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New audio channel makes fashion accessible for people with disabilities

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:
Laura Legendary
Co-founder, Fashionability
USA: (509) 264-2588
l.legendary@elegantinsightsjewelry.com
Emily Davison
Co-founder, Fashionability
UK: (+44) 7541858610
UK: (020) 85164981
fashioneyesta@gmail.com

New audio channel makes fashion accessible for people with disabilities

September 19, 2014 – In a partnership dedicated to making information about fashion accessible to people who have disabilities, Emily Davison and Laura Legendary have created Fashionability, a social media franchise consisting of an audio channel on the Audioboo platform, a Facebook group and page, a Twitter account, and a blog and RSS feed. Davison, blogger on the Fashioneyesta.com blog based in the UK, and Legendary, designer and owner of Elegant Insights Braille Creations, based in the US, joined forces in a very stylish collaboration to create an audio guide to accessible style.

The Fashionability channel aims to cover many aspects of fashion and beauty, jewelry and accessories, health and fitness, to provide tips and education, as well as to raise awareness about representation of people with disabilities in the media. “I have been campaigning with a team of dedicated individuals with the organization Models of Diversity to target fashion brands to add models with disabilities to their advertising campaigns.” Says Davison. “there is the fundamental fact that people with disabilities are not equally represented in the fashion advertising industry. This immediately creates problems for people with disabilities as it shows society that disability is not considered to be relevant to fashion and thus all these unfair stereotypes occur.”

Content on the Fashionability channel will also be provided by guest contributors, people with disabilities who are subject matter experts in a variety of fashion-related topics. One such contributor is the organization Living Paintings, www.livingpaintings.org, based in the UK.

The Fashionability channel is set to launch on September 19, 2014, and will be available via RSS feed and in the Lifestyles category on Audioboo, www.audioboo.fm. Plans are also in the works for text transcripts of the audio programming, which will be made available on the Fashionability blog. “The Fashionability brand will focus on accessibility and inclusion,” says Legendary. “When most people think of fashion, or more broadly, style, they may think of it only in terms of a visual medium. The lack of accessible information suggests that people with disabilities are somehow less interested in looking and feeling their best. I hope that, with the help of Emily and our contributors, we can create a resource inclusive of all walks of life, all ages, all socio-economic strata, all body types and all abilities. I want to provide sensible, approachable, fashion and style information that is within reach…of everyone.” For more information, send email to fashionabilitychannel@gmail.com. Visit the Fashionability Channel at www.audioboo.fm/channel/fashionability

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About Emily Davison: Emily Davison is a UK based writer, disability campaigner, and journalist who currently writes about fashion on her blog fashioneyesta.com which she founded in July 2012-a blog created to enable people with sight loss to access fashion and cosmetics.

About Laura Legendary: Laura Legendary is a speaker, author, and educator, specializing in disability awareness, advocacy, accessibility, and assistive technology. She is also the owner and designer of Elegant Insights Braille Creations, a distinctive collection of jewelry and accessories, made in the USA, and embossed in Braille. Visit www.elegantinsightsjewelry.com. To read Laura’s blog, go to Accessible Insights Blog at www.accessibleinsights.info/blog.

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Accessible Twitter enters beta status

Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 23, 2010

MEDIA CONTACT
Web Overhauls
weboverhauls
www.weboverhauls.com

Social Media Web App "Accessible Twitter" Enters Beta Status

AccessibleTwitter.com expands features and empowers disabled users to access Twitter, the popular social micro-blogging web service.

Cupertino, CA (February 23, 2010) Accessible Twitter, a web application that empowers disabled users to access Twitter, has updated its status from Alpha to Beta. Accessible Twitter is a web application that enables users with disabilities and limited technology to use the popular social micro-blogging web service Twitter. Accessible Twitter beta will include new features like URL-shortening, trends, saved searches, popular links, and partial support for lists.

Disabled users typically have significant problems accessing many web sites and web services, including Twitter. Accessible Twitter ensures that all links are keyboard accessible, provides simple, consistent layout and navigation, and structures each page with helpful headings. Additional audio cues indicate when Twitter’s 140-character limit is almost reached when writing a tweet. Accessible Twitter works with or without JavaScript and is compatible with all major Internet browsers. Accessible Twitter is used by those with and without disabilities.

Mr. Dennis E. Lembree, owner of the web development company WebOverhauls.com and creator of Accessible Twitter, is dedicated to expanding the accessibility of the web.

"I really enjoy social web apps like Twitter, and unfortunately, the majority of web sites and web applications are still not fully accessible to everyone. Overall, I think theres a misconception that a ‘Web 2.0’ site cant be cool or fun and be accessible at the same time; its actually quite possible."
– Dennis Lembree of WebOverhauls

Accessible Twitter is already garnering international praise from across the web:

"Accessible Twitter offers an important alternative to web-based Twitter – it is accessible not just by people with various disabilities, but is more useful to everyone needing to access Twitter through keyboard-only. The presentation of tweets is clearer, not as cluttered. And links to all options are easy to find. Great stuff!"
– Nicolas Steenhout of Accessibility NZ

"Accessible Twitter not only addresses the accessibility flaws of the original site, but also introduces usability features that make ‘tweeting’ easier for all web-based users."
– Matt Smith of Smiffytech

"Accessible Twitter is a thoroughly useful tool, well designed and perfectly suited for people who have vision loss. It is an indispensable part of my every day, enabling me to connect with potential clients on the same playing field as my non-disabled counterparts."
– Laura Legendary of Legendary Insights (a visually impaired daily user of Accessible Twitter)

Accessible Twitter has been mentioned in numerous articles and books including The Twitter Book by O’Reilly Media. Accessible Twitter was the recipient of 2009 Access IT @web2.0 Award.

For more about Accessible Twitter, visit: www.accessibletwitter.com.

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About Web Overhauls

Web Overhauls is a web development company specializing in web standards, usability, and accessibility. Web Overhauls develops web sites for small to medium-sized businesses with a focus on improving existing web sites for better usability and accessibility. The company is a member of GAWDS and Refresh Detroit. Mr. Dennis E. Lembree, the President of Web Overhauls, is an established expert in the field, creator AccessibleTwitter.com and author of Web Axe, a podcast and blog about web accessibility.

For more information, visit www.weboverhauls.com or email weboverhauls [AT] gmail DOT com.

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