Microsoft partners with the American Council of the Blind for more powerful assistive technologies

1 min. read

Published on December 17, 2015

published on December 17, 2015

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Microsoft has taken to their website to announce a partnership with American Council of the Blind (ACB) to improve accessibility to various Microsoft products for visually impaired individuals.

“Having access to information through accessible technology is critical for our members as they pursue education, employment and perform everyday tasks,” – Eric Bridges, Executive Director of the ACB.

The partnership will see Microsoft having access to valuable user experience data from the ACB. The data will then be used to develop assistive technology, as well as improving the usability of Microsoft’s software. The response to the partnership has reportedly been “incredibly positive.”

Microsoft’s solutions, given their ubiquity in the productive world, has had a long history of catering to people with various disabilities. From built-in text-to-speech in Windows, to voice and motion control with Kinect, Microsoft’s technology is constantly evolving to not leave anyone behind. Projects like these showcase an inspirational Microsoft, and we’re excited to see how far the company will go to fulfill its mission of ’empowering every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more.’

Radu Tyrsina

Radu Tyrsina has been a Windows fan ever since he got his first PC, a Pentium III (a monster at that time). For most of the kids of his age, the Internet was an amazing way to play and communicate with others, but he was deeply impressed by the flow of information and how easily you can find anything on the web. Prior to founding Windows Report, this particular curiosity about digital content enabled him to grow a number of sites that helped hundreds of millions reach faster the answer they're looking for.