One of my favorite low vision accessibility features for Windows 11 and Windows 10 is the option to customize mouse pointers and cursors so they are easier to see. I’ve been using a large turquoise mouse pointer on my personal computers for several years now…

When one of my friends recommended a book that they had read recently, I immediately went to look for it in an accessible format using the search tools for Bookshare and Libby/OverDrive with my library card. When I couldn’t find it, my friend mentioned that…

How to protect your data and settings in case your iPad suddenly fries on a Friday night.

Recently, I had the opportunity to give a talk at the Inclusive Design 24 Conference (ID24) called “Why Everyone Should Design For Chiari Malformation,” in honor of Chiari Malformation Awareness Month. This talk was especially meaningful for me, as I ended up giving it the…

Using applications and settings to reduce eyestrain from blue light.

The built-in Windows Magnifier is one of the first Windows accessibility features for low vision I remember using to make information on the home computer and in the school computer lab easier to see. While I don’t always have Magnifier turned on, I often open…

When it comes to low vision assistive technology, my iPad is one of my most-used devices, and I use several different applications every day for accessing information in large print and audio formats. Since I’m using so many applications, it’s essential that I have them…

When it comes to designing accessible interfaces for low vision, a common topic that comes up is the use of color and whether dark more or light mode is better for users with visual impairments. Personally, I use a mix of both dark and light…

When it comes to accessible design, one of the best pairings out there is high contrast and low vision. Color plays a significant role in how I access visual content, especially when it comes to locating items or information of interest, and items that have…

Earlier today, my friend and I were looking at routes for the DC Metro on Google Maps when my friend realized they couldn’t see the Silver line at all. Google Maps color codes each of the routes, but the silver color doesn’t provide much contrast…

For Google Chrome browser users and Android users, Google offers a free simplified reading display application, which applies a consistent font size, font style, and background color to digital text. Reader Mode is a built-in feature for the Google Chrome web browser that can be…

I use dictation as assistive technology frequently when I am using mainstream technology devices such as my computer, phone, and tablet. Also known as speech-to-text, dictation tools take spoken words, numbers, punctuation, and other formatting information as input, and transcribes the audio as text that…