Welcome to Disability: IN’s monthly round up of digital accessibility news for March.
At Disability:IN we know that digital accessibility impacts all aspects of disability inclusion. If you have questions about our digital accessibility program, please contact Jeff Wissel, our Chief Accessibility Officer.
Spotlight on Disability:IN Partners using technology to enhance accessibility of products we use every day
Apple
Seeing AI Version 5.0 for iOS Now Includes Indoor Navigation Allowing The User to Create a Route and Later Follow The Route Using Spatial Audio Cues
What’s New: Indoor Navigation, available on iOS 14 and later, enables you to create routes through a building, and later follow that route, guided by spatial audio cues. For example, create a route from the reception desk to your office, or building entrance to a particular classroom. You can share the route with others, so they can navigate the route later on, using their own device.
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/seeing-ai/id999062298
Amazon and Cochlear
Amazon and Cochlear announced the launch of Audio Streaming for Hearing Aids (ASHA) on Fire TV for people living with hearing implant technology, just ahead of International Cochlear Implant Day on February 25. Improving TV sound quality was one of the most requested features among some of the 1.5 billion people living with hearing loss worldwide, according to Amazon research.
Why This Matters: This advancement represents the first time a smart TV device will stream sound directly to a hearing implant processor. It also makes TV and other content that can be streamed through Fire TV, like podcasts and audiobooks, more accessible, removing the need for additional intermediary devices and helping people who use implantable hearing technology to more easily stay connected with the latest popular culture, news and events.
Vispero
Vispero TM — the global leader for assistive technology products for the blind and low-vision community and provider of JAWS ®, the world’s most widely used screen reader, announces that JAWS for Kiosk was awarded the inaugural accessibility award at the Self-Service Innovation Summit (SSIS) 2022:
https://www.tpgi.com/leading-self-service-kiosk-technology-wins-accessibility-award/
Expedia Group
Travel is a force for good and a belief that is central to everything we do at Expedia Group. It guides our commitment to making a positive impact on the world. It also means we recognize the importance of being a responsible and sustainable business; not just for our own success, but for the well-being of our planet and the communities we serve. We’re delivering on this commitment by working on improving access for underserved travelers, democratizing the travel business by creating a fairer travel economy and continuously striving for innovation to shape a sustainable future for travel.
https://www.yahoo.com/now/creating-more-accessible-future-travelers-203000602.html
Other Accessibility Highlights for this Month
If you have ever been talking while on mute during a Zoom meeting and struggled to use the mouse to unmute yourself then these shortcuts are for you. Zoom features multiple shortcut keys you can use while the Zoom window is in focus. Many of these shortcut keys provide global shortcuts you can use when the Zoom window is not in focus. One of these is the combination of the Alt key plus “A.” to mute and unmute yourself no matter what window is in focus.
https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/articles/205683899-Hot-keys-and-keyboard-shortcuts
Check out these recent legal filings involving digital and physical accessibility that are in the news:
- Website accessibility lawsuits account for large percentage of ADA claims- February 13, 2023 Source: Northern California Record
- ADA Title III Federal Lawsuits Numbers Are Down But Likely To Rebound in 2023- February 14, 2023 Source: Seyfarth Shaw
- 2022 Website ADA Lawsuit Statistics Summary- February 9, 2023 Source: Accessibility. Works
- Disabled Hotel Website Tester Has Standing to Sue, 4th Cir. Says- February 15, 2023 Source: Bloomberg Law (Paywall)
- Kate Spade Website Customer’s Disability Bias Suit Advances- Feb. 16, 2023 Source: Bloomberg Law (Paywall)
How to future-proof your business with neuro-inclusion
Companies that champion disability and neurodiversity inclusion report 30% higher economic profit margins, 28% higher revenue, and double the net income. In fact neuro-inclusive businesses could also be better equipped for the future.
Check out the recent report (in our blog) from Ernst & Young (EY) and Made By Dyslexia. They found that Dyslexic strengths align to the skills of the future.
Read as we share 8 tips to help your business attract and retain neurodivergent talent.
Read our blog. https://text.help/eC4rRf
‘Tremendous potential’: Why some disability advocates laud ChatGPT
ChatGPT has spurred lively conversations about the role of educational technology. While some colleges and universities are cracking down on ChatGPT, the AI-powered chatbot, other educators believe ChatGPT could help with assisted learning.
Software accessibility for users with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADHD)
When discussing accessibility, the first person that pops into the minds of people is probably a person in a wheelchair. Thinking about software accessibility, the next two types of disabilities might come into mind are blindness and deafness. in this article will dive into one that is often forgotten: cognitive disability. There are many kinds of cognitive impairments, to mention some: Dyslexia (difficulty reading), AD(H)D (Attention Deficit Disorder) or Autism Spectrum Disorder.
https://www.tamucc.edu/information-technology/accessibility/news.php
Future-proofing your business with neuro-inclusion
Companies that champion disability and neurodiversity inclusion report 30% higher economic profit margins, 28% higher revenue, and double the net income. In fact, neuro-inclusive businesses could also be better equipped for the future.
Check out the recent report (on the Texhelp blog) from Ernst & Young (EY) and Made By Dyslexia that finds that Dyslexic strengths align with the skills of the future.
Read as we share 8 tips to help your business attract and retain neurodivergent talent.
Digital Accessibility Conferences and Events
- March 8, 2023 Microsoft Accessibility Summit https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/accessibility
- March 13th 2023 through March 17th 2023 | 2023 38th Annual CSUN Assistive Technology Conference https://www.csun.edu/cod/conference/sessions/
- March 15th 2023 and March 16th 2023 | 2023 3rd Annual Axe-Con | Virtual Conference https://www.deque.com/blog/save-the-date-for-axe-con-2023/
