A lawsuit filed on behalf of two boys who are nonverbal alleges Pennsylvania schools illegally denied services to students who are non- or partially-verbal that need in-person education. The lawsuit seeks class-action status, meaning its result could affect thousands of students with disabilities.
Delaware’s senators joined other Senate Democrats in calling for money for pediatric health care providers and children’s hospitals. They said more funding was needed to research and treat an inflammatory illness that affects children who have been exposed to COVID-19, which seems to target children with developmental disabilities, epilepsy, diabetes and obesity at a higher rate. They also highlighted the lack of funding so far given to medical facilities with patients who rely on Medicaid, such as pregnant mothers, infants and children with disabilities.
Breakout comedy star Hannah Gadsby, whose 2016 stand up special “Nanette” won an Emmy and a Peabody Award, has released a new special called “Douglas” which touches on subjects including her midlife autism diagnosis. Gadsby, who wrote “Nanette” to explore questions of trauma linked with her experiences as a queer woman, says that her diagnosis enabled her to understand why she had difficulty in social situations, which she previously considered a personal failing.
Joe Biden, the likely Democratic presidential candidate, has created a senior position in his campaign for a director of voter protection. Voting advocates argue that people with disabilities are among those likely to be disenfranchised if current absentee voting systems are not expanded in the face of the coronavirus pandemic. However, Republican Party officials oppose many such efforts, saying the risk of election fraud is too high.
Video game streaming platform Twitch celebrated Global Accessibility Awareness Day by highlighting the work of content creators with disabilities, releasing a closed captioning tool for livestreamers and sharing information on an employee-run initiative within the company to promote disability hiring.
