Tag: Accessibility

Blind and Visually Impaired SSA Recipients Win Major Legal Victory

October 20, 2009
San Francisco, California — Judge William Alsup of the US District Court, Northern District of California in San Francisco, today issued a judgment in favor of the American Council of the Blind (ACB) and two classes of 3,000,000 individuals with blindness and visual impairments. The suit challenged the Social Security Administration’s (SSA) failure to provide its critical benefits communications to recipients in alternative formats that would enable people with visual impairments to have equal access to SSA programs as required by federal disability civil rights laws.

Kindle 2

March 30, 2009
The Reading Rights Coalition calls for the Authors Guild to allow Amazon to retain the text-to-speech function on the Kindle 2. Informational protest planned for April 7, 2009 in New York City.

Letter to Governor Deval Patrick

March 10, 2009
DREDF sent a letter to Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick asking him to rescind a proposal to weaken review of accessibility on projects receiving federal stimulus funds.

Judge Certifies Class of Three Million Visually Impaired Beneficiaries in Social Security Administration Lawsuit

September 12, 2008
San Francisco, California — On Thursday, September 11, 2008, Judge William Alsup of the US District Court for the Northern District of California granted class certification in a disability rights action in which plaintiffs argue that the Social Security Administration (SSA) fails to provide its communications in alternative formats that would enable people with visual impairments to have equal access to SSA programs as required by federal disability civil rights laws and the US Constitution.

Have it Your Way at Burger King? Not if You Use a Wheelchair

September 10, 2008
The lawsuit, Castaneda v. Burger King Corporation, was filed on behalf of thousands of wheelchair- and scooter-using Burger King customers who face a series of unnecessary physical barriers at the fast food restaurants in California, including inaccessible dining areas, parking lots and restrooms; narrow or steep sidewalks or ramps; and queue lines that are too narrow for wheelchairs. The lawsuit asks the federal court for an injunction to require the fast food giant to remove these barriers and fix the discriminatory practices.

Castaneda v. Burger King

September 10, 2008
DREDF and co-counsel filed a class action lawsuit against Burger King for violations of state and federal civil rights disability access laws in the U.S. District Court in San Francisco. The suit asks Burger King to remove the barriers in their stores and fix their discriminatory practices.

Judge Rules Social Security Administration Must Accommodate Blind Beneficiaries

April 24, 2008
San Francisco, California — On Wednesday, April 23, 2008, Judge William Alsup of the US District Court for the Northern District of California ruled that the US Social Security Administration (SSA) must accommodate the real and legitimate needs of people with visual impairments who receive benefits from SSA. The agency is required under the Rehabilitation Act and the due process clause, the ruling states, to provide communications in formats that are accessible to these beneficiaries.