On January 3rd, 2021, a bipartisan bill, The Online Accessibility Act (H.B. 8478), failed to pass. If you haven’t been following the bill, here is a quick recap. The purpose was to clear up perceived digital compliance “grey areas” of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) while protecting the rights of people with disabilities and reducing the surge in related ADA lawsuits.

Why Did The Online Accessibility Act Fail?

The Online Accessibility Act failed because it limited the civil rights of people with disabilities. Equality, for all, is something lawmakers need to consider when proposing legislative initiatives.

The bill didn’t fail wholly on civil rights; it failed…

There is a lot of talk about ADA compliance in e-commerce and digital platforms. The flurry of lawsuits against major websites like Winn Dixie, Domino’s, and even Beyoncé over the lack of digital compliance is unnerving for many. This topic has certainly left many people confused. In fact, there is still confusion over what ADA compliance is and who needs to be compliant. So, in the world of digital and e-commerce platforms, what does ADA compliance mean?

A look at the ADA

ADA is the acronym for The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. The purpose of the law is to strengthen the civil rights…

There seems to be a lot of confusion around the difference between Section 508 and Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG). Some people even view these terms as interchangeable. But, those people would be mistaken. Section 508 and WCAG are, in fact, quite different.

Since there is so much confusion, we decided to carve out some time in our day to help clarify the differences.

Section 508 Breakdown

In 1986, the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 received an update and Section 508 became federal law. (Take note — the “law” part is important here.) You see, technology was booming and, with such rapid advances, people…

Out-of-the-Box Volunteer Ideas

The COVID-19 pandemic has people limiting their exposure as much as possible. So, it is no surprise that people are not volunteering as much as they were a year ago. Unfortunately, this lack of volunteers has taken a toll on organizations that provide free services to their community. It is especially affecting people who are blind and visually impaired. Luckily, there are organizations making it easy to volunteer remotely. Let’s check out two of the most popular volunteering services that help the visually impaired community: Be My Eyes and VolunteerMatch.

What is Be My Eyes?

Be My Eyes is a service that connects people who…

Many businesses struggled through 2020, with the hope of the new year bringing a fresh start. As the year came to a close, it was clear that the fresh start will take an active change for businesses to survive.

Consumer Changes in Less Than a Year

Twenty-twenty started somewhat as expected in the United States, but by March, commerce as we knew it halted. E-commerce took off, adjusting how Americans shop, dine out, and conduct business; many consumers are not looking back.

Amazon and DoorDash were already booming before the pandemic. But, many consumers still wanted to shop locally for products and dine out. …

Universal Design in Voter’s Rights and Reform

The world watched and tried to understand the complexity of the 2020 United States of America election process. This past election caused many Americans and national leaders to consider the need for more uniform federal election standards. Certainly, a proper universal design approach to voter’s rights reform can ensure all peoples’ votes are accurate and legal.

Before we dive in too deep, it is crucial to understand that states and municipalities govern based on their state constitution. States have this autonomy, according to the Tenth Amendment of the US Constitution. …

Happy New Year!

From all of us at Braille Works, please accept our heartfelt “Thank You” for allowing us the privilege to serve you this year.

And, while we’re ready to see this year go, we’re grateful for some of the accessibility improvements we’ve seen come out of necessity. We’re also excited to see what 2021 has to offer. We anticipate impressive accessibility improvements.

We’ve all experienced this turbulent year which confined most of our daily lives to our homes. With that confinement came the “realization” that accessibility in tech, and elsewhere in life, is necessary and lacking. 2020 also brought the signing…

The holidays are here and few things inspire the Christmas spirit better than a holly jolly outing with your loved ones. What’s the best way to enjoy the sights and sounds of Christmas with them? Make a plan of attack with these tips to ensure maximum enjoyment for everyone involved.

1. Do your homework.

Do some research before going to unfamiliar events or activities. Check out the reviews and social media pages. Look for mentions of how hands-on, sensory-stimulating, and child-friendly the Christmas activities are. Having as much information as possible will be a huge help when tackling tip #2.

2. Choose wisely.

When choosing Christmas activities…