The Accessibility Guidelines Working Group (AG WG) has published a First Public Working Draft of W3C Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 3.0.

WCAG and supporting materials explain how to make web content, apps, and tools more accessible to people with disabilities. W3C Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 3 has several differences from Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.

WCAG 3 is intended to be easier to understand and more flexible than WCAG 2. The flexibility is to address different types of web content, apps, and tools — as well as organizations and people with disabilities. The goals for WCAG 3 are introduced in the Requirements for WCAG 3.0 First Public Working Draft. WCAG 3 proposes a different name, scope, structure, and conformance model.

To review and provide feedback, please start by reading the WCAG 3 Introduction first to get important background on WCAG 3 development, review guidance, and timeline.

They are seeking input from evaluators, developers, designers, project managers, policy makers, people with disabilities, and others — particularly on the structure and the draft conformance model. Additional review guidance is in the blog post WCAG 3 FPWD Published.

Please submit comments by February 26, 2021.

ACL's National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR) has opened two new funding opportunities for Disability and Rehabilitation Research Projects (DRRP) on Employment of Individuals with Disabilities.

The purpose of the DRRP program is to plan and conduct research, demonstration projects, training, and related activities (including international activities) to develop methods, procedures, and rehabilitation technology that maximize the full inclusion and integration into society, employment, independent living, family support, and economic and social self-sufficiency of individuals with disabilities.

NIDILRR plans to make two field-initiated DRRP awards in the employment domain. NIDILRR's two awards under this grant competition may include research projects, development projects, or both, depending on the ranking of applications provided by the peer review panel.

Employment of Individuals with Disabilities (Research): Under this particular DRRP priority, applicants must propose a research project that is aimed at improving the employment outcomes of individuals with disabilities. In carrying out a research project under this program, a grantee must identify one or more hypotheses or research questions and, based on the hypotheses or research questions identified, perform an intensive, systematic study directed toward producing (1) new or full scientific knowledge, or (2) understanding of the subject or problem studied. 

View more details and application instructions.

Please visit the link above for more details about the grant opportunity and application process. This grant opportunity closes on March 29, 2021.

Employment of Individuals with Disabilities (Development): Under this particular DRRP priority, applicants must propose a development project that is aimed at improving the employment outcomes of individuals with disabilities. In carrying out a development activity under this program, a grantee must use knowledge and understanding gained from research to create materials, devices, systems, methods, measures, techniques, tools, prototypes, processes, or intervention protocols that are beneficial to the target population.

View more details and application instructions.

Please visit the link above for more details about the grant opportunity and application process. This grant opportunity closes on March 29, 2021.

National Disability Institute (NDI), which manages the ABLE National Resource Center (ABLE NRC), offers a 15-point agenda to advance economic recovery and resilience for people with disabilities who represent a most vulnerable population too often ignored in plans for the economic recovery for our nation.

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The National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR) at ACL has opened a new funding opportunity for an Rehabilitation Research and Training Centers (RRTCs) on Employer Practices Leading to Successful Employment Outcomes Among People With Disabilities.

The purpose of the RRTC program, which are funded through the Disability and Rehabilitation Research Projects and Centers Program, is to achieve the goals of, and improve the effectiveness of, services authorized under the Rehabilitation Act through well-designed research, training, technical assistance, and dissemination activities in important topic areas as specified by NIDILRR. These activities are designed to benefit rehabilitation service providers, individuals with disabilities, family members, and other stakeholders. 

Employer Practices Leading to Successful Employment Outcomes Among People With Disabilities: This particular opportunity is for an RRTC is to generate new knowledge about effective employer practices that support successful employment outcomes among people with disabilities.

View more details and application instructions.

Please visit the link above for more details about the grant opportunity and application process. This grant opportunity closes on March 22, 2021.

Technology keeps getting better and better. For many people with disabilities, it's a great time to be alive. Technology has enhanced our lives in so many ways. For many people, it has made many things possible that otherwise wouldn't have. It helps people to be as independent as possible. Voice assistant devices, such as the Amazon Alexa, have made more things possible. Devices like these allow people to control many things just by using their voice. A new study found that these devices also provide some emotional support for people. While there are some ethical debates going around about the concept, it is another avenue of support for people with and without disabilities. 

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The direct care workforce shortage has continued across the country. This report provides a detailed, current analysis of the direct care workforce and outlines eight solid recommendations to improve jobs for this rapidly growing workforce.

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People with disabilities often face multiple challenges when accessing healthcare services. Everything from inaccessible doctors offices, to needing a sign-language interpreter, to needing support transferring, the list is endless. People can request these accommodations, but they often get lost. The use of Electronic Health Records may help with this. People can put requests for accommodations in the system electronically. Researchers have done a study on this and it really seems to help. 

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