Tag: Accessibility
Air Travel is Often Dangerous for People with Disabilities
U.S. Army veteran and frequent traveler who uses a wheelchair discusses perils of flying and why change is needed now.
How can employers support workers with spinal injuries?
There has been slow progress in getting more disabled people into work, and those with spinal cord injuries have a particularly low employment rate. What can employers do to support them back to work, asks Alex Dabek?
In 2017, the government announced plans aimed to get one million more disabled people in work over the next 10 years after it emerged less than half working age people with disabilities (49.2%) were in employment in June 2017.
Logitech’s Adaptive Gaming Kit Makes the Xbox Adaptive Controller More Accessible
Microsoft’s Xbox Adaptive Controller (XAC) facilitates gaming for players with accessibility needs. While a forward-thinking device, the XAC isn’t without limitations. To get the most out of the peripheral, users must purchase separate triggers, switches, and other accessories. Doing this can get expensive, especially for those living on a limited budget. Logitech has a solution with its upcoming product: the Logitech G Adaptive Gaming Kit. I recently participated in a conference call where I got to see what the Adaptive Gaming Kit is all about.
Teacher carries student with spina bifida on back so she can enjoy field trip
10-year-old Ryan King has spina bifida, and when field trips are not wheelchair accessible, she has to miss out. But on a recent trip for school, Ryan got to join in on the fun – because a teacher volunteered to carry her the whole way.
Wheel the World launches accessible travel marketplace
Wheel the World has unveiled a new online travel marketplace to provide accessible travel to those living with disabilities.
Backed by Booking.com, the accessible travel start-up has created a one-stop-shop for travellers with disabilities offering accessible tours and experiences, including accommodations and transportation by partnering with curated local tour operators who are trained and certified Wheel the World team members.
Through an extensive research process, Wheel the World identifies necessary accessibility requirements and equipment and trains its operators to develop inclusive trips designed to accommodate those with disabilities.
From multi-day trips with outdoor activities, such as hiking, scuba diving and kayaking, to single day activities like ziplining in Costa Rica and handbiking across the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco or through Central Park in New York, the start-up currently offers more than 30 travel destinations through its platform, including accommodations, activities and transportation.
Destinations include Patagonia, Maui, Easter Island, Machu Picchu, Santiago, Mexico, and Costa Rica, with plans to have 150 destinations and tour packages by the end of 2020.
The idea for Wheel the World came from the personal journey of two best friends, determined to see the world together. Co-founders Álvaro Silberstein and Camilo Navarro, both from Chile, embarked on the challenge of completing the W Circuit in Patagonia, with Silberstein, a quadriplegic, in a hiking wheelchair.
“We truly believe adventure is for all and that’s why we are committed to creating inclusive tourism and eliminate the barriers that keep people from travelling,” said Álvaro.
“While people might not think they have the opportunity to travel like this, we believe we can help everyone enjoy our amazing world without limits.
“We started promoting trips to isolated places like our original trip to Patagonia. However, we realised that people with disabilities still struggle to find even more traditional travel experiences that are designed to be accessible. So, we expanded to all types of travel including cultural, leisure, vacation and city explorations.”
Last year, Silberstein became the first quadriplegic to traverse an 11-kilometre section of the Inka trail. You can read more about that here.
Toddler With Spina Bifida Can Now Get Around Thanks to Dad’s Creative Invention
A loving dad wanted his toddler son with spina bifida to have more mobility, so he created a device to help.
Rick Hansen’s new mission: Improving accessibility across Canada
Accessibility activist Rick Hansen has a new poster to show you. One with adjustable text at an eye level so people in wheelchairs can read it, text in multiple languages, a braille pad and even a recording of someone reading it.
Off the cuff: How I fell in love with my wheelchair
Don’t ever call me ‘wheelchair bound’. My wheelchair doesn’t bind me — it liberates me
The wheelchair represents many different things, depending on the beholder’s personal experience. Many is the time I have been acutely aware that my wheelchair makes me the living embodiment of that blue symbol that adorns bathrooms and parking spaces.
I hadn’t really given wheelchairs much thought myself, until 13 years ago when I fell from a tree and sustained a spinal cord injury (SCI), causing instant and permanent paraplegia.
‘Changing Places’ Restroom Increases Accessibility For O’Hare Passengers With Disabilities
Chicago (CBS) — O’Hare International Airport now offers a new level of service for travelers with disabilities, and advocates say this is just the beginning.
Located at Terminal 2, the new “Changing Places” restroom features an adult changing table, motorized lift system and a wheelchair-accessible shower as well as a toilet and sink.
Advocacy groups believe it will open up travel opportunities for people with significant disabilities and their families and caregivers.
Half Access – Making Live Music Accessible
Half Access is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to making live music accessible. Our database provides accessibility info on venues to help prepare disabled folks on what to expect before arriving at a show, and will be used by us to work with venues on improving accessibility in their spaces.
