Where It's AT – Assistive Technology Blog

The U.S. Access Board will host a virtual public event on architectural trends and social justice on November 10 from 2:30 – 4:00 pm (ET). The event will feature presentations by Board Members Karen Braitmayer and Deborah Ryan who will provide an accessibility review of current trends in architectural design, including those that have emerged in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. They will highlight aspects of those trends that advance equity and inclusion and discuss design alternatives to trends that are not fully accessible to all. Members of the public will be able to pose questions during the event.

Visit the following link to register: https://www.zoomgov.com/webinar/register/WN_jbIFJ0jTRdWF1j4ICXOerQ

And CLICK HERE to learn more

On October 20 the U.S. Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh and Assistant Secretary of Labor for Disability Employment Policy Taryn Williams will host a virtual celebration of National Disability Employment Awareness Month and the 20th anniversary of the Office of Disability Employment Policy. The event will take place from 2:00-3:00 p.m. ET, and will feature insightful dialogues and a video showcase highlighting strategies in action for an equitable, disability-inclusive recovery. Featured guests will include Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs Director Jenny Yang and Deputy Assistant Secretary of Labor for Disability Employment Policy Jennifer Sheehy.  

For more information, and to reserve your spot, CLICK HERE

Did you know that Maryland State Websites are equipped with translation capability? With just a couple of clicks, you can interact with a page in over 75 different languages! For example, take the Maryland Department of Disabilities site, at http://mdod.maryland.gov/ :

First, click the white “translate” button in the top right corner of the State Agency Website

Next, select the language you want to translate the page into

And that’s it!  Happy browsing! 

In September, the Pew Research Center released a study that found Americans with disabilities are less likely than those without a disability to own a device.  According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 40 million people in the United States have a disability. But even as majorities of these Americans report having certain technologies, the digital divide between those who have a disability and those who do not remains for some devices. Some 62% of adults with a disability say they own a desktop or laptop computer, compared with 81% of those without a disability, according to a Pew Research Center survey of U.S. adults conducted Jan. 25-Feb. 8, 2021. And when it comes to smartphone ownership, there is a gap of 16 percentage points between those with a disability and those without one (72% vs. 88%).  

For more information, visit: https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2021/09/10/americans-with-disabilities-less-likely-than-those-without-to-own-some-digital-devices/?mkt_tok=ODUwLVRBQS01MTEAAAF_kozrKCeOZokZRsl1bILsnelfsQ5LDPGTPTDpMCH7Kfm8MMETQNhRXJU9oBTpxZRR55kAsL3t3ajOGYbtiSewJwS4pwHkkR9QMbxEUDGGi74S.