Accessibility

With the addition of Soapbox Labs’ voice engine, Curriculum Associates has new language and literacy-focused tools in its portfolio that can recognize age-specific regional and cultural dialects.

Instead of only training AI speech-recognition tools on near-perfect diction, researchers at the University of Illinois want to train them to understand people with motor disabilities like Parkinson's disease.

In order to get the most out of virtual reality tools, schools and universities need to train educators how to use them and address accessibility concerns that may come with adopting related programs.

Josh Clark, who heads a private school in Massachusetts that serves children with language-based learning differences, is optimistic that artificial intelligence will enable tools that address their specific challenges.

A new brief from the National Association of State Chief Information Officers underlines the importance of and reason for having a position dedicated to statewide digital accessibility coordination.

The University of Southern California is developing Wi-Fi technology that will allow hearing-impaired students to tune into lectures and other campus events with their smartphones or receivers provided by the university.

Associate Professor Shiqi Zhang and two of his students say the cost, efficiency and accessibility of artificial intelligence-powered seeing-eye assistants could improve quality of life for the hearing-impaired.

City Council District H candidates addressed making city communications accessible in multiple languages, including redesigning the city's website, at a forum held earlier this week.

The Philadelphia Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities has created the Disability Characteristics Map using census data to represent the diversity in abilities of the city's residents.

A newly unveiled pilot program at L.A. Metro gives $150 a month to 1,000 residents to be used for transportation across the region’s public and private networks. The program is similar to work being done in some other major cities.

The Michigan Supreme Court has expanded new technology to make mediation services available to parents with busy and unpredictable schedules — but can domestic issues really be settled through text?

Survey data reveals rural libraries are significantly less likely to offer STEAM programming than their city or suburban counterparts. Here’s how small-town librarians are breaking past funding and resource roadblocks.

The Albuquerque Police Department has implemented three new tools to help enable police to use a more informed response to calls for service. The tech could be especially impactful for community members with disabilities.

Responding to pressure from disability advocates, the company’s digital study guides and on-demand tutoring services will soon have closed captioning, interpreting services, transcripts and other accommodations.

Advocacy groups such as CurbCutOS and the Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund say the digital revolution in education is leaving some students with disabilities behind, and progress will require assessments.

Experts argue that agencies having staff dedicated to equity and inclusion play an important role for government work, from strategic planning, to operations, to the rise of digital government services.

The Maryland Department of Information Technology has hired four executives for new tech roles, including its first-ever chief technology officer. The state has also hired a new chief information security officer.

A recent report from the risk management company AAAtraq found that 97 percent of U.S. college and university websites do not fully comply with requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act.