Abled Body Where can-do is done different

It’s time again for the Cannes Film Festival; only this time there’s a twist. As Hollywood hotshots ascend the 50 steps of the Palais des Festivals and are adorned by global paparazzi and movie fans alike, Canadian screenwriter Sean Marckos, who uses a wheelchair, must enter the movie hall in less-than-dramatic fashion: through a side door. Despite pleading his case for two years, Cannes officials have refused to install a ramp that would allow Marckos, who has muscular dystrophy, to wheel up the red carpet in all his glory. Marckos has not remained complacent. He began legal action, and is producing a documentary called Just Imagine, which follows his plight in Cannes. He has built a website, garnered corporate supporters and is holding a fundraiser on May 5 in Cannes to raise awareness of discrimination. And… cut. This is as far as I can genuinely support Marckos and his cause. His campaign, the ... keep reading »

The deaf community’s frustration with Netflix may be going away, or at least subsiding for now. Netflix has enabled closed captioning for some TV episodes and movies that you can watch instantly on your PC or Mac, says Neil Hunt, Chief Product Officer at Netflix. Although it’s a limited library of content with subtitles available — about 100 titles, including most episodes of “Lost” Seasons 1-4 — Netflix now has released the technology and “will be working to fill in the library over time.” Currently, the captions only work on computers, including PCs and iPads. Netflix says it is working on captions for its game console, Blu-ray, and DTV platforms, which will roll out in releases starting this fall, along with support for 5.1 audio. Netflix offers a flat rate movie-delivery service but as more content is moving online, Netflix has been under pressure to use technology that will caption streaming TV ... keep reading »

Bank of America, which operates the largest network of bank-owned ATMs in the U.S., has finished equipping all of its more than 18,000 ATMs in the U.S. with text-to-speech for its customers with visual impairments. These talking ATMs provide audible instructions in English or Spanish to persons who cannot view information on an ATM screen, aided by the use of audio jacks that work with standard headsets to protect customers’ privacy and security. The 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act requires that banks eventually make their ATMs audio-enabled. Bank of America was one of the first U.S. banks to begin installing talking ATMs across the country, but in recent years has been under fire for not finishing the job fast enough. One disability organization, the California Council of the Blind, has been working with the bank for several years on issues of banking accessibility. Such cooperation has helped the bank avoid expensive ADA-discrimination ... keep reading »