What you need to know
- The ADA has its 30th anniversary.
- Apple is celebrating by sharing the thoughts of artists, activists, and more.
- An in-depth Newsroom post looks into how the law has changed and how tech can help.
Apple has published a lengthy Newsroom piece that honors the 30th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) alongside artists, activists, and more. Those involved discuss the ADA, how it has changed over the years, and how technology has a place in society.
Stories include that of Matthew Whitaker, a jazz musician who can create music using VoiceOver. Whitaker points out that while technology can't solve every problem blind people face, it does help out daily.
Technology does not solve every obstacle one can encounter as a blind person, but having access to the equipment and applications I need in daily living, music creation, and being a student is the right of every American with a disability.
Disability rights lawyer, speaker, and author Haben Girma also speaks about a case that has helped prevent companies from making it more difficult for people to access things like ebooks and documents. All thanks to the ADA.
I represented the National Federation of the Blind in a lawsuit against a company that designed a library where blind readers were blocked from reading many of the ebooks and documents. The case established legal precedent as the first court decision in the Second Circuit, and the second in the country, holding the ADA's promise of equality extends to virtual places. Since then we've had multiple cases upholding the ADA's presence online.
The stories continue with actor Tatiana Lee, joined by Dean Hudson, accessibility technical evangelist at Apple as well. It's a great look at how technology can help people to live a full life and Apple continues to be at the forefront of that. Check the full text out – it's well worth the time.
