Education:
- University of Rochester’s Digital Accessibility: The University of Rochester’s new policy and dedicated team demonstrate a commitment to creating inclusive digital spaces in education, with a focus on training and resources for the University community .
- Ohio State University’s Digital Accessibility Efforts: The Office of Technology and Digital Innovation at Ohio State University announced updates aimed at improving digital accessibility and security in educational tools. These updates include pronoun synchronization in CarmenCanvas and CarmenZoom and the introduction of multi-factor authentication in various eLearning tools.
Corporate Sector:
- Acquisition of UserWay by Level Access: UserWay, known for its accessibility AI technologies, has been acquired by Level Access. This acquisition, valued at approximately $98.7 million, highlights the growing importance of digital accessibility solutions in the corporate sector.
Legal:
- Hunthausen v. Johnny Was, LLC: In this case, a blind plaintiff sued Johnny Was, a clothing store, because its website was inaccessible. The court’s decision in favor of the plaintiff emphasized the legal requirements for businesses to comply with digital accessibility standards under the ADA and Unruh Civil Rights Act. This case is significant as it underscores the legal implications for businesses in terms of digital accessibility.
International:
- France’s New Fines for Inaccessible Administration Websites: France has implemented a new policy where administration websites that are not fully accessible to people with disabilities face a fine of 50,000 euros. This initiative is part of a broader commitment by the French government to make online services more accessible, with the goal to make common online procedures fully accessible by the end of 2025 (sorry for the spammy link, couldn’t find anything less spammy in English)