CUNA has been working with the National Federation of the Blind (NFB) to find solutions to issues surrounding the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and NFB President Mark Riccobono addressed the audience Monday at the CUNA Governmental Affairs Conference.

Credit unions around the country are being hit with lawsuits alleging noncompliance with the ADA, but the ADA does not have specific accessibility requirements for websites. CUNA has been actively defending credit unions facing litigation but has also been working with disability rights groups to find common ground and permanent solutions for website accessibility standards.

Riccobono expressed hope that the NFB, CUNA and credit unions could work together to benefit their members, and said he looked forward to seeing what the two organizations can do.

“We would love to see CUNA lead the nation in terms of leading an industry that’s taking accessibility very seriously not just implementing best practices, but innovating best practices for all consumers,” he said. “We believe that together we can eliminate the artificial barriers to access for blind people and credit unions and create new economic opportunities for blind people and for your institutions.”

Riccobono also said that one of the biggest challenges faced by blind people is accessing information, and the most important source of that information is found online.

He stressed that the information isn’t just ones and zeroes, but it impacts a blind person who suddenly cannot check her bank balance, or a blind business owner suddenly can’t deposit a check if these resources aren’t made accessible.

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