AFB Blog

On September 18, 2023, Apple released iOS 17 for iPhone and iPad. This new operating system has many changes for some very popular apps and features. This post will cover some of the major changes. Before upgrading, make sure your device is backed up and ensure it can use iOS 17. You can check compatibility with the list of compatible phones and iPads Apple has prepared. Also be sure to check the AppleVis Accessibility Bug Tracker to be sure any active bugs will not interfere with your usage…

It's that time of year again! time for changing weather and new operating systems. iOS and iPadOS 17 were released on September 18, 2023, and this year brings us a treasure trove of new accessibility features. Most, but not all, of the accessibility updates related to vision are in VoiceOver. The VoiceOver updates can be found in Settings > Accessibility > VoiceOver. Voice Settings In VoiceOver Settings, under Speech > Voice, there are dozens of voices to choose from for the various…

Over the years, we have published a great deal of material related to employment in our AccessWorld magazine. Though much of the content we have published is time specific, there are still many articles with information and advice still of use today. Historically, we published a column in AccessWorld titled Employment Matters, now our Employment Journeys series, which detailed the life and work of people who are blind and or low vision and successfully employed. In addition to providing a…

One of our goals at AFB is to promote wide spread high-level change in society for people who are blind or have low vision. One way we do so, in the Digital Inclusion space in particular, is by encouraging the employment of people who are passionate and knowledgeable about accessibility in the technology industry. Providing suggestions from the outside can only go so far; having people who think of accessibility during the product development process and have the knowledge to bring it about is…

Imagine waking up every morning and not being able to see the world around you. Imagine the challenges and opportunities that come with navigating life for those of us who are blind or have low vision. Now imagine being able to embrace those opportunities, creating a world of endless possibilities. That's exactly what we're doing at the American Foundation for the Blind. You Have The Power To Make A Difference We are launching innovative programs, breaking through a glass ceiling that…

If you are a long time AccessWorld reader, you may remember our reviews of various JAWS scripts and additions-our review of Leasey the most prominent. In a similar vein, I wanted to share some of the addons for the NonVisual Desktop Access (NVDA) screen reader that I find invaluable. If you are new to NVDA addons, they are additional packages that can be added to NVDA to provide extra functionality or make an inaccessible app or software accessible, much like JAWS scripts. In the most recently…

Since they saw mainstream adoption in the early 20th century, guide dogs have changed the navigational landscape for many people who are blind or low vision and served as a positive symbol of independence to society at large. To celebrate this National Guide Dog Month, I wanted to share some of my personal journey working with guide dogs over the past 12 years. Even though everyone's reasoning for choosing to partner with a guide dog is different, it has been an incredible experience for me…

In a recent issue of the Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness (JVIB), Valérie Caron and colleagues published a systematic review of research on “social skills interventions” for kids who are blind or have low vision, entitled “Teaching social skills to children and adolescents with visual impairments: A systematic review.” The review included 32 studies conducted in 8 countries, and the authors generally concluded that explicit instruction can increase students’ demonstrated performance…

On this 33rd anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), we at AFB are thinking of all the ways that technology plays in role in meeting the expectations of this valuable and groundbreaking civil rights legislation. Thanks to the ADA, we have come to expect equality and access in every part of public life. Truly, people who are blind or have low vision have greater access to jobs, businesses, life in the community, and government services because the ADA prohibits discrimination…