For Immediate Release
OMAHA, Neb. (April 7, 2021) – When products or services are offered online and not in an accessible format, businesses potentially miss out on reaching “the hidden market” – the 26% of adults in the U.S. with some type of disability according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Additionally, a study by UsableNet.Inc found that the amount of digital accessibility lawsuits in the United States grew from 2,890 in 2019 to 3,550 in 2020, a 22.8% increase. In an effort to promote greater accessibility of digital content and minimize legal risk for businesses, Outlook Business Solutions and the Metropolitan Community College Workforce Innovation Division are offering a free online seminar on Thursday, April 22, from noon to 1:30 p.m. via Zoom.
The online workshop will provide an overview of the opportunity for companies to be more successful in reaching people of all abilities through fully accessible websites and applications. It also will provide insight on some of the simple and affordable solutions available to bring digital content into compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and related legislation.
Outlook Business Solutions is a social enterprise with a mission to create earning opportunities for professionals with visual impairments. Its team includes everyday users of adaptive technologies who manually test websites, applications, videos and other digital content and provide feedback on their user experience to help businesses overcome accessibility challenges.
“Accessibility testing helps organizations remove obstacles to their growth,” said Natalie Hadley, vice president of Outlook Business Solutions. “Having accessible content online provides access to $21 billion in discretionary income of people with disabilities – an immense opportunity for companies to increase market share. We are excited to partner with Metropolitan Community College to create greater awareness about the importance of accessibility with the business community.”
Metropolitan Community College serves the largest number of students with disabilities of all post-secondary schools in Nebraska. Through the Workforce Innovation Division, the one-day seminar is being offered as a free course. To receive a Zoom invite for the event, register at: coned.mccneb.edu/wconnect/CourseStatus.awp?&course=21APWIDX950A.
“The MCC Workforce Innovation Division is proud to partner with Outlook Business Solutions for this seminar as part of our mission to advance people and fuel business growth through accelerated learning opportunities,” said Sam Dickson with the Workforce Innovation Division at MCC. “This free seminar will help organizations understand best practices around accessibility. As the world continues to move online, it is critical that tools helping us stay connected to employment, commerce, education and our loved ones are fully accessible.”
Businesses can be successful and socially responsible by outsourcing accessibility testing, marketing and customer care projects to Outlook Business Solutions. Call 531.365.5055 for a free consultation or visit OutlookBusinessSolutions.com for more information.
For more information about the MCC Workforce Innovation Division, visit mccneb.edu/wid, email corporatetraining@mccneb.edu or call 531.MCC.2110.
About Outlook Business Solutions
Outlook Business Solutions helps businesses clear their roadblocks to growth while creating knowledge-based earning opportunities for people with vision loss. As part of Outlook Collaborative, a nonprofit with a mission to positively impact everyone who is blind or visually impaired, Outlook Business Solutions provides business consulting, marketing, digital accessibility and customer care services. The company’s growing network of professionals covers marketing strategy, customer service, sales, digital accessibility testing, graphic design/art, copywriting, videography and data entry. Businesses can be successful and help reduce the 70 percent unemployment rate among people with visual disabilities by outsourcing projects to Outlook Business Solutions. Call 531.365.5055 for a free consultation. Learn more at OutlookBusinessSolutions.com.
About Metropolitan Community College
Metropolitan Community College, accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, is a comprehensive, public community college that offers affordable, quality education to all residents of Dodge, Douglas, Sarpy and Washington counties. Founded in 1974, MCC has the largest enrollment out of six community colleges in Nebraska and is the second largest postsecondary institution in the state. MCC serves more than 40,000 unique credit and noncredit students.
Media contact:
Rachel Carver
Senior Specialist – Public Relations
531-365-5321
rcarver@OutlookBusinessSolutions.com
###