WebABLE News Round-Up

Summary

This blog post summarizes top accessibility news stories from the month of July. It also reports on the 34th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Highlighting the most exciting recent news articles in the world of accessibility and disability

Here at WebABLE™ News, we are constantly on the lookout for the latest and greatest news in the world of accessibility. Please submit your news articles to our web crawler on www.webable.com to be featured on our site! In case you missed them, here are some of the top accessibility news stories from the past month or so:

3D Printing and Assistive Technology:

Any news concerning assistive technology is always on our radar at WebABLE™ News, because of the exciting implications for those with disabilities. One buzz-worthy topic is 3D printing technology. When applied to assistive technology and devices, 3D printing offers a world of possibilities. New Orleans-based nonprofit MakeGood creates custom assistive devices at very low cost for persons with disabilities. They’ve created a contoured lap desk for a wheelchair user and a clip to attach a flashlight to cane for someone with visual impairments, just to name a couple examples. Read further details about MakeGood’s work on WebABLE™ News.

AI & Natural Voice Software:

Jennifer Wexton, a Congresswoman from Virginia, has Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP) which affects her ability to speak. She’s relied on text-to-speech apps to address her colleagues in past months. Now, however, with the help of software developed by ElevenLabs, Wexton can speak with her natural voice again. In an X post on July 10th Wexton stated, “Your ears aren’t deceiving you- AI has allowed me to make a new model of my voice like it was before my PSP. I hope this helps show creative ways we can empower people facing the kinds of health and accessibility challenges I have and demonstrate our abilities don’t define us.” Read more about this exciting AI technology on WebABLE™ News.

Accessible Options Improve on Yelp:

Yelp is all about connecting people with businesses, small and large alike. Now, Yelp is making it easier for those with disabilities to filter various accessibility options when searching for a business on the app. Users are able to search and filter businesses who have accessible parking, ADA-compliant main entrance and restroom, or no stairs. Yelp users can also search if the business is proficient in American Sign Language, or if the TVs at the establishment offer closed captioning. As far as menus go, users can see if Braille or QR code menus are available. Find further details on Yelp and Accessibility at WebABLE™ News.

#ADA34:

Friday, July 26th marked the 34th anniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). This landmark civil rights act, signed by George H.W. Bush in 1990, prohibits discrimination against those with disabilities and guarantees equal opportunities in employment, government services, telecommunications, transportation, and public accommodations. The NARIC Spotlight blog highlighted various events to celebrate the ADA.