Dear AccessWorld readers,
Once again it is October, and that means that it is National Disability Employment Awareness Month. In acknowledgement of this month, I wanted to introduce you to two AFB initiatives that are seeking to promote employment of people with blindness or low vision.
In January 2022, AFB conducted our Workplace Technology Study, gathering data on various aspects of technology use in the workplace by people who are blind or have low vision. The study specifically focused on "technology used for hiring and onboarding, required work-related training, and productivity; receipt of workplace accommodations; interactions with Information Technology (IT) staff; and experiences with telework." In addition to the survey, in-depth interviews were conducted with 25 of the 323 participants that took part in the study. With this extensive data, we aim to aid companies and organizations fill gaps in access for workers with blindness or low vision. If you would like to read the full report, you can do so here
One of AFB's newest flagship programs is our Talent lab, where cohorts of interns and apprentices take part in a multi-year program to learn the ins and outs of web and app accessibility, as well how to test for access issues, and be an access leader in their future workplace. The program is the new form of our Access Consulting department, allowing our participants to learn from our seasoned access professionals. We began the first cohort this past summer, and applications for the next are now open. You can learn more about the Talent Lab and view apprentice and intern information and applications .
We hope you enjoy this issue of AccessWorld; Bill Holton brings us another of his Vision Tech articles, this time focusing on potential uses of ultrasound to treat vision conditions. With the release of iOS 16, Janet Ingber and Judy Dixon review the mainstream and accessibility features respectively of this latest iOS operating system update. Finally, Steve Kelley reviews a brand new strategy for delivering vision rehabilitation services remotely through the Eschenbach Haus Call Telelowvision Program.
As always, I would like to thank our authors for bringing us another excellent issue, and you, for reading our magazine.
Aaron Preece
AccessWorld Editor in Chief
American Foundation for the Blind.
This article is made possible in part by generous funding from the James H. and Alice Teubert Charitable Trust, Huntington, West Virginia.
