Advocates of accessibility for disabled Americans hopeful
WASHINGTON – The day President Joe Biden was sworn into office, those watching the inauguration saw fire Capt. Andrea Hall, the child of a deaf parent, recite the Pledge of Allegiance – spoken in English and signed.
“Let’s just say that’s the first time I’ve ever cried at the pledge,” said Sara Novic, a deaf writer and college instructor based in Philadelphia. “Beyond access, that was representation, and it meant a lot to see her on the big stage as part of the ceremony.”
The next day, White House press secretary Jen Psaki and infectious diseases expert Anthony Fauci gave a briefing on the COVID-19 pandemic, and on the White House’s livestream, there was a remote American Sign Language interpreter, providing interpretation for deaf and hard-of-hearing Americans.
The inauguration and first week of Biden’s term in office showed his administration is committed to accessibility for Americans with disabilities, activists said. During Biden’s campaign and his transition to office, events were regularly accompanied by interpreters and captioners. Blind and low-vision Americans could utilize a feed during the inauguration with live audio descriptions.
“I know that there is active conversation between the disability community and the Biden administration. … I think this administration presents us with an opportunity with limitless potential.
Look at what we’ve dealt with the last four years. From here, it’s only up,” said Rebecca Cokley, who directed the National Council on Disability during the Obama administration.
The White House revamped its website, prioritizing accessibility features and bringing back a Spanish-language version. Upon visiting WhiteHouse.gov, users with visual, processing and other disabilities will be able to use toggles on the home page to adjust font size and contrast.
“This commitment to accessibility for all begins with this site and our efforts to ensure all functionality and all content is accessible to all Americans,” the White House’s accessibility
statement reads.
On Jan. 25, Psaki announced there would be an ASL interpreter available at every news briefing, saying Biden is “committed to building an America that is more inclusive, more just and more accessible for every American, including Americans with disabilities and their families.”
Deaf Americans and the National Association of the Deaf sued President Donald Trump’s administration to provide an ASL interpreter at all briefings related to the coronavirus, arguing that the lack of access to information about the pandemic violated the First Amendment rights of deaf and hard-of-hearing people. About 11.5 million Americans have some degree of hearing loss, according to the Census Bureau.
A judge ordered that an interpreter be provided beginning last October.
Though the Biden team sought to make its events and content accessible throughout his campaign and transition to office, there is still work to do to improve, Novic said.
The White House provided ASL interpretation through the use of a remote interpreter on screen, but Novic noted that this is viewable only through White House media channels. In the most common places people get information, such as television news, interpretation is not available.
“I am very happy the Biden administration is thinking about accessibility and providing these accessible streams, but I hope other platforms and networks, where people would normally access this content, follow suit, so one doesn’t have to be on the computer tracking it down,” Novic said.
Social media users pointed out a lack of captioning at some briefings on the White House’s channels, an accessibility feature necessary for many who are deaf or hard-of-hearing and do not use ASL.
Deaf professor Jon Hemmer revealed on Twitter that the ASL interpreter used Jan. 25, the day it was announced from the White House podium that interpretation would be available, has ties to a group that interprets for extreme right-wing videos.
Time reported the interpreter, Heather Mewshaw, managed a group that interpreted for videos including COVID-19 misinformation and election fraud conspiracy theories.
“Of course, someone has a right to work, no matter their politics, and technically, she is bound by the interpreter code of conduct,” Novic said. “However, as a viewer, the idea of having to rely on that person to be a neutral conduit makes me nervous, in part because language of any kind is never neutral.”
The White House did not respond to a request for comment regarding the use of Mewshaw as an interpreter.
Advocates expressed their optimism about the potential for the Biden administration to provide meaningful access to information and include the voices of people with disabilities in decision-making.
Cokley said she hopes to see Americans with disabilities as a focus in legislation intended to provide relief during the pandemic, such as funding going toward home- and community-based services.
“We anticipate to see an unprecedented number of appointees with disabilities appointed to this administration because it’s also acknowledged the fact that we have a disabled president, that’s also very exciting to us,” Cokley said, referring to Biden’s lifelong stutter.
Cokley said she expects to see not just improved accessibility from the administration but also the inclusion of disabled voices at all levels, involved in all conversations, events and policy decisions.
“There isn’t any event or policy initiative or personnel issue that isn’t going to have a disproportionate impact on disabled people,” Cokley said.
“We anticipate to see an unprecedented number of appointees with disabilities.”
Rebecca Cokley Who directed the National Council on Disability during the Obama administration