Great Plains ADA Center

06/16/2026

Upcoming learning opportunity with St. Louis area friends happening THIS Saturday, June 20!

Join us June 20th for a free virtual webinar on Epilepsy in Black and Brown Communities. Learn about epilepsy, seizure first aid, and hear from a WashU epilepsy specialist. Register using the QR code!

06/16/2026

As we near the anniversary of the Supreme Court's Olmstead decision on June 22, here's an excellent post and white paper from the Missouri Developmental Disabilities Council

06/16/2026

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) is seeking input from the transit industry and the public about how to evaluate public transportation service quality across five areas: safety and security, cleanliness, universal accessibility, real time service data availability, and system reliability. FTA will use this information to develop tools to help the public, transit agencies, and all levels of government assess the quality of public transportation service in their communities more directly and identify actions necessary to improve family-friendly service.

Be sure to offer your input about accessibility of public transportation service by August 3, 2026!

https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/06/04/2026-11220/request-for-information-on-family-friendly-transit

06/16/2026

New federal requirements for airlines take effect tomorrow, June 17 that requires all air carriers to provide hands-on training for all airline staff assisting travelers with disabilities. Learn more in this interview featuring Paralyzed Veterans of America and American Association of People with Disabilities

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wFMxnajti9M

New federal air travel law takes effect June 17th

06/16/2026

Born without his left forearm, French chef and disability advocate Grégory Cuilleron has built a career around one simple belief: people should be judged by their abilities, not their differences. From award-winning restaurants and television appearances to championing workplace inclusion, Cuilleron is helping reshape perceptions of disability in the culinary world. His message is clear: accessibility goes far beyond ramps and regulations; it’s about creating spaces where everyone feels welcomed, valued, and able to thrive.

https://melangeandco.com/chef-gregory-cuilleron-discusses-accessibility-inclusion-and-kitchen-culture/

Chef Grégory Cuilleron shares his journey on disability inclusion, kitchen culture, and making the culinary world more accessible for all.

06/16/2026

Actress Anne Hathaway discussed her experience with early onset cataracts in a recent podcast interview

https://www.msn.com/en-au/money/topstocks/anne-hathaway-opens-up-about-early-onset-cataract/vi-AA24gwuM?ocid=socialshare

Anne Hathaway said she was essentially half-blind for a decade because of an early-onset cataract in one eye.

06/15/2026

Recent news from the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission - Dunkin Donut locations across Massachusetts recently settled a disability discrimination lawsuit with the EEOC. According to the suit, the franchisees refused to accommodate workers with actual or perceived medical restrictions, instead forcing the employees out on unpaid leave.

Learn more in this EEOC press release:
https://www.eeoc.gov/newsroom/dunkin-donuts-franchisees-pay-250000-eeoc-disability-discrimination-suit

BOSTON – The Daly/Kenney

06/15/2026

accessible parking can sometimes be a reasonable accommodation request for employees and applicants with disabilities? Learn more in this helpful tool from our friends at the Northeast ADA Center.

Have questions about parking as an accommodation? Give us a call at 800/949-4232!

NWADAC maintains a fully accessible website with an accessibility statement describing our commitment to accessible web content (specifically the WCAG 2.0 and 2.1 – W3C developed by the Web Accessibility Initiative).

06/15/2026

Former Paralympian and surgeon John McFall could soon make history as the first astronaut with a physical disability to take part in a long-duration mission aboard a commercial space station. After losing his right leg in a motorcycle accident at 19, McFall went on to compete at the Paralympics, become a surgeon, and join the European Space Agency’s astronaut program. If selected for the mission, his research could help improve prosthetic design, rehabilitation techniques, and our understanding of how the human body adapts in space, proving that the boundaries of exploration should be open to everyone.

https://www.space.com/space-exploration/human-spaceflight/this-former-paralympic-athlete-could-become-the-1st-person-with-a-physical-disability-to-live-in-orbit

"If we can make this mission happen, it won't just be a milestone for human spaceflight; it will send a powerful message about what people with disabilities are capable of, and that there should be no limit to what you can achieve — on Earth or in space."

06/15/2026

Exciting news for travelers with disabilities! Disability Rights Advocates just reached an important settlement agreement with Super Shuttle to improve access for wheelchair users

LEGAL VICTORY: Travelers with mobility who require a wheelchair accessible vehicle (WAV) will soon have improved access to airport transportation as a result of a class settlement approved last week by the U.S. District Court!

Under our settlement agreement, nationwide service SuperShuttle has committed to significant changes that will ensure customers who require a WAV will have access to its services with the same convenience and at the same cost as other customers.

Read the press release: https://dralegal.org/press/supershuttle-settlement/



Image: "Press Release 06.15.26. Settlement with Leading Airport Transportation Shuttle Company to Improve Access for Wheelchair Users" + Airplane on an airport tarmac + DRA logo