2009

You are reviewing articles published in 2009.

New York A.G. Announces Comprehensive Web Access Settlement

Posted on Updated on March 10, 2016
Congratulations to New York State Attorney General Andrew M. Cuomo’s office for its announcement this week of a comprehensive accessibility settlement with HSBC Card Services. Read the NY AG’s press release. The settlement, negotiated by attorney Jeffrey Powell in the Bureau of Consumer Frauds and Protection, addresses web accessibility, alternative formats for visually impaired customers, relay service for deaf and hearing impaired customers, and other important accessiblity issues. Under the Agreement, the HSBC web site will satisfy Conformance level AA of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0, promulgated by the Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) of the World Wide Web Consortium (w3c) no later than May 31, 2010. Read more… New York A.G. Announces Comprehensive Web Access Settlement

Google Acquires reCAPTCHA: Potential Boost for Web Accessibility

Posted on Updated on March 10, 2016
Web Accessibility activists take note: Google has just purchased reCAPTCHA, the most widely used audio CAPTCHA on the internet. In this post you can read about the Google Announcement, the importance of blind user testing for CAPTCHAs, key features for effective audio CAPTCHAs, and my personal congratulations to ReCaptcha Co-Founder Luis von Ahn. Read more… Google Acquires reCAPTCHA: Potential Boost for Web Accessibility

Staples Accessible Web Site and Point of Sale Press Release

Posted on Updated on March 10, 2016
Blind Community Leaders Applaud Staples’ Initiative to Enhance Staples.com and Store Point of Sale Equipment Framingham, MA (April 23, 2009)– Major advocacy groups for the visually impaired applaud Staples’ new initiatives designed to improve service to its customers with visual impairments. Staples will be improving its payment service terminals at the in-store point-of-sale with tactile keypads to protect the privacy and security of shoppers with visual impairments. The company will also make improvements to Staples.com that will benefit customers with visual impairments and other disabilities. Read more… Staples Accessible Web Site and Point of Sale Press Release

AFB’s AccessWorld Publishes Article on San Francisco APS

Posted on Updated on March 10, 2016
The May, 2009 issue of AccessWorld, published by The American Foundation for the Blind, includes an article about San Francisco Accessible Pedestrian Signals written by Lainey and Jessie Lorenz. Jessie is the Director for Public Policy and Information at the LightHouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired in San Francisco. In this post we invite you to share your experience with APS. Read more… AFB’s AccessWorld Publishes Article on San Francisco APS

Target Point of Sale Press Release

Posted on Updated on March 10, 2016
Target Improves Point of Sale Equipment to Benefit Shoppers with Visual Impairments Minneapolis, Minn. (May XX, 2009)– The American Foundation for the Blind (AFB), American Council of the Blind (ACB), California Council of the Blind (CCB) and Target (NYSE:TGT) announced today that the organizations have collaborated to improve the Target checkout experience of guests with visual impairments and ensure their privacy. The AFB, ACB and CCB applaud Target’s efforts and urge other retailers to follow its example. Read more… Target Point of Sale Press Release

CVS Accessible Web Site and Point of Sale Press Release

Posted on Updated on March 10, 2016
CVS/pharmacy Enhancing Accessibility for the Visually Impaired To Its Web Site and Store Point of Sales Devices Initiative Announced In Collaboration with State and National Organizations for the Blind Woonsocket, Rhode Island (July 30, 2009)– CVS/pharmacy, the nation’s largest retail pharmacy, announced today that it is implementing functional improvements to benefit its customers with visual impairments and other disabilities. The Company has installed tactile keypads in all CVS stores and it will enhance its website in 2009. Read more… CVS Accessible Web Site and Point of Sale Press Release

Trader Joe’s Point of Sale Press Release

Posted on Updated on March 10, 2016
Blind Community Leaders Applaud Trader Joe’s Commitment to Improve Point of Sale Equipment to Benefit Shoppers with Visual Impairments Sacramento, CA (August 18, 2009)– – American Council of the Blind (ACB), the California Council of the Blind (CCB) and the American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) announced today that they have collaborated with Trader Joe’s to improve the checkout experience of guests with visual impairments and help ensure their privacy. The AFB, ACB, and CCB applaud Trader Joe’s efforts. Read more… Trader Joe’s Point of Sale Press Release

Advocacy Groups, DOJ, Screen Actors Guild Support Audio Description in Movie Theaters

Posted on Updated on February 29, 2016
On January 13, 2010, the Ninth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals in San Francisco will hear oral argument in an important case regarding the rights of movie-goers with visual and hearing impairments. The appeal challenges a 2008 District Court decision out of Arizona holding that the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) does not require theaters to install descriptive video equipment. The Law Office of Lainey Feingold and co-counsel Linda Dardarian filed an Amicus Brief explaining that the court’s decision should be reversed. Read more… Advocacy Groups, DOJ, Screen Actors Guild Support Audio Description in Movie Theaters

Civil Rights Clearinghouse Includes Structured Negotiations Settlements

Posted on
The Law Office of Lainey Feingold is pleased to announce that The Civil Rights Litigation Clearinghouse is now posting settlement agreements reached using Structured Negotiations. The Clearinghouse web site is a collection of documents and information about civil rights cases from across the United States organized in selected case categories. Its goal is to allow “greater understanding” of the importance of civil rights litigation in this country. Read more… Civil Rights Clearinghouse Includes Structured Negotiations Settlements

Pakistan ATM Advocacy: Blind Community Success

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In August of this year, blind advocates in Pakistan demanded an end to widespread discrimination against blind people by the banking industry in that country. Their advocacy has paid off. In early December 2009, the Islamabad-based International News and The Nation published articles, posted here, with the headlines “Banks directed to permit blind people to open accounts” and “Ministry to install ATMs for visually impaired.” The articles report that all banks in Pakistan will now be required to allow blind citizens to open their own bank accounts and will issue information in Braille to facilitate banking independence. And, for the first time, Talking ATMs are being planned for installation in Islamabad. Efforts to end discrimination in Pakistan against people with disabilities in insurance and micro-lending are also underway. Read more… Pakistan ATM Advocacy: Blind Community Success