6/18/25 - Accessibility innovation, and the need for employment role models
On the surface, this seems like an observation so obvious it's barely worth mentioning.
Good afternoon ...
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Now on to the links for this Wednesday ...
Forbes Announces Its Inaugural Accessibility 100 List Spotlighting The Impact-Makers And Innovators In The Field Of Accessibility For People With Disabilities
Forbes Staff, Forbes.com - June 17, 2025
" The companies featured on this list are changing the world of accessibility – big tech companies that made the list, like Apple and Google, specialize in devices that introduce new and vital accessibility features year over year. Other list makers are lesser known companies and individuals whose innovations are transforming how people with a wide range of disabilities can communicate, learn, travel and more."
Accessibility 100
Alan Schwarz, Forbes.com - June 17, 2025
"The full list is below. Profiles of all 100 listmakers are presented by their impact areas: Communication, Education, Employment/Workplace, Entertainment/Arts, Influencer/Advocacy, Law/Government, Mobility, Products, Software, Sports & Recreation, and others outside those categories. A feature on the state of accessibility worldwide can be found here; a detailed look at the list methodology is here."
I am often skeptical of these sorts of lists profiling leaders, innovators, and general good eggs in disability-related fields. They can too easily end up praising some fairly bad actors, like over-powered and irresponsible corporations, because they happen to have a sincerely or cynically good approach to hiring disabled people, or serving customers with disabilities well. There's probably some of that going on here. But skimming the list, I notice several honorees that are anything but corporate stooges or feeble, ingratiating "advocates" who non-disabled people love and disabled people don't know. In other words, it looks like a pretty good list, as these sorts of lists go. And it's well organized and easy to browse. I plan to take my time going through the profiles and category summaries.
We don’t see anyone like us in jobs, say people with Down’s syndrome
Sanchez Manning, The Times - June 17, 2025
"Three quarters of people with a learning disability would be more confident in applying for jobs if they saw similar people in customer-facing roles, according to the research by the polling company Savanta."
On the surface, this seems like an observation so obvious it's barely worth mentioning. But if you look at what the study and the article are saying, it's actually more interesting and specific. The argument is that having more disabled people in publicly visible jobs gives other disabled people who are looking for jobs a much-needed boost in confidence. Many of the barriers to disability employment are systemic, like discrimination and physical barriers in the workplace. But there is certainly a segment of disabled job-seeking populations for whom the one of the biggest barrier is internal, their own belief that having a job is realistic for them. This adds another compelling reason why making a real effort to hire more disabled people is important, and not just for the individuals hired, but for those who someday hope to be hired.
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