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The Canadian Press Staff
Published Tuesday, December 3, 2019
HALIFAX — Municipalities and universities will have a year to develop plans to remove barriers to accessibility as Nova Scotia continues to move towards its legislated goal of making the province more accessible to people with disabilities by 2030.
Justice Minister Mark Furey announced a step Tuesday that would see municipalities, villages, universities, the Nova Scotia Community College and provincial libraries designated as public sector bodies under the provincial Accessibility Act on April 1.
Furey said those bodies will then have one year to establish accessibility advisory committees and implement plans aimed at making buildings and public spaces accessible to employees under provincial standards that are being developed. Those standards are expected to be in place by 2022.
Public Bodies in Nova Scotia Get One Year to Develop Accessibility Plans full article
Dec. 3 is United Nations International Day of Persons with Disabilities. The theme this year is “The Future is Accessible.” It’s a future all of us in the disability sector envision, especially in terms of employment for people who have a disability.
An idealistic vision? I don’t think so. Here’s the thing, though: the future starts now. We need to do more now about employment accessibility.
This demands asking two essential questions: How do we make the future more accessible? And what does accessibility mean, especially when it comes to employment?
Campbell: Access to Employment Critical Step for People With Disabilities full article
November 29, 2019
Technology is changing the way we interact with companies like Domino’s, for sure.
The US Supreme Court last week to weigh in on an argument that the Americans with Disabilities Act should not apply to websites and digital storefronts, leaving intact a lower ruling finding that the ADA does, indeed, apply to digital space. Internet and Web users with disabilities, as well as advocates for accessible design, are breathing a sigh of relief.
Accessibility, the Future, and Why Domino’s Matters full article
Settlement is most comprehensive ever to protect college students with mental health disabilities from unnecessary exclusion Palo Alto, CA, October 7, 2019
A coalition of Stanford students and Stanford University have reached a groundbreaking settlement agreement that will result in significant changes to Stanford’s leave of absence policies and practices, all of which will help ensure that students experiencing mental health crises have access to appropriate accommodations and services and are not unnecessarily excluded from campus and housing. Read the settlement agreement below.
Stanford and Students with Mental Health Disabilities Reach Landmark Settlement full article
Alliance for Equality of Blind Canadians
L’Alliance pour l’égalité des personnes aveugles du Canada
Winnipeg Chapter
Janet Hunt, Chapter President
Email: jjvhunt@shaw.ca
November 2019
Response to Discussion Paper on AAC Recommendations for the Transportation Accessibility Standard
The Winnipeg Chapter of the Alliance for Equality of Blind Canadians (AEBC) is pleased to provide feedback and comments on the AAC recommendations for the Transportation Accessibility Standard.
AEBC is a national grassroots, peer support organization that is comprised of Canadians who are blind, deafblind or partially sighted and our supporters from the public at large.
Recommendations for Transportation Accessibility Standard AEBC Winnipeg Nov 2019 full article
By Kelly Yamanouchi, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
November 14, 2019
U.S. House committee leaders this week called for airlines to do more to prevent mishandling of wheelchairs and scooters of passengers with disabilities, and sought more information on airlines’ policies and procedures.
In a letter to industry group Airlines for America CEO Nicholas Calio, Delta Air Lines CEO Ed Bastian and National Air Carriers Association president George Novak, the members of Congress wrote that “the U.S. airline industry must do more to prevent mishandling of mobility aids for passengers with disabilities.”
Nearly 57 million Americans have a disability, according to Census data release in 2012, and more than 30 million had difficulty walking or climbing stairs, or used a wheelchair, cane, crutches or walker.
U.S. House Committee Leaders Call for More Action to Prevent Airline Mishandling of Wheelchairs full article
Best Brothers Group of Companies
November 8, 2019
UNITED STATES: For 2Gether-International founder Diego Mariscal, disabilities and entrepreneurship go hand-in-hand. From the moment we wake up, we have to figure out how to get dressed, how to get from one place to the next, how to communicate, and thats inherently an entrepreneurship skill, Mariscal said.
2Gether International aims to strengthen the community of entrepreneurs with disabilities.
Hes seen the proof in his organization, such as one entrepreneur who created an app to give away eyeglasses to those in need. Yet, he noted, the community faces some of the highest levels of unemployment and poverty in the world. In D.C., working-age people with disabilities face a 38.5% poverty rate.
2Gether-International is Creating an Accelerator Program for Entrepreneurs with Disabilities full article
The next government should make all new homes accessible and adaptable, according to a coalition of housing and charity groups.
The organisation, which has called itself Housing Made for Everyone (HoME), includes Age UK, Riba (Royal Institute of British Architects), Disability Rights UK, the National Housing Federation, and the Chartered Institute of Housing.
It has published an open letter calling on the next government to take greater action to secure housing suitable for an ageing population and people living with disabilities.
It reads: “Without action, we face an ever-mounting bill, with councils spending greater sums on trying to adapt homes retrospectively and the costs to our health and social care systems spiralling.
Next Government ‘Must Tackle Dangerous Shortage of Accessible Homes’ full article
by Shaun Heasley | November 4, 2019
Lyft’s new Jobs Access Program is aimed at easing transportation concerns for people with disabilities and other groups as they seek employment.
In an effort to help people with disabilities access job training and get hired, one of the nation’s leading ride-sharing services plans to offer free or discounted rides.
Lyft’s Jobs Access Program will provide complementary or lower-cost rides to individuals with disabilities and other targeted groups in more than 35 markets across the U.S. and Canada.
The company said rides will be available to get to or from job training programs, interviews and to get back and forth from work for the first three weeks of employment before new hires typically get their first paychecks.
Lyft Offering Rides To Job Seekers With Disabilities full article
The government is collecting feedback to develop legislation to reduce barriers for disabled people in B.C. Nick Eagland
Updated: November 2, 2019
Olive Olajide describes the issues she has boarding new transit buses during Saturday’s community consultation session in Vancouver for new accessibility legislation.
Thousands of disabled British Columbians are contributing ideas for legislation to make the province more accessible, including a large group that packed into a community meeting Saturday in Vancouver.
More than 150 people turned up for the public consultation session at a downtown hotel where Shane Simpson, Minister of Social Development and Poverty Reduction, asked them about the barriers they have experienced, what they think about framework proposed for the legislation, and how his ministry can improve it.
British Columbians Pack Meeting to Help Develop Accessibility Law full article
The Nova Scotia government is spending $29.5 million to build a new parking garage for the Halifax Infirmary. Natasha Pace
Published Friday, November 1, 2019
HALIFAX — The decision to spend millions to construct a new parking garage at a Halifax hospital is being met with some concern.
Thursday, Nova Scotia’s Minister of Transportation Infrastructure Renewal announced government had approved nearly $30 million to build a new parkade across from the Halifax Infirmary site of the Queen Elizabeth II Health Sciences Centre.
Now, questions are being asked about the project and the accessibility of it. Some fear the parkade could create barriers.
Advocate Says New Parkade at Halifax Hospital Will Reduce Accessibility full article
By Debra Cassens Weiss
October 9, 2019, 2:11 pm CDT
Corrected: The current analytical reasoning section of the Law School Admission Test will eventually be dropped as a result of a settlement in a lawsuit by a legally blind man who said he was unable to draw diagrams to help him answer the questions.
But analytical reasoning also referred to as logic games will still be assessed on the test, according to a press release announcing the settlement. Over the next four years, the Law School Admission Council will develop different ways of testing analytical reasoning.
LSAT Will Change for All Would-Be Lawyers as a Result of Blind Man’s Lawsuit Settlement full article
by Nicholas Upton | Oct 24, 2019
Stuck because a robot won’t move out of the way might sound like a dumb episode of “Black Mirror,” but that was the reality for a doctoral student on the University of Pittsburgh campus.
Emily Ackerman, a chemical engineering student who uses a wheelchair, said she was crossing the street as she does every day, but a Starship food-delivery robot blocked her path, leaving her stuck in a busy street. Ackerman was able to navigate up on the curb, and later took to Twitter to share her story.
Delivery Bots ‘Paused’ After Accessibility Incident full article
Blind users have been fighting for a more inclusive web for over 20 years. Are lawsuits like the one against Dominos going to make a difference?
A few weeks ago, Lucy Greco heard a story on NPR about more clothing retailers shuttering their stores and moving online. Oh, great, she thought, recalling some of her past experiences with online shopping: Youre clicking on something that says, graphic graphic graphic, or some numbered file name, or some gibberish like that.
The Internet Is for Everyone, Right? Not With a Screen Reader full article
‘It’s one of those things that you don’t think about till you live it’ Tom Steepe · CBC News · Posted: Oct 22, 2019
The Weeks family hold one of the Accessible Trick-or-Treating signs popping up on lawns across P.E.I. From left to right, Edison Weeks, Chris Weeks, Robyn Weeks and Kaidence Weeks.
An Island woman is doing her part to make sure children with accessibility issues don’t miss out on trick-or-treating this year.
Robyn Weeks of Clyde River has posted a bright orange sign on her front lawn, telling people her home is accessible for everyone trick-or-treating and helping to raise awareness.
Making Halloween on P.E.I. Accessible for All Trick-or-Treaters full article
By Troy Media on October 18, 2019
Mario Toneguzzi is a Troy Media reporter based in Calgary
Canadians with disabilities are already a large part of the working age population and will increase in importance as the population ages, says a new report by TD Economics.
Yet labour market outcomes for these individuals continues to lag. Even moderate success in narrowing gaps between people with disabilities (PWD) and the general population could provide an economic boost of more than $50 billion, said the Canadians with Disabilities: Seizing the Opportunity report.
“For employers, the case for becoming leaders in making workplaces more accessible is clear: generating a competitive edge in the growing war for talent,” it said.
People With Disabilities Could Boost Economy by $50 billion: Report full article
The project aims to raise awareness of the importance of societal changes for the disabled. October 20, 2019
By: Mideline Bony
In an effort to include people with disabilities which are often excluded from historical records, Carleton University is making a special addition to its library.
The Accessible Canada Act C-81, an act that focuses on creating inclusive and accessibility-friendly communities, workplaces and services, received royal assent on July 21, 2019. That same day, a film crew interviewed several key people, including the Honourable Carla Qualtrough, Senator Jim Munson, James van Raalte, Sinead Tuite, Bill Adair and Frank Folino.
Carleton University Creates Video Library Focusing on People With Disabilities full article
Michelle McQuigge, The Canadian Press
Published Tuesday, October 15, 2019
Amy Amantea tuned in to the English-language federal leaders’ debate with modest hope there would be at least some discussion of issues relevant to disabled Canadians.
The first half of the campaign had passed with barely a reference, even from the party that had delivered a historic achievement in national disability policy. Earlier this year, the Liberals made good on a 2015 campaign promise when the Accessible Canada Act received royal assent, marking the first time any government had enacted accessibility legislation at the federal level.
Some Disabled Canadians Feeling Left Out of Discussion During Election Campaign full article
As a restauranteur, you hope to provide a great experience for everyone who patronizes your establishment. But then the question arises, how does one accomplish this?
By Laura Boniello Miller, Corporate Business Development Manager, JAWS Kiosk program, Vispero – 10.11.2019
According to figures from the CDC, 26% of the United States population identifies with having a disability. That’s 61 million people who may need additional accommodations to enjoy a nice meal out. As a restauranteur, you hope to provide a great experience for everyone who patronizes your establishment. But then the question arises, how does one accomplish this?
How Technology Can Enable Restaurant Accessibility And Inclusiveness full article
LIFT Philanthropy Partners is pleased to announce our Request for Qualifications for a new initiative aimed at support for “creating communities, workplaces and services that enable everyone to participate fully in society without barriers.”1
This initiative supports organizations that are removing barriers for persons living with disabilities, scaling innovative programs and services, and demonstrating measureable results, specifically towards employment or self-employment outcomes.
Under this initiative, disabilities are defined broadly to include physical, developmental, mental, and cognitive disabilities.
Request for Qualifications: Social Inclusion and Employment Outcomes for Persons Living with Disabilities full article
