New ADA & section 508 regulations - public comments due today June 21

[flora]

Short notice, but the U.S. government is rewriting the ADA and Section 508 regulations for Information and Communications Technology.  These are the laws that describe how American companies and government websites need to be accessible.   I thought some folks in this community might be interested in commenting on the draft legislation. 

The US Access Board (the agency writing this) is especially looking for ideas on making government websites accessible to people with cognitive disabilities. They also want input on what should and should not be reasonable exceptions to the law.

The ADA revision is very short, but far-reaching.  A new section now covers walk-up kiosk interfaces, not just ATMs.  For example, if you've ever ordered food in a restaurant or cafeteria using a touch-screen, the new ADA law would apply there.

The first public comment period ends today (Monday) June 21 at midnight Eastern time. 

Press release:
http://www.access-board.gov/news/ict-hearing-may.htm

Draft Regulations for comment:
http://www.regulations.gov/search/Regs/home.html#docketDetail?R=ATBCB-2010-0001

Woo hoo, disabled changing room! Whoopsie, can't get in.

[roserodent]

Forgive me that while holding clothing, pushing my chair and wrangling my toddler I failed to take a picture. I was forced to try on clothing yesterday in a department store. I went into the fitting area and found to my jubilation that they had a disabled (handicapped) changing stall. Sadly, it is the one at the very, very bottom. They have placed chairs all along the corridor to allow people's friends to sit down outside the changing stalls waiting to give an opinion on the outfit. So you can only use the disabled changing stall if you are able to levitate to the end. I was trying on bras else I would have got changed out on the shop floor. I have little shame, but I do have some! 

They can't deprive you of your mobility aid... except when they can

[staranise]

By the time I shuffled into the domestic terminal at Toronto's Pearson airport, I was pretty bushed and my knee was transitioning from "aching pain" to "stabbing pain", so when I tossed all my stuff on the security screening counter, the security person said, "Can you walk without your cane?" and I said, "Can I keep it, please?"

They assented, so I went through the metal detector with the cane. Of course, it went off. The woman with the handheld metal detector therefore pulled me aside for a personal screening and pat-down. "Arms out to the side, please," she said. I put my cane as far out to the side as I could, and held my free arm horizontal. She started to scan me, then gestured to my cane arm. "Arms out to the side."

I waggle the cane. "But I--"

"Arms out to the side, miss. This is a security procedure."

So I have to stand there with my arms straight out, both feet flat on the floor, without a lick of help from my cane, as she pats me down looking for nerfarious items.

For five minutes. Like, apparently the last two patdowns of my shins and biceps weren't good enough. Maybe THIS time she'll find something!

Quite honestly, it'd have hurt less if I'd just limped through the metal detector.