Table of Contents
- Summary of 2026 Resolutions
- Resolution 2026-03
- Resolution 2026-04
- Text of the Failed/Referred Resolutions
Summary of 2026 Resolutions
Resolution 2026-05 was considered by the convention, but failed.
Resolution 2026-03 directs ACB to call upon Amazon to ensure that personnel assigned to its Disability Access Line have the communications proficiency, disability-access training, and product-support knowledge necessary to provide effective, accurate, and respectful assistance to blind, low vision and DeafBlind customers. Also urges Amazon to consistently provide multiple accessible account-verification options so that blind, low vision and DeafBlind customers are not only offered 1 method of verifying account status. It urges that Amazon meet with ACB representatives by no later than February 1, 2027.
Resolution 2026-04 instructs ACB to continue to urge members of Congress to include at least current funding in the 2027 budget for the Institute of Museums and Library Services (IMLS).
Resolution 2026-03
Amazon Disability Access Line
Whereas, blind, low vision and DeafBlind customers rely on Amazon’s Disability Access Line to obtain effective assistance with product information, account support, ordering, returns, accessibility concerns, and other customer service needs; and
Whereas, the American Council of the Blind, pursuant to a California Council of the Blind resolution, entered into dialogue with Amazon concerning issues experienced by blind, low vision and DeafBlind customers using Amazon’s Disability Access Line; and
Whereas, a disability access line must provide effective communication, accurate information, disability-aware customer service, and meaningful assistance in order to serve its intended purpose; and
Whereas, ACB members have reported that staff assigned to the Disability Access Line have frequently been unable to understand the needs of blind, low vision and DeafBlind customers, accurately describe products, provide reliable information, or effectively resolve disability-related customer service concerns; and
Whereas, inaccurate or incomplete information has caused blind, low vision and DeafBlind customers to purchase incorrect products, experience unnecessary returns, lose time, and face barriers that sighted customers may not encounter; and
Whereas, approximately a year of dialogue between ACB and Amazon regarding these concerns occurred with no solutions being implemented; and
Whereas, additionally, Amazon now requires under certain circumstances users of the Disability Access Line to verify account status by activating a link sent by text message and finding a button on a web page; and
Whereas, this verification process makes it difficult or impossible for many blind, low vision and DeafBlind customers, especially if they are attempting verification and talking to the Disability Access line on the same device; and
Whereas, Amazon could reduce these barriers by offering multiple accessible verification methods, including but not limited to one-time verification codes, accessible in-app approval, email-based verification, and telephone verification, without jeopardizing security;
Now, therefore, be it resolved by the American Council of the Blind in convention assembled virtually this 14th day of July, 2026, that this organization call upon Amazon to ensure that personnel assigned to its Disability Access Line have the communications proficiency, disability-access training, and product-support knowledge necessary to provide effective, accurate, and respectful assistance to blind, low vision and DeafBlind customers; and
Be it further resolved that this organization urge Amazon to consistently provide multiple accessible account-verification options so that blind, low vision and DeafBlind customers are not only offered 1 method of verifying account status; and
Be it further resolved that this organization request that Amazon meet with representatives of the American Council of the Blind by February 1, 2027 to establish measurable service-quality expectations, an accessible escalation process, and an ongoing feedback mechanism for blind, low vision and DeafBlind customers.
Adopted.
Katie Frederick
Secretary
Resolution 2026-04
Funding to Institute of Museums and Library Services
Whereas, according to the National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled (NLS), 39 state Talking Book Libraries are partially funded through the Institute of Museums and Library Services (IMLS) as of FY-2025; and
Whereas, Executive Order 14238 proposed elimination of IMLS; and
Whereas, late in fiscal year 2025 following litigation,
congressionally allocated funds began to be dispersed to IMLS; and
Whereas, despite the President's opposition, over 290 million dollars was included for IMLS in the 2026 Congressional budget; and
Whereas, funding of 291 million dollars is proposed for IMLS in the 2027 budget;
Now, therefore, be it resolved by the American Council of the Blind in convention assembled virtually this 14th day of July, 2026, that this organization continue to urge members of Congress to include at least current funding in the 2027 budget for IMLS; and
Be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution be shared with NLS and the American Library Association.
Adopted.
Katie Frederick
Secretary
Text of the Failed/Referred Resolutions
Resolution 2026-05 was considered by the convention, but failed.
The second item below was originally submitted as a resolution. However, the convention voted that it be referred to the Board of Directors.
Failed
Resolution 2026-05
Voluntary Best Practice Guidelines for Self-Description in Professional and Educational Settings
Whereas, the foundational purpose of Audio Description (AD) and visual interpretation is to provide essential, objective context that grants blind and low vision individuals equal access to core data, narrative, and information; and
Whereas, a well-intentioned but misguided trend has emerged in professional and educational settings wherein speakers provide unsolicited, hyper-detailed self-descriptions of clothing, hair, and non-essential physical traits; and
Whereas, this practice introduces irrelevant visual data that violates established professional principles of audio description, creates information overload, and forces participants to expend unnecessary cognitive energy filtering out irrelevant details; and
Whereas, an emphasis on personal self-description frequently serves as a performative substitute for substantive access, masking critical failures such as the omission of descriptions for charts, graphs, on-screen text, and digital handouts; and
Whereas, the American Council of the Blind (ACB) and its Audio Description Project (ADP) maintain the premiere authority on visual interpretation and accessibility standards;
Now, therefore, be it resolved by the American Council of the Blind in convention assembled virtually this 14th day of July, 2026, that this organization officially recognize that true visual equity is achieved through concise, context-driven communication of substantive content rather than the irrelevant cataloging of personal attributes; and
Be it further resolved that ACB instruct the ADP to author and publish a definitive white paper and position statement establishing rigorous standards for live visual description in corporate, academic, and government settings; and
Be it further resolved that these standards shall emphasize the prioritization of data and educational content such as slides, charts, and universal design elements over non-essential personal characteristics; and
Be it further resolved that ACB launch a national advocacy campaign targeting major employment, human resources, and higher education associations to integrate these standardized guidelines into national professional development and compliance curricula.
Referred to the ACB Board of Directors
Ensuring Equitable Access and Prohibiting Surcharges for Required Support Personnel, Interpreters, and Co-Navigators at Convention Meals
Whereas, the American Council of the Blind (ACB) is dedicated to securing full integration and equal participation of people who are blind or visually impaired, including those with dual sensory disabilities, in all aspects of society, including professional development, advocacy, and social networking conferences; and
Whereas, conferences, conventions, and seminars frequently feature essential educational programming, keynote addresses, and high-level networking opportunities that take place concurrently with ticketed or provided meals; and
Whereas, individuals with dual sensory disabilities or specific physical access needs often rely on a variety of distinct, highly specialized support roles to achieve equal access, including:
- Support Service Providers (SSPs) / Co-Navigators, who provide critical environmental information, visual description, and sighted guide mobility to facilitate independent choice and situational awareness;
- Tactile Interpreters, who translate spoken language into standard sign language received through the attendee's hands; and
- ProTactile Interpreters, who utilize a holistic, touch-based communication system that conveys not only linguistic content but also real-time backchannel feedback, environmental context, and social cues via touch; and
Whereas, as an organization representing the disability community, we recognize that we do not ask our members with other disabilities to leave their guide dogs, canes, wheelchairs, walkers, or assistive technology at the door, and it is a fundamental contradiction to expect individuals with dual sensory impairments to attend functions stripped of their vital support systems; and
Whereas, this resolution is not requesting or mandating that the host convention or organization employ, recruit, or provide personal attendant care or support service professionals for registered attendees; rather, it identifies that when a person with a dual sensory disability arrives with an SSP, tactile interpreter, or ProTactile interpreter, the professional and the consumer function together as an inseparable team — just as a wheelchair user is one with their chair, or a guide dog and handler are a unified team; and
Whereas, individuals with dual sensory disabilities are capable self-advocates who may function entirely independently in various settings and environments throughout the convention week, meaning this resolution in no way mandates the SSP/interpreter and the participant to be connected "hip-to-hip" through the entire convention, but instead enforces accommodation laws on the host organization to respect the targeted accommodation needs of their dually sensory disabled members; and
Whereas, during meal-centered sessions, these professionals are actively on duty — describing table layouts, assisting with mechanical navigation of food and utensils, conveying ambient group conversations, or continuously translating presentations — requiring them to remain present at the table; and
Whereas, required support personnel, tactile interpreters, and ProTactile interpreters cannot effectively perform their duties if they are forced to leave the premises to secure food, or if they are excluded from receiving a meal while the attendee and other table participants eat, creating an undignified, exclusionary, and impractical environment; and
Whereas, a vital distinction must be maintained between a support person acting solely in a professional accommodation capacity and an individual participating in the convention for personal or professional development; namely, that if a support person — whether an ACB member or non-member — is present strictly to fulfill the role of an SSP or interpreter, their presence is an accommodation, but if they choose to attend and participate in convention activities independently outside of their support duties, they operate as an individual participant; and
Whereas, Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) explicitly prohibits public accommodations and non-profit entities from imposing a surcharge on individuals with disabilities to cover the costs of accommodations, auxiliary aids, or services required to achieve equal access; and
Whereas, requiring an attendee with a disability to purchase an additional meal ticket or pay a higher registration tier for an essential support provider or interpreter constitutes an inequitable financial penalty and an implicit surcharge for an accommodation;
Now, therefore, be it resolved by the American Council of the Blind in convention assembled virtually on this [day] day of July, 2026, that ACB strongly affirm that when a conference or convention attendee requires the presence of an SSP, co-navigator, tactile interpreter, or ProTactile interpreter to fully participate in a meal-centered session, the cost of providing a meal to that support professional is an inherent part of the accommodation; and
Be it further resolved that ACB explicitly oppose any policy, whether by external hospitality vendors or host organizations, that treats a support provider and consumer as separate registration entities for meal sessions, and firmly states that the consumer and their support system must be considered one unified person for the purpose of event entry and meal provision; and
Be it further resolved that ACB establish that when a support person attends a convention or event independently to participate in activities separate from their duties to the individual with a dual sensory disability, that support person must be a dues-paying member (if applicable to the registration type) and must pay their own registration fees, meal tickets, and event costs standard to any individual participant; and
Be it further resolved that ACB urge all national, state, and local affiliates, as well as external convention organizers, to proactively incorporate the anticipated costs of support personnel, tactile interpreters, and ProTactile interpreters' meals into general event overhead budgets, registration design, and hotel negotiation frameworks; and
Be it further resolved that ACB direct its leadership to create and publish a standard "Accessible Event Budgeting Guideline" to assist affiliates and external partners in implementing inclusive registration models that protect attendees from discriminatory financial barriers.