by Janet Dickelman
The 2026 American Council of the Blind conference and convention features many sessions from our special-interest affiliates and ACB committees. In this article we’ll take a look at what our business partners and others are doing during the convention. Full descriptions and applicable pricing, along with information on how to RSVP to sessions with limited space, will be posted on the convention registration form and in the conference program.
Convention registration will remain open until 11:59 p.m. Eastern time on Monday, July 6. Register online at https://members.acb.org/, or call (651) 428-5059 for assistance.
The following sessions are all in-person only, but will be available as podcasts after the convention.
Breakfasts, Anyone?
Tuesday, July 28, 7:00 – 8:15 a.m.: AFB Breakfast
Join the American Foundation for the Blind at its annual breakfast, where guests will learn what’s on the horizon for AFB and have an opportunity to meet with President & CEO Eric Bridges along with other members of the AFB team.
Wednesday, July 29, 7:00 – 8:15 a.m.: NIB Breakfast
Join National Industries for the Blind and learn what has been going on with NIB since last year’s convention.
Technology Sessions
Sunday, July 26
1:00– 2:15 p.m.: Selvas BLV Demonstration
Please join Selvas BLV for a demonstration on the new BrailleSense 7 tablet and its new features including: better organized user interface and menus, the Excel editor, touch Braille display, NVDA remote and more.
3:00 – 4:15 p.m.: APH Innovations New Braille Products and Teaching Tools for 2026
APH is excited to share new products and updates to our portfolio of braille and communication tools. Join Jim Sullivan and Katie Frederick for a fast-paced look at innovations that put braille and instruction front and center.
Monday, July 27
New Product Testing with NLS
Experience the National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled's fully fledged Patron Enrollment product in action and let them know what you think by using the NLS customer service prototype! To sign up for a spot, send an email message to sgarske@loc.gov. (Testing times are between 8 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.)
Tuesday, July 28
The Tech Juggernaut
TTJ Mobile Help Desk
Hours: 10:00 a.m. – noon and 2:00 – 3:00 p.m.
Stop by the TTJ Mobile Help Desk and get your Apple product questions answered by the TTJ Instructor Team. Talk with trainers Matt, Kliph, and Sarah about your iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV, Apple Watch, and more. Any Apple product or compatible app and accessory is welcome in the discussion. Get your questions answered by a team of experts. No appointment necessary. We look forward to being the only tech you’ll ever need!
3:00 – 4:15 p.m.: How to Stay Safe in a Digital World
Is that email legitimate? Have I been hacked? Is Alexa spying on me? Is my data secure? These are just some of the many questions people ask every day, and it is more important than ever to get the right answers and to know how to protect ourselves and our data. Join the TTJ Instructor Team as they explore and discuss best practices for keeping your identity and all of your data safe and protected. If you’d like to attend this session, please send an email to Info@ttjtech.biz.
7:00 – 8:15 p.m.: A Day in the Connected Digital Life
Technology can be life-changing, but for some, it can also be overwhelming. Join the TTJ Instructor Team as we discuss and demonstrate how to use Apple devices with VoiceOver to perform a number of real-world tasks. Use VoiceOver with the touch screen and with a keyboard. Use Siri and AI, and experience how this awesome technology can help you with such tasks as shopping for groceries, ordering food, getting walking or driving directions, managing a smart home, reading the news, online banking, making travel arrangements, writing letters, and much more. If you’d like to attend this session, please send an email to Info@ttjtech.biz.
3:00 – 4:15 p.m.: Telecommunications Panel
Several telecommunications companies that ACB has ongoing relationships with will participate on a panel to discuss various services of their organizations and how to best accommodate customers who are blind or have low vision.
5:00 – 6:15 p.m.: Meta session
Other Tech Sessions
Microsoft, Waymo, Vispero, and HumanWare all plan to host sessions in St. Louis. As of this writing, dates and times are pending.
Hotel Details
Room rates at the Hyatt Regency Arch, 315 Chestnut St., are $104 single or double, $129 triple, or $154 quad, plus applicable state and local taxes (currently 17.92 %). To make reservations online, go to https://www.hyatt.com/events/en-US/group-booking/STLRS/G-ACBL.
If you prefer to make your reservations by telephone, please call central reservations at (888) 591-1234. Make sure to let them know you are reserving a room at the Hyatt St. Louis Arch at 315 Chestnut Street, and use group code G-ACBL.
The cut-off date for reservations is July 5, 2026. Don’t delay, make your reservations today!
Room Amenities
All sleeping rooms have safes, ironing boards, refrigerators and K-cup coffee makers.
The hotel has a 24-hour fitness center; it does not have a pool.
There are no guest washers and dryers. There is a dry-cleaning service.
The hotel is cashless; any purchases must be made with a credit or debit card.
Staying in Touch
The convention announce list will be filled with information. To subscribe to the list, send a blank email to acbconvention+subscribe@acblists.org. If you received updates for the 2025 convention, you do not need to subscribe to the list.
For any convention-related questions, contact Janet Dickelman, convention chair, at (651) 428-5059, or via email, Janet.dickelman@gmail.com.