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Accessibility News International
Accessibility News International will strive to bring you as much information as possible from around the Globe regarding issues of accessibility for the Disability Community.
Australian Smartphone App Proloquo2Go Helps Give Children With Speech Difficulties a Voice
by: NATHAN KLEIN
From: The Daily Telegraph May 14, 2013
Reece Midgeley, who is intellectually disabled and has speech difficulties, has had his life changed by a new iPad app called Proloquo2go.
CRIKEY! Who said iPhone apps were just for playing games and accessing Facebook?
Children battling with speech difficulties will now have a voice through a revolutionary new smartphone app that even speaks with an Australian accent.
The app, Proloquo2Go, is the first of its kind in the country – with no other text-to-speech app specifically catered for Australian children.
Government of Canada Supports Full Participation of People With Disabilities
MISSISSAUGA, ON, May 15, 2013
CNW/ – People living with and caring for others with Tourette syndrome will benefit from increased support aimed at bridging gaps in information and services available to them. The announcement was made today by the Honourable Bal Gosal, Minister of State (Sports) and Member of Parliament for Bramalea-Gore-Malton, on behalf of the Honourable Diane Finley, Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development.
“The Government of Canada is committed to supporting innovative solutions that help remove barriers to the social and economic inclusion of people with disabilities,” said Minister of State Gosal. ”
Fedora Celebrates the Kindle App with a Giveaway
In celebration of the new accessible Kindle app, Fedora Outlier, LLC, is pleased to offer up one (1) $25 gift card for Amazon.com, which can be used to purchase anything from the Kindle Store. That’s right, one lucky winner can buy some brand new books for their brand new accessible Kindle app. Here’s how you can score an entry (or two) for the giveaway
Read more at
http://www.fedoraoutlier.com/accessiblekindle-giveaway/
Harper Government Reaffirms Commitment to Persons with Disabilities
Ottawa, Ontario, May 2, 2013—The Honourable Diane Finley, Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development, today announced the Government’s support for private Member’s motion 430, Strengthening Employment for Canadians with Disabilities.
This motion endorses the findings of the report of the Panel on Labour Market Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities and commits to furthering public-private cooperation to improve the employment situation of Canadians with disabilities.
“Canada needs all of our available talent at work,” said Minister Finley. “That is why Economic Action Plan 2013 is increasing opportunities for people with disabilities, helping them gain the skills and training they need to better participate in Canada’s labour market.”
Amazon Adds New Features For Blind And Visually Impaired Users To Kindle For iOS App, Coming To Other Platforms Soon
Frederic Lardinois View Staff Page
May 2, 2013
Amazon today announced a number of new features for its Kindle for iOS app that aim to make it easier to use for blind and visually impaired users.
Today’s update, Amazon says, will make it easier for these users to use features like “X-Ray, End Actions, sharing, highlighting and bookmarking.”
Amazon says these new features are available on iOS today, but it plans to make them available on additional platforms in the future.
Computer Game Could Improve Sight of Visually Impaired Children
24th April 2013, 10:33am
Visually impaired children could benefit from a revolutionary new computer game being developed by a team of neuroscientists and game designers.
Academics from the University of Lincoln, UK, are working with WESC, one of the UK’s most respected specialist schools for visually impaired children, to create and evaluate a new ‘visual search rehabilitation game’.
There are around 25,000 children in Britain – equating to two children per 1,000 – with a visual impairment of such severity they require specialist education support. The causes of blindness in children are extremely varied, but cerebral visual impairment (damage to areas of the brain associated with vision, rather than damage to the eye itself) is among the most common.
Removing Barriers Goal of New Legislation
Manitoba – Improving accessibility for disabled will be the norm
By: Larry Kusch
Posted: 04/24/2013
THE provincial government is introducing legislation today it says will improve accessibility for people with disabilities to buildings, services and jobs.
Read more at
http://www.aoda.ca/removing-barriers-goal-of-new-legislation/
Old Hat Guide App Review: Pages
Pages is the most beautiful word processor you’ve ever seen on a mobile device. This powerful app has been exclusively designed for the iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch. Create, edit, and view documents wherever you are.
Read more at
http://oldhatguide.com/pages/
EEOC Sues Wal-Mart for Sexual Harassment, Retaliation and Disability Discrimination
4-10-13
Developmentally Disabled Walmart Employee in Akron Store Fired for Complaining About Sexual Touching, Federal Agency Charges
CLEVELAND – Wal-Mart Stores East, L.P. violated federal law by allowing a male employee at an Akron Walmart store to subject a developmentally disabled female co-worker to sexually inappropriate conduct and then retaliating against her for her opposition to the sexual misconduct, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) charged in a lawsuit it announced today.
Blind taxpayers sue H&R Block over web site accessibility
A lawsuit says the tax preparation firm denies the blind of online services.
H&R Block Inc. says on its web site HRBlock.com that “personalized help is available no matter how you want to work with us.” The National Federation of the Blind and two individual taxpayers strongly disagree, and last week filed a federal lawsuit charging the tax preparation company with “systematically violating” federal law by denying blind people the ability to use the same online services it provides to people with sight.
Read more at
http://www.fedoraoutlier.com/blind-taxpayers-sue-hr-block-over-web-site-accessibility/
Press Release: Fedora Outlier LLC Launches The Old Hat Guide to iPhone Accessibility
Purchase your copy Today!!
April 16, 2013
“The Old Hat Guide to iPhone Accessibility” chronicles the most common challenges a new user faces when picking up Apple’s revolutionary, accessible technologies for the very first time. But as our guide will demonstrate–once conquered, blind and low vision users will unlock a limitless number of possibilities on the job, in the classroom and at play.
Read more at
http://www.fedoraoutlier.com/press-release-fedora-outlier-llc-launches-the-old-hat-guide-to-iphone-accessibility/
Documentary: Disability Activist Fights for Right to Manage His Own Care
Sunday, April 14, 2013 | Categories: Documentaries | Read 1 comments1
Paul Caune is leading the charge for the right of people with disabilities to manage their own care.
You can’t miss Paul Caune in a meeting. What you see is a man in a wheelchair, all but immobile. His tracheotomy hose leads from his throat to the ventilator on the back of his chair.
What you hear is a take-no-prisoners fighter – a man using the force of his own experience to make a case.
Big Pharma made $711 billion Overcharging Seniors and Disabled
Published time: April 09, 2013 18:59
Conflict, Corruption, Crime, Health, Medicine, Politics, USA
The 11 largest drug companies have made $711 billion in profits in just a decade, largely due to overcharging Medicare, which does not seek out competitive prices and uses taxpayer funds to support Big Pharma.
Since Medicare is prohibited from purchasing drugs based on their cost, its prescription drug program has been making large payouts to drug companies that have overcharged the program for years, according to an analysis by Health Care for America Now (HCAN).
Outback Steakhouse to Pay $65,000 to Settle EEOC Disability Discrimination Lawsuit
3-22-13
Phoenix Restaurant Fired Server Because of His Traumatic Brain Injury, Federal Agency Charged
PHOENIX – Outback Steakhouse will pay $65,000 and furnish other relief to settle a disability discrimination lawsuit filed by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the agency announced today.
The EEOC’s lawsuit, EEOC v. OSI Restaurant Partners, LLC d/b/a Outback Steakhouse and OS Restaurant Services, Inc., Civil Action No. 2:11-cv-01754-NVW, charged Outback with firing server John Woods days after a new manager took over at Outback’s Phoenix Metrocenter location.
According to the EEOC’s suit, John Woods had worked successfully under Outback’s prior manager, but a new manager terminated Woods because of his disability, traumatic brain injury.
Employment Data Confirm Upward Trend for People With Disabilities
WEST ORANGE, NJ–(Marketwired – Apr 5, 2013) – New data indicate a positive employment picture for people with disabilities, according to today’s “Trends in Disability Employment – National Update” (TIDE Update). This release is the second monthly analysis issued by Kessler Foundation and the University of New Hampshire’s Institute on Disability (UNH-IOD). The inaugural TIDE Update was issued on March 8.
Read more at
http://www.fedoraoutlier.com/employment-data-confirm-upward-trend-for-people-with-disabilities/
Texthelp Releases iReadWrite – iPad App for Struggling Readers and Writers
Woburn, MA, March 13, 2013
Texthelp Inc., provider of award-winning literacy software solutions, today announced the release of iReadWrite for the iPad.
iReadWrite is an easy-to-use reading and writing App that benefits struggling readers and writers of all ages especially those with dyslexia, dysgraphia, or other learning difficulties.
Support features include text-to-speech with dual color highlighting, word prediction, phonetic spell checker, dictionary, and picture dictionary.
iReadWrite runs directly on the iPad with no need for Wi-Fi or 3G access.
Jack Dolan, President of Texthelp Inc., states, “As more schools turn to iPads as an AT device for their students, they have been asking for an iPad App to give them access to the same Read&Write features that they currently use on the PC or Mac.
Federal Judge Rules New Yorkers with Disabilities can Challenge Taxi of Tomorrow in Lawsuit Seeking Accessible Taxis
New York, NY – April 8, 2013
Late last week, a federal court in New York City cleared the way for a major class action lawsuit brought by New Yorkers who use wheelchairs to challenge the Taxi of Tomorrow.
Judge Daniels of the Southern District of New York District Court allowed Plaintiffs to supplement and amend their complaint to include challenges to the legality of the Taxi and Limousine Commission’s (TLC) selection of the Nissan NV200 van as the exclusive taxi vehicle of New York City for the next decade.
Government Announces $4.5 Million a Year Opportunities Program
April 3, 2013
Editor: Annie Ellison
The government of Canada is pledging $4.5 million a year for the next three years to support people in the Lower Mainland with disabilities.
Vancouver South MP Wai Young made the announcement today at the BC Center for Ability on behalf of the Ministry of Human Resources and Skills Development.
Accelerated Reader Student App Update Gives Visually Impaired Students Quiz-taking Independence
WISCONSIN RAPIDS, Wisconsin.
April 2, 2013 /PRNewswire
Renaissance Learning™ announced today that the newest update to the Accelerated Reader™ (AR™) Student App for iOS includes VoiceOver support to enhance learning for visually impaired and blind students.
Fedora Outlier LLC Announced the Lucky Winner for Its Recent Giveaway Contest
Posted April 4, 2013
During its debut of its monthly Twitter #AccessChat, April 2nd, Fedora Outlier LLC In Association with the Old Hat Guide, announced the winner of the 16 GB iPad Mini Giveaway Contest for the soon to be released book, The Old Hat Guide to iPhone Accessibility.
