The Front Page Blog

By Chad Lamb, Senior Test Engineer

This past year, GSA and OMB sent self-assessments to federal agencies, asking the agencies to evaluate the maturity of their implementation of Section 508.  Section 508 offices and their respective agencies were asked to evaluate and report on their 508 implementation efforts. One area of focus was ICT Testing.  After the assessment, some agencies that had not been testing, are looking at what approach to take to perform these tasks. This question is not new and agencies need to weigh the pros and cons of each option to determine…

By Cindy Ryan, Vice President

New Editions was pleased to honor Alan King at the 7th Annual ICT Testing Symposium in October by sponsoring the Best Paper Award for the conference in his honor. Alan, a former New Editions employee who passed away unexpectedly this year, was a leading expert in the field of digital accessibility. Alan inspired others and encouraged them to give their talents and energy to support the disability community. Alan was well respected for his innovative ideas in the accessibility field. He had a kind and compassionate attitude toward…

By Cindy Ryan, Vice President

New Editions was pleased to honor Alan King at the 7th Annual ICT Testing Symposium in October by sponsoring the Best Paper Award for the conference in his honor. Alan, a former New Editions employee who passed away unexpectedly this year, was a leading expert in the field of digital accessibility. Alan inspired others and encouraged them to give their talents and energy to support the disability community. Alan was well respected for his innovative ideas in the accessibility field. He had a kind and compassionate attitude toward…

Global Accessibility Awareness Day, May 18th, was launched in 2021 to promote awareness for digital accessibility, access, and inclusion. As Accessibility Consultants, New Editions is focused on and passionate about improving digital accessibility. We partner with organizations to help them improve their digital products and we play an important role in the maturation of their accessibility programs. In a world of emerging technologies and new standards, we convert complex ideas to simple, implementable tasks.

Effective collaboration between consultants and client program and…

Global Accessibility Awareness Day, May 18th, was launched in 2021 to promote awareness for digital accessibility, access, and inclusion. As Accessibility Consultants, New Editions is focused on and passionate about improving digital accessibility. We partner with organizations to help them improve their digital products and we play an important role in the maturation of their accessibility programs. In a world of emerging technologies and new standards, we convert complex ideas to simple, implementable tasks.

Effective collaboration between consultants and client program and…

On April 18, 2023, the Biden-Harris Administration announced a historic, expansive set of executive directives to improve the long-term care landscape. Lack of access to affordable and high-quality long-term care is a longstanding issue in the United States that crucially impacts the lives of children, older adults, people with disabilities, and both professional and family caregivers. While advocates have been calling attention to concerns about the country’s long-term care system for decades, the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated many of these issues and uniquely highlighted the scope of the…

On April 18, 2023, the Biden-Harris Administration announced a historic, expansive set of executive directives to improve the long-term care landscape. Lack of access to affordable and high-quality long-term care is a longstanding issue in the United States that crucially impacts the lives of children, older adults, people with disabilities, and both professional and family caregivers. While advocates have been calling attention to concerns about the country’s long-term care system for decades, the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated many of these issues and uniquely highlighted the scope of the…

On April 18, 2023, the Biden-Harris Administration announced a historic, expansive set of executive directives to improve the long-term care landscape. Lack of access to affordable and high-quality long-term care is a longstanding issue in the United States that crucially impacts the lives of children, older adults, people with disabilities, and both professional and family caregivers. While advocates have been calling attention to concerns about the country’s long-term care system for decades, the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated many of these issues and uniquely highlighted the scope of the…

As the leaves put on a daring display, we are reminded of the innovative spirit built into every cell of nature including ourselves. Innovation is at the forefront of October’s National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM), which celebrates the contributions of America’s workers with disabilities past and present and showcases supportive, inclusive employment policies and practices. This year’s NDEAM theme is “Disability: Part of the Equity Equation” echoing the spirit of the Americans who raised their voices in order to be heard and achieve advancements in equitable treatment…

As the leaves put on a daring display, we are reminded of the innovative spirit built into every cell of nature including ourselves. Innovation is at the forefront of October’s National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM), which celebrates the contributions of America’s workers with disabilities past and present and showcases supportive, inclusive employment policies and practices. This year’s NDEAM theme is “Disability: Part of the Equity Equation” echoing the spirit of the Americans who raised their voices in order to be heard and achieve advancements in equitable treatment…

As the leaves put on a daring display, we are reminded of the innovative spirit built into every cell of nature including ourselves. Innovation is at the forefront of October’s National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM), which celebrates the contributions of America’s workers with disabilities past and present and showcases supportive, inclusive employment policies and practices. This year’s NDEAM theme is “Disability: Part of the Equity Equation” echoing the spirit of the Americans who raised their voices in order to be heard and achieve advancements in equitable treatment…

As the leaves put on a daring display, we are reminded of the innovative spirit built into every cell of nature including ourselves. Innovation is at the forefront of October’s National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM), which celebrates the contributions of America’s workers with disabilities past and present and showcases supportive, inclusive employment policies and practices. This year’s NDEAM theme is “Disability: Part of the Equity Equation” echoing the spirit of the Americans who raised their voices in order to be heard and achieve advancements in equitable treatment…

July is a landmark month for the disability rights movement as the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was signed into law on July 26, 1990. This historic event was the culmination of decades of effort by Disability Rights advocates to address discrimination and have their civil rights recognized. After the passage of the ADA, the idea of Disability Pride began to take shape with celebrations and parades all over the country. Disability Pride celebrates the diversity and uniqueness of each person with a disability, as well as the disability community as a whole.

One of the most…

To commemorate Mental Health Awareness Month this May, the American Public Health Association and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) co-sponsored a webinar on the impact of COVID-19 on child and adolescent mental health. Dr. Melissa Brymer, Director of the Terrorism and Disaster Program of the UCLA/Duke University National Center for Child Traumatic Stress and its National Child Traumatic Stress Network, presented on the impact of COVID-19 on the lives and mental health of families and discussed strategies to address these pressing issues.

The…

There has been an appropriate emphasis in recent years to educate developers on accessibility requirements outlined by the Revised 508 standards and the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG). The development of a repeatable test process, like the Trusted Tester methodology New Editions helped develop, helps to ensure developers receive a consistent message as to what constitutes accessible Information and Communication Technology (ICT). These have been positive steps forward in creating accessible products. However, the focus to “shift left” that we now see beginning to happen has…

There has been an appropriate emphasis in recent years to educate developers on accessibility requirements outlined by the Revised 508 standards and the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG). The development of a repeatable test process, like the Trusted Tester methodology New Editions helped develop, helps to ensure developers receive a consistent message as to what constitutes accessible Information and Communication Technology (ICT). These have been positive steps forward in creating accessible products. However, the focus to “shift left” that we now see beginning to happen has…

There has been an appropriate emphasis in recent years to educate developers on accessibility requirements outlined by the Revised 508 standards and the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG). The development of a repeatable test process, like the Trusted Tester methodology New Editions helped develop, helps to ensure developers receive a consistent message as to what constitutes accessible Information and Communication Technology (ICT). These have been positive steps forward in creating accessible products. However, the focus to “shift left” that we now see beginning to happen has…

When Section 508/accessibility testing comes to mind, the first thought is typically electronic content, such as websites and documents. Certainly, ensuring that different types of electronic content is accessible is important, however, there is another major type of testing that plays a large role for individuals with disabilities that often becomes an afterthought. What is it, you may ask? Hardware testing. Hardware is another form of information and communications technology (ICT) that also needs to be tested for accessibility. Hardware covers the physical equipment type of ICT products…

The current accessibility mantra we hear repeated, and repeat ourselves to development teams, is to “bake in accessibility” and “shift-left,” yet accessibility needs, design, development, training, testing, reporting, goals, and metrics historically are siloed (and thus fosters no collaboration) within the overall Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC). SDLC refers to a methodology of defined processes to create high quality software for the lowest cost in the shortest time possible. The development process includes: defining requirements; planning; design; development; testing; and…

Older Americans play essential roles in their communities, each offering a lifetime of valuable insight and experiences. The population of older adults in the United States is rapidly growing, with the U.S. Census Bureau predicting that adults over 65 will make up 21 percent of the population by 2030 (up from 14.9 percent in 2019). By 2060, the U.S. Census Bureau predicts that one in four Americans will be over age 65, with the number of people over 85 tripling (Vespa, 2018). With this increase in the population of older adults, it is more important than ever to address concerns related to…

During this month’s National Volunteer Month, we recognize the important contributions of volunteers by providing key highlights from a study, funded by the Administration for Community Living (ACL) and conducted by New Editions Consulting, that assessed the role and economic value of volunteers in home- and community-based and long-term care programs for older adults.

Most older adults prefer to stay in their own homes as they get older, rather than live in institutional settings (Khalani-Cox, 2017). The ability to do so contributes to the adult’s well-being and helps mitigate…

During this month’s National Volunteer Month, we recognize the important contributions of volunteers by providing key highlights from a study, funded by the Administration for Community Living (ACL) and conducted by New Editions Consulting, that assessed the role and economic value of volunteers in home- and community-based and long-term care programs for older adults.

Most older adults prefer to stay in their own homes as they get older, rather than live in institutional settings (Khalani-Cox, 2017). The ability to do so contributes to the adult’s well-being and helps mitigate…

February is National Senior Independence Month. According to the American Health Care Association and the National Center for Assisted Living  -

This celebration was established to help seniors remain in control of their daily lives.This month encourages seniors to take the opportunity to evaluate their current living situation, and determine whether or not adjustments could be made to create a better lifestyle. This is the opportunity to notice strengths and weaknesses in daily routines and make minor adjustments with potentially huge improvements.

Many…

February is National Senior Independence Month. According to the American Health Care Association and the National Center for Assisted Living  -

This celebration was established to help seniors remain in control of their daily lives.This month encourages seniors to take the opportunity to evaluate their current living situation, and determine whether or not adjustments could be made to create a better lifestyle. This is the opportunity to notice strengths and weaknesses in daily routines and make minor adjustments with potentially huge improvements.

Many…

Since 1945, Congress has sought to educate the public about the role of people with disabilities in the labor force. Originally known as “National Employ the Physically Handicapped Week,” Congress broadened its celebration and instituted “National Disability Employment Awareness Month” (NDEAM) as an annual October celebration in 1988. This celebration coincides with Mental Illness Awareness Week, recognized by Congress since 1990 to educate the public about mental illness. The overlap between these two observances is particularly relevant in light of the continuing COVID-19 crisis and the…