top of page

2025 IAAIS Conference
Accessibility Panel Video

Accessibility Panel_Conference 2025

This presentation includes important tips and best practices for working with and around persons with visual disabilities from the diverse perspective of five people with varying levels of blindness/low vision.

IAAIS Accessibility Panel Members:

Mike Duke (Radio Reading Service of Mississippi), Neva Fairchild (Experts on Blindness, Texas), Ryan Osentowski (RTBS, Nebrask), Evan Starnes (Aftersight, Colorado), Penn Street (Aftersight, Colorado)

IAAIS Services

IAAIS is a collective of individual audio information services with the shared mission of making printed materials accessible to the blind, low vision, and print-disabled communities. Our service benefits include

Combating social isolation
Improving access to information
Offering a connection to local community
Being a source of information and referral

LEARN ABOUT IAAIS

Listener Profile/Eligibility

Millions of people worldwide are qualified to receive IAAIS members’ services. Anyone who experiences difficulty in accessing printed material is eligible to become listener. This includes not only vision issues but physical mobility challenges, brain injury, and learning disabilities. Dozens of other health and cognitive conditions affect one’s ability to read.

Over one million Americans aged 40 and over are currently blind and an additional 2.4 million are visually impaired. These numbers are expected to double over the next 30 years as the Baby Boomer generation ages. Studies show that 1 in 4 persons over the age of 75 and 1 in 6 over 45 have trouble reading because of diminished vision.

According to a study by the Campaign to End Loneliness, loneliness is both a cause and contributor to depression, and when loneliness and depression co-exist, there is increased risk of early mortality. It is estimated that depression affects 22% of men and 28% of women aged 65 or over. Activities can provide distraction from negative thoughts. These vary enormously from simple pastimes like reading, listening to the radio, or doing puzzles to more creative interests like gardening, arts and crafts and singing.

Many audio information services provide service to qualified institutions as well as to individuals, such as hospitals, assisted living facilities, low vision clinics, senior centers and other institutional care facilities where qualified listeners may reside or frequent. Each independent service has an application procedure. To locate a service in your area visit this site’s Service Locator page.

Programming/Types of Information

Most services use volunteer readers to provide immediate, verbatim audio access to newspapers, magazines, consumer information and other materials including today’s news, features, sports, business, opinions, advertisements and other material from newspapers and magazines. Topic-based and public affairs programs are also available on many services as are some books or story-based shows.

Members services may also offer a variety of related programs, such as personal reader programs; audio description services of live theater, museum exhibits, nature trails, parades, and other visual venues; audio transcription; taping services; or other audio-based community services.

Membership

Any organization that delivers its programs via audio technology is eligible for full membership. Some member services are stand-alone nonprofit organizations, while others are affiliated with state or national agencies or community organizations. Related organizations, businesses and sponsors may also join IAAIS. For information about IAAIS membership benefits, go to Join IAAIS.

LEARN MORE ABOUT IAAIS MEMBERSHIP

bottom of page