AFB Blog

Tech Notes Since its founding in 1921, the American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) has worked to address the most pressing needs of individuals with vision loss and their families, and over the past 20 years, it is obvious that there has been an increasing digital divide created by rapidly developing technology. For those of us with disabilities, accessible and usable websites and apps are crucial for us to independently work, learn, and play in the digital universe. They allow us to fully…

When asked, "Were you nervous the first time you had to use a Bunsen burner with an open flame during microbiology lab?" Maureen J. Hayden, a blind woman who is pursuing a doctoral degree in marine biology at Texas A&M University, replied, "Of course!" This exchange begins a commentary featured in the recent Special Issue on Transition to a Meaningful Adult Life for Individuals With Visual Impairments of the Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness (JVIB), in which Ms. Hayden…

The AFB Research team has worked for over a year on the Workplace Technology Study to explore the influence of technology on the employment experience of people who are blind or visually impaired. This study, which consisted of focus groups, 323 survey respondents, and 25 personal interviews, also investigated the effects of inaccessible technology on the job search, interviewing, and onboarding processes. It turns out that the impact is significant. Imagine you are a new college graduate. You…

Every year on January 4 we celebrate braille and the birthday of Louis Braille, the French teenager who invented it. (Learn more about Louis Braille’s life and the impact of his famous code in our online Louis Braille Museum, featuring photographs, engravings, and illustrations from books preserved in the American Foundation for the Blind's Archives and Rare Book Collection.) In 2019, the UN General Assembly first officially designated January 4 as World Braille Day—noting that “braille is…

I learned to read braille later in life than most. I was in my mid-30s when I became a vocational rehabilitation counselor for the state of Texas. I had over 100 people on my caseload and their case files filled a 4-drawer filing cabinet that sat next to my desk. If I stood up, I could get my face close enough to read the large-print label on the front of each file in the top drawer. I could stay seated and read the labels on the files in the second and third drawer, but that bottom drawer was…

On behalf of everyone at AFB, I wish you health and happiness this year. You’ve helped us start 2022 with an outpouring of support and a successful Matching Gift Challenge. Now, the work begins anew in our second century of breaking down barriers so we can create a world with no limits for people who are blind or visually impaired. You can follow our progress on Facebook and Twitter, LinkedIn and catch up on a healthy dose of our commentary on our blog. We’ll have lots of interesting…

Several weeks ago, Congress passed the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, a major investment in our nation’s infrastructure and competitiveness. We at the American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) have spent time analyzing how this new legislation affects the millions of Americans living with vision loss. In an earlier post, my colleague examined facets of the legislation regarding transportation. What about education? There is some good news to share. It has been acknowledged that…

Each year on December 3rd we recognize International Day of Persons With Disabilities, to raise awareness about the civil rights of persons with disabilities, on every level of life, be it social, political, economic, or cultural. This day, first recognized by the United Nations in 1992 at its headquarters in New York, serves as a tool to mobilize support and advocacy efforts, and inform the public about issues related to disabilities. At the American Foundation for the Blind, we believe that…

Last week, President Biden signed the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, a law investing $1.2 trillion in physical infrastructure and reauthorizing the surface transportation programs. We have been paying close attention to this legislation because the funding it authorizes impacts the availability of various public transportation systems that are important to people who are blind or have low vision for the next five years and beyond. As we know, lack of transportation is a leading barrier…