The Inaccessibility Cycle

#disability #ableism #accessibility

Responsible and Ethical AI with Dr. Rumman Chowdhury | Axe-con 2024 Keynote

youtube.com/watch?v=ccCZ4FxruM…

#ethic #a11y #ai #disability #axecon

Responsible and Ethical AI with Dr. Rumman Chowdhury | Axe-con 2024

^YouTube

VocalEye Almost Live host Amy Amantea is joined by blind, gay, disabled author of fiction and non-fiction, Robert Kingett.

Robert returns to the Almost Live space to share a sampling of his own short stories from a variety of genres including romance, sci-fi and fantasy.

0:00 -- Title card intro
1:10 -- Land Acknowledgement
4:20 -- Pre-show Introduction with Amy and Fiona
13:50 -- Pointy Chances
43:39 -- A Deserving Conference
1:22:53 -- Super Date
1:49:50 -- Conversation and Q&A with Amy and Robert

If you enjoyed this video, please Like and Subscribe.
Buy Amy a coffee: buymeacoffee.com/vocaleye
Make a donation: canadahelps.org/en/charities/v…

For more information on Robert Kingett, visit:
robertkingett.com

For more information on events and programs from VocalEye, visit: vocaleye.ca/

This is a photo I took the last time I was trying to get off a plane, but the staff refused to bring my chair to the door. I'm waiting with my wheelchair joystick, headrest, and cushion as the cleaning crew moves through the plane.

The Department of Transportation is proposing new rules to improve the experience of passengers like me. However, rules already exist—the problem is that the gate agents, flight attendants, and airport staff who should follow them either accidentally or willfully ignore them.

The new rules include training, and I'm suggesting expanding the training to all customer-facing staff. I also suggest having the rules clearly posted. If you like these ideas, please consider posting a comment to the DOT in support, either in your own words or referring to mine:

————

I thank Secretary Buttigieg, Senator Duckworth, Director Benjamin, and Disabled activists for this important proposal. As a Disabled air traveler and power wheelchair rider, I have two requests.

1. The current proposal includes "annual training, including hands-on training, of airline employees and contractors who physically assist passengers with mobility disabilities or handle passengers’ wheelchairs." I request that this annual training be provided to all airline and airport staff who interact with customers, not just those who physically assist or handle.

In fact, as a woman with muscular dystrophy who cannot walk at all, my best experiences have been with the people physically lifting me, and my worst experiences have been with gate agents and flight attendants who treat me with disrespect while violating the law. They have raised their voices at me while I'm instructing my assistant in preparing my wheelchair for stowage, threatened to "offload" me from the flight, repeatedly denied me and rolled their eyes when I request that my wheelchair be brought to the door, and repeatedly resisted ensuring adjoining seats for me and my assistant, who sometimes has to physically prevent me from falling forward from the airplane seat.

I request that you expand the annual training to all customer-facing airline and airport staff, including gate agents and flight attendants, because these staff members have significant power over Disabled travelers' safety and experiences.

2. While the DOT's Aviation Consumer Protection policies (which state "Your device must be returned to you in a timely manner as close as possible to the door of the aircraft") and Airline Passengers with Disabilities Bill of Rights are excellent, they are difficult to call upon in the moment they're being violated. When gate agents, flight attendants, and other staff have tried to pressure me against the law, I have had to resort to finding the DOT's laws and policies on my phone (try doing that in airplane mode!). The times I can successfully excavate and point to the documentation are the only times staff have reluctantly backed down. But I believe the burden of carrying the law around shouldn't fall on each Disabled passenger.

Therefore, I request that these laws and policies be easily visible and available in accessible formats, such as: (a) being posted prominently at gate terminals and check-in desks, (b) being available in print at gate terminals and check-in desks, and (c) being included in onboard brochures at every seat.

I believe these two additions to the proposal will greatly enhance its ability to accomplish its mission to ensure airline passengers who ride wheelchairs can travel safely and with dignity.

————

Link to my comment: regulations.gov/comment/DOT-OS…
Submit your own comment: regulations.gov/commenton/DOT-…
Press announcement: transportation.gov/briefing-ro…
Full text download of the proposed rule: regulations.gov/document/DOT-O…
Aviation Consumer Protection policy on wheelchairs and other assistive devices: transportation.gov/individuals…
Airline Passengers with Disabilities Bill of Rights: transportation.gov/airconsumer…
Tags: #Disability, #DisabilityJustice, #DisabilityRights, #ableism, #travel

Sharing for a friend. Please boost/repost!

Parent or teacher interested in a Covid safe school?! Centered in disability justice. One is forming in MA/RI, location TBD. Email for more info or with questions!

@disability @mcas
@chronicillness
@disabilityjustice
@education @neurodivergents

#Covid #MaskUp #LongCovid #Education #disability #justice #school #k12

Produced by WBEZ in Chicago, this clip from the Mortified event in 2021 showcases an essay Robert Kingett wrote in the second grade about how old people can save the world by paying their taxes.

Mortified is a show where people showcase their most embarrassing art on stage they made when they were children.

Robert Kingett is an author and you can find him online at robertkingett.com

This is a preview of the digital audiobook of Artificial Divide, edited by Robert Kingett and Randy Lacey, available on Libro.fm at libro.fm/audiobooks/9781990086…

Artificial Divide
By: Robert Kingett, Randy Lacey, Alice Eakes, Anita Haas, Ann Chiappetta, Ben Fulton, Eunice Cooper-Matchett, Felix Imonti, Heather Meares, Jameyanne Fuller, Jamieson Wolf, Lawrence Gunther, M. Leona Godin, Melissa Yuan-Innes, Niki White, Rebecca Blaevoet & Tessa Soderberg
Narrated by: Nathan Frechette, Jameyanne Fuller, Alice Eakes, Anita Haas, M. Leona Godin & Niki White
Length: 6 hours 32 minutes

Description:
Step into a world of rogue screen readers, Braille in fantasy worlds, a friend meeting an acquaintance after several years, and more.

This #OwnVoices anthology features fiction by Blind and visually impaired authors showing readers how they thrive, hurt, get revenge, outsmart bullies, or go on epic adventures. Artificial Divide is an own-voices story collection that captures the many layers of Blindness and, for once, puts visually impaired protagonists in the driver's seat, letting us glimpse their lives.

When we think about it, we're not really divided.

VocalEye Almost Live host Amy Amantea is joined by special guests Robert Kingett, Lawrence Gunther, Niki White, and Tessa Soderberg.

Artificial Divide is a new anthology of short fiction by Blind and partially-Blind authors showing readers how they thrive, hurt, get revenge, outsmart bullies, or go on epic adventures. Artificial Divide is an own-voices story collection that captures the many layers of Blindness and, for once, puts blind protagonists in the driver’s seat, letting them take the lead in guiding us on new adventures.

0:00 -- Title card intro
1:19 -- Land Acknowledgement
5:06 -- Robert Kingett, co-editor
24:55 -- Lawrence Gunther, "Getting Back Alive"
1:02:40 -- Niki White, "How is it You Sing?"
1:45:29 -- Tessa Soderberg, "Mishipizheu"
1:59:25 -- Conversation and Q&A with Amy, Robert, Lawrence, Niki, and Tessa

To purchase or borrow a copy of Artificial Divide, visit:

robertkingett.com/artificial-d…

For more information on events and programs from VocalEye, visit: vocaleye.ca/

Hola Titánicos , me he topado con unos datos del INE (Instituto Nacional de Estadistica del Gobierno de España) que quiero compartir con vosotros.

Los datos los podéis encontrar en la pagina 8 de este pdf: ine.es/revistas/cifraine/1009.…

Pero os los he sacado una captura de imagen para que podáis leerlo mas fácil, para lo que tengas problemas de visión tenéis todo el texto en ALT de la imagen

Me gustaría saber si sois tan amables de compartir, tanto los que tengáis una discapacidad, un familiar con algún tipo de discapacidad o hayáis presenciado alguna situación de alguien con discapacidad ... que se haya sentido discriminado alguna vez por ello.

Y si lo podéis acompañar de la situación.. mejor que mejor gracias

#discapacidad #Disability #disabilities #discriminacion #empatia #faltaderespeto #respeto #civismo #normasdecivismo #genteTitanica #somosdisca

Apparently I got reported today for using the #Alt4me tag and not being blind. I was told by multiple people on Mastodon that if I didn't have the energy to do alt text for every image I could use this tag and someone would do it for me.

Instead I got reported to my instance owner. You all need to make up your fucking minds what is acceptable and what isn't if you want people to stay on mastodon. As it stands, I don't feel comfortable posting images anymore because if I don't have the energy to write alt text then I get shamed, if I used #Alt4Me I get reported

You people make it so tiring that for someone like me with ADHD and Executive Dysfunction it is much easier to just not use Mastodon to post any images!!!!

I'd also like to touch on how people always shame others with "invisible" illnesses. I cannot escape it. Just because I am sighted does not mean I am not disabled in some ways. But people can't see ADHD and executive dysfunction, so I just get their personal diagnosis of 'LAZY'.

I can tell why artists aren't flocking here in droves.

I don't know what I am going to do going forward but I feel pretty fucking uncomfortable posting any images to Mastodon now lest I be shamed or reported or fediblocked because someone didn't like whatever about my posts.

Thanks for that.

Boosts highly encouraged I think everyone should see this.

#disability #adhd #InvisibleDisabilityRights

TIL there were guide dogs in medieval Europe!

This image from a 13th century French manuscript in the British Library shows a blind man being lead by a dog.

Hooray for Dr Krista Milna, who researches this topic and has just been awarded a grant to do more!

#GuideDogs #Dogs #Disability #Medieval #History

Today's session for NASEM's "Beyond Compliance: Promoting the Success of People with Disabilities in the STEM Workforce" has kicked off. It's free, register and get in.

#Disability #Accessibility #DisabledInSTEM

nationalacademies.org/event/06…

Is this research even led by blind people? Is this what blind people want?

#DisabledInSTEM #disability

hector-fellow-academy.de/en/in…

RetinaSensor: Enhanced Vision Restoration in Blind People - Hector Fellow Academy

^{TM-Admin (Hector Fellow Academy)}

Hello, it is Global Accessibility Awareness Day. Here's the piece I promised: Accessibility is More Than Ramps

#GAAD #accessibility #disability #inclusion

juliaferraioli.com/blog/2023/a…

Accessibility is More Than Ramps

Today is Global Accessibility Awareness Day. While the day focuses on digital accessibility, I’d like to take the opportunity to talk about an important aspect of prioritizing accessibility in the technology that we build: creating environments that …

^{julia ferraioli}

"As AI becomes increasingly integrated into our daily lives, it is crucial to address issues of inclusivity, bias, and fairness in #AI development and deployment."

govloop.com/community/blog/the…

#accessibility #disability #AI

The Ethics of Inclusive AI - GovLoop

As artificial intelligence (AI) becomes increasingly integrated into our lives, it's vital that AI systems serve all members of society. AI should be inclusive, fair, and without bias.

^GovLoop

Is anyone else using Dragon #SpeechRecognition? I would love to be buddies. This software takes a lot of wrangling!

I know about the KnowBrainer forum but I find their attitude kind of victim-blamey.

Please boost and feel free to add relevant hashtags. #accessibility #a11y #disability

Now you can listen to the talks of the CSUN Assistive Technology Conference 2023 directly on YouTube if you can't attend in person! 😀 👍

The CSUN Conference is an annual event organized by California State University, Northridge's Center on Disabilities. It brings together experts and enthusiasts from all over the world to discuss and showcase innovative assistive technologies and promote inclusion for persons with disabilities.

youtube.com/playlist?list=PLB7…

#accessibility #CSUN #assistivetechnology #a11y #AAC #Disability

2023 CSUN Assistive Technology Conference

Videos on this list may be hidden after the livestream while captions and video quality are reviewed. General Session videos will be hidden after the event c...

^YouTube