Accessibility News Archives 2010

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January

Web Accessibility Myths

Date posted to site: January 30, 2010

There is a lot of good advice for the discerning web developer to find on the web on how to make a website accessible, unfortunately there is also plenty of bad or outdated advice out there as well. Here are a few of the myths of accessibility that you may hear.

Read more at
http://www.badeyes.com/?p=184

Dartmouth University Establishes New Student Disability Group to Talk About Campus Access

Date posted to site: January 29, 2010

Access By Leadership in Equity - a new student organization seeking to raise awareness about students with disabilities - has launched efforts to facilitate greater campus dialogue about accessibility in its first weeks in existence, according to co-directors Emily Broas '11 and Rebecca Gotlieb '12.

ABLE's goals include providing a peer-to-peer support network for students with disabilities, raising awareness about both visible and invisible disabilities, and improving College accommodations for these students by serving as a voice for the community.

CBC Radio1 Ottawa Interviews Minister Meilleur on the Customer Care Standard

Date posted to site: January 09, 2010

By Geof Collis

On December 31, 2009 CBC Radio1 Ottawa interviewed Minister Meilleur regarding the then soon to become Law Customer Care Standard. I was also interviewd after she spoke, you can listen to the interview or download it.

Air Canada Told to Provide Nut-Free zone

Date posted to site: January 08, 2010

Air Canada has been told to create a special "buffer zone" on flights for people who are allergic to nuts.

The Canadian Transportation Agency has ruled that passengers who have nut allergies should be considered disabled and accommodated by the airline. The CTA has advised Air Canada to come up with an appropriate section of seats where passengers with nut allergies would be seated.

More barriers drop

Date posted to site: January 07, 2010

Removing service barriers for people with disabilities means much more than simply making sure buildings are accessible, says a member of the mayor's disability advisory committee.

"Yes, ramps are important but it really goes way beyond ramps," said Ian Greaves, of Niagara Falls.

The main focus, he said, is education and a new government standard that came into effect Jan. 1 is a step in the right direction.

Is ADHD Protected Under the Americans with Disabilities Act?

Date posted to site: January 07, 2010

The answer to the question is somewhat long and complicated. So we will begin with writing that while someone with ADHD may qualify for protection under the Americans with Disabilities Act, not everyone with the diagnosis of ADHD will qualify. And that may include you or your child.

The Americans with Disabilities Act was established by Congress in 1990. The purpose of the Act is to end discrimination against persons with disabilities when it comes to housing, education, public transportation, recreation, health services, voting, and access to public services. It also aims to provide equal employment opportunities for people with disabilities.

The ADA was written to offer protections to individuals with disabilities, not individuals with any particular diagnosis. The Americans with Disabilities Act seeks to protect individuals with significant impairments in function.

Sledge Hockey: At the Age of 56, Joe Tavares is Preparing for the Ontario ParaSport Winter Games

Date posted to site: January 07, 2010

Way back in 1969, a hardworking nurse gave Joe Tavares an idea at a rehab centre for disabled children in Toronto.

Little did he know it would be a life-altering moment.

Public Buildings to be Accessible in 2010

Date posted to site: January 05, 2010

As of the New Year, Muskoka's public sector offices will be more accessible for people with disabilities. It's the law.

The first deadline set by the provincial Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act of 2005 applies to public sector institutions and is coming up on Jan. 1. Muskoka's towns, townships and school boards that haven't already completed the necessary steps are working hard to get them done on time.

Dementia Crisis Looms, study finds

Date posted to site: January 05, 2010

Preventive, coping measures urged by Alzheimer Society

It is feared Canada may have 1.1 million dementia sufferers by 2038.

OTTAWA - A new study by the Alzheimer Society of Canada says the country urgently needs a strategy to minimize the impact of the Baby Boomers' march toward dementia.

The study, Rising Tide: The Impact of Dementia on Canadian Society, suggests that 1.1 million Canadians will have Alzheimer's disease, or a related dementia, by 2038.

Mail-in Votes Spell End to Ballot Boxes in Essex County

Date posted to site: January 04, 2010

For the first time, every municipality in Essex County will use vote by mail rather than traditional ballot boxes at multitudes of polling stations during the 2010 municipal election.

Making a Brighter Future: SPARC BC Enthused Over The Accessible Community Bylaws Guide

Date posted to site: January 04, 2010

Do you ever wonder what your community will look like 25 years from now? This century has seen many changes with regards to accessibility awareness and city planning, and some of the biggest change has occurred in the past 10 years.

There is growing interest around accessibility legislation, and in British Columbia, SPARC BC (Social Planning and Research Council of BC) has just released a guide to accessibility bylaws it hopes will be a hit with municipalities.

Dad Fears for Daughter in Face of Disability Cutbacks

Date posted to site: January 04, 2010

An Alberta father fears budgetary cuts to organizations that assist people with disabilities will put his daughter's future in jeopardy.

In December, the provincial government announced it was cutting about $12 million in funding to people with disabilities. The province blamed those cuts on the economic downturn.

Customer Care Standard is now Law but Still Lacks Teeth

Date posted to site: January 02, 2010

By Geof Collis

In case you don't already know, the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act(AODA) Customer Care Standard became law on January 1st, 2010.

Now those living with disabilities in Ontario woke up to a much more accessible Province. Or did they?

New Rules Aim to Help Ontarians with Disabilities

Date posted to site: January 02, 2010

A new law took effect Friday in Ontario regulating how public bodies provide customer service to people with disabilities, part of a broader push to have the province be completely accessible by 2025.

But the new standards, which will eventually apply to the private sector as well, fall short of the changes that people with disabilities need to eliminate barriers in their day-to-day lives, several advocates said.

Web More Accessible to Those with Disabilities

Date posted to site: January 02, 2010

In an effort to promote universal standards, the World Wide Web Consortium developed a set of guidelines for how an accessible site should look. They include providing text alternatives for images, providing captions for audio and video, and enabling all-keyboard navigation.

However, only a small portion of Web content meets the basic requirements for easy navigation, said Judy Brewer, director of the consortium's efforts.

"Most of us working in the Web accessibility field almost always find some level of accessibility barriers in Web sites. Businesses are doing better than they were doing some years ago, but there's still massive room for improvement," she said.

Disability Suit Targets University of Tennessee

Date posted to site: January 01, 2010

A Tennessee man and a South Florida advocacy group for people with disabilities are suing the University of Tennessee in federal court over what they say is a lack of equal access for disabled people to events held at Thompson-Boling Arena and Neyland Stadium.

City ready for new accessibility standard

Date posted to site: January 01, 2010

The City of Belleville is fully prepared for Ontario's first accessibility standard when it comes into force Friday, says the chairman of the accessibility committee.

Read nmore at
http://www.aoda.ca/?p=276

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February

Ontario's Disabled Fighting to Protect Their Voting Rights

Date posted to site: February 08, 2010

Activists for the province's disabled community are calling for tough legislation to protect their voting rights after Elections Ontario set up a polling station down a flight of stairs.

Inclusion: More Than Mere Access

Date posted to site: February 08, 2010

This Presentation was originally delivered at the Collections, Connections and Communities Conference, Ottawa, Ontario, October 2, 2009. It was revised for presentation at the University of Toronto, February 3, 2010.

For many persons with a disability - even a life long history and museum lover like me - the prospect of a visit to a museum, art gallery or heritage property can be a rather intimidating event. However, this need not be the case.

Social Inclusion for the Web

Date posted to site: February 08, 2010

We no longer think it is acceptable to discriminate against people on grounds of gender or race and, as a community, we expect provision to be made for people with disabilities in public transport and building design. However, when it comes to making sure web content is accessible to all users of the web, including people with disabilities, some designers, developers and clients just 'don't get it', to borrow a phrase popular with the geekerati.

We like to rejoice in the notion that all 'men are created equal with inalienable rights', or 'from each according to their ability, to each according to their needs', to take a more Marxist approach, however this hasn't always been the case.

Hoping to See Change

Date posted to site: February 06, 2010

Eastend resident Brenda Cooke involved with Alliance for Equality of Blind Canadians

Right now, Cooke points out, a blind person cannot walk into a library - funded by the public - and enjoy the same access as that of their fellow sighted citizens.

"That is a very serious inequality in our country," she stated. "And, right now it could take up to five years to produce a book in a format that a blind person could access and most times that material is provided through charity dollars rather than the tax base."

Man in Wheelchair has Trouble Voting in Toronto Centre Byelection

Date posted to site: February 05, 2010

Just a stone's throw away from Queen's Park - where legislators passed the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act just a few years ago - Elections Ontario set up a polling station that could only be accessed by going down a flight of stairs.

Local resident John Wood told the Toronto Sun that he had to abandon his wheelchair and struggle with help down the stairs to cast a ballot in the Toronto Centre byelection Thursday.

Braille Illiteracy is a Growing Problem

Date posted to site: February 03, 2010

Ronnay Howard is 9 years old and legally blind with cornrows in her hair and a smile on her face.

She sits in front of a keyboard in the resource room for the visually impaired at Engleburg Elementary School, her small hands moving methodically over six large keys.

Access Remains Unequal: Disabled

Date posted to site: February 03, 2010

Homes, stores, sidewalks difficult to get to for many

Oceanside streets, stores, parking areas and houses are failing many with wheelchairs, scooters and walkers, say members of a group seeking to improve accessibility.

They say homes of friends and family are often off-limits for lack of level entrances or accessible washrooms; most disabled parking spaces are too narrow for chair lifts; few curbs are lowered to allow access; doors at some malls can be difficult or impossible to open; and more store merchandise should be accessible to people in wheelchairs.

Put 'Handi' Back in Our Handi-Transit

Date posted to site: February 03, 2010

Transportation was the primary issue around which people with disabilities first organized back in the mid 1970s. This led to the eventual creation of a Handi-Transit system in 1976.

Since then, much progress has been made. However, many barriers still exist with new ones being erected almost daily.

Mobility Transit Draws Fire

Date posted to site: February 02, 2010

It takes a lot to get Aurora's Tyler Barker upset, but York Region Transit's Mobility Plus service has been making a pretty good go of it lately, he says.

Mr. Barker, who relies on a wheelchair to get around, said he has had his issues with YRT's accessible transit service for people with disabilities since he started using the service to get from home to school at Seneca College's Newnham campus in Toronto in September.

Employment Insurance Extension To Self-Employed Canadians Comes Into Effect

Date posted to site: February 02, 2010

Represents One Of The Most Significant Enhancements To The EI Program In A Decade

As of January 31, self-employed Canadians are able to register for the Employment Insurance (EI) program, which will extend to them maternity, parental, sickness and compassionate care benefits, collectively called special benefits.

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