Accessibility News in August
What’s New in Google Accessibility – Recent Updates
Google has released a wave of accessibility improvements across Android, Chrome, Pixel and Workspace, with a focus on AI-powered support and inclusive design. Among the most significant developments is SignGemma, an open-source AI model trained to interpret sign language. Initially built for American Sign Language (ASL), the model can be adapted for other sign languages, offering new opportunities for Deaf and Hard of Hearing communities to develop locally relevant, accessible tools.
Updates to Android TalkBack now allow screen reader users to receive AI-generated summaries of entire screens and ask follow-up questions, helping make tasks like online shopping more navigable. Expressive Captions has also been upgraded to reflect tone, emphasis and subtle sounds like whispers or yawns, even in live or uncaptioned media.
On Pixel devices, the Magnifier app now includes live search functionality, enabling users to locate real-world items such as gate numbers or menu entries by scanning their surroundings. In a related development, Google previewed a Visual Interpreter prototype in collaboration with Aira. This feature combines AI and human support to describe environments and identify objects for blind and low vision users.
In Chrome, scanned PDFs can now be read and searched using screen readers thanks to built-in Optical Character Recognition (OCR). Chromebook users also benefit from new settings such as touchpad disabling, flash notifications, and keyboard input options like Bounce Keys, Slow Keys, and Mouse Keys- features designed to support people with tremors or limited dexterity.
Improvements in Workspace include more accessible embedded Google Calendars, now screen reader-friendly, keyboard navigable, and responsive across devices. These updates reflect a continued focus on ensuring Google’s ecosystem is usable and inclusive for people with a wide range of access needs.
Review into Australia's Disability Discrimination Act
The Australian Government has launched a consultation on reforming the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) and is calling for submissions. Driven by the findings of the Disability Royal Commission, the Government is consulting on reforming the DDA to better protect people with disability from discrimination in all spheres of life, including accessing digital goods and services.
This is the arguably the most significant review of the DDA to date. While the Act has undergone several amendments since its introduction in 1992, its current form does not adequately address service provision through digital platforms such as websites, mobile apps, and online services, which are now critical for work, education, government access, commerce, and social connection.
The review is seeking submissions on seven key topics, they are:
- Part 1 – Updating understandings of disability and disability discrimination
- Part 2 – Positive duty to eliminate discrimination (Stronger protections to prevent discrimination before it happens)
- Part 3 – Encouraging inclusion of people with disability in employment, education and other areas of public life
- Part 4 – Improving access to justice
- Part 5 – Exemptions
- Part 6 – Modernising the Disability Discrimination Act
- Part 7 – Further options for reform
Submissions close 24 October.
Possible New Gaming Control from Sony
Sony recently made headlines with a patent revealing a flat controller composed of connecting nodes, each detachable and capable of providing individual haptic feedback. This could be a game changer for many gamers with disability who need differing layouts for better gameplay.
What makes this innovation noteworthy from an accessibility standpoint is its inherent adaptability. Players with limited dexterity or a non‑standard grip could reconfigure the layout to suit their unique needs, reducing reliance on traditional button placements. The nodes’ tactile feedback can also replace visual cues, offering an alternative interface for those with vision impairments.
While Sony has filed numerous patents in recent years, ranging from deformable materials and electric‑ink layouts to biometric sensors and customisable mesh designs, not all of these designs will necessarily become consumer products. Yet each filing provides insight into the company’s ongoing exploration of inclusive hardware, signaling potential future innovations that prioritise diverse user experiences.
Update to Americans with Disabilities Act Forthcoming
The United States Department of Justice has finalised a major update to Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act, requiring all state and local government digital services to meet WCAG 2.1 Level AA. This covers websites, mobile apps, online learning, and virtual events, with compliance deadlines set for 2026 or 2027 depending on jurisdiction size.
It marks the first legally binding standard for public sector digital accessibility in the US, creating clear technical benchmarks and enforceable timelines.