Accessibility reads: Thursday, April 24

Beginning with this edition, we’re publishing Accessibility reads monthly, allowing us to absorb, understand, and share the most important accessibility-related news happening across the globe.

In my short video below, I discuss some of the stories that really stood out this month. I explore their significance and explain why I recommend you check them out.

Do you have a story you think we should read? Please share it on social and make sure to tag us! You can also leave a comment on this post.

Featured articles

As the trade war escalates and tensions continue to mount in the wake of US policy moves, organizations, and global governments are beginning to push back:

• Transport for London has blocked Accenture from working on its advertising campaigns due to the consulting giant scrapping its DEI policies, saying the company “no longer meets” its diversity criteria.
• Toronto has announced it will ban US companies from bidding on city contracts and will instead award them to Canadian companies exclusively.

With economic pressures continuing to mount, budgets are tightening and political positions are pivoting. Many organizations are scaling back their DEI initiatives, raising alarms about the future of work for underrepresented groups. But this does not mean DEI is DOA.

The European Accessibility Act’s (EAA) initial deadline is looming, and the news is full of new insights and information:

• LevelLevel, a Dutch web agency, has released its 4^th annual accessibility research on the largest Dutch retailers. With just weeks to go until the EAA becomes law, their conclusion is that the “largest online stores in the Netherlands are making progress, but are not yet sufficiently accessible.”
• A study by TestDevLab finds that only 31% of Europe’s largest 100 fintechs fully meet basic web accessibility requirements regarding keyboard navigation and focus visibility.
• Digital Business Ireland, the country’s largest representative body for digital and online businesses, has launched a new campaign to raise awareness of new EU accessibility rules for websites, apps, and digital sources.
• In their 8-installment series, TaylorWessing explores overlapping and differing requirements across the EU, as well as in the UK and US.

Amid so much change and uncertainty, it’s essential to remember that key regulations remain in effect in the US and that more is being enacted at the state level:

• The EAA deadline isn’t the only important deadline on the horizon. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Title II deadline is April 2026! With less than a year to go, K-12 schools, public colleges, and universities are racing to make sure their websites, mobile apps, and online course materials are accessible.
• Virginia HB 2541 has been enacted. The bill requires vendors to provide a Voluntary Product Accessibility Template (VPAT) or Accessibility Conformance Report (ACR) prepared by a qualified accessibility expert. Vendors must also provide a Vendor Accessibility Roadmap that documents plans and timelines for closing significant accessibility gaps.

More stories

I’ve gathered some additional links to compelling stories that I think are well worth exploring:

When design excludes: Why accessibility must be taught in tech and design classrooms
India’s digital ecosystem is expanding rapidly, but millions remain excluded due to inaccessible design.

California’s workforce transformation must include people with disabilities
California needs a workforce transformation that drives economic prosperity and access to good-paying jobs—including for people with disabilities.

With Her New Book, Unfit Parent, Jessica Slice Upends Assumptions About Disability and Motherhood
The voices of disabled parents—who number in the millions across the United States—far too frequently go unheard. Jessica Slice’s new book Unfit Parent: A Disabled Mother Challenges an Inaccessible World cuts boldly and beautifully through that silence.

Wearable AI ring converts sign language into texts for smartphones and computers
Researchers led by Cornell University have developed a wearable AI ring that converts American Sign Language into texts for smartphones and computers.

Deaf university student wins international competition to design unique hearing tech jewelry
Gargi Agrawalla has won an international competition to design jewelry for use with cochlear implants and hearing aids.

How Idris Elba is acting on the need for assistive tech for dyslexia
The actor used his own experience of dyslexia to co-develop a script-reading app, highlighting the need for more workplace support for neurodiversity.

Ubisoft releases open source tool to help devs tailor games for colourblind players
Ubisoft has released Chroma, an open source tool that adds color blindness filters to in-game content in real time.

Apple TV+ Has a Brilliant Subtitle Feature Every Service Should Copy
Apple TV’s streaming service temporarily turns on subtitles when you skip back.

Here are 8 photography winners with disabilities who show the world their perspective
Here are the winning entries in this year’s Global Ability Photography Challenge.

How Captions Went from Niche to Necessity
For the first three decades of television, there were no captions of any kind, leaving Deaf viewers unable to fully participate in a medium that shaped culture and conversation. What began as a fight for the Deaf community became a revolution in accessibility, benefiting everyone—from language learners and multitaskers to anyone who has ever needed to read instead of listen.

What’s new in Google accessibility
“What’s new in Google accessibility” is a video series that explores new features and improvements rolling out across Google products. Episode 8 is now live, focusing on everything from enhancements in Android like Live Transcribe and LE Audio to accessibility tools in Pixel, Chrome, and Workspace.

Mobile apps are failing users with disabilities
A recent report from software developer ArcTouch and the online platform Fable determines that apps are falling short of being accessible to disabled users. Ben Ogilvie, head of accessibility at ArcTouch, explains how mobile app developers can improve on their accessibility features.

Finally, here are some resources to help you learn about autism and celebrate Autism Awareness Month:

• Autism Acceptance Month – ASAN
• World Autism Awareness Day– United Nations
• Autistic Self Advocacy Network (ASAN)
• Autism Partner Toolkit – CDC

This week’s recommended read

If you dive into just one thing this month, I highly recommend the Global Disability Inclusion Report from the Global Disability Summit. It covers everything from factors affecting the inclusion of persons with disabilities and structural efforts for inclusion to global trends, key enablers, and practical recommendations for strengthening inclusion in education, healthcare, employment, social protection, and more.

Bonus content!

A lot of kids were excited to take part in a unique Easter egg hunt in Calgary. The Canadian National Institute for the Blind partnered with the Calgary Police Service Youth Foundation and CPS Tactical Unit for an egg hunt for children with sight loss. Kids sought out oversized, 3D-printed eggs that make beeping sounds. They could then trade the eggs in for chocolate.

Next steps

Thank you for joining me for Accessibility Reads and all that you are doing to bring equality to the digital world.

Please share these stories across your networks, and take a moment to let us know how we are doing with this content curation and our new cadence.

Please visit deque.com to learn more about how we’re advancing digital accessibility and inclusion across the globe.

Is your business ready to accelerate digital accessibility? Schedule a free strategic consulting session today!