Category: Social Issues

“What’s Your Connection?” Initiative Launched by Disability.gov

To celebrate its tenth anniversary,  Disability.gov has created the “What’s Your Connection?” initiative.  Described as a grassroots movement  the initiative emphasizes the connections among all people.

What’s Your Connection? will run from October 30, 2012 to July 31, 2013, and will use social media and grassroots tactics to spark conversations and build support for inclusion of people with disabilities in the workplace and in their communities.

To learn how the initiative works, visit “What’s Your Connection? A tool kit is also available to help spread the word about this new grassroots movement.

The Practical and Legal Reasons Behind Designing for Accessibility

Writing for UX magazine, Gregory P. Care and Dan Ross  discuss The Practical and Legal Reasons Behind Designing for Accessibility. This informative article examines the benefits of designing their mobile apps and websites for accessibility, including avoiding legal liability.

Accessibility is a central and, in many ways, fundamental component of user experience, so designers of mobile applications and mobile websites should feel compelled to make their products accessible to users with disabilities. Inaccessibility can frustrate an individual with a disability and create a longstanding negative consumer association that can preclude that individual from taking full advantage of a mobile device, app, or website. Accessibility in this context makes good business sense, because it maximizes satisfaction and use by the growing number of individuals with disabilities who have mobile devices.

But it is more than just good business—it’s also a legal responsibility.

Labor Department Launches Virtual Toolkit on Workplace Flexibility

Labor Department Launches Virtual Toolkit on Workplace Flexibility

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy has launched an online Workplace Flexibility Toolkit to provide resources and a unique approach to workplace flexibility. Workplace flexibility is a universal strategy that helps workers with complex employment situations become more productive. The toolkit adds a new dimension — an emphasis on flexibility around job tasks and what work is done. The launch of the toolkit coincides with National Disability Employment Awareness Month.