Digital technology holds immense potential for assisting individuals with disabilities. However, the journey towards achieving universal accessibility is far from straightforward. This article explores the complexities of digital accessibility, emphasizing the need for a concerted effort to realize its full potential. Introduction The notion of accessibility in digital technology extends beyond mere technical challenges. It encompasses a multifaceted interplay of factors, including technological advancements, legal…

Date & Time: June 20, 2024, at 08:00 AM Eastern Time (US and Canada) Event Overview: The International Association of Accessibility Professionals (IAAP), in collaboration with AbilityNet and BarrierBreak, is excited to continue its popular ‘Network & Learn’ series in 2024. This month's session will feature insights from industry leaders Romana Pugh, Change Lead for Product Accessibility at the BBC, and Chris Holloway, Digital Accessibility…

NEW YORK (Reuters) - A blind man completed a 5-kilometer (3.1-mile) run in New York’s Central Park without a guide dog or human help this week. His navigation aid? Artificial intelligence through headphones plugged into a smartphone. “The safest thing for a blind man is to sit still. I ain’t sitting still,” said Thomas Panek, 50, who lost his vision in his early 20s due…

Kristy Viers is here to show the world how you use a phone when you cannot see. [video width="1154" height="648" webm="https://accessibilityshield.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/p-1-90535264-meet-the-youtuber-whoand8217s-schooling-developers-on-how-blind-people-really-use-tech.webm" loop="true" autoplay="true"][/video]   Kristy Viers owned an iPhone for five years before her tech-savvy boyfriend showed her a trick: Instead of thumb typing on the screen’s tiny lettered keyboard, she could flip around her phone, and type with the six dots of braille that…

With the COVID-19 outbreak forcing most people to either shelter in place or severely limit their outside activities, people everywhere are online more than ever.  As a result, website accessibility lawsuits under the Americans with Disabilities Act are expected to sharply increase. Title III of the ADA requires places of public accommodation with websites (including retail businesses) to ensure that their websites are accessible to…

On May 21, a California state court in Los Angeles held on summary judgment that the Whisper Lounge restaurant violated California’s Unruh Act by having a website that could not be used by a blind person with a screen reader, and ordered the restaurant to make its website comply with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) Level 2.0 AA.  The court also ordered the restaurant to pay…

Editors Note: Sara Novic is a Deaf writer and the author of the books "Girl at War" and "America is Immigrants," both from Random House. The views expressed in this commentary are her own. The views expressed in this commentary are solely hers. View more opinion articles on CNN. (CNN) -- The need for commercial drivers has skyrocketed amid America's rapidly changing economy, where giants of shipping…

Eve Andersson has a cool tech job: she's in charge of accessibility across all of Google.   Andersson has been working at Google for 13 years and turned accessibility from a grassroots effort to an area of focus for hundreds of employees.  Andersson spoke with Business Insider about her favorite Google accessibility features, why she's an "integrator" instead of trying to achieve work-life balance, and her…

Digital accessibility achieved the impossible today when the software team at Accessibility Shield launched software that allowed goats to surf the web. The breakthrough has broken down the barrier between people and animals while at the same time pushing the web into a new realm of accessibility. “This happened by accident, but it’s going to change everything,” said Jason McKee, chief marketing officer with the…