AFB GAAD Podcast: Inform & Connect podcast with Sarah Herrlinger (Apple) and Christopher Patnoe (Google)
Happy Global Accessibility Awareness Day (#GAAD)! We are excited to have Sarah Herrlinger of Apple and Christopher Patnoe of Google on Inform & Connect, the American Foundation for the Blind’s podcast. Both Sarah and Christopher sit on AFB’s Board of Trustees. The conversation, led by AFB Major Gifts Specialist Melody Goodspeed, focuses on AFB’s centennial, technology and inclusion, testing products, and their role as AFB board members. They will also touch upon Teach Access, a collaboration among education, industry, and disability advocacy organizations to address the critical need to enhance students’ understanding of digital accessibility as they learn to design, develop, and build new technologies with the needs of people with disabilities in mind.
“I am thrilled to welcome Sarah and Christopher, especially in light of Global Assistive Technology Awareness Day fast approaching,” Melody said. “Not only are they fierce advocates, they are also fun and engaging! I also love how they are always thinking outside the box and driving innovation through inclusive technology.”
M-Enabling Summit to be Held October 4-6, 2021
The M-Enabling Summit Conference and Showcase, dedicated to promoting innovation in accessible and assistive technology for senior citizens and users of all abilities, will host its signature industry networking event October 4-6, 2021 in Washington, DC. The M-Enabling Summit is fully committed to providing a safe and powerful platform in-person this fall with virtual participation options for those still unable to travel or participate in public events by October. Industry leaders, influencers and advocates will be addressing the current issues and strategies surrounding digital accessibility in light of the significant evolutions that occurred since the 2019 M-Enabling Summit.
With participants’ health security as the top priority, conference logistics will reflect official health guidelines and best practices for conferences and public events and their updated details will be published on the M-Enabling Summit website. With the theme of “Digital Accessibility, a Driver for Inclusion Strategies,” key topics that will be explored at this year’s hybrid M-Enabling Summit include:
- The acceleration of the adoption of virtual environments during COVID-19: What’s durable evolution, what’s not, perspective from Industry and Persons with Disabilities.
- Spotlight on most impactful newest accessibility features and their benefits for users.
- Multi-modal gaming and virtual entertainment experiences for accessibility.
- Balancing privacy and security with accessibility and assistive services requirements: The need for users’ choice options.
- The era of voice as a new platform for digital interaction: Challenges and opportunities.
- The emergence of neurotechnologies for advanced assistive solutions: Risks and opportunities.
- State of Accessibility among business, government, and academia.
- The emergence of Strategic Leaders in Accessibility (SLiA) among large organizations
- Workplace accommodations success stories in a virtual environment
- The best of education accommodations strategies in a virtual environment
- The rise of the accessibility profession: Global footprint, professional development resources and benefits for organizations
For additional information on participating in the event please visit the M-Enabling website.
