How Designing for Users With Disabilities Enhances UX
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
We wrote a children’s book (in german)
Hand-picked news about inclusion, accessibilty and innovation
How Designing for Users With Disabilities Enhances UX (builtin.com)
Being left out sucks. As the people building technology, we must create solutions that are accessible and pleasantly usable for everyone. Accessible design.
People with disabilities should also access quality education (chronicle.co.zw)
Bulawayo's most popular daily newspaper
Low Traffic Neighbourhoods and accessibility (ukparliament.shorthandstories.com)
Your experiences
Apple's new accessibility features: a game changer in health care (kevinmd.com)
Apple's new accessibility features, including eye tracking and music haptics, revolutionize health care by enhancing patient autonomy and improving the quality of care for individuals with disabilities.
Why making your business accessible is great for growth (londonlovesbusiness.com)
Unlock growth opportunities by making your business accessible. Learn why accessibility is crucial for attracting customers and driving revenue.
Digital Inclusion: Inside Tips from ADA-Compliant Companies (informationweek.com)
Many companies are still out of compliance with digital ADA guidelines. Here’s what’s at stake in getting it right -- and how to get started.
The WCAG 3 Working Draft update is ready for your review (w3.org)
The Accessibility Guidelines Working Group (AG WG) published an updated WCAG 3 Working Draft, which includes potential outcomes that the group is exploring.
RNIB launches checklist for improving accessibility of social posts (fundraising.co.uk)
The RNIB has launched a checklist to help users of social media improve the accessibility of their posts.
Mumbai's Inclusivity and Accessibility for the Disabled (youtube.com)
On this episode of Saving Mumbai, Sachin Kalbag talks to journalist and disability advocate Anusha Subramanian. They discuss the challenges faced by people with disabilities in accessing public spaces and the need for inclusivity in Mumbai. Anusha shares her experiences of organising outdoor activities for individuals with disabilities and highlights the importance of normalising disability in society. They also discuss the role of policy, awareness, and media in creating a more inclusive environment. Tune in to learn how we can make Mumbai a city for all.
iOS 18 accessibility features hailed as life-changing (9to5mac.com)
The iOS 18 accessibility features yesterday previewed by Apple have been hailed as “life-changing” by a disability campaigner.
Tietoevry survey reveals Nordic seniors' struggle with digital services (fintech.global)
A survey by Tietoevry has shed light on the digital accessibility experiences of elderly citizens aged 65 and over in Finland, Sweden, and Norway.
The lesson when designing for accessibility: Keep learning! (adnews.com.au)
Keep talking to your users.
Accessible Hospitality: Unlocking the Untapped Goldmine (costar.com)
Meeting the Needs of This Growing Segment Is a Must for Hoteliers
An Inside Look at Salesforce Product Accessibility (youtube.com)
Developing accessible software provides equal opportunity for everyone, and our Product Accessibility team is working to do just that. Find out how you can design accessibility and learn more about what we're working on.
A duty to shed light (disabilitydebrief.org)
Guide to recent disability news from 50 countries
Real People, Real Stories Episode 2, 2024: Pat Pound (tpgi.com)
Host, Mark Miller, speaks with Pat Pound about her life experiences, her advocacy, and her hobbies.
Restoring Vision: Making Whole Eye Transplantation a Reality (youtube.com)
Dr. Calvin Roberts discusses the ARPA-H program, THEA, Transplantation of Human Eye Allografts. This national program aims to bring together the expertise of vision scientists from multiple universities and laboratories to restore vision to those who are blind, by transplanting a donor eye.
Digital accessibility: Employees matter too (hsbc.com)
Customers are important, but companies must also consider their workforce when making their technology accessible, says Jared Clayton.
New homes must not only be available and affordable, they must be accessible, too (thestar.com)
Homes must be built to meet complex needs of all Canadians, as one in five identify as having one or more disabilities and many need accessibility features.
N.B. introduces legislation with goal of improving accessibility (atlantic.ctvnews.ca)
The New Brunswick government has introduced legislation with the goal of increasing accessibility and inclusivity.
Behind the scenes: Planning an accessible event (anthology.com)
This Global Accessibility Awareness Month (GAAD), we’re taking you behind the scenes of our event planning process, highlighting the steps we take to ensure accessibility and inclusivity at every stage. We spoke to Christine Connolly, Anthology’s senior director of global events, to learn more about what her team prioritizes to make sure every attendee has a successful Anthology Together, Anthology’s annual user conference that hosts thousands of attendees from around the world.
Mad Max: Fury Road was a pioneering portrayal of disability. Furiosa is a letdown (theconversation.com)
The film’s focus on Furiosa’s amputation exploits disability, and closes down the related commentary and critique previously expanded in each progressive Mad Max film.
Good Riddance to The Good Doctor (time.com)
The popular series was more of an amalgamation of non-autistic people’s misconceptions about autism than a nuanced exploration of what it’s like to be someone with autism.
Lessons from Judge David Tatel’s Guide Dog on Blindness and Vision (nytimes.com)
In a new memoir, a retired federal appeals court judge who was once a leading candidate for the Supreme Court reflects on candor and independence.
Scholarships & Awards (ndss.org)
Human Rights Organization for Individuals with Down syndrome
Adult Summit in Orange County (ndss.org)
Human Rights Organization for Individuals with Down syndrome
Wheelchair Fashion Model Alexandra Kutas Wants To Break The Chains of Social Discrimination (huffpost.com)
People with disabilities often face disadvantages as they navigate a world and society that doesn't always keep them in mind. However, as the world become more and more progressive, the conversation is beginning to change
22 random things that make me tired as a disabled woman (freyjaharalds.wordpress.com)
I am tired of often needing to value other people’s needs more than my own.
A Taste of ReelAbilities New York 2024 (equalentry.com)
Xian Horn said that from the beginning, ReelAbilities has centered the films around disabled voices. ReelAbilities invited Xian to speak in one of her first speaking gigs because they wanted someone with a disability to present.
Tech comes to the accessibility table (gadget.co.za)
Last week's Global Accessibility Awareness Day highlighted efforts - and lack thereof - at addressing disability in travel and entertainment, writes ARTHUR GOLDSTUCK.
Tone-deaf response to patients’ needs (theguardian.com)
Brief letters: Deaf people and the NHS | Bob Dylan concerts | Guardian divide | The right bra | Crossword clue
Labour must beware the pitfalls of its new towns policy (theguardian.com)
Letters: The party must ensure the benefits of significantly increased land values in the proposed areas for development are shared by all, says Miles Gibson. Plus letters from Christina McGill and Peter Waterman
Accessibility difference in education-related websites from developing and developed countries (itu.int)
In recent years, websites have become the key source of information for most people. There are several websites related to education, healthcare, government, e-commerce, and so on. These websites are used by a large population to access required information. Web content must meet the accessibility guidelines for websites to be accessible to all users, including people with different ranges of abilities across the globe. Thus, accessibility of the web is the prime facet of every website. This paper focuses on identifying accessibility differences in education boards or similar websites anchoring higher-level schools' leaving examinations. We have considered evaluating the accessibility of landing pages of 13 educational websites from a developing and developed group of countries. Six Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) tools from the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) were considered for evaluating each website. We have tabulated the results of each tool, highlighted the different accessibility issues for each website, and provided alternate suggestions that web developers can consider for resolve any issues. From the results we noted that the developing group of countries reported the maximum number of accessibility issues when compared to the developed group of countries. Selected webpages of developing and developed countries identified text contrast failures, and non-text contrast failures respectively. The education board websites of India and Japan were identified as having the maximum number of accessibility issues when compared to other selected websites.
Access For All: Navigating Reunions with a Disability (paw.princeton.edu)
Crowds, construction, hills, and heat. When tens of thousands of alumni and their families convene on Princeton’s campus for Reunions, many accessibility barriers arise.
Higher Ed Institutions Are Enhancing Accessibility with a Variety of Tech Tools (edtechmagazine.com)
Both new and familiar tools are helping colleges and universities ensure materials are written and designed appropriately.
Malhotra and Folkes: Universities, please stop treating accessibility as an afterthought (ottawacitizen.com)
News that a student with a wheelchair couldn't access the stage for his convocation reflects poorly on post-secondary education.
Student airplane accessibility project named finalist for international award (news.vt.edu)
Susan Sale and Mikayla Kaczmar, recent industrial design graduates, will travel to Hamburg, Germany, this week to represent their team from the Calhoun Honors Discovery Program and the United States in the university division of the Crystal Cabin Awards. For passengers who depend on wheelchairs, Virginia Tech’s project could be life changing.
N.B. law grad frustrated after being unable to cross stage at his own graduation (globalnews.ca)
A University of New Brunswick student said he couldn't cross the stage at his graduation due to a lack of accessible access to the stage.
Grad profile: Where space and accessibility meet (dal.ca)
Master of Planning graduate Yaba Osifo's experience as a person with a disability has fuelled her commitment to fostering accessibility in the built environment.
Santa Fe College’s DRC Drives Inclusivity and Accessibility (news.sfcollege.edu)
The Disabilities Resource Center (DRC) at Santa Fe College assists students with disabilities so they can fully participate in college life. They provide support for students with various disabilities and inform students, parents, teachers and staff about their rights and available services.
Student Accessibility and Support Services (sites.allegheny.edu)
Allegheny College complies with the provisions set forth in Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and the ADAAA of 2008 offering reasonable accommodations to qualified students with documented disabilities.
Proposed accessibility laws will help those 'being left behind,' says advocate (cbc.ca)
The province introduced legislation Friday that will set out accessibility standards in housing, transportation and more.
Disability advocates welcome accessibility legislation (919thebend.ca)
Disability advocates are welcoming new proposed accessibility legislation in New Brunswick.
'Makes everything easy': Australian Paralympic team uniform to include unique accessibility features (abc.net.au)
The official uniform for the Australian Paralympic team is unveiled at Australian Fashion Week, featuring accessibility modifications created in collaboration with the team.
Accessibility Standards Canada and Nova Scotia's Department of Justice connect to pave way toward a barrier-free Canada (finance.yahoo.com)
Accessibility Standards Canada and the Nova Scotia Department of Justice have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to collaborate in their work to develop accessibility standards. The agreement will improve efforts, coordination, and the sharing of resources dedicated to creating a Canada without barriers.
From floor tiles to urinals, making spaces more accessible in N.S. will cost millions (cbc.ca)
As Nova Scotia prepares to enact a new standard for buildings and public spaces, some institutions are learning the cost of these upgrades could stretch into the millions. While some provincial funding is available to help, it’s not clear that it’s enough.
Progress Over Perfection: How Singapore Pursues Inclusivity (tech.gov.sg)
In a world that is increasingly digital, leaving anyone behind is not an option. This is particularly true in Singapore, where we have a rapidly ageing population. In 2023, nearly one-fifth of Singapore’s population was elderly.
Unacceptable accessibility. UNB Law grad recounts inability to cross stage at own graduation (msn.com)
Blair Curtis was graduating from the University of New Brunswick with a Doctor of Law degree on Thursday but the ceremony was anything but ceremonial for Curtis, who had to go in front of the stage to accept his diploma rather than cross the stage like his friends.
Accessible tourism in Wales: Are we there yet? (research.senedd.wales)
The United Nations (UN) defines accessible tourism as the ongoing endeavour to ensure tourist destinations, products and services are accessible to all people, regardless of their physical limitations, disabilities or age. There are various areas of accessibility relevant to tourism. These include the physical accessibility of places, interpersonal communications and navigation of digital spaces. In this article we explore how accessible Wales is as a tourist destination.
Spain´s most accessible city (euroweeklynews.com)
Benidorm validated its 100 per cent inclusivity policy by presenting the Accessible Tourist Transport Development Plan on May 16.
Forced sterilizations for people with disabilities decried by members of Congress (southdakotasearchlight.com)
Three members of Congress introduced a resolution that’s intended to bring attention to the experiences and challenges people with disabilities face when it comes to reproductive rights.
Pressley, Duckworth, Murray, Advocates Unveil Bill Calling for Equitable Access to Reproductive Healthcare for People with Disabilities (pressley.house.gov)
Today, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07) and Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Patty Murray (D-WA), in partnership with disability justice and reproductive justice advocates, unveiled a bicameral resolution calling for equitable access to reproductive and sexual healthcare for people with disabilities, and designating a day in May as “Disability Reproductive Equity Day.”
Disability rights advocate says state senator with violent history shoved him at New York Capitol (nbcnews.com)
Michael Carey said his confrontation with Sen. Kevin Parker took place after he approached the senator before a committee meeting and asked him to co-sponsor a piece of legislation.
Zoovu Addresses Massive Gap in Ecommerce Accessibility by Enabling Brands to Easily Create Accessible Shopping Experiences at Scale (morningstar.com)
Zoovu, a leader in AI powered ecommerce product discovery, marked Global Accessibility Awareness Day by announcing its platform has recently released new tools and capabilities that allow enterprise ecommerce companies to create product discovery experiences that comply with level AA of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1.
The Washington Post expands accessibility to AI-read newsletters, enhancing user experience through audio (washingtonpost.com)
Digiday spotlights The Post’s addition of AI audio capabilities to the popular politics and policy “Briefs” newsletters
New updates to Disney’s Disability Accessibility Services now in effect. Here’s what has changed (clickorlando.com)
Changes to Disney’s Disability Accessibility Services went into effect.
Milwaukee's Cactus Club books ESG, Bully for fundraising concerts for accessibility effort (eu.jsonline.com)
Tickets for the summer concerts go on sale Friday, with proceeds going toward making the nearly 140-year-old Bay View building more accessible.
GitHub offers details on internal accessibility programs; amplifies voices of disabled devs (cxotoday.com)
GitHub celebrates Global Accessibility Awareness Day by launching another installment of the Coding Accessibility series and sharing how it scales accessibility within GitHub and beyond
May Mobility Awareness Month: On the path to making Atlanta’s parks accessible to all (saportareport.com)
Read May Mobility Awareness Month: On the path to making Atlanta’s parks accessible to all by Park Pride for SaportaReport here.
GBTA launches accessibility toolkit for... (travolution.com)
Online toolkit designed around industry best practices for more accessible business travel programmes in organisations
Governor Hochul Announces LIRR Copiague Station Now Fully Accessible (governor.ny.gov)
Governor Hochul announced the Copiague Long Island Rail Road Station is accessible to all in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Celebrating Deaf Culture: How 5 Leading Museums Approach Accessibility and ASL Year-Round (aam-us.org)
After I asked my husband to repeat himself multiple times in one conversation, he eventually turned to me and said, “You don’t hear anything I say. Please get your hearing checked.” I balked at his request and suggested that he speak “louder” and “clearer.” Hearing loss is not something one would experience in their thirties, right?
Dementia specialist contributes to accessibility drive in Scottish tourism (journalism.co.uk)
Dementia specialist Dr Carol Sargent has supported market research into accessible tourism in Scotland by introducing questions to support the dementia community. She is concerned the closure of tourism offices will have a negative impact
TD and March of Dimes Canada partner to improve online accessibility (finance.yahoo.com)
TD Bank Group (TD) and March of Dimes Canada have teamed up to integrate the TD Accessibility Adapter, an accessibility browser plug-in, across the March of Dimes Canada (MODC) footprint. This includes service users and MODC employees across Canada.
SMA Community Advocacy Results in Key Accessible Air Travel Win (curesma.org)
On May 16, after more than 2-years of advocacy and education by the SMA and disability communities, Cure SMA-supported legislation was signed into law making air travel safer and more accessible for all!
Call for lived experiences – WHO Commission on Social Connection (share.who-csc.org)
The WHO Commission on Social Connection is looking for individuals who have experienced social isolation and loneliness to share their stories, insights, and advice. We invite submissions from diverse groups, including people with disabilities, migrants, LGBTQI+ individuals, populations in remote settings, indigenous peoples, and those affected by humanitarian crises.
Merlin enhancing accessibility for deaf visitors at UK attractions (blooloop.com)
Merlin Entertainments is enhancing accessibility for deaf and hard of hearing guests at its attractions across the UK.
Adaptive Surf Project brings out dozens for disability surf clinic (wpde.com)
Saturday's weather didn't rain on the Adaptive Surf Project's parade, as dozens of volunteers and people with disabilities were in North Myrtle Beach surfing.
Amtrak completes accessibility upgrades at Tennessee station (progressiverailroading.com)
Amtrak has completed accessibility upgrades at Newbern-Dyersburg Station in Newbern, Tennessee.
Waterloo Road gets all accessibility options on BBC iPlayer (advanced-television.com)
Waterloo Road fans with sight or hearing loss will now be able to enjoy all 13 seasons of the show, as every episode has had subtitles, audio description, and sign language added on BBC iPlayer.
Neuralink approved to put a brain chip in another person (morningbrew.com)
Elon Musk’s neurotech company got FDA approval for another human patient.
Zoovu unveils platform tools to enhance compliance with new accessibility guidelines (enterprisetimes.co.uk)
Zoovu, a provider in AI powered eCommerce product discovery, has announced new tools and applications to its platform. The enhancements allow enterprise ecommerce companies to create product discovery experiences that comply with level AA of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1.
Accesstech Innovation Empowers Journalists On Digital Content Access (leadership.ng)
Accesstech Innovation and Research Centre has empowered journalists on digital content access, while partnering the media to cater for the people with disabilities.
Vision Australia Debuts On-Demand Digital Accessibility Training (miragenews.com)
New training offering brings digital accessibility expertise direct to users, targets common digital accessibility mistakes
Relumino Mode Enhances Accessibility on Galaxy Smartphones (smartphonemagazine.nl)
Samsung is dedicated to making digital content more accessible for individuals with visual impairments, and it has expanded the scope of its pioneering Relumino Mode by integrating the feature with the latest Galaxy S24 series of smartphones. This technology aims to bring a significant improvement to how content is experienced by visually impaired users by optimizing screen clarity and contrast.
Google Puts on its Gameface with Biometric Accessibility Tech (findbiometrics.com)
Google's Project Gameface, presented at last week's Google I/O event, represents a notable advancement in accessibility technology through the integration of biometric and facial recognition technologies.
EC FFA Members Build Handicap Accessible Garden Beds (wrbiradio.com)
East Central FFA members Kody Schilling and Aidan Roberts used their time in Period 6 Agricultural Structures, Fabrication and Design class to build four handicap accessible raised garden beds. The 3′ x 5′ beds are 26 inches tall to allow people in wheelchairs and others with mobility issues to stay involved in gardening. The project not only allows FFA members to learn practical skills in designing and building a project, but also allows them to participate in the The Bridging Horizons Community Service Contest in cooperation with the Indiana AgrAbility program.
Sea World Cruises Ensures Smooth Sailing For All Guests (miragenews.com)
Sea World Cruises is making sure the ocean and waters are available to everyone.
6 Microsoft classroom accessibility tools for Global Accessibility Awareness Day 2024 (educationblog.microsoft.com)
Celebrate Global Accessibility Awareness Day with these Microsoft Education tools. Learn how to leverage these six classroom accessibility tools for inclusive learning.
GBTA launches accessibility toolkit (businesstravelnewseurope.com)
The Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) Foundation has launched an Accessibility Toolkit to help address travel accessibility in policies and practices. The toolkit includes modules on travel policy, traveller communication, and supplier engagement. Some toolkit elements are public, but full access is limited to GBTA members. The launch follows a survey indicating that 4 in 10 business travellers have accessibility requirements, highlighting a lack of knowledge within the travel industry about traveller needs.
Paschall Access Solutions (accessiblepass.net)
Welcome to the home of Paschall Access solutions, we are the leaders of a new generation of blind computer users! PASS for short, our team is dedicated to the advancement, digital accessibility and success of all blind computer users, including our beloved seniors.
Updates to Adaptive Controller Coming Soon, Xbox Games and Development for Accessibility, Free Profile Badge (xboxera.com)
Announced last week during Global Accessibility Awareness Day, Microsoft continues to maintain their commitment to making their games accessible to all along with empowering developers of all to build accessible games and experiences. This includes making changes to the Xbox Adaptive Controller that allows it to have expanded USB support due to changes made to the console platforms preventing unauthorised devices from connecting earlier this year.
This page introduces Sony's activities for accessibility in Sony products & services.
Modular 'Proteus Controller' Xbox/PC Accessibility Controller Announced, Available for Pre-order (xboxera.com)
Accessory maker ByoWave and Microsoft last week announced a new accessibility controller that is set to come to the market later this year. Dubbed the ‘Proteus Controller’, this all-in-one Kit allows gamers to build their own way to play. The unique modular video game controller kit features innovative ‘snap and play’ parts that easily connect together and comes with everything that gamers need to play their favorite Xbox and PC games right out of the box.
Google I/O 2024: Google collaborates with Supergaming to bring AI-enabled gaming accessibility (g2g.news)
Google's annual developer conference, I/O 2024, held this week, brought announcements, including the unveiling of Android 15 and several artificial intelligence (AI) innovations.
How Airbnb Caters to Users with Low Vision with Accessible Text Resizing (infoq.com)
The Airbnb Tech Blog recently detailed how Airbnb enhances accessibility for users with vision difficulties. Through careful implementation of text resizing guidelines, Airbnb maintains web content, functionality, and a good user experience even as the text font size is doubled.
Benefits of role-playing games include accessibility, community (smanewstoday.com)
For columnist Kevin Schaefer, who lives with SMA, role-playing games have been one of the most accessible forms of gaming.
New Hellblade 2 post lays out full range of accessibility settings (pcgamesn.com)
Ahead of the Senua’s Saga Hellblade 2 launch Ninja Theory has shown off the game’s accessibility settings, with a ton of options to tweak.
XDefiant Accessibility Additions: All You Need To Know (turtlebeach.com)
XDefiant, the new FPS from Ubisoft has been in development for quite some time now, and while fans were anticipating a release date a few years back, we're now approaching that time.
AI Unlocks New Era of Video Gaming Accessibility (pymnts.com)
AI is transforming video games by automating and personalizing features to enhance accessibility for players with disabilities.
Four New Patents Join EA's Accessibility Pledge (mondaq.com)
Electronic Arts ("EA") continues to break down barriers, adding four more patents to its accessibility Patent Pledge.
‘Despite appearances, I finally realise I am not able-bodied’: author Daisy Lafarge on her ‘invisible’ disorder (theguardian.com)
The writer was 31 when she was diagnosed with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, an incurable genetic condition. She recalls the relief – and grief – of chronic health issues finally being given a name
How anxiety became a catchall for every unpleasant emotion (vox.com)
Here’s how to understand the difference between everyday anxiety and an anxiety disorder.
Do you have accessibility expectations? - SMA News Today’s YouTube (smanewstoday.com)
In a world that’s more accessible than ever, do you have expectations when a new store opens?
Hellblade 2: All Accessibility Options (mensjournal.com)
Every accessibility option in Senua's Saga: Hellblade 2 and where to find them.
Accessibility in Gaming (academic.oup.com)
Steve Andrews CITP MBCS reflects on the place of gaming in mainstream culture, the social model of disability and how the industry is working towards improving accessible design.
N.B. introduces first accessibility legislation (919thebend.ca)
It is being described by some disability advocates as a historic day for New Brunswick.
Teacher Shortage is Being Solved by this Retiring Superintendent (educatingalllearners.org)
The Hernando County School District is tackling the teacher shortage innovatively: the system, led by Superintendent John Stratton, has launched an on-the-job bachelor’s degree program for aspiring educators.
Higher Ed Institutions Are Enhancing Accessibility with a Variety of Tech Tools (educatingalllearners.org)
Technological tools, ranging from text-to-speech apps to audio-enhancing receivers, are being used more and more by schools to make content readily available to students with hearing and vision loss.
The AI Tools for Teachers Are Getting More Robust. Here’s How (educatingalllearners.org)
Big ed-tech players are adding generative artificial intelligence tools to existing products already popular in the K-12 world. While some educators and AI experts are excited, they say these new tools make the need for teacher training on AI even more urgent.
Members briefing on the European Disability Card and the European Parking Card (enil.eu)
The European Parliament has adopted the proposal for a directive on the European Disability Card. Later this year, the EU Council will cast its vote too. Since both legislative chambers agreed on a joint text in February, adoption is just a formality. ENIL has been involved in the discussions from the start and advocated for an ambitious Disability Card. Now it is time to evaluate.
ENIL presents policy proposals to the European Commission (enil.eu)
Today an ENIL delegation met with European Commission officials to present key policy proposals on Independent Living. As part of the European Strategy on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, the Commission is developing a Framework on Social Services of Excellence for Persons with Disabilities. This April, ENIL presented an extensive proposal to this Framework in the European Parliament.
New ‘Vision’ and Identity For Flourishing Partnership of Sight Loss Charities (pocklington.org.uk)
The collective partnership of eight of the leading charities in the sight loss sector, known as the VI Charity Sector Partnership, has re-launched under a new identity of the ‘Vision Partnership’.
Making an Inaccessible Hotel Room "Work" Through Improvisation (wheelchairtravel.org)
When a hotel room proved inaccessible to my wheelchair, I improvised and created a makeshift solution to critical accessibility barriers.
How Tourette’s impacts my life! (happysmilestraining.co.uk)
How Tourette’s impacts my life! Read about Tourette's Awareness Month in the eyes of one of our Inclusion Champion's Rayne.
Accessibility Debt — What is it? How to pay it off ??? (buttondown.email)
The accessibility paradigm shift from “yeah, eventually” to being included as part of “business as usual” usually derives from one of the following occurences
Consensus workshops: Assistive Products Repair [21 June 2024] - wheelchairs (disabilityinnovation.com)
The GDI Hub brings together academic excellence, innovative practice and co-creation; harnessing the power of technology for good.
Accessibility Club Summit 2024 (accessibility.club)
2-day community summit for developers, designers & accessibility enthusiasts, jointly run by a11y meetups from all over Europe · Jun 8th-9th, 2024 · Amsterdam, Netherlands
CSS Day 2024, 6th & 7th of June, Amsterdam (cssday.nl)
On 6th & 7th of June, 2024, the 10th anniversary edition of CSS Day is returning to Amsterdam.
Discover the ViennaUP 2024 programme (viennaup.com)
A unique experience, ViennaUP will meet participants with workshops, conferences, pitch sessions, and networking opportunities.
Webinar: The roadmap to accessibility maturity (deque.com)
Learn the essential steps in building, growing and maturing an impactful enterprise accessibility program from leading industry experts.
Guest Curator Shay Erlich (dancemakers.org)
When we put out a call in November 2023 for manual wheelchair dancers to be part of a residency for Shay Erlich’s Guest Curatorship, we didn’t know what to expect. Since then– we’ve learned so much! Join us for a discussion about manual wheelchair dance in Canada, dance sector needs, and how organizations like Dancemakers are learning to take cues from disability artists to build a strong and inclusive dance sector.
Art/Access Lab: Welcome Salon (highconceptlabs.org)
The event will begin with a short welcome and introduction to the Art/Access Lab series presented by HCL and UDF. The rest of the event will consist of short showings interspersed with time to mingle with fellow artists with disabilities.
Fire Through Dry Grass Screening with Sins Invalid (us06web.zoom.us)
Join us for a virtual screening of the POV/PBS documentary Fire Through Dry Grass, in partnership with Sins Invalid. Q&A to follow, moderated by Maria Palacios in conversation with the Reality Poets.
Open letter to the international disability rights community on Gaza (breakingthesilenceongaza.org)
It’s been more than 7 months since Israel’s most recent military assault on Gaza began, following the Hamas-led attack in Israel on October 7, in which 1139 people were killed and over 200 taken hostage. Since then, more than 35,000 Palestinians have been killed, including nearly 15,000 children. At least 19,000 children have been orphaned, and the entire population is experiencing or is at risk of famine. Israeli airstrikes have destroyed housing, hospitals, schools, universities, water and sanitation infrastructure, electrical plants, and businesses, reducing large parts of Gaza to rubble. All 2.3 million Gazans have been displaced, lost family members, friends, and livelihoods, enduring what the International Court of Justice is investigating as a plausible case of genocide.
I’m Autistic and Sick of Feeling Excluded from Queer Spaces (them.us)
"I do not exist as a fraction, and I cannot extricate my queerness from my autism."
Advocated: How Disabled Activists Are Shaping Climate Justice (play.prx.org)
People with disabilities are disproportionately affected by climate change yet often sidelined from policy conversations. Anita marks Earth Day by meeting three disability activists working to turn the tides. They share how their lives and bodies have been impacted by global warming — and how their wisdom could shift climate conversations.
Department drive to make Ireland’s nightlife inclusive for people with disabilities (gov.ie)
The Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, Catherine Martin TD, today announced the launch of a new Night-Time Economy accessibility survey. This is in support of Action 7 in the Report of the Night-Time Economy Taskforce which highlighted the need for awareness raising about the challenges people with disabilities face when socialising or working at night.
Unexpected Shape Writing Academy (esmewang.com)
online memoir writing school, memoir writing classes, online memoir writing classes, online nonfiction writing classes
Today, ‘disability justice is reproductive justice’ — but that hasn’t always been the case (19thnews.org)
The announcement of the Disability Reproductive Equity Act marks a new chapter in disability history.
Almost no recorded cases of disability benefit fraud despite DWP crackdown: 'PIP fraud is a non-issue' (bigissue.com)
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has released new statistics showing that fraud in the disability benefits system is a "non-issue"
'It makes me want to scream': PIP changes could be 'tragic' for disabled people, DWP warned (bigissue.com)
As the government officially publishes its proposed changes to personal independence payment (PIP), campaigners, charities and MPs react.
PIP changes: What is the government planning with the disability benefits system? (bigissue.com)
We explain the latest proposed changes to PIP which the DWP is set to announce ahead of a 12-week consultation.
Accessibility Interview Questions (buttondown.email)
So, you got permission to bring an accessibility subject matter expert on board. What accessibility-related questions do you ask candidates to figure out if they actually know what they are doing, especially if you are not an accessibility subject matter expert yourself?
Accessibility is not an “add-on” service (buttondown.email)
Every week I get a handful of unsolicited LinkedIn messages from people/companies I’ve never heard of, almost always from outside the US. They claim to be the best accessibility testing company out there.
Accessibility Fail Fast — Execution (buttondown.email)
A smoke test is a non-exhaustive set of tests that check to see if critical functions work. The end goal of smoke testing is a decision on whether the build is of sufficiently decent quality to proceed with investing more time in it. Automated tests don’t always cover all critical functions, but they are fast to execute and fairly easy to interpret. Chances are if large chunks of automated test behavior are failing, not a lot of attention was paid to accessibility requirements during any part of the development process. Expect about 30 % coverage from your accessibility automated test suite.
Accessibility Fail Fast Testing Prep (buttondown.email)
While Thomas Edison never had to deal with the internet (or accessibility !), his principle of “learning from failure” is one commonly used in software projects today.
Facebook refused to take down fake account, says TikTok star (theguardian.com)
Grace Wolstenholme tried to persuade Meta to take down the fraudulent page, which was trying to make money by copying her posts, for five months
Feature: Reading accessibility opens world to people with visual impairments in Yunnan (english.news.cn)
A group of 10 students from the Kunming school for visually impaired and nonspeaking people in southwest China's Yunnan Province walked onto the stage of a national reading event to perform for their audience late last month. And they received warm applause from the audience.
Accessibility issues facing Laois residents heard at local election husting event in Portlaoise (leinsterexpress.ie)
The severe lack of accessible taxis, the inaccessible lift in Laois' brand new €7.6 million library in Portlaoise, the new high kerbs on the Dublin Road, Portlaoise which people in wheelchairs can't access, were among the topics covered during a lively discussion at Irish Wheelchair Association's Local Election Hustings in Portlaoise on Tuesday.
White Rock council delays accessibility mat for pier, opts to wait for grants (globalnews.ca)
Accessibility advocates and White Rock city council are not seeing eye to eye on making the pier more accessible.
PWDs want inclusion in transport, mobility discussions by govt, innovators (kbc.co.ke)
Nominated Senator Crystal Asige has called on the government to include people living with disabilities in policy formulation in matters of transport and mobility.
Only 3 of 10 Toronto beaches are accessible. Advocates say all should be (cbc.ca)
The City of Toronto says only three of its 10 supervised swimming beaches have accessibility features for people with disabilities. Advocates want to see that number expand, with accessibility consistent across the board.
Nagaland: ‘Church must do more to promote disability inclusion’ (morungexpress.com)
State Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities (PwDs), Diethono Nakhro stated that the Church can do better to promote disability inclusion, given its influence on the masses.
Sidewalks, buses, and taxis still present obstacles to accessibility for disabled individuals (macaubusiness.com)
Macau, MNA, MNA Featured | Several association leaders recognise that accessibility in Macau has improved significantly, but there are still numerous obstacles on sidewalks and public transport for people with disabilities.
Paralysed man circumnavigating the UK wants disabled people to access the sea (itv.com)
A quadriplegic man who is circumnavigating the UK in a specially adapted boat says it's his dream to make the sea more accessible to other people who are disabled.
An architect’s ‘vision’ for inclusivity (newindianexpress.com)
Kavya Poornima Balajepalli emphasised her utilisation of architectural expertise to promote universal accessibility and disability inclusion.
‘Help people feel empowered’: Oshawa students dream of new, accessible solutions (durhamregion.com)
Students at Oshawa’s Kedron Public School had a chance to dream up practical accessibility solutions with a new 3D printing project.
Paris 2024: Paralympics 'shame' in lack of Metro disabled access (bbc.com)
Charity says lack of work to improve access to Paris's Metro ahead of Games is "scandalous".
Lawmaker wants tourist sites made accessible to PWDs, seniors (qa.philstar.com)
To boost the country’s tourism, House Deputy Speaker and Las Piñas Rep. Camille Villar wants tourist destinations to be accessible to senior citizens and people with disabilities (PWDs).
Accessibility Equals Inclusion (themeafordindependent.ca)
Next week is National AccessAbility Week, an initiative that shines a bright light on the importance of accessibility for all, identifying areas for improvement, and celebrating the progress that has been made in recent years.
Survey over night life accessibility for wheelchair users (rte.ie)
A new survey aims to hear about the challenges facing wheelchair users and people with disabilities in their social lives across towns and cities, so that practical solutions can be put in place to make night life accessible for all.
Waterfront Park: A place for everyone. Accessible features and connections that support visitors of all abilities (sdotblog.seattle.gov)
Waterfront Park is designed to ensure everyone feels welcome so it can be enjoyed by all. It is a waterfront created for all people, as a place to meet and engage with each other, a place to reconnect with the natural environment and a place to laugh and play.
Making streets and sidewalks more ADA accessible starts with a plan (wbez.org)
Chicago may have high quality transit, cycling, and walkability infrastructure. But those with mobility issues can run into problems.
Why Accessibility MUST Be A Priority For Industries To Unlock An Underserved Market In 2024 (hrnews.co.uk)
Accessibility has finally become a top priority for progressive customer-facing industries in their 2024 strategies. Not only is it a moral imperative to ensure that the more than 16 million people identified as disabled and their families can access products and services, but it also opens up opportunities for businesses to capitalise on a disability market that has historically been underserved.
Mystery Shopping: Why Genuine Experiences Matter in Accessibility (accessiblelink.substack.com)
Facing the reality is always a good start.
Law focuses on accessibility issues at Iowa's state parks (radioiowa.com)
Lawmakers have directed the Iowa Natural Resources Commission to review how accessible state parks are to people with disabilities and recommend improvements. Governor Kim Reynolds signed the bill into law late this afternoon at Big Creek State Park.
How Hoteliers Can Adapt to the Evolving Needs of Website Accessibility (costar.com)
Lack of Online Features, Written Descriptions Creates Liability Exposure
Kozinski doesn't let a disability get her down, strives for dream of working with children (eu.bucyrustelegraphforum.com)
“We are all capable of achieving just about anything that we put our minds to,” Gabby Kozinski said. “That we are just like anyone else.”
Man sues Land of A Thousand Hills Coffee Shop, LLC for ADA Violation over Digital Accessibility (cookcountyrecord.com)
A visually impaired man, Holger Fiallo, has sued Land of A Thousand Hills Coffee Shop, alleging that their digital properties are not accessible to visually impaired individuals. The lawsuit emphasizes the importance of digital accessibility in the post-pandemic era.
Wise Blue Yonder provides options for travelers with limited mobility (minnpost.com)
Jen Roth started Wise Blue Yonder to provide travel solutions for seniors and travelers with limited mobility.
ADHD diagnoses are rising. 1 in 9 U.S. kids have gotten one, new study finds (npr.org)
ADHD is an ongoing and expanding public health concern, according to researchers studying the disorder. One million more U.S. children were diagnosed in 2022 compared to 2016, a new study shows.
Transit, housing initiatives highlight accessibility concerns for disabled community (austinmonitor.com)
Advocates for disabled people in Austin want to ensure upcoming major changes to the local transportation network and housing market don’t exclude those with physical, visual or hearing impairments.
Connect the Dots Sets the Stage for The Dot Experience (aph.org)
Churchill Downs, Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory, Muhammad Ali Center, and many more are on a long list of attractions that draw people from around the world to Louisville, KY. Here at APH we are working hard to add another destination to that list! Designed with an unprecedented set of applied inclusive design standards that puts disability access front and center, The Dot Experience aims to be the most accessible museum in the world. Even though The Dot Experience won’t open until 2026, there is still a great need for education about the world of blindness and low vision, which is where Connect the Dots comes into play. “While we bring our innovative, inclusively designed experience to life in Louisville at APH, we are engaging simultaneously in grassroots community programming through Connect the Dots powered by PNC Foundation,” said Jo Haas, VP of Advancement, and The Dot Experience. “We didn’t want the public to have to wait for our building and exhibits to be finished, so we created this series of family festivals to bring The Dot Experience ethos of ‘touch everything’ and its stories of individuals who are blind and low vision to our community libraries in the meantime.” Leading up to the official opening, children and adults will begin learning, understanding, and even applying this new perspective about blindness to creating a better world for all.
On May 23rd, 2024, Rep. Pressley, Sen. Duckworth, and others announced the release of a new resolution to identify a day in May as Disability Reproductive Equity Day. This resolution will recognize the reproductive and sexual health needs of disabled people and push for congress and the administration to do more to ensure equitable access to resources and services. In solidarity with this important resolution the U.S. Gender and Disability Justice Alliance is proud to introduce our storytelling project on disabled people’s access to sexual and reproductive healthcare and gender affirming healthcare, which will be proudly featured on this blog.
ABLE today: National Presentation and Introduction on ABLE Accounts (us02web.zoom.us)
It's been ten years since The Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Act was signed into law! Join the National Down Syndrome Society on National 529 Day to celebrate and learn more about the history of ABLE! We are honored to have as our speaker, Eric Ochmanek, Program Director for ABLE today at the National Association of State Treasurers (NAST). ABLE Accounts can be an incredibly meaningful tool in planning and providing financial stability for individuals with Down syndrome and/or other disabilities. We look forward to seeing you on 5.29!
Graduation — Disability Pride (fakequity.com)
Carrie Basas returns with a guest blog post. Carrie delivered a graduation address at Harvard at the Disability Affinity Ceremony. She joins a storied league of graduation speakers imparting knowledge and hope to the next generation of ambassadors, doulas, and firestarters.
'It's pretty outrageous': Deaf community lobbies for cinema captions (abc.net.au)
Going to the cinema is an outing many people don't think twice about. But for the Deaf and hard-of-hearing, there are barriers preventing that enjoyment.
AXS Film Fund – Breaking Barriers for unheard voices (axsfilmfund.org)
AXS Film Fund Committed to empowering creators of color living with disabilities Breaking Barriers for unheard voices Committed to empowering creators of color living with disabilities Nothing about us without us.
New Disabled South: In Conversation (eventbrite.com)
A conversation on disability and voting access, moderated by Brittany Packnett-Cunningham.
High School Student with Disability Felt 'Robbed' After Having to Sit in Audience for Graduation (people.com)
Kennedy Lee says that she and two other graduating students with disabilities were relegated to sitting in the audience instead of with the rest of the graduating class.
On this date in 1889, Laura Bridgman died (deafnewstoday.com)
About 20 years before Helen Keller’s education, Laura Bridgman became first deaf-blind American to gain a significant education in the English language. The two were connected through Bridgman's friend Anne Sullivan who became Helen Keller's teacher and aide.
Attitudes - about disability (powerd.media)
The Attitudes podcast is the brainchild of Attitude Foundation, in collaboration with Northcott to bring life and depth to conversations and topics about disability. Former Attitude Foundation CEO and disability advocate, Angel Dixon OAM is joined by guests to unpack personal and societal attitudes towards disability, their impact on people with disability and how to move closer to inclusion. Using statistics uncovered in the 2021 national survey into community attitudes towards disability, the series complements the numbers with first-hand stories.
Disability and humour: Comic or tragic? (maltatoday.com.mt)
How can disability, traditionally viewed as a tragic and pitiable phenomenon, be associated with humour? Can persons with disabilities produce and appreciate humour?
Addressing my internalised ableism (myblurredworld.com)
I've contended with internalised ableism for as long as I can remember. Here are just a few things that help me to address it.
Being a mother to a child with a disability (havewheelchairwilltravel.net)
Motherhood isn't all Hallmark moments especially when dealing with the challenges of parenting a child living with a disability.
Marc Brew and Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui: An Accident/A Life review – brutal and tender (theguardian.com)
Brew revisits the car crash at the beginning of his ballet career that killed his three companions and left him paraplegic
NHS England accused of ‘dragging its feet’ on new accessibility procedures (theguardian.com)
Hearing loss charities say deaf people struggling to access healthcare and facing cancelled appointments
I did ‘fit for work’ tests for the DWP. Here’s what I found (theguardian.com)
Letters: Dr Giles Youngs says it was hard to assess claimants’ fitness for work, especially when it came to their mental health. Plus a letter from Ian Henderson
New Law Requires Airlines To Better Assist Travelers With Disabilities (disabilityscoop.com)
People with disabilities are poised to see big improvements when traveling by air thanks to a host of changes tucked inside a massive reauthorization of federal aviation programs.
Delta to debut cabin accessibility designs at AIX (aircraftinteriorsinternational.com)
Delta Flight Products (DFP), a subsidiary of Delta Air Lines, has revealed plans to present several accessibility-focused products at Aircraft Interiors Expo (AIX) in Hamburg next week, including two seats that allow customers to remain in their own wheelchair for the entire journey, and an accessible lavatory design which accommodates entry of an onboard wheelchair and up to two attendants. All three products have been designed in collaboration with the PriestmanGoode studio.
Understanding the Galaxy features that bridge accessibility gaps: Relumino, TalkBack, Live Captions (phonearena.com)
Samsung makes cutting-edge hardware – if you described the Galaxy S24 Ultra to anyone ten, let alone twenty years ago, they'd be mind blown. The Korean giant, however, also makes dedicated, human-centric Galaxy innovations that help people of all abilities with their day-to-day experiences.
Apple announces raft of accessibility updates to enhance independence for disabled people (attoday.co.uk)
Technology giant Apple has announced new accessibility features coming later this year that are designed to make its products easier to navigate for disabled people.
Google Announces A Slew Of Accessibility Updates At I/O Conference, More This Week (forbes.com)
The Mountain View-based tech titan shared a bunch of accessibility-focused news spanning its Google I/O developer conference and Global Accessibility Awareness Day.
Accessibility Charlatans (buttondown.email)
Many IT and diversity/inclusion professionals are now advertising themselves as digital accessibility subject matter experts without any relevant credentials...
Accessibility Checklists — Just say No (buttondown.email)
There are so many articles touting themselves as general “accessibility checklists” that I’ve lost track. Even respected organizations like W3C and WebAIM have published them. WCAG 2.1 triggered the authoring of a slew of new checklists. Consultancies post checklists partially to try and prove that they are subject matter experts and partially to scare companies into thinking, “Wow, this is complicated; I need to hire a consultant.” There is one author who appears to be in the process of posting a general accessibility checklist for every…single … US state.
Accessibility certifications: separating what IS good from what just sounds good (buttondown.email)
People are increasingly posting that they (or their products) have recently received a certificate in some accessibility-related topic. Even more so, people from outside of the United States are posting certificates as “proof” that their skill sets include an understanding of American accessibility requirements. These posts are frequently followed by congratulatory messages by people who don’t really understand what the certificate means or what work it entailed.
Accessibility Bingo (buttondown.email)
I picked the 25 most annoying and impactful #AccessibilityFail behaviors that I could think of and organized them into a bingo card.
Accessibility best practices for screenreader testing (buttondown.email)
Chart description: The results of the annual WebAIM survey from 2019 shows the trendlines for Voiceover, NVDA, and JAWS as primary screen reader from 2009 to 2019.
Virtual reality games helping UK’s deaf children to understand speech (theguardian.com)
Scientists have found that immersing kids in computer games can train their brains to localise sounds better
The wellness industry is ableist (lucywebster.substack.com)
My friend Charlie is doing my care today, which is always lovely. As it happens, she is also a massage therapist, and she comes over every couple of weeks to provide me some much needed R&R - and pain relief. In fact, she specialises in massage for disabled people, providing an accessible, inclusive service. Unsurprisingly, then, one of our favourite things to chat about is ableism in the wellness industry.
This week in accessibility: NFB v. EPIC (buttondown.email)
Recently, a Massachusetts district court decided in favor of a defendant who sold inaccessible software and dismissed a suit against them that was filed by the National Federation of the Blind.
Uber, CVS, and Rite Aid in the news over disability discrimination (buttondown.email)
Rite Aid settled a case last week with the Department of Justice, which required them to make their COVID portal and web pages accessible and commit to training and ongoing efforts to keep the data accessible. This was the first time in more than six years that the DOJ had undertaken such a case. It was hoped by the disability rights community that this case was a sign of a more active presence by the DOJ in disability discrimination cases.
5th European Parliament of Persons with Disabilities 2023 (youtube.com)
The European Parliament of Persons with Disabilities took place on 23 May 2023 and reunited over 700 disability advocates, policymakers and other stakeholders. It was hosted at the hemicycle of the European Parliament in Brussels, and it served as a platform to discuss the rights of persons with disabilities and decided on the political demands of the European Disability Movement.
European elections 2024: all you need to know (elections.europa.eu)
Elections for the European Parliament take place 6-9 June 2024. Find out what they are, how to vote and why. Pledge to vote and check out the results.
Voters of Europe (edf-feph.org)
"Tamara Byrne is a self-advocate working for Inclusion Ireland and representing persons with intellectual disabilities in the EDF Youth Committee. In this testimonial, Tamara talks about her experiences with voting and explains how important it is for Europe to listen to the voices of persons with disabilities."
Persons with Disabilities: 10 reasons to vote in these European elections (edf-feph.org)
“What has the EU ever done for me? Why should I vote in the European elections?”
5th European Parliament of Persons with Disabilities 2023 (youtube.com)
The European Parliament of Persons with Disabilities took place on 23 May 2023 and reunited over 700 disability advocates, policymakers and other stakeholders. It was hosted at the hemicycle of the European Parliament in Brussels, and it served as a platform to discuss the rights of persons with disabilities and decided on the political demands of the European Disability Movement.
Voters of Europe: Mathilde Cotman (edf-feph.org)
Mathilde knows politics. She grew up with a mother involved in a political party, meeting a few personalities here and there. At home, she heard a lot about politics. Now, at 29 years old, she is preparing to vote for the second time.
Signatories of the Pledge for candidates in the EU elections 2024 (edf-feph.org)
Building an inclusive future for persons with disabilities
Executive Summary – EDF Human Rights Report on legal capacity: Personal choice and control (edf-feph.org)
Legal capacity is a fundamental human right, enabling individuals to make decisions and exercise control over their lives. Despite the ratification of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) by all European Union (EU) member states, many persons with disabilities continue to face significant barriers in exercising their legal capacity.
Elections, legal capacity and enforcement of EU law: our General Assembly 2024 (edf-feph.org)
Around 100 participants gathered in Ljubljana, Slovenia on the 11 and 12 May 2024 for our Annual General Assembly. We thank our member the Slovenian National Disability Council – NSIOS – for the support in organising it. The General Assembly was preceded by the conference “Technology in employment. A step towards inclusion“.
Slovenian Prime Minister discusses priorities for disability rights (edf-feph.org)
A delegation from the European disability movement met Slovenian Prime Minister Robert Golob on 10 May, on the occasion of the European Disability Forum’s General Assembly in Slovenia. The delegation, led by our President Yannis Vardakastanis and the Slovenian National Disability Council’s President Mateja Toman, discussed how Slovenia could fulfil its commitment to disability rights and the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
How can technology support employment of persons with disabilities? (edf-feph.org)
Over 200 participants attended our conference “Technology in employment. A step towards inclusion” that took place on 11 May in Ljubljana, Slovenia.
Gender Mainstreaming Toolkit 2024 (edf-feph.org)
Gender and disability are two key issues that for a long period, have been promoted separately by disability and feminist advocates. However, women with disabilities face discrimination based on being women, and also their disability. How do we ensure that all EDF’s disability rights work fully includes women, and advances their rights?
EDF’s Enforcement Toolkit (edf-feph.org)
The aim of this toolkit is to provide persons with disabilities and their representative organisations with an overview of the remedy mechanisms that they can use when they experience or identify a breach of their rights as contained in EU Law and clarify which one is the most appropriate for each circumstance. Since enforcement is a combined effort of both European and National bodies, this toolkit makes a distinction between these two administrative and judicial levels.
EU Directive on combating violence against women: specific improvements on disability (edf-feph.org)
The European Union formally adopted its very first law on combating violence against women on 7 May.
EU adopts standards for equality bodies (edf-feph.org)
The European Union has officially adopted laws on standards for equality bodies in May 2024.
Council of the EU discusses equality, women’s rights and EU candidate for the CRPD Committee (edf-feph.org)
On 7 May, EU Ministers held the first meeting of the Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council (EPSO) dedicated entirely to equality issues. The agenda included the adoption of standards for equality bodies and on combating violence against women, a discussion on equal treatment directive, a policy debate on women’s rights and a host of other topics related to equality, including the EU candidate for the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
Vetting accessibility vendors (buttondown.email)
It used to be there were just a handful of major accessibility vendors in the game. SSB Bart Group (now Level Access), Deque, and Cryptzone (now Cyxtera)
VMware’s First Accessibility Hackathon (buttondown.email)
The first week in February 2020, marked VMware’s first accessibility week which consisted of an accessibility summit followed immediately by an accessibility hackathon.
Using plain language is essential for content accessibility (buttondown.email)
When writing for your audience, it’s essential to keep things simple at the lowest common denominator for your audience. If your audience is all Ph.D. candidates, language can be complex and require a college education to understand. But if your audience is average Americans, you are asking for comprehension trouble if your content requires a college degree to understand, synthesize, and act on.
Twitter and Inaccessible “Voice Notes” (buttondown.email)
Once upon a time (in tech, this is maybe 2–3 years ago), Twitter actually cared about accessibility. For a while, they were the preferred social media platform for people with disabilities, primarily because their framework functioned well with screen readers, and competing social media was awful.
Transitioning from being a manager to an individual contributor (buttondown.email)
Nine months ago, I was presented with a choice. My job responsibilities had grown beyond the ability of one person to manage the role. Even though I thought I was OK, my management was concerned about me burning out. The first question they asked me was, would I be interested in splitting my job into two pieces? A choice followed that question.
Toxic Positivity and Disabilities (buttondown.email)
My friend Debbie Levitt wrote an article about COVID-19 spam. I’ve only known Debbie for a few months, but our views on accessibility are identical and I feel like we can finish each other’s sentences on that topic at this point. While I’ve pretty much gotten the same types of emails as her (maybe not QUITE as many), as a disabled woman, there is one aspect to these emails that I find particularly grating, and that is toxic positivity.
Top 10 disability and accessibility TED talks and Videos (buttondown.email)
I get pinged a lot by people asking for accessibility resources. Some accessibility resources are easy to find because they contain the words “assistive technology” or “WCAG”. But some of the most important accessibility resources don’t contain the magic buzz phrases. They just contain amazing content that leaves you with a dopamine brain rush at the end of the video, thinking, “Aha, I finally get it !”
To Disclose, or not to Disclose (buttondown.email)
This article is not legal advice. If you have questions about how disclosing a disability can impact you legally, ask your attorney, who is most definitely not me.
This Week in Accessibility: The latest in the multi-year Harvard/MIT closed captioning saga (buttondown.email)
Video window displaying beige cartoon female cartoon and automatically-generated caption “amber online like in real life you’re on the hook” which makes no sense whatsoever as either an English sentence or an explanation for the graphic or what the graphic is supposed to be saying.
When Driving Is Not an Option (disability-visibility-newsletter.ghost.io)
Hello kind humans! What's the future of transportation? Whatever it looks like it should include people who don't drive. I'm pleased to offer 5 paperback copies of When Driving Is Not an Option: Steering Away from Car Dependency by Anna Letitia Zivarts published by Island Press. You can also read this piece by Anna Letitia Zivarts and Cecelia Black, "Robotaxis Won’t Get Us There, So Let’s Stop Being Used to Sell a Future that Doesn’t Serve Us" from my website Disability Visibility Project. Details below.
This Week in Accessibility: White v. Square (buttondown.email)
It’s not an accessibility case. White is a bankruptcy lawyer who was attempting to access Square’s internet-based services and was blocked by doing so because Square’s terms and conditions specifically refused to provide Square’s services to bankruptcy-related customers. It is a “standing” case as well, meaning the decision is only about whether or not the plaintiff had the right to sue, not about the facts of the case itself.
This Week in Accessibility: What we can learn from the “WebAIM Million” (buttondown.email)
This week being the syzygy of accessibility conferences, WebAIM took the opportunity to publish its accessibility analysis of the top one million web pages consisting of home pages from 730 unique top-level domains, .com (521,316), .org (76,489), and .net (39,757) being the most common and 6,010 distinct .edu home pages.
This week in accessibility: Robles v. Domino’s (buttondown.email)
The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals came out with a ruling in Robles v. Domino’s on January 15th, 2019. This case was yet another standard accessibility class action lawsuit, with a twist.
We Have Some Exciting News!!! (happysmilestraining.co.uk)
We Have Some Exciting News!!! We have won the Scope Awards for Community Group in the Scope Awards 2024!
What are your thoughts on abbreviated medical terms? (happysmilestraining.co.uk)
Read about our week, including asking the team the question ‘What are Your thoughts on abbreviated medical terms?’
How can medical professionals help make your hospital appointments feel less stressful? (happysmilestraining.co.uk)
Read about our week, including asking the team members ‘What can medical professionals do to give you less anxiety and stress when you are attending hospital appointments?’
Steven Spohn: I Am Not Your Plot Device (terribleminds.com)
As a child, I never really got to “see myself” on-screen in the same way that other children did in Superman, Batman or Xena.
Senator Duckworth "not at all confident" she could safely evacuate airplane (wheelchairtravel.org)
U.S. Senator and wheelchair user Tammy Duckworth accused the FAA of overlooking disabled people in airplane emergency standards and testing.
DBSV verabschiedet Appell gegen rechtsextreme Kräfte (dbsv.org)
Der DBSV hat heute auf seinem Verbandsrat in Düsseldorf den folgenden Appell verabschiedet.
Review: Opportunities & Barriers to Independent Living in Europe (enil.eu)
We heard from three leading disability studies researchers – Dr Agnes Turnpenny and Dr Gabor Petri from TÁRKI Social Research Institute, and Dr Miro Griffiths from the Centre for Disability Studies, University of Leeds. The webinar was organised with the help of Dr Lilia Angelova-Mladenova and Ines Bulić Cojocariu and was facilitated by Dr Teodor Mladenov.
Advertising Disability (taylorfrancis.com)
Advertising Disability invites Cultural Disability Studies to consider how advertising, as one of the most ubiquitous forms of popular culture, shapes attitudes
It’s Past Time To Address Reproductive Equity for Disabled People (americanprogress.org)
Advocacy groups and policymakers have long ignored reproductive rights and equity for disabled people, which is why it is essential to bring these issues to the forefront.
Forced sterilizations for people with disabilities decried by members of Congress • Iowa Capital Dispatch (iowacapitaldispatch.com)
Three members of Congress introduced a resolution Thursday to bring attention to reproductive rights for people with disabilities.
Access Above All (yesmagazine.org)
Disabled people know the health care system is hostile. But it doesn’t have to be.
Racial and gender disparities among highly successful medical crowdfunding campaigns (sciencedirect.com)
There has been growing recognition of the popularity of medical crowdfunding and research documenting how crowdfunding arises from, and contributes to, social and health inequities. While many researchers have surmised that racism could well play a role in medical crowdfunding campaign outcomes, research on these dynamics has been limited. No research to date has examined these dynamics among the most successful medical crowdfunding campaigns, focusing instead on average users’ experiences or specific patient subpopulations. This paper analyzes key characteristics and demographics of the 827 most successful medical crowdfunding campaigns captured at a point in time in 2020 on the popular site GoFundMe, creating the first demographic archetype of “viral” or highly successful campaigns. We hypothesized that this sample would skew towards whiter, younger populations, more heavily represent men, and reflect critical illnesses and accidents affecting these populations, in addition to having visually appealing, well-crafted storytelling. Analysis supported these hypotheses, showing significant levels of racial and gender disparities among campaigners. While white men had the greatest representation, Black and Asian users, and black women in particular, were highly underrepresented. Like other studies, we find evidence that racial and gender disparities persist in terms of campaign outcomes as well. Alongside this quantitative analysis, a targeted discourse analysis revealed campaign narratives and comments reinforced racist and sexist tropes of selective deservingness. These findings add to growing calls for more health research into the ways that social media technologies shape health inequities for historically marginalized and disenfranchised populations. In particular, we underscore how successful crowdfunding campaigns, as a both a means of raising funds for health and a broader site of public engagement, may deepen and normalize gendered and racialized inequities. In this way, crowdfunding can be seen as a significant technological amplifier of the fundamental social causes of health disparities.
Hug (haveyoutriedwalkinglately.wordpress.com)
Have you ever really thought about hugs? As in, the act of giving or receiving a hug, not necessarily why it is happening (although that’s really important, obviously). It hope you haven’t thought about it too much.
My Work Experience at Active Hands (activehands.com)
My name is Asher Burley, and I have joined the team at Active Hands for work experience. I am hoping to learn about the financing of a company and how the marketing is done. I want to know how companies manage their products and advertise them in a way that they can be seen and appreciated by so many. This was a perfect opportunity to find this out.
Disability and film: 19 animation and anime characters with disabilities (disabilityhorizons.com)
For years films and television programs have failed to represent people with disabilities. From blockbuster sci-fi films to hard-hitting dramas, disabled characters rarely get a look in. But what about animation films and characters for kids? Our writer Raya, a self-confessed animation film fan, wanted to find out.
Stuttering in the Workplace: Confronting Discrimination and Promoting Inclusion (westutter.org)
Learn how stuttering can impact job seekers and the strategies they use to navigate the interview process with confidence.
CinemAbility Outtake: Me Before You (2016) (youtube.com)
CinemAbility: The Art of Inclusion reveals a compelling and often amusing look at the history of disability portrayals in entertainment.
Rochester mom building community of parents raising kids with special needs (kimt.com)
Jessica Olson started her business Life with Extra Heart to support parents like herself with children with disabilities.
Paralympics 24: Tonbridge girl, 13, is youngest GB swimmer (bbc.com)
Iona Winnifrith, from Tonbridge, will compete in the 100m breaststroke in Paris in August.
Comedy Show Touring Australia in 2024 (aarts.net.au)
Showcasing some of Australia’s funniest comedians with disability or chronic illness, this raucous accessible comedy event boasts a line-up of award-winning performers. With razor-sharp wit and undeniable charm, these talented comedians share hilarious and uncensored insights into disability and oh so much more! From awkward encounters to side-splitting observations that cut to the quick, no subject is off-limits. MC'd by the fabulous Madeleine Stewart, the changing line-up will feature comedians including Bec Charlwood, Sam Kissajukian, Alexandra Hudson, Bea Barbeau-Scurla, Jamal Abdul, Irene Nicola, Oliver Hunter, Loz Booth, Robyn Reynolds, Sam Wade and Tom Elphick.
Dr. Emily King discusses the evolution of behavior support in education, emphasizing the importance of understanding the emotional experiences of students. She challenges the traditional deficit model and highlights the need for patterns and prevention strategies. Dr. King also addresses the silos between general and special education and offers practical advice for educators to create inclusive classrooms. She emphasizes the significance of building relationships with students, knowing their interests, and creating a safe and secure learning environment. Dr. King's mission is to make school better for neurodivergent students and promote collaboration between parents and teachers.
10 Disabled Scientists To Discover (disabilityhorizons.com)
Discover 13 groundbreaking disabled scientists who changed the world. Learn about their incredible achievements and cutting-edge assistive tech they used.
Advancing Health Equity Through Resistance: A State of the Union on Threats and Opportunities (respectability.org)
Hear from an exceptional lineup of speakers who are at the forefront of advocating for health equity and social justice.
Assisted dying legislation will not harm disabled people (theguardian.com)
Letters: Charles Warlow and Prof Ben Colburn respond to an interview with Liz Carr who campaigns against assisted dying
Celebrating Innovation in Inclusive Employment (ablenews.com)
They won and now they celebrate! Last week, Spectrum Designs, a custom apparel shop that employs young people on the autism spectrum, hosted the Cultivating Resources for Employment with Assistive Technology (CREATE) Symposium’s winning New York Institute of Technology (NYIT) students for a small celebration. The team created a Gamified Silk Screen Cleaner invention that makes it easier for Spectrum Designs employees to clean custom apparel tools in a more sanitary and speedy manner.
Cidadania / Citizenship (designforschung.org)
After a longer break, probably also due to the pandemic, the DESIGNA conferencewill take place for the 8th time in octobre. Thise time with the topic of Citizen. Abstracts may be submitted untill 1st of june.
Cancel Culture needs Cancelling (teawithhb.com)
If you’ve been here for any length of time, you know how I try to embrace the grey and nuance of life, but on the internet that’s not always easy. It will come as no surprise that I think about death a lot, nor will it shock you that I tend to spiral about ethics. In the midst of many an existential crisis, I have found this video format of eating your last meal and talking about death really, really comforting! It is good to know that other humans have lived through all this, and that we are not alone in our worries.
Learn about the European Accessibility Act (EAA) ahead of the deadline (abilitynet.org.uk)
In April's IAAP Network and Learn session we were joined by Susanna Laurin, Chair at Funka Foundation and IAAP Representative to the EU, who discussed the European Accessibility Act.
Spending Your Summer Abroad? Apply to Be a Global Access Correspondent! (miusa.org)
The National Clearinghouse on Disability and Exchange (NCDE) is searching for people with disabilities from the U.S. who will be traveling to another country this summer for international exchange and who love to capture their experiences and stories - through words, photos, video, and other media - to share with others.
The Tories are letting stalkers and abusers out of prison - what better way to start an election campaign? (theguardian.com)
This latest botched attempt to solve the prisons crisis won’t work, says Guardian columnist Frances Ryan
Ireland, WHO team up to improve access to assistive technology (disabilityinsider.com)
Ireland is becoming a global leader in the field of innovation in harnessing digital technologies as a tool to address various barriers for access to care. In alignment with WHO, Ireland recognizes the importance of mobilizing assistive technology to help the 2.5 billion people in need globally, including older persons, people with disabilities, and those living with health conditions. This includes ensuring equitable access to assistive products such as glasses, hearing aids, walking aids, wheelchairs, prosthetics, and communication and memory devices.
Forum to showcase innovative rights-based solutions to social issues in Sydney (disabilityinsider.com)
With a plethora of issues currently impacting significantly on the rights of people across Australia, an upcoming landmark national conference during the Vivid Sydney festival is set to explore a range of new approaches to protecting and promoting human rights in Australia.
Dublin Airport introduces AI Robots to assist passengers with disabilities (disabilityinsider.com)
Dublin Airport has introduced an innovative solution to enhance the travel experience for passengers with disabilities. Two AI-powered robots, named Sir Bot a Lot and Handler Bing, have been deployed to assist passengers with disabilities by carrying their baggage to their respective gates.
Canada hosts 3rd Disability Inclusion Congress, kicks off AccessAbility Week 2024 (disabilityinsider.com)
Over 1 in 4 Canadians aged 15 years and older have one or more disabilities that limit them in their daily activities. Since achieving the significant milestone of passing the Accessible Canada Act, the Government of Canada has been fully engaged in creating a barrier-free country and ensuring the full participation of all Canadians in society, including persons with disabilities.
Breaking barriers: how Apple's new voice accessibility improvements (abilitynet.org.uk)
Guest blog editor, Colin Hughes, a former BBC producer, outlines Apple's significant, positive voice accessibility developments.
Share a Story Month: Finley's time at Plot to Plate (disabilitydirect.com)
At the beginning of March , I was contacted by a lady named Nicola who was looking for a work placement for her son, Finley. Nicola explained that Finley was originally thinking about a career in photography but liked what he had heard about Plot to Plate so we arranged for Finley to visit with his parents.
Share a Story Month: The living experience (disabilitydirect.com)
The members of the Enabled Centre have welcomed The Living Eggs Experience during May. We have all enjoyed watching the magical process from egg to chick and have had so many conversations with our members about the development, and lots of fun caring for them.
Blind Music Producer in Netflix’s "Thelma the Unicorn" Teaches Thelma the Importance of Staying True to Yourself (respectability.org)
"Thelma the Unicorn is sure to captivate audiences of all ages, igniting the spark of magic within every viewer."
Starbucks’ New Store Offers Accessibility for Employees and Customers (newmobility.com)
The smell of freshly roasted coffee might not be the only thing that grabs your attention when you enter the new Starbucks in Washington, D.C.’s Union Market District.
Will AI be helpful or ableist towards disabled people? (bbc.co.uk)
The launch of Chat GPT-4o is already making it easier for blind and visually impaired people to live independent lives, and promises to open up accessibility for people with many other disabilities.
How do disabled people prepare food and drink? (happysmilestraining.co.uk)
Happy Smiles Training Read about our week, including asking members of the team how do disabled people prepare food and drinks.
Share a Story Month: My son's experience with Crohns (disabilitydirect.com)
My Son started feeling unwell, weight loss, mouth ulcers- after a few visits to his GP investigations began. C was only 12 years old and your average young lad who loved football, gaming and time with friends and family.
Share a Story Month: My son's experience with Crohns (disabilitydirect.com)
My Son started feeling unwell, weight loss, mouth ulcers- after a few visits to his GP investigations began. C was only 12 years old and your average young lad who loved football, gaming and time with friends and family.
‘Me Before You’ has a disabled main character — but activists are angry. Here’s why. (washingtonpost.com)
Hollywood is finally making some progress depicting minority groups -- but not the disabled community, activists say.
Want an employee who is a natural problem solver? Hire someone with a Disability (buttondown.email)
Dark convoluted maze with cartoon person standing outside of the entrance Why are problem-solving skills desirable in business?
Disability Podcasts Sharing The True Lives Of Cripples (criplife.co.uk)
In the fourth and final part of our Reclaiming The Word Crip series, we suggest some insightful, engaging and funny disability podcasts you should listen to, which are sharing the true lives of cripples across the world.
MP Craig Mackinlay returns to Commons after having hands and feet amputated (theguardian.com)
Sunak and Starmer pay tribute to South Thanet MP as he returns to chamber after sepsis ordeal
Website copy says more about your company than you think (buttondown.email)
A LinkedIn connection posted a critique of the following language in a press release. To protect the guilty, I have deleted the company name, exec’s name, and title as well as the name of the program. The readability assessment results in the image above (which I did at readabilityformulas.com) were for the unredacted version of the two paragraphs below.
We don’t all “have the same 24 hours (buttondown.email)
By itself, the statement “we all have the same 24 hours” is an empty maxim. Commonly followed up with by “What you do with it is up to you,” or “Successful people just sacrifice more than you,” the statement turns from fatuous into aggressive, blaming, cringe-worthy, condescending, and in many cases, discriminatory.
What do American employers owe their employees with mental health conditions (buttondown.email)
This article will start with a general discussion on accommodations and then move on to the specifics of a mental health condition.
What does an “accessibility flywheel” look like? (buttondown.email)
A business flywheel is an alternative to the more traditional “funnel” that graphically portrayed processes must follow to get and keep customers.
Spending Your Summer Abroad? Apply to Be a Global Access Correspondent! (miusa.org)
The National Clearinghouse on Disability and Exchange (NCDE) is searching for people with disabilities from the U.S. who will be traveling to another country this summer for international exchange and who love to capture their experiences and stories - through words, photos, video, and other media - to share with others.
Want to add value to your startup? Be accessible (buttondown.email)
What is accessibility? I could answer this question by doing a deep-dive into the WCAG guidelines and talking about the four pillars and 50 rules of accessibility, or I could say “Steven Hawking and Stevie Wonder need to be able to use your product.” I usually stick with the latter, it immediately creates a mental image of what accessibility is about and why it is important.
Want to add value to your startup? Be accessible (buttondown.email)
What is accessibility? I could answer this question by doing a deep-dive into the WCAG guidelines and talking about the four pillars and 50 rules of accessibility, or I could say “Steven Hawking and Stevie Wonder need to be able to use your product.” I usually stick with the latter, it immediately creates a mental image of what accessibility is about and why it is important.
AI-Media to Showcase Cutting-Edge Captioning Solutions at Broadcast Asia Expo 2024 (ai-media.tv)
AI-Media is thrilled to announce its participation at the upcoming Broadcast Asia Expo, where we'll be showcasing cutting-edge solutions.
Disabled advocates held a 44-hour vigil to speak to Gov. Abbott. He wouldn't meet (eu.statesman.com)
The block around the Governor’s Mansion was deserted around 9:30 p.m., apart from the half-dozen protesters who peeled off from the rest of the group at Lavaca Street. A few had flashlights. Three were in wheelchairs.
How Artist Chris Hendricks Champions Disability Inclusion through Advocacy and Music (youtube.com)
In this episode, we spoke with Chris Hendricks, a professional singer, songwriter, and recording artist.
Meet James Ian (boldjourney.com)
We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful James Ian.
Deaf News Briefs: Troy Kotsur in upcoming Netflix series; Deaf Austin Theatre announces “Chronicles of a Black Deaf Blind Girl” (dailymoth.com)
The first: Oscar-winning Deaf actor Troy Kotsur will be in Netflix’s new series “Black Rabbit.” Deadline explained that the show follows the owner of a New York City hotspot and drama in his life with his brother. Jason Bateman and Jude Law are executive producers and starring.
What ‘Crip Time’ Means to Disabled People Like Me (teenvogue.com)
Becoming a nonspeaking person changed my relationship with time and with other people.
COSP17 Side event: CILs in International Cooperation (enil.eu)
Centers for Independent Living (CILs) are an essential element of the independent living movement. They are community-based, cross-disability, non-profit organizations that are designed and operated by disabled people. They provide essential services for disabled people to live independently in their communities, while ensuring choice and control of the users over the services.
"Young Activists for Democracy" (enil.eu)
In 2024 the Council of Europe organised the second edition of their “Young Activists for Democracy” training course at their Youth Centre in Hungary. The programme seeks to empower young activists and develop their competencies, thereby allowing them to play their part in revitalizing democracy. Each activist receives guidance and training to implement their own activist campaign in their diverse communities across the world. Our ESC volunteer, Michael Brennan, offers a brief reflection on his time as a participant in this training course.
Forest bathing garden wins Chelsea flower show top prize (theguardian.com)
First-time exhibitor Ula Maria scoops best in show for garden designed for muscular dystrophy charity
Publication Awards (dishist.org)
The Disability History Association (DHA) promotes the relevance of disability history and facilitates research, publication, conference travel, and public history initiatives related to disability history.
Route to independence: Ben identifies his Melbourne tram by sound – but a new app means he won’t have to (theguardian.com)
Exclusive: Navilens will change how vision-impaired people ride the city’s trams, using large text and audio to provide tram location, live arrival information and next stops
Inquiry to begin into DWP’s treatment of ill and disabled people on benefits (theguardian.com)
Some eligibility decisions have been linked to deaths of vulnerable claimants, and EHRC will examine if ministers acted unlawfully
“All of Me”: A Raw and Real Depiction of Disabled Life (ablenews.com)
There’s a scene toward the end of the first act of “All of Me” in which the main character Lucy (Madison Ferris) and her mom Connie (Kyra Sedgwick) both fall while Connie is trying to help Lucy transfer from her scooter to her bed off stage.