Access Information News for Monday, August 31, 2026 – Volume 1082

I Blindfolded My Fiancé For 24 Hours | Molly Burke | YouTube.com | August 25, 2026

For a 24-hour empathy experiment, Molly Burke blindfolds her fiance and documents how he navigates a day without sight. The challenge puts everyday routines at the center of a conversation about accessibility, independence, and the assumptions sighted people can bring to daily life.

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1.) Top 5 Most Clicked News Articles From Last Week 📊️

A.) Contributor: Stop Shaming the Use of AI. For Some With Disabilities, It’s a Godsend | LATimes.com | August 20, 2026

Sharon Schindel challenges blanket condemnations of AI writing tools, arguing that for people with physical disabilities, AI can provide critical accessibility. She describes dictating her work due to severe arm pain and using AI only to clean up transcription debris, not to generate content. Schindel notes that 1 in 4 U.S. adults have a disability and stresses that universal prohibitions on AI risk excluding many voices.

B.) Call Luna. Learn Anything: Meet Derek Fine and Luna AI, Now Sponsoring Access Information News | AccessInformationNews.com | August 24, 2026

Luna AI, founded by Derek Fine in January 2026, enables users to access an AI tutor by simply calling +1 (231) 879-5862, requiring no app, account, or screen interaction. The phone-based conversational AI offers spoken study sessions using both general and user-uploaded materials, and remains free to use as of August 2026. Fine, with a background in travel marketing, plans a paid Luna AI Pro tier in 2027 but currently operates Luna solo as an early-stage project.

C.) Hikers Who Use Wheelchairs Explore the Outdoors, Watching Out for One Another | DisabilityScoop.com | August 21, 2026

Oregon Wheelchair Hiking, founded in 2020 by Franklin Ouchida, has grown from four friends to a Facebook community of more than 600, regularly traversing wheelchair-accessible trails around Portland. Members like Heidi Austin and Vanessa Rice cite the group as key in making outdoor adventures feasible, while Ouchida collaborates with local agencies to improve trail accessibility and safety for participants.

D.) RESIST! We Have Inherited a Legacy. Now It Is Our Turn. | Dr. Kirk Adams | August 24, 2026

Here, Dr. Kirk Adams invites readers to the free livestreamed launch of the Community Coalition for Sustainable Diversity and Inclusion on Tuesday, September 1, 2026, from 11:00 a.m. to noon Pacific (2:00 to 3:00 p.m. Eastern), and argues that the Coalition is inheriting a legacy rather than inventing one. Writing from a visit to Oakland in the Black Panther Party’s sixtieth anniversary year, he looks past the iconography to the Party’s Community Survival Programs, the free breakfasts, health clinics, sickle-cell testing, legal services and support for seniors and disabled people, and draws out the line that anchors the piece: resistance isn’t only about what we stand against, it is about what we build together.

E.) How Russia Is Using Disabled Soldiers for Frontline Assaults | Forbes.com | August 16, 2026

Wounded and disabled Russian soldiers, including men on crutches, are being returned to the front lines in Ukraine amid major manpower shortages, with reports citing them as decoys to draw Ukrainian drone fire. Mykola Melnyk, a former Ukrainian officer, and Russian sources describe a military system willing to sacrifice such troops for minor territorial gains. Analysts warn this attritional approach could signal how Moscow might respond in future conflicts with NATO.

August 31, 2026 📅️

2.) Access Information News Welcomes Jeremy Grandstaff and The Inspiration Foundation | Aaron Di Blasi, Publisher | August 31, 2026

Please join me in giving a warm welcome to Jeremy Grandstaff and The Inspiration Foundation, who has so very graciously agreed to support the ongoing distribution of Access Information News via sponsorship. If you enjoy reading Access Information News for free each week, it is Sponsors like Jeremy Grandstaff and The Inspiration Foundation that make it possible. And as I always say, these are the people, businesses and organizations that deserve your attention. Because they are the ones paying attention to the needs of the disability community.

The Inspiration Foundation is a 501(c)(3) public nonprofit working to increase the employment rate of people with disabilities. It was founded in 2006 by Isaac Shapiro and Mike Ghesser, the co-founders of the bath and body care brand Cleanlogic, and named for Isaac’s mother, Beatriz “Bea” Shapiro, who lost her sight to retinitis pigmentosa at about seven years old. Bea went on to become a long-distance runner, to found a technology training center for blind and visually impaired people, and to work as an assistive technology specialist for the State of Arizona. Her frustration was a practical one: the assistive technology disabled jobseekers were being trained on was too often out of date before they ever reached an interview. For its first two decades the Foundation answered that directly, awarding grants to nonprofit organizations serving blind and low-vision people so they could put current screen readers and Braille displays in front of the people who need them, including a dedicated fund for VisionServe Alliance member organizations.

In 2026 the Foundation appointed Jeremy Grandstaff as its first Executive Director. Grandstaff is blind, holds degrees in management information systems and organization development from Bowling Green State University, and brings two decades of organizational development and change management experience to the role. Under his leadership the Foundation has set a goal of increasing employment for people with disabilities by ten percent over the next five years, pursued through two pipelines running at once: a stronger pipeline of candidates, supported by the technology grant program, and a pipeline of employers who are actively hiring, promoting and retaining people with disabilities. The employer side of that work is being formalized into a certification called the Inspiration Seal, currently in pilot while its criteria are developed. Organizations interested in the technology grant program can reach Jeremy Grandstaff directly at jgrandstaff@inspirationfoundation.org 📧️.

3.) Tactile Revolution, An Exhibit Of Art Meant To Be Touched | Even Grounds | August 31, 2026

An exhibit at the Northern Kentucky University features tactile and 3D printed art, visitors are encouraged to touch all the displayed objects. The exhibit features pieces of art, buildings, maps, biology tools and braille publications to help blind and visually impaired people to better understand the visual world. If you are in the Cincinnati area, you can visit the exhibit until September 17th.

August 28, 2026 📅️

4.) Has Shane Gotten The New Gene Therapy? | Squirmy and Grubs | YouTube.com | August 28, 2026

Following months of developments, Shane Burcaw and Hannah Burcaw share an update on the potential new gene therapy for Shane’s disability. The pair explain what has been happening behind the scenes since first raising the possibility, offering a window into the uncertainty and momentum surrounding the process.

5.) What It’s Really Like Being A Disabled Supermodel | Molly Burke | YouTube.com | August 28, 2026

Sitting down with model, actress, and advocate Jillian Mercado, Molly Burke traces Mercado’s path from an immigrant household and an early misdiagnosis to a career that challenged fashion’s narrow ideas of who belongs. Their conversation covers the Diesel campaign that accelerated Mercado’s rise, her work with major brands, and the stakes of more authentic disability and Latina representation on screen and in media.

6.) The Differences in Lived Experiences – No Shocker and No Shaker | BarrierFreeCanada.org | August 28, 2026

Barrier Free Canada argues that disability lived experience is not interchangeable, even among people with the same impairment. Using inaccessible websites and apps as examples, it calls on organizations to distinguish between tasks completed independently and those made possible by partners, family members, or support workers.

7.) This Is Our Season: Join Us September 1st When We Launch, Community Coalition for Sustainable Diversity & Inclusion | DrKirkAdams.com | August 28, 2026

Dr. Kirk Adams will launch the Community Coalition for Sustainable Diversity and Inclusion in a free LinkedIn event on September 1, 2026, from 11 a.m. to noon Pacific. The coalition aims to connect diversity, accessibility, and human-rights advocates with resources, peer-learning circles, expert guidance, and collective-action support.

8.) Federal Panel Adopts Overhauled Autism Plan | DisabilityScoop.com | August 28, 2026

The Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee approved a 330-page strategic plan that recommends raising annual federal autism investment to more than $747.4 million, from $390.4 million. The plan shifts away from its seven-question structure, adds regression research and a precision therapeutics initiative, and drew process concerns from disability groups.

9.) New Medicaid Rules Could Impact Scores of Beneficiaries. Many May Not Know It | DisabilityScoop.com | August 28, 2026

Oregon is racing to notify roughly 600,000 Oregon Health Plan members who could face federal Medicaid work, school or volunteer requirements of at least 80 hours a month beginning next year. The Oregon Health Authority estimates up to 200,000 could lose coverage, as beneficiaries may not realize OHP and managed-care brands are Medicaid or know whether exemptions apply.

August 27, 2026 📅️

10.) The Cooking Without Looking TV Show Blind Visionaries Edition | Cooking Without Looking | YouTube.com | August 27, 2026

Sitting down with guest Allison Arbuckle, Sylvia Stinson-Perez spotlights the Blind Visionaries community and the practical conversations shaping accessible cooking. Michelle Ditter prepares cheeseburger mac and cheese before the panel turns to kitchen techniques, questions, and everyday considerations for blind, visually impaired, and low-vision cooks.

11.) The Willits Slide: Accessibility Advocates Mark Ten Years of Progress Mired With Problems | StreetsBlog.org | August 27, 2026

Ten years after Los Angeles committed nearly $1.4 billion over 30 years under the Willits Settlement, disability advocates staged The Willits Slide to protest uneven sidewalk-accessibility work. Settlement attorney Paula Pearlman praised curb-ramp gains but rated the city’s overall progress a three out of 10.

12.) Designing Digital Public Services That Work for Everyone | OpenAccessGovernment.org | August 27, 2026

Digital exclusion in UK public services now stems as much from service design, support and user confidence as from connectivity, according to Elizabeth Anderson of the Digital Poverty Alliance and Cognizant’s Yatin Mahandru. They call for mobile-aware design, inclusive testing, better measures of abandonment and support demand, plus telephone, face-to-face and paper alternatives.

13.) Govt Invites Disability Advocates to Test Accessibility Features Ahead of New Huanggang Port Opening | TheStandard.com.hk | August 27, 2026

Hong Kong’s Security Bureau invited disability advocates and social service groups to test barrier-free facilities at the new Huanggang Port before it enters service. The on-site trial covered tactile paving, accessible toilets, lifts and dedicated clearance channels, with immigration, customs, transport and design agencies gathering suggestions for operational refinements.

14.) Guardians Are Supposed to Care for Our Most Vulnerable. Why Are Exploitation Cases Skyrocketing? | DisabilityScoop.com | August 27, 2026

New Jersey’s Guardianship Monitoring Program reported 694 escalated concerns to judges in 2025, up from 252 in 2024, including nearly 90 cases involving inappropriate, un-itemized or unexplained disbursements. The state has more than 37,000 guardianships overseeing $1.2 billion in reported assets.

15.) Meta Smart Glasses and AI Drones Open Warehouse Jobs to Blind Workers | BigGo.com | August 27, 2026

Bosma Enterprises is using Meta smart glasses, Gather AI inventory drones and iPad screen readers to enable blind workers to handle warehouse tasks. Gather AI drones can finish counts in minutes rather than days, as transportation, warehousing and utilities reported 392,000 open jobs in June, up 87,000 year over year.

16.) Federal Appeals Court Sides With Lyft in Wheelchair Accessibility Lawsuit | WestchesterNews12.com | August 27, 2026

A federal appeals court ruled Lyft is not required to provide wheelchair-accessible vehicles nationwide, affirming a lower-court win for the ride-hailing company. Westchester Disabled on the Move alleged limits on vehicles for fixed-frame wheelchairs violated the Americans with Disabilities Act and New York Human Rights Law; the court found its proposed remedies would not deliver effective accessible transportation.

August 26, 2026 📅️

17.) I’m Not The Dad I Thought I’d Be… | Legally Blind No Limits | YouTube.com | August 26, 2026

Navigating a hectic school drop-off, Legally Blind No Limits recounts the first day at a new school with his seven-year-old son as a legally blind parent. With his white cane and mobility training guiding the route, the experience becomes an unexpected reflection on his son’s growing instinct to help lead the way.

18.) Inclusive Arts Gallery – Enrico Bisenzi (A11ytalks – August 2026) | Accessibility Talks | YouTube.com | August 26, 2026

Showcasing Inclusive Arts Gallery, Enrico Bisenzi traces artists and ideas that have expanded artistic expression and social participation for people with disabilities. The project organizes its profiles in reverse chronological order, drawing on encounters from Bisenzi’s three decades in higher education across art, music, and dance.

19.) Council Weighs Options to Address $74 Million Accessibility Backlog | CivicLex.org | August 26, 2026

Lexington Council reviewed a WT Group AEC plan to remedy roughly 19,430 accessibility barriers at 188 parks and city facilities, with phased fixes estimated at more than $74 million over 20 years. Finance Commissioner Erin Hensley said asset replacements could be bonded or supported by the Parks Fund, while repairs must fit the operating budget; Council allocated $1.5 million for FY2027.

20.) How Dolly Parton Helped the World – From Children’s Books to Supporting Covid Vaccine | BBC.com | August 26, 2026

Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library has distributed more than 332.4 million free books to children in the US, Canada, UK, Ireland and Australia since 1995. Her philanthropy also included a $1m gift that helped fund an early Moderna Covid-19 vaccine trial, disaster relief in Tennessee, and tuition for Dollywood employees.

21.) Rainbow Crosswalks Could Cause Optical Illusions, City Committee Warns | SooToday.com | August 26, 2026

Sault Ste. Marie’s accessibility advisory committee says painted pedestrian routes, including rainbow crosswalks, can create optical illusions that confuse or disorient people with vision loss. Council allocated $25,000 on Aug. 10 for a permanent 2SLGBTQIA+ public-art mural instead.

22.) Existing Blood Tests May Help Identify Future Disability Risk | TechnologyNetworks.com | August 26, 2026

A Keio University-led study found that elevated beta-2-microglobulin and cystatin C predicted future disability among 230 disability-free Japanese adults aged 85-89, followed for about 4.5 years. The associations, with hazard ratios of 1.35 and 1.42, respectively, were replicated in Italy’s InCHIANTI cohort, linking kidney function and chronic inflammation to loss of independence.

23.) Lyft Removes Barrier for Riders With Developmental Disabilities | DisabilityScoop.com | August 26, 2026

Lyft updated Lyft Pass for Public Funding so Medicaid home and community-based services recipients can create accounts and request prepaid rides without a personal payment card or pre-authorization check. Betty Yen, Lyft’s director of healthcare partnerships, said 15% to 20% of LPPF participants are unbanked.

24.) Dizon Calls DPWH Compliance With Accessibility Law “Terrible” | NewsInfo.inquirer.net | August 26, 2026

Public Works and Highways Secretary Vince Dizon called the department’s compliance with the Philippines’ Accessibility Law “terrible” during a House briefing on its proposed 2027 budget. DPWH says its allocation for PWD, senior-citizen, and gender-responsive infrastructure rose from P117 million to P510 million, though Dizon and lawmakers said it remains insufficient.

August 25, 2026 📅️

25.) I Blindfolded My Fiancé For 24 Hours | Molly Burke | YouTube.com | August 25, 2026

For a 24-hour empathy experiment, Molly Burke blindfolds her fiance and documents how he navigates a day without sight. The challenge puts everyday routines at the center of a conversation about accessibility, independence, and the assumptions sighted people can bring to daily life.

26.) Lexington Needs to Spend $74M Over 20 Years to Make Public Spaces Accessible | Kentucky.com | August 25, 2026

Lexington’s new ADA Transition Plan puts the cost of bringing parks, government buildings and other public spaces into compliance at $74.45 million over 20 years. WT Group AEC assessed more than 4,500 acres and recommends a $21.9 million first phase; the city has set aside $1.5 million while officials weigh taxes, bonds and grants.

27.) Daughter’s Cancer Treatment Led Milwaukee Mom to Champion First City-Owned Universally Accessible Playground | WPR.org | August 25, 2026

After her daughter Stella’s brain-tumor treatment left her needing to relearn basic abilities, Rese Schneider organized a $2 million push for Stella’s Playground at Milwaukee’s Kilbourne Reservoir Park. The city-backed design includes wheelchair-friendly surfaces, sensory spaces and an adaptive sports court; more than $1 million has been raised toward a planned May 7, 2027 opening.

28.) AI Weeds Out Job Applicants With Disabilities, Lawsuit Claims | DisabilityScoop.com | August 25, 2026

Workday faces a federal lawsuit alleging its AI hiring tools automatically screen out older, minority and disabled applicants. Judge Rita F. Lin dismissed intentional-discrimination claims but allowed disparate-impact allegations to proceed, while Workday says its tools assess qualifications rather than protected traits and retain human oversight.

29.) States See Spike in Special Ed Complaints | DisabilityScoop.com | August 25, 2026

Written special education complaints rose nearly 48% across 33 reporting states, reaching 12,398 in the 2025-2026 school year after remaining below 8,400 in each of the prior two years. Chad Rummel, CEO of the Council for Exceptional Children, said delays and widespread dismissals at the Education Department’s OCR may be eroding families’ confidence in federal recourse.

30.) They’re More Than Group Homes. For the Residents Who Live There, It’s Just Home | DisabilityScoop.com | August 25, 2026

The Arc Erie County New York runs 25 Individualized Residential Alternative homes serving 177 people, from medically staffed group homes to lower-oversight apartments. CEO Douglas DiGesare says they can be permanent homes or a bridge to independent living; demand has left 1,364 people on the waiting list.

31.) Braille Is Beautiful, and Braille Is Literacy | DrKirkAdams.com | August 25, 2026

Aaron Di Blasi argues that braille remains a core literacy medium, distinct from speech output, while challenging the often-repeated claim that only 10% of blind people read braille. He points to the 2026-2027 ICEVI and World Blind Union global survey, workplace research, refreshable displays, and youth programs including NFB BELL Academy and the Braille Challenge.

32.) Remarkable World Commentary Episode #108: Interview With Peggy Chong, the Blind History Lady | DonnaJodhan.com | August 25, 2026

Peggy Chong, known as The Blind History Lady, traces overlooked accounts of blind Americans in Donna J. Jodhan’s Episode #108 podcast. Chong recounts researching Minnesota congressman and senator Thomas David Schall, a Colorado cigar merchant’s 1909 railroad case, and adaptive work methods while arguing that persistence, rather than money or schooling, shapes success.

August 24, 2026 📅️

33.) Disney Is Setting The Standard For Accessibility At D23 | Driven by Purpose | YouTube.com | August 24, 2026

Sitting down to discuss Disney’s approach at D23, Isaac, Evan, and Mike examine how the convention made participation more practical and welcoming for attendees with disabilities. The conversation weighs measures including wheelchair access and ASL interpretation against the broader business case for embedding inclusion into culture, while considering safety for power wheelchair users in dense crowds.

34.) After Years of Federal Oversight, Georgia’s Disability Care System Faces a New Test | GeorgiaRecorder.com | August 24, 2026

DOJ’s June memo says federal disability law does not require states to provide certain community-based services or authorize federal monitoring, raising fears over enforcement of Georgia’s Olmstead settlement. Commissioner Kevin Tanner says the state will comply, though 7,200 Georgians remain on the NOW/COMP waiver planning list.

35.) Trump Puts Autistic Kids in the Spotlight and Cuts Agencies Built to Protect Them | CBSNews.com | August 24, 2026

The Trump administration closed seven of 12 Education Department Office for Civil Rights regional offices and shifted special-education oversight to HHS and civil-rights work to DOJ. A Senate report found nearly 12,000 backlogged discrimination cases, while advocates warn families may face a weaker, more fragmented path to enforce disability-rights protections.

36.) Saskatoon Family Celebrates Landmark WestJet Wheelchair Accessibility Ruling | CJME.com | August 24, 2026

Canada’s transportation regulator ordered WestJet to remove its 300-pound mobility-aid limit from most aircraft before July 2027, finding it created an undue barrier for travellers with disabilities. The carrier must use spreader plates or arrange alternative travel; Georgia Nataraj’s 400-pound power chair had blocked her Saskatoon family’s Mexico flight.

37.) Deaf Migrants Deported Without Access to Sign Language Interpreters | HoustonPublicMedia.org | August 24, 2026

Mother Jones reporting, relayed by Houston Public Media, found that some of more than 100 deaf immigrants deported from the US in 2026 lacked adequate sign language interpretation. Reporter Julia Metraux said failures in detention and transit left people unable to understand medical interactions or even where they were being sent, while DHS civil-rights staffing was cut from about 150 to two.

38.) Federal Ruling Reinstates SB1 Provisions, Raising Accessibility Concerns in Webb County | KGNS.tv | August 24, 2026

The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals reinstated Texas SB 1 rules requiring ID matching for mail ballots and a signed oath from people assisting disabled voters, reversing a March San Antonio ruling. Webb County elections administrator Jose Luis Castillo said assistants must disclose their role to the elections office for reporting to the Secretary of State.

39.) Inclusive by Design: Building Accessibility Into Theater | SeattleTimes.com | August 24, 2026

Seattle Rep says it embedded access consultants Talleri A. McRae and Sofiya Cheyenne in the development of its new musical “Freak The Mighty,” a coproduction with Cleveland Play House. The consultants influenced language, lyrics, rehearsal culture and Kevin’s revised future ambition, replacing a desire for a new body with hopes to contribute to scientific research.

40.) National Alert System for Missing Persons with Autism in the Works | DisabilityScoop.com | August 24, 2026

HHS is launching a National Autism Missing and Endangered Person Alert Initiative with DOJ and FEMA, aiming to coordinate emergency agencies, law enforcement and first responders when autistic people are reported missing. The planned system would build on existing tools such as Amber Alerts; HHS says it is not yet active.

41.) JYP and Inspire Team Up to Make Concerts More Accessible for People With Hearing Loss | KoreaTimes.co.kr | August 24, 2026

JYP and Inspire are teaming up to make concerts more accessible for people with hearing loss, with the collaboration focused on improving access at live music events.

42.) Dr. Kirk Adams’ Book ‘the Disability Dividend’ Makes Business Case for Inclusion | EINPresswire.com | August 24, 2026

Dr. Kirk Adams’ The Disability Dividend frames disability inclusion as a business strategy, citing Accenture findings that companies embracing it posted 28% higher revenue and 30% higher economic profit margins over four years. The former disability-organization CEO also outlines a 10-step corporate action plan covering accommodations, accessibility requirements and board representation.

43.) National Coalition for Sustainable Diversity and Inclusion Launches September 1 | EINPresswire.com | August 24, 2026

The Institute for Sustainable Diversity and Inclusion will launch the Community Coalition for Sustainable Diversity and Inclusion in a free LinkedIn Live event on September 1. The national Circle-based network will offer rapid response, shared resources, legal literacy and risk-aware advocacy support for DEIAB practitioners.

44.) Remarkable World Commentary Episode #107: Interview With Ann Chiappetta, Author, Poet and President of Friends in Art | DonnaJodhan.com | August 24, 2026

Ann Chiappetta recounts being diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa at 28 while pregnant, then rebuilding her life as a writer, counselor and disability educator. In conversation with Donna J. Jodhan, the Friends in Art president details inaccessible federal workplace tools, a three-year licensing-accommodations battle, and using text-to-speech to write and edit books by ear.

Last Week 📅️

45.) Wildfires Expose Accessibility Failures: Advocates | GlobalNews.ca | August 22, 2026

After the Bald Range fire threatened Summerland, B.C., Deaf resident Janice Lyons said she received no phone alert or TV warning and relied on a neighbour to evacuate. Advocates and researchers say Canadian emergency plans still assume evacuees can hear alerts, drive, and use standard shelters; Wood Buffalo’s voluntary registry has about 200 enrollees.

46.) Kenya AI Accessibility Innovation Uses Local Roads to Help Visually Impaired Users Navigate | TheVoiceOfAfrica.com | August 22, 2026

Built by Kenyan founders Ruth Nzuki and Brian Gillo, Sightra uses AI object detection, GPS and audio prompts in a smartphone web app to help visually impaired people navigate Nairobi. The team trained and tested its models on local hazards such as open drains and broken pavements; the service costs $100 a year, with the first six months free.

47.) America’s Biggest Untapped Talent Pool Is Hiding in Plain Sight | Newsweek.com | August 22, 2026

Former U.S. Congressman Tony Coelho, a principal author and sponsor of the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act, says employers facing labor shortages are overlooking millions of workers with disabilities. He argues that disability inclusion is a competitive advantage, not charity, and that hiring assumptions often block candidates before evaluation.

48.) Survey Shows Accessibility Gaps in Public Transportation Across Chennai | TheNewsMinute.com | August 22, 2026

A survey by the Citizen Consumer and Civic Action Group and Disability Rights Alliance of about 200 Chennai residents with disabilities found inaccessible bus ramps, Metro platform-train gaps, and poor railway ramps and crowded platforms. MTC says it operates 1,546 low-floor buses, including 625 ultra-low-floor vehicles, and plans to add 1,000 more by year-end.

49.) Concertgoer Speaks Out About Accessible Seating Frustration at Noah Kahan Show at Coors Field | Yahoo.com | August 22, 2026

Taylor D’Agostino, who uses a wheelchair, said the accessible seats she and her mother bought for $1,556.08 at Noah Kahan’s Coors Field concert were zip-tied together, triggering multiple relocations and leaving her with a poor view. After 11 days of inquiries, SeatGeek offered a full cash refund and said it is reviewing the order and listing.

50.) Department of Education Discipline Guidance Will Harm Disabled Students of Color | DREDF.org | August 21, 2026

On August 18, 2026, the U.S. Department of Education told public schools not to consider race in discipline decisions, reversing guidance that urged scrutiny of disparate outcomes. DREDF says the shift, alongside removal of Title VI disparate-impact rules, will especially endanger disabled students of color, who face disproportionate suspension, restraint, and seclusion.

51.) Estonia Pushes 112 Accessibility Deadline to 2027 As Service Falls Short | ERR.ee | August 21, 2026

Estonia plans to invoke an EU exception and delay full accessibility compliance for its 112 emergency line from June 2025 to June 28, 2027. The Emergency Response Center is testing real-time text, while a video option remains in development; SMS is still the main fallback for callers unable to speak.

52.) Why Toronto Still Isn’t Accessible for People With Disabilities | NowToronto.com | August 21, 2026

Taylor Lindsay Noel, the Toronto creator behind Access by Tay, documents barriers that make spontaneous plans difficult for wheelchair users, from steps and doors without accessible buttons to inaccessible washrooms. She says the AODA falls short of lived experience and wants Ontario to include a wider range of disabled people in accessibility policymaking.

53.) Disability Watchdog Sues Klein ISD, Alleging District Blocked Special Education Classroom Monitoring | Fox26Houston.com | August 21, 2026

Disability Rights Texas sued Klein ISD in federal court, alleging the district blocked advocates from monitoring special education classrooms and threatened them with arrest for trespass at Benfer Elementary in September 2023. Klein ISD says its approval and supervision rules protect student privacy and campus security.

54.) Chennai Lags in Accessibility, CAG Report Highlights Mobility Barriers for Disabled | NewIndianExpress.com | August 21, 2026

A year-long Citizen Consumer and Civic Action Group study of 270 people found that Chennai’s pedestrian infrastructure, unsafe ramps and transit design restrict independent travel for disabled residents and seniors. While 66% live within 1 km of public transport, buses and trains retain high steps, platform gaps and missing ramps; Metro performs better but still has issues.

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August 31, 2026 | Make Your Android Work for You | Vision Support America

10:30 AM PT, 11:30 AM MT, 12:30 PM CT, 1:30 PM ET, 5:30 PM GMT
In this free session, Vision Support America introduces simple, confidence-building ways to make an Android phone more accessible.

August 31, 2026 | Orbit Research August Meeting | Orbit Research

9:00 AM PT, 10:00 AM MT, 11:00 AM CT, 12:00 PM ET, 4:00 PM GMT
Orbit Research holds its August user meeting on Zoom, hosted by Robert Carter. The meeting ID is 815 6334 1128 and the passcode is 491794.

September 1, 2026 | RESIST! Join the Launch of the Community Coalition for Sustainable Diversity and Inclusion: A LinkedIn Live Event | DrKirkAdams.com

11:00 AM PT, 12:00 PM MT, 1:00 PM CT, 2:00 PM ET, 7:00 PM GMT
There are moments in history when simply holding the line is not enough. This is one of those moments. Across the country, organizations, educators, businesses, nonprofits, public agencies, advocates, and community leaders who believe in diversity, equity, inclusion, accessibility, and belonging are facing unprecedented challenges. Programs are being dismantled. Funding is disappearing. Professionals are feeling isolated. Too many people who have dedicated their lives to building stronger, more inclusive communities are wondering where to turn next.

September 1, 2026 | Birdability Access Survey Closes | Birdability

Last day to complete the Birdability Access Survey. Birdability wants to hear from birders with disabilities, chronic illness or other health concerns about barriers encountered while birding and accommodations that have made a difference. Results directly inform Birdability’s future resources, advocacy and efforts to make birding more welcoming and accessible.

September 1, 2026 | A11yNYC Presentation: Building Slack’s Simplified Layout | A11yNYC

4:30 PM PT, 5:30 PM MT, 6:30 PM CT, 7:30 PM ET, 11:30 PM GMT
Chris Xu, Lena Wang, and Kaili Liang from Slack demonstrate Simplified Layout Mode, a preference that turns the desktop and web interface into a single column with fewer distractions. The session traces the feature from an accommodation request by an ALS advocacy group to a shipped product, and covers how partnerships with disabled and neurodivergent users shaped its design. Human captions are provided, and the talk is livestreamed on YouTube as well as held in person in Manhattan.

September 2, 2026 | Making Social Media Accessible: Alternative Text, Captions, and Platform Best Practices | Access Ingenuity

10:00 AM PT, 11:00 AM MT, 12:00 PM CT, 1:00 PM ET, 5:00 PM GMT
Michael Parker and Lauren from Access Ingenuity break down the practical steps for accessible social media content, covering how to write effective alternative text for images, add accurate captions to video, and structure posts so they work with assistive technology across Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and X. The session also looks at platform-specific tools and where manual effort is still required.

September 3, 2026 | Using AI Connectors To Bring Your Everyday Apps And Information Together | Freedom Scientific

9:00 AM PT, 10:00 AM MT, 11:00 AM CT, 12:00 PM ET, 4:00 PM GMT
Learn how AI connectors can bring email, calendars, cloud storage, documents, and other everyday services into a single conversation to simplify tasks and improve efficiency. This webinar demonstrates practical workflows for finding, summarizing, and combining information across connected apps, with ACVREP credits available to those who attend live.

September 3, 2026 | Preventing Falls and Using Stairs Safely | Vision Support America

10:00 AM PT, 11:00 AM MT, 12:00 PM CT, 1:00 PM ET, 5:00 PM GMT
In this free session, Vision Support America shares simple techniques to help people with changing vision move safely and confidently around the home and beyond.

September 4, 2026 | Home Organization and Labeling | Vision Support America

10:00 AM PT, 11:00 AM MT, 12:00 PM CT, 1:00 PM ET, 5:00 PM GMT
In this free session, Vision Support America explores easy ways to organize and label a home so it feels calmer, easier, and more predictable to navigate with changing vision.

September 7, 2026 | Lighting Tips for Everyday Life | Vision Support America

11:00 AM PT, 12:00 PM MT, 1:00 PM CT, 2:00 PM ET, 6:00 PM GMT
In this free session, Vision Support America shows how contrast, better lighting, and less glare can make a home easier to see and move through.

September 8, 2026 | Make Your iPhone Work for You | Vision Support America

1:00 PM PT, 2:00 PM MT, 3:00 PM CT, 4:00 PM ET, 8:00 PM GMT
In this free, step-by-step session, Vision Support America walks through simple ways to make an iPhone work better for changing vision, at a comfortable pace.

September 9, 2026 | Cooking Tips for Changing Vision | Vision Support America

1:00 PM PT, 2:00 PM MT, 3:00 PM CT, 4:00 PM ET, 8:00 PM GMT
In this free session, Vision Support America leads a supportive conversation on small, practical steps toward feeling comfortable and confident in the kitchen again with changing vision.

September 10, 2026 | Virtual Career Fair | National Organization on Disability

9:00 AM PT, 10:00 AM MT, 11:00 AM CT, 12:00 PM ET, 4:00 PM GMT
The National Organization on Disability hosts a free virtual career fair connecting disability-inclusive employers with job-ready candidates, giving students and hiring teams alike the tools and direct access to succeed at inclusive recruitment.

September 10, 2026 | Keep Reading Alive | Vision Support America

1:00 PM PT, 2:00 PM MT, 3:00 PM CT, 4:00 PM ET, 8:00 PM GMT
In this free session, Vision Support America explores different ways to keep reading a part of everyday life, in whatever form works best now.

September 14, 2026 | Leadership Council Open House | National Organization on Disability

10:00 AM PT, 11:00 AM MT, 12:00 PM CT, 1:00 PM ET, 5:00 PM GMT
In this free open house, the National Organization on Disability introduces its Leadership Council—a community of companies advancing disability inclusion in the workplace—and the partnership opportunities available to organizations ready to turn intention into measurable results.

September 14, 2026 | Make Your Android Work for You | Vision Support America

10:30 AM PT, 11:30 AM MT, 12:30 PM CT, 1:30 PM ET, 5:30 PM GMT
In this free session, Vision Support America introduces simple, confidence-building ways to make an Android phone more accessible.

September 15, 2026 | Leadership Insights: Disability Inclusion Dialogues | National Organization on Disability

9:00 AM PT, 10:00 AM MT, 11:00 AM CT, 12:00 PM ET
A 90-minute virtual peer-focused discussion for senior-level NOD Leadership Council members on disability inclusion and workforce retention. The session features insights from Candee Chambers, Director of the Office of Public Liaison at the U.S. Department of Labor, who joins industry leaders to address strategic retention challenges.

September 16, 2026 | Birdability Book Club: Turning to Birds by Lili Taylor | Birdability

4:00 PM PT, 5:00 PM MT, 6:00 PM CT, 7:00 PM ET
The Birdability Book Club discusses Turning to Birds: The Power and Beauty of Noticing by Lili Taylor. Best known as an actor, Taylor is also a devoted birder, and this collection of essays explores what happens when we slow down long enough to really pay attention. A fitting read ahead of Birdability Week and its Bird Where You Are theme. Free; registration required. The club meets every other month on the third Wednesday.

September 16, 2026 | Focus 640 Braille Display: The Next Generation of High-Performance Braille Access | 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 are joined by Joe McDaniel from Vispero to walk through the sixth-generation Focus 640 braille display, covering its patented seamless cell cap, redesigned pin assembly, four-way D-Pad, expanded Scratchpad with contracted braille, multiple Bluetooth connections plus USB-C, and JAWS features including BrailleIn and Braille Study Mode. ACVREP continuing education credit is approved for teachers of the visually impaired.

September 17, 2026 | Preventing Falls and Using Stairs Safely | Vision Support America

10:00 AM PT, 11:00 AM MT, 12:00 PM CT, 1:00 PM ET, 5:00 PM GMT
In this free session, Vision Support America shares simple techniques to help people with changing vision move safely and confidently around the home and beyond.

September 18, 2026 | Home Organization and Labeling | Vision Support America

10:00 AM PT, 11:00 AM MT, 12:00 PM CT, 1:00 PM ET, 5:00 PM GMT
In this free session, Vision Support America explores easy ways to organize and label a home so it feels calmer, easier, and more predictable to navigate with changing vision.

September 20, 2026 | Birdability Week Offbeat Photo and Video Contest Closes | Birdability

Final day to enter Birdability’s Offbeat Photo and Video Contest, which celebrates the awkward, funny and unexpected side of birds. Six categories span photography and feeder-camera video: Wing and a Prayer (and Poop!), Autofocus Gone Wrong, Birds Doing Bird Stuff, Birds with Disabilities, BIRB, and Not BIRB. Free to enter and open worldwide, with one entry per category and no special equipment required – phones, point-and-shoots, adaptive technology and feeder cameras all welcome. Winners are announced at the Birdability Week closing social on October 25.

September 21, 2026 | Lighting Tips for Everyday Life | Vision Support America

11:00 AM PT, 12:00 PM MT, 1:00 PM CT, 2:00 PM ET, 6:00 PM GMT
In this free session, Vision Support America shows how contrast, better lighting, and less glare can make a home easier to see and move through.

September 22, 2026 | Tech It Out | Hadley

11:00 AM PT, 12:00 PM MT, 1:00 PM CT, 2:00 PM ET, 7:00 PM GMT
Learn a few tips about everyday technology from a technology expert, ask your questions, and share your experiences.

September 22, 2026 | Make Your iPhone Work for You | Vision Support America

1:00 PM PT, 2:00 PM MT, 3:00 PM CT, 4:00 PM ET, 8:00 PM GMT
In this free, step-by-step session, Vision Support America walks through simple ways to make an iPhone work better for changing vision, at a comfortable pace.

September 22, 2026 | Road to the National Coding Symposium: BT Code | American Printing House for the Blind

12:00 PM PT, 1:00 PM MT, 2:00 PM CT, 3:00 PM ET, 7:00 PM GMT
APH opens its Road to the National Coding Symposium series with a look at BT Code, the built-in Python learning and development environment for BT Speak and BT Braille. The session covers guided lessons, games, and audio-based activities with an AI coding assistant, a braille-first development environment for building real Python projects, and the Code Store for sharing work with other blind coders.

September 23, 2026 | Cooking Tips for Changing Vision | Vision Support America

1:00 PM PT, 2:00 PM MT, 3:00 PM CT, 4:00 PM ET, 8:00 PM GMT
In this free session, Vision Support America leads a supportive conversation on small, practical steps toward feeling comfortable and confident in the kitchen again with changing vision.

September 23, 2026 | Making Learning Modules and Online Courses Accessible: Quick Testing Essentials | Access Ingenuity

10:00 AM PT, 11:00 AM MT, 12:00 PM CT, 1:00 PM ET, 5:00 PM GMT
Access Ingenuity presents a digital accessibility webinar on quick testing essentials for making learning modules and online courses accessible.

September 24, 2026 | Keep Reading Alive | Vision Support America

1:00 PM PT, 2:00 PM MT, 3:00 PM CT, 4:00 PM ET, 8:00 PM GMT
In this free session, Vision Support America explores different ways to keep reading a part of everyday life, in whatever form works best now.

September 28, 2026 | Make Your Android Work for You | Vision Support America

10:30 AM PT, 11:30 AM MT, 12:30 PM CT, 1:30 PM ET, 5:30 PM GMT
In this free session, Vision Support America introduces simple, confidence-building ways to make an Android phone more accessible.

September 30, 2026 | Learning Spanish Accessibly: Using JAWS and a Braille Display | Access Ingenuity

10:00 AM PT, 11:00 AM MT, 12:00 PM CT, 1:00 PM ET, 5:00 PM GMT
Marisa Church from Access Ingenuity explores the language features in JAWS, showing how students can read and write Spanish using one of the enhanced JAWS voices on the web and in Microsoft Word, and how Spanish text can be read on a braille display.

October 1, 2026 | Technology and the Disability Experience | National Organization on Disability

The National Organization on Disability convenes leaders from business, technology, and advocacy at its Times Center gathering in New York to explore how emerging technologies—including AI, extended reality, and smart devices—are reshaping accessibility and the future of disability inclusion in the workforce.

October 9, 2026 | EnAble Learning Office Hours | National Organization on Disability

10:00 AM PT, 11:00 AM MT, 12:00 PM CT, 1:00 PM ET, 5:00 PM GMT
In this free session, the National Organization on Disability walks employers through its EnAble Learning on-demand training and fields questions on building disability confidence, improving retention, and creating more inclusive, productive teams.

October 19, 2026 | Birdability Week 2026: Bird Where You Are | Birdability

Birdability Week returns October 19 through 25, 2026, with the theme Bird Where You Are – an invitation to notice birds in whatever way works best for you, whether that is from a window, a wheelchair, a car, a hospital room, a kayak or a favorite park bench. The week is a celebration of birders with disabilities and other health concerns, and includes a full schedule of free virtual events, the Offbeat Photo and Video Contest, and accessible outings hosted around the country. All virtual events include captions and ASL interpretation.

October 19, 2026 | Finding Balance: Self-Care While Birding – A Birdability Week 2026 Discussion | Birdability

4:00 PM PT, 5:00 PM MT, 6:00 PM CT, 7:00 PM ET
Birdability Captains Eric Clow and Jayme Boucher co-facilitate an open community roundtable on the many ways disabled birders care for themselves while spending time with birds – from birding while floating in a pool, to adaptive equipment that reduces fatigue, to choosing places where birds can be enjoyed without walking. Bring your own tips and hear practical ideas from others. Free. Virtual (Zoom). Captions and ASL interpretation provided; note additional access requests in your registration.

October 20, 2026 | Birding While d/Deaf or Hard of Hearing Panel | Birdability

4:00 PM PT, 5:00 PM MT, 6:00 PM CT, 7:00 PM ET
Birdability Captains, community members and past Accessible Birding Interns who identify as Deaf, deaf, hard of hearing and late-deafened share their birding journeys, the barriers they have encountered and the accommodations that have helped. The panel explores the distinction between Deaf as a cultural and linguistic identity and deaf as a term for hearing loss, the many ways people connect with birds beyond sound, and practical ideas for making bird walks, clubs and festivals more welcoming. Free. Virtual (Zoom). Captions and ASL interpretation provided; note additional access requests in your registration.

October 21, 2026 | Inclusive Nature Panel | Birdability

10:00 AM PT, 11:00 AM MT, 12:00 PM CT, 1:00 PM ET
Author and editor Lauren Pharr moderates a conversation with contributors to the upcoming book Inclusive Nature about creating outdoor spaces, conservation organizations and birding communities where more people truly belong. Drawing on lived experience and professional work, panelists explore how race, disability, gender and culture have shaped who has had access to nature, and identify actions individuals and organizations can take. Free. Virtual (Zoom). Captions and ASL interpretation provided; note additional access requests in your registration.

October 22, 2026 | Birding at the Intersections | Birdability

4:00 PM PT, 5:00 PM MT, 6:00 PM CT, 7:00 PM ET
Birdability Captains and community members with intersecting identities discuss how race, disability, gender, sexual orientation, culture and neurodivergence shape people’s experiences of birding and time in nature. Panelists explore how barriers to participation overlap and reinforce one another, and how belonging is created when communities recognize the whole person rather than a single aspect of identity. Free. Virtual (Zoom). Captions and ASL interpretation provided; note additional access requests in your registration.

October 23, 2026 | Birding With an Energy-Limiting Condition Panel | Birdability

4:00 PM PT, 5:00 PM MT, 6:00 PM CT, 7:00 PM ET
Many birders live with conditions that affect energy, stamina, pain, fatigue or post-exertional recovery. Birdability Captains share how they have adapted their birding to fit changing bodies and lives – birding closer to home, pacing themselves, and embracing rest, mobility aids and technology. They talk honestly about the emotional side of adjusting expectations and letting go of the idea that there is only one right way to be a birder. Free. Virtual (Zoom). Captions and ASL interpretation provided; note additional access requests in your registration.

October 24, 2026 | Birds and Brains: A Keynote Conversation About Traumatic Brain Injury and Healing With Birds | Birdability

1:00 PM PT, 2:00 PM MT, 3:00 PM CT, 4:00 PM ET
Birdability Week keynote speaker Day Scott (@TheWildernessGoddess) and Birdability Captain Emily Nichols talk about living with and recovering from traumatic brain injury, and the unexpected ways birds became part of the healing process. Drawing on lived experience and emerging science about the brain’s capacity to adapt and change, they reflect on how paying attention to birds can support healing, emotional well-being and a renewed sense of possibility. Free. Virtual (Zoom). Captions and ASL interpretation provided; note additional access requests in your registration.

October 25, 2026 | Birdability Week Wrap-Up Social and Photo and Video Contest Winners Announced | Birdability

1:00 PM PT, 2:00 PM MT, 3:00 PM CT, 4:00 PM ET
Birdability Week 2026 closes with a community celebration and the announcement of the winners of the 2026 Offbeat Photo and Video Contest. See this year’s finalist photos and videos, hear the stories behind them, celebrate the photographers and videographers, and share your own favorite Birdability Week memory. Free. Virtual (Zoom). Captions and ASL interpretation provided; note additional access requests in your registration.

October 27, 2026 | Tech It Out | Hadley

11:00 AM PT, 12:00 PM MT, 1:00 PM CT, 2:00 PM ET, 7:00 PM GMT
Learn a few tips about everyday technology from a technology expert, ask your questions, and share your experiences.

November 8, 2026 | 18th Annual Dining In The Dark Fundraiser To Benefit The Blind | Florida Outreach Center For The Blind

1:00 PM PT, 2:00 PM MT, 3:00 PM CT, 4:00 PM ET, 9:00 PM GMT
Experience an unforgettable evening at the 18th Annual Dining in the Dark, where guests enjoy a three-course meal served in complete darkness by the PBSO SWAT Team using night-vision goggles. The night also features live entertainment, an inspiring guest speaker, and a silent auction supporting programs for the blind community in Palm Beach County.

November 18, 2026 | Birdability Book Club: Birdsong by the Seasons by Donald Kroodsma | Birdability

4:00 PM PT, 5:00 PM MT, 6:00 PM CT, 7:00 PM ET
The Birdability Book Club closes out 2026 with Birdsong by the Seasons: A Year of Listening to Birds by Donald Kroodsma, a lyrical guide to a year of sound. The book was chosen so readers could follow along month by month through the year and then gather in November to share reflections from twelve months of attentive listening. Free; registration required.

November 19, 2026 | Member-Only Event: Practices for Accessible Virtual Meetings | National Organization on Disability

10:00 AM PT, 11:00 AM MT, 12:00 PM CT, 1:00 PM ET
A 25-minute virtual session for NOD Leadership Council members focused on practical, hands-on strategies for making virtual meetings more inclusive and accessible to all participants. The full briefing is restricted to Council members; non-members can join the Leadership Council to attend this and similar exclusive members-only sessions.

November 24, 2026 | Tech It Out | Hadley

11:00 AM PT, 12:00 PM MT, 1:00 PM CT, 2:00 PM ET, 7:00 PM GMT
Learn a few tips about everyday technology from a technology expert, ask your questions, and share your experiences.

December 17, 2026 | CEO Office Hours: Looking Back/Looking Forward | National Organization on Disability

10:00 AM PT, 11:00 AM MT, 12:00 PM CT, 1:00 PM ET, 6:00 PM GMT
In a free, year-end CEO Office Hours led by Beth Sirull, the National Organization on Disability reflects on milestones in disability inclusion and looks ahead to the strategies that will shape the coming year.

December 22, 2026 | Tech It Out | Hadley

11:00 AM PT, 12:00 PM MT, 1:00 PM CT, 2:00 PM ET, 7:00 PM GMT
Learn a few tips about everyday technology from a technology expert, ask your questions, and share your experiences.

⬆︎ 8.) Sponsor: The Blind Guide, LLC

Sponsor Since: October 6, 2025 📅️

Website: https://theblindguide.com 🌐️

About: The Blind Guide is passionate about helping people thrive with vision loss. My website includes many resources for people losing their vision and their caregivers. Register for my weekly blog post or read one or more of my eBook series, which cover the initial vision loss journey through education, entertainment, and home modifications.

Assistive technology is a key enabler of thriving with blindness. I’ve worked with emerging technologies to make everyday life more accessible and enjoyable, enabling independent travel, better access to sporting events, your inner musician, and so much more.

My ecosystem also includes resources for jobseekers and employers. The list of jobs someone who is blind cannot do is much shorter than the list of jobs they can do. Ask me about employment programs from cybersecurity to talent sourcing.

For employers, I can connect you with a hidden market of exceptional, resilient talent: people who are blind plus veterans and military spouses.

⬆︎ 7.) Sponsor: Able News at The Viscardi Center

Sponsor Since: July 4, 2025 📅️

Website: https://ablenews.com 🌐️

Email: ablenews@viscardicenter.org 📧️

About: Able News at The Viscardi Center is a monthly periodical for, by, and about people with disabilities. It amplifies the perspective of a diverse disability community and reports on news, technology, sports, health and wellness, culture, travel, advocacy and opportunities to learn and connect. It is a valuable resource and brings readers disability news like no other source.

Read Able News

⬆︎ 6.) 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.

⬆︎ 5.) Sponsor: Dr. Kirk Adams

Sponsor Since: July 22, 2024 📅️

Website: https://drkirkadams.com/ 🌐️

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 low-vision, 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.

⬆︎ 4.) Sponsor: Barrier Free Canada

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).

⬆︎ 3.) Sponsor: Hadley

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

⬆︎ 2.) Sponsor: Eyes on Success

Sponsor Since: August 21, 2023 📅️

Website: https://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 📧️

⬆︎ 1.) Sponsor: 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.

⬆︎ 16.) Sponsor: The Inspiration Foundation

Sponsor Since: August 26, 2026 📅️

Website: https://www.inspirationfoundation.org/ 🌐️

Email: jgrandstaff@inspirationfoundation.org 📧️

About: The Inspiration Foundation is a 501(c)(3) public nonprofit working to increase the employment rate of people with disabilities. It was founded in 2006 by Isaac Shapiro and Mike Ghesser, the co-founders of the bath and body care brand Cleanlogic, and named for Isaac’s mother, Beatriz “Bea” Shapiro, who lost her sight to retinitis pigmentosa at about seven years old. Bea went on to become a long-distance runner, to found a technology training center for blind and visually impaired people, and to work as a vocational rehabilitation counselor for the State of Arizona. Her frustration was a practical one: the assistive technology disabled jobseekers were being trained on was too often out of date before they ever reached an interview. For its first two decades the Foundation answered that directly, awarding grants to nonprofit organizations serving blind and low-vision people so they could put current screen readers and Braille displays in front of the people who need them, including a dedicated fund for VisionServe Alliance member organizations.

In 2026 the Foundation appointed Jeremy Grandstaff as its first Executive Director. Grandstaff is blind, holds degrees in management information systems and organization development from Bowling Green State University, and brings two decades of organizational development and change management experience to the role. Under his leadership the Foundation has set a goal of increasing employment for people with disabilities by ten percent over the next five years, pursued through two pipelines running at once: a stronger pipeline of candidates, supported by the technology grant program, and a pipeline of employers who are actively hiring, promoting and retaining people with disabilities. The employer side of that work is being formalized into a certification called the Inspiration Seal, currently in pilot while its criteria are developed. Organizations interested in the technology grant program can reach Jeremy Grandstaff directly at jgrandstaff@inspirationfoundation.org.

⬆︎ 15.) Sponsor: Luna AI

Sponsor Since: August 16, 2026 📅️

Website: https://trylunaai.com/ 🌐️

Study Line: +1 (231) 879-5862 📱️

WhatsApp: +1 (231) 879-5862 📱️

About: Luna AI is a voice-first AI tutor you reach the same way you would reach a friend, by picking up the phone and calling. There is no app to download, no account to create, and no screen to navigate. You dial, you say what you would like to learn, and Luna teaches you out loud. What makes it more than a talking search engine is the method behind it. Luna works through active recall, which means it asks the questions and listens to your answers rather than simply reading material at you. Testing yourself, and explaining an idea in your own words, is one of the most reliably effective study techniques in learning science, and a spoken conversation is the most natural way there is to do it. Founded in 2026 by Derek Fine, Luna AI is built for people who want to learn without a screen, including blind and low-vision students who want to work through their material independently from start to finish.

In practice, that means you can practise conversation, pronunciation and vocabulary in a new language, walk through a practical how-to step by step while your hands are busy, or turn a commute, a walk or a session at the gym into real study time. Subscribers can go further and build a Study Library from their own coursework, lecture notes, PDFs, transcripts and Quizlet sets, which Luna turns into spoken review sessions that quiz you until the material sticks. Topic-based study sessions are free, so there is nothing to install and nothing to sign up for before you try it: just call +1 (231) 879-5862 📱️ from any phone, anywhere in the world, at any hour, or reach Luna the same way on WhatsApp. Learn more at https://trylunaai.com/.

⬆︎ 14.) Sponsor: Even Though I’m Blind (ETIB)

Sponsor Since: August 10, 2026 📅️

Website: https://eventhoughimblind.com/ 🌐️

About: Even Though I’m Blind, Inc. (ETIB) is a blind-led media and advocacy organization founded by Cazerny Bussey, a Brooklyn-born recording artist, author, entrepreneur, speaker, and father of five who lost his eyesight at fifteen. The organization takes its name from a track on Bussey’s 2021 album Cfly 728, one of three records he has released since 2012. ETIB’s stated mission is to uplift blind and visually impaired people by creating platforms and experiences that inform, inspire, connect, and open doors — and it does so through a working set of properties rather than a single channel.

Those include the ETIB Experience, an interview podcast featuring blind entrepreneurs, artists, advocates and pageant titleholders; ETIB Radio, an internet stream that gives independent blind and visually impaired musicians genuine airplay; the Community Connect Directory, a staff-verified listing of businesses that are blind-owned, visually-impaired-owned, or that specifically serve blind and low vision people; Seen Through Sound, a community project collecting short recorded messages of encouragement; plus a blog and an events calendar. Bussey founded ETIB, in his words, to help people feel “visible, connected, informed, and empowered without using pity as the message.”

Home | About | Podcast | Radio | Blog | Directory | Events | Join ETIB | AI Chat | Donate

⬆︎ 13.) Sponsor: Blind Professionals Network (BPN)

Sponsor Since: April 13, 2026 📅️

Website: https://blindpronet.org/ 🌐️

Email: BPN@BlindProNet.org 📧️

Phone: +1 (800) 699-8238 📱️

About: Blind Professionals Network (BPN) is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization dedicated to advancing the professional success of individuals who are blind or visually impaired. Fully staffed by BVI professionals, BPN’s wealth of education, passion, and lived experience leads the efforts in bridging the employment gap between talent and opportunity. Through our no cost professional development trainings, mentorship, and a dynamic network rooted in our core values of the acronym “SUCCESS”, we equip our members with the skills, confidence, and resources needed to thrive in today’s workforce. Complementing these premier services, our BPN Workplace Solutions division partners with employers to deliver custom Jaws training, accessibility testing, and professional development training to enhance inclusive hiring, training, and retention strategies. Together, these two focus areas unite to break barriers and achieve professional success.

BPN Workplace Solutions | Facebook | LinkedIn | Club House

⬆︎ 12.) Sponsor: Institute for Sustainable Diversity & Inclusion (ISDI)

Sponsor Since: January 24, 2026 📅️

Website: https://i4sdi.org/ 🌐️

About: The Institute for Sustainable Diversity & Inclusion (ISDI) is a Washington-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2015 to help individuals and organizations build the capability to create workplaces, and communities, where diversity, equity, and inclusion are real, practical, and sustainable. ISDI’s work is grounded in evidence-based approaches and a long-term, systems-change mindset that goes beyond one-off trainings or performative efforts.

ISDI is best known for stewarding the Northwest Diversity Learning Series (NWDLS), a respected DEI education program with more than 27 years of impact, offering virtual, interactive workshops led by thought leaders and subject matter experts from across the country and Canada. ISDI also offers special events, small learning cohorts, and professional development sessions that equip leaders, HR/DEI practitioners, and employees with actionable skills for inclusive leadership and healthy dialogue across difference. In addition, ISDI provides consulting and curated resources to help organizations strengthen strategy, leadership accountability, and measurable progress toward more inclusive and equitable cultures.

About Us | Coalition | Contact Us | Consulting Services | Diversity Learning Series | Donate | News | Registration | Resources

BlueSky | LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram

⬆︎ 11.) Sponsor: The Blind Kitchen

Sponsor Since: January 15, 2026 📅️

Website: https://theblindkitchen.com/ 🌐️

About: The Blind Kitchen is an accessibility-driven culinary brand founded by legally blind chef and educator Debra Erickson. Built to help people with vision loss cook safely and confidently, The Blind Kitchen curates adaptive kitchen tools alongside clear, practical instruction, showing that losing sight doesn’t mean losing your place in the kitchen.

Through an intentionally accessible online experience and a growing library of step-by-step demos, tips, and strategies, The Blind Kitchen empowers blind and low-vision cooks (and the people who support them) to reclaim independence, creativity, and joy around food, because independence belongs in every kitchen.

Kitchen | Store | About the Chef | FAQs | Library | Recipes | Contact

Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn | YouTube

⬆︎ 10.) Sponsor: The Cooking Without Looking TV Show

Sponsor Since: January 12, 2026 📅️

Website: https://cookingwithoutlookingtv.wordpress.com/ 🌐️

About: The Cooking Without Looking TV Show is an award-worthy, barrier-breaking TV show and podcast created and executive produced by Renée Rentmeester to change the way we see blindness, by showing blind and low-vision cooks doing what they love: preparing delicious meals with confidence, creativity, and humor. Originally launched on public television, the series has grown into a multi-platform experience that features talented hosts and guest cooks who share real-life kitchen strategies, adaptive techniques, and the kind of practical know-how that makes cooking feel possible, enjoyable, and empowering for everyone.

Designed with accessibility at its core, Cooking Without Looking goes beyond what’s on the screen. Episodes emphasize clear, descriptive instruction and sensory cues, sound, texture, aroma, and timing, so viewers and listeners can truly follow along, and recipes are shared in ways that support independence. Produced through the Vision World Foundation, the show also connects audiences with resources and community, proving week after week that great cooking isn’t about eyesight, it’s about skill, curiosity, and the joy of making something wonderful.

Home | Recipes & Tips | Contact | YouTube

⬆︎ 9.) Sponsor: Driven By Purpose Podcast

Sponsor Since: November 3, 2025 📅️

Website: https://thedrivenbypurposepodcast.com 🌐️

About: We’re building more than a media company — we’re cultivating a global movement where purpose drives progress.

What began as a mission to create employment for the 1 in 4 Americans living with disabilities has grown into a dynamic platform at the intersection of advocacy, entrepreneurship, and innovation. Our goal is simple: to amplify the voices, solutions, and stories that are driven by purpose.

At Driven by Purpose, we spotlight purpose-led businesses, breakthrough technologies, and human stories that challenge limits and redefine what’s possible. From adaptive innovations to inspiring leaders, we explore how purpose fuels progress and unlocks potential.

But this isn’t just about raising awareness — it’s about taking action. Through powerful content, strategic partnerships, and accessible platforms, we’re building bridges between those who need solutions and those creating them.

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Sponsor Since: Today 📅️

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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.

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Distribution: Sponsors, Supporters and Mind Vault Solutions, Ltd.

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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.

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Publisher: Aaron Di Blasi

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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
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Specializing in:

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Editor: John Hanlin

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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 low-vision 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.

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Editor: Jenna Lang

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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)
Mind Vault Solutions, Ltd. 🌐
Innovative ideas. Solutions that perform.

Editor (2020-Present)
Top Tech Tidbits 🌐
The Week’s News in Access Technology

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Editor: David Woodbridge

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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

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Access Information News 🌐
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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.

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Editor: Vicki Walton

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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, along with the caregivers, companies and organizations that serve and support them. 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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