AURC Summer 2025 Newsletter: Program Updates
The summer season brings in new research opportunities with the Accessibility User Research Collective. We are thrilled to work with you all researching assistive technology, obtaining your user feedback, and increasing accessibility for all!
The Accessibility User Research Collective is a national network of people with diverse backgrounds, stories, and needs for accessible products and services.
Thank you for contributing to our mission and being a valued member of the AURC community!
News For You
CSUN published the AURC’s research on Artificial Intelligence Use and Perception by Disabled Adults. The AURC extends gratitude to all our members who participated in the survey on use and perceptions of AI last year! Thanks to you, our fantastic collective, we found that the number of artificial intelligence tools that disabled adults use is what drives the perception that AI is helpful. These findings were presented at the 40th annual CSUN conference back in March and are also officially published in the CSUN journal. You can read the publication here: Artificial Intelligence Use of Perceptions by Disabled Adults | ScholarWorks
Shepherd Center is celebrating its 50th Anniversary this August! Shepherd Center was formally established on August 18, 1975, originally known as the Shepherd Spinal Center when it began as a six-bed unit in an Atlanta hospital. As many of you already know, the AURC is housed within Shepherd Center’s Virginia C. Crawford’s Research Institute in Atlanta, Georgia. The AURC team feels the utmost sense of pride for Shepherd Center and all the work that has been done to get us to 50 years!
Accessibility Technology Markets are Growing. AI-driven visual assistance and immersive audio solutions were highlighted at Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2025 to showcase how accessibility-focused businesses are embracing inclusivity, expanding technology markets, and fostering user loyalty from people with disabilities. Companies like Be My Eyes and Scenic Audio are examples of platforms that are beginning to incorporate AI into their systems and drive the transformation that is revolutionizing accessibility. Accessibility/assistive technology markets are predicted to continue growing; the DisabilityTech market was valued at $25 billion in 2023 and is expected to reach $37 billion in 2029. Take a look at this article for more information: CES 2025: Accessibility Tech Reshapes Innovation And Inclusion
The state of Georgia's "Dignity in Pay Act" went into effect on July 1, 2025! This law prohibits the previously legal practice of paying people with disabilities special minimum wages that are less than the Federal minimum wage. Georgia and Illinois joined 16 other states this year in prohibiting sub-minimum wages for people with disabilities. For more information, check out this article: Some States are Eliminating Subminimum Wages for People with Disabilities—What Does That Mean for Workers? | U.S. GAO
Apple’s Latest Accessibility Features. In May, Apple announced many new accessibility features, such as Braille Access, Accessibility Reader, and Magnifier on Mac. Apple also publicized Accessibility Nutrition Labels which is a new feature within the App Store that helps users learn if an app will be accessible to them prior to downloading. These updates were designed to enhance user experience for people with all types of disabilities.
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) 35th Anniversary on July 26th. The ADA was signed into law in 1990 and has been instrumental to advancing accessibility, inclusion, and equal opportunity across all areas of public life by prohibiting discrimination against individuals with disabilities. To learn more about the history of ADA, celebrations for the ADA anniversary, and more, please navigate to the link here: ADA Anniversary | ADA National Network
Fun fact: Disability Pride Month is celebrated in July to recognize the ADA being passed in July 1990! The current Disability Pride flag was updated in 2021 from the original version that was created in 2010 and represents diversity in the disability community. For more information about the Disability Pride flag, please follow the link here: The History of the Disability Pride Flag and Its Colors
Summer 2025 Disability-related Calendar
July
Disability Pride Month – United States
July 7th - Global Focus Group Day – Global
July 26th – American Disability Act (ADA) Anniversary
August
Spinal Muscular Atrophy Awareness Month – United States
August 20th – National Accessible Air Travel Day – United States
September
National Guide Dog Month – United States
Pain Awareness Month – United States
Spinal Cord Injury Awareness Month – United States
September 23rd – International Day of Sign Language – Global
September 28th – International Day of the Deaf / World Deaf Day – Global
Member Spotlight
Saving Ven
Saving is an AURC member who has had vision loss for the past 13 years due to diabetic retinopathy. In 2016, Saving and five others who are completely blind founded a non-profit organization called Visually Impaired and Blind Society (VIBS). Saving serves as the current president of VIBS, which drives the mission and goal of providing resources, promoting independence, and bringing awareness to the blind community to try to break social and economic barriers. The collective belief of VIBS is that promoting independence and socialization helps reduce anxiety and stress and enhances the lives of those with sight loss. VIBS is always looking for volunteers and welcomes everyone, sighted and non-sighted people. For folks in the Atlanta area, VIBS is hosting their 9th annual fundraiser and party event on September 20th! Please navigate to the following link for more information: 9th Annual Fundraiser & Party Event – Visually Impaired and Blind Society
For more information about VIBS and the work they do, please visit their website here: www.vibsociety.org. You may also contact them via email at info@vibosicety.org or via phone: 770-609-7439.
AURC Program Updates
Recently Completed Projects
Health Self-Kiosk: 10 AURC members with mobility-related disabilities in the Atlanta area participated in an in-person user testing session in which they tested a self-health kiosk. We gathered their feedback about the overall accessibility of the kiosk’s seat, blood pressure cuff, and the retinal scanner. This feedback was used to help inform the engineers how to improve the accessibility and usability of the kiosk.
Smart Flip Phone: Four blind people and four people with dexterity disabilities took part in an in-person interview, in which they tested the usability of a flip phone with their assistive technology/accessibility settings. The results of the interviews will be used to inform guidelines for software developers to ensure the phones work better with assistive technology and accessibility settings.
AI Chat support: 30 AURC members with various disabilities answered questions in an online survey about their experience with AI Support systems, such as chatbots and AI answering systems. The data gathered from this survey will be used to improve the accessibility of a technology company’s AI support products.
Drag and Drop vs. Drop-Down Menu Questions in Exams: 12 individuals who are blind, have low vision, or have dexterity disabilities participated in a remote testing session, in which they answered exam questions in a simulated testing environment. The goal was to better understand the preference of question formats, like the drag and drop or drop-down menu formats, and their accessibility with assistive technologies. The feedback will inform accessibility improvements to be made in the exam process, so that people who use assistive technology can more easily attain career-enhancing certifications.
Additional Accessibility Resources
We are happy to share resources to help you learn more about accessibility resources and services.
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Thank you!