May 18, 2023

On Global Accessibility Awareness Day 2023, the undersigned national disability organizations celebrate the transformative impact of accessible technology and call on the federal government to require websites and software applications to be accessible to and usable by people with disabilities. The roughly 61 million people with disabilities in the United States have a right to access employment, businesses, programs, and services, regardless of whether they are delivered in-person or online. 

The American Council of the Blind (ACB) invites you to join us in celebrating Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD)! The purpose of this annual day of observance is to raise awareness of how the lives of people with disabilities have been improved by accessibility while still recognizing the work that remains to make the virtual environment inclusive for all. 

We are pleased to present to you the Class of 2023 DKM First-Timers who have met all requirements to be considered for and selected as recipients of this prestigious honor.

While honoring the legacy of ACB’s founding father, Durward K. McDaniel, since 1996, the Durward K. McDaniel (DKM) Fund Committee seeks to identify and honor two ACB members who demonstrate leadership potential with the DKM First-Timers award on an annual basis, one from east and one from west of the Mississippi River.

To be considered for the award, interested members must meet the following criteria:

Below you will find introductory bio's of recipients recently selected for the Class of 2023 ACB/JPMorgan Chase Leadership Fellows. Let's begin with an overview of the criteria that each applicant is required to have met in order to be considered.

We are pleased to announce after an extensive search with nearly 300 applicants, Natalie Couch has joined ACB's Membership Services team as Membership Services Administrative Assistant. In this role, Natalie reports to Cindy Hollis, Manager of Membership Engagement, supporting membership and community activities.

ACB Media is proud to announce the addition of two new podcast feeds, "ACB Business" and "Podcasts en español de la ACB" available through Apple Podcasts.

“ACB Business” is where all official business meetings of ACB will be posted, including ACB Board meetings and ACB Committee meetings. The RSS feed URL is: https://pinecast.com/feed/acb-business. The last two Board meetings are available now.

ACB’s Virginia office is moving! ACB’s new office address is 225 Reinekers Lane, Suite 660, Alexandria, VA 22314. Please note, the Virginia office staff will be performing the office move from Monday, April 24 to Friday, April 28. During this time, you may have difficulty reaching us by phone or email. Please contact the Minnesota office staff at 612-332-3242 if you need immediate attention.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. (April 11, 2023) — The American Council of the Blind (ACB) is pleased to share the announcement of the ScripTalk Talking Prescription Label pilot program at Wegmans Food Markets. Wegmans is offering the ScripTalk system that allows blind or low vision patients the ability to audibly hear important prescription label information, ensuring their medication independence and safety. The chain will offer the service across five of its New York locations.

As many website and application users with disabilities know, far too many websites are inaccessible for users with disabilities. This reality is disastrous for Americans with disabilities. We live in a world where so much is done online or through our smartphones. When these applications are inaccessible, people with disabilities are suddenly prevented from completing essential tasks such as banking or completing employment tasks. A group of national disability advocacy organizations are collecting personal anecdotes and stories to illustrate this ongoing and growing problem.

With the departure of the American Council of the Blind (ACB) Executive Director Eric Bridges, the following plan of action was established by ACB's Board of Directors on Thursday, March 9th to ensure a smooth transition of leadership. ACB will welcome Dan Spoone, the organization’s current president, as Interim Executive Director starting on Wednesday, March 22. Deb Cook Lewis, current first vice president, will become president. Ray Campbell will become first vice president.