Disability

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Media Access Australia is expanding our mission!

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After many years advocating for digital inclusion along with auditing and remediating web and digital content so that it is accessible to people with disability, Media Access Australia is widening our scope of work.

Centre for Inclusive Design logo

Centre for Inclusive Design logo

Instead of just concentrating on promoting inclusion through technology for those with a vision, hearing, cognitive or mobility disability, the charity is now going to focus on inclusion through participation, for people of all abilities, backgrounds and social circumstances.


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Excluded web visitors often don’t complain, they just leave

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The facts speak clearly – 71% of web users with a disability will simply leave a website that is not accessible to them, according to recent research from the US Government’s 'Section 508'. Not only is this bad for the business community, Government utilities, and society in general, digital inaccessibility is excluding millions of Australians from enjoying the positive interactions online that people without disability take for granted.

Area Closed Keep Out sign

Area Closed Keep Out sign


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Upcoming webinars for 2017-18 Access and Inclusion Index

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If you’d like to know how your organisation is faring in regards to access and inclusion, then three upcoming webinars will provide you with a revealing overview of an exciting new tool, the 2017-18 Access and Inclusion Index, which is available to AND members.

Man uses a laptop

Man uses a laptop

The Australian Network on Disability (AND) recently launched their 2017/2018 Access and Inclusion Index which is designed to support organisations by helping provide valuable insights into your strengths and maturity.


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Useful app helps the blind navigate around crowded places

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A pioneering smartphone accessibility app was recently updated and was designed to help orient and guide blind and vision impaired people through crowded indoor spaces, such as shopping malls, universities and hospitals.

RightHear logo

RightHear logo

The RightHear app was developed by Zikitapp Limited in Israel and is an accessibility solution for the blind and vision impaired that enables users to acquire a better level of independence and orientation within indoor spaces.

Digital media and technology: 

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Be My Eyes app gets August 2017 update

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Be My Eyes allows blind and vision impaired users to request help from a sighted person and the sighted users will then be called for help via linked video and audio between smartphones. This recently updated app is all about contributing to and benefiting from small acts of kindness, and it’s free on the App Store.

Be My Eyes logo

Be My Eyes logo

The new ‘Version 1.6.5’ update of Be My Eyes was rolled out on 10 August 2017 and features an expanded languages selection, added actions to call notifications, and some minor bug fixes and usability improvements.

Digital media and technology: 

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Transport for NSW seeks accessibility feedback

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The Draft Transport for NSW Disability Inclusion Action plan is now available for public comment, and you can help steer the discussion. Plus Transport for NSW is also seeking volunteers for research on accessibility at the new Sydney Metro Northwest Rail Stations, with the aim of trying to ensure they are as accessible and inclusive as possible, for people of all abilities.

Artist impression of Kellyville train station

Artist impression of Kellyville train station


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ABS announces updated processes for same-sex marriage postal vote

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The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) sent out a news release on Thursday 17 August announcing a newly updated process for the upcoming ‘Australian Marriage Law Postal Survey’ including an online option for blind and vision-impaired people. However, they are still trying to work out how they will actually be able to do it.

Accessibility button on a laptop

Accessibility button on a laptop


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Same-sex marriage postal vote could be inaccessible for 275,000 people

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Australians who are blind or vision-impaired won’t be able to vote unassisted in the upcoming same-sex marriage postal vote, because it will be conducted in a print-only format without an accessible voting option at the time this news piece was published.

Australia Post post boxes

Australia Post post boxes


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Five Guys burger chain in a pickle over website inaccessibility

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On 21 July 2017, a US federal district court in Manhattan rejected a ‘motion to dismiss’ claim by the ‘Five Guys’ burger chain (Case No. 17-cv-788) defending their alleged inaccessible website. The judge found that there is indeed a case of discrimination to answer against a legally-blind customer who couldn’t order the burger they wanted from the fast food seller’s site.

A ‘Five Guys’ burger with beef and cheese

A ‘Five Guys’ burger with beef and cheese.


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Airbnb launches inclusive design toolkit

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Recently, Airbnb Design launched a “toolkit” for designers built around the premise of ‘how can you design for everyone without understanding the full picture?’ It poses a set of questions to help people balance our bias, consider the opposite, and embrace a growth mindset, so as to create offerings that are inclusive and useful for most people.

Balance your bias. Consider the opposite. Embrace a growth mindset.

Balance your bias. Consider the opposite. Embrace a growth mindset.


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