Monthly Digital Accessibility Roundup for November 2023
Welcome to Disability: IN’s monthly round up of digital accessibility news for November.
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
Watching TV While Blind | Consumer Reports
Making television accessible to people with vision impairments requires technical and regulatory advances and collaboration to ensure the visual media remains open to all:
Watching TV While Blind | Consumer Reports article
Is your company advancing accessibility through your procurement process? If so, then consider signing on to the Procure Access Statement. Wherever you are on the journey of establishing or advancing accessibility in your procurement process you can find the information you need in the Procure Access Toolkit.
And be sure to watch the Building Block Series to learn how industry leaders have implemented accessibility requirements into their procurement processes.
Spotlight on Disability:IN Partners using technology to enhance the accessibility of products we use every day.
This episode is full of the latest updates, news, and accessibility innovations from across Google. “What’s new in Google accessibility” episode 3 is live!
Microsoft Starts Roll Out of Latest Windows 11 Update With 150 New Features Including Copilot | September 26, 2023, | MS Power User
Windows 11 update will bring over 150 new features including the new Copilot, Windows Backup and more. Today, Microsoft announced that it has started roll out of this new update. You can find the summary of major new features below:
Microsoft Windows 11 latest features rollout
Adobe Announces All-New ‘Leaders Of Accessibility’ Group Aimed At Greater Inclusivity | Steven Aquino | Forbes: Subscription Required
As part of further celebrating National Disability Employment Awareness Month, Adobe on Thursday published a blog post in which the venerable San Jose-based software company announced a group of so-called “trend-setters” it is calling its “Leaders of Accessibility.” Today’s news was provided as an exclusive to me and the column: Adobe announces its Leaders of Accessibility trend-setters
Submission Form to Become an Accessibility Trusted Tester For Google Products
Do you use Google products? Are you passionate about improving accessibility? If so, then you may be interested in joining Google’s Accessibility Trusted Tester program! We are building out a panel of Accessibility Trusted Testers in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom to give us more accessibility and usability feedback on new and existing products and ideas. Potential testers will go through a screening process to enter the program. Those who are accepted into the Trusted Tester Program can expect: Link to Google’s Accessibility Trusted Tester program
Other Accessibility Highlights for this Month
Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2
W3C announces the much-anticipated WCAG 2.2.
W3C WCAG 2.2 Release
10 ChatGPT Alternatives & Competitors (Free and Paid) | PC World
ChatGPT might be the best-known AI, but it is not the only one out there: https://www.pcworld.com/article/2086819/chatgpt-alternatives.html
US Supreme Court Acheson Hotel Case May Impact Web Accessibility Lawsuits | Law Office of Lainey Feingold
This is an article about a lawsuit in the United States. The case will be heard in the U.S Supreme Court on October 4, 2023. It is about whether a civil rights tester can file a lawsuit. Testing has been an important part of civil rights enforcement in this country for decades. It is a valuable tool for the Americans with Disabilities Act. This lawsuit is about a hotel’s failure to post information on its website about accessible rooms, which is required by the ADA. This case is not about web accessibility, but the court’s opinion may impact web access cases. The opinion is not expected until 2024: https://www.lflegal.com/2023/10/acheson-tester-standing-case/
Be My AI Mentioned Amongst TIME Best Innovations of 2023
The new AI Describer for people who are blind or have low vision is featured in the AI Category: https://www.bemyeyes.com/blog/be-my-ai-named-amongst-time-best-inventions-of-2023
This Robot Could Be the Key to Empowering People with Disabilities | IEEE Spectrum
It is simple to use and gives users — and their caregivers — much needed independence. This article discusses the development of a new robot called Stretch, which is designed to help people with disabilities. The robot is small, lightweight, and can be easily moved by one person. It has a single arm with enough degrees of freedom to allow up-down and extend-retract movements. The robot is designed to increase the independence of the disabled person while also making the caregiver’s life easier. The robot is priced at $20,000, which is a fraction of the cost of a PR2:
https://spectrum-ieee-org.cdn.ampproject.org/c/s/spectrum.ieee.org/amp/stretch-assistive-robot-2665819104
Christmas Spectacular Starring the Radio City Rockettes® TDF Autism Friendly Performance
The Rockettes want as many people as possible to enjoy their legendary holiday spectacular. So, this year, for the first time, there will be a sensory friendly performance of “The 2023 Christmas Spectacular starring the Radio City Rockettes.” That is in addition to accessible showtimes including American Sign Language, open captioned and audio description performances.
https://www.tdf.org/accessibility-services/tdf-autism-friendly-performances/christmas-spectacular-starring-the-radio-city-rockettes-tdf-autism-friendly-performance/
All rideshare vehicles in NYC must be carbon-neutral or wheelchair-accessible by 2030
All rideshare vehicles in the Big Apple will need to be either carbon-neutral or wheelchair-accessible by 2030, when the cities newly passed “Green Rides” program takes effect. The new rules were passed with a unanimous vote by the Taxi and Limousine Commission and will help make transit in New York more accessible and energy efficient, said Mayor Eric Adams. “With the passage of this historic rule and the immediate release of electric vehicle licenses, we are delivering on a promise made to New Yorkers earlier this year and hitting the road towards a more sustainable and accessible future,” Adams said in a statement following the rule’s passage.
Digital Accessibility Conferences and Events
November 6 – 10, 2023 Accessing Higher Ground
26th Annual Accessing Higher Ground in Denver, CO, hybrid
December 1, 2023, and December 2, 2023 | Blind Health Expo 2023 |
December 6- 7, 2023 | Sight Tech Global
https://sighttechglobal.com/?mc_cid=0f086fc102&mc_eid=eb245f25da
January 9 – 12, 2024 CES- LAS VEGAS, NV
CES Tech Trade Show Las Vegas
January 25-27, 2024
Assistive Technology Industry Association (ATIA) – Online and Orlando, FL
February 20-22, 2024
axe-con 2024- Online