Access Information News for Monday, September 14, 2026 – Volume 1084

We Are Pregnant! | Squirmy and Grubs | YouTube.com | September 8, 2026

Announcing their pregnancy, Shane and Hannah Burcaw share the news of a major new chapter for their family. The pair also partners with Babylist to help expecting families by purchasing items from selected registries shared by their community.

Can You Lead Without Bias? Try It — At The Next NW Diversity Learning Series Workshop September 23, 2026 | Save Your Spot! | Institute for Sustainable Diversity & Inclusion (ISDI)

Every organization says it wants creativity and innovation. Both require the same raw material — people who see what the group is missing, and who are free enough to say it out loud.

Bias taxes that freedom, and it’s costly. Bias rarely arrives as hostility. It arrives as a standard applied unevenly, a hire decided on fit, or an idea that lands differently depending on who says it.

Join this NW Diversity Learning Series workshop to learn how to:

• Define competency checking; identify where it enters everyday leadership decisions — hiring, assignments, feedback, credit, and airtime.
• Explain to a peer how biased decision patterns suppress creativity and innovation on a team.
• Analyze one decision or process you personally own using an Applied Equity lens, naming the criteria in use and who those criteria advantage.
• Use at least one non-shaming move to interrupt bias in a live conversation.

Register today!

Wednesday, September 23, 2026
9AM to 11AM Pacific
Virtual on Zoom

👉 Submit a news article for free here, with timing and placement determined by our editors.

👉 Submit a Sponsored News Article here, with timing and placement determined by you.

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

A.) Do I Actually Know What Animals Look Like?? | Molly Burke | YouTube.com | September 1, 2026

Reflecting on how blindness shapes visual understanding, Molly Burke considers what she knows about the appearance of animals. The conversation examines the gap between learned descriptions, touch, sound, and the mental images people form of the natural world.

B.) Recording: Official Launch of The Community Coalition for Sustainable Diversity and Inclusion | Dr. Kirk Adams, Executive Director, ISDI | September 7, 2026

Here, Dr. Kirk Adams shares the full recording of the September 1, 2026 public launch of the Community Coalition for Sustainable Diversity and Inclusion, the national membership community created by the Institute for Sustainable Diversity and Inclusion to help people working in diversity, equity, inclusion, accessibility and belonging move from reactive, isolated survival mode to strategic, sustainable, collective power.

C.) Impending Changes to Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act | Nod.org | September 1, 2026

The U.S. Department of Labor’s final Section 503 rule, effective September 21, 2026, eliminates the CC-305 disability self-identification form, the 7% utilization goal, and required disability data collection for applicants, referrals, and hires. Nondiscrimination, affirmative action, reasonable-accommodation, and outreach requirements remain, while the contract coverage threshold rises to $20,000.

D.) The Doors Are Open: How to Join the Community Coalition for Sustainable Diversity and Inclusion | Dr. Kirk Adams, Executive Director, ISDI | September 7, 2026

Here, Dr. Kirk Adams announces that the Community Coalition for Sustainable Diversity and Inclusion went live on September 1, 2026, opened not with a webinar or a panel but with an “Ask Us Anything” hour of questions, frustrations, ideas and lived experience. He explains what the Coalition actually is: a way for members to move from reactive, isolated survival mode to strategic, sustainable, collective power, built on four words, Connect, Learn, Act, Together. He is direct about who it is for, which is everybody, and equally direct that disability inclusion and accessibility are not a side room in it but a dedicated space by design. Inside, he describes three things above all others: BELONG, the peer circles where saying “I am overwhelmed” is met with practical help rather than judgment; CLARITY, a trusted translation layer of plain-language briefings and expert-guided sessions; and POWER, the shared tools, cross-sector strategy and coalition-backed influence that turn isolated effort into coordinated action. In practice that means Ask the Experts office hours, a Member Lounge and Directory, a growing Resource Library, a Rapid Response Hub for the moments that will not wait, legislative and legal updates, podcasts featuring DEIAB voices, and a shared calendar of events worth your time.

E.) Hannah Was Almost Attacked Not Kidding | Squirmy and Grubs | YouTube.com | August 31, 2026

Recounting a disturbing encounter at a local park, Hannah and Shane Burcaw describe how a stranger’s unusual behavior escalated an ordinary outing into a frightening moment. The pair also use a dramatic reenactment to convey the tension of the incident and its aftermath.

September 14, 2026 📅️

2.) When Disclosure Costs You the Interview: Seattle’s Disability:IN Chapter Takes on the Question | DrKirkAdams.com | September 14, 2026

Here, Dr. Kirk Adams tells the story of the impossible choice that shaped his career. In 1983, fresh out of Whitman College with a degree in economics, he could either say nothing about his blindness and watch an interview collapse the moment he walked in with a long white cane, or disclose it at the top of his cover letter and stop getting phone interviews altogether. Two bad options, and no third one on offer. He connects that experience directly to “The Courage to Be Human at Work: Vulnerability, Access, and Connection,” a free 90-minute webinar hosted by Disability:IN Washington on Wednesday, September 30, 2026, and led by Linea Johnson, Founder and CEO of The Thrive Shift. Its central question, he writes, is one he recognized on sight: how do we create workplaces where people don’t have to choose between protecting themselves and belonging?

3.) Another Door to Knock On: Jennifer Bazer and the Palmetto Council of the Blind | DrKirkAdams.com | September 14, 2026

Here, Dr. Kirk Adams introduces Jennifer Bazer, President of the Palmetto Council of the Blind of South Carolina and a newly elected member of the Board of Directors of the American Council of the Blind, and makes the case for supporting the Council’s Kicking for a Cause online auction, which closes on September 20, 2026. Blind since birth, a social worker by training and a veteran of more than a decade managing large federal workforce programs, Bazer founded the Palmetto Council in 2023 with a deliberately simple aim: to give a newly blind South Carolinian, a family member who does not know where to turn, or anyone looking for a way in “another door they could knock on.”

4.) What We Inherit — and What We Must Build Next | By Dr. Kirk Adams, Executive Director, ISDI | DrKirkAdams.com | September 14, 2026

Here, Dr. Kirk Adams reflects on launching the Community Coalition for Sustainable Diversity and Inclusion on September 1, in a span of days that also brought the deaths of Dolly Parton, Wendell Berry, and Gloria Steinem. He writes candidly about his discomfort at honoring three white figures in a piece about a coalition devoted to diversity, equity, inclusion, accessibility, and belonging, and he insists that the long struggle for freedom has been led, sustained, and repeatedly rescued by Black people, Indigenous people, people of color, women, LGBTQ+ people, people with disabilities, immigrants, workers, and countless others whose names never reach a history book. What he draws from each of the three is a lesson in using one’s gifts in service to others: Parton’s Imagination Library, whose Braille Tales partnership with the American Printing House for the Blind fills his own bookshelf with print-and-braille titles his two-year-old granddaughter brings him with the words “Grandpa, read book with your hands!”; Berry’s insistence that community is a daily practice rather than an abstract idea, the conviction behind Adams’s own philosophy of brightening the corner where you are; and Steinem’s advice to young women to listen to themselves rather than to her, together with her understanding that movements require infrastructure and not merely admired personalities.

September 11, 2026 📅️

5.) Unavoidable Bumps – No Shocker And No Shaker | Donna J. Jodhan, LLB, ACSP, MBA | September 11, 2026

Every journey toward meaningful progress has its bumps. Some are unexpected. Others are so deeply embedded in our societies, institutions, and relationships that they are almost impossible to avoid. But what are these unavoidable bumps?

6.) Family Raises $1.6 Million to Build Adaptive Playground | DisabilityScoop.com | September 11, 2026

After five years of fundraising, the Bowling family helped open Berthoud Adaptive Park in Colorado after raising $1.6 million, including more than $50,000 from lemonade stands. Built for 9-year-old Miles Bowling, who uses a wheelchair due to cerebral palsy, the park includes ramps, accessible swings, transfer seating, camera-activated games and an integrated design for children of varied abilities.

7.) Program Aims to Prevent Deadly Police Encounters With People With Disabilities | DisabilityScoop.com | September 11, 2026

Badges and Bridges, a Baltimore-area program led by advocate Mack Dawson and Maryland Department of Transportation Police Sgt. Kevin Moody, brings officers together with people with intellectual, developmental and invisible disabilities before crises occur. Disability Rights Ohio estimates that 30% to 50% of people subjected to police force, and 33% to 50% of those killed, have disabilities.

8.) What It’s Really Like Being A Guide Dog Puppy Raiser | Molly Burke | YouTube.com | September 11, 2026

Conversationally, Molly Burke speaks with a guide dog puppy raiser about the demanding, emotional path of preparing a young dog for its next stage of training. The discussion follows the work from early socialization and daily routines to the difficult handoff, while underscoring the volunteer network behind Guide Dogs of America.

September 10, 2026 📅️

9.) Handi-Link Ministry, Feast, Thrive | Cam Wells | CJAM 99.1 FM | September 10, 2026

This program focuses on disability issues. Host Cam Wells will explore all sides of this comparing and contrasting with able bodied life. This week Featuring: Judy Krasna FEAST, Nicole Frisbie Empowered Abilities and Jeff Tiessen: Thrive.

10.) Rise and Fall | DisabilityDebrief.org | September 10, 2026

Back from an August break, Disability Debrief editor Peter Torres Fremlin examines the rise of the far right in Europe and new research on how the Trump administration’s halt to international aid is affecting disabled people. The edition also covers the rise and fall of a Kenyan advocacy organisation and gathers 119 curated links from 40 countries.

11.) For Blind and Low Vision Voters, Barriers Remain | WomensENews.org | September 10, 2026

Despite HAVA’s requirement that every polling place provide an accessible machine, blind and low-vision voters still report privacy and independence barriers. National Federation of the Blind data found 29.6% of users encountered poll workers unable to activate or set up equipment in 2024, up from 24% in 2020.

12.) Waymo’s Nevada Rollout Violates Accessibility Law, Disability Activist Claims | Streetsblog.org | September 10, 2026

Kelsey Maurine Brickl, a powered-wheelchair user, petitioned Nevada regulators to halt Waymo’s Las Vegas expansion, arguing its newly approved 1,000-vehicle driverless fleet lacks the wheelchair-accessible service state law requires. Waymo said it will comply, but no accessible vehicle meeting its specifications currently exists.

13.) Accessibility Is More Than a Ramp: What Disabled Muslims Need From Our Mosques | Amaliah.com | September 10, 2026

Disabled Muslims face obstacles that extend beyond mosque entrances, from raised thresholds and inaccessible toilets to printed materials unavailable in Braille. Wheelchair user Mohammed Khan and blind NHS psychological therapist Mehrreen Akhtar describe barriers to participation, while Amanati co-founder Zahra Faisal urges accessible infrastructure, disability awareness and disabled people in event planning.

14.) Know a Theatre: Arizona Theatre Matters | AmericanTheatre.org | September 10, 2026

Arizona Theatre Matters founder Jeanmarie Simpson says the company designs digital productions around accessibility from inception, using Blind voice actors, Deaf Artistic Sign Language performers, captions, and audio description. The free, on-demand platform reaches viewers in 194 countries, offers captions in more than 300 languages, and reports 120,000 subscribers and 2.5 million views since the pandemic.

15.) For Musician Tracy Marie, Accessibility Means More Than Getting Through the Door | Ideastream.org | September 10, 2026

Lakewood singer-songwriter Tracy Marie, who has Morquio A syndrome, is pushing Northeast Ohio venues and cities to treat accessibility as an end-to-end requirement, from parking and rest spaces to usable bathrooms and clear paths. An ambulatory wheelchair user, she is helping Lakewood develop an ADA transition plan and advising a University of Illinois accessibility-toolkit project.

16.) For People With Disabilities, Latest DOJ Move Is ‘Another Brick in a Wall’ | McKnightsHomeCare.com | September 10, 2026

On Aug. 31, the DOJ joined Texas, Florida and Alaska in seeking to vacate community-integration provisions in HHS’s 2024 Section 504 rule. Easterseals CEO Kendra Davenport and National Alliance for Care at Home policy VP Damon Terzaghi warned that weaker federal enforcement could expand HCBS waitlists and limit independent living options.

17.) Beyond the Visible-Invisible Disability Binary | PsychologyToday.com | September 10, 2026

Psychologist Kathleen R. Bogart and colleagues Marine Granjon and Pauline Rasset propose a disability observability spectrum, replacing the visible/invisible binary with a context-dependent account of how disability is perceived. More observable disabilities can trigger pity and unwanted help, while less observable ones invite suspicion and “faking it” accusations.

18.) In Cambodia, Accessibility Gap Leaves People With Disabilities Dependent on Others | Cambodianess.com | September 10, 2026

Despite Cambodia’s 2018 technical standards for accessible infrastructure, wheelchair users and blind residents report blocked access to hotels, hospitals, bathrooms, schools and buses. DYNO director Ngin Saorath says monitoring is incomplete; the Social Affairs Ministry acknowledges many facilities are not fully compliant.

19.) Elon Musk’s Blindness Cure Has A Massive Catch… | Legally Blind No Limits | YouTube.com | September 10, 2026

Cutting through the hype around Neuralink’s BlindSight, Cory examines what the proposed vision-restoration implant could actually offer and why its promise comes with serious tradeoffs. The discussion weighs the FDA Breakthrough Device Designation against the invasive S2 implant procedure and the gap between early-stage technology and practical treatment.

20.) Darren Prince: From Addiction To Representing Legends Like Magic Johnson & Muhammad Ali | Sean Callagy | YouTube.com | September 10, 2026

Sitting down with Darren Prince, Sean Callagy examines how recovery, grief, faith, and service have shaped the celebrity agent’s path from addiction to representing figures including Magic Johnson and Muhammad Ali. Their conversation connects personal resilience to sustainable giving, arguing that lasting influence depends on boundaries, authentic relationships, and leaving others better than they were found.

September 9, 2026 📅️

21.) Does Your Employer Discriminate? It’s About to Get Harder to Find Out. | 19thNews.org | September 9, 2026

The EEOC’s Republican majority has voted to end annual EEO-1 workforce demographic reporting, a 60-year practice that helps investigators spot systemic discrimination. The proposed rule, backed by a Project 2025 recommendation, could be finalized by month’s end, leaving employers to retain data but limiting industry comparisons and broader probes.

22.) NCC Pledges Accessible Technology, Digital Skills for Persons With Disabilities | RealNewsMagazine.net | September 9, 2026

Nigeria’s NCC says it will deepen accessible technology and digital-skills programs for persons with disabilities, citing inaccessible products, device and connectivity costs, and weak participation in technology design as barriers. EVC Dr Aminu Maida pointed to assistive ICT tools, an accessible walking-stick prototype and the “Technology Without Barriers” hackathon.

23.) Crip Trip TV Duo Praise North’s Honesty About Accessibility in N.W.T. Visit | CBC.ca | September 9, 2026

Crip Trip’s Danny Ennett and Frederick Kroetsch are filming the show’s third and final season in the Beaufort Delta, travelling through Inuvik to Tuktoyaktuk and the Arctic Ocean. The duo praised the Northwest Territories’ candour about accessibility limits, saying accurate details let them plan around barriers.

24.) Accessibility Shortfalls Keep Bruce County Student Home on First Day of School | CTVNews.ca | September 9, 2026

Quinn Clancy, a 10-year-old with cerebral palsy who uses a walker, stayed home on the first day of school after Walkerton District Community School moved his Grade 5 class to the second floor without a written safety plan. His parents want to know how he will leave the building if the elevator fails; the Bluewater District School Board has invited the family to meet.

25.) Gov’t Reviewing Policy for Stipends, Assistive Devices for Disabled Students – SLTF CEO | MyJoyOnline.com | September 9, 2026

Government is reviewing policy options for stipends and assistive learning devices for tertiary students with disabilities, SLTF CEO Dr Saajida Shiraz said. The Students Loan Trust Fund has spent GH¢10 million on tuition and residential payments for students with disabilities, she said.

26.) Special Education Head at Education Department Abruptly Resigns | NPR.org | September 9, 2026

Kelly Rogers, acting head of the Education Department’s Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, resigned effective Sept. 11 after less than four months. Kirsten Baesler will take over Sept. 14 as OSERS staff move to HHS; the office administers roughly $15 billion for students with disabilities.

27.) Texas Is Changing How It Funds Special Education. Will Your Child Be Affected? | StarTelegram.com | September 9, 2026

Texas has replaced its special education funding model with eight tiers based on IEP-documented support needs across five areas, rather than where students receive services. The Texas Education Agency says districts are guaranteed at least their old-system funding in 2026-27, while statewide funding is expected to rise by about $250 million.

28.) Autism Dating Series Wins Emmy for Best Reality Show | DisabilityScoop.com | September 9, 2026

Netflix’s Love on the Spectrum won three Creative Arts Emmy Awards, including Outstanding Unstructured Reality Program, for its fourth season. The U.S. autism dating series also earned awards for casting and picture editing, bringing its total across previous seasons to 10; Netflix has renewed it for a fifth season.

29.) Suicide Prevention Month… Tosha Snyder’s Tasty Instant Pot Carbonara… | Cooking Without Looking | YouTube.com | September 9, 2026

In a candid episode, Tosha Snyder shares her journey from vision loss and suicidal crisis to supporting others on a suicide hotline. She also spotlights the importance of contacting 988 during moments of risk, while offering an Instant Pot carbonara recipe as she continues training in vision rehabilitation.

30.) Did Having Kids Ruin The Romance? | Jessica Kellgren-Fozard | YouTube.com | September 9, 2026

Conversationally, Jessica Kellgren-Fozard unpacks how parenthood can reshape intimacy, conflict, and the everyday rhythms of a relationship. The discussion moves from feeling like co-workers after children to recurring arguments, waning romance, and the relationship advice worth leaving behind.

September 8, 2026 📅️

31.) ‘Calm Space’ Installed at Busy West London Tube Station | BBC.com | September 8, 2026

Transport for London is trialling a low-stimulation “calm space” at Ealing Broadway, with an acoustic shelter, seating and nature imagery for passengers who find travel overwhelming. Created with autism charity Autistica, the accessible shelter is designed for mobility aids, pushchairs and assistance dogs; a second trial is planned at the London Transport Museum this autumn.

32.) HHS Office for Civil Rights Reaches Agreement with Pennsylvania Hospital Over Care of Deaf Patient in Emergency Department | HHS.gov | September 8, 2026

HHS OCR reached a resolution agreement with UPMC Williamsport after investigating a complaint that a deaf Emergency Department patient who uses ASL received neither an interpreter nor another aid. The Pennsylvania hospital must revise policies, train personnel, report grievances, and submit six-month compliance reports during two years of OCR monitoring.

33.) Adidas Apologises: Why Did Its Accessibility Campaign Featuring Ex-Israeli Soldier Spark Outrage? | NDTVProfit.com | September 8, 2026

Adidas apologised after an Israel-only campaign for its Single Shoe service featured Shalev Biton, a former Israeli army soldier who lost his left leg in a 2021 Gaza-border attack. Pro-Palestinian activists called for a boycott, saying the ads overlooked Palestinian amputees; the World Health Organisation estimates more than 5,000 limb amputations in Gaza since October 2023.

34.) More Accessible Nightlife Spaces in Halifax Are Needed, Says Local DJ | SaltWire.com | September 8, 2026

Dartmouth DJ and organizer Jessica Hopkinson, who performs as lilboofs, says Halifax bars and event venues routinely block wheelchair users through inaccessible entrances and washrooms, limiting both audiences and bookings. She points to Radstorm as a fully accessible venue as Nova Scotia works toward its 2030 accessibility goal.

35.) For Accessibility, the ADA Set the Foundation. Here’s How Cities Can Aim Higher. | SmartCitiesDive.com | September 8, 2026

Jessica Aiello, founder and CEO of TCS Interpreting, says cities should treat deaf and hard-of-hearing access as a planning priority rather than an ADA compliance exercise. She calls for standard ASL interpretation and real-time captioning at public events, accessibility audits, and ongoing DHH advisory input, especially for emergency communications.

36.) How Federal Immigration Policy Changes Could Threaten Older and Disabled People’s Access to Direct Care | Urban.org | September 8, 2026

Urban Institute’s analysis of 2024 ACS data finds just 35 direct care workers per 1,000 older or disabled US residents, while immigrants account for 28 percent of the workforce. It says the June 2026 Supreme Court decision allowing termination of TPS for 1.3 million Haitian and Syrian immigrants could deepen shortages, particularly in Nevada and Hawaii.

37.) Apple Movie About Disability Rights Activist To Premiere | DisabilityScoop.com | September 8, 2026

Apple Original Films will premiere “Being Heumann” at the Toronto International Film Festival before a Nov. 6 limited theatrical release and Nov. 13 Apple TV debut. Ruth Madeley, who has spina bifida, plays disability-rights leader Judy Heumann, focusing on the 1977 San Francisco Section 504 sit-in that lasted nearly a month.

38.) Neurodivergent Kids Face Special Mental Health Risks. New Initiative Seeks Ways to Protect Them | DisabilityScoop.com | September 8, 2026

Jake Collective and the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention have launched a five-year, $5 million initiative to improve suicide-prevention evidence for neurodivergent children and adolescents. The effort will synthesize existing research, fund studies and develop education for parents and teachers, addressing major gaps in care for autistic youth and those with ADHD.

39.) State Challenged Over Strict IQ Cutoff for IDD Services | DisabilityScoop.com | September 8, 2026

Four Connecticut residents sued the state Department of Developmental Services, alleging its strict IQ cutoff unlawfully denies IDD services to people diagnosed by clinicians whose testing includes a score above 70. The suit says Connecticut is one of three states relying exclusively on such a cutoff and seeks relief that could let hundreds or thousands reapply.

40.) Trump Administration Wants to Strike Rules on Community Integration for People With Disabilities | DisabilityScoop.com | September 8, 2026

The Justice Department and Texas, Alaska, Florida, Louisiana and Montana asked a federal court to vacate Section 504 regulations requiring services in the “most integrated setting.” The proposed resolution in Texas v. Kennedy follows a June DOJ memo rejecting that interpretation; advocates say it weakens enforcement but cannot alter the ADA, Section 504 or Olmstead precedent.

41.) Olena Zelenska Took Part in Third National Forum "My Accessibility – 2026" | President.gov.ua | September 8, 2026

First Lady Olena Zelenska joined more than 350 participants from government, business, municipalities and the veteran community at Ukraine’s third national My Accessibility forum, themed “Lessons Learned.” She cited barrier-free driving schools, nearly 30 ministry accessibility projects and a new State Standard, “Barrier-Free Terminology,” whose vocabulary is now required in official communications.

42.) We Are Pregnant! | Squirmy and Grubs | YouTube.com | September 8, 2026

Announcing their pregnancy, Shane and Hannah Burcaw share the news of a major new chapter for their family. The pair also partners with Babylist to help expecting families by purchasing items from selected registries shared by their community.

September 7, 2026 📅️

43.) Toronto Accessibility Influencer on Her Role in TIFF Opener Being Heumann | CBC.ca | September 7, 2026

Toronto accessibility advocate Taylor Lindsay-Noel, known online as Access by Tay, has a non-speaking role in Being Heumann, Sian Heder’s TIFF opening film about U.S. activist Judith Heumann. Lindsay-Noel says her restaurant and business reviews press venues to publish accurate accessibility information and address barriers such as washrooms and entrances.

44.) Seven in Ten Employers Falling Short on Disability and Neurodiversity Training | HRGrapevine.com | September 7, 2026

A VinciWorks poll found 71% of UK employers have failed to train managers on disability discrimination or staff on neurodiversity; 35% have trained neither group. The survey also found 43% have not updated whistleblowing policies or training since 6 April 2026, when sexual-harassment disclosures became protected whistleblowing disclosures.

45.) Savannah Disability Advocate Urges Georgia Lawmakers to Protect Voting Access As State Weighs New Election System | WTOC.com | September 7, 2026

Georgia’s Joint Election Equipment Specifications and Standards Committee is preparing a recommendation due Jan. 31, 2027, after lawmakers made hand-marked paper ballots the likely default for 2028. Savannah advocate Jessica Mathis urged it to retain accessible ballot-marking devices, citing independent and confidential voting.

46.) Gary O’Donoghue On Journalism, Blindness, And A Career At The BBC | The Global Disability News Network | YouTube.com | September 7, 2026

Sitting down with Gary O’Donoghue, Karina Sturm and Amy Zayed examine his path through British broadcast news and his long-running reporting work in the United States. The conversation covers adapting from analog newsroom tools to screen readers and AI, the visual language of television, and why listening can be a reporting strength.

47.) This Inventor Could Change Air Travel For Wheelchair Users | Driven by Purpose | YouTube.com | September 7, 2026

Sitting down with Dr. Rory Cooper, Driven by Purpose hosts Isaac, Evan, and Mike examine his work to make flying safer and less punishing for power wheelchair users. Cooper outlines designs intended to reduce harmful transfers and wheelchair damage, while making the business case for airlines to serve a major overlooked travel market.

48.) Make Disability Inclusion a Daily Reality | TheDailyStar.net | September 7, 2026

A Tk 1.61-crore school and hostel for 10 visually impaired girls in Kishoreganj has remained unused since its 2019 completion, with officials citing a manpower shortage. The Daily Star notes that the NSPD 2021 found roughly 60% of children with disabilities were outside education, and calls for five staff posts, enrollment, and a nationwide facilities audit.

Last Week 📅️

49.) Roll Out the Ramps: Wheelchair Users Get Accessibility Upgrades in the Glebe | OttawaCitizen.com | September 5, 2026

With the 2026 World Wheelchair Basketball Championships bringing 336 athletes to Ottawa from Sept. 9 to 19, the Glebe BIA is supplying free portable ramps to businesses on Bank Street. Its audit of roughly 300 businesses found almost 40 already met accessibility criteria; about 20 were expected to have ramps available by the tournament’s start.

50.) Alexandra Adams Becomes UK's First Blind and Deaf Doctor Despite the Odds | HypeFresh.com | September 5, 2026

Alexandra Adams, who is deafblind, graduated from Cardiff University Medical School in 2026 and is described as the UK’s first blind and deaf doctor. She uses a Bluetooth stethoscope that streams to her hearing aids, plus phone-based magnification, text-to-speech, and an ophthalmoscope attachment as she prepares to begin work at a Dorset hospital.

51.) Deputy Minister Shares Blind Cricket Experience, Calls for Greater Inclusion | Newswire.lk | September 5, 2026

Deputy Minister Chathuranga Abeysinghe joined the Sri Lanka Council for the Blind’s “Beyond Boundaries” event in Kotte, saying blind cricket demonstrates how sport can remove barriers for people with disabilities. He described its audible plastic ball and steel wickets, underarm bowling, and B1-B3 player classifications.

52.) Interview: David Grabias on "Brailled It" | MoveableFest.com | September 5, 2026

David Grabias’ documentary “Brailled It” hands cameras to nine blind competitors at Los Angeles’ Braille Challenge, using participant-shot footage to create an audio-first experience. Grabias and editor Edgar Sardarian narrowed the film to Chris, Salome, and Isaiah, incorporating family feedback, audio description, and 3D spatial sound.

53.) The Blogs: I Don’t Ask What Their Disability Is. I Ask What They Need to Succeed | TimesOfIsrael.com | September 4, 2026

Krembo Wings CEO Liat Ellert says Israel’s inclusive youth movement serves about 8,000 children and teens with and without disabilities across 85 branches, while more than 500 children remain on waiting lists. Funding gaps threaten existing branches as municipalities request new locations.

54.) Disability Task Force Recommends Accessible Rideshares, Events, Removing Pathway Barriers, and More | BoiseDev.com | September 4, 2026

Boise’s Cross Disability Task Force asked City Council to pursue accessible on-demand rides, safer pedestrian routes, event audits, and a formalized task force. The volunteers want at least one wheelchair-accessible rideshare vehicle operating by 2027; Boise has not yet opened talks with providers.

55.) I’m on the Spectrum – and So Are You! Definition of Autism So Broad That It’s Meaningless | NYPost.com | September 4, 2026

Family physician Leonard Sax argues that a European study found autism diagnoses without intellectual disability rose 1,800% from 2001 to 2020, while diagnoses involving intellectual disability remained flat. He cites University College London professor Uta Frith’s warning that diagnostic inflation can pathologize normal variation and points to misleading autism content on TikTok.

56.) 60 Years of Disability Progress Helped My Brother. I Fear We’re Reversing It | KansasCity.com | September 4, 2026

Gary Blumenthal, a former Kansas legislator and federal disability official, warns that Trump administration Medicaid cuts and January 2027 work and reporting requirements could weaken home- and community-based services for people with disabilities. He cites his brother Steve’s path from institutionalization to a Medicaid-funded group home in Lawrence.

57.) My Disability Wasn’t the Problem. The Assumptions About It Were. | PublicSource.org | September 4, 2026

After seeking an ADA accommodation for transplant-related testing and symptoms, cybersecurity specialist Zarin Hamid says she was put on a performance improvement plan a week after approval and fired 60 days later. The Pittsburgh-based advocate later returned to cybersecurity, using her experience to challenge workplace assumptions about disabled workers.

58.) ‘A Real Kick in the Teeth’: Dozens of Tram Stops Have Been Upgraded, but Wheelchair Users Still Can’t Board | TheAge.com | September 4, 2026

Melbourne’s route 57 and 59 works for 25-metre G-class trams have merged or moved 15 stops without adding level-access platforms. Just 29 per cent of stops across the network are level-access, despite Victoria missing its 2022 accessibility deadline; advocate Andrew Bretherton calls the gap a form of segregation.

59.) A Remarkable Documentary Made by Blind Students: ‘We Were Stunned by the Footage’ | TheGuardian.com | September 4, 2026

Brailled It follows the 2024 Braille Challenge at the University of Southern California, where more than 1,100 blind and visually impaired students competed. Director David Grabias gave cameras to three competitors – Salome Cummins, Christopher Morgan and Isaiah Gauthier – who are credited as co-directors.

60.) Blind Center of Nevada Opens Visions Park | ReviewJournal.com | September 4, 2026

Blind Center of Nevada opened Visions Park, a $40 million, 99-unit affordable housing community for blind or visually impaired Southern Nevadans. The ADA-accessible development includes audio-tactile walkways and optional services including an AI Innovation Lab, mobility training, workforce development, and mental health navigation.

61.) Smart Glasses Helped a Man See the World. The Privacy Panic Took It Away | San.com | September 4, 2026

Public backlash over camera-equipped smart glasses is pushing bans at New York state courts, gyms and a New York City nightclub, limiting a tool used by people with low vision. David Zucker, who is legally blind, said he has stopped wearing Meta’s glasses in public as suspicion outweighs their help reading menus and navigating.

62.) Southwest Magazine: St. Stephen Visually Challenged Artist Robyn Rennie Uses Art As a Study in Vision and What It Truly Means to See | FrequencyNews.ca | September 4, 2026

St. Stephen artist Robyn Rennie, who has low vision, builds textured work intended to challenge the assumption that visual art is only for sighted audiences. On CHCO-TV’s Southwest Magazine, Rennie tells host Vicki Hogarth about incorporating touch, Braille, and audio descriptions as accessible features in her art.

63.) Handi-Link: Assistive Technology, Story, Variety Village | Cam Wells | CJAM 99.1 FM | September 3, 2026

This program focuses on disability issues. Host Cam Wells will explore all sides of this comparing and contrasting with able bodied life. This week Featuring: Archie Allison Variety Village. Will Hall PA Assistive Technology Foundation. Jake Thomas Disability Athlete.

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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 15, 2026 | Confident Movement and Open Conversations | Vision Support America

10:00 AM PT, 11:00 AM MT, 12:00 PM CT, 1:00 PM ET, 5:00 PM GMT
Vision Support America looks at moving through the world safely and confidently with changing vision, and at how to ask for help in ways that feel comfortable and respectful. The session is free and open to anyone adjusting to vision loss.

September 15, 2026 | The ADA at Work: Real Stories of Accommodation in Action | Accessibility Online

11:00 AM PT, 12:00 PM MT, 1:00 PM CT, 2:00 PM ET, 6:00 PM GMT
Great Lakes ADA Center staff walk through memorable technical assistance calls that show the human side of accommodation requests, from transportation barriers and service animals to parking, job coaches, policy modifications and ADA leave. The focus is on what actually works when Title I compliance meets real workplace situations. Real-time captioning is provided.

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 16, 2026 | Learn To Use Your iPhone with a Bluetooth Keyboard | Brad Snyder | Blind Information Technology Solutions (BITS)

5:00 PM PT, 6:00 PM MT, 7:00 PM CT, 8:00 PM ET, 12:00 AM GMT
Brad Snyder shows how pairing a wireless Bluetooth keyboard with an iPhone cuts frustration and speeds up everyday work – controlling VoiceOver, moving through text, handling email and the calendar, and getting around the web quickly. The session is aimed at turning an iPhone into an office in your pocket.

September 17, 2026 | Beyond the Basics: Working More Effectively with PDF Documents and JAWS | Freedom Scientific

9:00 AM PT, 10:00 AM MT, 11:00 AM CT, 12:00 PM ET, 4:00 PM GMT
Elizabeth Whitaker and Rachel Buchanan of Vispero walk through practical ways to work with PDF documents more efficiently using JAWS, from opening them in Adobe Acrobat Reader, a web browser or other available options, to adjusting the settings that improve the reading experience and navigating quickly to the information you need. The session also covers completing and submitting PDF forms with greater confidence, why reading order and tab order matter to accessibility, and how to create a PDF from a Microsoft Word document while preserving its structure. ACVREP credits are available to those who attend the live webinar.

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 17, 2026 | Effective Tools for Making Your STEM Content Accessible | Accessibility Online

11:00 AM PT, 12:00 PM MT, 1:00 PM CT, 2:00 PM ET, 6:00 PM GMT
Accessibility guidance often stops at alt text, but a quadratic equation, a scatter plot, a chemical structure and a geographic map each fail disabled users differently and each needs its own fix. This session pairs the barriers most common in science, technology, engineering and math content with the tools that address them, including MathML and MathJax for notation, charting libraries such as Highcharts, and Audiom for maps, with the ADA Title II deadline of April 26, 2027 in view for public entities serving 50,000 or more people. Real-time captioning is provided.

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 | US Digital Accessibility Laws and Resources: Follow-Up Q&A | Accessibility Online

10:00 AM PT, 11:00 AM MT, 12:00 PM CT, 1:00 PM ET, 5:00 PM GMT
Presenters from July’s webinar on US digital accessibility return to answer the questions there was no time for, focusing on Section 508 and the ADA Title II requirements for web and mobile applications. Attendees can submit questions in advance when they register. Real-time captioning and sign language interpretation are provided.

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 23, 2026 | Leading Without Bias: Unleashing Creativity and Innovation Inclusively | Institute for Sustainable Diversity and Inclusion

9:00 AM PT, 10:00 AM MT, 11:00 AM CT, 12:00 PM ET, 4:00 PM GMT
Shari Dunn, founder and CEO of ITBOM LLC and author of Qualified: How Competency Checking and Race Collide at Work, leads this Northwest Diversity Learning Series workshop on how bias enters everyday leadership decisions and quietly suppresses the creativity and innovation organizations say they want. Working from her Applied Equity frame, participants examine one decision or process they personally own, such as a hiring loop, promotion cycle, project assignment or performance review template, and leave with at least one non-shaming way to interrupt bias in a live conversation. The two-hour virtual session on Zoom includes dialogue, a live poll and a breakout, and carries 2.0 HR general recertification credit hours through HRCI and SHRM professional development credits. ASL interpretation by certified interpreters is available on request with at least two weeks notice.

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 29, 2026 | Confident Movement and Open Conversations | Vision Support America

10:00 AM PT, 11:00 AM MT, 12:00 PM CT, 1:00 PM ET, 5:00 PM GMT
Vision Support America looks at moving through the world safely and confidently with changing vision, and at how to ask for help in ways that feel comfortable and respectful. The session is free and open to anyone adjusting to vision loss.

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 | 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
This free Vision Support America session covers simple techniques for moving safely and confidently around the home and beyond, with particular attention to stairs and to preventing falls. It is aimed at people with low or changing vision.

October 1, 2026 | Accessible Detention and Correctional Facilities | Accessibility Online

11:30 AM PT, 12:30 PM MT, 1:30 PM CT, 2:30 PM ET, 6:30 PM GMT
Accessibility Online examines the scoping and technical requirements in the ADA and Architectural Barriers Act Accessibility Standards as they apply to detention and correctional facilities, covering holding and housing cells with mobility and communication features, visiting areas and medical care areas. The presenter also highlights the additional requirements the ADA Title II regulations place on these facilities. Video remote interpreting and real-time captioning are provided.

October 1, 2026 | The Aiming High Foundation First Annual Homecoming Gala | Aiming High Foundation

3:00 PM PT, 4:00 PM MT, 5:00 PM CT, 6:00 PM ET, 10:00 PM GMT
The Aiming High Foundation holds its first annual Homecoming Gala at The Grove in Cedar Grove, New Jersey, bringing together recovery advocates, community allies and supporters for an evening of keynote speakers and live entertainment. The foundation works to remove the financial barriers to addiction treatment, and the gala raises money for that work. This is a ticketed in-person event, with refunds available up to seven days beforehand.

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 6, 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 covers practical ways to make a home easier to see and move through, using contrast, better lighting and reduced glare. It is aimed at people with low or changing vision.

October 6, 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
Vision Support America walks step by step through the ways an iPhone can be adjusted to work better for changing eyesight, at a pace built to feel comfortable and doable. The session is free.

October 8, 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
Vision Support America explores the different ways of keeping reading in your life as vision changes, in whatever format works best now. The session is free and open to anyone adjusting to vision loss.

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 9, 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
Vision Support America hosts a supportive conversation on simple ways to organize and label a home so that it feels easier, calmer and more predictable to move around. The session is free and aimed at people adjusting to changing vision.

October 12, 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 the accessibility settings built into Android phones, working through small changes that build confidence one step at a time. It is aimed at people with low or changing vision who want their phone to be easier to use.

October 14, 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
This free Vision Support America session is a supportive conversation about working in the kitchen with changing vision, taking small practical steps toward feeling confident there again.

October 15, 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
This free Vision Support America session covers simple techniques for moving safely and confidently around the home and beyond, with particular attention to stairs and to preventing falls. It is aimed at people with low or changing vision.

October 15, 2026 | Confident Movement and Open Conversations | Vision Support America

1:00 PM PT, 2:00 PM MT, 3:00 PM CT, 4:00 PM ET, 8:00 PM GMT
Vision Support America looks at moving through the world safely and confidently with changing vision, and at how to ask for help in ways that feel comfortable and respectful. The session is free and open to anyone adjusting to vision loss.

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 | 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 covers practical ways to make a home easier to see and move through, using contrast, better lighting and reduced glare. It is aimed at people with low or changing vision.

October 20, 2026 | Navigating Performance Discussions and the Accommodation Process Effectively | Accessibility Online

11:00 AM PT, 12:00 PM MT, 1:00 PM CT, 2:00 PM ET, 6:00 PM GMT
This Job Accommodation Network training gives supervisors and managers practical strategies for handling performance conversations and for responding when a disability disclosure leads to a request for reasonable accommodation. It covers what to say and how to explore accommodation solutions collaboratively when performance is part of the picture. Real-time captioning is provided.

October 20, 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
Vision Support America walks step by step through the ways an iPhone can be adjusted to work better for changing eyesight, at a pace built to feel comfortable and doable. The session is free.

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 | Disability Innovation Forum | Enable Ventures & SmartJob

6:00 AM PT, 7:00 AM MT, 8:00 AM CT, 9:00 AM ET, 1:00 PM GMT
Enable Ventures and SmartJob host a full-day, in-person conference at the Grand Hyatt Washington in Washington, DC, on disability-led innovation in work, learning, design and investing. Sessions include a showcase of ten early-stage companies, a keynote from bionic pop artist Viktoria Modesta, a fireside chat with Axios co-founder Roy Schwartz, and eight panels. Early bird pricing runs through September 15.

October 22, 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
Vision Support America explores the different ways of keeping reading in your life as vision changes, in whatever format works best now. The session is free and open to anyone adjusting to vision loss.

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 | 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
Vision Support America hosts a supportive conversation on simple ways to organize and label a home so that it feels easier, calmer and more predictable to move around. The session is free and aimed at people adjusting to changing vision.

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 26, 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 the accessibility settings built into Android phones, working through small changes that build confidence one step at a time. It is aimed at people with low or changing vision who want their phone to be easier to use.

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.

October 28, 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
This free Vision Support America session is a supportive conversation about working in the kitchen with changing vision, taking small practical steps toward feeling confident there again.

October 29, 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
This free Vision Support America session covers simple techniques for moving safely and confidently around the home and beyond, with particular attention to stairs and to preventing falls. It is aimed at people with low or changing vision.

October 29, 2026 | Confident Movement and Open Conversations | Vision Support America

1:00 PM PT, 2:00 PM MT, 3:00 PM CT, 4:00 PM ET, 8:00 PM GMT
Vision Support America looks at moving through the world safely and confidently with changing vision, and at how to ask for help in ways that feel comfortable and respectful. The session is free and open to anyone adjusting to vision loss.

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 17, 2026 | Carter Kits: Supporting Positive Interactions for Neurodivergent Patients During Emergency Encounters | Accessibility Online

11:00 AM PT, 12:00 PM MT, 1:00 PM CT, 2:00 PM ET, 7:00 PM GMT
Carter Kits co-founder Justin Severs and training and grants manager Andie describe the sensory bags their organization supplies to first responders, emergency department staff and community partners for encounters with autistic and neurodivergent patients, where a lack of tools and training still produces worse health outcomes. Dr. Sam Wrobleski of the Michigan EMS for Children Program also explains how that partnership works and how others might build one in their own state. Real-time captioning is provided.

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.

⬆︎ 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.

⬆︎ 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.

⬆︎ 17.) Sponsor: National Organization on Disability

Sponsor Since: September 21, 2026 📅️

Website: https://nod.org/ 🌐️

About: National Organization on Disability is a nonprofit that works with large employers to increase the hiring, retention and advancement of people with disabilities. It was founded in 1982, growing out of the United Nations International Year of Disabled Persons, by Alan A. Reich, the first person to address the UN General Assembly from a wheelchair. In the four decades since, it has moved from broad public-awareness work toward a business-to-business focus, presenting disability inclusion as a question of business performance rather than charity. That posture is captured in the organization’s own line, “Unlocking human potential. Enhancing business performance.” Headquartered in Washington, D.C. and led by President and Chief Executive Officer Beth Sirull, National Organization on Disability earns most of its support from the employers it serves rather than from individual donors.

Its employer work runs on four connected programs. The Leadership Council is a paid corporate membership network, currently listing 35 member organizations, offering access to disability-inclusion specialists, talent-acquisition support, peer networking and public recognition. The Disability Inclusion Blueprint is a free, confidential self-assessment that benchmarks an employer across talent outcomes, strategy and policies, and practices and programs; top-quartile participants who opt in earn the Leading Disability Employer Seal. EnAble Learning is an on-demand training platform whose self-paced courses cover disability fundamentals, neurodiversity at work, managing teams through rising mental-health challenges, and accessibility in artificial intelligence and emerging technology. A Speakers Bureau books disability advocates, athletes, creators and staff for corporate events and employee resource group meetings. Alongside these, National Organization on Disability conducts federal policy advocacy and research, the latter increasingly through a federally funded university consortium studying disability employment policy.

⬆︎ 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 charity 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

⬆︎ 18.) Sponsor: Your Name Here

Sponsor Since: Today 📅️

Website: https://accessinformationnews.com/sponsorship-packages/ 🌐️

Phone: +1 (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 47,000 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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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.

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Email: publisher@accessinformationnews.com 📧️
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Founded in 2022, Access Information News is the world’s leading not-for-profit access information news publication that reaches over 47,000 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 and Vicki Walton. Access Information News is a sponsor, reader and advertiser supported publication.

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