Thought Wheel

Ann Chiappetta

An Update

| Filed under writing

I haven’t blogged in a while and I think it’s because I’ve been busy with work, traveling, and my philanthropic interests. I didn’t attend the annual American council of the blind’s convention and I actually missed it even though last year was not so good for me and certain individual’s. Next year it’s Vegas and me and the family  will be there.

 

Until then, I have a lot to think about regarding some leadership roles.

 

I realized that I like impacting folks with whatever medium I can;  writing and speaking on behalf of Guide dogs, living with a visual impairment, and trying to make a difference for folks like me who may not have the ability or the opportunity to do so.

 

I just overcame a major barrier with advocating for the licensing exam on a computer equipped with screen reading software and other accommodations. I have advocated for equal access on the job, and now I am sharpening the lance and pike  to do battle with yet another organization that is ignorant to professionals in my field who cannot access a website without assistive technology.

We are being prevented the full benefit of this particular website like our sighted peers. most of the site is fine, other  parts of the site are poorly  constructed and lacking 508 compliance elements.

 

Discovering that they hadn’t made many changes since my last letter dated in October 2011, I just recently wrote a letter to  them. The parent organization, The American Association of Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT) hasn’t responded to either  a phone call or an email , both of which were directed to the CFO. The letter was my plea to  them to listen to what I am saying and fix the website where needed.

I explained that folks who use text-to-speech or dictation software to interface with the website would find the site very difficult and some pages impossible to navigate. If it takes me another year to push for these changes, I will not give up until I can navigate and utilize each and every element they promise is a membership benefit.

 

Living with a  sensory disability issometimes mentally exhausting. I juggle at least three advocacy issues at a time and when one gets resolved, there is another to take its place.

 

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