Accessibility Laws and Regulations

New regulations for kiosks and self-service transaction machines? We’ve been here before.

Posted on Updated on June 20, 2024
On September 21, 2022 the United States Access Board, a federal government agency, issued an Advanced Notice of Proposed Rule Making (ANPRM) about kiosks. The Notice is about the details for making self-service kiosks (alternatively referred to as self-service transaction machines (SSTMs)) independently usable by people with disabilities. The image accompanying this article is an… Read more… New regulations for kiosks and self-service transaction machines? We’ve been here before.

Kiosk Accessibility: The Law is Paying Attention

Posted on Updated on June 20, 2024
[Latest UpdateJune 28, 2022] Digital accessibility is not just about websites, and the law is taking notice. This post, updated with new developments, highlights cases about kiosk accessibility. I use the term “kiosk” broadly to include tablets and any piece of technology offering services, products, and information. Who will use that technology? People — and that means disabled people. Read more… Kiosk Accessibility: The Law is Paying Attention

Finally! There are Technical Standards in the United States for State and Local Government Websites + Apps It took 14 years: Good thing the ADA requires access even without the new regulations

Posted on Updated on June 17, 2024
[Note: this article was first written in August 2022 when the United States Department of Justice announced its most recent intent to adopt technical accessibility regulations for state and local government websites and mobile applications. Follow along with what has happened since then in the Update section of this article]. In the updates you will… Read more… Finally! There are Technical Standards in the United States for State and Local Government Websites + Apps It took 14 years: Good thing the ADA requires access even without the new regulations

Offering Healthcare? The ADA, Section 504, and the Affordable Care Act Mean Accessible Telehealth, #HealthTech, and Content

Posted on Updated on May 8, 2024
I’ve written extensively about delays in finalizing accessibility regulations in the United States. Articles on this website about delays in web accessibility regulations and delays in kiosk regulations are two examples. But federal agencies in the United States do far more than publish regulations. (Though you’ll read below that healthcare regulations aren’t immune from delay.)… Read more… Offering Healthcare? The ADA, Section 504, and the Affordable Care Act Mean Accessible Telehealth, #HealthTech, and Content

Case is Over! New Low in the Accessibility “Industry:” Overlay Company Sues Globally-Recognized Accessibility Expert

Posted on Updated on January 29, 2024
This is an article about a lawsuit filed by AudioEye, a multi-million dollar accessibility company, against Adrian Roselli, a long-time leader in the global digital accessibility community. Adrian has been a vocal critic, as have I, against one-line of code software that claims to make websites accessible. AudioEye sells (licenses) an overlay. The company has… Read more… Case is Over! New Low in the Accessibility “Industry:” Overlay Company Sues Globally-Recognized Accessibility Expert

Structured Negotiation Helps Disability Rights Washington Improve Care for Transgender Incarcerated People

Posted on Updated on January 26, 2024
On October 11, 2023, the AVID program at Disability Rights Washington (DRW) issued a press release with the headline “DRW Reaches Agreement With Washington State Department of Corrections (DOC) To Improve Care For Transgender People With Disabilities.” The Parties used Structured Negotiation to achieve this important result for the rights of incarcerated transgender people, including… Read more… Structured Negotiation Helps Disability Rights Washington Improve Care for Transgender Incarcerated People

Legal Update: Accessibility Overlay Edition

Posted on Updated on December 7, 2023
This post originally shared four developments in the legal space about web accessibility overlays. Three are very troubling. One gives hope for stemming the tide of quick-fix “not-solutions” that can actually make websites less usable by people with disabilities. Updates add new content to the original four developments. New to the overlay issue? I first… Read more… Legal Update: Accessibility Overlay Edition

US Supreme Court Acheson Hotel Case May Impact Web Accessibility Lawsuits

Posted on Updated on December 5, 2023
On Wednesday October 4 the United States Supreme Court will hear arguments in a case about who can file a lawsuit under the Americans with Disabilities Act. The case is called Acheson Hotels vs. Deborah Laufer. Ms. Laufer is a disabled woman. She uses a wheelchair and has a vision impairment and limited use of… Read more… US Supreme Court Acheson Hotel Case May Impact Web Accessibility Lawsuits

Proposed web and software accessibility legislation introduced in United States Congress

Posted on Updated on November 20, 2023
On September 28, 2022 the Websites and Software Applications Accessibility Act was introduced in both the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. (This is called “bicameral legislation” because the same proposed bill was introduced in both parts (Senate and House ) of the US Congress.) In the Senate the bill was… Read more… Proposed web and software accessibility legislation introduced in United States Congress