Re: [Ai] VIVIAN WANGOCT reports for the NyTimes: Blind Man’s Lawsuits Seek Access to College Websites

[Dhananjay Bhole via Ai]

On 10/11/17, avinash shahi via Ai  wrote:
> Hofstra University on Long Island is one of eight New York colleges
> named in lawsuits because, the suits say, their websites are
> inaccessible to the plaintiff, who is blind, and therefore in
> violation of the Americans
> The lawsuits came one after the other, against Fordham University,
> Manhattan College, Long Island University and other area colleges and
> universities.
>
> In all, eight suits have been filed in federal court in Manhattan over
> the past two weeks, most recently against Hofstra University on Long
> Island on Oct. 4. In each case, lawyers for Emanuel Delacruz, who is
> blind, charged that the college’s website is inaccessible to their
> plaintiff and therefore in violation of the Americans With
> Disabilities Act.
>
> The filings are part of a growing number of actions involving
> accessibility and the internet. The federal law requires that public
> accommodations be accessible to those with disabilities, and legal
> battles have long revolved around physical spaces and therefore
> physical solutions, such as elevators or wheelchair ramps. Now,
> advocates and lawyers argue, websites are also public spaces and need
> to be accessible, with things like captions or audio descriptions.
>
> Since January 2015, at least 751 lawsuits have been filed over the
> issue. The vast majority have focused on retailers and restaurants,
> according to a legal blog that tracks such suits. Only seven of the
> suits have been directed at academic websites. Mr. Delacruz’s suits
> alone doubled that count. And another website, which includes not only
> lawsuits but also government investigations into web or technological
> accessibility, lists 37 schools that have been accused of
> noncompliance with disability law.
>
> Advocates for the deaf sued Harvard and M.I.T. in 2015 for failing to
> caption online lectures, courses and other educational materials. In
> 2016, after a complaint by two deaf people, the Department of
> Justice’s civil rights division found the University of California,
> Berkeley, had violated disability law by not providing the appropriate
> accommodations for its own free video lectures and podcasts.
>
>  story
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Advertisement
> Continue reading the main story
>
>
>
> “As more and more students are aware of their rights, and as websites
> have become so much of what universities now focus on, in their
> marketing materials for example, it’s not surprising to me that there
> will be an increase in these types of lawsuits,” said Arlene Kanter,
> director of the Disability Law and Policy Program at Syracuse
> University’s law school.
>
> Whether the plaintiffs will prevail is unclear. The Americans With
> Disabilities Act, written in 1990, makes no mention of the internet.
> The Department of Justice, which enforces the act, has issued
> guidelines about web accessibility but no formal regulations on how to
> achieve it — and they seem unlikely to materialize soon, after the
> federal government in July placed web regulations on its list of
> “inactive” agenda items.
> The question has largely been left to judges, who have ruled both for
> and against disabled plaintiffs. In March, for example, a California
> judge dismissed a blind man’s suit against Domino’s Pizza, because the
> chain offered an option to order by telephone. But in June, a Florida
> judge ruled that the grocery store Winn-Dixie had to offer the same
> accommodations on its website as it did in stores, and in July, a
> judge in Brooklyn ruled that the website for Blick Art Materials had
> to be readily accessible to a blind man.
>
> The result of these conflicting rulings is a legal gray area ripe for,
> depending on your viewpoint, either significant civil rights advances
> or exploitation by lawyers looking to make a quick buck through
> settlements, said Tom Stebbins, executive director of the Lawsuit
> Reform Alliance of New York.
>
> Absent clarity from the federal government, Mr. Stebbins said, some
> lawyers have filed identical lawsuits against multiple businesses or
> universities in the hopes of reaching a settlement with one or more of
> them.
>
> “These are cut-and-paste lawsuits,” he said. “You just have these
> lawyers taking advantage of a good-intentioned law to make money.”
>
> The lawsuits filed in New York on behalf of Mr. Delacruz are “all
> similar,” his lawyer, Dana Gottlieb, wrote in an email. They state
> that Mr. Delacruz tried to find information, such as tuition costs,
> school location and academic calendars, but was unable gain access
> because the websites were not readable by his screen-reading software.
> A hyperlink in one complaint, against Hofstra, opens the website of
> the College of New Rochelle. According to court records, Ms. Gottlieb
> was ordered to refile one of the complaints because the wrong party
> was selected as the defendant.
> Ms. Gottlieb, of the Gottlieb & Associates law 

[Ai] request Accessibility of Ola app.

[Dhananjay Bhole via Ai]

Dear All,

I am frequent commuter of Ola and Uber  as it could be convenient for
persons with visual impairment.

Unfortunately several times i have to use inaccessible Ola App to book
cab due to unavailability of uber. I face several challenges for using
the app with VoiceOver.
I am sure you people might also be facing similar challenges. I am
complaining to Ola customer care but they are simply ignoring it since
last 6 months despite of laws and business potential.
I have written to "supp...@olacabs.com" about my challenges and
requested them once again for making app accessible to the users with
disabilities. I also have provided accessibility issues to them.

It is my humble request to all the Ola commuters here to report your
challenges on the mail so that they will take cognizance of it. Some
of you might have been reported. But please do it again

Let them understand how they are loosing business from commuters with
disabilities and also making inconvenience to all of us.

Regards

-- 
Coordinator,
Centre for Inclusive Education and Accessibility,
Department of Education and Extension,
Savitribai Phule Pune university,
Pune 411007.
PH: +912025601352
Cell: +919850123212
Website:http://www.unipune.ac.in/atbslc
Disclaimer:
1. Contents of the mails, factual, or otherwise, reflect the thinking of the 
person sending the mail and AI in no way relates itself to its veracity;

2. AI cannot be held liable for any commission/omission based on the mails sent 
through this mailing list..



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[Ai] Social media campaign for Academic accessibility

[Dhananjay Bhole via Ai]

Dear All,

We have observed lot of discussion goes on this mailing list about
academic accessibility for persons with disabilities such as
accessibility of academic web services and course content, academic
built infrastructure, accessible course delivery mechanism, inclusive
practices for persons with disabilities in education etc. every one
who wish to pursue higher education has to seek answers of several
questions related to academic accessibility.

being visually challenged i also have faced accessibility challenges
in education right from my childhood as i have opted science during my
graduation and post graduation.

Being coordinator of disability  services at Savitribai Phule Pune
University since last 9 years, i am witness of several accessibility
issues for inclusion of persons with disabilities in education.
Every one will agree that academic environment is very much inaccessible in
India for persons with disabilities specially persons with visual
impairment and auditory and speech impairment. Not only science but
also arts and social sciences education is challenging due to
inaccessible environment.

DAISY Foram of India, Saksham, Sugamya pustakalaya and bookShare is putting
enormous effort to make academic course content accessible for
students with print disabilities.

There is also need to make academic web services, academic content
management systems, teaching and course delivery mechanism and
academic built infrastructure accessible for all kinds of persons with
disabilities.

Similar to accessible currency campaign, we all should demand academic
accessibility to ministry of HRD,. Every college and university in
India undergo "National assessment and acriditation Council" audit
piriodically. We all should demand Union HRD minister that Access
audit of academic services must be considered during NAAC audit. It
should be important point in NAAC accreditation of all the
institutions.

Institute spend lot of money to meet NAAC compliance. They will
consider access audit in that budget only. Unfortunately All the
institutes undergoing NAAC accreditation are ignoring accessibility of
academic programs, services and activities for persons with
disabilities. NAAC committees visiting to assessment of institutes it
self is not sensitized about accessibility compliance and special
needs of individuals with disabilities.

Can't we start Social media campaign for  demanding consideration of
access audit of academic built infrastructure, web services and course
content in NAAC accriditation?

Please think and give your suggestions to make academics more
accessible for all of us.

Regards


-- 
Coordinator,
Centre for Inclusive Education and Accessibility,
Department of Education and Extension,
Savitribai Phule Pune university,
Pune 411007.
PH: +912025601352
Cell: +919850123212
Website:http://www.unipune.ac.in/atbslc
Disclaimer:
1. Contents of the mails, factual, or otherwise, reflect the thinking of the 
person sending the mail and AI in no way relates itself to its veracity;

2. AI cannot be held liable for any commission/omission based on the mails sent 
through this mailing list..



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Re: [Ai] Facilities for visually impaired students in ISIs and TIFR.

[Dhananjay Bhole via Ai]

Hello Namita,

I haven't heard any case of VI student studying in TIFR. However Homi
Bhaba Centre for Science Education, (HBCSE), a centre of TIFR   had a
VI project fellow.

Cannot comment about faculties's cooperativeness. You should directly
approach to the people there. It would be challenging to get
accessible course material from TIFR athorities. But you can request
to HBCSE to make available accessible course material for the program
you wish to apply. They have expertise in this area. the objective of
the HBCSE is to make science education easy and accessible for every
one. You can also right to the researchers there. They can take it up
as project and help you in providing accessible cource content of
science and math even though you are admiting to any other institute.

Regards


On 9/23/17, Namita Agarwal via Ai  wrote:
> hi according to me you should approach the TIFRcenter and take most of
> the information if possible they do have a hostile and surely the
> students can help you. if can get a number will share.
>
> On 9/21/17, Shakul Raj Sonker via Ai 
> wrote:
>> Dear All,
>> I want to know the academic environment for a visually impaired
>> student at Indian statistical Institute and Tata Institute of
>> Fundamental research.
>> Currently I'm 3rd year undergraduate of mathematics at Ashoka
>> university and want to apply for M.maths at ISI and graduate School
>> program at TIFR.
>> If anyone of you have any experiences about these institutes, could
>> you please let me know?
>> My questions are: are they supportive? Do the faculty cooperate with
>> VI students? Can I expect to get all my study material in accessible
>> format?
>> Waiting for your response!
>> Regards.
>>
>> --
>> SRS,
>> 3rd Year Undergraduate,
>> Ashoka University,
>> Mobile: +91 8059992380
>> Disclaimer:
>> 1. Contents of the mails, factual, or otherwise, reflect the thinking of
>> the
>> person sending the mail and AI in no way relates itself to its veracity;
>>
>> 2. AI cannot be held liable for any commission/omission based on the
>> mails
>> sent through this mailing list..
>>
>>
>>
>> To check if the post reached the list or to search for old posting,
>> reach:
>> https://www.mail-archive.com/ai@accessindia.inclusivehabitat.in/maillist.html
>> ___
>>
>>
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>>
>
>
> --
>  regards
>  Namita
> Disclaimer:
> 1. Contents of the mails, factual, or otherwise, reflect the thinking of the
> person sending the mail and AI in no way relates itself to its veracity;
>
> 2. AI cannot be held liable for any commission/omission based on the mails
> sent through this mailing list..
>
>
>
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-- 
Coordinator,
Centre for Inclusive Education and Accessibility,
Department of Education and Extension,
Savitribai Phule Pune university,
Pune 411007.
PH: +912025601352
Cell: +919850123212
Website:http://www.unipune.ac.in/atbslc
Disclaimer:
1. Contents of the mails, factual, or otherwise, reflect the thinking of the 
person sending the mail and AI in no way relates itself to its veracity;

2. AI cannot be held liable for any commission/omission based on the mails sent 
through this mailing list..



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Re: [Ai] need help with yahoo group

[Dhananjay Bhole via Ai]

Hello Mahendra,

Please find my Email ID here dhananjay bh...@gmail.com You can send
the letter. I didn't get your email that's the reason I am disturbing
this discussion thread by sending different message.
Sorry.
Regards

On 7/31/17, Mahendra Galani via Ai  wrote:
> Hi Friends
>
> I am the moderator for the skype_chess yahoogroup. Since a couple of
> weeks I am experiencing the issue of not being able to get into the
> settings of my own group and/or invite/make changes in the group
> members/settings.
>
> A few friends have tried to send me the subscribtion request which  I
> am supposed to approve and I am not getting their request either in
> my regular e-mail inbox or in the spam folder.
>
> I am seriously thinking to migrate to another provider.
> however would like get feedback from you guys,  to solve this problem,
> before  i make final decision.
> any suggestion?
> waiting for your mails!!
>
>
>
> Disclaimer:
> 1. Contents of the mails, factual, or otherwise, reflect the thinking of the
> person sending the mail and AI in no way relates itself to its veracity;
>
> 2. AI cannot be held liable for any commission/omission based on the mails
> sent through this mailing list..
>
>
>
> To check if the post reached the list or to search for old posting, reach:
> https://www.mail-archive.com/ai@accessindia.inclusivehabitat.in/maillist.html
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-- 
Coordinator,
Centre for Inclusive Education and Accessibility,
Department of Education and Extension,
Savitribai Phule Pune university,
Pune 411007.
PH: +912025601352
Cell: +919850123212
Website:http://www.unipune.ac.in/atbslc
Disclaimer:
1. Contents of the mails, factual, or otherwise, reflect the thinking of the 
person sending the mail and AI in no way relates itself to its veracity;

2. AI cannot be held liable for any commission/omission based on the mails sent 
through this mailing list..



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Re: [Ai] Inquiry of MBA course in finance for working professionals

[Dhananjay Bhole via Ai]

Hello Vaibhav,

Department of Management Science (PUMBA) Savitribai Phule Pune University
Provides Executive MBA for working professionals. It is part time
program and have good rank in India. You can get disability
reservation benefit. You can check details on SPPU website.

Regards
On 7/3/17, Vaibhav Kasar via Ai  wrote:
> Hi All ,
>
> Hope all are doing well ...
>
> I am seeking assistance for MBA course for those who are working somewhere
> and wanted to complete their post graduation from recognised university. ..
>
> Last year I had taken administration for MBA under pune university but
> meanwhile I got opportunity to work with govt sector ...hence I couldn't
> complete that course since it was a full time and difficult to manage both
> ...
>
> So now I am in move to take admission in such a institute who allow
> distance or online education for MBA
>
> Those who have any information regarding this then please do let me know
> ...
>
> Thanks
> Vaibhav kasar
>


-- 
Coordinator,
Centre for Inclusive Education and Accessibility,
Department of Education and Extension,
Savitribai Phule Pune university,
Pune 411007.
PH: +912025601352
Cell: +919850123212
Website:http://www.unipune.ac.in/atbslc
Disclaimer:
1. Contents of the mails, factual, or otherwise, reflect the thinking of the 
person sending the mail and AI in no way relates itself to its veracity;

2. AI cannot be held liable for any commission/omission based on the mails sent 
through this mailing list..



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