Accessibility in action

As we prepare to close the door on 2021 – and the second year of an ongoing pandemic – what have we learned?  From a digital accessibility standpoint, we say, “Plenty!” Check out the 5 lessons we’ve learned and revisit stories from the site that put these learnings into context.

What are invisible disabilities, and how do they affect the lives of college students? How can others be effective allies on their behalf?  Learn more about the experiences of 2 college students in navigating their education.

October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM). In 2020, the unemployment rate for people with disabilities was more than twice that of people without – the result of a “tyranny of low expectations,” according to an AT&T expert. Because those expectations are so low, the level of opportunities often is, too. 

What is digital accessibility – and who needs it? It doesn’t really affect that many people so why should I care about it? Hear an AT&T Accessibility solutions engineer dispel these and other myths about bringing the internet to everyone.

For 31 years, the American with Disabilities Act (ADA) has protected people with disabilities in public accommodations, essentially prohibiting discrimination and expanding inclusion. Today, we honor the anniversary of this landmark legislation that has changed lives and opened up the world for millions.

For every wedding, graduation or birthday party that moved to Zoom in 2020, there were grandparents who missed it because they didn’t have internet fast enough to support videoconferencing.  For every book club or religious service that shifted online, someone was left out for lack of a smartphone. 

Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD) is Thursday. Following 2020, a year where virtual communications were critical, AT&T continues to further the accessibility conversation.

An executive-led panel to make the conversation more than an afterthought and a program that highlights diversity through small, intimate gatherings are just part of this year’s GAAD observance.

The American Association of People with Disabilities has honored AT&T with its 2021 Corporate Leadership Award noting the company’s overall commitment to disability rights, its investment in programming to support the future of disability leadership, and its commitment to provide internet services to vulnerable communities, including people with disabilities.

A mom describing her teen son with autism as “not disabled enough” doesn’t downplay his struggle but points to some of the challenges of living with an invisible disability. Patience, acceptance and understanding can help those “caught between two worlds” whose symptoms aren’t recognized as a disability but often mischaracterized as behavior related.

As the world increasingly turns to the internet for life's daily activities, small businesses and web administrators must also adapt to connect with increasingly diverse users. Usability experts offer good news for smaller operations that may think they lack the resources to pursue complex web design efforts: an accessible website need not be a lofty goal.

In a year like no other, our understanding of what it takes to be accessible and inclusive expanded in new ways. If you’re resolved to make the world better in the year to come, especially for those with disabilities, look no further.

Artificial intelligence and machine learning are poised to transform life for those living with disabilities. However, the inclusion of diverse perspectives in their research, design and development process will play a critical role in determining their accessibility. Find out how tech innovators can keep accessibility at the forefront.

National Disability Employment Awareness Month marks its 75th anniversary this year. In honor of its chosen theme, Increasing Access and Opportunity, the ADA Lead On production team is back with another dynamic virtual event designed to lift the voices of those with disabilities.

Blind Awareness Month includes many special days and weeks dedicated to increasing understanding, expanding access and cultivating inclusion for people with low or no vision.  Susan Mazrui of AT&T discusses why it’s important to celebrate, educate and advocate for this community.

Safeguarding our mental wellbeing is no small task in this time of global pandemic. Veterans, tested by some of life’s most intense stresses, can teach us a lot. Recognizing the profound importance of connections to family and friends, they point to technology as a key source of help.

Deaf Awareness Week, Sept. 20 to 26, promotes the positive aspects of deafness and deaf culture while encouraging inclusion for all. To mark the occasion, Matt Myrick of AT&T shares an important innovation he worked on that improved 9-1-1 calling and other services for those with speech and hearing disabilities.

As employers and staff across the U.S. consider workplace changes in the era of COVID-19, countless details – masks, sanitizers, workstations and more – have received ample consideration. Yet, despite the best laid plans, employees with disabilities will no doubt face additional questions based on their own, unique situations.

Since 1990, millions of Americans have benefited from the most important disability legislation ever signed in the U.S., the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). In honor of the ADA’s 30- year anniversary, a remarkable event celebrates its extraordinary story, the people who made it happen and its profound impact on all our lives.

Through her work at AT&T, Kelly Burton brought smartphone technology home to her husband who is blind, giving him a new outlook on life. The app connects Eric Burton to a remote agent who “sees” for him in real time and talks to him through his environment.

Dedicated to human progress through technology and communication, AT&T supports digital accessibility for all. Join us in honoring the mission of Global Accessibility Awareness Day ― to raise awareness and practical knowledge about how to make the digital world inclusive for everybody. 

Employees with autism, and other learning and thinking differences, can bring unique perspectives, talents and skills to the workforce. Motivated by their contributions, AT&T plans to implement new strategies to recruit, retain and engage neurodiverse people.

As the pace of smart city development intensifies, AT&T leaders recognize the importance of including accessibility during the earliest stages of planning. They say that designing inclusive smart cities for all will require a human-centric approach and intensive involvement, planning and collaboration.

At AT&T’s Disability & Aging Call Center, agents are specifically trained to assist customers with special needs related to vision, hearing and aging. Fielding 220,000 calls per year, they not only help customers access services to improve their lives but create bonds with them in the process. 

New Year’s Day is just a few weeks away. What can you do to improve the year ahead for people living with a disability – and for you, too? Take a look at seven do’s and don’ts to consider and resolve to make 2020 more welcoming to all.

Living with a disability is a global experience. AT&T is using the Dec. 3 observance of International Day of People with Disabilities to spend a week focusing on disabilities in North America’s largest city. 

Accessible solutions can expand the world in surprising ways. Curb cuts, automatic doors, text messaging and speech-to-text applications are just a few examples of innovations that originated to help people with disabilities and are now in widespread use.

Disabilities shouldn’t be kept in the shadows. The observance of World Mental Health Day and a program at AT&T are just a few efforts fighting the stigma that still keeps mental and physical disabilities in the dark.

The AT&T Accessibility Lab shares glimpses into the lives of people with disabilities. Charged with serving all people, AT&T employees can gain a sense of what it’s like to live with a cognitive, visual, hearing or motor disability by visiting  the hands-on, traveling lab.

Passed July 26, 1990, the Americans with Disabilities Act provides people with disabilities the same rights and opportunities as everyone else.  The passage of the groundbreaking legislation created significant progress toward inclusion for all.

David Huntley, a senior executive vice president and the Chief Compliance Officer for AT&T, understands why accessibility matters. Because for us, it’s personal.

The AT&T team observed Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD) for the second time this year. The event included demos of innovative new technologies and information about 14 separate initiatives currently underway.

The OnePulse smartwatch, powered by AT&T wireless connectivity, goes beyond tracking steps. By transmitting certain critical medical and health data to the cloud, it makes monitoring health conditions easier.

Hundreds of AT&T employees unite to make a dream kayak trip come true and set an historical first in the process.

Bowling is Jonathan’s passion. See how this young man living with autism, who competed in the Special Olympics World Games, has a lifelong connection to AT&T.

A distracted driver with a smartphone caused a crash and a traumatic brain injury for AT&T employee Carolyn Chandler. Read about Carolyn’s efforts to heighten disability awareness and remove the stigma of a brain injury.

A full 30% of professionals fit the current federal definition of having a disability — and the majority are keeping that status a secret. Disclosing “invisible disabilities” on the job can relieve the stress of keeping things bottled up and support career development.

The tool lays out specific steps that cities and their partners can take to infuse the urban innovation ecosystem with a greater focus on accessibility and a commitment to persons with disabilities.

If you are assisting a loved one online, you may need to help safeguard against scams, spam, malware, identity theft and other online threats.  Critical measures like strong passwords can be intimidating to many users, but support is available to help you protect the people you care about.

A new study intends to combine 5G with virtual reality and augmented reality (VR and AR) to test if it can help reduce chronic pain and anxiety for certain hospice patients. The goal: an alternative therapy that is easier for caregivers to implement and makes the patient most comfortable during this difficult time.

Suzanne Montgomery is the new chief accessibility officer (CAO) at AT&T. She will work closely with the company’s Corporate Accessibility Technology Office (CATO) to ensure AT&T products and solutions are accessible to people with disabilities.