Digital Accessibility Newsletter
October 2018

Baltimore Orioles make history, wear Braille on their jerseys

Forty years ago, the National Federation of the Blind (NFB) moved its headquarters to Baltimore. On September 18, to recognize the anniversary and to raise awareness with “National Federation of the Blind Night,” the Baltimore Orioles sported jerseys with Braille lettering. Braille replaced the English spellings of “Orioles” on the front and the players’ names on the back.

The event’s purpose was to raise awareness for the NFB, and it has done that. The Orioles also posted on their Twitter account that the jerseys would be auctioned off to benefit the NFB.

BoIA Launches New Self-Paced Training Course for WCAG 2.1 A/AA

This course is for people new to accessibility, and covers an overview of the WCAG 2.1 guidelines and breaks them down into easy to understand summaries. It offers some instruction on specific and real-life examples, highlighting what to watch for when ensuring your online presence is accessible to everyone. 

Paralyzed Man Takes Steps with Spinal Cord Stimulation Implant

Completely paralyzed below the middle of his torso since 2013, unable to move or feel his legs, a 29-year old man is regaining function with the help of an amazing electrode that was surgically implanted in his spinal canal. When his spinal cord is stimulated by a pulse generator, his body receives the message that he wants to move, stand, and walk.

This great research achieved by the Mayo Clinic and UCLA is only the beginning. We’ll have to wait and see the full impacts the ability to reclaim mind control over paralyzed portions of one’s body can have in medicine and accessibility. Read more about this ground-breaking story