TravelAbility Insider

The Intersection of Travel and Disability

John Morris

Protactile is a New Language to Enable DeafBlind Communication

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Two men talking to each other through sign language while touching each other's hands.

It’s not often a new language emerges. But in the last 15 years, a new language was created in the Pacific Northwest: Protactile. Developed by DeafBlind people, the Protactile language places an emphasis on touch, which is a method of communication that many DeafBlind people prioritize.

Jelica Nuccio, one of the creators on this new language, recently moved to Monmouth, Oregon. There, the U.S. Department of Education’s Rehabilitation Services Administration recently awarded Western Oregon University with a $2.1 million grant that will be used to train Protactile language interpreters.

DeafBlind people like Nuccio have traditionally used variations on sign language to communicate, but it can be easy to miss important details in a language that is designed to be seen. That’s a shortcoming in traditional languages that Protactile aims to overcome, restoring the depth of interpersonal communication to the language used by DeafBlind people.

To learn more about Protactile language, see the article from Oregon Public Broadcasting.

Which States Filed the Most ADA Lawsuits in 2021: State-by-State Analysis

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Judge hitting their gavel on a table.

The number of ADA Title III lawsuits filed in federal court in 2020 dipped slightly under 11,000, but the plaintiffs’ bar came roaring back in 2021. There were at least 11,452 federal filings last year – an all-time record since the ADA Title III website started keeping track in 2013. That year, there were only 2,722 suits, which suggests a 320% increase in ADA lawsuits over eight years.

Disabled people will continue to exercise their rights to equal access under the ADA, and businesses should take note of their responsibilities to ensure accessibility and inclusion for all.

To read more about this topic, see the full article at ADATitleIII.com.

Learn What Hotel Rooms Need to Be Inclusive in Under 4 Minutes

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Ashley Lyn Olson, founder of Wheelchair Traveling, shared the following video outlining some of the accessible dos and don’ts that wheelchair users look out for when booking an accessible hotel room.

When designing or remodeling hotel rooms, properties should be sure to include insights from disabled travelers (they know what they’re talking about!), while also making sure to follow all of the relevant ADA design guidelines.

How Not to Offend People with Disabilities When You Meet Them

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Wheelchair user, amputee and a woman playing cornhole outdoors.

In the United States alone, about 61 million, or 1 out of every 4 adults, live with at least one disability.

It’s probably safe to say that you know someone with a disability or might be disabled yourself. Not all of these disabilities are visible or readily apparent, and many involve learning, developmental, or intellectual disabilities.

So, how should we talk to and/or about this community of people?

Emily Ladau headshot.
Emily Ladau

NPR recently interviewed Emily Ladau, a writer and disability advocate who recently published Demystifying Disability: What to Know, What to Say, and How to be an Ally, to ask about her thoughts on the matter.

Ladau told NPR that while it isn’t disabled people’s responsibility to educate people without disabilities about the nuances of living with a disability, progress is made through dialogue. She strongly recommends that nondisabled people interact with the disabled people around them, to build relationships and learn from their experiences.

To read more about Ladau’s perspective, check out the full article at NPR.

Vroom, Vroom! Accessible Motorcycle Gang Roars to Life in India

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Group of disabled bikers in India.

Aameer Siddiqui was diagnosed with Post-Polio Residual Paralysis after his right leg became paralyzed at 18 months old. The disability didn’t stop Aameer – he earned an education and now works for India’s Department of Education.

In an effort to improve accessibility and inclusion in India, Aameer co-founded Eagle Specially Abled Riders in 2015. The group was established “with the aim of spreading awareness amongst people about social issues, and to draw attention towards disabled people,” said Aameer.

The accessible biker group completed the world’s longest accessible awareness ride in 2019, focusing on the ‘Importance of Education for Differently-Abled’. The 3,500km long ride began at India Gate in Delhi and went all the way to Gateway of India in Mumbai, before turning around and going back to India Gat. The journey was completed using scooters accessible to the riders’ disabilities.

The group, through its advocacy, is focused on improving the accessibility of tourist attractions and destinations. Ameer said: “An able-bodied person can use a ramp just as easily as stairs. Then what is the need for stairs? We must have ramps alone. The same goes for trains and buses. Buses have ramps only in the name; nobody waits long enough for us to use them.”

To read more about the Eagle Specially Abled Riders, check out the full story in Banega Swasth India.

OUR TAKE: The advocacy of Aameer and his motorcycle group is shifting the perception of disability in India, and it’s fantastic to see disabled people taking the lead on accessibility improvements!