Accessibility Reads: Thursday, March 27
CSUN and axe-con recaps continue to predominate my feeds. It is amazing to see so many community members engaging and speaking about how the content is helping them and witnessing how their sense of community is positively impacting them.
That’s not to say there aren’t many other intriguing stories emerging as well—there are! I’m excited to bring you a whole range of accessibility-related news happening across the globe.
Below, I discuss some of the most compelling stories, highlighting those that particularly struck me. I explore their significance and explain why I recommend 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
Change, Not Charity: The Americans with Disabilities Act
This new documentary tells the story of the landmark disability rights legislation that has created personal freedom and economic opportunity for millions of Americans. Check out the premiere on March 25. The documentary is narrated by Peter Dinklage and directed by Jim LeBrecht, who delivered our closing axe-con keynote.
Nintendo, Xbox, PlayStation Are Teaming Up For Accessible Games Initiative
Twenty-four tags have been developed so far, including those that communicate auditory features and input options.
Synchron’s Brain-Computer Interface Now Has Nvidia’s AI
The company has partnered with Nvidia to develop “cognitive AI,” which it says will allow people with severe physical disabilities to have more natural interactions with the world around them.
More stories
The Next Wave of ADA Website Accessibility Lawsuits Against Alcohol Suppliers
The increasing popularity of online shopping has made e-commerce businesses– specifically those in the alcohol beverage industry– a frequent target for costly litigation. In lockstep with the continued prevalence of website accessibility cases, plaintiff firms are sending pre-suit demand letters to alcohol suppliers and, in some cases, filing a state or federal court lawsuit.
Google’s Face control accessibility feature for Chromebooks is a game changer for everyone
Use your face and head to control your Chromebook’s cursor.
Films that are accessible to persons with disabilities? It’s possible
WAVE is India’s opportunity to take the global lead in the production of accessible entertainment content. All new content in films, on TV, and Over-The-Top (OTT) must be ‘born’ accessible and not retrofitted for accessibility as an afterthought.
Intuitive AI assistant for people who are blind or have sight loss officially launches on phones and desktops
Assistive technology specialist Envision has publicly launched Ally, a “groundbreaking” AI assistant that is designed to provide hands-free, intelligent support across multiple platforms to people with sight loss.
City of New York Sets New Standard for Accessibility Training with Microsoft Partnership
DCAS, MOPD, and NYC Talent have partnered with Microsoft to launch a first-of-its-kind Digital Accessibility Training, providing city employees with key resources to create accessible content for all members of the community
These Apps Help People With Disabilities Travel More Easily
For the disability community, technology can be the most valuable travel companion. These apps and services make it easier and safer to get around a new city.
The Steps Schools Should Take So All Students Can Use Ed Tech
An expert outlines what schools need to do to ensure that ed tech is accessible for students with special needs.
This week’s recommended read
Jenny Lay-Flurrie recaps Microsoft’s Ability Summit 2025: Accessibility in the AI Era. This was Microsoft’s fifteenth annual conference, with over 20,000 attendees from 164 countries.
Bonus content!
If you read just one thing this week, I recommend learning about how Young Global Leaders (Birgit Skarstein, Ronit Avni, Bolor-Erdene Battsengel, Bhumi Pednekar, and May Habib Young) from the World Economic Forum shared transformative ideas for the future in the Time Magazine article 5 Ideas to Build a Better Future. I particularly recommend exploring how Paralympian Birgit Skarstein emphasizes leveraging AI and technology to enhance accessibility for individuals with disabilities, promoting the development of autonomous vehicles and AI-driven adaptive technologies.
Next steps
Thank you for joining me for Accessibility Reads and all that you are doing to bring equality to the digital world. Please share these stories across your networks, and take a moment to let us know how we are doing with this content curation.
Please visit deque.com to learn more about how we’re advancing digital accessibility and inclusion across the globe.
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