In a world driven by advanced technology such as artificial intelligence (AI), virtual reality (VR), and extended reality (XR), the key to genuine advancement lies in embracing authentic inclusion, enabling technology to benefit all people. Equal Entry CEO and Founder Thomas Logan will be among the all-star lineup of accessibility leaders at the Digital Inclusion and Accessibility Leadership Summit in Taiwan on April 25, 2024. This full-day event hopes to raise the visibility of information accessibility and accessibility in Taipei, Taiwan. This first-of-a-kind initiative brings together thoug ..read more

Equal Entry · EPI15 – Sweetgreen Accessibility Lawsuit The Equal Entry team has eaten at Sweetgreen many times. The team appreciates the fast-casual chain’s varied and unique healthy salads. Recently, Ali Colak has filed a lawsuit against Sweetgreen, Inc. stating the company’s website is not accessible and violates the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The filing also indicates the company does not comply with the New York City Human Rights Law under 42 U.S.C. § 12182(b)(2)(A)(ii)-(iii) paragraph 74. “It shall be an unlawful discriminatory practice for any person who is the owner, franch ..read more

Equal Entry · EPI14 – Minnesota Class Action Lawsuit Accuses Company Website Of Inaccessibility In Minnesota, a Plaintiff who is legally blind alleges Christopher and Banks’ website is not accessible to screen readers. The case states this denial of full and equal access to “important website content” violates the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Moreover, the Plaintiff says it also violates the Minnesota Human Rights Act (MHRA). It’s a state law that prohibits discrimination in Minnesota on the basis of disability, gender identity, religion, race, age, sexual orientation, and so on. I ..read more

 Equal Entry · EPI12 – Will More States Start Requiring Accessibility Guidelines for State and County Websites There was no law governing Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) designation for State agencies in New York. Signed in 2023, this new bill makes the most current version of WCAG a requirement for conformance. This means websites of New York state agencies will need to comply with WCAG 2.2. The bill was introduced by NY State Senator John W. Mannion and co-sponsored by Sen. Cordell Cleare and Sen. Lea Webb. The bill requires the Office of Information Technology Services (ITS) to ..read more

Equal Entry · EPI11 – What Do The Pharmacy Settlements Mean For Accessibility Five major U.S. pharmacy and grocery chains reached a settlement with the Justice Department. The settlement indicates the companies will ensure people with disabilities can access information about COVID-19 vaccinations and book their vaccination appointments online. The agreements indicate the companies will conform to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), Version 2.1, Level AA. The cases came about when their COVID-19 vaccination registration portals were not accessible to people who use screen reader ..read more

Equal Entry · A11yInsights EPI10 – Accessibility Advocates Sued by French Overlay Company FACIL’iti is a French accessibility overlay company. The company sued two accessibility leaders who participated in a conversation about accessibility overlays alleging defamation. On the side of the defendants, many describe this as a Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation (SLAPP). “In French the equivalent of a SLAPP suit is ‘poursuites bâillons’ (literally ‘gagging pursuits’). Strategic Prosecutions Altering the Public Debate is a detailed report (in French) on the dangers of and potential ref ..read more

California is considering adopting a new law (AB-1757) that adopts Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 level AA as the level of accessibility that websites and mobile apps providing products or services must follow. It also expands liability to third-party developers and gives people with disabilities and businesses the ability to sue web developers for creating websites that do not conform to WCAG 2.1 Level AA. Plaintiffs could recover damages, including statutory damages, attorney’s fees, and injunctive relief. AB 1757 is notable because it would be the first time a U.S. governme ..read more

Quest Diagnostics offers laboratory services. At a doctor’s request, patients visit a Quest location for blood draws and other lab procedures. The company installed digital self-service touchscreen kiosks in its locations. These kiosks allow patients to check in for an appointment. The American Council for the Blind (ACB) filed a class action lawsuit against Quest Diagnostics for creating an inaccessible touchscreen kiosk experience. The ACB press release explains these kiosks prevent blind and low-vision patients from equal access to Quests’s services. ACB believes these kiosks are inaccessib ..read more

It’s not news that traveling on airplanes is fraught with challenges for people with disabilities. In late 2021, Disability Advocate Engracia Figueroa died after an airline damaged her customized wheelchair. Yet, the ABRA Group’s Chief Strategy Officer Michael Swiatek believes that accessible travel is entering a golden age. ABRA has an ownership interest in the two largest airlines in Latin America. Ken Nakata from Converge Accessibility and Equal Entry CEO and founder Thomas Logan discuss whether this is the case and delve into the Air Carrier Access Act (ACAA). Are We Entering into the Gold ..read more

The U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights (OCR) investigated the New College of Florida for not making its website and social media accessible to everyone. A public liberal arts institution, New College of Florida, said it settled with the OCR by saying it will correct the inaccessibility issues in the next eight months. However, they did not indicate how they plan to achieve this. What’s interesting is that New College of Florida isn’t the first Florida educational institution to come to an agreement regarding its website and social media issues. OCR has made similar agreement ..read more