…just as a well-designed visual interface guides your eye and confirms your actions with subtle animations or color changes, sound can be an equally powerful tool. For us visually impaired folks, it’s not just a nice-to-have; it can be the only way we know what in the digital darnation is going on!

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 In addition, the renewed effort to abolish an outdated regulation that allows for people with disabilities to be paid sub-minimum wage.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

Created by @patrick_h_lauke@mastodon.social.

recreation of the default pixel font on the commodore C64.

this recreation includes most of the box drawing and block element characters, mapped to the equivalent unicode points. in addition, the checkerboard block elements have been mapped to U+2591, U+2592, and the U+25F0 – U+25F7 range.

in addition, the font has been slightly expanded to include the right and down arrow, and a handful of accented characters. apart from these, only the characters present in the computer's firmware have been included.

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

Live webinar Thursday, February 13, 2025

In Game Design that Makes a Difference: A11y in Video Games, accessibility consultant Dom Parker will explore how accessible game design can transform the player experience. Dom will discuss how to make sure all your game mechanics—whether core gameplay, puzzles, or narrative moments—are not only fun but inclusive for players with disabilities. You’ll learn how to design mechanics that support your game’s core hook while ensuring accessibility, as well as tips for crafting challenging yet fair puzzles, and making cutscenes more interactive and engaging for all players. This session is perfect for game developers and designers who want to create games that are enjoyable for everyone, regardless of ability.

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