Apple shared a post today in which it reflects on the 30th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the company’s accessibility features.
30th Anniversary
The post mentions Apple’s accessible features like Siri, Switch Control, VoiceOver, and Text to Speech, and shares the stories of disability rights activists and artists.
Matthew Whitaker, a jazz musician, talks about how he uses Apple products:
When I’m ready to record my music, I use Logic Pro X on my MacBook Pro. I usually record the drums first, then I add bass, then add whatever else I need. With VoiceOver enabled, I’m able to navigate really well around the software. Once the piece is completed, I can share the audio. I then create braille music using Lime Aloud software by Dancing Dots. This software not only produces braille music, but I can also print in sheet music for my band members.
Haben Girma, disability rights lawyer, speaker, and author, shared her experiences:
While a Deafblind student in college, I witnessed advocates using the Americans with Disabilities Act to force tech companies to render digital services accessible. Impressed by the success of these advocates, I felt inspired to join them. Back then, and even now, I encountered many barriers in the digital world. Not because of my disability, but because of attitudes among tech developers who trivialize disability access.
