Why I’m Writing This There are certain taboo subjects one is encouraged to steer clear of during get-togethers in polite society. Religion is one. Politics, even before the highly polarized world of today, is another. It seems we should add …

Artificial Intelligence, History, and Blindness: Lessons and Musings Read more »

This year marks the 200th anniversary of the invention of the Braille code. The International Council on English Braille, which has a General Assembly every four years, met this time in Auckland, New Zealand. I was profoundly honoured to be …

My Address to the 2024 General Assembly of the International Council on English Braille Read more »

Here is the transcript and the audio of my presentation to the 2023 National Convention of the National Federation of the Blind.     Together Living Blindfully Address delivered to the National Convention of the National Federation of the Blind, …

My Address to the 2023 Convention of the National Federation of the Blind Read more »

Introduction The third Thursday in May of each year is Global Accessibility Awareness Day. For my contribution this year, I am drawing from my experience as a lifelong advocate for disability rights and former technology product manager to reflect on …

Reflections for Global #Accessibility Awareness Day #GAAD: Our past success wasn’t inevitable, our future success is not guaranteed Read more »

As I’ve said before on my blog and in some of my books, growing up when I did has given me an appreciation of how much change today’s assistive technology had delivered. I well remember having to memorise how many …

Input on your Touch Screen: Is it Under your Thumbs, or at your Fingertips? Read more »

A number of people in blindness advocacy and technology inspire me. While of course there are certain things that advocacy and technology cannot change, there are many areas where we are right to strive constructively for a better tomorrow. Civil …

A Matter of Respect. Why I always write “Braille” with an uppercase B Read more »

I’m neither a sociologist nor a psychologist, but I wonder whether minorities go through an evolutionary process where at first they crave to be like everyone else, and ultimately mature as a group to the extent that they are comfortable …

There’s No Such Thing as a “blind Ghetto” Product Read more »