looking at close to one-third of the voting population for an election in which health care is among the key campaign issues.
Here’s how Minnesota makes its polling places more accessible (kttc.com)
Even during early voting, Minnesota election officials say they want to make the voting process easy, even for those with disabilities.
Here's how New Hampshire makes voting accessible to people with disabilities (eu.seacoastonline.com)
New Hampshire has mechanisms in place to help people of all abilities vote.
Phoenix police's violent arrest of deaf Black man with cerebral palsy criticized (reuters.com)
Civil and disability rights advocates expressed outrage on Tuesday after body camera footage was released showing Phoenix, Arizona, police violently arresting a Black man who was deaf and has cerebral palsy.
October deer hunt offers community, accessibility to hunters with disabilities (wpr.org)
Since 1992, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources has facilitated the Wisconsin Deer Hunt For Hunters With Disabilities, with help from local organizations. Some hunters told WPR what the event means to them.
A Staggering 2.0 Billion Women Live in Poverty With No Access to Social Protection (globalissues.org)
The growing gender gap between men and women is reflected not only in the world's highest political hierarchies but also in the daily social and economic lives—with most women fighting a losing battle against poverty.The latest flagship report from UN Women reveals a widening gender gap in social protection -– the raft of policies, including cash benefits, unemployment protection, pensions and healthcare – which leaves women and girls more vulnerable to poverty.
City and University representatives discuss the exclusion of 125th Street station accessibility project in Capital Plan at recent Elevator Lobby meeting (columbiaspectator.com)
Following approval of the MTA’s 2025-29 Capital Plan in September, community leaders and representatives from Columbia and the MTA attended the most recent Elevator Lobby meeting where Columbia officials confirmed that there are no Columbia-MTA joint construction projects to bring an elevator to the 125th Street and Broadway subway station.
RapidRide G Line launches with accessibility challenges (mynorthwest.com)
The RapidRide G Line, which provides rapid bus service from the Central District to Madison Valley, opened in September.
ZOO ATLANTA PARTNERS WITH IACCESS LIFE ON INNOVATIVE NEW ACCESSIBILITY TOOL (zooatlanta.org)
Voice by iAccess Life will allow guests to provide direct feedback on the Zoo experience
Zoo Atlanta launches "Voice", allowing visitors to rate accessibility (local3news.com)
Learn about the new "Voice" initiative at Zoo Atlanta that empowers visitors with mobility impairments to rate and review accessibility, in collaboration with iAccessLife.
Welsh national parks make top five 'most accessible' list (nation.cymru)
New research has revealed the UK’s most accessible National Parks – with two Welsh locations featuring in the top five.
New York's Must-See Wheelchair Accessible Attractions For Tourists (bronx.com)
New York is a vibrant city known for so many things: its art scene, financial hubs, museums, restaurants, buildings, and much more. Whether it is your first time visiting or one of many trips, New York is becoming increasingly easy for wheelchair users to navigate.
A Halloween for all: Making treat time more accessible (ottawacitizen.com)
In 2017, a six-year-old wondered how a boy in a wheelchair would be able to trick-or-treat at her family's house. This is how.
Improve payment systems' accessibility for disabled persons: RBI to banks (business-standard.com)
The Reserve Bank of India on Friday asked banks to review their payment systems to ensure easier accessibility to persons with disabilities.
MahaRERA flags 314 housing projects under insolvency, cautions homebuyers - ET LegalWorld (legal.economictimes.indiatimes.com)
MahaRERA has warned homebuyers against purchasing properties in 314 projects undergoing insolvency proceedings. Significant investments have already been made in these projects. Developers include Wadhwa Buildcon LLP, HDIL, and RNA Corp. The list is available on MahaRERA’s website, and homebuyers are advised to check it before making a decision.
RBI asks banks to ensure easier accessibility for payment systems to persons with disabilities (thehindu.com)
RBI instructs banks to review payment systems for accessibility to persons with disabilities, ensuring digital payment inclusivity.
Transposition of the European Accessibility Act into Portuguese law (plmj.com)
Directive 2019/882 is clear on the divergence of measures currently adopted by Member States, which contributes to unavoidable barriers in the internal market. Harmonisation of accessibility requirements will allow economies of scale for economic operators operating in more than one Member State.
Sask. seniors voice accessibility concerns over voting locations (leaderpost.com)
There will be fewer places to vote in the upcoming provincial election, causing concern for some seniors.
International White Cane Day: Creating Accessibility & Reducing Disability Stigma (cityhub.com.au)
October 15 is International White Cane Day, an awareness day celebrating those who live with blindness or vision impairment.
Kingston man laments issues with live events facing people with accessibility challenges (thewhig.com)
With Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour set to hit Toronto, a Kingston man with a disability is expressing his frustrations with the event industry.
It can cost up to 39% more to thrive in the GTA if you have a disability: research (cbc.ca)
When Franklyn McFadden needs to repair his $15,000 wheelchair, that expense is on him. It's just one of many extra costs that he says comes with living with a disability. "I didn't choose to be a person in a wheelchair, and I don't profess to enjoy the fact that I have to use one," he said.
Accessibility remains an afterthought when it comes to transport (rnz.co.nz)
More than 1 million NZers have a disability, and their needs go beyond mobility parking and discounted taxis, Access Matters Aotearoa says.
Govt proposes amendments to disability rules to boost accessibility in insurance sector (telegraphindia.com)
The changes would specifically incorporate Accessibility Standards and Guidelines for infrastructure and services in the Insurance Sector, as defined by the Ministry of Finance’s Department of Financial Services
Blind, visually impaired call for urgent improvement to accessibility in Warrens (barbadostoday.bb)
The spokesman for the blind and visually impaired community on Monday called for urgent improvements to disability access in the Warrens business district, a hub of retail businesses and public offices.
Accessibility Foundation on how to be at the forefront of digital accessibility as a human right (apc.org)
This month we present an interview with Eric Velleman, a professor at the HAN University of Applied Sciences and co-founder of the Accessibility Foundation. The university’s department of Inclusive Design & Engineering is a member of the NGI0 consortium, where its main role is to provide accessibility audits and other support for projects awarded a grant by the consortium. The Accessibility Foundation also collaborates on NGI0.
Industry needs more training on accessibility, conference hears (travelweekly.co.uk)
Agent Doey Mulligan encourages delegates to ‘broaden their lens’
'A f****** nightmare': Football fan pushes for better disabled accessibility at stadiums (nzherald.co.nz)
For wheelchair users, even the smallest barrier to access can become a major one.
“Packaging Roulette”: visually impaired consumers at risk due to inconsistent access to accessible food packaging (premierconstructionnews.com)
Launched on World Sight Day, research commissioned by Roland DG, the world’s leading provider of digital printing solutions, reveals that millions of visually impaired people face a daily challenge of navigating the supermarket aisles due to the inconsistent and sparse use of accessible packaging. 80% of food brands admit that they do not incorporate Braille or tactile symbols across all of their packaging, leaving visually impaired individuals unable to understand what they are purchasing and consuming.
Generational labels like Gen-X and Millennials often drive assumptions about which communication channels—Facebook or TikTok—certain groups use.
How to… Plan for Emergency Situations (accessiblelink.substack.com)
Developing processes for the safety of disabled people during emergencies
From accessibility to AI: The surprising trends shaping mental health care (yahoo.com)
Yahoo surveyed 750 therapy seekers to learn what's driving their treatment decisions, including their openness to online care.
How to Use the DOJ’s New Web Accessibility Regulation to Justify IT, ADA, and Legal Collaboration (convergeaccessibility.com)
How to leverage the DOJ's Title II Web Accessibility compliance regulation to justify the investment and effort across your organization.
Treat accessibility lawn signs back in Cambridge for Halloween (therecord.com)
Residents in Cambridge can enhance Halloween inclusivity with free treat accessibility signs, signifying accessible homes for all candy collectors.
New CosmOS Update Reminds Humane’s AI Pin Still Seemingly Discounts Disabled People As Human (forbes.com)
She noted the update, v1.2, includes of new functionality including "insane battery life," expanded localization, and much more.
How Neurable Is Using AI And Brain Data To Make ‘Good Mental Hygiene’ Accessible To Everyone (forbes.com)
At least on one level, Neurable has one-upped Apple’s sensor game.
Radisson Hotel Group introduces Braille menus across its portfolio to enhance accessibility for guests (passionateinmarketing.com)
Radisson Hotel Group is proud to announce the launch of Braille menus across its properties in South Asia, an initiative aimed at making dining more inclusive for visually impaired guests. In partnership with the Confederation of Indian Industry’s (CII) Young Indians, this launch is part of the Group’s ongoing commitment to creating welcoming environments for all guests. It further reflects the Group’s brand promise of ‘Every Moment Matters,’ ensuring every guest can enjoy an independent dining experience.
tsutsumi and associates adds outdoor bath to house X in beijing for barrier-free accessibility (designboom.com)
tsutsumi and associates renovates an apartment in beijing to enhance accessibility for a homeowner in his 50s and his elderly parents.
A perfect fit for a modern glass lift: Combining accessibility with historical elegance (specificationonline.co.uk)
The reimagined Creamery building at the heart of Castle Cary railway station now boasts a striking, all-glass passenger lift from Stannah. This modern addition combines style with accessibility, offering a transparent and elegant way to visit the trackside restaurant and working creamery.
WCBDD Constructs Accessible Home Designed For Local People With Disabilities (warrencountypost.com)
The Warren County Board of Developmental Disabilities (WCBDD) has finished construction on a new Mason home that will house four people with disabilities who require 24/7 care.
Inside The Be My Eyes-Meta Collaboration And The Allure To ‘Impact Humanity’ (forbes.com)
Be My Eyes has a worldwide network of 7.7 million sighted volunteers.
RampMyCity Launches Initiative to Improve Accessibility Across Mumbai (thebridgechronicle.com)
Khandelwal shared ambitious goals to expand the initiative to 1,000 public and private establishments in Mumbai.
Aurigny improving accessibility for customers boarding and disembarking (channeleye.media)
As part of the investment, Aurigny will introduce new ATR-recommended aisle chairs in Guernsey. These chairs are designed to be the maximum permissible width for the ATR, providing greater comfort and ease for passengers when boarding and disembarking the aircraft.
Inclusive Wedding Summit Looks to Transform Industry (finance.yahoo.com)
On January 22, 2025, at the Hasbrouck Heights/Meadowlands Hilton in New Jersey, renowned wedding industry author, consultant, and marketing agency owner Brian Lawrence will co-host the groundbreaking Inclusive Wedding Summit, along with Brenda Ferrarini, owner of Elegant Bridal Productions, the largest wedding show producer in the tri-state area. This one-day event will equip participants with innovative strategies to engage the increasingly diverse wedding and event market.
Find accessible playgrounds near you in Pennsylvania (abc27.com)
“The amenity for accessibility is something we added because we’re finding more and more Pennsylvania municipalities and townships are interested in working hard to bring accessible playgrounds to their communities,” said Pennsylvania Recreation & Park Society admin and marketing assistant, Jane LaMar.
New Accessibility Features in InDesign 2025 | CreativePro Network (creativepro.com)
If you use InDesign to create EPUBs, check your Creative Cloud app and update to InDesign 20.0, which has just been released. As a result of work by the InDesign expert group — made up of Richard Orme (DAISY), Jonas Lillqvist (Accessibility Library Celia), Gregorio Pellegrino (Fondazione LIA), and Laura Brady (eBOUND) — there have been a few improvements to the EPUB export in the past year. See this Inclusive Publishing post, and the Fondazione LIA blog for news.
Free Live Transcription - AI Transcription in Real-Time (maestra.ai)
Generate transcripts in real-time with unmatched accuracy using Maestra’s AI live transcription tool.
Making the Theater Accessible (northernexpress.com)
Interlochen Center for the Arts has a new way for attendees to engage in the performing arts. Instructor of Theatre Laura Mittelstaedt has created an adaptation of Hans Christian Anderson’s fairy tale The Snow Queen that has been specifically designed for accessibility. The show includes an ASL interpreter, sound cues and house lights lowered to 50 percent, large print programs, and a safe space to enter and continue to watch/listen to the show with monitor and speakers. Noise and/or light sensitivity accommodations can also be made if requested. Best of all, the show is free! Catch The Snow Queen in the Phoenix Theatre Oct. 18-20. Mittelstaedt is also taking the show on the road to schools in northern Michigan, including Glen Lake Elementary, Mill Creek Elementary, Betsie Valley, Lake Ann Elementary, and TCAPS Montessori.
Serving people with disabilities in Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky. (independencealliance.org)
CILO is a 501(c)3 serving Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky people with physical, sensory, cognitive, and/or psychological disabilities.
Dragon Age: The Veilguard's Accessibility Features Revealed (rpgfan.com)
Developer BioWare recently revealed Dragon Age: The Veilguard’s accessibility features in a blog post. While such options are nothing new to gaming, they’ve improved immensely over the years, making the hobby more friendly to all walks of life than ever before.
Sony Wants to Make VR More Accessible for Deaf Gamers (gamerant.com)
A recent patent publication by Sony reveals the Japanese company's development of a virtual reality accessibility feature for deaf gamers.
Nintendo's consistent lack of accessibility options is unacceptable (pocket-lint.com)
For a company that claims to be for everyone, Nintendo does a poor job of providing basic accessibility options.
Broadway’s ‘Romeo + Juliet’ offering open captioning at every performance (broadwaynews.com)
The initiative will offer a new approach to aural accessibility.
Daisy Lafarge awarded £5k bursary and funded research trip by Creative Scotland and Shape Arts (creativescotland.com)
Creative Scotland and Shape Arts are delighted to announce the recipient of their collaborative disabled artist bursary, Daisy Lafarge.
Just Tech (just-tech.ssrc.org)
The Just Tech Platform is a forum, catalogue, and showcase for researchers and practitioners at the nexus of technological development, inequity, and social justice.
The Doris Duke Foundation today announced the 20 pioneering artists, technologists, and arts organizations that will receive grants through the inaugural Performing Arts Technologies Lab, a first-of-its-kind accelerator for projects seeking to explore innovative uses of digital technology in the performing arts. Projects accepted into the Lab will receive funding for prototyping and feasibility testing, production facilities advice and knowledge- and network-building opportunities.
Musk's ban on remote work at X beats disability bias claim for now (reuters.com)
A federal judge in California on Wednesday dismissed a lawsuit accusing social media platform X of forcing out workers with disabilities after Elon Musk took over the company and barred employees from working remotely.
Workers with disabilities are paid 12% less per hour than other employees, says the ILO (weforum.org)
A new working paper from the International Labour Organization shows the extent of the disability wage gap - and how businesses can help to close it.
Harris wants to end subminimum wages for disabled workers—if they're not behind bars (motherjones.com)
40,000 people would benefit. Hundreds of thousands more will still earn pennies an hour.
Needs-Based Salaries Are Upending Workplace Norms (reasonstobecheerful.world)
From new socially just policies to "Happy Money Stories," more and more companies are doing pay differently.
Video Navigating the workforce as a disabled person in an often inaccessible world (abcnews.go.com)
Life as a disabled person in an inaccessible world can be difficult, especially in the workforce. ABC News follows two disability advocates working for change and navigating life in Chicago.
The Disability and Economic Justice Chartbook (cepr.net)
Explore the intersection of disability justice and economic justice, and the importance of recognizing the economic inequalities faced by disabled individuals.
Essays on disability and employment (dspace.mit.edu)
Situations and Solutions Finder (askjan.org)
When JAN started in 1983, one objective of the program was to gather and share information about effective workplace accommodation solutions to help more employers across America successfully employ disabled workers. JAN users often ask what accommodations have worked for others in similar situations. The Situations and Solutions Finder is an AskJAN.org feature that provides access to more than 700 accommodation scenarios shared by JAN users that employers and workers with disabilities can explore.
Barrier Free Futures (barrierfreefutures.libsyn.com)
Bob Kafka host of Barrier Free Futures KSFR 101.1 Santa Fe interviews Kevin Gotkin Artist, Organizer and Editor of Crip News.
Scivias Choreomaniae (spuytenduyvil.net)
Scivias Choreomaniae is a danger to society. It exposes cadavers hidden from days to decades ago—from the rotten skulls of doctors to the rotted bones of prophets the medical staff held captive in their madhouses. This is Lake Angela’s dance to the death, and you must enjoy it, and you must heed the holy madness.
NEA Tech Check: Claudia Alick of Calling Up Justice (arts.gov)
In this new series, we ask artists and cultural workers about how they and their organizations work with technology. First up, Claudia Alick of Calling Up Justice.
From Luxury to Loss: Glimpses of a disabled man in the 19th century (audio & text) (unhidden.substack.com)
Historical records contain rich descriptions of disabled people like Hugh Charles Smith: stories that are often overlooked and rarely contextualized.
Keeping Each Other Alive: Mental Health and Collective Survival (open.spotify.com)
“I've seen a lot of people lashing out at people horizontally, and my gut sense is that sometimes it happens because the folks who are lashing out are definitely super traumatized, in crisis, feel and are really powerless in a lot of ways,” says Disability Justice organizer Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha. In this episode, Kelly talks with Leah and Elliott Fukui, who develops community safety strategies for emotional wellness and safety, about why people are struggling right now, what’s keeping people alive and engaged, and what we need to create together to survive these times.
Congress Should End Mandatory Estate Recovery (justiceinaging.org)
Medicaid estate recovery offers a minimal benefit for state Medicaid budgets, while significantly harming low-income families and communities.
Last Week Tonight With John Oliver Ep 23: September 22, 2024: Disability Benefits (hbo.com)
Stream Season 11 Episode 23 of Last Week Tonight With John Oliver online or on your device plus recaps, previews, and other clips.
Social Security Card 'Mime' Commercial (1978) (youtube.com)
"Find out about your lifetime protection."
Patrice: The Movie (hulu.com)
'Patrice: The Movie' is a documentary romantic comedy about the next frontier of marriage equality - disability.
BAD TOPOLOGY (ceradon.gallery)
LA's first trans-established gallery. Exhibiting whole new worlds.
TechGirls (techgirlsglobal.org)
TechGirls is a U.S.-based summer exchange program designed to empower and support young women (ages 15-17) from the United States and select countries around the world to pursue higher education and careers in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields through hands-on skills development training.
The CLS Program provides opportunities for American college and university students to study languages and cultures essential to America's engagement with the world.
National Security Language Initiative for Youth (NSLI-Y) (nsliforyouth.org)
NSLI-Y is part of a U.S. government initiative that prepares American citizens to be leaders in a global world.
Eligibility + Participation Requirements (nsliforyouth.org)
Please note that the information below pertains to the 2025-2026 NSLI-Y program cycle and is subject to change in future application cycles.
Where the Andes Mountains End and the Jungle Begins (miusa.org)
Anthony Treas is a veteran of the Iraq War who spent eight years serving with the United States military. In 2014 during his undergraduate degree at Oregon State University he completed a public health internship in Ecuador on the U.S. Department of State-funded Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program. But what started as an international exchange experience in Ecuador led to a career in Colombia.
Career Opportunities with EDDI Member Organizations (miusa.org)
The organizations below are members of MIUSA’s Excellence in Development and Disability Inclusion (EDDI) initiative, committed to inclusion and diversity both in the work that they do and in their teams. Because more people with disabilities are needed in international development careers, we highly encourage people with disabilities to explore their careers pages to find information about current jobs, internships, fellowships and other opportunities in the United States and around the world.
Get Your Foot in the Door for a Career in International Education (miusa.org)
Opportunities abound for entering a career in international education, foreign affairs, and other global fields! Here are just a few examples of entry-level jobs and internships that will build your global competency.
Joining Hands Session 4: Careers in International Exchange (ASL-interpreted; captions available) (youtube.com)
Session 4 of the Joining Hands Virtual Symposium 2020: "Careers in International Exchange: Perspectives from Professionals with Disabilities," held August 18, 2020.
International Students with Disabilities Panel: Advancing Our Careers Through U.S. Study (youtube.com)
Every year, individuals with disabilities enhance their professional skills, improve their English, earn advanced degrees, and start their careers through U.S. study. Join NCDE to hear from a panel of international students with different disabilities about their U.S. education.
How to Make Your International Exchange More Worthy for Career (miusa.org)
Yet simply spending time in another country might not be enough. Use these tips to get started on planning for an international exchange program, so that you can get the most out of the experience.
Celebrating the connection between international exchange and employment access (miusa.org)
We are so energized to write this blog in honor of National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM), because it brings together two topics that we care about deeply, that might on the surface seem unrelated but in fact are intricately connected.
How to Welcome Staff and Interns with Disabilities to Your IEO (miusa.org)
Here, we asked people with disabilities to share their tips for what international education organizations can do to fill jobs, internships, or practicum positions with talented professionals and interns with disabilities. You might notice that many of these tips also apply to including people with disabilities as participants in your international exchange programs!
Recruiting Persons with Disabilities To Your Workplace (miusa.org)
One of the ways to increase the participation of disabled people in international exchange is to make the international education workplace more inclusive of staff with disabilities. NCDE supports organizations looking to build a pipeline of individuals with disabilities in international education.
Indigeneity & Disability: Kinship, Place, and Knowledge-Making (dsq-sds.org)
The contributors to the special issue come from locations all over the globe. We co-editors are guests on the ancestral lands of the Muwekma Ohlone Tribe, Abenaki Nation, Lenni Lenape Tribe, Očhéthi Šakówiŋ, Peoria, Kaskaskia, Piankashaw, Wea, Myaamia, Mascoutin, Odawa, Sauk, Mesquaki, Kiikaapoi (Kickapoo), Potawatomi, Ojibwe, and Chickasaw Nations. We offer our deep respect to the ancestors of these peoples, past, present, and emerging. Acknowledging the long and continuing histories of the stolen land on which we live, work, and dream, resists forces of erasure; it honors a more truthful account of our collective stories; and affirms solidarity with the Indigenous peoples who are its traditional stewards. We invite readers who are not familiar with land acknowledgments, Indigenous sovereignty work, or the Indigenous histories immediately around you to spend time with the resources listed in the endnotes.
Ep 42: Employment (disabilityvisibilityproject.com)
Today’s episode is about is employment with two professors from the University of Illinois at Chicago about their research. First, Rooshey Hasnain will talk about a recent pilot project in partnership with the Illinois Division of Rehabilitation Services called ADOPT (Asians with Disabilities Outreach Project Think-Tank). Next, Kate Caldwell tells me about her research on disabled entrepreneurs with a project called CEED, Chicagoland Entrepreneurship Education for People with Disabilities project. We’re gonna discuss barriers, underrepresentation, structural issues, the need for research, and much more.
Award-winning Teacher: “My Grade 12 class taught me Sign Language” (thedeafdiary.com)
When a mathematics teacher at Thiboloha School for the Deaf and Blind in Qwa Qwa, Free State was allocated a class of Deaf Grade 12 pupils, it was as if he was thrown in at the deep end as he did not know how to communicate in South African Sign Language (SASL).
Insights: Accessibility in finance (makeitfable.com)
We surveyed our community of testers with disabilities to understand the accessibility of online and mobile banking, insurance, investments, financial management, tax preparation, and payment services.
How to make interactive charts accessible (deque.com)
Follow these best practices to ensure that your interactive charts are accessible to all users, including those with disabilities.
Imagination Storybooks DCMP Channel (dcmp.org)
Imagination Storybooks by DCMP creates accessible videobooks of existing illustrated children's books to reinforce children’s core values, such as kindness and empowerment, through the creative forces of children’s book authors, illustrators, and narrators.
Xbox Unveils Four New Accessibility Offerings (news.xbox.com)
We’re excited to share that three new accessibility devices and 3D printable files for adaptive thumbstick toppers will join our current lineup, giving players even more accessibility options to support their gameplay with Xbox.
John McFall Is Breaking Barriers as the World’s First Parastronaut (scientificamerican.com)
Paralympian and surgeon John McFall is redefining the astronaut image and proving that space travel is achievable for people with physical disabilities
inABLE & Microsoft Partner to Empower Kenyan Blind Students With Coding Skills (inable.org)
The collaboration directly addresses challenges presented by the new Kenyan curriculum, the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC), which mandates coding instruction within the primary school curriculum. Recognizing the potential difficulties visually impaired educators might face using traditional coding platforms heavily reliant on visual elements, inABLE’s Program Manager, Antony Ndirangu, brought the issue to Microsoft’s attention.
a11y-syntax-highlighting has been updated (ericwbailey.website)
Code syntax highlighting themes need to meet minimum color contrast values.
How to Provide Mobile Accessibility in Your Native Android App – Part 1 (thedroidsonroids.com)
Delve into mobile app accessibility for Android apps. Discover key techniques, practices, and regulations to expand your app's reach and ensure legal compliance.
SwiftUI and Accessibility (iosdevlibrary.com)
Unlock the Power of Inclusive App Development with SwiftUI Elevate Your SwiftUI Skills with "SwiftUI and Accessibility: Creating Inclusive iOS Applications." Are you an iOS developer eager to create apps that everyone can use and enjoy? Dive into "SwiftUI and Accessibility: Creating Inclusive iOS Applications," your definitive guide to building inclusive, user-friendly applications with SwiftUI.
The Big Data Project (visionservealliance.org)
VisionServe Alliance (VSA) and The Ohio State University College of Optometry partnered a project to analyze standardized statewide data and national reports of people who are blind or have low vision.
Designing for forgiveness: How to create error-tolerant interfaces (uxdesign.cc)
Exploring how to design interfaces that feel intuitive and forgiving, even when users make mistakes.
Accessible Colour Palettes | Figma (figma.com)
Accessible Palettes has over 50+ AAA funky colour palettes for you to use in your next project!
Accessible form validation from scratch — JavaScript (uxdesign.cc)
Part 5: Performing validation
Is digital world accessible to all? A Comprehensive Review of Digital Accessibility Research (1996-2024) (econstor.eu)
Digital accessibility is not static, but a dynamic process that actively interacts with both physical and digital contexts. This study provides a comprehensive overview of digital accessibility by analyzing 416 scholarly articles published from 1996 to 2024 from SCOPUS and Web of Science to capture digital accessibility in current context. First, a bibliometric analysis examines publication trends, including years, countries, affiliations, authors, and keywords, to identify overall trends and emerging themes. This is supplemented by a qualitative analysis of 80 selected articles, providing an in-depth understanding of current research themes. Additionally, the study collects and analyzes 70 relevant quotations to enhance conceptual understanding and provide a standardized definition of digital accessibility. The results offer an extensive overview of digital accessibility literature using both quantitative and qualitative method, providing both surface level and in-depth analysis of what is being discussed in digital accessibility in academia. It contributes to digital accessibility literature by providing a steppingstone as well as guidelines for future research.
It's cool to talk too much... (tiffywrites.substack.com)
when describing your autistic child
European disability card and European parking card for persons with disabilities: Council adopts new directives (consilium.europa.eu)
The Council has adopted two new directives establishing a European disability card and European parking card for persons with disabilities and extending access to these cards to non-EU citizens legally residing in the EU.
G7 members adopt new disability rights commitments (euronews.com)
Members of the G7 and the European Union committed to put rights of people with disabilities at the top of the political agenda in the new Solfagnano Charter signed today in Italy, addressing the potential for independent living, inclusion in new technologies and participation in social life.
Resurgence Of 'R-Word' Alarms Disability Advocates (disabilityscoop.com)
For a decade, disability advocates led a concerted effort to stomp out use of the word "retard." Now they're concerned that the language appears to be making a comeback.
Petra Kuppers - Disability Arts and Culture Gathering 2024 (petrakuppers.com)
Join us for a weekend of disability culture arts-based research and community building, centered on twin inquiries of environmental and interspecies gentleness, and on mad memory and archival intermedial/technological play.
No Bias and Crip Ecstasy team up for an Accessible Halloween Ragerrrrrrr October 26th. 9pm - Late! Secret East Bay location (more info below).
BBC Sounds - Access All: Disability News and Mental Health, Gareth Gates and Ed Balls on stammering (bbc.co.uk)
Pop Idol star Gareth Gates and former Labour politician-turned-TV star, Ed Balls drop by the Access All studio to chat to Emma Tracey about living with a stammer.
Blind people rally against Uber, Lyft in SF claiming discrimination (nbcbayarea.com)
Blind people and their supporters rallied Tuesday against Uber and Lyft in San Francisco, claiming the ride share apps discriminate against them.
Network Rail underspent by £99M on its accessibility programme during last five years (newcivilengineer.com)
Network Rail underspent by £99M and failed to complete 72 projects in its programme to make stations more accessible during Control Period 6 (CP6), 2019 to 2024.
The Elizabeth Line is a worthy winner of the Stirling Prize – but the wrong choice (standard.co.uk)
Comment: Phineas Harper, co-founder of New Architecture Writers, can see why the Elizabeth Line won the prestigious prize, but thinks this was a missed opportunity by the judges.
The Power of Words: Embracing "Disabled" to Break Barriers (accessiblelink.substack.com)
The Case for Using 'Disabled'.
Five things to know before applying for a guide dog (fashioneyesta.com)
This month marks Blindness Awareness Month, and I recently asked on my Instagram what people wanted to read about and a lot of people asked to read more posts about my experiences using a guide dog.
2024 DHA Award Winners (dishist.org)
The Disability History Association is thrilled to announce the winners of our 2024 awards! Deepest thanks to all committee members for their careful consideration of all submissions.
UK Government Launches Groundbreaking Initiative To Transform NHS (criplife.co.uk)
The UK government has launched the most extensive national conversation about the NHS since its creation, inviting the public, NHS staff and health experts to contribute their ideas on shaping its future.
Special Needs: Why We Avoid this Phrase (kit.org)
Why we avoid the phrase "special needs" and advocate for empowering, respectful language around disability inclusion.
Social entrepreneur embraces growing trend for inclusive and adaptive fashion (ablemagazine.co.uk)
How rising to the challenge of upcycling a denim jacket for a young wheelchair user at a fundraising event led Rachel Thompson to start her own accessible fashion brand, Adapted Trends.
AXSChat with Peter Torres Fremlin (axschat.com)
Peter writes Disability Debrief, a weekly newsletter putting a disability lens on world news. It’s a trusted resource read by policy-makers and activists as well as being a unique platform for stories of disabled people in their own words.
You Said, We Did - Listening Month Update (pocklington.org.uk)
Today, 21 September 2024, Thomas Pocklington Trust (TPT) and Sight Loss Councils (SLC) reported on key campaigns delivered from January 2023 – June 2024, as a result of what blind and partially sighted (BPS) people told us mattered in our nationwide survey in Listening Month 2022.
Steve Alderson emotional interview after G4D win (youtube.com)
Steven Alderson was left fighting back tears after claiming an emotional victory at the G4D Tour @ Estrella Damm N.A. Andalucía Masters to become the first autistic winner in G4D Tour history.
Book news – Owning It - Carly Findlay (carlyfindlay.com.au)
“Growing up disabled can be an isolating experience. As much as you might be surrounded by loving and well-meaning friends and family, chances are no one close to you is going through this alongside you… until now!
A Call for True Workplace Accommodations (respectability.org)
Accommodations represent more than just adjustments. They are necessary to ensure equal employment opportunities for disabled people.
15 Talented Disabled People Recognised As BAFTA Breakthrough Artists (criplife.co.uk)
head of the announcement of the 2024 BAFTA Breakthrough artists next month, we look back on 15 talented disabled artists who have been recognised for their incredible and outstanding work in TV and film over the past 11 years.
St. Paul writer John Lee Clark's book says 'DeafBlind' people's new language will change the world (startribune.com)
A new language called Protactile could change the world, says "DeafBlind" writer John Lee Clark, a St. Paul native who won a National Magazine Award and whose new book is "Touch the Future."
Helene and CVS Land Double Whammy for 25,000 Patients Who Survive on IV Nutrition (kffhealthnews.org)
A Massachusetts woman ended up stranded in the hospital because CVS stopped providing the IV nutrition she needs to survive at home. Without it, she’d starve.
How a white cane named Sneezy is helping 4yo Louie expand his boundaries (abc.net.au)
October 15 marks International White Cane Day, putting a spotlight on accessibility for low-vision and blind people, and the way they move about the community.
DPPNYC Presents: Disability Pride Parade NYC (disabilityunite.org)
Join Disability Unite and our national Partners for exciting virtual events and programs. Our platform offers custom channels for Captioning, American Sign Language, Audio Description and Plain Language Description.
The Impact of MIUSA's WILD Program - Jenny from El Salvador (youtube.com)
Jenny Chinchilla attended MIUSA's Women's Institute on Leadership and Disability (WILD) in 2006. In this video, she shares about the impact of WILD on her both personally and professionally.
Sony patents real-time sign language translator for games (dailymoth.com)
Sony has patented a new concept that would allow sign language users to communicate with people who use a foreign sign language in games through a “real-time sign language translator.” This is according to a news report from gaming website mxdwn.com.
Words and Actions Have Power (rickhansen.com)
How can words make us feel? In this activity, students will reflect on how their words and actions have the power to affect people, including people with disabilities.
Models of Disability (rickhansen.com)
In this activity, students are introduced to the Social Model of Disability and the Medical Model of Disability. Through a reflection exercise, students form a personal opinion of the two models and evaluate which model their school landscape supports.
A Movement to Travel with Dignity Taking Shape in New York Stateby Jeremy Willinger (melangeandco.com)
The ”Traveling with Dignity” Act was inspired by the lived experiences of persons supported at CP Unlimited being unable to make it to rallies at the state capital to lobby for more government support for disability services due to inaccessible travel logistics.
Empowering Riders with Disabilities (uber.com)
Uber is launching new accessibility features for riders.
Learning disabilities and what happens when parents die (bbc.com)
A group of friends with severe learning disabilities are planning a future in a shared home.
Learning Disability - Autism - Down's Syndrome (mencap.org.uk)
Mencap is a UK charity for people with a learning disability. We support their families and carers, too. We want the UK to be the best place in the world for people with a learning disability to live happy and healthy lives.
The secret 'language' only blind people can understand - and it's not Braille (9news.com.au)
It's a question Brisbane software engineer Jamie Teh often fields from people who happen to hear the strange sounds coming out of his computer.
Nominations are open for the2025 Courage To Come Back Awards (melangeandco.com)
The purpose of the Courage To Come Back Awards is to pay tribute to those who have overcome overwhelming challenges and now selflessly give back to their community.
2024 Courage To Come Back Awards (couragetocomeback.ca)
The Courage To Come Back Awards are proudly presented by Coast Mental Health.
Being Disabled in Japan (interacnetwork.com)
If you have a mental or physical disability, how easy is it to live or work in Japan? Read our guide to work adjustments, benefits and overall attitudes.
A better way to live for the disabled in Switzerland? (swissinfo.ch)
A popular initiative demanding greater living choices for people with disabilities in Switzerland has collected enough signatures for a national vote.
Emergency services in Cape Town made accessible for deaf (news24.com)
Accessing emergency services for deaf and hard-of-hearing people within the City of Cape Town has been made a bit easier with the launch of a new service that gives them direct access to the City’s public emergency communications centre (PECC), via a feature on the City’s App.
Kenyan ride-hailing company helps people with disabilities get mobile (africanews.com)
Ace Mobility was founded over three years ago by Daniel Gatura who had witnessed the transport challenges faced by his wheelchair-bound father.
Watch: Pro-surfer paves the way for disabled students to catch waves in Argentina (euronews.com)
In a coastal city in Argentina, surf’s up for everyone, able-bodied or otherwise. Lucas Rubiño is a man on a mission, making waves through his special surf school and adapted surfboards.
Watch: How the Andorran inventor built the world's first functional Lego prosthesis (euronews.com)
Like many children, David Aguilar spent his childhood building Lego. While others made model aeroplanes and miniature toy towns out of the stackable plastic bricks, David built functional lifesize prosthetic arms.
Robots and AI-powered assistive tech are poised to transform accessibility and mobility (businessinsider.com)
Companies are developing mobility aids and technologies including robotic exoskeletons, limbs, and communication tools.
What is assistive technology? Understanding accessibility features and services (businessinsider.com)
Assistive technology devices and services help users with disabilities perform tasks like typing, drawing, filling out forms, and more.
Torsten Gross redefines adventure and equality through racing (melangeandco.com)
Be prepared! When speaking with Torsten Gross, founder of Just Hands Foundation, you’re stepping into a conversation with someone who sees the world a bit differently — in the best possible way.
Just Hands Foundation (justhands.org)
The Just Hands Racing Foundation will give anyone who uses hand controls to drive (usually people in wheelchairs) the opportunity to get on to a track for performance driving
Looking for Dr. Right (Cause the difference between a good doctor and the right doctor is huge.) (wheelieoutthere.blogspot.com)
Imagine you and your roommates are desperate for a bite to eat, and at long last some carts roll in. Everyone gets a covered dish, all but you — before you can even ask, somebody says, “Oh no, that’s not for you. Wait until the next round of carts.” The dishes are uncovered, and there’s some grousing but everyone chows down, right in front of you. Then another round of carts shows up and the roommates get a choice to change over to those meals. All but you again, because “Oh no, that’s not for you either. Wait until the next round.” On and on this goes, for years.
5 Key Ways to Support Students With Learning Differences (educatingalllearners.org)
Many teachers don’t receive training in their teacher-preparation programs on common learning differences, say experts. And that can leave teachers feeling uncertain about how to best support students in their classrooms who have dyslexia, dysgraphia, or dyscalculia.
Professor of Special Education and Mathematics Education Jessica Hunt to Partner with Black Disabled High School Students to Improve Mathematics Education Learning and Teaching Through Grant-funded Project (educatingalllearners.org)
Jessica Hunt, a professor of special education and mathematics education in NC State’s College of Education, is aiming to counter disparities in STEM learning through her work on a new, grant-funded project entitled “Building and Testing a Framework for Liberatory and Conceptual Mathematics Learning with Black Disabled Students.” The project will be conducted in collaboration with the University of Virginia and University of California-Santa Cruz, and is funded by $4,342,845 from the National Science Foundation, of which the College of Education will receive $1,040,523.
Will AI Help or Hurt Complex Learners? (educatingalllearners.org)
Fall, and the start of the school year, is always a good time to take stock of what students and families need, and whether we (as the collective of the policy, research, and innovation industries and philanthropy community) are doing enough to meet those needs.
What type of country we become (disabilitydebrief.org)
Disabled people between Georgia’s Soviet legacy and European future
European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (cinea.ec.europa.eu)
CINEA has been set-up to manage several EU funding programmes in the fields of energy, environment, climate action, and transport.
In a ground-breaking judgment today, the European Court of Human Rights (“the Court”) condemned Hungary for failing to protect the lives of institutionalised persons with disabilities. States must effectively investigate the context and conditions in which people in institutions die, the Court also said. The judgment sends a strong message against institutionalisation and guardianship regimes that continue to affect tens of thousands of people with disabilities in Hungary and beyond. As a human rights organisation dedicated to the rights of persons with disabilities, Validity was granted standing to pursue the case. The Court did this in light of the refusal of the state-imposed guardian to take any meaningful steps to address the horrific treatment that resulted in the death of Ms. T.J., a 45-year-old woman with an intellectual disability who was detained in the notorious Topház institution since 1983.
The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights is the leading United Nations entity in the field of human rights, with a unique mandate to promote and protect all human rights for all people.
UN Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture recognises institutions as places of deprivation of liberty (youtube.com)
A new General Comment from the UN Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture has important consequences for monitoring abuses in institutions.
Conference of INGOs holds its Autumn General Assembly (14-16 October): highlights (coe.int)
The Conference of International Non-Governmental Organisations (CINGO) will hold its autumn General Assembly in hybrid format from 14 to 16 October. Meetings will be held in parallel by some of CINGO’s thematic committees and the newly created task force on civic space watch.
A Returning Character In Season 2 Of “Jurassic World: Chaos Theory” Shows That Life Doesn’t Have To Slow Down When Disability Hits (respectability.org)
A character's journey as a new amputee is central to the plot of the new season of Jurassic World: Chaos Theory.
The Remarkable Life of Ibelin review – moving tale of disabled gamer’s digital double life (theguardian.com)
Using World of Warcraft-style animation, this documentary tells the story of Mats Steen, a boy with muscular dystrophy whose online popularity was only revealed after his death
Britain raises risk level of bird flu to medium (reuters.com)
Britain has increased on Thursday the risk level of bird flu to medium from low after the virus was detected in a number of wild birds in the country over the autumn, the government said in an update posted on its website.
Accessing Democracy (youtube.com)
The National Disability Rights Network is proud to present Accessing Democracy a documentary short that follows Monica Wiley, a Black woman with a spinal cord injury, as she travels the East Coast ahead of the 2024 generational election, interviewing voters with disabilities. Monica asks voters about the barriers they face, from accessing the everyday conveniences that able-bodied people take as a given to inability to receive the services they need to work and be a part of the community. This short explores how politicians have left behind one of the largest minority groups in the United States and what disabled voters want from their commander in chief.
The Kelsey (thekelsey.org)
Building and advocating for disability-forward housing solutions that are affordable, accessible, and inclusive.
The AI Revolution: How Predictive, Prescriptive, And Generative AI Are Reshaping Our World (forbes.com)
Discover how these cutting-edge innovations are transforming industries, revolutionizing decision-making, and pushing the boundaries of human creativity.
I’m a good bit I love Apple’s Music Haptics (facebook.com)
I’m a goof! But I’m reliving the 80’s and rocking out to Madonna thanks to music haptics which plays along with Apple Music. So fun!
What to Expect at Shakespeare in the Park at a Renovated Delacorte Theater; Take the Tour (westsiderag.com)
They're creating an inspiring and accessible "palace for the people"...prioritizing "sustainability and durability," due to be finished in August.
Day in the Life series features wheelchair users with unique jobs (unitedspinal.org)
New Mobility's Day in the Life series showcases wheelchair users with unique jobs. Here are a few of our favorites.
Celebrating independence, pleasure and fun in disability-centred storytelling (reframingdisability.substack.com)
Review of a documentary from the lens of disability; and some very watchable films by blind filmmakers around the world
Disability Data: improving representation to drive AI innovation (blogs.microsoft.com)
Microsoft partners with Be My Eyes to enhance AI inclusivity for the blind and low vision community. This collaboration aims to improve AI accuracy and reduce bias by incorporating high-quality, disability representative data. Learn more about Microsoft's commitment to responsible and inclusive AI technology.
2024 Superfest Films (superfestfilm.org)
Superfest 2024 will occur online Thursday, October 17th through Sunday October 20th with in-person screenings at the Exploratorium in San Francisco on October 19th.
Judge strikes down strict voter assistance rules in Texas’ 2021 rewrite of election laws (texastribune.org)
Texas Republicans passed the legislation known as Senate Bill 1 after former President Donald Trump lost the 2020 election and spread lies about it.
Voters with disabilities are feeling ignored by presidential candidates (apnews.com)
A new report from Rutgers University estimates that about 40.2 million eligible voters in the quickly approaching U.S. presidential election are disabled.
My Body Remembers (rebekahtaussig.substack.com)
What is the line, exactly, between present-moment me and that raging, terrified, trying-to-survive child who still lives in me?
Diverse or Just Pretending? Why Your Stock Photos Need Authentic Disability Representation (buttondown.com)
Many companies limit website images to licensed ones stored in a central image repository. Frequently, they do this to ensure that only “approved” images are used. Unfortunately, the disability-inclusive images in these repositories often fall short of an acceptable minimum.
Christopher Reeve’s kids on love, loss and his life-changing accident: ‘He celebrated every single thing we did’ (theguardian.com)
Twenty years after their father died, his children are ready to tell his extraordinary story – from playing Superman to protesting against Pinochet, transforming disability rights and being a beloved parent and friend
Footage of Arizona police punching and tasering deaf Black man sparks outcry (theguardian.com)
Body camera video shows two Phoenix officers violently assaulting Tyron McAlpin, a deaf man with cerebral palsy
Unpaid carers welcome Liz Kendall’s plan to review benefit rules (theguardian.com)
Welfare secretary promised overhaul of carer’s allowance after overpayments scandal raised concern over injustices
Engineering to Enable – Felix’s Story (ablemagazine.co.uk)
Engineering to Enable is more than an expression; it summarises Brotherwood’s entire purpose.
‘A Fierce Kind of Love’ for People of All Abilities (americantheatre.org)
Suli Holum’s new play, presented by the Institute on Disabilities at Temple University, offers new perspective on living with a disability.
The Cutting-Edge Hearing Aids That You May Already Own (nytimes.com)
Apple is preparing to turn its AirPods Pro 2 into easy-to-use aids for people with mild to moderate hearing loss.
"Shared" CALL FOR ART! Open Door Gallery at the Worcester Art Museum (surveymonkey.com)
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Making story time accessible with Inside Ability Books (blindnewworld.org)
Krystle Boateng realized story time wasn't accessible for low-vision parents like her, so she wrote her own happy ending.
Representation is important in music (thedailytexan.com)
Senior columnist Emily Harrison explains the importance of deaf representation in music.
New Helsinki museum celebrates deaf history and culture (helsinkitimes.fi)
A new museum dedicated to the history and culture of Finland’s deaf community is set to open in Helsinki on October 22, 2024. The Deaf Museum’s exhibition space, located in the Valkea Talo building in Haaga, will offer visitors an immersive experience, with free entry for all. The museum’s new exhibition will focus on the history of Finnish sign language and the deaf community, using modern museum technology, including interactive displays and multimedia.
New comedy kicks the Special out of Special School (artsreview.com.au)
In an Australian first, Specials! - a disability-led play created by a Special School student about Special School, will be presented at Arts House on 8 & 12 October 2024.
With Record Special Ed Enrollment, Schools Face 'Dire' Shortage Of Trained Staff (disabilityscoop.com)
The nationwide teacher shortage is well documented. But another category of school workers — special education assistants — is also in alarmingly short supply.
Uber Launches Improvements To Boost Accessibility (disabilityscoop.com)
Uber is rolling out new features to assist riders with disabilities and is adding training for drivers to help better accommodate them.
States Told Not To Skimp On Medicaid Coverage For Kids With IDD (disabilityscoop.com)
Medicaid programs nationwide are supposed to offer certain services to children with developmental disabilities, but some states haven't been. Now, federal officials are amping up pressure to comply.
From Words to Practice (enil.eu)
The Global Coalition on Deinstitutionalisation (GC-DI) has been running a webinar series entitled ‘From Words to Practice’, aiming to unpack different chapters of the Guidelines on deinstitutionalisation, including in Emergencies. As part of the webinar series, the European Network on Independent Living (ENIL) is organising a thematic session focusing on Chapters I – III of the Guidelines, under the heading ‘Key concepts, definitions and values underpinning the process of deinstitutionalisation’.
‘I just want a job’: The challenge facing young disabled go-getters (bbc.co.uk)
Over the past five years, Elliot Caswell has let the BBC follow him as he searched for his first job after leaving college, but so far he’s faced nothing but barriers.
Disabled Women Share Their Surgery Must-Haves (mydiversability.com)
As a disabled person, surgery can be a part of your regular routine or a surprise inconvenience. Members of the Disability Leadership Collective share their must-haves as they prepare and recover for surgery.
Refusing me a mobility grant has lost me my independence (theguardian.com)
I need a complex driving solution, but don’t qualify for a wheelchair accessible vehicle
Celebrating 20 years of volunteer dedication (abilitynet.org.uk)
Les Fearns receives a Long Service Award for his wisdom, energy and support as an AbilityNet Tech Volunteer for two decades!
Daruma Movie (darumamovie.com)
In a still image from the movie DARUMA, actor Tobias Forrest who is a male #wheelchair user, sits across a long table from actor John Lawson, who is a double #amputee. Child actor Victoria Scott sits between them. Text on the graphic announces the theatrical screenings and VOD release of the movie.
The Cutting-Edge Hearing Aids That You May Already Own (nytimes.com)
Apple is preparing to turn its AirPods Pro 2 into easy-to-use aids for people with mild to moderate hearing loss.
Culxtured.com (culxtured.com)
Changing the narrative around para sport.
Smart Cane Gives the Blind Freedom to Explore (youtube.com)
Today, there are an estimated 10 million Americans who are either blind or visually impaired and 250 million people worldwide, many of whom use canes.
The Heights by Great Men (sirrobinmillar.substack.com)
Why is society still stuck in Victorian ideas about who is capable of achievement?