The Blind Life Podcast

In this interview, I talk with Tamara, a professional musician who has been teaching accessible music for blind and visually impaired musicians for nearly 20 years. We explore low-tech and high-tech options for learning and reading sheet music, from traditional approaches to modern assistive technology. Tamara also shares insights from her accessible music theory books designed specifically for blind musicians. This conversation is packed with practical advice for blind musicians, music students, and educators looking to make music more accessible.

Learn more here: https://odysseymusic.ca/

Tamara's YT channel - "Unsightly Opinions": https://www.youtube.com/@UnsightlyOpinions/videos

In this interview, I talk with Mike Iannelli, co-founder of ABLR, and Heather Buster, a visually impaired professional who completed the ABLR workforce training program and went on to secure meaningful employment. We discuss what ABLR is, how the accredited training program works, and why digital accessibility testing is a strong career path for blind and visually impaired individuals. Mike shares insight into the program’s structure, its impact on the blind community, and real success stories from graduates. Heather offers a firsthand look at her experience—what she expected, the challenges she faced, and why the program exceeded her expectations. We also talk honestly about the program’s difficulty and how determination and hard work can lead to real career opportunities.

Learn more here:

► https://ablr360.com/theblindlife 

Email Mike and Heather:

► [email protected]

► [email protected]

#ABLR360 #DigitalAccessibility #BlindEmployment #VisuallyImpaired #AccessibilityTesting #InclusiveEmployment #BlindCareers #AssistiveTechnology #AccessibilityMatters #TheBlindLife

In this episode of The Blind Life Podcast, Sam sits down with Joe Jorgensen, creator of "Accessibyte", a powerful suite of assistive technology tools designed to help the blind and visually impaired community build essential skills for school, work, and everyday life. From the interactive Typio typing program to fun, educational games in Accessibyte Arcade, Joe shares how his accessible software and adaptive equipment make learning engaging and truly inclusive. Whether you’re a teacher, parent, or someone living with vision loss, this episode offers valuable insight into how technology continues to break down barriers and empower independence for people with low vision.

Check it out here: https://www.accessibyte.com/

#BlindCommunity #AssistiveTechnology #Accessibility #LowVision #VisionLoss

In this interview, we sit down with John Tobin, Vice President of Clinical Operations at Splice Bio, to explore groundbreaking gene therapy research for Stargardt’s disease and its potential impact on the blind and visually impaired community. John shares insights into Splice Bio’s mission, how their innovative work could transform options for people living with vision loss, and what families, professionals, and supporters should know about emerging treatments. Stay tuned until the end for information on how to get involved in Splice Bio’s clinical trials. Learn more here:

www.splice.bio/clinical

Or send an email to:

[email protected]

#SpliceBio #genetherapy #clinicaltrials

In this episode, Sam speaks with Patrick Long of InnoSearch.ai and Mark Riccobono of the NFB about their new partnership to improve digital accessibility for blind users. Rather than focusing on basic compliance, the conversation explores true usability—addressing issues like unlabeled buttons and missing alt text. They emphasize the need for blind-led innovation and meaningful collaboration with the community. The NFB’s long-standing advocacy efforts are discussed, along with practical steps tech companies can take to create inclusive products. A new checkout feature also lets customers support the NFB by rounding up purchases, blending commerce with accessibility-focused advocacy.

blind tech, assistive technology, digital accessibility, InnoSearch.ai, National Federation of the Blind, NFB partnership, screen reader usability, blind advocacy, accessible shopping, inclusive design, blind podcast, low vision tools#BlindLife #AccessibilityMatters #AssistiveTech #BlindCommunity #InnoSearch #NFB #DigitalInclusion #BlindAdvocacy #AccessibleShopping #InclusiveTechnology