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♿️ The Week’s News in Access Information
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This Week’s Featured Advertisement 🎯️
AI Reality Check: A Must-Attend Wake-Up Call for Disability Advocates & Innovators: August 20, 2025
Think AI is just hype? Think again — it’s already shaping disability access, often without your voice. Join Mai Ling Chan, CCC-SLP, for a candid, interactive 1-hour session that will challenge what you think you know about AI and disability advocacy. Discover where AI is getting it wrong, how biased data and inaccessible tools are creeping into hiring, healthcare, and education, and — most importantly — how you can take back control.
You’ll learn practical ways to influence AI, protect yourself and your clients, and stop being sidelined by systems built without your input. Perfect for disability professionals, educators, content creators, and advocates ready to lead, not follow. Don’t let AI create a future without you — step up, get informed, and be part of the solution. Reserve your spot now — and be a part of this epic event!
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1.) Top 5 Most Clicked News Articles From Last Week 📊️
A.) Maintaining Independence In Your Home | Maryland State Library | YouTube.com | June 6, 2025
Ellen Platt and Amy Young explore how care managers and occupational therapists collaborate to help individuals with vision loss remain independent at home through personalized care plans, resource coordination, and tailored home modifications.
B.) How To Survive A Disaster In The Age Of Trump: Emergency FEMA Wild Fire Hurricane | Wired.com | June 5, 2025
Here Wired.com provides a comprehensive guide on disaster preparedness amid federal agency cutbacks, emphasizing the importance of local alerts, maintaining emergency supplies, safeguarding critical documents, and fostering community connections to navigate increasingly severe climate events.
C.) Supreme Court Sides With Woman Claiming Anti-Straight Job Discrimination | WashingtonPost.com | June 5, 2025
The U.S. Supreme Court unanimously ruled that Marlean Ames, a straight woman from Ohio, can proceed with her job discrimination lawsuit, eliminating the higher burden previously imposed on majority-group plaintiffs and emphasizing that Title VII protections apply equally to all individuals regardless of group status.
D.) Stop Making Trump the Scapegoat for Leaving Students with Disabilities Behind | Joe Orozco | June 4, 2025
The Trump administration is at it again! A couple weeks ago Teen Vogue ran an op-ed arguing college students with disabilities are “being abandoned.” Take a moment to read the article so we can debate it on equal footing.
E.) Podcast: Remarkable World Commentary Episode #27: Interview with Dr. Alan Chase, Director, EyeRetreat.org | | Donna J. Jodhan, LLB, ACSP, MBA | June 9, 2025
In this engaging episode of Remarkable World Commentary, host Donna J. Jodhan sits down with Dr. Alan Chase, founder of North Carolina’s EYE Retreat, to trace the camp’s evolution from a post-legislation idea into an 18-year-strong, peer-led summer program that equips blind and visually impaired teens for college, careers, and entrepreneurship. Their lively conversation explores the spark that legislation ignited, the importance of self-advocacy, the power of mentors with lived experience, and the retreat’s hands-on curriculum — everything from classroom workshops to real-world transit, campus, and workplace visits — that helps students build confidence, networks, and practical skills to “retreat from no challenge.”
June 16, 2025 📅️
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4.) Premium Subscribers | AccessInformationNews.com | June 16, 2025
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5.) Sponsored News Articles | AccessInformationNews.com | June 16, 2025
Use Sponsored News Articles to reach the access community when you need to. Whether you are a current Sponsor or not. Drive traffic to your access product and service announcements, events, updates or fundraisers using this incredibly cost-effective and easy-to-use advertisement tool. Learn more today.
6.) Do You Have A Link In This Issue? Learn How To Track It For Free | AccessInformationNews.com | June 16, 2025
This article will outline, step-by-step, how you can get free website traffic reporting on any link to your domain (AKA domain name, website or web address) that has been published by Access Information News since January 22, 2024, when we launched this feature.
7.) SPINE and the Power of Design: Inclusion Doesn’t Happen by Accident — It Happens by Strategy, Practice, Ideation, Need, and Execution | Dr. Kirk Adams | June 16, 2025
What does a workplace look like when equity is built into its foundation, not just added on? There’s no shortage of good intentions when it comes to equity, diversity, and inclusion in the workplace. Every year, organizations roll out new slogans, celebrate awareness months, and update their mission statements. And yet, year after year, people with disabilities, people of color, and other underrepresented groups remain systematically excluded from leadership pipelines, strategic planning processes, and core decision-making. Why? Because intention alone doesn’t build equity. Infrastructure does.
8.) Recording: Dr. Kirk Adams, CREATE Community Day, May 28, 2025, University of Washington | DrKirkAdams.com | June 16, 2025
I still remember the first time I used a piece of assistive technology that truly worked — not just technically, but functionally, in the world I was navigating. It was rare. Too often, the promise of accessibility stays locked inside prototypes, white papers, or grant reports. For those of us who are blind or disabled, it’s not innovation until it shows up in our jobs, in our classrooms, on our streets. The pace of invention in accessible technology has never been faster — but the path that carries those innovations into real people’s lives is still far too slow and uneven.
June 15, 2025 📅️
9.) Mending the Trust Divide: Strategies for a More Engaged Workforce | HRSpotlight.com | June 13, 2025
The 2025 Edelman Trust Barometer, unveiled in January, has sounded a wake-up call, exposing a troubling global decline in employee trust: Only 75% of workers now believe their employers “do the right thing,” a steep 3-point drop from previous years that underscores a widening trust gap in workplaces worldwide. As organizations navigate a landscape marked by remote work fatigue, economic uncertainty, and a 3.5% unemployment rate (SHRM, 2025), this erosion of confidence threatens morale, productivity, and retention. The Techronicler team reached out to a powerhouse panel of HR experts and business leaders to confront this pressing challenge with a critical query: As an HR or business leader, what practical steps would you suggest to rebuild trust and address this workplace challenge?
10.) Podcast: “I Haven’t Given Up” | HadleyHelps.org | Insights and Sound Bites Podcast | June 13, 2025
Learning he would never see again was heartbreaking for Shannon. Embracing what challenged him, Shannon discovered strength in the unfamiliar.
11.) Countdown Begins For 35-Year Anniversary Of Key Legislation Protecting Those With Disabilities | WTOP.com | June 12, 2025
As the Americans with Disabilities Act nears its 35th anniversary, experts reflect on its lasting impact on accessibility and inclusion, recognizing the evolving understanding and scope of disability rights since 1990.
12.) Amazon’s Return-To-Office Mandate Sparks Disability Complaints | Fortune.com | June 12, 2025
Amazon is facing backlash for allegedly violating the Americans with Disabilities Act by enforcing its return-to-office policy on disabled employees, with multiple complaints filed to federal labor and equal employment agencies.
13.) ‘Stories Don’t Have To Be About Disability’ To Feature Actors With A Disability: A Call For Change | IndieWire.com | June 12, 2025
During a panel at the Cannes Film Festival, disability advocates emphasized the need for authentic representation in entertainment, calling for more roles for disabled actors that are not limited to disability-focused stories.
14.) Star Trek Has My Perfect Disability Story With Strange New Worlds’ Captain Pike | ThePopVerse.com | June 12, 2025
Using the hero’s journey as a framework, the portrayal of Captain Pike in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds captures the emotional truth of living with trauma and disability, offering a rare example of nuanced representation in science fiction.
15.) Proposal Would Change Medicaid Eligibility Rules For People With Intellectual Disabilities | IslanderNews.com | June 12, 2025
A Florida legislative proposal aims to simplify Medicaid access for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities by eliminating annual eligibility redetermination, potentially offering lifelong coverage barring significant changes in status.
16.) Supreme Court Sides With Teen Who Has Epilepsy In Her Fight With School | USAToday.com | June 12, 2025
In a unanimous decision, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of a student with a rare form of epilepsy, potentially easing the path for families to seek damages under the ADA for disability discrimination in schools.
17.) Protecting DEI When The Rules Keep Shifting: Join ISDI’s July 1, 2025 Lunch-And-Learn On Legal Landmines And Messaging That Wins | DrKirkAdams.com | June 11, 2025
Here Dr. Kirk Adams invites participants to an ISDI lunch-and-learn on July 1, 2025, focusing on navigating evolving DEI legal compliance, avoiding pitfalls, and crafting effective messaging.
18.) There’s More To Making A Subway Station Accessible Than An Elevator | WestSideRag.com | June 11, 2025
Jamie Torres-Springer, president of MTA Construction & Development, shared insights into the ongoing accessibility upgrades at the West 81st Street-Museum of Natural History subway station, highlighting the excavation phase of elevator installation expected to complete by 2026.
19.) Accessibility Audits Ensure Church’s Doors Are Open To All | UMNews.org | June 11, 2025
The United Methodist Church emphasizes accessibility through annual disability audits of church facilities, supported by volunteers and grants, to ensure inclusivity for all congregants.
20.) UK: Call To Ensure Public EV Charging Is Accessible | TransportAndEnergy.com | June 11, 2025
MP Sir Jeremy Wright urges the UK Government to amend the Planning and Infrastructure Bill so public EV charging infrastructure is designed to be safe and usable for the country’s 1.35 million disabled drivers.
21.) UK: BBC Suspension: How Should HR Address Disability Discrimination? | HRMagazine.co.uk | June 11, 2025
The BBC suspended EastEnders actor Jamie Borthwick after a video showed him using an ableist slur, prompting discussion on how HR teams should tackle disability discrimination.
22.) UK: ‘I Was Treated Like I Didn’t Matter’: Deaf Patients Left Without ‘Basic Accessibility’ In NHS And Unable To Communicate With Doctors | LBC.co.uk | June 11, 2025
Deaf patients in the NHS are often denied essential communication support, with only 7% receiving British Sign Language interpreters, leading to dangerous gaps in medical care.
23.) 3 Ways To Improve The Passenger Experience At Airport Kiosks | TPGi.com | June 10, 2025
Enhancing airport kiosk accessibility is crucial for promoting independent travel for individuals with disabilities. By incorporating accessible hardware, providing intuitive audio interfaces like JAWS for Kiosk, and ensuring collaborative efforts among all stakeholders, airports can significantly improve the passenger experience while complying with accessibility standards.
24.) Why Doesn’T The Trump NLRB Want Workers To Know Their Rights? | TCF.org | June 10, 2025
The National Labor Relations Board proposed a $14 million budget cut while expecting increased case resolutions, despite staff losses and long-standing underfunding, raising concerns about transparency and worker rights awareness.
25.) Dropping In With WCMX Rider Mo O’Neill | VTDigger.org | June 10, 2025
Mo O’Neill, an adaptive athlete and WCMX rider, shares their journey of independence and thrill-seeking through wheelchair motocross, often seen performing tricks at Burlington skateparks.
26.) Belgium: Over 70% Of Flemish Train Stations Inaccessible To Disabled Passengers | BelgaNewsAgency.eu | June 10, 2025
Only 29% of Flemish train stations meet accessibility standards, lacking features like ramps, lifts, and accessible ticket machines, hindering independent travel for disabled passengers.
27.) Canada: Halifax’s Shared E-Bike, Scooter Pilot Causing Some Accessibility Issues, Say Advocates | CBC.ca | June 10, 2025
Advocates for people who are blind or have low vision say e-scooters from Halifax’s micromobility pilot are being left in the middle of sidewalks, creating safety hazards and forcing pedestrians to backtrack and reroute.
28.) En”abling” Change: Tackling Disability on Wikipedia | WikiEdu.org | June 9, 2025
On the eve of the next Wiki Education Speaker Series, we’re looking back at the powerful conversation between our most recent panelists, each bringing their professional and personal passions to improving a content area all too often neglected on Wikipedia and beyond.
29.) Uber Is Trying To Help Older Americans’ Transportation Troubles. Will It Work? | USAToday.com | June 9, 2025
Yvette Pegues, who uses a wheelchair after a spinal cord injury, highlights ongoing issues with Uber rides for people with disabilities, including high costs, canceled rides, and lack of driver assistance.
30.) Amarillo Woman Advocates For Accessibility After Life-Changing Accident | ABC7Amarillo.com | June 9, 2025
After a car crash left her paralyzed, Kathryn Granger founded Sister Bear to support those with spinal cord and neurological injuries, working with the City of Amarillo to enhance accessibility through a renewed task force.
31.) Do Disabled People Really Have The Same Rights? | WKNOFM.org | June 9, 2025
A landmark Supreme Court case in 1999 marked progress in disability rights, but ongoing challenges remain in areas such as transportation, employment, and digital accessibility, underscoring the fight for true independence.
32.) Her Knee Surgery Made Her Change How She Cooks. Now Her Accessible Cooking Series Has Gone Viral | People.com | June 9, 2025
After undergoing knee surgery, Carolyn adapted her cooking methods to be more accessible, and her innovative, inclusive cooking series has since gained viral attention for empowering people with disabilities in the kitchen.
33.) AI Doesn’t Need To Think. We Do! | CraigAbbott.co.uk | June 7, 2025
Here Craig Abbott emphasizes the importance of human judgment when using AI, explaining that large language models generate coherent responses based on statistical patterns rather than understanding, and warns against outsourcing critical thinking to tools that mimic intelligence. He illustrates how LLMs may produce convincing but potentially incorrect information and urges users to evaluate AI-generated content critically.
34.) UK: Here’s Why Beauty Products Should Be Made More Accessible For All | TheTimes.com | June 7, 2025
A writer with a muscle-weakness disability highlights how the redesign of a beauty product’s packaging made it inaccessible, emphasizing the need for universally inclusive design in the beauty industry.
35.) UK: “People Have A Right To Blue Spaces”, Says Accessibility Survey Founder | Yahoo.com | June 7, 2025
Will Behenna, founder of the Beach Access Project, launched a national survey to highlight the inaccessibility of many blue spaces for people with disabilities, advocating for independent access to water-based environments.
36.) In Emergency Appeal, Trump Asks Supreme Court To Let Him Gut Education Department | USAToday.com | June 6, 2025
The Trump administration filed an emergency appeal asking the Supreme Court to lift a block on efforts to dismantle the Education Department and shift school policy authority to the states.
37.) Are We Prepared To Fight ‘The New Polio’? | ScienceFriday.com | June 6, 2025
Acute flaccid myelitis (AFM), a polio-like disease causing paralysis in children, is raising concerns among experts about preparedness for future outbreaks, as research into a vaccine continues.
38.) Savannah Mom Frustrated With Lack Of Wheelchair Accessibility | WSAV.com | June 6, 2025
A Savannah mother highlights the ongoing difficulties of navigating the city with her daughter’s wheelchair, citing poor infrastructure and lack of suitable parking for accessible vans.
39.) Accessible Travel Changing For People With Disabilities After Designation | SpectrumNews1.com | June 6, 2025
One Ohio county has been recognized for its inclusive tourist destinations, including the Pyramid Hill Sculpture Park, which offers a quiet, accessible environment that provides relief for visitors like 16-year-old Addi, who has cerebral palsy and sensory challenges.
40.) Australia: When AI Erased My Disability | Time.com | June 6, 2025
Australian writer Jessica Smith discovered that image-generation tools consistently added a missing limb, highlighting how AI can marginalize disabled identities even as it promises greater accessibility.
41.) UK: Design And Disability Review — ‘A World-Shaping, Boundary-Breaking Joy Of A Show’ | TheGuardian.com | June 6, 2025
The V&A’s ‘Design and Disability’ exhibition celebrates disabled creativity and community action, showcasing innovative objects and reframing disability as a proud cultural identity.
42.) UK: Guide Dogs Attend Royal Ascot As Part Of Training | BBC.com | June 6, 2025
Guide dog puppies, aged 12 weeks to 10 months, attended Royal Ascot as part of their socialization training, helping them adapt to unusual environments including extravagant hats and large crowds.
43.) Disability Advocates Discuss Parking Issues When Public Spaces Are Closed Off In Downtown Salt Lake City | Fox13Now.com | June 5, 2025
Summer events in Salt Lake City are bringing more road closures and barriers, creating accessibility challenges for residents trying to attend city meetings, particularly those with disabilities who rely on convenient parking.
44.) Canada: Efforts Are Underway To Make Dawson City, Yukon, More Accessible — But It’s Not Easy | CBC.ca | June 5, 2025
Efforts aim to improve Dawson City’s accessibility while maintaining its historic boardwalks and unpaved charm, addressing challenges faced by residents with mobility issues.
45.) UK: Inside Bupa’s Bold Campaign To Dismantle Exclusion In Disability Representation | TheDrum.com | June 5, 2025
Bupa leverages its ParalympicsGB sponsorship to replace “superhuman” tropes with authentic portrayals of disabled people and confront exclusion in health marketing.
46.) Canada: Saskatchewan Commits To Accessibility With Deafblind Awareness Month | WestCentralOnline.com | June 5, 2025
Saskatchewan declared June as Deafblind Awareness Month, pledging to work with community partners to build more inclusive services for Deafblind residents.
47.) Championing Accessibility: Technical And Non-Technical Tips | EqualEntry.com | June 3, 2025
This blog post highlights strategies for championing digital accessibility, emphasizing that change can be driven by anyone within an organization. Key points include building an accessibility-focused culture, effective training, and fostering empathy and collaboration among teams.
48.) Legal Update: May 2025 | ConvergeAccessibility.com | June 2, 2025
This month saw minimal web accessibility legal action, though significant reminders include the European Accessibility Act enforcement deadline on June 28, 2025, and Colorado’s requirement for WCAG 2.1 AA compliance by July 1, 2025. The update also notes the FTC’s finalized order against accessiBe, prohibiting misleading compliance claims and imposing a $1 million fine.
49.) Colour Alone Can Be Used To Convey Meaning, And I Don’t Like It! | TemperTemper.net | June 2, 2025
This article critiques the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) regarding the use of color as a sole means of conveying information. It emphasizes the importance of combining color with additional cues like text or icons to enhance accessibility, while expressing concern about the potential laziness it encourages in design practices.
50.) Inside AXS Labs’ Mission To Make The Real World A More Accessible Place To All Disabled People | CurbCuts.co | May 28, 2025
Here Steven Aquino covers how AXS Labs, founded by Jason DaSilva, empowers communities to rate and map real-world accessibility through AXS Maps — helping users identify and explore accessible locations via user-generated data and mobile apps.
51.) I Am Disabled But Educated And Ready To Work; Only Medicaid Won’t Let Me | TheHill.com | May 25, 2025
A disabled individual discusses the barriers faced when seeking employment due to restrictive Medicaid policies. They highlight how these limitations not only affect their personal aspirations but also contribute to wider issues of workforce participation and inclusivity for disabled people.
52.) A Striking Moment In American Activism | TheAtlantic.com | May 23, 2025
The new Apple TV+ documentary “Deaf President Now!” highlights the 1988 protests at Gallaudet University, where students fought for the appointment of a Deaf president, ultimately emphasizing the importance of representation and disability rights. Co-directed by Davis Guggenheim and Nyle DiMarco, the film revisits a pivotal moment in disability activism, challenging societal perceptions of Deafness.
53.) A11y 101: 1.4.12 Text Spacing | Tarnoff.info | May 19, 2025
This article examines the significance of text spacing in web accessibility, specifically focusing on how adjustable text layout can benefit individuals with various reading and processing disorders. It highlights guidelines from WCAG regarding line height, letter spacing, and word spacing to enhance readability and user experience.
54.) This Future Must Include Us All, Even Figma | AHumanFuture.co | May 12, 2025
The announcement of Figma Sites, a tool for non-technical users to create responsive web layouts, raises concerns about the accessibility of the generated code. The article critiques the ongoing challenges in web accessibility while emphasizing the responsibilities of large tech firms to prioritize quality and inclusivity in digital products.
➜ Featured Events 📅️
Submit your event for consideration within this section here.
June 16, 2025 | Building Community Events Panel – DC Edition! (Virtual) | Association Of Independents In Radio
12:00 PM PT, 1:00 PM MT, 2:00 PM CT, 3:00 PM ET, 7:00 PM GMT
Moderated by Thomas from the DC Audio community, this virtual panel hosted by AIR features Hanna Rosin, Ellen Weiss, and Siona Peterous in a discussion on building audio communities in Washington, DC. Panelists share insights from local organizing efforts and offer ideas for fostering creative collaboration in any city.
June 17, 2025 | Join Our June 2025 Webinar From Blazie Technologies | Blazie Technologies
4:00 PM PT, 5:00 PM MT, 6:00 PM CT, 7:00 PM ET, 11:00 PM GMT
In this live session, Blazie Technologies presents the latest updates to BT Speak and invites participants to engage with the team, ask questions, and offer feedback. The webinar will be recorded and shared on the organization’s website for future access.
June 18, 2024 | Superbrain Telehaptic Device | Enviter
2:00 AM PT, 3:00 AM MT, 4:00 AM CT, 5:00 AM ET, 9:00 AM GMT
In this webinar hosted by Enviter, Madis Päev of 7Sense introduces the SuperBrain telehaptic device, which enables blind users to perceive their environment through touch. The session explores how haptic feedback can convey spatial information like motion, speed, and distance, enhancing interaction with both people and surroundings in daily life.
June 18, 2025 | Envision Glasses – General Overview (Assistive Technology Webinar) | Envision
10:00 AM PT, 11:00 AM MT, 12:00 PM CT, 1:00 PM ET, 5:00 PM GMT
Join Ian Ramos for a virtual tour of Envision Glasses, a lightweight, camera-equipped assistive device that reads text, recognizes faces, and conveys environmental information to visually impaired users in over 60 languages.
June 19, 2025 | Six Essential Tips For Enhancing Your Onedrive Experience With JAWS | Freedom Scientific
9:00 AM PT, 10:00 AM MT, 11:00 AM CT, 12:00 PM ET, 4:00 PM GMT
In this informative session, Vispero’s Elizabeth Whitaker and Rachel Buchanan share practical strategies for optimizing the OneDrive experience with JAWS, including how to locate and access files efficiently, open shared files in the desktop app, use OneDrive in Teams, and manage Favorites. ACVREP credits are available for live attendees.
June 25, 2025 | Part 1: Creating Accessible Microsoft Word Files — Headings, Tables, Lists, Styles, And Structure | Digital Accessibility Webinar | Access Ingenuity
10:00 AM PT, 11:00 AM MT, 12:00 PM CT, 1:00 PM ET, 5:00 PM GMT
Rachel Reeves covers foundational techniques for building accessible Word documents that convert more cleanly to PDFs, including structure, headings, lists, and styles.
June 26, 2024 | Pieces Of An Accessibility Audit: Semantics, Design Patterns, And Attributes; Oh My! | TPGi.com
9:00 AM PT, 10:00 AM MT, 11:00 AM CT, 12:00 PM ET, 4:00 PM GMT
In this free webinar, TPGi Accessibility Engineer Wes Estes examines how semantics, design patterns, and attributes contribute to accessible digital content. Attendees will learn to assess whether elements convey the correct purpose and value programmatically, ensuring that assistive technologies interpret interfaces as intended.
July 8, 2025 through July 13, 2025| NFB 2025 National Convention | National Federation Of The Blind
The National Federation of the Blind hosts its 2025 National Convention from July 8 — 13 in New Orleans, offering a week of networking, informative sessions, and advocacy. In-person and virtual registration options are available, with programming that includes a career fair, childcare, and volunteer opportunities such as ambassador and support service provider roles.
July 16, 2025 | Envision Glasses: New Features And Advancements | Assistive Technology Webinar | Access Ingenuity
10:00 AM PT, 11:00 AM MT, 12:00 PM CT, 1:00 PM ET, 5:00 PM GMT
Ian Ramos leads a virtual tour of the newest Envision Glasses capabilities, including GPT-4-powered features designed for natural-language interaction.
July 23, 2025 | Part 2: Converting Accessible Microsoft Word Files Into PDFs — Cleaning Tags And Final Fixes In Adobe Acrobat | Digital Accessibility Webinar | Access Ingenuity
10:00 AM PT, 11:00 AM MT, 12:00 PM CT, 1:00 PM ET, 5:00 PM GMT
Rachel Reeves details the steps for converting accessible Word files into fully accessible PDFs, including manual tag cleanup and final fixes in Adobe Acrobat.
July 26, 2025 | Blind and Low-Vision Workshop by Dr. Kirk Adams and Aaron Di Blasi: ChatGPT Advanced Voice Mode Demonstration: Cutting Edge AI For The Blind: How We’re Using It | June 26, 2025 | Live on LinkedIn | Recording and Transcript Available After The Workshop | Supercharge Your Bottom Line Through Disability Inclusion | Access Ingenuity
11:00 AM PT, 12:00 AM MT, 1:00 PM CT, 2:00 PM ET, 5:00 PM GMT
Discover how ChatGPT Advanced Voice Mode empowers blind and low-vision users with real-time emotional AI, voice interaction, and visual grounding. Join Dr. Kirk Adams and Aaron Di Blasi for a groundbreaking demo and learn how this cutting-edge tech enhances accessibility, productivity, and inclusion.
July 28, 2025 through August 2, 2025 | Careers & Canine Connections | A Collaboration Between Guide Dogs for the Blind and APH Career Connect, by APH Connect Center
Guide Dogs for the Blind and APH Career Connect present a weeklong immersive experience designed for transition-age young adults who are blind or have low vision. Hosted at the Hull Foundation & Learning Center in Sandy, Oregon, this free program explores career options, networking, mobility strategies, vocational resources, and hands-on experiences with guide dogs. Participants will engage in engaging learning opportunities while making new connections and enjoying the scenic Pacific Northwest. Applications are DUE on or before March 31, 2025. Applications received after this date will be put on a waitlist. We recommend you apply early as summer programs are popular and fill up quickly.
July 30, 2025 | Basics Of Navigating The File Explorer & Cloud Storages With JAWS: OneDrive, SharePoint, And Google Drive | Assistive Technology Webinar | Access Ingenuity
10:00 AM PT, 11:00 AM MT, 12:00 PM CT, 1:00 PM ET, 5:00 PM GMT
Marisa Church and Ian Ramos walk through essential file-management tasks using JAWS, including navigating File Explorer and accessing cloud storage services like OneDrive, SharePoint, and Google Drive.
August 20, 2025 | AI Reality Check for Disability Advocates and Innovators | Mai Ling Chan | Exceptional Leaders Network
2:00 PM PT, 3:00 PM MT, 4:00 PM CT, 5:00 PM ET, 9:00 PM GMT
Think AI is just hype? Think again — it’s already shaping disability access, often without your voice. Join Mai Ling Chan, CCC-SLP, for a candid, interactive 1-hour session that will challenge what you think you know about AI and disability advocacy. Discover where AI is getting it wrong, how biased data and inaccessible tools are creeping into hiring, healthcare, and education, and — most importantly — how you can take back control. You’ll learn practical ways to influence AI, protect yourself and your clients, and stop being sidelined by systems built without your input. Perfect for disability professionals, educators, content creators, and advocates ready to lead, not follow. Don’t let AI create a future without you — step up, get informed, and be part of the solution. Reserve your spot now — and be a part of this epic event!
May 21, 2026 | Tech Blitz 2026: Assistive Technology Showcase Brings Together Blind, Deafblind, And Low Vision Community For Innovation, Discovery, And Connection. | Helen Keller Services
3:00 PM PT, 4:00 PM MT, 5:00 PM CT, 6:00 PM ET, 11:00 PM GMT
In this in-person showcase hosted by Helen Keller Services, assistive technology vendors, innovators, and users come together for a day of interactive demonstrations, in-depth discussions, and community connection focused on advancing access and independence for the blind, DeafBlind, and low vision communities.
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⬆︎ 10.) Sponsor: AccessibleWeb
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➜︎ Tools:
⚫️ Accessible Web RAMP: Our digital accessibility platform that enables teams to discover, monitor, and remediate web accessibility violations. RAMP offers continuous monitoring, prioritized workflows, and progress reporting to facilitate ongoing compliance efforts.
⚫️ Accessible Web Helper Extension: An accessibility browser extension that allows users to scan web pages, highlight accessibility violations, and check color contrast ratios directly from their browser, streamlining the auditing process.
➜︎ Education:
⚫️ Accessible Web Academy: We offer self-guided online courses tailored to various organizational roles, promoting a culture of inclusivity and equipping teams with the knowledge to implement accessible design from the outset.
⚫️ Knowledge Base and Blog: Our resources include articles on assistive technologies, remediation tutorials, and answers to common web accessibility questions, supporting continuous learning and awareness. We host webinars most Thursdays on various accessibility topics.
We emphasize a proactive approach to web accessibility, advocating for integrating accessible design principles early in the development process to enhance user experience, attract new customers, and mitigate legal risks associated with non-compliance.
For more information or to explore our services and resources, visit our website.
Facebook | LinkedIn | Reddit | YouTube
⬆︎ 9.) Sponsor: Magnifiers & More
Sponsor Since: October 25, 2024 📅️
Website: https://www.magnifiersandmore.net 🌐️
Email: info@magnifiersandmore.net 📧️
Phone: (440) 946-3363 📱️
Fax: (440) 946-8899 📠️
Visit: 7775 Mentor Avenue, Mentor, Ohio 44060, USA
About: Magnifiers & More, established in 2002 by Deborah Kogler, is Northeast Ohio’s only retail store dedicated to providing products and consultations for individuals with low vision, blindness, and vision disabilities. With over forty years of experience in eye care, Deborah founded the company to create a one-stop shop for vision aids, including specialized tools for managing conditions like macular degeneration, glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, and cataracts.
The store offers a wide range of over seventy-five magnifiers, talking items, large print products, special lights, electronic aids, Braille items, glare control solutions and More.
A key figure in the company’s story is Murphy, Deborah’s Golden Retriever and original CEO, “Canine Executive Officer,” who was the store’s mascot and greeter for 15 years. Today, Jeffrey, another Golden Retriever trained as a service dog, serves as the CFO, “Canine Fun Officer,” delighting customers and supporting Deborah.
Deborah’s journey into vision rehabilitation was inspired by her grandmother’s experience with macular degeneration, sparking her passion to make vision aids accessible. She continues to advocate for and educate those living with vision disabilities, both locally and internationally.
Magnifiers & More is committed to helping people improve their quality of life through practical solutions and compassionate support.
⬆︎ 8.) Sponsor: Innosearch.ai
👉️ Classified Advertisement: Shop by Phone — No Screens, Just Your Voice!
Call 1-855-SHOP-GPT (1-855-746-7478)
Shopping online can be hard if you’re blind, visually impaired, or not tech-savvy. That’s why Innosearch AI created Shop by Phone — a 100% free, voice-only service.
Just call and say what you need:
👉 “Find me a phone charger.”
👉 “Add it to my cart.”
👉 “Check out.”
No apps, no websites — just easy, hands-free shopping from over 500,000 stores.
- ✔ Free to use
- ✔ Works anywhere, anytime
- ✔ Perfect for seniors, blind, and low-vision users
Available in:
- 🇬🇧 UK: +44 7727 247467 📱️
- 🇨🇦 Canada: +1 782 222 7467 📱️
- 🇦🇺 Australia: +61 489 267 467 📱️
- 🇺🇸 USA: 1-855-SHOP-GPT 📱️ (1-855-746-7478 📱️)
Call now and shop with ease!
Sponsor Since: October 15, 2024 📅️
Website: https://www.innosearch.ai 🌐️
Email: info@innosearch.ai 📧️
About: Innosearch is an all-in-one shopping platform augmented with a cutting-edge AI-powered shopping assistant. This innovative feature mimics the experience of shopping in real life by allowing you to interact with the assistant using natural language. It aggregates millions of products from top US online retailers, bringing them directly to you. With this advanced generative AI, Innosearch offers personalized product recommendations, highlights the best deals, and provides comprehensive information including reviews, total prices, shipping options, and more. Innosearch delivers a seamless end-to-end shopping experience, eliminating the need to search and browse in multiple tabs across retailers.
YouTube Review By Sam Seavey: https://youtube.com/watch?v=-rjL-HAwaZY.
Key Features: Key Features of the Innosearch All-in-One AI Shopping Platform include:
➜ Research Products: Easily compare products across retailers, or weigh pros and cons of similar products to make informed decisions.
➜ Uncover the Best Deals: Never miss a door buster, coupon, or clearance sale again. Get notified about the best prices and offers.
➜ AI Summarized Trusted Reviews: See what others are saying and make confident purchases.
➜ All in One: Innosearch brings millions of products from top online retailers directly to you, allowing you to shop the best deals with easy checkout and personalized AI assistance.
➜ Shop with Confidence: Rest assured, Innosearch has you covered with free shipping and returns on every purchase.
➜ Know Before You Buy: Innosearch equips you with expert buying guides, empowering you to make well-informed decisions.
How To Shop: Simply create a free account and start shopping today!
⬆︎ 7.) Sponsor: Aira
Sponsor Since: September 9, 2024 📅️
Website: https://aira.io/ 🌐️
Download the App: Apple App Store | Google Play Store
Plans and Pricing: https://aira.io/pricing/
Phone: NA: +1.800.835.1934 📱️ | AU: +1.800.765.096 📱️ | UK: +0.800.046.5668 📱️ | NZ: +1.800.425.451 📱️
Text Message: NA: +1.858.242.4457 📱️ | AU: +61.488.839.767 📱️ | UK: +44.149.320.2474 📱️
Email: support@aira.io 📧️
Social: Twitter | Facebook | LinkedIn | YouTube | Instagram
About: Aira’s mission is to remove barriers and make the world more accessible with visual interpreting.
We provide a live, human-to-human professional assistance service, an accommodation or productivity tool, that enhances independence by delivering on-demand, skilled and reliable visual interpreting for just about any task. Using the powerful combination of a camera and the Aira app on someone’s device of ‘choice’, a professionally-trained agent will assist by visually interpreting what is in the camera’s view or on screen, from describing to reading, from explaining to navigating – just about anything, safely and securely. Aira supports a growing range of devices including smart and tactile button phones, desktop computers and soon, wearables.
Whether you are involved in the work of business, the work of school or the work of life, Aira enhances everyday efficiency, engagement, and independence. Used by employees and customers of hundreds of organizations including airports, banks, the largest software companies, financial firms, retailers and universities, we invite you to join the community, access the Aira app today and try it for free.
https://aira.io/download-and-try-it/
Step One: Subscribe and Download. Pick the plan that lets you explore on your terms and on your time, sign up in a few minutes, and download the Aira app to your smartphone. Plans shown are for the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom. Add or cancel at any time.
Step Two: Connect with an Aira Agent. On the first call, connect with one of our certified, specially-trained Agents and learn how everything works.
Step Three: Real-time Assistance. At the touch of a button, Aira delivers instant access to visual information, when and where you want it.
⬆︎ 6.) Sponsor: Dr. Kirk Adams
👉️ Classified Advertisement: Supercharge Your Bottom Line Through Disability Inclusion With Dr. Kirk Adams: June 25, 2025 | LinkedIn Live Webinar | Virtual Event
Join us for another inspiring episode of Supercharge Your Bottom Line Through Disability Inclusion With Dr. Kirk Adams!
📅️ Date: Thursday, June 25, 2025
🕛️ Time: 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM PT
📍️ Where: LinkedIn Live Stream Virtual Event
Don’t miss this opportunity to hear from integrity-based leaders in:
👉️ Disability-Owned Businesses
👉️ Corporate Supplier Diversity
👉️ Disability Advocacy
👉️ Disabled Entrepreneurship
👉️ Assistive Technology Innovation
Dr. Kirk Adams, former CEO of the American Foundation for the Blind, will host an engaging discussion on disability inclusion and innovative business practices.
This monthly event brings together visionaries who believe in creating collaborative solutions and advancing opportunities for people with disabilities.
Tune in to expand your network, gain valuable insights, and be part of the conversation shaping a more inclusive future!
To watch the show visit: https://drkirkadams.com/webinars/supercharge-your-bottom-line/. We post each show here shortly after it airs live.
To attend this, or a future show, please send your request for information to: kirkadams@drkirkadams.com 📧️.
#DisabilityInclusion #Accessibility #Innovation #SYBL #SYBLTDI
Sponsor Since: July 22, 2024 📅️
Website: https://drkirkadams.com 🌐️
About: Hello, and welcome to the Heart of Influence With Dr. Kirk Adams Show.
About: Dr. Kirk Adams is a visionary leader, transformative speaker, and lifelong advocate for disability inclusion. With over three decades of experience in advancing accessibility and creating opportunities for individuals who are blind or visually impaired, Dr. Adams has become a powerful force for change in the areas of leadership, accessibility, and inclusion. His journey — from navigating vision loss as a young child to becoming a recognized thought leader in disability empowerment — uniquely equips him to help organizations understand, integrate, and champion inclusive practices that benefit all.
Dr. Adams is a highly sought-after speaker, known for his engaging and thought-provoking keynotes on disability inclusion, accessible leadership, and the power of resilience. He has spoken at numerous national and international conferences, including corporate seminars, public policy forums, and industry events, where his personal story and professional insights have inspired leaders to rethink their approach to diversity, equity, and inclusion. His passion lies in empowering organizations to create environments where every individual — regardless of ability — can thrive.
As a speaker, Dr. Adams brings authenticity, warmth, and a depth of experience that resonates with audiences from all backgrounds. He understands that true leadership is about more than just policy; it’s about creating cultural shifts that value each person’s unique contributions. Whether he is addressing a Fortune 500 company, a non-profit, or a community group, Dr. Adams’ message is clear: inclusion benefits everyone, and together we can build a world where opportunity is accessible to all.
Dr. Adams currently resides in Seattle, Washington, where he continues his advocacy work, builds strategic partnerships, and enjoys life with his family. He is proud to be a part of the movement towards a more inclusive future — one conversation at a time.
⬆︎ 5.) Sponsor: Barrier Free Canada
👉️ Classified Advertisement: Barrier Free Canada Launches Something Very New And Unique! – An Opportunity To Imagine And Realize! | Barrier Free Canada
Our Transitioning to a New World program empowers participants to build confidence, independence, and a strong sense of self. Designed to elevate both personal and professional profiles, the program provides practical tools, mentorship, and real-world strategies to help individuals stand out and lead with impact. Participants learn how to position themselves as influencers—capable of inspiring and influencing organizations of all sizes. Whether stepping into a new career, evolving within an industry, or pursuing entrepreneurial goals, this program fosters the mindset and presence needed to thrive in today’s dynamic world.
Sponsor Since: November 10, 2023 📅️
Website: https://barrierfreecanada.org/ 🌐️
About: Barrier-Free Canada/Canada Sans Barrieres (BFC/CSB) advocates for the Canadian Parliament to enact a strong and effective Canadians with Disabilities Act (CDA) to achieve a barrier-free Canada for all persons with disabilities.
To this end, BFC/CSB is seeking endorsements from national disability organizations to build a non-partisan community coalition. BFC/CSB would also like to identify point persons from these organizations to act as key contacts.
The steering committee of BFC/CSB has drafted a set of principles concerning a CDA that are drawn from the principles that underpin the provincial disability legislation in Ontario and Manitoba. A CDA is not meant to replace provincial disability legislation. It will complement such legislation and benefit Canadians living in provinces with and without provincial disability legislation. At this point in time, CNIB, March of Dimes Canada, Canadian Hearing Society and MS Society of Canada have endorsed the BFC/CSB principles and confirmed their support for the movement to enact a CDA. There is no individual or organizational charge for membership in BFC/CSB.
Please contact Donna Jodhan, Founder of Barrier-Free Canada, at info@barrierfreecanada.org 📧️ with any questions or to express your organization’s support and identify a key contact.
Social: Facebook | X (Formerly Twitter) | Mastodon (Search For: @news@mastodon.barrierfreecanada.org).
⬆︎ 4.) Sponsor: Hadley
👉️ Classified Advertisement: New NVDA Workshops at Hadley | Hadley
Learn the basics of NVDA. From getting started with the program to customizing the speech to learning helpful shortcuts, Hadley’s workshops have you covered.
Sponsor Since: September 18th 2023 📅️
Website: https://hadleyhelps.org/ 🌐️
Email: info@hadleyhelps.org 📧️
Phone: (800) 323-4238 📱️
Get Started: https://hadleyhelps.org/learn 🎓
What would you like to learn today?
Donate: https://hadleyhelps.org/donate/support-hadley ❤
A 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, Hadley relies on contributions from individuals, foundations, and corporations to fund its programs.
About: The mission of Hadley is to create personalized learning opportunities that empower adults with vision loss or blindness to thrive — at home, at work, and in their communities.
Founded in 1920 by William Hadley, an educator who lost his eyesight later in life, Hadley offers practical help, connection and support free of charge to anyone with a visual impairment, their families and professionals supporting them. With Hadley, you can discover new ways to do things that have become more difficult due to vision loss and connect with a network of peers who “get it.” And you don’t need to come to Hadley. Hadley’s help comes to you; online, on the phone or through the mail.
Since relaunching in July 2020, more than 70,000 people have signed up with Hadley, registering more than 200,000 workshop interactions. And our workshops have 98% satisfaction ratings. We reach all 50 states and more than 100 countries. And more people learn braille from Hadley than from any other organization worldwide.
Hadley is a proud partner of the National Eye Institute and the National Eye Health Education Program.
Hadley’s help conveniently meets learners where they are. Free of wait lists. Free of office visits. Free of charge.
Social: Facebook | X (Formerly Twitter) | YouTube
⬆︎ 3.) Sponsor: Eyes on Success
Sponsor Since: August 21, 2023 📅️
Website: https://www.eyesonsuccess.net/ 🌐️
About: This half-hour weekly podcast and radio program discusses products, services and daily living tips for people with vision loss. It is available through radio reading services across North America, via several internet streaming services, and to everyone else as a podcast. To date, the show has been downloaded in all 50 states in the US and over 100 other countries on all the inhabited continents. Eyes On Success is hosted and produced by Peter Torpey and Nancy Goodman Torpey.
Each episode is basically a success story. Some are human stories of visually impaired people’s accomplishments in academics, employment, sports or pastimes. Others are descriptions of adaptive aids that enable visually impaired people to achieve things. These include screen readers, magnifiers, navigation aids, and others. In all cases, the focus is on success.
Eyes On Success has been airing weekly since January 2011. Prior to January 2013 the name of the show was ViewPoints. Other than the name, nothing has changed.
Listening To Eyes On Success
You can listen to Eyes On Success on your smart home device by saying “play the Eyes On Success podcast”, subscribe to the podcast wherever you get your podcasts, or listen on Apple Podcasts, iTunes, YouTube or your local radio reading service. Listeners can also follow the show on Facebook and X (Formerly Twitter).
Connecting with Eyes On Success
Email: To contact us with questions, comments or suggestions for future shows send an e-mail to hosts@EyesOnSuccess.net 📧️.
Weekly Announcements: If you would like to receive weekly announcements of upcoming episodes, you can join our low traffic “announcements only” list by sending an e-mail to: EyesOnSuccess+subscribe@GoogleGroups.com 📧️.
Email Forum: If you would like to connect with other listeners and share your thoughts about what you’ve heard on the show, you can join our listener email forum by sending an email to: EOS_Discuss+Subscribe@GoogleGroups.com 📧️
⬆︎ 2.) Sponsor: Access Ready, Inc.
👉️ Classified Advertisement: Help Access Ready, Inc. Rebuild After Hurricanes Helene and Milton | Access Ready, Inc.
Help Access Ready, Inc. support people with disabilities after Hurricanes Helene and Milton.
Based in Saint Petersburg, Florida, Access Ready is committed to providing adaptive equipment, restoring independence and dignity to those affected. Many lost vital devices that help them communicate, work, and live independently.
Donations will go toward repairing or replacing this equipment, ensuring people can regain normalcy after the disaster. Every contribution directly aids recovery efforts.
Since 2018, Access Ready has promoted accessible technology, led by CEO Douglas George Towne.
Your support can make a real difference. Donate Now — be a lifeline for those in need.
info@accessready.org 📧️
+1 (727) 531-1000 📱️
Sponsor Since: December 1st 2022 📅️
Website: https://accessready.org/ 🌐️
Email: info@accessready.org 📧️
Phone: (727) 531-1000 📱️
About: Access Ready Inc. is a certified, 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. The mission of Access Ready Inc., a nonprofit cross-disability rights advocacy organization, is to promote a policy of accessibility benefiting all people regardless of ability across information and communications technology utilized for two way communications.
The purpose of Access Ready Inc. is to educate the public and private sectors of the importance of accessible information and communications technology to the future of all people regardless of ability.
To support this education by developing initiatives that promote policies that ensure the creation and maintenance of accessible technologies utilized for two way communications at all levels which allow for easy use by people with the widest range of abilities possible.
To develop employment and business opportunities for people with disabilities that support its educational activities in the field of information and communications technology and related areas.
To provide consulting and educational services to buyers, developers, and users of information and communications technology that promotes its highest and best use in society.
To promote the concept of a technologically accessible society which fosters:
Freedom of expression, speech, and worship.
Freedom from fear, ignorance, and want.
Freedom from dishonesty, exclusion, and immorality.
Freedom of aspiration, invention, and inclusion.
⬆︎ 1.) Sponsor: Pneuma Solutions
👉️ Classified Advertisement: An Open Letter to OpenAI and Jony Ive: Building an Accessible Future Together | Pneuma Solutions
Dear Sam Altman and Jony Ive:
As a community of passionate consumers and advocates, we are excited about the merger between OpenAI and io, Jony Ive’s visionary company. This collaboration holds real promise for groundbreaking innovation. We want to make sure that the future you’re building includes the millions of people with disabilities who can benefit from it.
We’ve seen what happens when companies overlook that foundation. The Humane AI Pin and the Rabbit R1 launched with high expectations, yet they failed to meaningfully include our community. These products were missed opportunities. They serve as reminders of why it’s so important to involve disabled users from day one.
This is a chance to create something truly inclusive, to honor the accessibility legacy you’ve already helped shape, and to build a future where everyone benefits. We’re here. We’re ready to collaborate. Let’s make sure this next chapter of innovation includes all of us.
Sincerely,
Mike Calvo
Pneuma Solutions
Sponsor Since: November 7th 2022 📅️
Website: https://pneumasolutions.com/ 🌐️
Email Newsletter: Click here to receive periodic news via email concerning Pneuma Solutions products for business, consumers and education.
Sales: (866) 202-0520 📱️
Support: (650) 249-1000 📱️
About: Backed by two decades of creating award-winning accessible cloud technologies for people with visual impairments, Pneuma Solutions is the global leader in accessible cloud-based solutions. Pneuma Solutions was founded by long-time accessibility developers Mike Calvo and Matt Campbell. For more information on their individual profiles, click on their respective bio pages. We’re proud to be the first company to develop cloud-based accessibility at the network level. Our tools provide organizations, like yours, a way to deliver secure, accessible information right from your network or from our secure servers. You can provide your print disabled consumers, students, employees, and citizens with a multitude of accessible options. Additionally, we offer a suite of cloud-based applications to blind and print disabled consumers directly from our website. Our consumer products are designed to make the day-to-day lives of blind and print disabled individuals more accessible and simpler to manage. Access to information is not a privilege, it’s a right. It’s also your right to obtain affordable, accessible cloud solutions to serve your end user. When organizations like yours implement our tools, together we help make it a more inclusive world for people with disabilities. Want to know more about how we can help you become more inclusive?
Contact us here. We’ll be happy to discuss how our tools can help with your accessibility needs.
⬆︎ 11.) Sponsor: The Touch Pad Pro Foundation / BrailleDoodle
👉️ Classified Advertisement: BrailleDoodle Available at A. T. Guys Now! Just $149.00 USD | The Touch Pad Pro Foundation / BrailleDoodle
The BrailleDoodle is a groundbreaking, affordable, two-sided tablet designed to empower individuals of all ages and skill levels with Braille literacy and tactile exploration. One side is dedicated to Braille learning, featuring practice spaces for letters, numbers, and words, making it perfect for beginners or those looking to improve their skills. The other side offers a tactile refreshable surface, ideal for creating art, exploring STEM concepts like math and graphing, and expressing creativity in limitless ways.
With its easy-to-use magnetic stylus, users can write and create tactile designs, feel their progress as they go, and erase effortlessly, making learning and creativity interactive and engaging. Whether you’re a teacher, parent, or individual learner, the BrailleDoodle is a versatile tool that combines education, creativity, and fun. Priced at just $149.00 USD, it is an affordable solution to enhance accessibility and opportunity for blind and low-vision individuals. Order now and take the first step in transforming education and creativity! Visit A.T. Guys today to learn more.
Sponsor Since: January 1, 2025 📅️
Website: https://touchpadprofoundation.org 🌐️
About: The TouchPad Pro Foundation (TPPF) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization committed to creating opportunities for blind and low-vision individuals through Braille literacy, STEM, and art education.
Founded by educators and innovators passionate about accessibility, TPPF strives to address the critical gaps in resources and tools for the visually impaired community. With a mission to promote equality and unleash human potential, the foundation provides innovative solutions that make education inclusive, engaging, and affordable.
Their initiatives include offering free devices to under-served communities and providing training to maximize the impact of their groundbreaking tools.
At the heart of their mission is the BrailleDoodle, a dual-sided, tactile learning tablet designed to make education and creativity accessible to all.
One side focuses on Braille literacy, offering interactive learning spaces for letters, numbers, and words, while the other provides a refreshable surface for tactile drawing, STEM exploration, and artistic expression.
Affordable and versatile, the BrailleDoodle empowers individuals of all ages and skill levels to develop essential literacy and creative skills.
By fostering independence and encouraging innovation, TPPF and the BrailleDoodle are transforming the lives of blind and low-vision learners worldwide.
For more information, visit the TouchPad Pro Foundation website.
⬆︎ 12.) Sponsor: Your Name Here
Sponsor Since: Today 📅️
Website: https://accessinformationnews.com/dearsponsor 🌐️
Phone: (855) 578-6660 📱️
Email: news@accessinformationnews.com 📧️
About: Founded in 2022, Access Information News is the world’s leading not-for-profit access information news publication that reaches over 45,000 blind, low vision, deaf, hard of hearing, deafblind, neurodivergent and/or disabled professionals, educators and enthusiasts, all over the world, each week. Subscribe here. Review the most recent issues here.
➜ Access Information News Supporters 🤝️
We couldn’t do it without you! Thank you for your support!
Why: Access Information News Supporters donate an amount of their choosing either one time or annually in order to assist with the ongoing distribution of the Access Information News publication.
Benefits: All Access Information News Supporters receive a listing within the “Our Supporters” section of each weekly newsletter, as well as a listing within the “Our Supporters” section of the Access Information News website.
In addition, all Access Information News Supporters automatically become Premium Subscribers as well, and therefore enjoy all of the benefits that a Premium Subscription has to offer.
One Time Donation: If you would like to become a Access Information News Supporter by making a one time donation in an amount of your choosing to assist with the ongoing distribution of the Access Information News publication, you may utilize this donate link, or scan the QR code to the right.
Annual Donation: If you would like to become a Access Information News Supporter by making a small annual donation to assist with the ongoing distribution of the Access Information News publication, we also offer the following options, all with our sincerest thanks, and most heartfelt gratitude for your ongoing support.
Support: In tandem with Our Sponsors, these are the people that make the ongoing distribution of Access Information News possible.
Platinum Supporters
Become an Access Information News Platinum Supporter today.
1.) James Hulme
Platinum Supporter Since: December 5, 2022
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Platinum Supporter Since: March 24, 2023
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One Time Supporters donate an amount of their choosing — one time to assist with the ongoing distribution of the Access Information News Publication.
Become an Access Information News One Time Supporter today.
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One Time Supporter on November 28, 2023
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One Time Supporter on July 31, 2023
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One Time Supporter on June 4, 2024
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➜ Access Information News Team 🗞️
Distribution: Sponsors, Supporters and Mind Vault Solutions, Ltd.
Distribution Since: 2022
As of November 7, 2022 the distribution of Access Information News is made possible by our Sponsors, our Supporters, our Advertisers and Mind Vault Solutions, Ltd., a leading international provider of professionally outsourced marketing administration and consultation services.
Any time the Access Information News Publication carries less than its Sponsor limit, Mind Vault Solutions, Ltd. donates the remaining dollars necessary to keep the publication running.
Please help us to support the ongoing distribution of this publication. Learn more about the benefits of Sponsorship today.
Publisher: Aaron Di Blasi
Publisher Since: November 7, 2022
Location: Cleveland, Ohio
Time Zone: Eastern Standard Time (EST/EDT) (GMT-5/GMT-4)
In addition to serving as Publisher for Access Information News Aaron also serves as Publisher for the Top Tech Tidbits and AI-Weekly newsletters, PR-Director for the AT-Newswire Press Release News Distribution Service, and President and Senior Project Management Professional for Mind Vault Solutions, Ltd.
As Publisher Aaron oversees the weekly distribution of Access Information News on behalf of Mind Vault Solutions, Ltd.
Aaron Di Blasi, PMP
Email: publisher@accessinformationnews.com 📧️
Toll-Free: +1 (855) 578-6660 📱️
Aaron Di Blasi, PMP
Email: publisher@toptechtidbits.com 📧️
Toll Free: +1 (855) 578-6660 📱️
PR Director (2024-Present)
AT-Newswire 🌐
Access Technology’s Digital Newswire
Publisher (2024-Present)
AI-Weekly 🌐
The Week’s News in Artificial Intelligence
Publisher (2022-Present)
Access Information News 🌐
The Week’s News in Access Information
Publisher (2020-Present)
Top Tech Tidbits 🌐
The Week’s News in Access Technology
Sr. Project Management Professional (2006 – Present)
Mind Vault Solutions, Ltd. 🌐
Innovative ideas. Solutions that perform.
Certified:
Digital Marketing Associate
Meta Certified (2022 – Present)
Social Marketing Professional
Hootsuite Certified (2020 – Present)
Email Marketing Professional
Constant Contact Certified (2019 – Present)
Specializing in:
Digital Strategy and Content Marketing
Social Media Advertising
Online Fundraising
ADA, WCAG and Section 508 Compliance
Editor: John Hanlin
Editor Since: November 7, 2022
Location: Boulder, Colorado
Time Zone: Mountain Standard Time (MST/MDT) (GMT-7/GMT-6)
In addition to serving as an Editor to Access Information News John also serves as an Editor to the Top Tech Tidbits and AI-Weekly newsletters and is also an attorney-at-law specializing in long-term disability claims for blind and visually impaired persons.
John is also a long-time contractor and member of the Board of Trustees at Mind Vault Solutions, Ltd.
John Hanlin, Esq.
Editor (2024-Present)
AI-Weekly 🌐
The Week’s News in Artificial Intelligence
Editor (2022-Present)
Access Information News 🌐
The Week’s News in Access Information
Editor (2020-Present)
Top Tech Tidbits 🌐
The Week’s News in Access Technology
Board of Trustees (2006 – Present)
Mind Vault Solutions, Ltd. 🌐
Innovative ideas. Solutions that perform.
Editor: Jenna Lang
Editor Since: November 7, 2022
Location: Des Moines, Iowa
Time Zone: Central Standard Time (CST/CDT) (GMT-6/GMT-5)
In addition to serving as an Editor to Access Information News Jenna also serves as an Editor to the Top Tech Tidbits and AI-Weekly newsletters and runs her own advocacy foundation.
Jenna also serves as a certified Project Management Professional (PMP) for Mind Vault Solutions, Ltd.
Jenna’s son was born blind and she is always seeking new and innovative ways to empower him through technology.
Jenna Lang, PMP
Editor (2024-Present)
AI-Weekly 🌐
The Week’s News in Artificial Intelligence
Editor (2022-Present)
Access Information News 🌐
The Week’s News in Access Information
Project Management Professional (2022 – Present)
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Editor (2020-Present)
Top Tech Tidbits 🌐
The Week’s News in Access Technology
Editor: David Woodbridge
Editor Since: February 6, 2023
Location: Central Coast, New South Wales, Australia
Time Zone: Australia Eastern Standard Time (AEST/AEDT) (GMT+10)
In addition to serving as an Editor to Access Information News David also serves as an Editor to the Top Tech Tidbits publication and is also the National Commercial Assistive Technology Advisor for Vision Australia where he has worked since 1990. Over this time he has assisted people who are blind or vision impaired in their home, education, and work settings to take advantage of the benefits of using assistive and main stream technology.
In the last seventeen years, he has also been involved with evaluating technology for use by people who are blind or vision impaired covering both low and high tech equipment (including Microsoft, Samsung, Google, Amazon, and Apple). David is also one of the key spokespersons for Vision Australia relating to technology.
He has been an Apple Ambassador for Apple Australia since 2009 with a group of other Ambassadors / Apple Distinguished Educators (ADE)‘s covering the range of Apple’s Accessibility solutions throughout Australia.
David produces a range of podcasts (since 2011) covering Apple and other technologies which are distributed on his own podcast (http://davidwoodbr.podbean.com). In addition, he also has a regular Talking Tech program (since 2013) which can be heard every Tuesday at 4:30 Eastern Summer Time on Vision Australia Radio Melbourne (available online) or via https://omny.fm/shows/talking-tech-vision-australia-radio
David also runs a weekly Tech Monday where people can chat about assistive and main stream technology, share information, and any tips and tricks.
David lost his sight when he was 8 years old and had to learn Braille. Since then, he completed high school, went to Sydney University receiving a Social Work degree, spent 4 years drug and alcohol counselling, and then moved into his current job.
As a person who is blind, David believes that as a user of the technology that he recommends to others, that he is well situated to look at the strengths and shortcomings of the assistive technology that he comes across in both his professional and personal life, in particular, mainstream technology that is accessible.
In addition to his weekly contributions to Access Information News and Top Tech Tidbits, David’s regularly occurring activities are his weekly tech radio show, bi-monthly exploring tech webinars for Vision Australia, his iSee podcast when something of note grabs his attention, and the weekly Tech Monday chat sessions.
David Woodbridge
X (Formerly Twitter): @dwoodbridge
Mastodon: woody@dragonscave.space
iSee Podcast: https://davidwoodbr.podbean.com
Vision Australia Radio Talking Tech: https://omny.fm/shows/talking-tech-vision-australia-radio
Editor (2023-Present)
Top Tech Tidbits 🌐
The Week’s News in Access Technology
Editor (2023-Present)
Access Information News 🌐
The Week’s News in Access Information
National Commercial Assistive Technology Advisor
(1990 – Present)
Vision Australia 🌐
Live the life you choose. We’re here to support all Australians who are blind or have low vision.
Editor: Vicki Walton
Editor Since: January 9, 2024
Location: Benton City, WA
Time Zone: Pacific Standard Time (PST/PDT) (GMT-6/GMT-7)
IIn addition to serving as an Editor to Access Information News Vicki also serves as an Editor to the Top Tech Tidbits publication and works as a Web Accessibility Specialist / IT Quality Assurance Tester at Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges.
Vicki Walton
Editor (2024-Present)
Top Tech Tidbits 🌐
The Week’s News in Access Technology
Editor (2024-Present)
Access Information News 🌐
The Week’s News in Access Information
Web Accessibility Specialist / IT Quality Assurance Tester
Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges 🌐
Better Jobs, Brighter Futures, a Stronger Washington
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ABOUT ♿️
Founded in 2022, Access Information News is the world’s leading not-for-profit access information news publication that reaches over 45,000 blind, low vision, deaf, hard of hearing, deafblind, neurodivergent and/or disabled professionals, educators and enthusiasts, all over the world, each week. Subscribe here. Review the most recent issues here. Access Information refers to informational topics that directly affect the lives of people with disabilities. Access Information includes any and all information related to bettering the lives of people who are blind, low vision, deaf, hard of hearing, deafblind, neurodivergent and/or disabled. Access Information News is a Mind Vault Solutions, Ltd. Publication. Publisher: Aaron Di Blasi. Editors: John Hanlin, Jenna Lang, David Woodbridge and Vicki Walton. Access Information News is a sponsor, reader and advertiser supported publication.
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