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Access Information News for Monday, June 10, 2024 - Volume 966
The Week's News in Access Information
Access Information News. The world's #1 online resource for current news and trends in access information.
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Dear Access Information News Subscriber,
1.) Top 5 Most Clicked News Articles From Last Week
I'd like to say it started in my early 50's when I could no longer hear the ding of the triangle in one of my favorite Queen songs. But if you ask my husband and family, they would say my challenges with hearing started much earlier. Frequently asking, “What?” had become a habit, as was turning up the volume on the TV. My father had hearing loss, which he ignored for many years, and I, too, was in denial. I kept thinking I would get my hearing checked someday, but it was not that bad.
Be My Eyes, a groundbreaking app designed to aid the blind and visually impaired, has launched its award-winning application on Windows desktop, available now on the Microsoft Store. Announced at Microsoft's Build Week in Seattle, this expansion brings the Be My AI feature from their successful Android and iOS apps to personal computers, offering users unparalleled visual descriptions and accessibility. Leveraging OpenAI's GPT-4 with Vision model, the app provides detailed descriptions of photos, graphs, screenshots, and other visual content, revolutionizing desktop use for those with vision impairments.
How the process of making prosthetic eyes has — and hasn't — changed in nearly a century.
I'm a totally blind attorney writing this on a standard Windows laptop. I use Braille and accessible technology to coordinate a nationwide legal program in all 50 states, D.C., and Puerto Rico. I'm conversant in five languages, have lost count of the number of countries I've visited, and independently manage a household. And earlier today, I still needed sighted help to fill out a government form.
My final thoughts? This is another blatant example of a company that has not given any consideration to meeting the needs of blind and vision impaired customers! Or maybe they decided that blind and vision impaired customers do not exist! Just my two cents for today.
June 10, 2024
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Publisher (Di Blasi): This year Mind Vault Solutions, Ltd. has donated one Annual Sponsorship Package with Top Tech Tidbits ($1200 USD) and one Annual Sponsorship Package with Access Information News ($1200 USD) to the Seeing Eye's 2024 95th Anniversary Gala and Online Auction. Win a free year of weekly access-specific website traffic, permanent SEO benefits and global brand recognition. Let's work together to make this year's event special. The Seeing Eye, Inc. is a 501(c)3 Nonprofit Organization: Federal ID: 22-1539721.
SeeingEye.org: Proceeds from this annual event go directly toward fulfilling our mission to nurture the partnership between specially trained Seeing Eye ® dogs and people with vision loss. The online auction is made possible by generous individuals and businesses who donate items for bidding. Not only will you be supporting our mission, but you will also be showcasing your products and services to thousands of our supporters! The online bidding runs from May 30 through June 11, 2024, and when the auction is live it will be hosted at https://seeingeye.org/auction. Each item listing will include a detailed description, photographs, your company's logo, and a direct link to your webpage. Auction items range from jewelry, gift cards, dog toys, sports tickets, vacation stays and more! For additional information or to donate item(s), please contact us at: +1 (973) 525-1088 📱️ or auction@seeingeye.org 📧️.
June 8, 2024
The research by Warbox has looked in detail at the accessibility features of the top apps across popular categories in the UK, ranking them for their inclusivity. To get an average score for each category, the tech experts looked at the apps individually, rating them based on whether they had accessibility features such as text size adjustment, high contrast mode, screen reader compatibility, alt text, subtitles and keyboard navigation. According to Statista, 73% of all bank account holders processed banking matters via mobile banking in the first quarter of 2024 — but, with a score of just 4.1, finance apps are lagging behind other categories.
June 7, 2024
The National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) has increased its investment in co-designing critical reforms to the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) by allocating additional funds to Disability Representative and Carer Organisations (DRCOs). A total of 27 organisations, which collectively represent thousands of individuals with disabilities and their families, will share up to $10.7 million in funding.
Premiering at Tribeca, Jess Jacklin's film looks at three members of an all-quadriplegic esports team that blends rehab, socializing and competition.
The presentation showed how new and upcoming titles are made accessible to disabled players.
My final thoughts? On the day of remembering 80 years after D Day, this may be time for us to examine the generation gap! Just my two cents for today.
I love getting recommendations for new books to read from my university or local libraries, especially when it comes to summer reading lists with all of the new and upcoming releases. However, there are times I miss out on being able to access the reading lists because I have a print disability that impacts my ability to read small or standard-sized print materials, which make it more difficult for me to not only read the list of recommendations, but find accessible copies of the books listed on them. Here are my tips for how to adapt summer reading lists for print disabilities and how to create inclusive and accessible summer reading lists for dyslexia, visual processing disorder, low vision, blindness, and other print disabilities that affect access to standard materials.
June 6, 2024
The Covid pandemic has been called a "mass-disabling event" since early on — the kind of once-in-a-generation public health crisis that could shape millions of people's lives forever. But while more people self-identified as disabled since the pandemic began, applications for disability benefits have stayed level, according to data from the Social Security Administration.
Stations in Martinez, Hayward, Fremont and Oakland, California, received $20.8 million in upgrades.
Biogen and Delta Flight Products are working to create wheelchair seating models that can be utilized on the latter's commercial planes.
Accessibility might not be the first thing you think about when you post a picture to your feed, but it can be a huge help for people with disabilities and it only takes a few seconds to implement.
This fun, easy to read poster, told from the perspective of a guide dog, is intended to help rideshare drivers learn more about guide dogs and what to expect when transporting these highly trained animals in their vehicles.
Apple has announced the winners of its 2024 Apple Design Awards, which honor excellence in innovation, ingenuity, and technical achievement in app and game design across seven categories: delight and fun, inclusivity, innovation, interaction, social impact, visuals and graphics, and a new spatial computing category. The winners were chosen from 42 finalists.
June 5, 2024
A Guernsey librarian who was shortlisted for a national award has said she was "absolutely thrilled". Jackie Burgess, the community and wellbeing lead at Guille-Alles Library in Guernsey, was named first runner up in the Vision and Print Impaired People's category at the Libraries Connected awards. The awards, which cover public library services across England, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Crown Dependencies, aim to celebrate librarians and the support they provide for their communities.
We're thrilled to announce that Austin Area Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Fertility (AAOBGYN) has installed the RightHear Accessibility system at their Austin clinic. This exciting update ensures the clinic is fully accessible to people who are blind or have low vision.
The team at healthcare startup Knownwell has its mission emblazoned in ginormous font for all to see on the home page of its website. The company says it offers “comprehensive, empathetic healthcare at any size” and says it's working to "[change] the shape of health care to fit all bodies" by providing "uncompromising primary care and obesity medicine that is refreshingly free of bias, blame, and shame."
June 4, 2024
Telehealth startup 9amHealth announced on Tuesday it has added support for Spanish language service to its platform. The company, which has apps on iOS and Android, specializes in taking a holistic, whole-bodied approach to cardiometabolic care. It primarily caters to organizations like employers and health insurers, but also offers individuals seeking telemedicine a subscription priced at $69 per month.
On Wednesday, Anthropologie will introduce its first foray into adaptive apparel via a collection of eight of its existing bestsellers reworked to better fit the lives and needs of members of the disabled community. The idea came about internally, from the URBN Adapt Employee Resource Group, which is dedicated to promoting accessibility and inclusivity for the company's portfolio of brands, which include Urban Outfitters, Anthropologie, Free People and Nuuly.
People living with sight loss in the UK can from today apply for a free Alexa device, under a new scheme from sight loss charity British Wireless for the Blind Fund (BWBF).
In March of this year, we launched a pilot project aimed at evaluating the expansion of our forums to include a small number of non-Apple areas. This pilot period has now concluded, and we would like to share the result and our plans moving forward.
Making an e-commerce site accessible to people who have difficulty accessing its content and features with the same ease and facility as ordinary people is a focus area now. As competition and regulatory oversight become more intense, e-commerce website development services can't ignore the accessibility aspect of e-commerce sites.
Is the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to solve accessibility barriers just a fairy tale? Will AI solve nothing? Will AI solve everything? Or will AI — refined by human intelligence and ethics — be the real path to systemic accessibility?
June 3, 2024
Are you an emerging content maker with disability? Do you have a story that needs to be told? The ABC is partnering with International Day of People with Disability (IDPwD) to recognise the 4.4 million Australians with disability. A series of factual stories and content will be commissioned by the ABC to be published and broadcast across ABC platforms for IDPwD on December 3. We are particularly interested in hearing from First Nations and culturally and linguistically diverse content creators.
Back to Back Theatre has had an unbelievable couple of years. At this year's Venice Biennale, they became the first Australian company to win the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement in Theatre. Just two years ago, they took home the International Ibsen Award, often described as the Nobel Prize for theatre, worth $384,000.
Efforts to attract and retain a diverse workforce must go beyond the recruiting, hiring, and onboarding processes.
Disability Rights New York prevailed over the state Education Department in state Supreme Court in Albany.
Chase Bank launched an Aira Access pilot on June 3, 2024. The pilot will see Aira offered for free to anyone visiting one of 46 Chase Bank Innovation Lab locations, listed in the table below.
In this blog, I delve into airline website accessibility, shedding light on prevalent challenges touch-based screen reader users face on mobile devices. Given their expanding use and appeal, the significance of accessibility on smartphones and tablets cannot be overstated.
This web page introduces CAN/ASC - EN 301 549:2024 Accessibility requirements for ICT products and services (EN 301 549:2021, IDT) as a published National Standard of Canada. As an official standard of the Government of Canada, it is approved for use throughout the country.
Whether you are about to enter the work world for the first time or are contemplating seeking a new opportunity, searching for a job can seem overwhelming. As a blind person, there are often so many resources that are still inaccessible. Where do you start? The Department of Labor has a lot of free resources which can assist with a job search.
OLDER
Most people can't imagine not being able to do the things they love, and many never have to experience that. But that was a reality for 61-year-old Kevin Daniels, a rancher from Norfolk, when he became paralyzed last April.
There has been a lot of accessibility news this month including Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD), an annual event that encourages everyone to learn and share best practices for digital accessibility and inclusion. And to think it all started with a blog post and a phone call. I had the privilege of talking with the co-founders of GAAD, Joe Devon and Jennison Asuncion, about the origin of GAAD and the potential of AI for accessibility and the disability community.
Walking canes serve as more than just mobility aids; they are tools that can significantly enhance the quality of life for seniors, visually impaired individuals, and anyone seeking to improve their mobility. Choosing the right cane can mean the difference between independence and dependence, between safety and risk. In this comprehensive guide, we explore the different types of walking canes, their unique features, and how to select the best one for your needs.
For quite some time now, people with vision loss have gained increasing audible access to digital displays and touch screens on electronic devices. Such advances in accessibility have not yet materialized in most major and household appliances. Meanwhile, we figure out what we need from the appliance and how to get the job done. Depending on the appliance and personal preference, the solution may be simple or complex. The best approach often comes down to focusing on frequently used functions. Cooking, on a stove top or in the oven, generally requires familiarity with a few temperature settings. Similar strategies are implemented for the use of washer, dryer and dishwasher, Food gets cooked, laundry and dishes get washed, often on the same settings, day after day.
Looking to get a new smartphone? If you choose to donate your old one, it could serve as a lifeline to the estimated one-and-a-half million Canadians with some form of sight loss.
➜ Featured Events
Proceeds from this annual event go directly toward fulfilling our mission to nurture the partnership between specially trained Seeing Eye ® dogs and people with vision loss. The online auction is made possible by generous individuals and businesses who donate items for bidding. Not only will you be supporting our mission, but you will also be showcasing your products and services to thousands of our supporters! The online bidding runs from May 30, 2024 through June 11, 2024, and when the auction is live it will be hosted at https://seeingeye.org/auction. Each item listing will include a detailed description, photographs, your company's logo, and a direct link to your webpage. Auction items range from jewelry, gift cards, dog toys, sports tickets, vacation stays and more! For additional information or to donate item(s), please contact us at (973) 525-1088 📱️ or auction@seeingeye.org 📧️. Item donations should be received no later than April 12, 2024 and should be addressed to: The Seeing Eye Auction Team, 1 Seeing Eye Way, Morristown, NJ 07960. Thank you for your consideration.
4PM PT, 5PM MT, 6PM CT, 7PM ET, 11PM GMT
Technology opens the world and broadens options. Today a person with a disability can use technology to look for a job, apply for a position and retain a job. This webinar highlights assistive technologies which allow a person with a disability to better direct and manage their career exploration and development. Learn about the assistive technologies which can be used to write and format a resume, submit a job application online, develop questions for an interview and much more. Join two managers from the Lighthouse as they share information about assistive technologies used in looking for work. ASL Interpreters will be available. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar. Please reach out to WorkForceDevelopment@lhblind.org 📧️ if you have questions.
9AM PT, 10AM MT, 11AM CT, 12PM ET, 4PM GMT
Join us for the first annual Blindness and Mental Health Summit! The Summit is the largest online gathering of organizations and consumers sharing information, resources, and services focusing on mental health in the blindness, low vision, and disability communities. It is 100% virtual and will have ASL interpreters. Providers will also be able to earn CE credit.
10AM PT, 11AM MT, 12PM CT, 1PM ET, 5PM GMT
We'd like to invite you and your friends to join us for Glide's first ever "Virtual" Demo Day, on Monday, June 24th at 10-11:30 am PST! As our Gliders community has grown rapidly in anticipation of our pre-order launch this summer, we wanted to take a moment to properly welcome new community members and host an event specifically for those who may not know a lot about Glide yet. If you've been with us since the beginning (firstly, thank you!), then this is a wonderful opportunity to invite friends, family, colleagues, relevant organizations, and others in the blind and low-vision community to join us to meet our team and get a full walk-through description of Glide, its features and its capabilities. The session will be recorded, so please register even if you are unable to attend! Please register. All are welcome. Feel free to invite friends.
9AM PT, 10AM MT, 11AM CT, 12PM ET, 4PM GMT
Presenter: Leilani Mason, Solutions Engineer. Older adults are a growing demographic of technology users. As society shifts more online, the need for older adults to use technology is increasing rapidly. When designing products, it is important to design with accessibility in mind but also design with different age groups in mind.
➜ Directories
➜ Sponsor Classified Ads
If 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.
Freedom from fear, ignorance, and want.
Freedom from dishonesty, exclusion, and immorality.
Freedom of aspiration, invention, and inclusion.
What 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.
Freedom from fear, ignorance, and want.
Freedom from dishonesty, exclusion, and immorality.
Freedom of aspiration, invention, and inclusion.
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.
Sponsor Since: November 29th 2022 📅️
Website: https://aphconnectcenter.org/ 🌐️
Email: connectcenter@aph.org 📧️
APH ConnectCenter Information and Referral Line:
(800) 232-5463 📱️
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.
Purchase a 25-pack of any style of WayTag and get a free Sampler Pack so you can try all seven different WayTags. Enter the coupon code SAMPLE at checkout and the Sampler Pack will automatically be added to your cart. This is a $14.99 value! Limit one Sample pack per order.
WayAround is a smartphone-based labeling app that works with your preferred accessibility settings. You just need the free mobile app and some WayTags ® to label items in the kitchen, garden, closet, office & more.
If you want to label something that's inside, outside, wet, dry, hot, or cold, there's a WayTag that will attach securely. WayTags come as stickers, buttons, magnets, and clips. Each of the different styles of WayTags work exactly the same. Simply choose the WayTag that's best for what you want to label.
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&hl=en_US&gl=US&pli=1
Our first of its kind Remote Incident Manager has long since prided itself on providing unmatched remote desktop accessibility across both Windows and Mac. As we approach the anniversary of the Mac OS port of RIM's big reveal, we celebrate with present-day improvements! Among the many new features - voice conversations during unattended sessions (with target user consent), ability to install without admin on Windows, etc. one of our most exciting features for Mac support pros is the ability to view a list of running packages and installed apps on the target Mac! The excitement doesn't stop there, however. Remember our weekend support package? The price hasn't changed, but the unlimited weekend support time that comes with the package just saw an increase! Current and future weekend support subscribers can now provide unlimited support from 7:00 PM (according to local timezone) until 11:59 PM on Sunday! There's never been a better time to get in on the action!
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.
Barrier Free Canada welcomes you to join our dynamic community of advocates! Are you passionate about making a difference? Do you have insights, stories, or questions that could spark change? We invite you to submit your compelling articles and blogs to info@barrierfreecanada.org. 📧️
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).
Sponsor Since: September 18th 2023 📅️
Website: https://vi.ie/ 🌐️
Phone: 1800 911 250 📱️
Make A Referral: https://vi.ie/supporting-you/make-a-referral/
We are happy to take referrals from anyone who is having significant challenges with their vision that cannot be improved with conventional correction glasses or medical treatment. Our online referral process provides a quick and easy way for you to request services, either for yourself, a family member, or a patient. We contact all new referrals to conduct an assessment.
Donate: https://vi.ie/supporting-us/donate-now/ ❤
Your support is Vital, for over 90 years, people like you have helped Vision Ireland make Ireland a better place for those who are blind or vision impaired.
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ncbilabs 📹
We regularly deliver Technology Podcasts on topics that support you. Show content ranges from chats and debates about the latest Inclusive Tech, Meet the Team interviews, interviews with developers about their latest innovations, Tech Tips, and Seeing it Your Way interviews where we speak to Vision Ireland Service Users about how Technology has enabled them by breaking down barriers and leveling playing fields.
Online Store: https://vi.ie/shop-with-us/online-store/ 🛒
Shop Low Vision Aids. Our dedicated store supplies a range of household items, magnification aids, daily living aids, and technology devices all designed to assist you to live more independently. Check out our extensive range of low-vision aids, devices, and gadgets all designed to assist you in daily tasks.
Vision Ireland Retail: https://www.ncbi.ie/shop-with-us/retail-stores/shop-locations/ 🛒
Visit our 130+ Vision Ireland stores located across the country and shop for an extensive range of pre-loved quality clothing, accessories, and furniture. Vision Ireland is proud to play a part in promoting environmentally friendly practices through reusing and recycling. We've got something for everyone, you can transform your home and wardrobe for less while helping to fund our vital work around Ireland with people living with sight loss.
About: Formerly National Council for the Blind of Ireland (NCBI), Vision Ireland's mission is to enable people who are blind and vision impaired to overcome the barriers that impede their independence and participation in society.
Inspired by the determination to overcome any obstacle, Vision Ireland transforms the lives of people who are blind or vision impaired to deliver tangible change to today's needs. We offer timely information and support, relevant technology and innovative programs to sustain those with a vision impairment in education, in the workplace, and in wider society.
The National Council for the Blind of Ireland, the country's leading sight loss charity serving the approximate 55,000 people who are blind or vision impaired to live confidently and independently.
Our suite of programs provides practical and emotional support, rehabilitation and opening pathways to education, employment, and full participation in community and public life. It means raising awareness to ensure children and adults with a significant sight loss have the same opportunities, rights, and choices as anyone else in society.
Vision Ireland works every day across the country with people of all ages, from young babies through to older members of our community. We provide services to approximately 7,000 people each year.
Often when a person learns that they or a loved one — a parent, child or partner — is losing their sight, they have a lot of questions and fears. They are faced with a new version of their life — one that initially seems limited and scary. Vision Ireland empowers those living with sight loss in several meaningful ways to enable them to continue living independent and fulfilling lives. Vision Ireland has a crucial role to play in creating a world without barriers for people with sight loss. We want to support, educate and change how people see sight loss in this country.
Social: Facebook | X (Formerly Twitter) | YouTube | Instagram
Learn the basics of NVDA. From getting started with the program to customizing the speech to learning helpful shortcuts, Hadley's workshops have you covered.
Sponsor Since: September 18th 2023 📅️
Website: https://hadleyhelps.org/ 🌐️
Email: info@hadleyhelps.org 📧️
Phone: (800) 323-4238 📱️
Get Started: https://hadleyhelps.org/learn 🎓
What would you like to learn today?
Donate: https://hadleyhelps.org/donate/support-hadley ❤
A 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, Hadley relies on contributions from individuals, foundations, and corporations to fund its programs.
About: The mission of Hadley is to create personalized learning opportunities that empower adults with vision loss or blindness to thrive — at home, at work, and in their communities.
Founded in 1920 by William Hadley, an educator who lost his eyesight later in life, Hadley offers practical help, connection and support free of charge to anyone with a visual impairment, their families and professionals supporting them. With Hadley, you can discover new ways to do things that have become more difficult due to vision loss and connect with a network of peers who "get it." And you don't need to come to Hadley. Hadley's help comes to you; online, on the phone or through the mail.
Since relaunching in July 2020, more than 70,000 people have signed up with Hadley, registering more than 200,000 workshop interactions. And our workshops have 98% satisfaction ratings. We reach all 50 states and more than 100 countries. And more people learn braille from Hadley than from any other organization worldwide.
Hadley is a proud partner of the National Eye Institute and the National Eye Health Education Program.
Hadley's help conveniently meets learners where they are. Free of wait lists. Free of office visits. Free of charge.
Social: Facebook | X (Formerly Twitter) | YouTube
Sponsor Since: August 21, 2023 📅️
Website: https://www.eyesonsuccess.net/ 🌐️
About: This half-hour weekly podcast and radio program discusses products, services and daily living tips for people with vision loss. It is available through radio reading services across North America, via several internet streaming services, and to everyone else as a podcast. To date, the show has been downloaded in all 50 states in the US and over 100 other countries on all the inhabited continents. Eyes On Success is hosted and produced by Peter Torpey and Nancy Goodman Torpey.
Each episode is basically a success story. Some are human stories of visually impaired people's accomplishments in academics, employment, sports or pastimes. Others are descriptions of adaptive aids that enable visually impaired people to achieve things. These include screen readers, magnifiers, navigation aids, and others. In all cases, the focus is on success.
Eyes On Success has been airing weekly since January 2011. Prior to January 2013 the name of the show was ViewPoints. Other than the name, nothing has changed.
Listening To Eyes On Success
You can listen to Eyes On Success on your smart home device by saying “play the Eyes On Success podcast”, subscribe to the podcast wherever you get your podcasts, or listen on Apple Podcasts, iTunes, YouTube or your local radio reading service. Listeners can also follow the show on Facebook and X (Formerly Twitter).
Connecting with Eyes On Success
Email: To contact us with questions, comments or suggestions for future shows send an e-mail to hosts@EyesOnSuccess.net 📧️.
Weekly Announcements: If you would like to receive weekly announcements of upcoming episodes, you can join our low traffic "announcements only" list by sending an e-mail to: EyesOnSuccess+subscribe@GoogleGroups.com 📧️.
Email Forum: If you would like to connect with other listeners and share your thoughts about what you've heard on the show, you can join our listener email forum by sending an email to: EOS_Discuss+Subscribe@GoogleGroups.com 📧️
Moving 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.
Freedom from fear, ignorance, and want.
Freedom from dishonesty, exclusion, and immorality.
Freedom of aspiration, invention, and inclusion.
Sponsor Since: Today 📅️
Website: https://accessinformationnews.com/dearsponsor 🌐️
Phone: (855) 578-6660 📱️
Email: news@accessinformationnews.com 📧️
About: Founded in 2022, Access Information News is the world's leading not-for-profit access information news publication that reaches over 24,000 blind, low vision, deaf, hard of hearing, deafblind, neurodivergent and/or disabled professionals, educators and enthusiasts, all over the world, each week. Subscribe here. Review the most recent issues here.
➜ Access Information News Supporters
We couldn't do it without you! Thank you for your support!
Why: Access Information News Supporters donate an amount of their choosing either one time or annually in order to assist with the ongoing distribution of the Access Information News publication.
Benefits: All Access Information News Supporters receive a listing within the "Our Supporters" section of each weekly newsletter, as well as a listing within the "Our Supporters" section of the Access Information News website.
In addition, all Access Information News Supporters automatically become Premium Subscribers as well, and therefore enjoy all of the benefits that a Premium Subscription has to offer.
One Time Donation: If you would like to become a Access Information News Supporter by making a one time donation in an amount of your choosing to assist with the ongoing distribution of the Access Information News publication, you may utilize this donate link, or scan the QR code to the right.
Annual Donation: If you would like to become a Access Information News Supporter by making a small annual donation to assist with the ongoing distribution of the Access Information News publication, we also offer the following options, all with our sincerest thanks, and most heartfelt gratitude for your ongoing support.
Support: In tandem with Our Sponsors, these are the people that make the ongoing distribution of Access Information News possible.
Become an Access Information News Platinum Supporter today.
1.) James Hulme
Platinum Supporter Since: December 5, 2022
2.) Donna Jodhan
Platinum Supporter Since: March 24, 2023
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One Time Supporters donate an amount of their choosing — one time to assist with the ongoing distribution of the Access Information News Publication.
Become an Access Information News One Time Supporter today.
1.) Sharyn Sobel
One Time Supporter on November 28, 2023
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One Time Supporter on July 31, 2023
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➜ Access Information News Team
Distribution Since: 2022
As of November 7, 2022 the distribution of Access Information News is made possible by our Sponsors, our Supporters and Mind Vault Solutions, Ltd., a leading international provider of professionally outsourced marketing administration and consultation services.
Any time the Access Information News Publication carries less than its Sponsor limit, Mind Vault Solutions, Ltd. donates the remaining dollars necessary to keep the publication running.
Please help us to support the ongoing distribution of this publication. Learn more today at: https://accessinformationnews.com/dearsponsor.
Volunteer Publisher Since: November 7, 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 Editor to Access Information News.
Aaron Di Blasi, PMP
Email: publisher@accessinformationnews.com 📧️
Toll-Free: +1 (855) 578-6660 📱️
Publisher (2024-Present)
AI-Weekly 🌐
The Week's News in Artificial Intelligence
Publisher (2022-Present)
Access Information News 🌐
The Week's News in Access Information
Publisher (2020-Present)
Top Tech Tidbits 🌐
The Week's News in Access Technology
Sr. Project Management Professional (2006 - Present)
Mind Vault Solutions, Ltd. 🌐
Innovative ideas. Solutions that perform.
Certified:
Digital Marketing Associate
Meta Certified (2022 - Present)
Social Marketing Professional
Hootsuite Certified (2020 - Present)
Email Marketing Professional
Constant Contact Certified (2019 - Present)
Specializing in:
Digital Strategy and Content Marketing
Social Media Advertising
Online Fundraising
ADA, WCAG and Section 508 Compliance
Volunteer Editor Since: November 7, 2022
Location: Boulder, Colorado
Time Zone: Mountain Standard Time (MST/MDT) (GMT-7/GMT-6)
In addition to serving as an Editor to Access Information News, John also serves as an Editor to the Top Tech Tidbits 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)
Access Information News 🌐
The Week's News in Access Information
Editorial Contributor (2020-Present)
Top Tech Tidbits 🌐
The Week's News in Access Technology
Board of Trustees (2006 - Present)
Mind Vault Solutions, Ltd. 🌐
Innovative ideas. Solutions that perform.
Volunteer Editor Since: November 7, 2022
Location: Des Moines, Iowa
Time Zone: Central Standard Time (CST/CDT) (GMT-6/GMT-5)
In addition to serving as an Editor to Access Information News, Jenna also serves as an Editor to the Top Tech Tidbits 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)
Access Information News 🌐
The Week's News in Access Information
Editorial Contributor (2020-Present)
Top Tech Tidbits 🌐
The Week's News in Access Technology
Project Management Professional (2022 - Present)
Mind Vault Solutions, Ltd. 🌐
Innovative ideas. Solutions that perform.
Volunteer Editorial Contributor Since: February 6, 2023
Location: Central Coast, New South Wales, Australia
Time Zone: Australia Eastern Standard Time (AEST/AEDT) (GMT+10)
In addition to serving as an Editor to Access Information News, David also serves as an Editor to the Top Tech Tidbits Publication and is also the National Commercial Assistive Technology Advisor for Vision Australia where he has worked since 1990. Over this time he has assisted people who are blind or vision impaired in their home, education, and work settings to take advantage of the benefits of using assistive and main stream technology.
David's regularly occurring activities are his weekly tech radio show, bi-monthly exploring tech webinars for Vision Australia, his iSee podcast when something of note grabs his attention, and the weekly Tech Monday chat sessions.
David Woodbridge
X (Formerly Twitter): @dwoodbridge
Mastodon: woody@dragonscave.space
iSee Podcast: https://davidwoodbr.podbean.com
Vision Australia Radio Talking Tech: https://omny.fm/shows/talking-tech-vision-australia-radio
Editorial Contributor (2023-Present)
Access Information News 🌐
The Week's News in Access Information
Editorial Contributor (2023-Present)
Top Tech Tidbits 🌐
The Week's News in Access Technology
National Commercial Assistive Technology Advisor
(1990 - Present)
Vision Australia 🌐
Live the life you choose. We're here to support all Australians who are blind or have low vision.
Volunteer Editorial Contributor Since: January 9, 2024
Location: Benton City, WA
Time Zone: Pacific Standard Time (PST/PDT) (GMT-6/GMT-7)
In addition to serving as an Editor to Access Information News and Top Tech Tidbits, Vicki works as a Web Accessibility Specialist / IT Quality Assurance Tester at Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges.
Vicki Walton
Editorial Contributor (2024-Present)
Access Information News 🌐
The Week's News in Access Information
Editorial Contributor (2024-Present)
Top Tech Tidbits 🌐
The Week's News in Access Technology
Web Accessibility Specialist / IT Quality Assurance Tester
Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges 🌐
Better Jobs, Brighter Futures, a Stronger Washington
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