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ALBERTSONS DIGITAL ACCESSIBILITY AGREEMENT

Congratulations to Albertsons Companies! Posted here is the digital accessibility settlement agreement the company reached with several blind shoppers from around the United States. The agreement is designed to ensure that the all the company’s online grocery shopping websites and mobile applications are available to people with and without disabilities. Albertsons Cos. participated in Structured… Read more… ALBERTSONS DIGITAL ACCESSIBILITY AGREEMENT

Structured Negotiation Helps Washington Advocates Improve Jail Conditions

Congratulations to the Amplifying Voices of Inmates with Disabilities (AVID) project at Disability Right’s Washington. The group was recently honored for its work in improving conditions for inmates with mental illness and other cognitive disabilities in Yakima County Jail. AVID used Structured Negotiation to engage the County Jail and negotiate a settlement agreement. According to… Read more… Structured Negotiation Helps Washington Advocates Improve Jail Conditions

Structured Negotiation Delivers Landmark Results in Portland Sidewalk Case

On June 5, the city of Portland, Oregon issued a press release with the title “Major milestone reached in making Portland’s streets and sidewalks more accessible.” The announcement was reached as a result of a sweeping settlement negotiated between the city and residents who use wheelchairs. Under the agreement, Portland will install and upgrade approximately 18,000 curb ramps over the next twelve years. The agreement was reached in Structured Negotiation. Read more… Structured Negotiation Delivers Landmark Results in Portland Sidewalk Case

Albertsons Digital Accessibility Press Release

Congratulations Albertsons Companies! The national grocer recently announced its commitment to digital accessibility with the press release posted below. Albertsons Cos. operates stores under popular grocery banners including Safeway, Vons, and Albertsons. Its initiative applies to all Albertsons online grocery shopping websites and mobile applications. Digital accessibility ensures that online and mobile content is available… Read more… Albertsons Digital Accessibility Press Release

Ethics in the Digital Accessibility Legal Space: ADA Enforcement Cases or Something Else?

A 177% jump in the number of web accessibility lawsuits filed in federal court over two years. A handful of lawyers filing hundreds of cases, settling quickly, with no public statement about any accessibility improvements. Industry associations looking to roll-back the ADA, state legislatures limiting the right to sue about digital accessibility. So called experts… Read more… Ethics in the Digital Accessibility Legal Space: ADA Enforcement Cases or Something Else?

Big Win for Blind Shopper in First U.S. ADA Web Accessibility Trial

[UPDATE: The Winn-Dixie case is currently on appeal to the 11th Circuit Court of Appeal] On June 13, a judge in the federal District Court in South Florida made history. That history came in the form of a court order in a lawsuit filed by blind Florida resident Juan Carlos Gil against regional grocer Winn-Dixie.… Read more… Big Win for Blind Shopper in First U.S. ADA Web Accessibility Trial

Companies are Losing Web Cases: Spend Money on Web Access, not Lawyers

In less than two months, four different federal judges have said “Yes” to website accessibility. These cases, from Florida and New York, are a wake-up call to every business in the United States that serves the public: If you have a website, make it accessible so everyone can use it, including disabled people. Every business has a budget; every business watches how money is spent. These cases are but the most recent in a long-string of wake-up calls with a simple message: Spend your hard-earned dollars on accessibility, not on lawyers to fight it. Read more… Companies are Losing Web Cases: Spend Money on Web Access, not Lawyers

Accessibility Culture

Digital accessibility means disabled people can use and interact with technology and digital content.  It is about good design, development, and coding; appropriate testing and training; an inclusive workforce, and a host of other details. It’s an ongoing commitment to including all users in all technology. Mistakes and back sliding are less likely with a culture of accessibility. Read more… Accessibility Culture

More than Mickey: Digital Accessibility Law in Anaheim, March 2019

Anaheim California is best known as the home of Disneyland, that place of childhood wonder and crass commercialism. In March 2019 Anaheim will be the site of something else: Lots of learning and conversation about the digital accessibility legal space. On March 12 Lainey will be speaking at the first ever Digital Accessibility Legal Summit.… Read more… More than Mickey: Digital Accessibility Law in Anaheim, March 2019

Fear is a Poor Motivator for Accessibility

For a recent keynote delivered at the third annual ICT  Accessibility Testing Symposium I included the slide pictured with this post.  If social media is any indication, it was far and away the most popular slide in my talk. The slide image was developed by Jared Smith  of the accessibility consultancy WebAIM and is titled “WebAIM’s Hierarchy… Read more… Fear is a Poor Motivator for Accessibility