AFB Blog

How can we ensure that mainstream products and services (including websites) are designed to meet our needs as people with disabilities? Over the past 20 years, advocates for people with disabilities have successfully pushed for legislation to foster accessibility in the design and development of information and communication technologies. For example, the Communication and Video Accessibility Act was passed to address access to advanced communications technologies like smart phones and…

Perhaps by now you've heard about the South African burger chain, "Wimpy," cleverly promoting their braille menus. It really is pretty neat—they've created braille text on their burger buns using sesame seeds. The braille spells out phrases such as "100% pure beef burger made for you." The sesame seeds were placed on the buns prior to baking using tweezers. These special buns were given to 15 people who are blind or visually impaired from three local organizations. According to the article,…

On January 5, we said goodbye to Calvin Wooten, a former AFB board member and Migel Medal recipient. Calvin was one of my all-time favorite people. He was born in Alabama and lost his sight in early childhood. He was a self-made man and a brilliant entrepreneur. He started Wooten Piano Company, a business that he owned and operated for 50 years, and later founded Wooten Enterprises, a real estate investment company. Calvin was more than a successful businessman and blindness advocate, he…

I heard Stevie Wonder was on recently on "The View," mentioning that he is working out, losing weight, and would like to be on Dancing with the Stars (which he also mentioned back in 2008). Personally, I love the idea; we can hopefully get rid of the image of Al Pacino in Scent of a Woman. Al Pacino's character is told the approximate dimensions of the dance floor, then tears it up without a missing a step. Yeah, I am not buying that! I am, however, buying Stevie Wonder ripping it up on…

Helen's travels through Japan, Part 2 [Read Part 1 of Helen Keller's Travels Through Japan] Helen's fame among the Japanese people was sealed as a result of her second trip to the country in 1948. She was sent as the United States' first Goodwill Ambassador by General Douglas MacArthur as well as the Mainichi Press, an English-language newspaper that sponsored her trip. Wonderful news footage taken during her visit shows streets lined with spectators and open-air theaters teeming with…

In early December, leaders from around the world gathered at the M-Enabling Summit held near Washington, DC to address access to mobile technologies for people with disabilities and seniors. The summit was sponsored by http://g3ict.com/. Check out the site in a couple days to find presentations and information. I'd like to share a couple points I made during a panel on the implementation of the 21st Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act, (CVAA), the landmark access law enacted…

While attending a conference a few weeks ago, I attended a great session on self-employment, which really got me thinking. I have previously written about working from home, but haven't yet addressed starting your own business. I reached out to some friends who are self-employed, and all shared some common attributes and similar thoughts. Some things to consider: It requires working many more hours than you would in a typical 9-to-5 job. Most people (the ones I spoke with, at least) work…

World Usability Day (November 10, 2011) was founded in 2005 as an initiative of the Usability Professionals' Association to ensure that services and products important to human life are easier to access and simpler to use. Each year, on the second Thursday of November, over 200 events are organized in over 43 countries around the world to raise awareness for the general public, and train professionals in the tools and issues central to good usability research, development, and practice. The…

Helen's travels through Japan A fascinating and relatively unknown story is that of Helen and Japan. Helen Keller loved the Japanese people and culture and the Japanese people loved and still love her. Helen traveled to Japan on three occasions, in 1937, 1948 and 1955. The Helen Keller Archives contains over 300 artifacts, and a disproportionate number of these are beautiful gifts that she received during those trips—the image posted below* is an exquisite tiered ceramic incense burner,…