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Blind Does not Mean Oblivious

On June 16, 2015 the New York Times ran an article in the Science Section about childhood obesity. The piece was about parents who deny that their kids are obese, thereby fueling what the Times terms the “childhood obesity epidemic.” What headline did the nation’s paper of record chose for this article in the print edition? The editors chose the headline “Blind to a Child’s Obesity.” The parents (and grandparents) featured in the piece were all sighted, and so were their kids. “Blind” was the Times’ way of saying that these parents were oblivious, ignorant, and didn’t have their children’s best interests at heart. Read more… Blind Does not Mean Oblivious

Humana Talking Prescription Label and Accessible Information Settlement Agreement.

The settlement agreement posted here was reached through Structured Negotiations, an alternative dispute resolution process that focuses on collaboration and solution without lawsuits. Working with the American Council of the Blind and blind Humana customers in Structured Negotiations, Humana agreed to provide talking and braille prescription labels to allow blind people and others with print disabilities to access important health and safety information on prescription labels. Read more… Humana Talking Prescription Label and Accessible Information Settlement Agreement.

Spring 2014 Conference Presentations

Lainey Feingold will be giving two presentations at the 29th Annual International Technology and Persons with Disabilities Conference in San Diego, California in March. She will also be presenting at the John Slatin AccessU Conference in Austin, Texas in May. Want to learn more about the law impacting digital accessibility or the collaborative process known as Structured Negotiations? This post provides the details of these conference presentations. Read more… Spring 2014 Conference Presentations

Charles Schwab Web Accessibility Agreement

Posted here is the settlement agreement between Charles Schwab and one of its blind customers about website accessibility. Schwab engaged in the Structured Negotiations process with the Law Office of Lainey Feingold and has made a significant commitment to ensuring that its website is inclusive for all customers. Schwab has begun making site enhancements and will continue doing so. The company has adopted WCAG 2.0 Level AA as its web accessibility standard. Read more… Charles Schwab Web Accessibility Agreement

Charles Schwab Website Accessibility Press Release

Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. today announced an initiative to make its website more accessible and inclusive for all customers. Schwab’s initiative will particularly improve the client experience for Schwab customers with disabilities. Schwab has adopted the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) version 2.0 level AA as its website accessibility standard and has begun working to meet this standard. Read more… Charles Schwab Website Accessibility Press Release

Central and West Java in Indonesia gets First Talking ATMs

International Talking ATM installations remind us that advocacy work done in one country can have ripple affects across the globe. ATM manufactures distribute their technology around the world, and slowly, slowly this technology is becoming more accessible everywhere. Today’s news brought word of the first Talking ATMs in Semarang, Central Java and Surabaya in East Java, Indonesia. The full news report, which first appeared in the Jakarta Post, is reprinted below. Visit the International Issues Category of LFLegal for more stories of Talking ATM installations outside the United States. Read more… Central and West Java in Indonesia gets First Talking ATMs

John Slatin AccessU 2012

Lainey Feingold will be presenting at John Slatin AccessU 2012, to be held this year in Austin on May 15-17. AccessU, a project of Knowbility, is a two day intensive training conference for web developers and designers, usability professionals, and pretty much anyone who wants to learn the ins and outs of all aspects of web accessibility. Lainey will be doing a session for conference participants on legal issues surrounding web accessibility. Web accessibility is a civil right, and the law is a useful key to unlock doors that might otherwise be closed to accessibility. You’ll find out how and why at this session. Read more… John Slatin AccessU 2012

Proposed Regulations Address Airline Websites and Kiosks

The United States Department of Transportation issued a press release on September 19, 2011 announcing proposed regulations on airline websites and airline kiosks. The proposed rules would require most airlines to have accessible websites within two years of any final regulation (which could be several years from now if at all). The proposal, if enacted, would also require kiosks purchased after any final regulation to meet accessibility standards. The full text of the announcement is in this post. The DOT’s proposed regulations come as the appeal is pending in two California lawsuits against airlines for failure to maintain websites and kiosks that persons with visual impairments can use. Read more… Proposed Regulations Address Airline Websites and Kiosks

American Cancer Society Information in Braille, Large Print, Audio Formats and Accessible On-Line

Last month, the American Cancer Society (ACS) announced a comprehensive initiative to improve access to its materials by people with visual impairments. Using the alternative dispute resolution method known as Structured Negotiations, ACS worked with the American Council of the Blind (ACB) to improve the accessibility of its website and to develop a pilot program for providing accessible information. As described in this post, print information is now available in Braille, Large Print, mp3, audio CD and accessible electronic formats. Access to information is a civil right and is key to full inclusion of people with disabilities into modern society. Please share this post and help spread the word about the availability of cancer-related information in formats that people who are blind and visually impaired can read. Read more… American Cancer Society Information in Braille, Large Print, Audio Formats and Accessible On-Line

Spring 2011 Conference Presentations

In the Spring of 2011 Lainey Feingold will be speaking at three technology and disability conferences: the 2011 International Technology and People with Disabilities Conference (CSUN) in San Diego, the Conference on Employment and Visual Impairment sponsored by the Computer Center for Visually Impaired People (CCVIP) at Baruch College in New York City, and the John Slatin AccessU 2011 sponsored by Knowbility in Austin, Texas. In this post you can read about and find links to each of these conferences. Read more… Spring 2011 Conference Presentations