This Month's Roundup Powered by: AARP

Welcome to Disability: IN’s monthly round up of digital accessibility news for April.

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.

Disability:IN Happenings

Various design, document, coding, checklist, social media accessibility icons in neon green and navy blue.

24 Hours of Global Accessibility Awareness Day

Disability:IN is proud to recognize Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD) on May 18, 2023, with a 24-Hour stream of conversations with inclusion champions celebrating ways we can advance digital accessibility year-round.

This event is exclusive to Disability:IN corporate partners. Interested in becoming a partner? Contact Mackenzie Ward at [email protected].

Ten Tips for Accessible Procurement

This article on the importance of accessible procurement highlights the Disability:IN Procure Access Initiative. Read on to learn how your company can join this initiative and to sign the Procure Access Statement contact Disability:IN’s Chief Accessibility Officer Jeff Wissel, [email protected]. 

https://abilitynet.org.uk/news-blogs/10-tips-accessible-procurement

Spotlight on Disability:IN Partners using technology to enhance the accessibility of products we use every day

Estée Lauder Launches Voice Activated Makeup App for Blind and Low Vision Users

For many, makeup is a common step in a morning routine. However, makeup brands have been very slow to adapt to include customers with a visual impairment in their packaging, advertisement and product use. Estee Lauder claims to have changed this with the release of their new voice-activated app, which is now available in the UK. The app uses AI technology to scan your face and detect lines that have not been blended, keeping everything even and symmetrical:

https://www.shefnews.co.uk/2023/03/17/estee-lauder-launches-voice-activated-makeup-app-for-visually-impaired-users/

Accessibility Lessons Learned from U.S. Bank, Citi, and Google

“Accessibility is a hat I wear 100% of the time.” Prioritizing accessibility needs across their digital platforms.

https://tearsheet.co/banking/accessibility-is-a-hat-i-wear-100-of-the-time-lessons-learned-from-u-s-bank-citi-and-google/

Disney Parks Cast Member Champions Accessibility

A Disney Parks Cast Member has helped the Walt Disney Company ensure it is accessible for Guests, particularly in how they utilize its technological features.

https://www.disneydining.com/disney-parks-accessible-cast-member-joanna-collins-sj1/

Barclays New Accessible Facility in Glasgow

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/barclays-bank_behind-barclays-can-you-guess-which-of-our-activity-7041071113837142016-PKf5?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop

Microsoft Announces Copilot

Copilot is a modern AI assistant that will help Microsoft 365 users create Office documents. 

https://www.theverge.com/2023/3/16/23642833/microsoft-365-ai-copilot-word-outlook-teams

Other Accessibility Highlights for this Month

Zoom Expands Use of Artificial Intelligence

In a blog post published on Monday, March 23, 2023, the company announced a partnership with OpenAI that brings AI-generated summaries, message drafts, and more to the video conferencing app through its Zoom IQ AI-powered assistant. 

https://www.ghacks.net/2023/03/28/if-youre-late-for-a-zoom-meeting-ai-will-let-you-know-what-you-missed/

OpenAI Supercharges ChatGPT by Adding Web-Browsing Support

The web-browsing capability arrives through new plugin support for ChatGPT, with services including Slack, Expedia, Instacart, Shopify, and Kayak signing on:

https://www.pcmag.com/news/openai-supercharges-chatgpt-by-adding-web-browsing-support

Mindset Matters: How The Tribe Of Accessibility Is Fundamental To Scaling The Disability Economy

While accessibility was once relegated to the sidelines of the technological conversation, there is a massive sea change happening and accessibility is becoming a centerpiece of a larger discussion where its impact is having a ripple effect not just on the disability community, but for all of humanity.

Link to Forbes article by Jonathan Kaufman Mindset Matters

Axe Awards at axe-con 2023

Axe-con is about building accessible experiences, the mission of the conference is not only focused on bringing together the accessibility community and providing free content but to highlight the organizations that are leaders in the field of accessibility.

Congratulations to this year’s winners: Apple, Microsoft, U.S. Bank, and Citi

Special congratulations to Jenny Lay-Flurrie, Chief Accessibility Officer at Microsoft. Jenny received the Jim Thatcher Lifetime Achievement Award

https://www.deque.com/blog/axe-awards-at-axe-con-2023/

The Oscars Expand Accessibility to The Red Carpet This Year

For the first time, the Academy Awards gala will include live audio transcriptions and an accessibility guide on the red carpet.

2023 Source: HUFFPOST & Variety & IMDb

eBay Introduces Open-Source Plugin for Figma

eBay wants to make building accessible products easy “right from the start.” eBay announced a new creative tool called Include meant to help developers prioritize accessibility in all stages of the development process, from conception to fruition.

Forbes

Article on Overlays written by Karl Groves

https://karlgroves.com/the-overlay-personalization-farce/

Digital Accessibility Conferences and Events

White background with floating blue, green, and white disability icons above a GAAD toolbox above blue text, 24 Hours of Global Accessibility Awareness Day. On the bottom is a blue banner with a white Disability:IN logo and green text, hashtag GAAD365.

Spotlight on Disability:IN Partners using technology to enhance the 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.

https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/devices/amazons-fire-tv-expands-audio-streaming-for-hearing-aids-to-cochlear-implants

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.

https://www.csmonitor.com/text_edition/Technology/2023/0217/Tremendous-potential-Why-some-disability-advocates-laud-ChatGPT

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.

https://text.help/eC4rRf

Digital Accessibility Conferences and Events