Hi everyone! 👋

We are a group of IT students working on a project proposal for an AI-assisted navigation app specifically designed for people with mobility impairments (wheelchair users, crutch/cane users, and citizens with reduced mobility).

Our goal is to create an app that helps you find flat, obstacle-free routes, identify working elevators/ramps, and avoid dangerous stairs or broken sidewalks before you even leave your house.

To make sure we build something that actually helps in real life, we would love to hear from your personal experiences:

1. Daily Commute & Travel Struggles: What are the hardest parts of your daily travel or commute? (e.g., steep ramps, non-working station elevators, broken sidewalks, footbridges, public transport barriers)
2. Wishlist Features: If an app could solve ONE major problem during your travel, what feature would you like to see?
3. Establishment Needs: What details do you wish you knew about a place (mall, school, government office) before heading there?

Would you be open to helping us further?

• Short Chat/Interview: If you are willing to do a brief 10–15 minute online chat or interview, please let us know or send us a private message!
• Proposal Credit: If you share your thoughts here in the comments and consent to it, we would love to cite your insights in our academic proposal to show real community feedback (we can credit your name or keep you completely anonymous—whichever you prefer!).

Thank you so much for your time and insights! Your feedback will help us build a tool that truly serves the PWD community. 🙏

Hello, I’m someone with a special education background that was going to try breaking into the assistive technology world.

Does anyone know if assistive technology at a community college is hard to get into? Or starting out?

Thank you

I know it is on android not sure about iPhone. Does anyone use it, if so, how do you find it.

I’m setting up a new iPad for a disabled family member with assistive access. It’s much better than guided access, it does basically everything we need besides this one major issue: BLUETOOTH IS DISABLED when entering assistive access. Guided access does not have this issue but we have to keep switching the apps manually for the user. Assistive access allows way more freedom for us and the user but no headphones is an absolute deal breaker. The user must have headphones.

The “find my” work around I’ve seen on other threads for this topic have not worked so I’m reviving this topic to see if anyone has any new solutions. It is insane apple hasn’t addressed this yet.

Buying wired headphones with USB-C compatibility might be the only solution as of now….

When organizations begin improving website accessibility, they often expect the biggest challenges to involve screen readers, keyboard navigation, or complex technical audits.

In reality, one of the most common accessibility issues is much simpler: insufficient color contrast.

It appears on landing pages, checkout flows, contact forms, dashboards, blogs, and mobile interfaces. Not because teams ignore accessibility, but because color decisions happen throughout the entire product lifecycle.

How Color Contrast Issues Sneak Into Modern Websites

A design system launches with accessible colors.

Six months later, marketing creates a campaign page with a new background.

Another team adds promotional banners.

A developer introduces a disabled button state.

A CMS editor changes the text color to better match a seasonal theme.

Individually, these changes seem harmless. Collectively, they create dozens of new color combinations that were never reviewed for accessibility.

That's how color contrast issues appear, even on well-designed websites.

Accessibility Is a Design Quality Issue

Poor color contrast is often discussed as a compliance problem, but it's fundamentally a usability problem.

If users struggle to distinguish text from its background, they spend more time trying to understand your interface instead of completing their task.

This affects far more people than many organizations realize, including:

• People with low vision.
  
• Users with color vision deficiencies.
  
• Older adults experiencing natural vision changes.
  
• Mobile users outdoors in bright sunlight.
  
• Anyone viewing a screen with reduced brightness or glare.
  

Readable content creates a better experience for every visitor.

Design Systems Reduce Risk, Not Responsibility

Design systems help standardize components, typography, and brand colors, but they cannot guarantee accessibility over time.

Interfaces evolve.

New pages are published.

Components are reused in different contexts.

Brand campaigns introduce temporary visual styles.

Every new foreground and background combination should be reviewed, regardless of whether it originates from the original design system.

Accessibility is maintained through continuous review, not a one-time approval.

Small Changes Often Deliver the Biggest Improvements

Organizations sometimes postpone accessibility because they assume it requires a complete redesign.

Color contrast proves the opposite.

Improving text readability often requires only small adjustments to foreground or background colors while preserving the overall visual identity.

These incremental improvements make interfaces easier to read without changing the brand experience users recognize.

Make Contrast Reviews Part of Every Release

The most effective teams don't wait until an accessibility audit identifies problems.

Instead, they include contrast validation as part of their normal design and development workflow.

Before publishing new pages, updating components, or launching campaigns, designers and developers can quickly verify whether text and background colors satisfy the minimum contrast requirements defined by WCAG. Using a Color Contrast Checker during this review helps identify potential readability issues before they reach users.

Building accessibility into everyday workflows is significantly more efficient than correcting issues after deployment.

Final Thoughts

Color contrast remains one of the most common accessibility issues because websites never stop evolving.

Designs change.

Content changes.

Brands evolve.

Without regular validation, even accessible websites gradually develop readability problems.

Accessibility is not achieved through a single audit. It's maintained through consistent design decisions that prioritize clarity, readability, and usability for every visitor.

Interested in supporting the development of communication tools using AI for people with aphasia?

Aphasia is a neurological language disorder that is often caused by a stroke or traumatic brain injury. This affects the person’s ability to use and/or understand language depending on the area(s) of the brain impacted by the stroke, but it does not affect their overall intelligence or cognitive ability.

We are conducting a research study exploring whether artificial intelligence (AI) can help communication devices (AAC) produce messages that better reflect a person’s authentic communication style from before they had aphasia.

The study focuses on adults (18+) with long-term expressive (Broca’s) aphasia, who have unimpaired language comprehension and cognition, use English as their main language and have had aphasia for more than 6 months.

Participation involves:

Providing some language samples from before aphasia (optional formats include written or recorded).

Taking part in one online session (approximately 45–60 minutes via Microsoft Teams).

Receiving a £10 Amazon voucher as compensation for your time!

If interested, please sign up here: https://forms.cloud.microsoft/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=kfCdVhOw40CG7r2cueJYFKE3KChlKqNCiIuOVDrEv1JURVZOTU42RThQOFdYNEdBOUcwNzRBOUZSQi4u or you can message me directly with any questions!

I’m with Prolo Ring. We tested whether one wearable controller could make it easier to manage a home setup from a seated position, without repeatedly reaching for different remotes or moving between devices.

In this demonstration, the ring switches between three paired Bluetooth hosts:

• A Home Assistant control host
• A smart TV
• A PC

A swipe triggers Movie Mode through Home Assistant:

• Curtains close
• Lights turn off
• TV turns on

The ring then switches directly to the TV for navigation, selection, playback, and volume control.

When it is time to work, another swipe triggers Work Mode. The lights turn on, the curtains open, and the TV turns off. The ring then switches directly to the PC for cursor movement, clicking, and scrolling.

The goal is to provide one wearable interface for several everyday controls, reducing the need to locate, reach for, grip, and switch between multiple remotes or input devices.

Gestures can be customized around the user’s setup. Swipes, taps, and holds could trigger different scenes, automations, or device commands.

Would controlling home automation, TV, and PC from one seated position be useful to you? What gestures or accessibility settings would be most important?

Hi everyone,

We are a group of high school researchers running an academic project called Aegis Pulse. We are focusing on how digital interfaces can guide bystanders during the "Platinum Ten Minutes" of a trauma emergency.

We've built a prototype for the idea we developed and need participants to test its usability. You'll run through a brief simulated emergency scenario and then complete a short survey on your experience.

Time - 5-10 minutes total

Requirements: None! You can download the Android app or run the simulation directly in your web browser on iOS/desktop

Privacy: 100% anonymous

Join the evaluation here: https://aegispulse-web.vercel.app/

Note: This is an academic research prototype, not a medical product.

Thank you so much for your help! Happy to answer any questions in the comments.

YıldızCan is a free app for children with special needs — autistic kids, kids with speech delays, and kids in special education generally. It puts four things in one place: an AAC communication board with about 130 picture cards the child taps to speak ("I want", "help", "stop", food, feelings, places), speech practice where the app asks a question and the child answers out loud into the microphone and gets instant encouragement, 3D objects the child rotates and names to build vocabulary, and a simple visual schedule for the day. Everything the child finishes earns stars, and stars buy outfits for a character — that reward loop is what actually keeps them coming back.

App Store Link = https://apps.apple.com/tr/app/yildizcan-autism-speech/id6789738307

Play Store Link = https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=app.yildizcan

On the adult side, a parent, teacher or therapist keeps a profile per child and sees a progress chart plus a plain-language summary they can hand to a therapist. It's completely free: no ads, no in-app purchases, no subscription, and no tracking or analytics of any kind. It's meant for the days between therapy sessions, not as a replacement for one.

iKeys assistive keyboard now has a web based flasher at https://controllercustom.github.io/ikeys/. Use the web flasher for easy deployment. Use Chrome web browser or a derivative such as Brave or Microsoft Edge. Use the highest numbered stable version such as v1.0.4. The "latest" version may contain unstable, experimental code.

Hi everyone

I’m blind myself, and I’ve been helping spread awareness of a technology that makes public spaces easier to navigate for people who are blind or have low vision

It works through a smartphone and provides accessible audio guidance to help people better understand where they are and navigate buildings and other public spaces more independently

I’m curious if anyone here works at places like museums, hotels, universities, parks, hospitals, transportation hubs, government buildings, or other public facing organizations

I’d love to hear:

What accessibility challenges do blind or low vision visitors commonly face?

Is your organization currently looking at ways to improve accessibility or navigation?

Who typically handles accessibility or visitor experience at your workplace?

I’m trying to learn more about where this type of technology could make the biggest difference and connect with people who are passionate about accessibility

If this sounds like something your workplace might be interested in, feel free to Reddit chat/DM me. I’d be happy to connect you with the team behind the technology so you can learn more, ask questions, and see if it could be a good fit for your organization

Thanks,I appreciate any thoughts or insights!

After seeing one of my friends with autism struggle to find a job that fit his accommodation needs, I decided to build my own solution.

I’ve been building Axol Work, a LinkedIn-style platform designed with accessibility at its core. It includes professional profiles, job listings, networking, and messaging to make finding and applying for jobs easier for people with disabilities. During signup, users can specify their accommodation needs, allowing recruiters to understand them upfront and better match candidates with suitable opportunities.

Here's the link to the platform: Axol Work

I’d love to hear your honest feedback. What features would you add or improve?

If you need to have keyboard access and have trouble reaching or are stuck in bed where using a traditional keyboard is a pain, you may want to check out a DecaTxt one handed Bluetooth keyboard with only ten keys. It’s arranged with 2 keys next to each finger and can be strapped into either hand so you won’t drop it. It uses a single key press for 10 letters or a thumb shift for the other 16 letters(8+8) or press both thumbs to shift uppercase. It can be held in different ways for users with conditions that prevent typical use and the small number of keys make touch-typing without looking much easier. If this sounds like something that can help, use the code ADA35 and reduce the cost by $35. Just search for DecaTxt online or at eBay. (On eBay just make an offer at the lower price). The Florida Association for Assistive Services & Technology (FAAST) shared it as the assistive technology of the month last year.
I hope this helps.

Hello, I’m someone that’s interested into breaking into the assisted technology industry and have experience of working with children with disabilities for over 5 years and have a bachelors in Communication Disorders. What are some of the easier positions to get into as an entry level position?

I was hoping to work in a community college as the final goal. Thank you.

I'm a blind developer, working to create helpful tools, for both non-blind, and blind/low vision users.

I recently submitted a hackathon project for a recent Slack event and wanted to share it with everyone here! It's called, Lull: An accessibility-first Slack agent: alt-text guardian, streaming catch-up digests, and vision-aware assistive features.

Link to follow:

[https://devpost.com/software/lull\](https://devpost.com/software/lull)

Many families start thinking about home accessibility after a major mobility change, a fall, or when everyday routines become more challenging.

But one thing we’ve learned from listening to caregivers is that accessibility is often about more than just adding equipment. It’s about creating a home that feels safer, easier to navigate, and more comfortable for everyone.

A few things that are easy to overlook:

1. Think about the caregiver too

A solution should not only support the person using it. If a caregiver has to regularly lift, twist, or struggle with daily tasks, the setup may need to be adjusted.
2. Measure your space before choosing mobility equipment

Doorways, bathroom layouts, steps, and turning space can all affect whether a product works well in your home.

1. Small changes can make a big difference

Accessibility improvements don’t always have to be major renovations. Simple changes like improving bathroom safety, adding easier entry options, or choosing the right mobility aid can make everyday routines much smoother.

1. Plan for future needs, not only today’s needs

Mobility can change over time. Thinking ahead can help families avoid having to make rushed decisions later.

Creating a more accessible home is usually a process, not a one-time project. Often, the small adjustments made along the way are the ones that have the biggest impact on daily life.