In all his 42 years in the Senate, Orrin Hatch's greatest achievement was his last-minute rescue of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. Capitol Hill, July 11, 1990 — The greatest civil rights law since the 1960s was about to die on the floor of the U.S. Senate. There was only one person who could save it — Republican Senator Orrin Hatch of Utah. But he didn't know how to do it.
HOW STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION EXPLORED BLINDNESS & ACCESSIBILITY WITH GEORDI LAFORGE
Throughout the many additions to the Star Trek universe, one key element remains at its core: a fundamental drive to explore topical difficult subject matters, like racism, sexism, and even fascism, all through futuristic allegory. Star Trek: The Next Generation took these philosophical and ethics based quandaries to the next level, often the subject tackled by the fan favorite Captain Jean-Luc Picard, but one character embodies the idea of striving for a better future unburdened by discrimination…
The Los Angeles Unified School District is poised to vote on a controversial proposal that could reshape education for thousands of deaf and hard-of-hearing students, a key battle in a long national fight over how such children learn language. Oscar winner Marlee Matlin and the American Civil Liberties Union are among those urging the Board of Education to pass Resolution 029-21/22 at its meeting Tuesday, inaugurating a new Department of Deaf and Hard of Hearing Education.
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION ANNOUNCES INTENT TO STRENGTHEN AND PROTECT RIGHTS FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES BY AMENDING REGULATIONS IMPLEMENTING SECTION 504
Forty-five years after publication of the regulations implementing Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the landmark disability civil rights law, the U.S. Department of Education announced plans to gather public input on possible amendments to those regulations in order to strengthen and protect the rights of students with disabilities. Section 504 prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in public and private programs and activities that receive federal financial assistance, including schools and postsecondary institutions.
Sponsored by VOTEC
June 7 primary elections in California are around the corner, and Fresno County is highlighting flexible and convenient options for voters. The California Voters Choice Act modernizes elections by providing more convenience and flexibility to voters. This election model -- which has been in Fresno County for at least four elections now -- allows voters to choose how, when, and where to cast their ballot. This is a big deal for those with disabilities like Sarah Harris, who lost her sight 20 years after a car accident…
BILL TO UPDATE DISABILITY BENEFITS WINS CRUCIAL REPUBLICAN CO-SPONSOR
Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) has won a key Republican ally in his quest to improve one of the most outdated social welfare programs in the United States. This week, Brown joined forces with Sen. Rob Portman (R-Ohio) to announce their co-sponsorship of a bill updating the Supplemental Security Income program, which provides benefits to nearly 8 million Americans with disabilities. The program pays less than $700 per month for the average recipient meeting its strict eligibility criteria, which include a requirement that recipients have less than $2,000 in their bank accounts…
FLORIDA COLLEGE VALEDICTORIAN WITH NONVERBAL AUTISM DELIVERS MOTIVATIONAL GRADUATION ADDRESS USING A TEXT-TO-SPEECH COMPUTER PROGRAM
A Florida college valedictorian with nonverbal autism delivered a moving graduation address through a text-to-speech computer program. Elizabeth Bonker, 24, originally from New Jersey, was able to talk until she was 15 months old, when she suddenly lost her ability to speak and was diagnosed with autism. But that didn't stop her from standing in front of the 2022 class at Rollins College's graduation ceremony on Sunday and delivering a powerful speech.
WHAT MAKES A PARISH 'ACCESSIBLE'?
One of the most important missions of the local parish is modeling the family love which the baptized are called to share, reflecting Gods love for each one of his children. As part of that mission, parishes often have conversations about accessibility and inclusivity for Catholics with disabilities. But what does it mean to be an accessible and welcoming parish for persons with disabilities? Is it even right to think in terms of welcoming people who, by every right, should consider the parish their home in the first place?...
AEW has made all sorts of waves in the professional wrestling world since they burst on the scene in 2019, but this time the attention they're getting isn't the kind they want. Plaintiff Luigi Abreu claims that AEW violated the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) because the AEW Show website ìis no equally accessible to blind and visually-impaired consumers. Luigi is a visually-impaired and legally blind person and requires a screen reading software to read websites.
PNC CLASS ACTION ALLEGES WEBSITE NOT ACCESSIBLE TO BLIND, VISUALLY IMPAIRED
UNCOMMON GOODS CLASS ACTION CLAIMS WEBSITE NOT ACCESSIBLE TO BLIND, VISUALLY IMPAIRED
TALBOTS CLASS ACTION CLAIMS WEBSITE NOT ACCESSIBLE TO BLIND, VISUALLY IMPAIRED
MARRIOTT CLASS ACTION CLAIMS WEBSITE NOT ACCESSIBLE TO BLIND, VISUALLY IMPAIRED
UNIONS MUST FIGHT FOR DISABLED WORKERS
In recent years, workers in the United States have gained new insights through their experience of the pandemic and through participating in the Justice for George Floyd movement. As a result, they have become increasingly conscious of how different modes of oppression are linked to one another under capitalism, as Ezra Brain recently described in “Social Justice Unionism: How ‘Generation U’ Is Building Class Solidarity.” At Amazon alone, immigrant workers and queer workers have played leading roles as union organizers with an eye toward how a union would protect them as oppressed people…
JUSTICE DEPARTMENT AND EEOC WARN AGAINST DISABILITY DISCRIMINATION
The Department of Justice and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) today each released a technical assistance document about disability discrimination when employers use artificial intelligence (AI) and other software tools to make employment decisions. Employers increasingly use AI and other software tools to help them select new employees, monitor performance, and determine pay or promotions. Employers may give computer-based tests to applicants or use computer software to score applicants resumes. Many of these tools use algorithms or AI.
In a breakthrough, US scientists have discovered a single master gene that programs ear hair cells into either outer or inner ones, overcoming a major hurdle that had prevented the development of these cells to restore hearing. Hearing loss due to aging, noise, and certain cancer therapy drugs and antibiotics has been irreversible to date because scientists have not been able to reprogram existing cells to develop into the outer and inner ear sensory cells essential for hearing once they die.
NEW ALZHEIMER'S TEST COULD DETECT DISEASE EARLY, BE MORE ACCESSIBLE
Nearly six million Americans likely live with Alzheimer's disease, according to the National Institutes of Health. Many don't yet know they have the disease. The FDA approved marketing for the first in-vitro test for Alzheimer's, analyzing fluid collected by a spinal tap to identify the degenerative disease early and possibly cheaper than other methods, like PET scans. Drew Wyman is the executive director of Maine's Chapter of the Alzheimer's Association.
Top Tech Tidbits. The world's #1 online resource for current news and trends in adaptive technology. Adaptive Technology refers to items that are specifically designed for people with disabilities. Adaptive Technology is a subset of Assistive Technology. Adaptive Technology often refers specifically to electronic and information technology access.
