The challenges of learning languages without eyesight

Learning languages alone changed what I could get out of travel as a blind person. Being able to have conversations in another language, or knowing a few words in the local language truly changed my experience. Often, when sighted people can point at things, I am restricted to speaking. But it wasn’t without challenges. Even …

Is your audio guide part of the problem or the solution?

Audio guides can be used in several environments, and if they are structured well, they can provide immense help for visitors. A few ideas where audio guides can be used are: Museums and galleries City tours Parks Zoos and aquariums Botanical gardens However, I have experienced many instances when otherwise good audio guides did not …

Difference between the accessibility page and the accessibility statement

There is often much confusion about how to write an accessibility statement or how is it different from your organization’s accessibility page. While there aren’t any rules set in stone, and ultimately you need to create these documents to serve your organization’s needs, generally there is room for both. They each serve a different purpose. …

Designing an inclusive and accessible alarm clock

Let’s play a design game. The task is to come up with the most accessible, most inclusive alarm clock. I used to give this task to my classes when I was teaching at IBM, and we had the most thought provoking conversations. There are no good or bad ideas here. But consider that the more …

Your museum is not yet accessible, what can you do?

As I described earlier, a museum’s accessibility is not a true or false, for that matter, it never will be, but it is a continuous progress towards inclusion and exceptional accessibility. But if you feel that your museum could be more accessible, there is quite a bit you can do. It will not be an …

Is your museum accessible?

When planning a visit to a museum, one crucial question is often in the minds of many people with disabilities: Is this museum accessible? The significance of this question cannot be overstated. If a museum isn’t accessible, visiting it could turn out to be a frustrating, if not entirely wasted, experience. Conversely, if it is …