may good news roundup

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+---
+title: April 2026 Good News Roundup on Disability Inclusion and Accessibility
+description: A selection of uplifting stories on disability inclusion from February 20206
+published: 2026-05-12
+tags:
+  - good-news
+author: esther-klang
+---
+
+Every month, we gather stories from around the world that show what progress in inclusion and accessibility looks like in action, breakthroughs, bold initiatives, and communities leading the way. These are the moments that remind us that meaningful change is possible, and that it is already happening in ways both large and small.
+
+April did not disappoint. It was a month full of energy, creativity, and commitment from people and organizations working to build a more inclusive world. Whether through the arts, urban planning, or community advocacy, the stories that caught our attention this month reflected a shared belief: that everyone deserves to participate fully in the world around them.
+
+From a landmark Disney animation project reimagining what representation on screen can look like to a community-driven city plan in Australia that puts disabled residents at the heart of decision-making, the breadth of this month's highlights was striking. Here are four stories that moved, inspired, and gave us genuine hope.
+
+
+1. Bond, the UK network for international development organizations, called upon lived experience to develop “Disability Inclusion: Actions for Change,” a co-created and co-owned communication tool that gives policymakers and practitioners straightforward, actionable guidance. To create this resource, three of Bond’s partner Organizations of Persons with Disabilities (OPDs), including the Blind Youth Association of Nepal, the Northern Nomadic Disabled Persons Organization of Kenya, and the National Grassroots Disability Organization of Bangladesh, shared the detailed approaches they use to include people who are excluded. The UK Christian Blind Mission then worked with these OPD partners and an illustrator to turn these insights into an illustrated guide that is organized into three interconnected sections: Foundations for Change, Design for Change, and Implement Change. The resource is fully screen-reader accessible, and each OPD can freely use it in their own advocacy, awareness raising, and fundraising. This inclusive project is a powerful example of “nothing about us, without us”.
+
+   Original article: [Participation in Practice: Co-Creating Inclusion Resources with Disability-Led Organizations](https://www.bond.org.uk/news/2026/04/participation-in-practice-co-creating-inclusion-resources-with-disability-led-organisations/)
+
+2. Disney debuted “Songs in Sign Language” on Disney+ in honor of National Deaf History Month, reimagining and animating beloved musical sequences from Frozen 2, Encanto, and Moana 2 fully in American Sign Language. Hyrum Osmond, a Disney director and animator, was inspired to create the new versions by his father who is deaf. Osmond and over 20 animators worked with the Los Angeles Deaf West Theatre and a sign language reference choreographer to relay the concepts and emotion of the lyrics in each song. “Songs in Sign Language” is now available on Disney+ alongside a behind-the-scenes look at how the re-envisioned songs were made. DJ Kurs, artistic director for Deaf West Theatre said, “For so long, we have known and loved the artistic medium of Disney Animation. Here, the art form was adapting to us.”
+
+   Original article: [Disney Reimagines Animated Hits in Sign Language](https://www.disabilityscoop.com/2026/04/21/disney-reimagines-animated-hits-in-sign-language/31956/)
+
+3. Acadian Ambulance Service in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, introduced a new autism resource kit to improve emergency care for nonverbal individuals. Inspired in part by communication challenges faced by first responders during a car crash involving a nonverbal autistic teen traveling with his father, the kit includes a picture-based communication board available in English, Spanish, and Vietnamese on Acadian medics’ tablets. Other Acadian first responder kit components include a seatbelt identification tool for recognizing that an individual may be nonverbal, resources addressing elopement risks and caregiver support services, and an educational video series for better understanding autism and improving communication in the field.
+
+   Original article: [Acadian Ambulance Launches Response Kit to Help First Responders Communicate with Nonverbal Patients](https://www.ems1.com/special-needs-patients/acadian-ambulance-launches-response-kit-to-help-first-responders-communicate-with-nonverbal-patients)
+
+4. In New South Wales, Australia, Wollongong City Council endorsed a draft Disability Inclusion Action Plan for 2026 to 2030\. “From the very start of the planning process, people with lived experience of disability have been at the forefront,” said Lord Mayor of Wollongong Councillor Tania Brown. Through workshops, information stalls, meetings, and surveys, the city gathered honest insights that helped shape the resulting plan, which is built around four focus areas: creating liveable communities, promoting positive community attitudes and behaviors, supporting access to meaningful employment, and improving access to Council’s systems and processes. The draft is now open for public exhibition, giving residents a further opportunity to review and share their thoughts before Council finalizes the plan.
+
+   Original article: [Voice Shapes Wollongong's Disability Inclusion Plan](https://www.miragenews.com/voice-shapes-wollongongs-disability-inclusion-1658746/)
+
+5. Countless people around the world championed disability activism campaigns  throughout the month of April, such as Parkinson’s Awareness Month and World Malaria Day. To learn about upcoming campaigns and mark them on your calendar, please visit our disability awareness resource page through the following link: [Disability Awareness Dates](https://www.ta11y.org/learning/topic?key=plan.z_holidays)
+
+   These stories serve as a powerful reminder that inclusion is a goal being actively realized. From animation studios and emergency services to government offices, these changes are happening every single day. We look forward to sharing more positive global updates with you next month. Until then, please consider passing this post along to anyone who might find these stories inspiring\!
+