ALEXANDRIA, Va., Oct. 1, 2024—During National Disability Employment Awareness Month (October), nearly 800 people will meet in Arlington for National Industries for the Blind’s annual Training Conference and Expo, “Empower,” which is focused on expanding employment opportunities for people who are blind, low vision, or visually impaired. The conference will be held October 14 through 18 at the Hyatt Regency Crystal City (2799 Richmond Hwy., Arlington, Va.). New this year is AccessTech, an Accessible Technology and Smart Office Showcase (October 16 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and open to the public) featuring the latest accessible technologies.
“We are delighted to be able to feature so many new assistive technologies, including the latest offerings that use artificial intelligence,” said Doug Goist, a recognized leader in the field of accessible technology and program manager of workforce development for NSITE, NIB’s talent management enterprise. “As the nation’s largest employment resource for people who are blind, NIB and its associated nonprofit agencies are the experts in how easy and affordable it is to make almost any job accessible. This opportunity will allow attendees to experience how technology has leveled the playing field.”
Observed each October, National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) celebrates the value and talent workers with disabilities add to America’s workplaces and economy. For 2024, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy selected “Access to Good Jobs for All” as the theme.
For 86 years, NIB has been committed to enhancing the personal and economic independence of people who are blind, low vision or visually impaired. It was incorporated on August 10, 1938, after President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the historic Wagner-O’Day Act in June of that year. NIB is a central nonprofit agency for the AbilityOne Program, which uses the purchasing power of the federal government to buy products and services from participating, community-based nonprofit agencies nationwide, dedicated to training and employing individuals who are blind or have significant disabilities.
Over the past eight decades, NIB has paved the way for people who are blind, low vision or visually impaired to build successful careers, realize dreams like higher education and home ownership, and achieve personal and economic independence.
Fostering an accessible and inclusive workplace positively impacts a company’s culture and employee recruitment. A recent survey by NIB showed that nearly 7 in 10 Americans are more likely to support a company that prioritizes diversity. When it comes to the next generation, those numbers are even higher – 90% of 18-to-34-year-olds believe companies should prioritize making workplaces more accessible.
Many people who are blind and actively searching for jobs have advanced degrees and valuable professional experience, including many veterans. NIB works with potential employers and with job seekers who are blind or low vision, assisting all in finding the right fit. NSITE, launched by NIB in 2021, provides award-winning training and professional development and empowers people who are blind to build successful careers.
While employers know that creating a diverse and inclusive workforce is important, they don’t always know how to accomplish that, especially when it comes to people who are blind and visually impaired. “Technology is helping many employers easily create an inclusive workplace with an eager workforce,” Goist added.
One of the companies exhibiting at AccessTech is Envision, a leader in next-generation assistive technologies that is committed to developing solutions that are innovative and inclusive. Envision will demonstrate its new personal AI assistant, ally, as a companion to its Envision Glasses for the first time in the U.S. on Oct. 16 at 10 a.m. Also available as a mobile app, ally is designed to support people of all ages and abilities. Envision Glasses are an AI-powered, lightweight, hands-free tool that reads text, describes surroundings, recognizes objects and people and contacts connections on the go.
The Accessible Technology Showcase will include a wide variety of tools, from tactile maps to new braille technology to a self-guided, AI-powered mobility aid. Demonstrations of apps and software that use AI technology will include the Meta View app with Ray-Ban smart glasses and Be My Eyes/Be My AI on iPhone and iPad. Visitors can try out products such as the Freedom Scientific PEARL, which grants users instant portable access to printed materials with an array of human-sounding voices, and more.
The Smart Office display will feature workstations outfitted with technology designed with accessibility in mind. This includes handheld video magnifiers that have built-in LEDs and a desktop video magnifier that is compact and foldable. JAWS (Job Access With Speech), Fusion and OpenBook scanning and reading software will be demonstrated with the PEARL. Freedom Scientific’s Focus 40 Blue will also be available in the Smart Office. It is a lightweight braille display with a user-friendly keyboard, convenient control panels and retooled Braille pins, making for smooth and quiet operation.
“There is so much new technology, and AccessTech offers a unique opportunity to see and experience all of this in one location,” explained Goist. “We’re excited for the public to try it out and learn more about our community.”
For more information on National Industries for the Blind, visit www.nib.org.
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Editor’s Note: The Accessible Technology Showcase and Smart Office will be free and open to the public, media and conference attendees from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on October 16. (There will be great opportunities for media to see conference attendees trying out the products.) At 10 a.m. on October 16, Envision will roll out its new personal AI assistant ally, a multi-platform artificial intelligence that serves as a conversational personal assistant. This is the first demonstration of this technology in the U.S. If you’re interested in covering these events, please contact Vicki Bendure at 202-374-9259 (call/text).
About National Industries for the Blind
Incorporated in 1938, NIB is the nation’s largest employment resource for people who are blind, and through its network of associated nonprofit agencies, the largest employer of people who are blind in the U.S. NIB creates opportunities for people who are blind to become wage earners and taxpayers, reducing their reliance on government support and increasing engagement in their communities. The organization offers career training and assists employers and employees in developing mutually beneficial workplaces. NIB’s vision is that blindness is not a barrier to employment. In 2021, NIB launched a national talent management enterprise known as NSITE. NSITE provides a continuum of employment services that connect employers with talented, dedicated people who are blind, low vision, or visually impaired, including veterans. For more information, visit www.nib.org or www.nsite.org.