Direct Access
News

World Braille Day: Raising Awareness for an Important Communication Tool
Since 2019, World Braille Day has been celebrated to create awareness of the importance of Braille; an access and communication tool that has played a key role in the realization of human rights for blind and partially sighted people. Braille is the system of raised dots used for reading and
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Christmas gifts for people with sensory differences
Deciding on a gift to get your loved ones, friends, and colleagues at Christmas can be a difficult and strenuous task. For many, gift-giving is an annual minefield where we worry ourselves about everything from settling on a socially acceptable price, whether a gift is too generic and impersonal, and
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Uber Sued by U.S Justice Department for Disability Discrimination
Uber Technologies Inc has come under fire (rightly) for allegedly overcharging disabled passengers, being sued by the US Justice Department on Wednesday. The Department has also asked a federal court to order compliance with anti-discrimination law. The lawsuit, filed in the US District Court in San Francisco, targets an April
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New Federal Guidance updates rules for Disability Employment
New federal guidance has been released which offers details on what qualifies as competitive integrated employment for people with disabilities. A frequently asked questions document by the U.S. Department of Education has served as guidance for the vocational rehabilitation program, which has been updated for the first time since 2017.
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Accessibility is an issue even for our leaders
At Direct Access, our mission is to guide people towards creating an accessible, disability-friendly society through education and action. However, at the same time, we appreciate that creating a just and equal society for disabled people takes time, patience, and money to adapt to the challenges. Over the years, we
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Disability Inclusion in the Workplace
Many employers want to establish diverse workforces that include persons with disabilities, but don’t know how to do so. As an organization that has a team consisting of 86% people with disabilities, Direct Access believes that exemplary practices in disability employment can offer many benefits. Considering this, we felt compelled
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Organizing an accessible wedding
Organizing a wedding that considers the potential accessibility needs of your guests could easily be dismissed as additional stress to a day that in the planning stages, will no doubt have many. However, creating an accessible environment for your guests while considering their individual needs is simply a win-win situation.
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Washington State Businesses must now provide Closed Captioning
A victory was achieved for deaf and hard of hearing consumers in Washington State as a new law which took effect last month mandates that all businesses with forward-facing TVs are now required to always provide closed captioning in public places of accommodation. This includes restaurants, bars, salons/barber shops, hotel
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Direct Access Founder Steven Mifsud MBE lends his voice to the Paralympics
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gHCDvdCaJhI Steven Mifsud, the profoundly deaf founder, and director ofDirect Access will see his dulcet tones broadcast to millions as he lends hisvoice to the Opening Ceremony of the Paralympics, which begins today in Tokyo. His voice will be utilized in the opening ceremony’s combination of imagery and audio-visuals. In
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First International Standard on Accessible Tourism for All published
For many years, Direct Access has worked internationally to guide businesses in the tourism sector to meet their local standards of accessibility. Although we have always been and continue to be proud of our clients opting to do what is ultimately just for the millions of disabled tourists across the
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ADA Accessible Parking Procedures
If you own or operate a business property, understanding how the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) impacts accessible parking provision for your visitors is essential. The ADA is a federal law designed to protect the rights of Americans with disabilities by prohibiting discrimination and guaranteeing equal opportunities for people with
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Why are Hearing Loops required in public-facing facilities?
Imagine not being able to hear the speaker across the roar of a crowd, the bank cashier, or a bus driver over the noise of an engine. For 15% of American adults with some form of hearing loss, this is a daily reality. Hearing Loops for public facilities are more
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Direct Access founder appointed MBE in the UK
Profoundly deaf Steven Mifsud, founder of Clearwater-based disability consultancy firm Direct Access has been awarded an MBE for services to International Trade in the United Kingdom Queen’s 2021 Birthday Honours list. In Florida, the Direct Access team delivers accessibility audits of premises for compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act
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Accessibility in historic buildings
Historic commercial buildings that are open to the public such as offices, retail facilities, and restaurants need to consider the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements on access. The ADA came into force in 1990 establishing minimum accessibility requirements for all buildings. Historic properties are not exempt from ADA requirements
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New England Museums Association Seminar
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G__bpeTilSg In a year that has presented so many challenges, one of the highlights of 2020 for us was a presentation we took part in called “Accessibility in a post-COVID word?”. This was delivered for the New England Museum Association, where we tackled everything from the correct positioning for hand
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