News and issues on the disabled 18 Oct 2024
Azmi Anuar
Contents
1. BBC News UK - Westcliff blind campaigner calls for training for taxi drivers
2. Reuters - Blind filmmaker hopes to blaze a trail for artists with disabilities
3. ASI Power Summit 2024: How Blindness Helped Michael Hingson Survive the 9/11 Attacks
4. The Irish Times - Visually impaired pupils ‘excluded’ from PE classes and school trips
5. The Citizen South Africa - Ramaphosa refers Copyright Bill for visually impaired to ConCourt
6. WFMJ USA - White Cane Safety Day: Resources for the vision impaired through Youngstown Goodwill
7. Muscat Daily Oman - Oman’s first health walkway for visually impaired inaugurated
8. News Diary Nigeria - International White Cane and Safety Day: CITAB Calls for Government Action on Visually Impaired Rights
9. The Express Tribune Pakistan - Visually impaired urge govt not to turn a blind eye
10. ABC7 News USA - Blind activists rally to end guide dog discrimination outside of SF Uber headquarters
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1. BBC News UK - Westcliff blind campaigner calls for training for taxi drivers17 Oct 2024
Mrs Allen-King fully lost her sight at 24, and since then she has campaigned for better access rights for blind and partially sighted people.
She came up with the idea for textured pavements at road crossings and was given an OBE for services to disabled people.
The campaigner said waiting for a taxi with a guide dog could be "very depressing, especially in the winter in the freezing cold and the pouring rain".
"I used to have to wait a long while [for a taxi]," she said. "If they [the drivers] came without realising [I had a dog], they would drive off. I used to wait ages at Chalkwell Station.
"The person waiting with me to get the taxi could see the drivers coming along the road, then see my dog and wouldn’t stop.
“I stopped going to one meeting in Whitechapel Road because I had to wait so long."
Her beloved guide dog Jagger in February, and she is on a waiting list for a replacement.
She added: "A lot of people just won't travel anymore because they can't get the assistance.
"They need assistance from a driver, and drivers aren't always prepared to do that."
A spokesperson for the National Private Hire & Taxi Association said drivers have been prosecuted in the past for refusing to take a guide dog when they are not exempt.
They added: "The only time a taxi or private hire driver can refuse a guide dog or disabled person is if they have a medical exemption issued by a doctor.
"They are duty-bound to carry all disabled passengers under the disabled persons act".
And they advised: "If they have booked through a private hire operator, they should report it to the operator, who should then send another vehicle."
Additional reporting from the Local Democracy Reporting Service.
A blind woman wants taxi drivers to complete a passenger assistance training course after claiming she has been refused lifts because she has a guide dog.
Jill Allen-King, who is in her 80s and lives in Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex, said she had been denied a taxi on many occasions over the last 10 years. "There were certain drivers who wouldn’t take my dog," she said.
Southend Labour councillors have joined her appeal to urge the council to make new taxi drivers complete the training, which includes assistance dogs and the Equality Act 2010.
A study for Guide Dogs charity, found 58% of guide dog owners had been refused access by taxi drivers in 2024 and 22% were charged extra for their guide dog.
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2. Reuters - Blind filmmaker hopes to blaze a trail for artists with disabilitiesLONDON, Oct 17 - British actor and filmmaker Adam Morse used to keep his blindness secret, fearful of the reaction he would get when pitching for projects.
Years later, having starred in television series "See", directed feature film "Lucid" and a Super Bowl commercial for a Google phone feature, he hopes to be an example for others living with disabilities.
“The more that I can blaze a trail for others, the next generation of artists ... who are living with disabilities or blindness that want to be in the film industry ... it gives them permission to say, ‘Hey, well, don't question whether it's possible or not because look at this guy’," Morse told Reuters this week during Blindness Awareness Month.
"I never had that. And that was one of the hardest things to battle against ... not being able to point out to someone else in the past that had done the things I wanted to do, to let people know it was OK or possible."
Morse, also a writer and producer, lost most of his eyesight in 2009 aged 19, when he was diagnosed with the mitochondrial disease Leber's hereditary optic neuropathy.
When he made "Lucid", very few people involved knew about his blindness.
“(Actor) Billy Zane was one of the people ... who laid it on really thick and kind of put some much needed pressure on me to come out and be honest about who I was and my condition," he said.
Morse says his working methods only have small differences to other directors, such as using a larger monitor to make the most of the partial peripheral sight he has.
"Details might be lost on me on the day. That's fine, because ... all of those decisions on the details that'll be on the screen, they're decided beforehand," he said.
A video of Morse on set making the Super Bowl ad, which follows a blind man through relationship milestones, was released online.
“The impact that that behind the scenes video had on people, it is even greater (than the ad)," he said.
"Now that I'm finally ... open about how I work ... I can invite cameras to follow that process really closely in making my next feature film.”
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3. ASI Power Summit 2024: How Blindness Helped Michael Hingson Survive the 9/11 Attacks16 Oct 2024
When Michael Hingson was born, the doctors told his parents that their baby – who was born without eyesight – would have to be sent to a home for handicapped children because blind people can’t accomplish anything.
“My parents said back to the doctors, ‘You’re wrong. He can grow up to do whatever he wants, and we’re going to give him that opportunity,” recalled Hingson.
Motivational keynote speaker Michael Hingson, who has been blind since birth, recalled how he and others survived the attacks on Sept. 11 while working in the World Trade Center. He was joined onstage by his guide dog Alamo.
On the ASI Power Summit stage, Hingson – the event’s motivational keynote speaker – shared his life story, from succeeding in sales to surviving the attacks on 9/11 while working in the World Trade Center. Throughout his speech, he explained that the only thing that’s ever held him back is how others viewed his condition.
“Blindness isn’t the problem,” he stated, “it’s our attitude about blindness.”
Joined on stage by his guide dog Alamo, Hingson told how he rode his bike as a kid, became an Eagle scout and graduated from UC Irvine with a degree in physics. When faced with the option of being laid off from a job or jumping into sales, Hingson quickly chose the latter option, in a time when only 30% of blind people were employed. (Today, that figure is 50%.)
All his life Hingson had been fully aware of the stigma others have of blind people, but that didn’t get in his way. In one instance, after starting and selling a company, he applied for a job and wrestled with revealing to the employer that he was blind. His longtime wife Karen (who died in 2022) urged him to be transparent about his situation, reminding him that Hingson always promoted the philosophy of Dale Carnegie to “turn perceived liabilities into assets.”
As a result, Hingson wrote in his cover letter that “as a blind person, I’ve had to sell all my life just to be able to buy a house or convince people to let me rent an apartment. So, when you’re hiring someone for this job, do you want to hire somebody who comes in and sells for eight or 10 hours a day and then goes home because the job is over? Or do you want to hire somebody who truly understands sales for the science and art that it is and sells 24 hours a day as a way of life?”
Hingson got the job and began parlaying that into opening new offices for companies. That included being able to purchase cheap office space in 1999 at the World Trade Center because, as he was told, occupancy rates had been low since a bombing on the building in 1993.
Motivational speaker Michael Hingson outlines how we can be more inclusive and why he was able to escape the World Trade Center on Sept. 11 because he was blind from birth.
At 8:45 a.m. on Sept. 11, 2001, as he was reaching for letterhead on the 78th floor of Tower 1, Hingson heard a muffled explosion followed by the building tipping 20 feet then bouncing back. “No one knew what had happened,” he recalled. “It had nothing to do with [me] being blind.”
Because of his blindness, Hingson had spent time walking around the complex, talking with personnel and learning the emergency procedures and where things were located. “I needed to know the options,” Hingson said. “The difference between me and you is I don’t read signs. I don’t want to read signs. I want to know.”
That knowledge proved invaluable in the moment. He and Roselle, his guide dog at the time, were able to calm down the people he was with and get them into the stairwell to evacuate, moving floor by floor with calm and purpose while comforting and motivating those who needed it. “We knew we had to keep panic out of the stairwell,” he said.
“Blindness isn’t the problem, it’s our attitude about blindness.” Michael Hingson
Hingson described the rest of his harrowing escape, from being engulfed in dust and debris when the towers collapsed to finding refuge in a subway tunnel, to the moment he finally made it home. He recalled how Roselle, finally at home and with her harness removed, began playing tug-of-war with his other dog. She knew the crisis was over.
“Dogs don’t do ‘what if’ and we need to stop doing so much ‘what if,’” he said. “There’s a lot of reasons to think ‘what if’ for the things you have control over, but don’t worry about the things over which you have no control. There’s nothing you can do about it. You can deal with them, but don’t worry about them. Don’t let them ‘what if’ you to death because all that’s going to do is to create more fear in your lives.”
Hingson concluded his talk by putting out a call for greater inclusivity for the products and services that promo companies offer. He also stressed that everyone has a disability; for people with sight, that disability is “light dependence.”
“Disability is not a lack of nor is it inability. Disability is a characteristic that every single person on this planet has, including all of you,” he said. “And it’s something that benefits itself differently for different people. But everyone on the planet has some sort of disability. Don’t exclude anyone.”
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4. The Irish Times - Visually impaired pupils ‘excluded’ from PE classes and school trips15 Oct 2024
Pupils with visual impairments are regularly excluded from PE or school trips because they are “wrapped in cotton wool” by schools who feel ill-equipped to meet their needs, an Oireachtas committee has heard.
Rafiat Agbona, a 23 year old master’s student, told of how – after losing her eyesight at the age of 12 – she was deprived of the chance to mix with her fellow students at school.
She told of how she felt isolated from her peers because a special needs assistant (SNA) was instructed to sit next to her at all times, while during lunch she was forced to sit in a special centre for a time with SNAs and other students with learning disabilities.
“I was being pushed into the group where I didn’t actually fit in simply because I had a disability,” she said.
“I often felt so overwhelmed and defeated and powerless. Nobody asked my opinion and there was really nobody to advocate for me in a lot of areas where it really mattered for my development, sanity and future.”
She also said she was “strongly discouraged” from doing transition year on the basis that she would be unable to participate in many of the activities during the yea.
Ms Agbona said, on reflection, she could have taken part in the activities but feels the school felt she would be a burden if she accompanied classes on day trips.
“I would have had time to gain work experience, have exposure to different situations and places, become more independent in mobility and build closer relationships with more students as transition year was a small group,” she said.
Eithne Walsh of the support group Féach said many visually impaired students faced similar obstacles, with many overly-dependent on SNAs or parents.
“It is guaranteeing a difficult transition into college and often leading to students applying for courses based on location and ease of access as opposed to their academic ability,” she said.
Ms Walsh also said the State Examinations Commission was in the “dark ages” when it came to providing sufficient support and time for visually impaired students.
Dr Patricia McCarthy, associate research fellow at Trinity College Dublin, said research shows many visually impaired students face barriers accessing the curriculum.
In addition to PE, she said maths was a real problem as there was insufficient provision of books and materials in accessible formats, as well as a lack of teacher training and support.
“The purpose of supports should be to enhance rather than diminish the individuals’ independence and to enable rather than disable inclusion,” she said.
“Therefore, there is a need to establish policies and practices around provision of supports that are proactive rather than reactive and promote the active involvement of blind/vision-impaired people at all levels of the process.
Vision Ireland, which supports individuals with sight loss, said it was aware of many examples of visually impaired students who had a positive, supportive and inclusive experience of education, often as a result of individual teachers.
However, the group said it has also seen evidence of many students who are blind or vision impaired transitioning without the prerequisite skills and knowledge.”
Toni O’Dwyer, Vision Ireland’s national children and young people services manager, said more support and resources were needed to access the curriculum and foster independent skills.
The Department of Education told the committee that it employs 16 visiting teachers who support almost 1,400 children and young people who are blind or have a visual impairment. It said it also has an assistive technology scheme to help these children access the curriculum.
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5. The Citizen South Africa - Ramaphosa refers Copyright Bill for visually impaired to ConCourt15 Oct 2024
President Cyril Ramaphosa has referred a bill that could make published work more accessible for the blind or visually impaired to the Constitutional Court
In a statement on Tuesday, the Presidency confirmed that Ramaphosa referred the Copyright Amendment Bill (CAB) and Performers’ Protection Amendment Bill to the apex court for a ruling on their constitutionality.
“President Ramaphosa has indicated to the Constitutional Court his reservations about provisions in the legislation originally drafted and reconsidered by Parliament and has, as a result, requested the apex court for a decision,” the Presidency spokesperson Vincent Magwenya said.
Copyright Bill referred to ConCourt
Two years ago, on 21 September 2022, the apex court declared the Copyright Act unconstitutional to the extent that it limited access to reading materials for persons who are blind and visually impaired.
The act mandated that blind or visually impaired people first acquire permission from the copyright holder before converting books and other published works into readable formats like braille or large print.
After that, Parliament took steps to fix the defects in the act through draft legislation called the Copyright Amendment Bill.
In February, both houses of Parliament approved the bill and sent it to the president for signature, but it has not been signed to date.
This is much to the disappointment of organisations that represent the blind and visually impaired.
Section 27, representing Blind SA, has gone as far as launching an urgent application, also with the Constitutional Court, against Ramaphosa for failing to sign the bill.
Application against Ramaphosa
“Through this application, Blind SA submits that the president has failed in his duty to act diligently and without delay in terms of signing the CAB,” Section 27 and Blind SA said in a joint statement last week.
“Blind SA therefore seeks a mandatory order against the President to sign the CAB within ten days of obtaining an order, alternatively, that the Copyright Act is deemed to include the previous court-ordered exception to copyright.”
The organisations said Parliament took the necessary step to comply with the court order, and therefore it is important that Ramaphosa be compelled to take the next step.
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6. WFMJ USA - White Cane Safety Day: Resources for the vision impaired through Youngstown Goodwill15 Oct 2024
White Cane Safety Day is a national observance in the United States, celebrated on October 15 of each year since 1964. The date is set aside to celebrate the achievements of people who are blind or visually impaired and the important symbol of blindness and tool of independence, the white cane.
There are many resources in our valley for the blind and vision impaired such as, The Youngstown Radio Reading Service through Youngstown Goodwill.
“This is a special radio station for people who are blind and it gives them independent access to printed information. We do a mix of local news, national news and special interest programs, broadcasting 24/7, 365, on a special frequency. Our radios are free of charge, and we are also streaming online,” said Michael Muder, Manager of the Youngstown Radio Reading Service.
Youngstown Goodwill offers several vision related resources, including an amblyopia screening program for lazy eye, a support group for the blind on the third Thursday of every month, and they visit schools to screen students for potential vision issues.
You can learn more about the available local resources for the blind and vision impaired by visiting Youngstown Goodwill’s website.
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7. Muscat Daily Oman - Oman’s first health walkway for visually impaired inaugurated15 Oct 2024
Suhar – North Batinah governorate inaugurated the sultanate’s first health walkway dedicated to the visually impaired at Al Hambar Park in the wilayat of Suhar on Tuesday.
The event was held under the patronage of Mohammed bin Sulaiman al Kindi, Governor of North Batinah, coinciding with the International White Cane Day celebrations organised in collaboration with Al Noor Association for the Blind.
During the launch, Governor Kindi emphasised the importance of empowering the blind and providing opportunities for active participation in various aspects of life. He highlighted the need for continuous development of public facilities to better accommodate individuals with disabilities, ensuring an inclusive environment for all.
Mohammed bin Ismail al Balushi, Chairman of Al Noor Association for the Blind in North Batinah, noted that the new health walkway exemplifies a successful collaboration between government agencies and the association.
“This initiative underscores their shared commitment to enhancing the lives of the blind.”
Balushi described the walkway as a model for future projects that prioritise the needs of visually impaired individuals. He expressed hope for more initiatives that promote the independence of the blind and support their ability to navigate life with ease.
The walkway – of an approximate length of 1km – has been designed to facilitate movement for individuals with visual disabilities. It features an explanatory map in Braille to help users identify available services and facilities in the area. The walkway also includes thoughtfully constructed with slopes to ensure accessibility for all visitors.
This project is part of North Batinah governorate’s broader efforts to support the blind and provide public facilities that cater to their needs.
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8. News Diary Nigeria - International White Cane and Safety Day: CITAB Calls for Government Action on Visually Impaired Rights17 Oct 2024
The Centre for Infrastructural and Technological Advancement for the Blind (CITAB) has urged all the three levels of government in Nigeria to sincerely prioritize the concerns of “the visually impaired within our society”.
This announcement was included in a press statement issued on Tuesday and signed by Mr. Jolomi Fenemigho, the Executive Chairman of CITAB, in celebration of International White Cane and Safety Day, observed annually on the 15th day of October.
The
group’s Executive Chairman, emphasized the importance of the celebration and
the meaningful impact it has on the visually impaired community.
According to Fenemigho, “White Cane and Safety Day is a time when we are at our
strongest. We unite, regardless of our diverse locations, personalities,
traditions, and beliefs, with a single voice, marching to be heard and seen by
all. Our guide canes are not tools to be ashamed of, but symbols of
determination, perseverance, and fortitude.”
He further emphasized the importance of reflecting on the achievements and shortcomings of local, state, and federal governments in addressing the needs of the visually impaired community in Nigeria as they celebrate this year’s White Cane and Safety Day.
Fenemigho said, “It is crutial that we highlighted the need to assess both the progress and the gaps in how the local, state and federal governments have addressed the needs of the visually impaired community in Nigeria. As we celebrate this year’s White Cane and Safety Day, it is an opportune moment to recognize the achievements made in improving accessibility, education, and employment opportunities. At the same time, it is essential to acknowledge the areas where efforts have been insufficient, such as in policy enforcement and resource allocation. This reflection serves as a catalyst for continued advocacy and action, ensuring that the rights and needs of the visually impaired are prioritized and effectively met.”
Fenemigho highlighted the poor condition of many infrastructures and public buildings in the country, urging authorities to adhere to accessibility standards and policies. He emphasized the need for public buildings, bridges, walkways, pavements,, sidewalks ETC, to be made accessible for visually impaired citizens of Nigeria.
He said, “For years, the blind community has been complaining about the inaccessibility of public buildings and structures, such as sidewalks, walkways, pavements, pedestrian bridges, and roads, with all our pleas falling on deaf ears. We demand that all public buildings and structures undergo thorough examination to ensure compliance with accessibility standards and undergo total renovation to make them accessible for the visually impaired community in Nigeria and The authority responsible for constructing these facilities at all government levels must ensure that construction blueprints align with the building code.
The Discrimination against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act, 2018, Part 2, Section 7, Subsections 1, 2, and 3, mandates this scrutiny. Subsection 1 requires that plans for public structures be reviewed by the relevant authority to ensure conformity with the building code. Subsection 2 prohibits the approval of building plans by any government entity or individual if they lack accessibility provisions. Subsection 3 states that any officer who approves or directs the approval of a non-compliant building plan commits an offense and, upon conviction, faces a fine of at least N1,000,000, a two-year imprisonment term, or both.”
The head of CITAB highlighted the significant disparity in the quality of education for visually impaired students. He urged government educational agencies, including the Ministry of Education, SUBEB, UBEB, and others, to consult with disability-focused organizations and special needs educators. This collaboration would enhance their understanding and improve the educational experience for visually impaired individuals in Nigeria.
He voiced his concerns, saying, “It seems the Ministry of Education, SUBEB, UBEB, and other government bodies are in the dark about the intricacies of teaching students with blindness. It’s not a straightforward task and requires a delicate touch. Picture a classroom where blind students are left in the shadows, waiting for the next cue, while their sighted peers are busy jotting down notes from the board. Now, which group do you think is getting the most out of this lesson? Where are the screen reader-enabled laptops, the digital note-takers, the recorders, the refreshable braille devices, and the braille machines? Where are the vital tools and gadgets that blind students need to stay in the game academically? This scenario highlights the hurdles faced by visually impaired students in many mainstream schools in Nigeria today, and yet, nothing is being done about it in a country that claims to embrace inclusivity.”
Continuing, Fenemigho observed, “Many teachers in these schools are missing the mark, lacking the qualifications needed to truly engage with and understand their visually impaired students. It’s not just about picking anyone off the street for a teaching role; it’s essential to find those with a real passion and the right touch for special needs education. These educators need to be ready to make a genuine connection and have the skills to meet their students’ unique needs. Such qualities should be carefully weighed and measured during their evaluation.”
He went on to say, “The Ministry of Education, SUBEB, UBEB, and others need to stop playing a guessing game, as it’s evident that their current methods aren’t hitting the mark for visually impaired students. It’s time for these agencies to seek a little expert advice from those well-versed in the nuances of special needs education such as disability based organizations and special needs educators, who can shed light on the best way to handle such a delicate situation.”
He
further conveyed his dissatisfaction with the lack of job opportunities for
visually impaired individuals in Nigeria, stressing the need for governments to
do the needful.
Fenemigho asserted that “the government should initiate annual or biannual
recruitment exercises into the civil service commission specifically for the
disability community in Nigeria to ease the economic squeeze. Many individuals
with disabilities, particularly the visually impaired, are struggling to find
their place in the current Nigerian landscape, while the government seems
content to sit back and watch. I wonder how long disabled graduates must
continue to be left out in the cold by those in power, live in a country where
landing a job depends more on who you rub shoulders with than on merit, and be
forced to resort to begging or groveling just to get by.”
In
conclusion, Fenemigho urges all levels of government to sincerely prioritize
the needs of the visually impaired community in Nigeria.
He remarked, “As we commemorate International White Cane and Safety Day, I
emphasize the importance of this occasion as a symbol of unity and strength for
our community. It is crucial to reflect on both the achievements and the gaps
in governmental efforts regarding accessibility, education, and employment
opportunities for the visually impaired. I call upon authorities to adhere to
accessibility standards in public infrastructure and to foster collaboration
with disability-focused organizations to improve educational experiences.
Moreover, it is vital that employment for the disabled becomes a priority through targeted recruitment initiatives. The time has come for decisive action to ensure that the rights and needs of the visually impaired are not only acknowledged but also effectively addressed, paving the way for a truly inclusive society.”
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9. The Express Tribune Pakistan - Visually impaired urge govt not to turn a blind eye16 Oct 2024
PESHAWAR:
Those with visual impairments and other differently-abled people from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa called on the government to take action regarding the lack of implementation of the 2% job quota, as well as delays in the Benazir Income Support Programme, Pakistan Baitul Mal, and the Disability Act.
This demand was made during a special event held in Peshawar by the Pakistan Association of the Blind in connection with the World White Cane Safety Day. The event was attended by a large number of visually impaired children and their parents.
The special guest at the event was K-P Minister for Social Welfare and Women's Development Qasim Ali Shah. The event was also supported by the Government School for Blind Students and TARS Foundation.
In his address, the minister stated that disabled individuals certainly need support from the government. "Unfortunately, the system had stalled, preventing the resolution of issues faced by disabled people." The minister assured that funds allocated for the disabled would be officially utilised this year.
He also emphasised that the law ensuring a job quota for disabled individuals in the province was already in place and would be strictly enforced.
"A letter has been sent to the finance department for recruitment against vacant posts for disabled individuals in the Department of Social Welfare, and hiring will begin soon."
Plans are afoot to upgrade the schools for visually-impaired girls in the province. The minister expressed a desire to create a plan that would benefit all disabled individuals.
Earlier, the President of the Association, Qari Saad Noor, said that the white cane is not just a tool, but a symbol of stability and independence for the visually impaired. "The purpose of celebrating this day is to provide visually impaired individuals with safe, free movement in their environment."
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10. ABC7 News USA - Blind activists rally to end guide dog discrimination outside of SF Uber headquarters15 Oct 2024
SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- The National Federation of the Blind held a rally at Uber and Lyft headquarters on Tuesday morning over discrimination concerns.
With the support of their guide dogs by their sides, many rallying say they have been repeatedly denied service with their service dogs even though it's against the law.
It's become so much of a problem, busloads of people have been brought in to send a bigger message to these companies.
The National Federation of the Blind says they have around 200 people rallying from 48 states across the country.
They say the denials of service animals in Lyft and Uber rideshare vehicles are happening every day nationwide, often leaving riders with anxiety over booking any future rides.
Jessica Beecham serves as President of the National Federation of the Blind of Colorado.
She flew to San Francisco to take part in the rallies after being repeatedly denied rides with her guide dog named Prada.
"I've been denied on multiple occasions and they've ranged anywhere from causing me to miss very important appointments to being left in extraordinarily inclement weather to actually being in a vehicle, trying to protect my rights and being harassed by the police department who didn't understand their responsibility to uphold the law," Jessica Beecham, the National Federation of the Blind of Colorado President said.
'We are changing lives.' Bay Area's Guide Dogs for the Blind trains pups to assist blind and visually impaired individuals
Tuesday's rally is being held on White Cane Awareness Day, meant to celebrate the independence and freedom of blind people.
Though the National Federation of the Blind says, rideshare companies are hindering their independence and rights.
"We've negotiated, we've talked, pleaded, we've pushed, we've pulled but hundreds of blind people across the nation, actually across the globe continue to be discriminated against and these companies refuse to do anything significant about us so we've brought it to the public and to the streets," Mark Riccobono, President of the National Federation of the Blind said.
Uber said that all drivers across the U.S. will be getting a new service animal education video in October.
They added that they recently launched a new self-identification pilot program for a small group of volunteers.
Through the pilot, some riders are able to self-identify as a service animal owner and can choose to automatically notify drivers ahead of time, that they're traveling with a service animal.
"Our policies prohibit drivers from denying service because of a rider's service animal or assistive device, and we are committed to implementing technology and policies that help make transportation more accessible," a spokesperson for Uber said in a statement.
This group plans to hold a second protest outside of Lyft headquarters on Tuesday.
Lyft issued a similar statement ahead of the rally.
"Discrimination has no place in the Lyft community. We strive to provide an inclusive and accessible platform for riders, including those who rely on service animals. We continually update our practices to improve accessibility for riders and are proud to be working directly with advocacy organizations in the community. This year, we are launching a Service Animal Opt-In feature, allowing riders to disclose that they travel with a service animal when requesting a ride. This feature is a significant step in our broader mission to ensure that riders feel safe and supported on our platform."
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This Google Group news service has been made possible by courtesy of the Society of the Blind in Malaysia