COMPLACENCY MUST NOT DETER CHALLENGES STILL FACED BY PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES
Let these terrible walls of exclusion come tumbling down, said President Bush on July 26th, 1990, at the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Those metaphorical walls of exclusion and most of the physical and programmatic barriers have come tumbling down. While my life and the lives of 61 million other Americans with Disabilities are measurably better because of the ADA, we still have lots of work to do. This labor includes both existing and future barriers that are keeping parts of the wall of exclusion up.
SENATE COMMITTEE CALLS ON VA, DOJ TO IMPROVE ACCESSIBILITY TO FEDERAL TECHNOLOGY
DEJA VU ALL OVER AGAIN? DOJ ANNOUNCES INTENT TO ADOPT WEB ACCESSIBILITY REGULATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS
Senate lawmakers are pushing the departments of Justice and Veterans Affairs, along with all agencies, to improve the accessibility of their online services. The Senate Special Committee on Aging looked into the accessibility of federal technology, specifically for seniors and individuals with disabilities, as well as older and disabled veterans. Sen. Bob Casey (D-Pa.), the committee’s chairman, said accessing digital services became a more prevalent concern during the COVID-19 pandemic, after accelerating a long-term shift in delivering government services through virtual, rather than physical, platforms…
SHRM ANNOUNCES NEW ACCESSIBILITY BEST PRACTICE STANDARDS ON NATIONAL DISABILITY INDEPENDENCE DAY
SHRM (the Society for Human Resource Management) joins millions around the country in recognition of National Disability Independence Day. The day commemorates the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) signed into law on July 26, 1990, opening the door and breaking down barriers that individuals with disabilities face every day. As the nation commemorates, we at SHRM are focusing on providing greater accessibility standards for how content is delivered in our programs, products and on shrm.org for those with disabilities so that organizations, managers and employees can build capacity to create more inclusive workplaces...
CONGRESS ORDERED AGENCIES TO USE TECH THAT WORKS FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES 24 YEARS AGO. MANY STILL HAVEN'T
By Ruth Reader
Congress ordered agencies to use tech that works for people with disabilities 24 years ago. Many still haven't. The Senate Aging Committee is conducting oversight to get agencies to comply with the rules. Ronza Othman, a lawyer with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services in Baltimore, hasn't been able to order a sandwich without help in her office cafeteria for a decade. Before the deli replaced workers with a touch screen in 2012, she would walk up to the counter and ask for a roast beef and cheddar sandwich with cucumbers, not pickles. But Ronza, who is blind, can't work the touch screen as it doesn't take voice commands.
BIDEN ADMINISTRATION ANNOUNCES $1.75 BILLION IN FUNDING TO IMPROVE RAIL STATION ACCESSIBILITY
DUCKWORTH APPLAUDS LAUNCH OF ALL STATIONS ACCESSIBILITY PROGRAM SHE AUTHORED TO HELP MAKE PUBLIC TRANSIT SYSTEMS ACCESSIBLE FOR ALL
SEPTA'S $4B PLAN TO MAKE ITS STATIONS A.D.A. ACCESSIBLE COULD GET BOOST FROM NEW TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT PROGRAM
The Biden administration on Tuesday will announce $1.75 billion in infrastructure funding to improve accessibility at the nation's public rail stations, allowing local transit authorities to retrofit stations with elevators to accommodate travelers with disabilities. The funding, which comes from the bipartisan infrastructure law, falls under the legislation's "All Stations Accessibility Program," and makes $343 million in funding available to transit agencies in fiscal year 2022, 32 years after passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
DOCUMENTARY HIGHLIGHTS LACK OF ACCESSIBILITY FOR DEAF AND DISABLED PEOPLE IN FLORIDA JUSTICE SYSTEM SOURCE
“Being Michelle” is a documentary about a deaf woman with autism who survived incarceration and abuse in north central Florida, and now uses her artwork to depict the trauma she survived and heal from her past. Michelle Ricks said she was in prison for five years without an interpreter. Executive Producer Delbert Whetter said he believes Ricks would never have ended up in prison if she’d had communication access from the start. Her story highlights gaps in accessibility for deaf and disabled people in the justice system…
HOW TO TALK ABOUT DISABILITY SENSITIVELY AND AVOID ABLEIST TROPES
Disability can be difficult to talk about sensitively because of how embedded ableism is in our language, biases and perceptions of disability. Conversations about disability are slowly increasing, especially when it comes to ableist language and how disabled people are represented in the media. Disability advocate Talila A. Lewis' working definition of ableism is a "system that places value on people's bodies and minds based on societally constructed ideas of normalcy, intelligence and excellence."…
5 MORE DISABILITY ISSUE QUESTIONS STATE AND LOCAL MIDTERM ELECTION CANDIDATES SHOULD ANSWER
Sponsored by VOTEC
There is still time for disabled voters to ask candidates about their most pressing disability concerns. But time is running out, and it can be hard to know just what to ask. Itís getting closer to the thick of the Midterm Election season. Many disabled voters and activistsí first instinct at times like this is to look at Congressional races, and focus attention on major threats, opportunities and issues facing people with disabilities nationwide. But it’s also important to challenge people running for state and local office.
IN FIRST ELECTION WITHOUT DROP BOXES, ADVOCATES WORRY ABOUT VOTING ACCESSIBILITY
The August 9 primary was the first major election after the Wisconsin Supreme Court ruled clerks can't use drop boxes to collect ballots. Voting accessibility advocates said that added to the numerous challenges people with disabilities face while trying to cast their ballots. "That really has been a step backward," Disability Rights Wisconsin's Barbara Beckert said. "Anytime that you see something taken away that has helped to support participation in our elections in a manner that is safe, secure and, we hope, accessible, that's really a loss."…
NC ADVOCATES WORKING TO MAKE VOTING ACCESSIBLE FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES
As North Carolina gears up for the November election, advocates are working to make sure voting is accessible for everyone. Casting a ballot is supposed to be a smooth, easy process. However, for some, it can be quite the opposite. "That was a very horrible experience for me,” Cherine Bentley said about voting in 2020. Bentley has cerebral palsy and votes curbside. When she pulled up to her precinct in the last election, she said a poll worker questioned whether she had a disability. Then Bentley said, the volunteer made a comment that she was "too pretty to have a disability."…
Marriott Hotel Services Inc. defeated a bid to revive claims that its website for a California hotel failed to provide adequate accessibility information, after the Ninth Circuit affirmed Friday that the company's online disclosures are sufficient. Samuel Love's Americans with Disabilities Act claims fail because Marriotts website satisfies the Justice Department's guidance interpreting the Reservations Rule, which regulates the accessibility information hotels must post on their online booking websites, the US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit said.
BROOKSTONE CLASS ACTION ALLEGES WEBSITE INACCESSIBLE TO BLIND, VISUALLY IMPAIRED
UBER DOESN'T HAVE TO OFFER WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBILITY
DOJ ANNOUNCES NEW TITLE II ADA WEB ACCESSIBILITY REGULATION
DOJ SECURES $293,000 JURY AWARD AGAINST CITY OF SPRINGFIELD, ILLINOIS, FOR DISCRIMINATING AGAINST PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES
DEL FRISCO'S DOUBLE EAGLE STEAKHOUSE IN PHILADELPHIA TO FIX ADA ISSUES
WEBSITE ACCESSIBILITY REGULATIONS ON THE HORIZON: DOJ TO START TITLE II RULEMAKING FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS NEXT YEAR
U.S. SENATE SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON AGING CHAIRMAN BOB CASEY URGES AGENCIES TO MAKE WEBSITES MORE ACCESSIBLE
VERIZON, T-MOBILE FACE CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT CLAIMS OVER ACCESSIBILITY, SERVICE, BILLING
RETAIL IS THE NUMBER-ONE INDUSTRY TARGETED BY ADA WEBSITE LAWSUITS
ONLINE RETAILER NOT LIABLE FOR INACCESSIBLE WEBSITE UNDER ADA
WEBSITES ARE NOT A PUBLIC ACCOMMODATION UNDER THE ADA, SAYS CALIFORNIA COURT OF APPEALS
KLONDIKE CLASS ACTION ALLEGES WEBSITE NOT ACCESSIBLE TO BLIND, VISUALLY IMPAIRED
Unilever has failed to design and maintain a website that is fully accessible to individuals who are blind or visually impaired, a new class action lawsuit alleges. Plaintiff Valerie Dicks claims Unilever denies individuals who are blind or visually impaired equal access to the goods and services offered on its klondikebar.com website. Dicks argues that klondikebar.com has “significant access barriers” that make it “difficult if not impossible” for blind and visually impaired individuals to use the website or make a transaction on it…
FISCHER SKIS MUST DEFEND BLIND CUSTOMER'S WEBSITE ACCESS SUIT
SETTLEMENT REACHED OVER RED ROCKS AMPHITHEATER OVERCHARGING FOR WHEELCHAIR-ACCESSIBLE SEATS
Monday, the United States determined a resolution for a discrimination claim that was issued under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). This claim is against the City and County of Denver and Live Nation, AEG, and PBS12, according to the United States Department of Justice. A complaint was filed that tickets for wheelchair-accessible seats at Red Rocks Parks and Amphitheatre were more expensive compared to non-accessible seats. The U.S. Attorney's Office concluded the City and County of Denver violated the ADA by charging more for wheelchair-accessible seats…
ACCESSIBILITY: THE MISSING KEY TO CONNECTING WITH CUSTOMERS
While some brands are prioritizing diversity, equity, and inclusion in their messaging and marketing campaigns, an essential component of inclusivity may be missing: accessibility. Itís especially important to cater to people who are typically underserved in the digital world. For example, people who are blind or have low vision, are deaf or hard of hearing, are neurodivergent, or those who have motor conditions. These individuals often face barriers when an experience is not properly designed. Online journeys are often convoluted experiences for people, and brands need to ensure their apps and websites donít add further complications.
POTTERY BARN'S NEW ACCESSIBLE HOME COLLECTION BLENDS FORM WITH FUNCTION
From the dining room to the bedroom, small home upgrades can make a tremendous difference to those living with a disability. One in seven adults has a mobility impairment and two in five adults over the age of 65, according to the CDC. Pottery Barn is reimagining its best-selling home collections to be more accessible to those with mobility challenges. On Friday, the home brand launched its new Accessible Home Collection, which features thoughtfully designed furniture for those living with disabilities or injuries, as well as the aging-in-place community.
WEBSITE LAWSUITS, EVENTS REGULATIONS, ENVIRONMENTAL RULES: WHAT'S NEW IN CALIFORNIA WINE BUSINESS LAW
Vexing the California North Coast wine industry in recent years have been lawsuits over winery website lack of access for those with visual challenges, the new political debate over winery events, and ever-changing environmental regulations. Journal researcher Michelle Fox surveyed a handful of attorneys on some of those issues, posing questions from Journal wine reporter Jeff Quackenbush. Under the California statute on which most plaintiffs filing these lawsuits in California rely, a successful plaintiff can recover his or her attorneys’ fees, in addition to statutory damages…
AROUND HALF OF OLDER AMERICANS CAN'T AFFORD ESSENTIAL EXPENSES
Rising inflation coupled with higher costs of living have put strains on many Americans' pursestrings. But estimates from the University of Massachusetts-Bostons Elder Index detail the toll of the cost of aging on the nations elderly residents. Over half of older women who live alone are classified as poor under federal poverty standards or have insufficient incomes to pay for essential expenses, while 45 percent of men share the same financial situations.
VAN HOLLEN, MURRAY, DUCKWORTH INTRODUCE BILL TO HELP WOMEN WITH DISABILITIES ACCESS REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH CARE
U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) joined Senators Patty Murray (D-Wash.) and Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) in introducing the Reproductive Health Care Accessibility Act to help ensure women with disabilities who face discrimination and extra barriers when seeking care can access reproductive services and get the informed care they need to have control over their own reproductive lives. While women with disabilities have long faced discrimination and barriers to having full access to health care, the Dobbs decision has made it much more difficult for women with disabilities to get the informed reproductive health care they need.
DOJ AND HHS ISSUE GUIDANCE ON NONDISCRIMINATION IN TELEHEALTH
As we commemorate the 32nd anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Justice Department and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) are partnering to publish guidance on the protections in federal nondiscrimination laws, including the ADA, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Section 1557 of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, requiring that telehealth be accessible to people with disabilities and limited English proficient persons. These laws work in tandem to prohibit discrimination and protect access to health care.
WHO HOLDS FIRST MEETING TO ADDRESS COMPATIBILITY ISSUES FOR THOSE WITH HEARING LOSS
NEW GENE THERAPY COULD PREVENT GENETIC HEARING LOSS
Researchers at the Salk Institute have made a breakthrough that could lead to new treatments for genetic hearing loss. Gene therapy that delivers a particular protein can ensure faulty hair cells grow correctly, allowing for improved hearing. Sensory hair cells are a vital part of our auditory system. They line the surface of the cochlea with long structures called stereocilia, which vibrate in response to sound waves and produce electrical signals that are then sent to the brain. But one form of genetic deafness arises due to a lack of a protein called EPS8, which regulates the length of these hair cells. Without it, they’re too short to work properly…
ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER SHARED HIS PLAN TO MAKE FITNESS MORE ACCESSIBLE FOR EVERYONE
One of Arnold Schwarzenegger's ongoing endeavors, movie career and political ambitions aside, has been to bring a love of fitness and exercise to as many people as possible. In the latest edition of his newsletter, the actor and bodybuilding legend shared how he is still continuing these efforts, and spoke about how making fitness accessible means understanding that different people's lifestyles and needs are different. "I am for fitness and power and strength and energy for everyone," he said…
U.S. ATTORNEY'S OFFICE RESOLVES COMPLAINT ABOUT WHEELCHAIR-ACCESSIBILITY OF CONCENTRA URGENT CARE FACILITY IN DOWNTOWN DENVER
HOW AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE IS EVOLVING WITH TIME
In 2014, the Oxford English Dictionary, perhaps the most authoritative English dictionary, was compelled to add the word selfie to its pages. And, you know, just as new technology and culture are constantly pushing the English language to grow and evolve, the same thing is happening with American Sign Language, or ASL, as Amanda Morris wrote about recently in The New York Times. Morris is a child of deaf adults, or CODA for short. She's an ASL user, and she conducted many of the interviews for her story in sign language. Amanda Morris joins us now…
HOW SCHOOL TECH TREATS STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES LIKE CRIMINALS
When the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) went into effect 32 years ago, there was optimism that technology could close the education gap for students with disabilities and other special needs. The ADA went far beyond visible disabilities, promising life-changing protections to the neurodivergent. We, as neurodivergent people, know how educational technology can change lives and how word processors, spellcheck, and self-paced learning can let our brains thrive in ways traditional schooling never could. But we also see how emerging technology threatens to do the reverse, making school a harsher, less accessible environment.
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