Accessibility Drives Business Success

Over 70 million people reported having a disability in 2022, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. However, the unemployment rate among people with disabilities is nearly twice as high (7.5%) as for those without disabilities (3.8%).

Understanding the European Accessibility Act (EAA)

The European Accessibility Act (EAA) requires that products and services made available within the European Union (EU) are accessible. Like most EU Directives, the EAA (DIRECTIVE (EU) 2019/882) is hard to understand, and this has left many people unsure about what it means – and more importantly, what they need to do to make sure their products and services comply.

Google Drive Launches Searchable Video Transcripts

Drive users can now view and search transcripts for their videos. The transcript appears in a sidebar next to the video player and highlights the currently spoken text. This update makes it easy to find specific moments, follow along with the content, or jump directly to the part of the video you need.

DOJ Withdraws Eleven ADA Guidance Documents For Public Accommodations

The DOJ rescinded five COVID-19 related documents and six older guidance documents designed to educate businesses on the requirements of the ADA, claiming that the recission will reduce the burden on businesses to review them.

New York City Launches Digital Accessibility Training Program for City Employees

The Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS), the Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities (MOPD), the Mayor’s Office of Talent and Workforce Development (NYC Talent) and its Center for Workplace Accessibility and Inclusion in collaboration with Microsoft, announced the launch of a citywide Digital Accessibility Training.

How Navigation Should Work for Keyboard Users

Navigation is a central concept in web design, the web being a network of interconnected pages and all that. Navigation is found in a few standard places; almost always in the header of each page, sometimes in the footer, and every now and then in amongst the main page content.

Accessible Games Initiative

Tens of millions of Americans have a disability, but without a common language to describe the accessibility features within different video games, making informed purchases can be challenging. That is why Nintendo of America is pleased to announce that we are a member of the new Accessible Games Initiative.

‘We Advise Businesses How to Improve on Disability’

A charity in Surrey has launched a consultancy group to help businesses improve their services for customers and employees who have learning disabilities. The Sunnybank Trust, based in Epsom, aims to support adults with learning disabilities to take control over their own lives. Its new Understand Us service is run by people with learning disabilities, who will work with businesses to help them become more accessible.

How to Add Alt Text to Make Your Social Media Pictures, Videos More Accessible

When sharing images on social media, you’re probably thinking about how many likes and comments will roll in. But before you hit post, consider that you could be excluding lots of people from enjoying your photos and videos because you haven’t made them accessible.

Leaving No Child Behind: UNICEF’s Guide to Disability-Inclusive Evaluations

For global development programs to be truly effective, they must reach all children, particularly those facing the most challenges. Yet, children with disabilities are too often left behind, their experiences and needs overlooked in evaluations. Recognizing this, UNICEF released a critical resource: “Disability-inclusive evaluations in UNICEF: Guideline for achieving UNDIS standards.”

European Commissioner Micallef Commits to Equal Opportunities for Young People with Disabilities

A delegation of the European Disability Forum met with European Commissioner Glenn Micallef, the Commissioner in charge of Intergenerational Fairness, Youth, Culture and Sport, on 14 April. The delegation was led by Lydia Vlagsma, co-chair of our Youth Committee.