There’s strength in numbers, which is why AFB frequently teams up with partners and other organizations to advocate for the needs of people who are blind or have low vision, as well as those with other disabilities. One example is our work with the Consortium for Constituents with Disabilities, a national coalition. Together, we advocated for the Disability Access to Transportation Act (DATA) and the All Stations Accessibility Program (ASAP). Many aspects of the proposed ASAP legislation were included in the infrastructure bill signed into law by President Biden. ASAP will update older rail and subway systems built before the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was enacted, to ensure that they are accessible.
AFB continues working to get DATA passed, which would significantly expand funding and services needed by people who are blind, have low vision, or have other disabilities. This includes improvements to paratransit programs such as allowing for one stop in a trip–perhaps to drop a child off at school or pick up a prescription–instead of only one stop, such as from home to work. DATA would also create accessibility guidelines for public right-of-ways, like sidewalks and intersections, and much more.
In another example of our partnerships, AFB joined forces with colleagues at the American Council of the Blind (ACB), the National Federation of the Blind (NFB), and the National Disability Rights Network (NDRN) to urge the Department of Justice to finalize a rule on web and application accessibility before the end of the current administration. In late February, the coalition sent Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke a letter signed by 181 organizations from across the disability and civil rights community. Inaccessible websites and applications limit the ability of people with disabilities to access the same information and resources as everyone else: workplace technology, online learning platforms, telehealth and online health records, ride-sharing services, online shopping, systems used to apply for benefits, and more.
The lack of regulations and guidance in this area continues to exclude people with disabilities from digital spaces, and finalizing a rule on web and application accessibility would vastly improve access to technology for people with disabilities. The fact that AFB brought together organizations not only from the blindness field but also those across a spectrum of disabilities and civil rights organizations—a complex task—demonstrates AFB’s commitment not only to people who are blind or have low vision, but to everyone with a disability. Digital inclusion is essential for full participation in today’s world. AFB submitted several comments to the FCC with recommendations and providing information about the accessibility of communications, broadband, and video programming.
Read on to learn about the work that drove the most impact in 2022.
