April Digital Accessibility Roundup

This Month's RoundupPowered by:

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.

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

Salesforce  Inclusive and Accessible Events Trail

Creating accessible events isn’t just about compliance—it’s about fostering inclusivity and ensuring all attendees can fully participate. This unit explores why accessibility matters, covering legal and ethical considerations as well as the broader benefits for everyone involved. You’ll also gain practical insights into key steps for planning and executing events that are welcoming, engaging, and equitable for all.

Capgemini partners with Mobility Mojo to enhance accessibility and inclusion in their workplaces.

Capgemini has made a significant stride towards enhancing accessibility and inclusion by assessing six of its sites as part of a pilot initiative. This marks the first step in their journey to assess their global workplace portfolio. The assessment was conducted in collaboration with Mobility Mojo, an accessibility management platform that helps businesses evaluate and improve their accessibility standards.

3Play Media Launches Global Linguist Marketplace and AI-Enabled Language Solutions for Video, Positioning Businesses for European Accessibility Act Compliance

The industry leader in media accessibility solutions today announced the launch of its global linguist marketplace along with its cutting-edge, AI-Enabled accessibility and localization solutions for video-forward businesses across media & entertainment and enterprise.

Microsoft Ability Summit 2025: Accessibility in the AI Era

At the 15th annual Microsoft Ability Summit, over 20,000 virtual attendees from 164 countries gathered to explore the intersection of AI and accessibility. Microsoft unveiled the Xbox Adaptive Joystick, expanding gaming options for players with limited mobility. Collaborations with partners like Tobii Dynavox and Special Olympics showcased AI's potential to enhance assistive communication and training for individuals with disabilities. The summit underscored Microsoft's commitment to integrating accessibility into technology development, aiming to empower people with disabilities worldwide.

Zoom's AI goes agentic - here's what it can do for you now

The company is introducing Zoom Tasks, which identifies action items in meeting summaries, chats, and emails and then completes tasks, such as scheduling a follow-up meeting or generating a document. Also launching in late March is a new voice recorder feature accessible on the Zoom Workplace mobile app that can transcribe, summarize, and capture in-person conversations so users can revisit the notes later.

Introducing Gemini 2.5: Google's Most Advanced AI Model Yet

Google DeepMind introduces Gemini 2.5, its most capable AI model to date, featuring enhanced reasoning abilities, better multimodal understanding, and improved efficiency. The model excels in complex problem-solving and integrates new "chain-of-thought" enhancements, making AI-driven interactions more natural. Google highlights applications in research, education, and accessibility, emphasizing its commitment to responsible AI development.

Need Grooming Guidance? P&G Is Here to Help!

Did you know that P&G Grooming brands—Venus, Braun, and Gillette—are available on Be My Eyes Service Directory? Whether you need help choosing the right razor, tips for shaving, or guidance on using a grooming tool, their experts are just a call away. The service is available to all users in the United States and Canada. Find it on Be My Eyes in the Service Directory section under the Beauty and Grooming category.

Uber and Waymo have partnered to offer autonomous vehicle rides in Austin, Texas

Riders can now request a Waymo robotaxi through the Uber app within a 37-square-mile service area.

Other Accessibility Highlights for this Month

75% of firms risk fines as EU Accessibility Act deadline nears

With just over three months until the EU’s European Accessibility Act’s highly anticipated implementation date, new research by Storyblok reveals that only 25% of European businesses say they are fully prepared to comply with the Act’s provisions.

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%). Organizations willing to make accommodations—which often cost little to nothing for the employer—to support employees with disabilities can leverage this underutilized workforce to drive business outcomes.

Tilt Beauty Exemplifies Disability Inclusion in the Design Practice

If you’ve ever struggled to open a package—wrestling with stubborn plastic, squinting at tiny instructions, or fumbling with an awkward design—you’ve experienced the silent power of design. It’s something we rarely think about when it works well, but when it doesn’t? Frustration sets in fast. Now imagine that frustration multiplied for someone with limited dexterity, low vision, or other accessibility needs. Suddenly, what seems like a minor design flaw becomes a major barrier.

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.With this in mind, we'd like to share our understanding of the EAA as it applies to digital products and services.

Measuring the success of your accessible content efforts

Summary: Content, communications, and marketing professionals can measure accessibility success beyond technical compliance. Learn seven key measurement areas with practical metrics that demonstrate impact and build momentum for continued accessibility work.

Accessibility in the Gaming Industry: Implications of the European Accessibility Act

The accessibility of services and products is gaining growing significance in the gaming industry, driven by various factors — ranging from the pursuit of broader market reach, better brand positioning, reputational considerations and, last but not least, a sincere commitment to fostering social inclusivity. In the context of approaching deadline (28 June 2025) for implementation of the Directive (EU) 2019/882 of 17 April 2019 on the accessibility requirements for products and services (EAA) it is worth analyzing how national transpositions of EAA will affect the gaming, particularly in terms of their practical impact on operational practices and business models.

The Lincoln Center is hosting a performance of Hamlet on Saturday, April 19^th, taking place during the Lincoln Center Big Umbrella Festival, which focuses on performances centered around neurodivergent audiences.

The Peruvian theater company Teatro La Plaza reinvents Shakespeare’s classic tragedy Hamlet into a joyful and enigmatic production. Rather than telling one man's story, director and writer Chela De Ferrari's interpretation homes in on the importance of community. In this retelling of Shakespeare, the stories of people with Down syndrome take center stage, when historically they have been relegated to the background. Weaving together a version of the text with personal anecdotes from the cast, De Ferrari brings new meaning to the 400-year-old play and asks how can those with Down syndrome exist in a world that continually sets out to exclude them?

10 Essential Tips to Make Your Meetings Disability Inclusive for Blind Participants

Having inclusively structured meetings helps to make collaboration easier and communication more effective while enhancing the commitment to diversity and access. Additionally, inclusively structured meetings increase effectiveness as everyone can participate, which fosters unity and support in the working environment.

CSUN Assistive Technology Conference notes for 2025

The CSUN Assistive Technology Conference 2025, held from March 10th to 14th at the Anaheim Marriott in California, brought together a diverse global community of professionals, researchers, and individuals passionate about accessibility and inclusive design. This year’s conference featured a wide array of presentations covering topics from digital accessibility law to AI equity and innovative assistive technologies. Attendees, including Intuit representatives, engaged in sessions, networking events, and discussions, sharing insights and experiences to advance the field of assistive technology.

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.

I’ve written about how button groups work for keyboard users, so in the interests of completion I thought it would be worth doing the same thing for navigation. Spoiler alert: it’s much, much simpler.

Note: although this is about keyboard users, like the article about button groups there’s example markup, and it would be remiss of me not to explain how it serves screen reader users too, so you’re getting a two-for-one!

Documentary: Change, Not Charity: The Americans With Disabilities Act: Premieres

This documentary explores the decades-long fight for equality and accessibility, leading to the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Smart homes a boon for accessibility, but come with a technology warning

Imagine this, you come home from work and when you walk in the door the lights are already on, and the blinds have closed automatically.

Your dishwasher pings your phone to let you know the cleaning cycle has finished and a camera in the fridge has told you you're low on milk before you left the office, so it's already on the shopping list.The internet of things, a term given to devices that connect to the internet, is even able to tell you your cat is safely at home and has just used the litter box.

Bad influence? Don’t overlook accessibility in creator content

Working with influencers to engage with consumers is now an established tactic for major brands. However, according to Jonathan Hassell, CEO of digital accessibility specialists Hassell Inclusion, brands could be missing out on big money from disabled consumers if they haven’t briefed influencers to make their content accessible for everyone.

LG Unveils Accessible Smart Solutions for U.S. Market

According to LG Electronics ESG Strategy Head Justin Hong, LG's role at CSUN 2025 exemplifies the company's ongoing efforts to enhance accessibility for home appliance users and to realize its Better Life for All ESG vision. "Accessibility is at the heart of our innovation, driving us to push boundaries and exceed expectations," he said.

Introducing the 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.

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

Accessibility might not be the first thing you think about when you post on IG or TikTok, but it can be a huge help for people with disabilities, and it only takes a few seconds to implement.

WebAIM Global Digital Accessibility Salary Survey Results

WebAIM's December 2024 survey, conducted with the GAAD Foundation, reveals that full-time digital accessibility professionals earn an average salary of $109,542. Notably, 57.6% of respondents reported having a disability, with those individuals earning higher average salaries than their non-disabled counterparts. Additionally, employees at larger organizations and those working remotely or in hybrid settings reported higher salaries.

Four ways to prepare for the UK digital landline switchover

You may have heard that landlines are changing and that the UK’s telephone network is going digital. These changes will affect everyone who has a landline they’d like to keep using.An industry-wide shift from analogue to digital will see BT and many other home phone operators in the UK provide services over a broadband connection, similar to work taking place in other countries around the world.

Time Shifter Clock V2 Easy time zone converter

Time Shifter Clock is a web app designed to simplify time zone conversions, especially during seasonal time changes. Users can select two cities, adjust the time slider, and easily share the converted time with others. https://disabilityin.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Accessibility-Header-Sign-Ups_Web-Header-Sign-Ups.png