Airbnb to offer more accessible rentals
Airbnb, the short-term rental company, knows it needs to do better when it comes to accessibility. The company announced on Thursday it is acquiring Accomable to help connect disabled travelers with more accessible-friendly rentals. The London-based startup is known as an Airbnb-like service for the mobility sector. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Airbnb’s […]
After cooking, biofortified corn and eggs retain nutrient needed to prevent blindness
Fortified and biofortified foods are at the forefront of efforts to combat vitamin A deficiency worldwide. But little is known about what influence processing may have on the retention of vitamin A precursors in these foods. Now in a study appearing in ACS Omega, scientists report that a high percentage of these healthful substances—in some […]
$1 million price tag in spotlight as gene therapy becomes reality
Spark Therapeutics (ONCE.O), whose Luxturna treatment has been recommended for U.S. approval, told investors last week there was a case for valuing it at more than $1 million per patient, although it has yet to set an actual price. However, the U.S. Institute for Clinical and Economic Review (ICER) said this week “at a placeholder […]
A surprisingly simple technology is helping these blind Eagle Scouts — and hundreds like them — ‘see’ through other people’s eyes
As Nick Cantos slid on a sleek pair of glasses, a voice spoke out to him through his iPhone. “I see the George Mason statue,” a woman’s voice said. “It looks like a bronze statue, standing tall, with a scroll in his left hand.” Nearby, Nick’s brothers, Leo and Steven, were also busy putting on their […]
Section 508 Gets an Update: New Web Accessibility Guidelines for Government Sites Take Effect in January
Updates for Section 508 accessibility legislation go into effect in January, creating new specifications for how federal agencies must make websites and other digital information channels navigable for users with disabilities, and experts say these requirements are poised to become the new standard for state and local governments as well. Section 508 is a 2001 […]
Viewpoint: We can do better employing people with disabilities
The following article appeared in the Op-ed/Opinion section of the Boston Business Journal on November 3, 2017. https://www.bizjournals.com/boston/news/2017/11/03/viewpointwe-can-do-better-employing-people-with.html Viewpoint: We can do better employing people with disabilities As organizations across the country that serve and provide vocational training to individuals with disabilities marked National Disability Employment Awareness Month this past October, it is a meaningful […]
Action Alert: Tax Reform Increases Burden on Americans who are Blind
“As Congress continues to work on overhauling the American tax code, ACB urges citizens to engage their elected officials in Washington, calling on them to not advance any measure that would endanger Americans with disabilities. Currently the House of Representatives and Senate plan on voting on the largest tax reform in over 30 years. Of […]
Programs for visually impaired students face teacher shortage
The blind and visually impaired students make their way to the second-story classrooms at Addison Trail High School, hang their canes on hooks just outside the doorway, then run their fingertips across tables until they recognize the feel of foam shapes marking their assigned spots. For the rest of the school day, the 35 high […]
Most Polling Places Inaccessible During 2016 Election, Report Finds
Less than 20 percent of polling places were fully accessible to people with disabilities during the 2016 election, according to a new government report that urges the U.S. Department of Justice to step in. The report released Thursday from the U.S. Government Accountability Office found that barriers were pervasive at American polling stations. Of the […]
Researchers predict greater need for low vision services
The exponential growth in the prevalence of low vision with age reflects the increased risk of vision loss as a result of age-related eye disease each year, according to researchers utilizing data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. The 6,016 survey participants ranged from younger than 18 years to older than 45 years. […]
