Accessibility reads: Friday, September 13
As you wrap up your week, today is a great day to catch up on some of the most interesting and important stories that have recently emerged in the accessibility space. These are some of the things that we are reading about at Deque.
In my short video below, I talk about some of these stories, highlighting those that particularly struck me, exploring their significance, and explaining why I recommend that you check them out.
Do you have a story you think we should read? Please share it on social and make sure to tag us! You can also leave a comment on this post.
Featured articles
With the presidential election cycle in full swing here in the US, it was recently revealed that the US Department of Transportation has been investing billions of dollars into accessibility-related efforts. As reported in USA Today by Zach Wichter, the efforts are paying off.
Also on the political theme, a recent article from The 19th showcases How the DNC is prioritizing accessibility for all at this year’s convention.
Those are just two of the election-related stories you can delve into this week. I will talk about more of them in the video, and you can find links below as well.
On the global stage, the 2024 Olympics and Paralympics are now complete, but the messages of empowerment and achievement are still very much with us all. This is due in part to the success of Apple’s “The Relay” video, which has already notched more than 20 millions views on YouTube alone. Combining stirring music, powerful imagery, and a hypnotically repeating “all you children gather ‘round” mantra, it’s an inspiring reminder that athletes everywhere “train the same way, practice the same way, sweat the same way.”
Below, I’ve gathered some additional links to compelling stories that I think are well worth exploring:
“Calm on set”: How Venice title ‘My Everything’ has helped to pioneer accessibility practices on set.
“I couldn’t believe the job I was doing didn’t exist already,” says Margault Algudo-Brzostek, France’s first ‘accessibility coordination manager’, on Venice premiere My Everything and French summer hit A Little Something Extra, which both star several actors with disabilities.
Big Ocean breaks barriers as the first K-pop group whose members are hard of hearing
The three South Korean musicians use hearing aids and cochlear implants and mix sign language with dance moves, reaching out to deaf and hard of hearing K-pop fans around the world.
A visionary approach: How a team developed accessible maps for colorblind scientists
Researchers from the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Argonne National Laboratory recently published a paper in the Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society detailing their work to create CVD-friendly colormaps that highlight important characteristics of clouds and precipitation.
More Than 1 in 4 Americans Over 50 Are Now Caregivers
More than 1 in 4 Americans 50 or older are now caregivers, looking after at least one family member or friend who has a health problem or disability, a new poll has found.
CBC research finds that kids like all kinds of captions
Canada’s public broadcaster and McMaster University’s CanChild research center recently teamed up to study optimizing captions for kids with disabilities. And they have found that while comprehension doesn’t change much depending on the style, children do have their favorites.
This week’s recommended read
If you read just one article this week, I recommend this one, as the findings are pretty remarkable:
The Cost of Inaccessibility: Businesses Lose More Than $6.9 Billion Annually
If you think it is costly to design accessible and inclusive websites, just think about how much inaccessibility will cost your business. Web accessibility is not only an ethical choice. It is a smart business move that doesn’t require excessive time or resources.
Statista reveals that about 13.5% of the U.S. population has a disability. This represents a huge untapped market if your digital properties are not accessible. Pure play ecommerce retailers are estimated to lose over $6.9 billion in annual revenue for non-compliance to accessibility standards.
Bonus content!
And here’s a bonus for you! Go check out Simon Eyles’ new inclusive stock photography library Disinfluencer. It’s a brilliant and brand-new inclusive stock photography library of wonderful images of people with disabilities. As a social enterprise, it’s genuinely supporting true, authentic inclusivity.
Conclusion
Thank you for joining me for Accessibility Reads, and please stay tuned for our next edition. In the meantime, please visit deque.com to learn more about how we’re advancing digital accessibility and inclusion across the globe.
Is your business ready to take your digital accessibility efforts to the next level? Schedule a free strategic consulting session today!
