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Access Information News for Monday, May 1, 2023 - Volume 908The Week's News in Access Information A Mind Vault Solutions, Ltd. Publication Access Information News. The world's #1 online resource for current news and trends in access information. Subscribers: 10, 396 Opt-In Subscribers were sent this issue via email. This Week's Featured Advertisement: Top Tech Tidbits And Access Information News Partner To Present: The 2023 Annual Global Accessibility Awareness Day Ad Giveaway!
Together with Top Tech Tidbits, Access Information News is giving away over $1,000 USD in Sponsorship Packages and Sponsored Ad Placements to support anyone that provides products, services or information to the access community on a regular basis. All prizes will be awarded on May 18, 2023 in honor of the 2023 12th Annual Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD). The purpose of GAAD is to get everyone talking, thinking and learning about digital access and inclusion, and the more than one billion people with access needs. Are you, or do you know of, an access person, business, organization, blogger, podcaster, YouTuber or other access influencer that would benefit from scoring some serious exposure? At absolutely no cost? If so, please pass this along. Deadline To Enter: Tuesday, May 16, 2023 at 6:00 PM ET Review a full list of prizes and eligibility requirements, along with a link to the nomination form here: https://www.toptechtidbits.com/156.html. Good luck! Ongoing Distribution Made Possible By Support From: Pneuma Solutions, WayAround, Menus4ALL, APH ConnectCenter, Access Ready, Inc., Clusiv, NSITE.org and Total Tech Solutions, LLC. Learn more about Sponsorship today at: https://accessinformationnews.com/sponsor. Dear Access Information News Subscriber,Submit your Access Information News Item for free, with timing and placement determined by our editors, here: https://accessinformationnews.com/submit-news. Submit a Sponsored News Item, with timing and placement determined by you, here: https://accessinformationnews.com/submit-sponsored-news.1) Top 5 Most Clicked Access Information News Articles From Last WeekA.) Visually Impaired Man Denied Access To Business Because Of Service Dog | Video | WITN | Greenville, NC | April 20, 2023 (7.1% of all clicks.) B.) Touch Screens Are Causing Serious Accessibility Issues For Blind And Visually Impaired People (6.5% of all clicks.) C.) Can Artificial Intelligence Make PDFs Accessible? | Allyant (3.2% of all clicks.) D.) Expanding The Reach Of Accessible Books | Ioana Tanase | Microsoft Accessibility Blog | April 19, 2023 (2.9% of all clicks.) E.) Don't Plug Your Phone Into A Free Charging Station, Warns FBI | Malwarebytes Labs (2.9% of all clicks.) 2) Sponsored By Clusiv: Are You Blind Or Low Vision Looking To Succeed In The Modern Workforce? Clusiv Training Is Here To HelpLearn technology, occupational and career skills to help equip you for employment in the modern workforce. Clusiv is an accessible eLearning platform built for the blind community. Courses are self-paced , designed to meet your needs and there is support along the way. To learn more about enrolling in Clusiv courses, click the link, fill out the form and we will be in contact with you and your vocational rehabilitation counselor: 3) Sponsorship Package UpdatesAre you an access-based business or organization whose products, services or message would benefit from reaching over 15,000 access professionals each week? If so, please consider becoming a Sponsor today for just $100 a month, paid either quarterly or annually. Annual Sponsors gain the additional benefit of being able to schedule their Featured Advertisement dates up to one year in advance. If you've been looking for a way to consistently reach the largest audience of opt-in access professionals in the world today, please consider becoming an Access Information News Sponsor while packages last. Availability: There are currently 9 Access Information News Sponsorship Packages remaining. Advertising Benefits: Review a complete list of advertising benefits here: 4) Sponsored News Items Now AvailableUse Sponsored News Items to reach the access community when you need to. Whether you are a current Sponsor or not. Drive traffic to your access product and service announcements, events, updates or fundraisers using this incredibly cost-effective and easy-to-use advertisement tool. Learn more today at: 5) Follow Access Information News On Your Preferred ChannelIn addition to receiving Access Information News via email every Monday morning at 6:00 AM ET you can also pick up the newsletter and its trending articles on any of the following channels: 6) Access Information News Click-To-Vote Quick Poll #907 Results | Sponsored By: Access Ready, Inc. | 299 VotesQuestion: Why don't Americans with disabilities vote in higher numbers? #1 | E.) All of the above to some degree? #2 | A.) Apathy about the entire political process? #3 | C.) The failure of candidates and the media to address disability issues at the same level of fervor as other minority concerns? #4 | B.) A failure of the voter to understand how elections can effect disability rights and programs? #5 | D.) A misunderstanding of disability issues by the voter? Poll Results Link: https://bit.ly/ain-poll907-results 7) AI Breakthrough In Detecting Leading Cause Of Childhood Blindness | Medical XpressThe team developed a deep learning AI model that can identify which at-risk infants have ROP that may lead to blindness if left untreated, and they hope their technique could improve access to screening in the many areas with limited neonatal services and few trained ophthalmologists. The study, by an international team of scientists and clinicians in the UK, Brazil, Egypt and the US, supported by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Biomedical Research Centre at Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, is published in The Lancet Digital Health: 8) John Fetterman Wants To 'Pay It Forward' By Speaking Openly About His Depression | NPR.orgSen. John Fetterman acknowledges there was a time not that long ago, when he didn't want to talk about depression — at all. Now, the Pennsylvania Democrat, who returned to the U.S. Senate this week after taking leave in mid-February to seek treatment for clinical depression, says it's his responsibility to "pay it forward" with candor about the disease: 9) Group of Cockatoos Caught Damaging And Stealing Circular Tactile Marker 'Bumps" From A Sydney Train Platform | YouTube | 9 News AustraliaEver wonder where the 'bumps' on train platforms disappear to? Transport authorities have made a breakthrough after a brazen group of cockatoos were caught on video damaging and stealing the circular 'bumps' from a Sydney train platform. Video ALT: Video shows three separate Cockatoos forcefully removing the circular tactile marker 'bumps" from a Sydney Train Platform: 10) International Guide Dog Day 2023 | Guide Dogs Australia | YouTubeHappy International Guide Dog Day! This year we're calling on the community to work towards better understanding and supporting Guide Dog Handlers after our national survey showed that Australians rank their knowledge of Guide Dog Handlers at a five out of 10! Did you know that a working Guide Dog and their Handler have access to rideshare services and airplanes? Or that it's not okay to touch a working Guide Dog in harness without asking the Handler first? These are just some of the misunderstandings that can limit access and inclusion for Handlers. This year's message reminds the public to "Talk to the Handler" — to highlight the people behind the dogs, so to speak, and to shine a light on the things Guide Dog Handlers want the community to know: 11) Creating an Accessible Website for Your Business: The 'Why'' and 'How'' | Kami Funk | Accessibility.comCreating a website for your business is a complicated endeavor. You may have to hire out, and settling on a design that pleases everyone can be difficult. The stress of designing a website from the ground up is high, so why should you add to it by ensuring that the website is accessible? The simple answer is that it makes good business sense. Having a website is well and good, but if a percentage of your potential clientele can't use it, the only thing you've achieved is limiting access and your opportunities. If nothing else, creating a website that's accessible and available to everyone, regardless of any disability, places you among the small percentage of businesses that make an effort to include people with disabilities in their target audience: 12) Disabled Lives Are An Afterthought During School Shootings. But Why? | Huffington PostMany schools have policies that leave behind vulnerable students and staff in the event of mass shootings, fires or other disasters. In May 2022, disabled student Anja, 16, was in her school's cafeteria, completely unaware that a student was headed toward her high school in Chicago with a gun. Fortunately, the police apprehended the armed student before an active shooting could break out. But Anja was terrified after hearing about the threat. She knew too well that, as a disabled student, she would not have been protected if that situation had escalated: 13) Shooting Blind: Moving My Practice Forward As A Legally Blind Photographer | Lawrence Lazare | Medium: Subscription RequiredAs photographers, we capture and share the world as we see it. But what happens if your vision goes from tack sharp to a blurry mess with a blind spot in the center of your field of view? That's the challenge I face as a photographer after recently becoming legally blind: 14) The Importance of Live-User Testing for Web Accessibility | AllyantDigital Accessibility has continued to gain significant traction across nearly every vertical in recent years. In some ways, it was a perfect storm of a growing focus on DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion), the COVID Pandemic driving an increase in digital content and assistive technology continuing to provide increased connectivity for people with disabilities: 15) How Two Accessibility Consulting Companies Team Up for Accessibility Testing | Equal EntryAccessAbility Officer has a job readiness training program designed for non-sighted vocational rehabilitation customers who want to be digital accessibility testers. Students undergo 13.5 weeks of remote training. Each cohort is small and limited to four to 10 students. As they work through the program, they'll do real-world projects with private and public sector clients. The program includes 20 weeks of guaranteed part-time employment. The cohort is not time-dependent and multiple cohorts can run concurrently. This means new students can join at any time. They don't have to wait for a 13.5-week session to end before joining. Equal Entry is an accessibility consulting company that works with students in AccessAbility Officer's Certified AccessAbility Testing program. We train them on our technology used for accessibility audits. This is a proprietary auditing and tracking system: 16) Notice of ADA Website Accessibility Class Action Settlement: Douglass v. P.C. Richard & Son, LLC, No. 2:22-cv-399 (W.D. Pa.)Publisher (Di Blasi): We have been asked to distribute the following information regarding a recent Americans with Disabilities Act settlement. The settlement requires P.C. Richard & Son, a retailer that sells home goods and appliances at its online store, to make its website and software applications non-visually accessible. If you have any questions, please email or call East End Trial Group, LLC. Their contact information is included here. 17) Clubhouse, Which Blazed A Trail In Live Audio, Is "Resetting" And Laying Off 50% Of Its StaffClubhouse, the live audio app that once drew big buzz and interest in a multi-billion-dollar takeover, is "resetting" and letting go of 50% of its staff of a few dozen workers. Founders Rohan Seth and Paul Davison sent a memo to employees to break the news Thursday. "We're deeply sorry to be doing this, and we would not be making this change if we didn't feel it was absolutely necessary,” they wrote: 18) WCAG 2.2 Update: Is the Juice Worth the Squeeze? | Hiram Kuykendall | MicroassistFor the past few years, the World Wide Web Consortium (aka W3C) has teased the industry with the potential release of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2. This likely update has led to much speculation about the immediate impact on vendors who sell digital products, organizations that purchase digital products, and how quickly people with vision, hearing, mobility, and cognitive challenges will benefit from the update. So let's take a few moments to unpack some basics: 19) Viral TikTok Invention 'Single-Handedly' Offering Improved AccessibilityIn a TikTok that has now amassed over 450,000 views, Robert Simpson wiggles a little blue silicone device asking “what in the heck is this?” It's a “Grip Toggle,” Simpson's latest invention under his brand Single Handed. The company is a "small and innovative home and hospitality brand" that creates simple, sustainably-designed products that make life easier for able-bodied and disabled folks alike. The Grip Toggle includes a suction cup and pulley mechanism that allows people with limited grip ability or hand motor function to open cabinets or gain a better grasp on cooking utensils. "If you suffer from arthritis, carpal tunnel, or simply old age, or even missing digits, the Grip Toggle makes life a little easier," Simpson said in the video. "Which is what all of our products are about:" 20) People With Disabilities Wait Hours For A Taxi In Australia As Drivers Are Caught Rejecting BookingsAmy Tobin tries to avoid catching taxis but said it has come at the cost of her independence. "You can be waiting anywhere from two to four hours to be picked up," she said. "It is pretty nerve-wracking when you are on your own," she said. The 28-year-old used to rely on wheelchair accessible taxis for work, medical appointments and social outings, but now uses her own van to avoid wait times. "When I want to go out and I don't have a support worker to drive my van, I still rely on taxis," Ms Tobin said: 21) Zappar (UK) Creates Accessible QR Codes For Visually Impaired ShoppersZappar, a UK based company has come up with a new accessible QR code solution that will help blind and partially sighted people access product information on store shelves and in cabinets at home relatively quickly: 22) ESG and Accessibility: What Your Commitment Says About Your Organization | Level AccessIt's no secret: organizations today urgently need to demonstrate ESG (environmental, social, and governance) performance. Customers, employees, and investors want to align themselves with organizations that share common beliefs and can make those beliefs a reality with committed governance: 23) People With Disabilities Under-Represented On Screen in Australia | Hanna Diviney | YouTube | ABC NewsA new report has found that representation of people with a disability on Australian television remains "critically low". Screen Australia has released its latest snapshot of diversity on TV screens, showing the number of people from under-represented groups in main roles is increasing, but only slowly. Hanna Diviney is an actor and disability advocate who stars as "Sarah" in the television drama Latecomers, and says the numbers are a long way from where they need to be: 24) Bots or Copycats? Website Accessibility Demand Letters and Website Complaints in a New Age | Ogletree DeakinsWhen one of our clients recently received nearly-identical demand letters from remote, unrelated, and unrepresented parties claiming website accessibility and threatening legal action for damages under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), we decided to look into it. Below are samples of similar demand letters: 25) The Potentially Dangerous Non-Accessibility Of Cookie Notices | Marcus Herrmann | Smashing MagazineCookie consents — whatever your opinion is regarding them — are ubiquitous and possibly even a legal risk for your webpage. In addition to their privacy implications, they have the potential to violate web accessibility laws as well. In this piece, a Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) auditor shares some cookie banner error patterns that can massively hurt a page's overall conformance. Let's explore what to look out for with this omnipresent piece of the web interface: 26) Disability Denied: Unable To Work, Covid Long Haulers Face Barriers To Benefits | USA TodayMarie, who left a corporate job in Missouri after contracting COVID-19 in the first wave and then developing what came to be known as long COVID, received five months of short-term disability through her employer. It was "a life-saver," she said. But in 2022, she caught COVID again, and this time it's taken much longer to recover from the long COVID that followed. "I'm suffering fatigue, brain fog and post-exertional malaise where if I do any small thing it exhausts me," she said. Not knowing when or if she'll be able to go back to work, Marie (who asked that only her middle name be used for fear of reprisal from the Social Security Administration) began pursuing long term disability coverage and is also applying for disability coverage through Social Security: 27) Keys to PDF Accessibility: Setting and Fixing Bookmarks | MicroassistSetting and Fixing Bookmarks. WCAG requires many properties and navigational elements to be added to a document to comply with accessibility guidelines and allow assistive technology users to have many places to access the information and navigate the document. Bookmarks is one element that can be used to help users navigate a PDF document and can be added after you have gone through the document and set the correct heading levels. Bookmarks are another navigation tool for accessibility to move through sections using set heading levels: 28) Research to Prevent Blindness Announces New Sight-Saving Vision Research GrantsThe research awards, given in partnership with the Mary Tyler Moore Vision Initiative and in honor of RPB Trustee Tom Wertheimer, will focus, respectively, on the cutting-edge areas of retinal research for Diabetic Eye Disease and data science for eye disease research: 29) How To Exercise When You Have A Chronic Condition Or A Disability | CNNMany people struggle to maintain a regular workout regimen. Add in a disability, chronic condition or injury, and it can be even more challenging to incorporate exercise into a weekly routine. Yet it's important to do so. Adults with disabilities are three times more likely to develop serious health conditions such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes and cancer than those without disabilities, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. While the impact of these health conditions can be lessened or possibly even avoided with regular aerobic exercise, nearly half of adults ages 18 to 64 with a disability are not engaging in any, the CDC says: 30) The Tale of Two Titles: Title II and Title III | BrailleWorksLet's talk about Title II and Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). You probably know someone signed the ADA into law a bazillion years ago. (1990, to be exact.) You probably also know that the ADA says organizations aren't allowed to discriminate against people with disabilities. However, many people don;t understand the extent of the ADA's coverage: 31) FIFA Women's World Cup: The 'Ridiculously Nerve-Racking' Training To Be An Audio Description Commentator | Olivia Shivas | StuffBeing able to watch sports with audio description commentary means Lisa Reid knows why fans are clapping during a game, rather than asking what's happened. But without it, Reid, who is legally blind, misses out on all the action. "You just can't follow it because it's too fast. Even though I have some vision, I just can't follow it at all because it's just movement and color:" 32) 10 Common Courtesies To Offer People Who Are Blind | BrailleWorksHow do I interact with someone who has a visual disability? Many people have never interacted with someone who has blindness or a visual disability. Or if they have, they weren't aware. Television and movies rarely portray people with disabilities accurately. This can lead to misconceptions. Keep in mind there is no need to treat people with visual disabilities differently. It doesn't require special skills to interact with a person who has blindness. Remember that you're interacting with a whole person, not their disability. Show them the respect they deserve and offer the following courtesies to people who are blind: 33) Houston Theater Gives Touch Tours For Visually Impaired To Experience Shows | Today | YouTubeThe Hobby Center for the Performing Arts in Houston, Texas goes the extra mile to make sure everyone gets to enjoy musical theater by giving the visually impaired patrons a chance to experience the set, props and costumes. NBC's Maura Barrett reports for Saturday TODAY: 34) Mattel Introduces First Barbie Doll Representing A Person With Down Syndrome | CNNOn April 25, 2023 Mattel introduced its first-ever version of the Barbie doll representing a person with Down syndrome. The new doll is part of Mattel Barbie Fashionistas line, which aims to offer kids more diverse representations of beauty and fight the stigma around physical disabilities: 35) 3 Disability Features Not To Miss At The 2023 ReelAbilities Film Festival | Forbes: Subscription RequiredOn April 27, 2023 the 15th Annual ReelAbilities Film Festival opens for a seven-day silver screen extravaganza as the largest festival in the United States celebrating the lives, stories and artistic expression of people with disabilities. Since being co-founded in 2007 at the Marlene Meyerson JCC Manhattan by producer and director Isaac Zablocki and United Jewish Appeal veteran Anita Altman, the festival has expanded to some 16 cities across the country in addition to having an international presence in Canada and Mexico: 36) Five Tips for Creating Individualized Transition and Employment Goals | Joe Strechay | APH CareerConnectDo you work with transition-age youth who are blind or low vision? You're invited to The National Transition Conversation: 2023 APH CareerConnect Transition & Employment Resource Round Up on Tuesday, May 9, 2023, from 2:00 PM until 4:00 PM EST. We hope to see you there! Read on to learn about supporting adults and students as they transition to higher education or employment. The following content has been edited as of April 2023: 37) Jillian Mercado Won't Rest Until Inclusivity Is No Longer Clickbait | AllureGrowing up in New York City, Jillian Mercado used to love being "a fly on the wall,” she says. "Me, outspoken? Never. Absolutely not. I rode the wave, always saying, 'It is what it is.' I didn't want to stir anything up or cause any chaos." Today, the model, activist, and star of The L Word: Generation Q cherishes being seen: 38) Mindset Matters: Some Reflections Around The Influence Of Disability In A Changing World | Jonathan Kaufman | Forbes: Subscription RequiredSince the recent passing of Judy Heumann, the iconic Disability Rights activist, I have spent much time contemplating the very notion of change itself. Change is inevitable yet within the arc of the disability narrative we have seen profound transformations happening over years starting with civil rights to the evolution of business, representation, and a revolution through a broad cultural zeitgeist that is redefining our understanding of the disability experience: 39) American Runner Thought to Be First Visually-Impaired Athlete to Complete 6 World Marathon MajorsAnthony Butler, 35, earned his six-star medal in London, with his wife guiding him: 40) Over Half Of People With Sight Loss Find It Difficult To Navigate Public Transport Facilities | AT Today UKThe Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) has published an insightful new report that details the range of barriers that blind and partially people face due to inaccessible public transport. Entitled 'Inclusive Journeys: Improving the accessibility of public transport for people with sight loss', the report was funded by Motability and details common issues faced by blind and partially sighted people when making journeys. It also includes a checklist and details of RNIB's services for transport providers to help them create an accessible world that works for everyone: 41) How Virgin Atlantic Is Creating a More Inclusive Travel Experience for Visually Impaired PassengersVirgin Atlantic is training its cabin crew to better accommodate passengers with seeing eye dogs. The new training, which is in partnership with the charity Guide Dogs, will help foster a “more inclusive air travel experience for those with sight loss,” according to the airline. The training will include both online resources and the opportunity for in-depth practical training: 42) How Do Airlines Give Visually Impaired Passengers Safety Demonstrations? | April 25, 2023 | Mark Finlay | Simple FlyingBy international law, airlines must explain the aircraft's safety features to all passengers. Typically, it involves a safety video and flight attendants pointing to the emergency exits, showing you how to put on a life jacket, and what to do in the event of a loss of cabin pressure. With the safety briefing being mainly visual, it poses the question of how blind or visually impaired passengers receive safety instructions: 43) The Glorious Return of a Humble Car Feature | Slate.comAutomakers are starting to admit that drivers hate touchscreens. Buttons are back! 44) 'I Have An Invisible Disability Myself': Edward Enninful and Sinead Burke On Their Fashion RevolutionThe May issue of British Vogue, titled Reframing Fashion, features 19 disabled people from fashion, sport, activism and the arts. Five of them are cover stars: the actor Selma Blair, who has multiple sclerosis; Sinéad Burke, a disability activist and consulting editor for the issue; the models Ellie Goldstein and Aaron Rose Philip; and the American Sign Language performer Justina Miles. Since Edward Enninful was appointed editor in 2017, Vogue has performed a 180-degree turn: from the pronounced, even defiant, homogeneity that was once its hallmark to a magazine at the frontier of what representation and diversity in fashion can look like: 45) When Engagement Fails | Award Winning Sight Loss Coach, Advocate and Author Donna JodhanDonna continues to fret over those Canadian government departments that continue to blatantly ignore engaging and communicating in a meaningful manner. Instead, they choose to deliberately flout legislation: 46) Paths To Literacy Newsletter | April 25, 2023https://pathstoliteracy.cmail20.com/t/d-e-zurldz-iikluuklut-r/ ➜ Featured Webinars, Training Courses and EventsSubmit your access information related Webinar, Training Course or Event for consideration within this section using this form: https://accessinformationnews.com/submit-event.May 2, 2023 | The Importance of Accessible Payment Systems to Long-Term Business Success | TPGi8AM PT, 9AM MT, 10AM CT, 11AM ET, 3PM GMT May 3, 2023 | Streamlining Windows for AT Users (Assistive Technology Webinar) | Access Ingenuity10AM PT, 11AM MT, 12PM CT, 1PM ET, 5PM GMT May 3, 2023 | Lego Braille Bricks Live Session 8: STEM | APH8AM PT, 9AM MT, 10AM CT, 11AM ET, 3PM GMT May 9, 2023 | 2023 APH CareerConnect Transition & Employment Resource Round Up | APH CareerConnect11AM PT, 12PM MT, 1PM CT, 2PM ET, 6PM GMT May 9, 2023 | Design for Accessibility | Accessibility.com10AM PT, 11AM MT, 12PM CT, 1PM ET, 5PM GMT May 9, 2023 through May 12, 2023 | John Slatin AccessU 2023 | KnowbilityJoin us virtually or in Austin, TX. John Slatin AccessU is an annual conference where tech professionals, content creators, policymakers, and advocates come together for deep learning in accessible digital design: May 10, 2023 | Google Docs & Sheets for Accessible PDFs (Digital Accessibility Webinar) | Access Ingenuity10AM PT, 11AM MT, 12PM CT, 1PM ET, 5PM GMT May 10, 2023 | Develop for Accessibility | Accessibility.com10AM PT, 11AM MT, 12PM CT, 1PM ET, 5PM GMT May 10, 2023 | Accelerate Your Accessibility Journey Through Integrations | TPGi9AM PT, 10AM MT, 11AM CT, 12PM ET, 4PM GMT May 11, 2023 | Deploy for Accessibility | Accessibility.com10AM PT, 11AM MT, 12PM CT, 1PM ET, 5PM GMT May 13, 2023 | Travel Tools and Apps | Technology User Group | Maryland State Library for the Blind and Print Disabled (LBPD)7AM PT, 8AM MT, 9AM CT, 10AM ET, 2PM GMT May 16, 2023 | Why is Web Accessibility Important? | Amy Albin | Vispero Learning and Development Coordinator9AM PT, 10AM MT, 11AM CT, 12PM ET, 4PM GMT May 16, 2023 through May 18, 2023 | Virtua11y Web Accessibility Conference 2023 | NomensaNomensa's free, virtual web accessibility and digital inclusion conference: May 17, 2023 | All Ears: Let's Talk Audio Games | The Lighthouse for the Blind, Inc.4PM PT, 5PM MT, 6PM CT, 7PM ET, 11PM GMT May 17, 2023 | Envision Glasses: New Features & Upgrades (Assistive Technology Webinar) | Access Ingenuity10AM PT, 11AM MT, 12PM CT, 1PM ET, 5PM GMT May 17, 2023 | Nonvisual Tips for Successful Travel | NFB of Maryland Senior Call4PM PT, 5PM MT, 6PM CT, 7PM ET, 11PM GMT May 17, 2023 | The Business of Accessibility — Expert Panel | TPGi8AM PT, 9AM MT, 10AM CT, 11AM ET, 3PM GMT May 18, 2023 | 12th Annual 2023 Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD)Help us celebrate the 12th Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD)! The purpose of GAAD is to get everyone talking, thinking and learning about digital access and inclusion, and the more than One Billion people with disabilities/impairments: May 18, 2023 | Supporting A Technical and Cultural Shift To Accessibility, Whatever Your Resources | TPGi9AM PT, 10AM MT, 11AM CT, 12PM ET, 4PM GMT May 24, 2023 | Understand How to Create & Review VPATs (Digital Accessibility Webinar) | Access Ingenuity10AM PT, 11AM MT, 12PM CT, 1PM ET, 5PM GMT May 24, 2023 | Understand, Test, Solve: Semantics | TPGi9AM PT, 10AM MT, 11AM CT, 12PM ET, 4PM GMT June 2, 2023 | ATHEN Sixth Annual Accessibility Summer Camp 20236AM PT, 7AM MT, 8AM CT, 9AM ET, 1PM GMT May 23, 2023 | Tech It Out | Monthly Hadley Discussion Group5PM PT, 6PM MT, 7PM CT, 8PM ET, 12AM GMT Next Day May 31, 2023 | TOPAZ Magnifiers: Powerful Visual Aids (Assistive Technology Webinar — ACVREP CE Approved) | Access Ingenuity10AM PT, 11AM MT, 12PM CT, 1PM ET, 5PM GMT July 1, 2023 through July 6, 2023 | NFB 2023 National Convention in Houston, TexasThe National Federation of the Blind is the transformative membership and advocacy organization of blind people. Every day we raise the expectations of blind people, because low expectations create obstacles between blind people and our dreams. Each year we come together for important discussions, decisions, and information sharing. As an attendee, take advantage of the opportunity to: Network with thousands of blind role models. Connect with leaders in the field of blindness. Attend presentations on a variety of empowering topics. Learn about the latest in technology and innovation. And more! The convention is open to all. Important note: Our constitution states that only members of the Federation have the right to participate in decision-making when it comes to organizational policy. If you are not already a member, please connect with your state affiliate at: June 7, 2023 | Lego Braille Bricks Live Session 9: Orientation & Mobility | APH8AM PT, 9AM MT, 10AM CT, 11AM ET, 3PM GMT June 27, 2023 | Tech It Out | Monthly Hadley Discussion Group5PM PT, 6PM MT, 7PM CT, 8PM ET, 12AM GMT Next Day July 25, 2023 | Tech It Out | Monthly Hadley Discussion Group5PM PT, 6PM MT, 7PM CT, 8PM ET, 12AM GMT Next Day July 25, 2023 | U.S. Access Board Town Hall Meeting in Baltimore10:30PM PT, 11:30PM MT, 12:30PM CT, 1:30PM ET, 5:30PM GMT August 22, 2023 | Tech It Out | Monthly Hadley Discussion Group5PM PT, 6PM MT, 7PM CT, 8PM ET, 12AM GMT Next Day September 21, 2023 | Inclusive Design 24Inclusive Design 24 (#id24) is a free 24-hour online event for the global community. It celebrates inclusive design and shares knowledge and ideas from analogue to digital, from design to development, from planners to practitioners, and everything and everyone in between: September 26, 2023 | Tech It Out | Monthly Hadley Discussion Group5PM PT, 6PM MT, 7PM CT, 8PM ET, 12AM GMT Next Day October 24, 2023 | Tech It Out | Monthly Hadley Discussion Group5PM PT, 6PM MT, 7PM CT, 8PM ET, 12AM GMT Next Day November 6, 2023 through November 10, 2023 | Accessing Higher Ground | Association on Higher Education And Disability (AHEAD)Accessible Media, Web and Technology Conference. Hilton Denver City Center, Denver, Colorado: November 28, 2023 | Tech It Out | Monthly Hadley Discussion Group5PM PT, 6PM MT, 7PM CT, 8PM ET, 11PM GMT December 26, 2023 | Tech It Out | Monthly Hadley Discussion Group5PM PT, 6PM MT, 7PM CT, 8PM ET, 11PM GMT ➜ Directories1) Access Information Email Newsletter Directoryhttps://accessinformationnews.com/email-newsletter-directory.html ➜ Sponsor Classified AdsSponsors may submit or update their Classified Advertisement at any time by submitting this short form: https://accessinformationnews.com/submit-sponsor-classified.Sponsor: APH ConnectCenter
➜ Classified Advertisement: Prepare For Your Future Today With The All-New APH ConnectCenter's Job Seekers Toolkit!The APH ConnectCenter and NSITE have partnered to update the Job Seeker's Toolkit, an accessible, self-paced, free online training course. The Toolkit includes five sections covering self-awareness, career exploration tools, the preliminary employment process, the interview, and maintaining employment. We are bringing the Job Seeker's Toolkit to a larger audience and in a Learning Management System format for today's learners, at no cost. Visit APHCareerConnect.org to get started with the Job Seekers Toolkit today at: Sponsor Since: November 29th 2022 Website: https://aphconnectcenter.org/ 🌐️ Email: connectcenter@aph.org 📧️ APH ConnectCenter Information and Referral Line: Hours: Monday - Friday from 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM ET Facebook (CareerConnect) | Facebook (FamilyConnect) | Facebook (VisionAware) | Twitter | YouTube About: The APH ConnectCenter offers curated advice and resources to assist children, parents, adults, and job seekers who are blind or visually impaired, and their associated professionals, leading to greater independence and success in their lives. Sponsor: Menus4ALL
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Yes, that's not a typo. The Menus4ALL iPhone app offers 500,000 accessible menus in the United States and 250,000 accessible menus in Canada. Wherever you are and whenever you want The Menus4ALL iPhone app is the largest network of restaurant menus in one place and all of the menus are fully accessible. Perfect for when you are out running errands and want to know what restaurants are near your current location. Great for planning a night out with friends. Favorite menus that you want to look at later or when you know you are going back for that amazing dish. Download The App (Apple): https://apps.apple.com/us/app/menus4all/id1640547801?platform=iphone Sponsor: WayAround
➜ Classified Advertisement: Try Talking Labels That Work With Your Smartphone For Just $9.99!Get all the different types of WayTags so you can try the BEST accessible labeling system around. Use the coupon code TryTags to get a WayTag Sampler Pack for just $9.99. Plus, you get FREE shipping. Use the WayTags along with the free mobile app to label your things with a description and other important details, so you can spend less time figuring out what things are, and more time getting things done. Sponsor Since: November 18th 2022 Website: https://www.wayaround.com/ 🌐️ General Sales & Support: (888) 898-4465 📱️ Business Sales & Support: (888) 898-4465 📱️ Email: connect@wayaround.com 📧️ About: WayAround is the app for your smart device that provides on-demand details about everyday things. The simple tag-and-scan approach lets you quickly and easily identify things around you. It also provides extra details, like how something works or when it expires. The result? Doing more of the things you want, with more confidence and more independence. All the information you want with just a tap of your phone. No more waiting around to ask someone. You need just two things to get started: The free mobile app for iOS or Android and some of our smart WayTags®. Accessible labels for the blind, deafblind, and anyone with vision loss. Your biggest problem isn't poor eyesight. It's that so much of the information in the world is visual. But you shouldn't have to wait around for someone else to get the information you need. Or carry around a bulky, outdated device. There is a better way to get accurate and complete information every time. So you can reduce stress and gain independence. Download The App (Apple): https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/wayaround-tag-and-scan/id1294361140?mt=8 Download The App (Android): https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.wayaround.wayaround Sponsor: Pneuma Solutions
➜ Classified Advertisement: Finally! Holding Businesses AccountableThose who need accessibility accommodations aren't strangers to jumping in with self-advocacy to achieve it. But, what about the rest of us? When explaining the benefits of a reasonable accommodation to one's place of work or school. This is where our self-advocacy kits come in. Pneuma has written up customizable email templates you can modify according to your situation. We cover a variety of different advocacy scenarios. Simply choose your scenario, answer a few simple questions, adapt the language, address it to the right person, and submit it! Self-advocacy has never been easier: 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. Sponsor: Total Tech Solutions, LLC
Sponsor Since: April 4, 2023 Website: https://blindtech.org/ 🌐️ About: TTS (Total Tech Solutions) is a startup technology company owned and operated in the Dallas Fort Worth area which specializes in offering services for the blind and visually impaired. While this is it's main focus, TTS also caters to the general public. Since its founding, TTS continues to make strides in demonstrating the countless ways blind and visually impaired individuals can contribute in all aspects of the workforce. This is one of the reasons why this company chooses to hire applicants who are visually impaired; to prove that there is a place in society for persons of any type of visual impairment, and to create a positive environment so one can thrive, live life to their fullest potential and to be a positive example to their communities and their families. Shop: BlindShell Classic | Shop: ARxWear | Shop: All Products | Services | Events | About | Contact Us Sponsor: NSITE.org
➜ Classified Advertisement: NSITE Connects Employers With Talented People Who Are Blind Or Low-Vision And Supports Talent To Gain EmploymentNSITE.org is the first non-profit organization, offering a continuum of services to connect employers with talented job seekers who are blind or low-vision and provides training, employment and career services to these job seekers. Using the NSITE Connect Job Board, which is designed exclusively for individuals who experience vision loss, employers can fill open positions with talent who are blind or have low vision. Job postings are also open to veterans. NSITE-U provides accessible on-demand and virtual instructor-led classes, programs and workshops to support career skills training and professional development for individuals who are blind or have low vision or are veterans. For more information about NSITE and all its services including a free Job Seekers Toolkit developed with APH, American Printing House for the Blind, visit us and use this form to reach NSITE's team for information about programs, classes and services, connect: Sponsor Since: March 6th 2023 Website: https://nsite.org/ 🌐️ About: NSITE provides a continuum of employment services that connect employers with talented, dedicated people who are blind, low-vision, and/or veterans to meet their workforce needs. As you move through the hiring process, NSITE is with you every step of the way to ensure that finding the right employee-employer match is as smooth and seamless as possible. NSITE works with employers to identify potential candidates who are blind, low-vision, and/or veterans. From there, NSITE assists with accessibility needs, onboarding, and training, then prepares both parties for job placement. Our work does not end there; it continues with ongoing support to accommodate changes in accessible technology and employer requirements. NSITE Connect: Linking employers with talented individuals who are blind, low-vision, and/or veterans. Access the NSITE Connect Job Board here.About | Media | Employers | Job Seekers | Training Programs | Job Board | Contact Us Sponsor: Clusiv
➜ Classified Advertisement: Clusiv Is The World's First eLearning Platform Built For And By People Who Are Blind. Our Courses Are Designed To Equip People Who Are Blind Or Visually Impaired For Employment In The Modern Workforce. Learn More At Clusiv.Io.Navigating the employment process can be challenging if you are blind or visually impaired. Technology is difficult to figure out, there is a lot of extra material to learn, and there isn't much quality training available. That's where Clusiv comes in. We help to provide the training you need to succeed in the modern workforce. Our courses teach assistive technology skills and how to apply those skills to many of the business software programs used in the modern workforce, such as email, Microsoft and Google apps, video conferencing, and more. We also teach soft skills such as resume and interview preparation, disclosures and accommodations, internet safety, and financial literacy. Lastly, our training can teach specific career skills, such as becoming an accessibility analyst. Plus, our courses are self-paced. To learn more, visit https://clusiv.io/ and fill out a form with your information. We work with state vocational rehabilitation agencies to provide access to our course content. Sponsor Since: January 16th 2023 Website: https://clusiv.io/ 🌐️ About: As there are many challenges people in the blind community face in employment and education, Clusiv has built the world's first e-learning platform designed for the blind to provide the training, tools, and resources needed to remove barriers to the modern workforce. Our courses teach you occupational and technology skills you need towards employment. Plus, we are working to connect our graduates to internship and job opportunities. Our courses are remote, self-paced, and we provide support throughout your whole journey through our student success team, and even provide lifetime access to our courses so you can keep up to date as technology evolves. You can request Clusiv training through your vocational rehabilitation counselor and fill out the form in the link below on our website. If you are a counselor wanting to learn more about Clusiv for your clients, or an employer looking to hire Clusiv graduates, click the respective link below and fill out a form to get more info. ➜ Person Looking To Enroll In Clusiv Courses ➜ Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor Looking To Learn More About Clusiv For Their Clients ➜ Employer Looking To Hire Clusiv Graduates Sponsor: Access Ready, Inc.
➜ Classified Advertisement: Access Ready Seeks Your Support at the Public Policy LevelMoving the public policy needle is both difficult and costly. Access Ready has one of the most experienced teams in the business who have shown results. We have fostered Congressional language on accessible websites, elections, healthcare, communications, and other areas touched by information and communications technologies. These efforts are costly and we need your help to continue. Become an Access Ready supporter and create an accessible future for people with disabilities: Sponsor Since: December 19th 2022 Website: https://accessready.org/ 🌐️ Email: info@accessready.org 📧️ Phone: (727) 531-1000 📱️ About: Access Ready Inc. is a certified, 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. The mission of Access Ready Inc., a nonprofit cross-disability rights advocacy organization, is to promote a policy of accessibility benefiting all people regardless of ability across information and communications technology utilized for two way communications. The purpose of Access Ready Inc. is to educate the public and private sectors of the importance of accessible information and communications technology to the future of all people regardless of ability. To support this education by developing initiatives that promote policies that ensure the creation and maintenance of accessible technologies utilized for two way communications at all levels which allow for easy use by people with the widest range of abilities possible. To develop employment and business opportunities for people with disabilities that support its educational activities in the field of information and communications technology and related areas. To provide consulting and educational services to buyers, developers, and users of information and communications technology that promotes its highest and best use in society. To promote the concept of a technologically accessible society which fosters: Freedom of expression, speech, and worship. Sponsor: Access Ready, Inc.
➜ Classified Advertisement: Access Ready Provides Access To The Best In The BusinessIf you need assistance with a new accessible website, document remediation or disability consulting of other kinds, Access Ready can help. We seek out the best in the business and bring them to you already vetted as to quality, professionalism and ability. By going through AccessReady.org to one of our qualified providers, you're not only getting the best, but supporting our advocacy and technological development efforts as well: Sponsor Since: December 13th 2022 Website: https://accessready.org/ 🌐️ Email: info@accessready.org 📧️ Phone: (727) 531-1000 📱️ About: Access Ready Inc. is a certified, 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. The mission of Access Ready Inc., a nonprofit cross-disability rights advocacy organization, is to promote a policy of accessibility benefiting all people regardless of ability across information and communications technology utilized for two way communications. The purpose of Access Ready Inc. is to educate the public and private sectors of the importance of accessible information and communications technology to the future of all people regardless of ability. To support this education by developing initiatives that promote policies that ensure the creation and maintenance of accessible technologies utilized for two way communications at all levels which allow for easy use by people with the widest range of abilities possible. To develop employment and business opportunities for people with disabilities that support its educational activities in the field of information and communications technology and related areas. To provide consulting and educational services to buyers, developers, and users of information and communications technology that promotes its highest and best use in society. To promote the concept of a technologically accessible society which fosters: Freedom of expression, speech, and worship. Sponsor: Access Ready, Inc.
➜ Classified Advertisement: Access Ready Seeks Guidance On New Accessible TechnologiesWhat Technologies do you see in the market that are not accessible, but should be? What accessible technologies can you imagine that can make the lives of people with all kinds of disabilities better? We will advocate with developers to make existing technologies accessible on your behalf. We will advocate with developers to build new accessible technologies on your behalf. Give us your guidance and support. Your guidance charts our path toward what is most important. Your support funds our efforts on your behalf: Sponsor Since: December 1st 2022 Website: https://accessready.org/ 🌐️ Email: info@accessready.org 📧️ Phone: (727) 531-1000 📱️ About: Access Ready Inc. is a certified, 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. The mission of Access Ready Inc., a nonprofit cross-disability rights advocacy organization, is to promote a policy of accessibility benefiting all people regardless of ability across information and communications technology utilized for two way communications. The purpose of Access Ready Inc. is to educate the public and private sectors of the importance of accessible information and communications technology to the future of all people regardless of ability. To support this education by developing initiatives that promote policies that ensure the creation and maintenance of accessible technologies utilized for two way communications at all levels which allow for easy use by people with the widest range of abilities possible. To develop employment and business opportunities for people with disabilities that support its educational activities in the field of information and communications technology and related areas. To provide consulting and educational services to buyers, developers, and users of information and communications technology that promotes its highest and best use in society. To promote the concept of a technologically accessible society which fosters: Freedom of expression, speech, and worship. Your Business or Organization Name Here➜ Classified Advertisement: Your Weekly Classified Advertisement Title Here (256 characters or less including spaces.)Your weekly Classified Advertisement here.
Sponsor Since: Today Website: https://accessinformationnews.com/ 🌐️ Phone: (855) 578-6660 📱️ Email: news@accessinformationnews.com 📧️ About: Access Information News is the world's leading not-for-profit access information news publication that reaches over 15,000 access professionals, educators and enthusiasts, all over the world, each week. 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. 9 of 18 Sponsorship Packages Currently AvailableAccess Information News is the world's leading not-for-profit access information news publication that reaches over 15,000 access professionals, educators and enthusiasts, all over the world, each week. 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 offers a total of 18 Sponsorship Packages which are used to support the ongoing distribution of the publication. ➜ Availability: There are currently 9 of 18 Sponsorship Packages available. All 18 Sponsorship Packages are offered on a first-come, first serve basis. ➜ Waiting List: If you would like to become an Access Information News Sponsor but there are no sponsorship packages currently available, we encourage you to join our waiting list by sending an email to: sponsorships@accessinformationnews.com 📧️. Once you have joined our waiting list we will notify you the next time a current sponsor decides not to renew. You will then have 72 hours to secure your sponsorship before it is offered to the next sponsor on the list. ➜ Pricing Options: When available you can secure one of these packages for just $300.00 USD for the next 3 months, or $1,200.00 USD for the next year. Annual sponsors gain the ability to schedule all 4 of their Featured Advertisement dates up to one year in advance. ➜ Access Information News Supporters:We couldn't do it without you! Thank you for your support!
Why: Access Information News Supporters donate an amount of their choosing either one time or annually in order to assist with the ongoing distribution of the Access Information News publication. Benefits: All Access Information News Supporters receive a listing within the "Our Supporters" section of each weekly newsletter, as well as a listing within the "Our Supporters" section of the Access Information News website. One Time Donation: If you would like to become an Access Information News Supporter by making a one time donation in an amount of your choosing to assist with the ongoing distribution of the Access Information News publication, you may utilize this donate link, or scan the QR code to the right. Annual Donation: If you would like to become an Access Information News Supporter by making a small annual donation to assist with the ongoing distribution of the Access Information News publication, we also offer the following options, all with our sincerest thanks, and most heartfelt gratitude for your ongoing support. Support: In tandem with Our Sponsors, these are the people that make the ongoing distribution of Access Information News possible. Platinum Supporters:
Become an Access Information News Platinum Supporter today. 1.) James Hulme 2.) Donna Jodhan 3.) Your name here. Gold Supporters:
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Become an Access Information News Bronze Supporter today. 1.) Your name here. ➜ Access Information News TeamPublisher: Aaron Di Blasi (Volunteer)
Volunteer Publisher Since: November 7th 2022 Location: Mayfield Heights, Ohio Time Zone: Eastern Standard Time (EST/EDT) (GMT-5/GMT-4) In addition to serving as Publisher for Access Information News Aaron also serves as Publisher for the Top Tech Tidbits Publication and is also the President and Senior Project Management Professional for Mind Vault Solutions, Ltd. As Publisher Aaron oversees the weekly distribution of Access Information News on behalf of Mind Vault Solutions, Ltd. Aaron also serves as a Volunteer Editorial Contributor to Access Information News. Aaron Di Blasi, PMP Publisher (2022-Present) Publisher (2020-Present) Sr. Project Management Professional (2006 - Present) Editorial Contributor #1: John Hanlin (Volunteer)Volunteer Editorial Contributor Since: November 7th 2022 Location: Boulder, Colorado Time Zone: Mountain Standard Time (MST/MDT) (GMT-7/GMT-6) In addition to serving as an Editorial Contributor to Access Information News, John also serves as an Editorial Contributor to the Top Tech Tidbits Publication and is also an attorney-at-law specializing in long-term disability claims for blind and visually impaired persons. John is also a long-time contractor and member of the Board of Trustees at Mind Vault Solutions, Ltd. John Hanlin, Esq. Editorial Contributor (2022-Present) Editorial Contributor (2020-Present) Board of Trustees (2006 - Present) Editorial Contributor #2: Jenna Lang (Volunteer)Volunteer Editorial Contributor Since: November 7th 2022 Location: Des Moines, Iowa Time Zone: Central Standard Time (CST/CDT) (GMT-6/GMT-5) In addition to serving as an Editorial Contributor to Access Information News, Jenna also serves as an Editorial Contributor to the Top Tech Tidbits Publication and runs her own advocacy foundation. Jenna also serves as a certified Project Management Professional (PMP) for Mind Vault Solutions, Ltd. Jenna's son was born blind and she is always seeking new and innovative ways to empower him through technology. Jenna Lang, PMP Editorial Contributor (2022-Present) Editorial Contributor (2020-Present) Project Management Professional (2022 - Present) Editorial Contributor #3: David Woodbridge (Volunteer)
Volunteer Editorial Contributor Since: February 6th 2023 Location: Central Coast, New South Wales, Australia Time Zone: Australia Eastern Standard Time (AEST/AEDT) (GMT+10) In addition to serving as an Editorial Contributor to Access Information News, David is also the National Commercial Assistive Technology Advisor for Vision Australia where he has worked since 1990. Over this time he has assisted people who are blind or vision impaired in their home, education, and work settings to take advantage of the benefits of using assistive and main stream technology. In the last seventeen years, he has also been involved with evaluating technology for use by people who are blind or vision impaired covering both low and high tech equipment (including Microsoft, Samsung, Google, Amazon, and Apple). David is also one of the key spokespersons for Vision Australia relating to technology. He has been an Apple Ambassador for Apple Australia since 2009 with a group of other Ambassadors / Apple Distinguished Educators (ADE)'s covering the range of Apple's Accessibility solutions throughout Australia. David produces a range of podcasts (since 2011) covering Apple and other technologies which are distributed on his own podcast (http://davidwoodbr.podbean.com). In addition, he also has a regular Talking Tech program (since 2013) which can be heard every Tuesday at 4:30 Eastern Summer Time on Vision Australia Radio Melbourne (available online) or via https://omny.fm/shows/talking-tech-vision-australia-radio David also runs a weekly Tech Monday where people can chat about assistive and main stream technology, share information, and any tips and tricks. David lost his sight when he was 8 years old and had to learn Braille. Since then, he completed high school, went to Sydney University receiving a Social Work degree, spent 4 years drug and alcohol counselling, and then moved into his current job. As a person who is blind, David believes that as a user of the technology that he recommends to others, that he is well situated to look at the strengths and shortcomings of the assistive technology that he comes across in both his professional and personal life, in particular, mainstream technology that is accessible. Twitter: @dwoodbridge In addition to his weekly contributions to Access Information News, David's regularly occurring activities are his weekly tech radio show, bi-monthly exploring tech webinars for Vision Australia, his iSee podcast when something of note grabs his attention, and the weekly Tech Monday chat sessions. David Woodbridge Editorial Contributor (2023-Present) Editorial Contributor (2023-Present) National Commercial Assistive Technology Advisor (1990 - Present) Email: editor@accessinformationnews.com 📧️ ➜ Subscription InformationABOUT:Access Information News is the world's leading not-for-profit access information news publication that reaches over 15,000 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 archive here. Access Information News is a Mind Vault Solutions, Ltd. Publication. Publisher: Aaron Di Blasi. Contributing Editors: John Hanlin, Jenna Lang and David Woodbridge. Access Information News is a sponsor and reader supported publication. RELEASE SCHEDULE:Access Information News is released every Monday morning at 6:00 AM ET. SUBSCRIBE:Do you, a friend, or colleague wish to receive the Access Information Newsletter? If so, please use or pass along our CAPTCHA-free sign-up link, which is: https://accessinformationnews.com/subscribe. You can also subscribe to receive the Access Information Newsletter on the Access Information News Website at: https://accessinformationnews.com. Either of these methods will provide you with an accessibly friendly and secure medium through which you can subscribe to our mailing list. Just enter your email address, click send, and begin receiving the Access Information Newsletter. It's that easy. SPONSOR:If you would like to become 1 of only 18 Access Information News Sponsors whose annual support makes the distribution of Access Information News possible, we offer you the following benefits, with our sincerest thanks, and most heartfelt gratitude for your ongoing support: https://accessinformationnews.com/sponsorship-information.html. SUPPORT:If you would like to become an Access Information News Supporter by making a small one time or annual donation to assist with the ongoing distribution of the Access Information News publication, we offer the following options, with our sincerest thanks, and most heartfelt gratitude for your ongoing support: https://accessinformationnews.com/donate.html. WEBSITE:Visit the Access Information News website online at https://accessinformationnews.com. FACEBOOK:Are you on Facebook? Stop by and "Like" Access Information News to begin receiving current news and trends in access information as part of your Facebook News Feed: https://accessinformationnews.com/facebook. X (FORMERLY TWITTER):Are you on X? Follow Access Information News to begin receiving current news and trends in access information as part of your X News Feed: https://accessinformationnews.com/x. MASTODON:Are you on Mastodon? Follow Access Information News to begin receiving current news and trends in access information as part of your Mastodon News Feed by visiting https://mastodon.accessinformationnews.com/@news or searching for @news@mastodon.accessinformationnews.com on your server today. LINKEDIN:Are you on LinkedIn? Follow Access Information News to begin receiving current news and trends in access information as part of your LinkedIn News Feed: https://accessinformationnews.com/linkedin. YOUTUBE:Are you on YouTube? Follow Access Information News to begin receiving current news and trends in access information as part of your YouTube Video Feed: https://accessinformationnews.com/youtube. RSS:Do you prefer RSS? Follow Access Information News via RSS today to begin receiving current news and trends in access information using your choice of news aggregator: https://accessinformationnews.com/rss. QUESTIONS:If you have questions regarding any of the material published in Access Information News please feel free to reach out to our Publisher at publisher@accessinformationnews.com 📧️ or our Editors at editors@accessinformationnews.com 📧️ and we will attempt to provide you with answers as time and knowledge permit. ARCHIVEVisit the Access Information News Archive at: https://accessinformationnews.com/archive.html where you can grab back issues. CONTENT CONTRIBUTORS:Any information for future issues of Access Information News may be submitted online via our Access Information News Item Submission Form at: https://accessinformationnews.com/submit-news or directed to our Editors at: editors@accessinformationnews.com 📧️. 
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