Author: Jeremy Bock

The Great Lakes ADA Center in collaboration with the ADA National Network invites you to register for the upcoming ADA Audio Conference Webinar entitled :

Accessible Social Media 2.0

featuring
Alexa Heinrich, Social Media Manager, St. Petersburg College.

Date: Tuesday, March 15, 2022
Time: 2:00 – 3:30 pm ET 

Organizations, businesses, and public entities use social media to promote their products and mission as well as to engage members of the public. This webinar will cover how social managers and other staff can create and publish content for social media in a manner that is accessible to individuals with a variety of disabilities (vision, auditory, motor, and cognitive). The speaker will provide an overview of the basics of making content accessible on various social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, and YouTube. Learn tips beyond the basics such as tips on writing alt text, ensuring language is accessible, and testing your own content. Participants will have an opportunity to ask the speaker questions following the presentation.

Format: Zoom Webinar Platform (Sign Language Interpreter and Closed Captioning will be provided via Zoom and Stream Text link option)

Use this link to Register for this webinar

If you do not have an account with our system, you will be required to establish one before registering. Registration deadline:  Monday, March 14, 2022.

CEUs: Certificate of Attendance, ACTCP

Questions should be directed to webinars@adaconferences.org

From the U.S. Access Board…

U.S. Access Board Webinar

March 3, 2022
2:30 – 4:00 PM ET

The ADA and ABA Accessibility Standards address independent access to swimming pools and spas. The next webinar in the U.S. Access Board’s free monthly series will take place March 3 from 2:30 – 4:00 (ET) and will review application of these requirements to swimming pools and spas, as well as the technical requirements for pool lifts, sloped entries, transfer steps, transfer walls, and stairs. Additionally, Board staff will address aquatic recreation facilities, such as lazy rivers, wave action pools, and water play components. Presenters will also clarify common sources of confusion about accessible swimming pools and spas.

Visit AccessibilityOnline for more information or to register.

All webinars include video remote interpreting (VRI) and real-time captioning. Questions can be submitted in advance of the session or can be posed during the live webinar. Webinar attendees can earn continuing education credits. The webinar series is hosted by the ADA National Network in cooperation with the Board. Archived copies of previous Board webinars are available on the site

The following information comes from the Accessible Technology Coalition made possible by the efforts of a volunteer and started by the Center for Accessible Technology in Berkeley, CA.

Tech for Girls Club : Creative Coding: Using Code to Make Art from PACER
February 12, 2022 — 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM ET

Tech for Teens Club : 3D Printing Online from PACER
February 26, 2022 — 11:00 AM – 12:30 PM ET

Help Organize Me! : Part One – Planning the Schedule from PACER
March 1, 2022 — 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM ET

Switch Assessment, Part 3: Determining the Best Switch Type and Location for Clients Aren’t Engaged from AbleNet
February 8, 2022 at 12:00 pm ET

Not until March but could fill up sooner:

Accommodation Solutions for Executive Functioning Deficits from AskJan
March 10, 2022 at 2:00 pm ET

The end of older cell networks is cause for concern, especially for disabled and older Americans.

An article from the AT3 Center was published to alert Assistive Technology (AT) users that many of their AT devices that use data connections to cellular telephone systems may stop working.

The article reports that mobile wireless carriers will soon be turning off their older 2G and 3G cell networks to make room for faster and more powerful networks. Cell phone and other devices that rely solely on 2G and 3G will stop working. In addition, areas of the U.S. that do not have 4G/LTE service coverage will lose access to mobile wireless (“cell”) services completely. Areas of Maine are included in this change.

The article notes:

According to the wireless industry (CTIA), “Today, fewer than 9% of U.S. wireless connections are 2G or 3G subscriptions, but that amount may vary by national, regional and prepaid providers.” Indeed, the FCC’s map of 4G/LTE coverage options demonstrates that certain rural regions disproportionately must rely on 3G service, including vast areas of the western U.S., Appalachia, NY state, and Maine. While not densely populated, rural communities are also home to an older demographic that could lose mobile service, disconnecting devices that rely on 2G and 3G. These include forms of assistive technology and certain medical devices.

What should AT users and providers do to stay connected?

Contact your mobile wireless provider or consult your provider’s website for more information about their 3G retirement plan and to learn of special offers and discounts that may assist with upgrading an older mobile phone.

Technologies relying on these older wireless cell networks can include:

• security, fire, and personal medical alert systems;
• medical devices, including pacemakers, heart monitors, insulin pumps, and CPAP machines;
• tablet computers;
• smart watches;
• assistive technology devices with SIM cards (including older augmentative communication devices and braille note takers);
• connected services in automobiles such as GPS, remote locking, OnStar, and teen driver restrictions;
• devices that use cellular connectivity as a back-up when a broadband internet connection goes down.

For more information:

• Read the complete article from AT3
• Read the FCC’s guide, “Plan Ahead for Phase Out of 3G Cellular Networks and Service.”
• Download the “End of 3G Issue Brief from AT3 Center” (PDF)
• AT&T info and resources on the shutdown
• T-Mobile (including older Sprint customers) info and resources in the shutdown 
• Verizon info and resources on the shutdown

 

February 2, 2022
1:00 – 2:30 pm ET

Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) accounts are now available in Maine! This free webinar will provide information about the program in Maine.

In October 2021, Maine launched the ABLE ME program in partnership with the Maine State Treasurer’s Office and Bangor Savings Bank.

ABLE accounts help people with disabilities save money for qualified disabilities expenses, such as education, housing, transportation, employment training, assistive technology, personal support services, healthcare expenses, financial management and other expenses. Money saved in an ABLE account does not count as an asset for means-tested public benefits, such as SSI, MaineCare, SNAP, and subsidized housing.

Presenters:

• Mikayla Smith, Bangor Savings Bank
• Henry Beck, Maine State Treasurer
• Stephanie Desrochers, Benefits Counseling Services at Maine Medical Center Department of Vocational Services

Registration

Registration is required: Use this link to register for this webinar

CART and ASL will be available. The webinar is also being recorded and available online later.

This webinar is offered in partnership with ABLE National Resource Center, Bangor Savings Bank, Benefits Counseling Services at Maine Medical Center, Maine Department of Health and Human Services Office of Aging and Disability Services, Maine Department of Labor Bureau of Rehabilitation Services, and Office of the Maine State Treasurer.

For more information, contact wbnt@mmc.org

 

A new research study conducted by the Southwest ADA Center, Dell, and Intel has been developed to study video game accessibility for people with disabilities. The confidential study is open to all individuals with disabilities 18 years of age and older who like to play video games. You do not have to share any information that you are not comfortable sharing and the research study involves no foreseeable risk or cost to participants. You will not be paid to take part in this study.  Everything you tell us on this survey will be kept anonymous and confidential.

Use this link to participate in the research study

U.S. Access Board to Host Public Event on Equity in Healthcare for People with Disabilities

People with disabilities face significant barriers to accessing primary and preventative healthcare. It is vital for medical care facilities and equipment, such as exam rooms and tables, diagnostic instruments and machines, and patient bedrooms and bathrooms, to be fully accessible to people with disabilities. The U.S. Access Board will host a virtual public event on equity in healthcare for people with disabilities on January 12 from 2:30 – 4:00 p.m. (ET). The event will feature presentations on standards and resources related to healthcare accessibility, including inclusive medical equipment, healthcare facility design, information technology, and communication devices and systems. Members of the public will be able to pose questions during the event.

The event is free, but registration is required. For further information on registration, visit the Access Board’s website or contact Rose Marie Bunales at events@access-board.gov. The event will include video remote interpreting (VRI) and real-time captioning.

Prior to the event, the Board will hold its regular business meeting from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m. (ET), which is also open to the public.

As a part of the RERC TechSAge (Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center on Technologies to Support Aging-in-Place for People with Long-Term Disabilities), funded by the U.S. government, we are conducting an interview study that explores the everyday activities and challenges of older adults who are late-deafened.

The study consists of two parts: 1) questionnaires (30-45 minutes) and 2) an interview (1 hour to 1.5 hours). You can complete the interview remotely via phone call or video call. Participants will be compensated $45 in Amazon e-codes.

Participants in this study must:

• Be between the ages of 60-80
• Have a diagnosis hearing loss in both ears by a medical professional for at least 10 years that meets the following criteria:
  • Occurred after development of speech and language
  • Severe OR Profound (>70 decibels)
    • Severe: Without amplification (e.g., hearing aid or cochlear implant), you hear no speech when a person is talking at a normal level and hear some loud sounds.
    • Profound: Without amplification (e.g., hearing aid or cochlear implant), you do not hear any speech and hear only very loud sounds.
  • Have serious difficulty hearing (even with the use of a hearing aid)
  • Have hearing difficulties that affects your communication and daily activities
• Be able to communicate in spoken English via phone or Zoom video (with captions)
• Live in the United States

If you are interested in participating, contact:

Megan Bayles, M.S.
Phone: (217) 265-0150 (voice call)
Email: mbayles2@illinois.edu

 

Since 1988, the annual Assistive Technology Conference on New England (ATCNE) has offered state-of-the-art workshops, information and exhibits on the technologies that enhance and change the lives of persons with disabilities of all ages. Attended each year by hundreds from New England, and beyond, the conference focuses on uses of technology in education, communication, employment, recreation, home, and independent living.

For a second year, the popular ATCNE will be virtual. Normally (whatever that means), the ATCNE is held in late October – early November in Rhode Island. To allow for more participation, the virtual conference’s 15 sessions are spread out over 7 months, beginning in October and ending in May.

The complete schedule of events and registration information may be found on the Assistive Technology Conference on New England (ATCNE) website.

The ACTNE is hosted by TechACCESS of RI.

From the U.S. Access Board...

WASHINGTON: October 27, 2021 – The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) requests public comments on the Draft of Promoting Access to Voting: Recommendations for Addressing Barriers to Private and Independent Voting for People with Disabilities. Under Executive Order 14019 on Promoting Access to Voting, NIST is directed to identify barriers to private and independent voting for people with disabilities, make recommendations to remove these barriers, and evaluate the steps needed to ensure that the online Federal Voter Registration Form is accessible to people with disabilities. The Draft is available in the Federal Register. 

The Draft was developed by NIST using information collected through the Request for Information that was published in the Federal Register on June 16, 2021, reviews of reports, papers and other literature, and engagement with stakeholder organizations and election officials. NIST is seeking comment on the Draft from persons with disabilities, disability advocacy groups, assistive technology vendors and professionals, non-partisan voting promotion groups, voting technology vendors, election officials, and other stakeholders.

Public comments must be received by 5:00 pm ET on November 22, 2021. Comments may be submitted at www.regulations.gov under NIST-2021-0005-0001 or by email at pva-eo@list.nist.gov.

Complete instructions for comment submission can be found in the Federal Register notice. 

For questions about this request for public comment, contact Kevin Mangold, NIST, by phone at 1-301-975-5628 or email Kevin.Mangold@nist.gov. Users of telecommunication devices for the deaf, or a text telephone, may call the Federal Relay Service at 1-800-877-8339.