While February is the shortest month, it’s also when people really start to make traction, build out their roadmaps, and gain momentum in their work.
The stories I’m sharing below should help you get your creative juices flowing and inspire you to think about all the possibilities within our industry.
In my short video below, I talk about some of these stories, highlighting those that particularly struck me. I explore their significance and explain why I recommend that you check them out.
Do you have a story you think we should be aware of? Please share it on social and make sure to tag us! You can also leave a comment on this post.
Featured articles
Forrester has recently published two interesting reports: One is about how accessibility is still vital for businesses despite recent federal actions, and the second is about how procurement is taking a bigger role in two key areas: accessibility and sustainability.
Amazon has launched Product Summary—a new feature designed to make online shopping more inclusive! This feature provides a streamlined view of essential product information, making it easier for screen reader and keyboard-only users to navigate product pages efficiently.
FinTech Insights conducted a deep dive into customization and accessibility by looking at more than 200 banking apps from across the globe and has now published Personalization and Accessibility: Are Banking Apps Doing Enough?. Their article reveals that “customization can be the difference between financial independence and having to rely on others to do even minor tasks.”
The University of Illinois reports that Microsoft’s speech recognition tools have seen “significant improvements.” In their article Speech Accessibility Project data leads to recognition improvements on Microsoft Azure, they report that “accuracy gains range from 18% to 60%, depending on the speaker’s disability.”
More stories
Below, I’ve gathered some additional links to compelling stories that I think are well worth exploring:
The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) has announced the publication of the Collaboration Tools Accessibility User Requirements (CTAUR) Note, which outlines accessibility user needs, requirements, and scenarios for collaborative content creation and development tools. As a reminder, the Working Group Note content is stable, and the Working Group does not plan to make further changes. Should the need arise, however, the document could be updated. Comments received on this document will help the Working Group decide if updates are needed or will be taken into account should there be a republication.
Pre-sales for Connecting Dots: A Blind Life by Joshua Miele have opened. A.J. Jacobs, author of The Know It All and The Year of Living Constitutionally, describes the book as “a memoir that is ‘several wonderful books wrapped into one’ by a scientist who became blind at a young age—how he navigates his experience and channels his genius into decades of cutting edge work in accessibility—packed with humor, adventure, and insights on life and disability.”
There is a casting call for a new film titled RADICAL. It is an Apple Studios Feature Film from Siân Heder, the Academy Award-winning writer/director of CODA. The film will tell the story of when disability activist Judy Heumann led over a hundred disabled people to take over the San Francisco Federal Building in 1977, kicking off a 28-day sit-in.
Emirates has launched an inspiring journey to officially become the world’s first Autism Certified Airline
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Harry Potter fans have taken part in an accessible Hogwarts tour specially designed for people with sight loss or visual impairment. Warner Bros Studio Tour in Leavesden, Hertfordshire, partnered with Guide Dogs to create a new accessible experience where visitors can touch props, costumes, and “magical” creatures.
Apple’s new accessibility features empower disabled people to lead independent life
Apple’s latest iOS/iPadOS 18 update brings several accessibility features, including eye tracking, vehicle motion cues (to reduce motion sickness), voice control, and color filters on CarPlay on automobiles.
How To Prioritize Accessibility In Your 2025 Digital Marketing Strategy
Marketers will face several challenges in 2025 when it comes to making digital marketing accessible to the widest possible audience by including customers with disabilities.
The Accessibility and Gen AI Podcast: Ep 5 – Ed Summers – Head of Accessibility, GitHub
Hosts Eamon McErlean and Joe Devon interview Ed Summers, Head of Accessibility at GitHub. They discuss how Ed began working in accessibility, some of the latest developments at GitHub, how sonification is used in accessibility, and more.
Using technology to empower persons with disabilities
In Bhutan, where infrastructure and accessibility pose major challenges to people with disabilities (PWDs), technology can play a pivotal role in helping them navigate daily life, communicate, work, and learn with greater ease and independence.
AccessibleEU: Accessibility at the forefront of tourism planning and product development
UN Tourism and the European Accessibility Resource Centre (AccessibleEU) have joined accessible tourism champions to advance policies, standards, incentives, skills, and business strategies, making inclusion a reality for millions of people.
Digital spaces not safe or accessible for older Aussies, says expert
Is Australia doing enough to make online spaces accessible for older users?
Only 3% of new housing approved in London is accessible, study finds
There is a shocking shortage of suitable homes for disabled and elderly people, with less than 1% designed for wheelchair users.
New regulations for kiosks and self-service transaction machines? We’ve been here before.
On January 29, 2025, it was reported that a proposed rule about making kiosks (also called self-service transaction machines) accessible to disabled people was “withdrawn.” Despite this, advocates have not waited for a regulation to insist upon the legal rights of disabled people to use kiosks.
How to help remove barriers facing disabled people on set – Spotlight Feature
BAFTA has joined other industry organizations in partnering with the TV Access Project (TAP), whose goal is to remove all barriers to access for disabled people in the TV industry by 2030.
The Future of Global Accessibility: 3Play Media’s Human-AI Hand-in-Hand Approach
From AI-powered translation to custom dubbing services, 3Play Media’s team achieves machine speeds without losing the human touch.
Designing for Inclusion: A Holistic Approach for Customers and Employees
In an era where businesses are focused on creating value for users, inclusivity should be at the heart of every strategic decision—whether for customers or employees. A well-designed inclusive experience not only ensures accessibility but also fosters belonging, engagement, and long-term success.
The Filmmakers Behind ‘Marlee Matlin: Not Alone Anymore’ Want to Prove That ‘Accessibility Builds a Better World’
Matlin was the first deaf actress to win an Academy Award and has continued to be one of television and cinema’s most enduring figures.
Touchscreen dashboards have finally taken over and ruined driving
Physical buttons are being consigned to history—but trying to prod a screen while navigating poor road surfaces isn’t easy.
Accessibility in education: Strategies for compliance with ADA Title II updates
All students, regardless of their abilities, deserve equitable access to high-quality education.
Fashion Undergarment Brand Slick Chicks Expands Accessibility
Adaptive fashion is a movement reshaping how the world approaches style and inclusivity. For decades, the one billion individuals living with disabilities have been excluded from mainstream fashion conversations, often left without clothing options that meet both their functional and aesthetic needs. However, the rise of accessibility-focused brands challenges these norms, proving that fashion can be empowering and practical.
This week’s recommended read
If you read just one thing this week, I recommend:
Along the lines of “everything I needed to know I learned in kindergarten,” check out this super useful resource from Nickelodeon: Talk & Take Action: A Family Guide to Disability Inclusion and Talk & Take Action: Educators’ Guide to Disability Inclusion.
Combine this reading with How to Prioritize Accessibility in K-12 Technology. The U.S. Department of Education issued guidance this week on steps school systems can take to make accessibility a core component of K-12 learning technology, including who to involve and what resources to consult.
Bonus content!
Faith & Natashia at Electronic Arts are looking for participants for user research to build better products for neurodivergent people. If you’re interested, please take a moment to fill out this brief survey (1-2 min max) so they can coordinate timing for a 2 x 30-minute OR 1 x 60-minute chat—your participation would mean a lot to them!
Next steps
Thank you for joining me for Accessibility Reads and all that you are doing to bring equality to the digital world.
See you all virtually at axe-con 2025. (Register now. It’s free!)
I will also be at CSUN in person. If you see me wandering about, stop me and tell me what you think of the Accessibility Reads series. Is it helpful? I hope so!
Please visit deque.com to learn more about how we’re advancing digital accessibility and inclusion across the globe.
Is your business ready to take your digital accessibility efforts to the next level? Schedule a free strategic consulting session today!
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