That Doesn't Need to Be a PDF

Tuesday, July, 29

1:00 PM - 2:30 PM Eastern Time Zone

Description

Hear how agencies can design an HTML-first approach for electronic content using “@media print” for a superior printing experience (because yes, some people do use paper) during a panel discussion with experts from FDIC, USAB, and GSA when a PDF document is the proper solution.

Upcoming webinar from the Great Lakes ADA Center:

35th Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA): Celebrating the ADA Through the Decades

Event Date/Time:

Tuesday, July 15th, 2025

2:00 PM EDT - 3:30 PM EDT

Location:

Virtual

Description:

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was signed on July 26, 1990 by former U.S. President, George H.W. Bush. This year, we celebrate three and a half decades of protections under this comprehensive disability civil rights law and the many milestones that have been reached by the disability community thanks to this important piece of legislation. Join us as we take a journey through the decades to look at:

• 1990s – Major Supreme Court decisions and how they have shaped the ADA’s enforcement;
• 2000s – The efforts that led to the ADA Amendments Act of 2008;
• 2010s – Revisions to the Title II and III regulations and the Accessibility Standards which shaped how service animals and other power-driven mobility devices are addressed as well as added architectural accessibility requirements for playgrounds, swimming pools, recreation facilities, children’s facilities, and more;
• 2020s – The impact of COVID-19 on remote work and the increased focus on technology which contributed to the push by DOJ to release new regulations for web content and mobile apps used by Title II entities. In addition, the renewed effort to abolish an outdated regulation that allows for people with disabilities to be paid sub-minimum wage.

During this session, our panel of speakers will lead us in honoring the sacrifices and hard-won battles of the past as we move forward and continue our fight for a more accessible future.

2-minute promotional video by Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities, a state government office.

The following services are mentioned:

• American Sign Language at some events
• Electric scooter rentals
• Free charging for mobility devices
• Quiet rooms
• Universal changing stations
• Free access to Aira remote interpreters
• One sensory-friendly morning

Link to presentation: The NPS.gov Media Player: An Accessible Option for All Government

Staff from the United States Department of the Interior demo a workflow for ensuring that video on the National Park Service (NPS) website is accessible to users with disabilities.

• Uses the open source video player software VideoJS that has been built for keyboard and screen reader compatibility.

• Supports captions in multiple languages.

• Supports superimposed sign language video.

• Supports audio description and extended audio description tracks. Audio track can be switched during video playback.

• Scans video library for media files that lack accessibility features.

• NPS's code on GitHub: Audio/Video Processing Pipeline on AWS.

• Demo: The Narrows, Zion National Park

ActiveB1t writes:

Perhaps one of the most requested features, a screen reader makes its way to a Nintendo system. Enabling the text-to-speech feature lets the console read out text in the home menu and system settings. It also reads out information to assist the user, such as the position of the cursor. This screen reader is customizable by selecting different voice types and adjusting the speed and volume.

Full article: The latest Nintendo Switch 2 accessibility details

[When Carter] decided to establish himself as a supporter of disability rights during the 1976 presidential election, he visited Warm Springs to make that promise. After he was elected president, however, Carter often struggled to implement key parts of his agenda, and disability rights was no exception. So disabled people had to step in to do the work that the non-disabled simply couldn't get done on their own.

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.sdf.org/post/25631671

How to Train Friends and Family on a Screen Reader

November 26, 2024 2:00 – 3:30 p.m. EST

Learning access technology can appear daunting to a newly blind person. Finding quality access technology training can also be difficult for several factors. This is where technology savvy friends and family can help someone start learning how to use a screen reader. Join the National Federation of the Blind on Tuesday, November 26, from 2:00 p.m.-3:30 p.m. eastern to learn how you can teach a friend or family member how to get started with a screen reader. We will cover:

• How a screen reader works
• How screen readers present content
• Common keyboard shortcuts to start with
• Further training resources to learn how to use multiple screen readers

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.sdf.org/post/21984550

Article by Steven Aquino

An excerpt follows:

For sporting events like the Olympics and Paralympics, ... it’s paramount the (audio describer) be knowledgeable of the sport they’re describing; the quality would be otherwise sullied if the describer didn’t, for example, know the intricacies of basketball or anything else. The information conveyed has to be delivered with the proper context behind it in order for a Blind or low vision person to visualize a moment in their mind.