AXSChat Podcast

A hearing aid can be top-tier technology and still fail the moment it meets a shaky hand. We sit down with Jeff Szmanda, president of Each Ear LLC and a long-time hearing aid user advocate, to talk about the overlooked problem that derails success for millions of people: simply getting a receiver in canal (RIC) hearing aid speaker into the ear comfortably, consistently, and safely. When insertion is hard, everything else unravels the fit, the sound quality, the confidence, and often the willingness to keep wearing the device at all. Jeff walks us through the assistive technology mindset that shapes his work: ergonomic design and universal design that respect real human bodies, not idealised “average” users. He shares how his earlier inventions in workplace accessibility led him to create Groove Buttons, a small but powerful interface that supports the fingertip and fingernail so users can control the speaker without slipping. We also dig into why this matters for caregivers, for people living with arthritis, tremor, Parkinson’s disease, or numbness, and for anyone who has ever watched an expensive hearing aid fall once and then disappear into a drawer. We widen the lens to hearing healthcare and hearing aid pricing: consolidation among manufacturers, manufacturer-owned clinics, insurance and buying groups, and how consumers can make better choices across technology levels. Jeff explains key performance differences like programmable channels and speech-in-noise processing, and we talk about the links between untreated hearing loss, social isolation, and brain health. If you care about accessible design, better hearing outcomes, and practical guidance for families, this conversation delivers. Subscribe for more accessibility and assistive technology conversations, share this episode with someone navigating hearing loss, and leave us a review with your biggest question about hearing aids and usability. Send us Fan Mail Support the show Follow axschat on social media. Bluesky: Antonio https://bsky.app/profile/akwyz.com Debra https://bsky.app/profile/debraruh.bsky.social Neil https://bsky.app/profile/neilmilliken.bsky.social axschat https://bsky.app/profile/axschat.bsky.social LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/antoniovieirasantos/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/axschat/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/neilmilliken/ Vimeo https://vimeo.com/akwyz https://twitter.com/axschat https://twitter.com/AkwyZ https://twitter.com/neilmilliken https://twitter.com/debraruh

If AI is rewriting the rules of work and the web, who makes sure accessibility isn’t left behind? We sit down with Rylin Rodgers, Director of Disability Policy at Microsoft, to chart where policy, product, and lived experience meet—and how that intersection can unlock rights, innovation, and real productivity gains for everyone. We start with three pillars that guide Microsoft’s approach: shaping digital and AI regulation so it accelerates accessibility rather than blocks it, modernising outdated benefits and employment systems that sideline disabled talent, and advancing civil and human rights through secure voting, accessible transportation, and universal connectivity. Rylin explains why safety and privacy can’t be the only guardrails for AI; accessibility must be designed into models from the start through disability-informed safety prompts, representative data, and inclusive defaults that output accessible content. The conversation moves from policy to practice: captions that handle non-typical speech, AI-generated image descriptions, plain-language conversions, and focus tools that reduce cognitive load. We examine the awareness gap—how many people use accessibility features without naming them and how many more don’t know what they already have. Framing accessibility as a productivity multiplier gives CIOs a reason to train and deploy at scale. We also explore bringing accessibility beyond the usual rooms, putting inclusive coding and AI testing on center stage at mainstream tech events. Looking ahead, Rylin outlines a ten-year horizon where inaccessible sites are fixed at creation or routed around by AI, where disabled innovators shape agentic tools, and where support expands to a wider spectrum of needs. The pace of change can be tiring, so we dig into discoverability, training, and regulatory guardrails that help people keep up without burning out. If you care about AI ethics, inclusive design, or the future of work, you’ll find concrete insights and next steps to build a more accessible world—by default. If this resonates, follow the show, share it with a colleague, and leave a review with the one accessibility feature you wish every app shipped with by default. Send a text Support the show Follow axschat on social media. Bluesky: Antonio https://bsky.app/profile/akwyz.com Debra https://bsky.app/profile/debraruh.bsky.social Neil https://bsky.app/profile/neilmilliken.bsky.social axschat https://bsky.app/profile/axschat.bsky.social LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/antoniovieirasantos/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/axschat/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/neilmilliken/ Vimeo https://vimeo.com/akwyz https://twitter.com/axschat https://twitter.com/AkwyZ https://twitter.com/neilmilliken https://twitter.com/debraruh

What if a simple webcam could unlock your computer and games without touching a mouse? We sit down with SensePilot co-founder Mike Hazlewood to unpack how head tracking and facial gestures become fast, precise inputs for everyday work and high-stakes play. Built for Windows and running entirely on-device, SensePilot keeps latency low, privacy intact, and enterprise approvals realistic—no cloud uploads, no special hardware. Mike traces the journey from a 2024 hackathon to a 2025 launch, where a bold idea met real-world testing. A friend with a spinal cord injury wanted to play Call of Duty again; designing for that level of precision made everything else—from Excel to email—more usable. Collaborations with SpecialEffect in the UK and a Ukrainian NGO supporting veterans revealed just how varied needs are, from ALS and muscular dystrophy to RSI and carpal tunnel. That diversity drove SensePilot’s granular approach: tune trigger strengths, build unique profiles for desktop vs. gaming, and even switch profiles inside a single title for driving, flying, or on-foot movement. We also dig into the bigger picture of accessible technology and AI. On-device processing lowers security barriers and keeps assistive tools resilient when networks fail. Thoughtful AI support can speed text input and streamline workflows without replacing human judgment. The key is specificity—narrow, task-focused agents outperform generic models for accessibility testing and coding, while keeping the person’s intent front and center. Looking ahead, Mike shares a vision for mainstream inclusion: optional head-tracking onboarding inside games like Microsoft Flight Simulator, letting anyone try hands-free immersion with one click. No wearables, no extra gear—just a webcam and curiosity. If accessible input becomes a standard feature, everyone wins: gamers gain immersion, and people with disabilities gain flexible, independent control. If this resonates, subscribe, share with a friend, and leave a review. Curious to try hands-free control? Grab the free trial at sensepilot.tech and tell us which game or task you’ll tackle first. Send a text Support the show Follow axschat on social media. Bluesky: Antonio https://bsky.app/profile/akwyz.com Debra https://bsky.app/profile/debraruh.bsky.social Neil https://bsky.app/profile/neilmilliken.bsky.social axschat https://bsky.app/profile/axschat.bsky.social LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/antoniovieirasantos/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/axschat/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/neilmilliken/ Vimeo https://vimeo.com/akwyz https://twitter.com/axschat https://twitter.com/AkwyZ https://twitter.com/neilmilliken https://twitter.com/debraruh

Want AI that works the first time instead of the tenth? We sit down with Andreas Schachl, co-founder of Responsible Annotation Services, to unpack the quiet truth behind reliable models: ethical, high-quality training data produced by people who take clarity and precision seriously. Andreas shares how a single internship sparked a company built around neurodivergent talent, turning data labeling from a churn task into a strategic advantage. We walk through why annotation isn’t going anywhere, even with foundation models and smarter tools. When you’re training on private, business-owned data across text, images, audio, video, and LiDAR, you need a human in the loop and documentation you can defend. Andreas explains how his team co-authors rigorous annotation handbooks with clients, translating fuzzy goals into exact rules, edge cases, and review procedures. The payoff is real: higher consistency, fewer iterations, and a clear compliance trail for regulators and auditors. Bias mitigation becomes a practice, not a promise. A neurodivergent lens exposes hidden assumptions and pushes for instructions that are unambiguous and testable. We explore practical systems—daily stand-ups, structured chat, and even “coffee calls” with agendas—that help people do their best focused work. We also confront the ethics of the global annotation supply chain and outline a different path: EU contracts, fair wages, social worker support, and leadership that values diligence over hype. From 2D images to complex 3D point clouds, we show how modern tooling plus human judgment builds AI you can trust. If you care about responsible AI, data quality, and making models perform sooner with less guesswork, this conversation is your blueprint. Subscribe, share with a colleague wrestling with training data, and leave a review with your biggest annotation challenge—we’ll tackle it in a future episode. Send a text Support the show Follow axschat on social media. Bluesky: Antonio https://bsky.app/profile/akwyz.com Debra https://bsky.app/profile/debraruh.bsky.social Neil https://bsky.app/profile/neilmilliken.bsky.social axschat https://bsky.app/profile/axschat.bsky.social LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/antoniovieirasantos/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/axschat/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/neilmilliken/ Vimeo https://vimeo.com/akwyz https://twitter.com/axschat https://twitter.com/AkwyZ https://twitter.com/neilmilliken https://twitter.com/debraruh

What does it take to make inclusion real for 420,000 people across 55 countries? We sit down with Karine Vasselin, Group Head of Inclusive Futures at Capgemini, to unpack a pragmatic playbook that turns diversity into business value and culture into daily practice. Karine shares how a simple shift in language—“inclusive futures for all”—opened the door for everyone to see themselves in the work, from parents and caregivers to neurodivergent colleagues and people with disabilities. Across the conversation, we dig into the tools and choices that matter most. Inclusion Circles give managers semi-guided, scenario-based conversations that build psychological safety and shared norms without adding corporate fluff. Employee networks—Women@Capgemini, OutFront, Capability, and NeuroAbility—move beyond awareness to shape policies like safer travel guidance and inclusive benefits that recognize all families. We also examine hard-won lessons from neurodiversity pilots: why early enthusiasm ran into real-world friction, how smaller cohorts and expert partners like Auticon and Ambitious about Autism changed outcomes, and what it takes to scale responsibly. AI runs as a hopeful throughline. For many neurodivergent and disabled employees, generative AI behaves like assistive tech—organizing ideas, clarifying communication, summarizing meetings, and removing friction through captions and text-to-speech. But tools alone can’t fix culture. We talk hiring pipelines, role design, advancement, and the manager skills needed to spot bias and coach diverse teams. Karine also offers career advice for future inclusion leaders: build credibility through business and talent experience, and learn to influence without authority. If you care about practical inclusion, leadership training that sticks, and using AI to expand access rather than entrench bias, this conversation delivers a clear blueprint you can adapt tomorrow. Subscribe, share with a colleague who leads teams, and leave a review with one policy you’d change to make work truly work for everyone. Send a text Support the show Follow axschat on social media. Bluesky: Antonio https://bsky.app/profile/akwyz.com Debra https://bsky.app/profile/debraruh.bsky.social Neil https://bsky.app/profile/neilmilliken.bsky.social axschat https://bsky.app/profile/axschat.bsky.social LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/antoniovieirasantos/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/axschat/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/neilmilliken/ Vimeo https://vimeo.com/akwyz https://twitter.com/axschat https://twitter.com/AkwyZ https://twitter.com/neilmilliken https://twitter.com/debraruh

What if accessibility wasn’t a checkpoint but a capability baked into every release? We sit down with Shlomit Shteyer, a technical program leader at Salesforce, to explore how large organizations make accessibility real, measurable, and scalable without slowing product velocity. Her journey from shipping features at Twitter to building accessibility programs offers a candid look at turning strategy into operations and aligning teams around customer impact. We unpack the practical models that work at scale: start with a centralized core to set standards, then grow embedded expertise through a Champion Program that upskills engineers, designers, and PMs. Shlomit explains why this blend beats false either-or choices and how it creates durable habits across design, development, testing, and release. Executive commitment proves decisive. At Salesforce, accessibility targets sit in the annual planning framework, right alongside feature delivery and security, so teams have time, tools, and a clear definition of success. AI enters the story as a helpful colleague, not a shortcut. Think agentic assistance that flags issues early, suggests accessible patterns, and speeds remediation while leaving accountability with humans. We also look at a shifting market reality: customers now demand accessibility at contract time, moving organizations from reactive bug-fixing to proactive, compliant design. Collaboration across companies is a surprising superpower too, with leaders openly sharing training methods, metrics, and automation approaches to raise the bar industry-wide. From global, inclusive training formats to positioning accessibility within the broader trust layer—security, availability, sustainability—this conversation offers a roadmap for leaders who want impact, not slogans. Shlomit’s advice is grounded and human: cultivate curiosity, connect your strengths to work that matters, and build systems that make good choices the default. If you’re scaling accessibility or looking for a place to start, this episode will give you frameworks, language, and momentum. Enjoyed the conversation? Follow the show, share with a colleague, and leave a quick review to help more people find it. Send us a text Support the show Follow axschat on social media. Bluesky: Antonio https://bsky.app/profile/akwyz.com Debra https://bsky.app/profile/debraruh.bsky.social Neil https://bsky.app/profile/neilmilliken.bsky.social axschat https://bsky.app/profile/axschat.bsky.social LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/antoniovieirasantos/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/axschat/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/neilmilliken/ Vimeo https://vimeo.com/akwyz https://twitter.com/axschat https://twitter.com/AkwyZ https://twitter.com/neilmilliken https://twitter.com/debraruh

A single UX critique and one candid email from a blind traveler set off a chain reaction inside Skyscanner: a grassroots movement, a formal program, and a culture that treats accessibility as core product quality. We sit down with Heather Hepburn—Head of Accessibility at Skyscanner and co-founder of the Champions of Accessibility Network—to unpack how real user stories, practical structure, and community energy turn good intentions into measurable change. Heather walks us through the early days: a quiet Slack channel, a room of curious allies, and leadership’s turning point when they saw how exclusion blocks customers from booking. From there, she shows how to make momentum stick—creating a champions pathway with training and one-to-ones, appointing a lead accessibility engineer to anchor the technical depth, and sharing hard-won patterns with partners and peers. We also explore the CAN community on LinkedIn, a sales-free space where thousands swap tactics, tools, and encouragement. Education is the other engine. Heather explains how Teach Access Europe connects industry and universities to weave accessibility into computer science and UX curricula, supporting lecturers with resources and realistic assessment. We spotlight hands-on university collaborations: student projects centered on accessibility, live sessions with a disabled testing panel, and the Skyscanner Accessibility and Inclusion Award that elevates practical solutions, like tools for dyslexic learners. The message is clear: when students graduate with inclusive habits, teams ship better products faster. We close by taking accessibility beyond the usual echo chambers—onto travel industry stages and into business schools—meeting leaders where they are with clear demos, data, and language that resonates with strategy, risk, and growth. Want to help build the next wave of inclusive tech? Join the Champions of Accessibility Network on LinkedIn, explore teachaccess.org/europe, and share this conversation with a colleague who signs off on roadmaps or curriculums. If this episode moved you, subscribe, leave a review, and tell us where you’ll start change today. Send us a text Support the show Follow axschat on social media. Bluesky: Antonio https://bsky.app/profile/akwyz.com Debra https://bsky.app/profile/debraruh.bsky.social Neil https://bsky.app/profile/neilmilliken.bsky.social axschat https://bsky.app/profile/axschat.bsky.social LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/antoniovieirasantos/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/axschat/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/neilmilliken/ Vimeo https://vimeo.com/akwyz https://twitter.com/axschat https://twitter.com/AkwyZ https://twitter.com/neilmilliken https://twitter.com/debraruh

AI can empower without overstepping, but only if we design with people, not for them. We sit down with Christopher Patnoe, Head of Disability Innovation for Google EMEA, to unpack what’s working inside Google’s Accessibility Discovery Centers and why cross-company collaboration is speeding up inclusive tech. From hands-on demos that reframe complex info for neurodivergent thinkers to camera features that help blind users take better photos, the focus is on targeted AI that removes friction without trying to replace human judgment. We dive into the messy middle where innovation meets real life: captions that must be accurate yet respectful, humor that shouldn’t punch down but should still allow agency, and wearables that balance safety, comfort, and utility. Christopher shares why augmented reality has more day-to-day value than VR, how competition among Google, Meta, Apple, Microsoft, and others drives better features, and where open platforms create more room for customization. We also zoom out to the global picture—building for Nairobi and the Appalachians alike—where bandwidth, cost, and reliability demand offline modes and graceful fallbacks. Privacy and trust anchor the conversation. Useful by default even if the system knows nothing about you; deeper personalization only with consent. We talk data ownership, the risks of account sharing, and how corporate longevity and infrastructure investment affect AI’s future. Is the real value in the models, or in what people build on top? Christopher explains why durable ecosystems may outlast hype cycles, and why the most inclusive solutions come from communities who repurpose tools in unexpected, brilliant ways. If you care about accessibility, XR, AI ethics, and inclusive design that actually lands in the real world, this one’s for you. Subscribe to stay close to the evolving story, share this with a colleague who builds products, and leave a review with the one feature you wish your favorite device had. Send us a text Support the show Follow axschat on social media. Bluesky: Antonio https://bsky.app/profile/akwyz.com Debra https://bsky.app/profile/debraruh.bsky.social Neil https://bsky.app/profile/neilmilliken.bsky.social axschat https://bsky.app/profile/axschat.bsky.social LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/antoniovieirasantos/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/axschat/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/neilmilliken/ Vimeo https://vimeo.com/akwyz https://twitter.com/axschat https://twitter.com/AkwyZ https://twitter.com/neilmilliken https://twitter.com/debraruh

Maps shouldn’t say “graphic, clickable, blank” when what we really need is orientation. We sit down with Brandon Biggs, CEO of XR Navigation, to unpack why traditional map interfaces exclude blind, low-vision, and neurodiverse users—and how cross-sensory design transforms static visuals into reliable spatial understanding. Brandon makes a clear case that maps are not just about mobility; they’re about building mental models of names, distances, directions, shapes, and relationships. Without accessible orientation tools, people lose access to critical public data and even entire careers that rely on geographic information. We dive into the promises and pitfalls of AI for mapping. Street imagery descriptions are improving, but 70% accuracy is not enough when a misread road or building can derail someone’s route and safety. Audium offers an alternative grounded in authoritative data: a visual mode with readable contrast and scalable interfaces, and a nonvisual mode that feels like a game, using spatial audio and sound textures to convey features without adding cognitive overload. Every element remains text-exposed for screen readers and Braille, ensuring WCAG compliance and human verification. It’s not AI versus accessibility—it’s AI partnered with verifiable, inclusive design. Policy and practice are shifting. ADA Title II rules in the US begin to mandate accessible geographic maps for state and local agencies, while Europe and the UK still exclude many maps unless used for navigation, unintentionally limiting access to fields like epidemiology, planning, and environmental science. Brandon explains how Audium’s Esri partnership enables agencies to convert entire map libraries in Experience Builder, drawing on ArcGIS Living Atlas, OpenStreetMap, and local datasets. From wildfire layers to zoning overlays and event wayfinding, this is a blueprint for making public spatial data usable by everyone. If accessible orientation resonates with you, join us: subscribe, share this conversation with a colleague in government or GIS, and leave a review with one change you want to see in public maps. Your feedback helps push inclusive mapping from a nice-to-have to a new standard. Send us a text Support the show Follow axschat on social media. Bluesky: Antonio https://bsky.app/profile/akwyz.com Debra https://bsky.app/profile/debraruh.bsky.social Neil https://bsky.app/profile/neilmilliken.bsky.social axschat https://bsky.app/profile/axschat.bsky.social LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/antoniovieirasantos/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/axschat/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/neilmilliken/ Vimeo https://vimeo.com/akwyz https://twitter.com/axschat https://twitter.com/AkwyZ https://twitter.com/neilmilliken https://twitter.com/debraruh

What if the label you avoided for decades is the one that finally makes your life make sense? We sit down with researcher and entrepreneur Regina Casteleijn-Osorno to unpack why so many women learn they’re neurodivergent only in adulthood, how misdiagnosis during adolescence and menopause delays care, and what happens when that long-overdue clarity meets the realities of work and caregiving. Regina shares findings from a participatory study of late-diagnosed neurodivergent women entrepreneurs, spotlighting why autonomy, sensory control, and values alignment pull so many toward self-employment. We talk about ADHD traits like hyperfocus, rapid ideation, and an intense sense of justice—how they can power product-building and client impact, and why they can clash with rigid corporate cultures that punish candor and overlook inequity. Rather than romanticize neurodiversity, we explore lived experience through photo voice and interpretive phenomenological analysis to surface nuance: joy in flexible schedules, stress from inaccessible assessments, and the choice to disclose or not in rooms where stigma still lingers. Beyond the office, we tackle hidden disability barriers that show up in the wild. From the sunflower lanyard to airline pre-boarding, we illustrate how policy without staff education becomes obstruction. The fix is practical: train front-line teams, diversify examples, and create predictable, quieter paths for anxious or sensory-sensitive travelers. We also press on language—why “everyone is a bit ADHD” erases real conditions—and show how leaders who speak openly about disabled family members help younger women find confidence, community, and earlier support. If you care about neurodiversity, women’s health, inclusive entrepreneurship, and turning research into everyday access, this conversation is for you. Subscribe, share with a friend who needs it, and leave a review telling us the one change that would make your workplace or travel experience truly accessible. Support the show Follow axschat on social media. Bluesky: Antonio https://bsky.app/profile/akwyz.com Debra https://bsky.app/profile/debraruh.bsky.social Neil https://bsky.app/profile/neilmilliken.bsky.social axschat https://bsky.app/profile/axschat.bsky.social LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/antoniovieirasantos/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/axschat/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/neilmilliken/ Vimeo https://vimeo.com/akwyz https://twitter.com/axschat https://twitter.com/AkwyZ https://twitter.com/neilmilliken https://twitter.com/debraruh

What happens when AI accelerates faster than our ability to question it—and our workplaces grow more diverse just as support for inclusion wavers? We sat down with Professor of Practice Gisele Marcus from Olin Business School to unpack the crossroads of AI ethics, DEI, and the core human skill that ties them together: critical thinking. Gisele takes us inside her course, Leading Across Differences, where students learn to work with people unlike themselves while grappling with tools that can both scale fairness and automate bias. We tackle the most practical question leaders can ask about AI—where does the data come from?—and build from there into model oversight, representation gaps, and the human judgment still required to deploy automation responsibly. Along the way, we examine real-world shifts: how customer service is being streamlined by voice systems, why high-touch account management remains human, and how students are pivoting from vulnerable roles to hybrid careers that pair technical fluency with communication and analysis. The conversation widens to the social layer: the rise of bubbles, the decline of civil disagreement, and the quiet retreat from public dialogue. Giselle offers tactics students and professionals can use today—moving beyond one-off outreach, asking for referrals and follow-ups, and practicing the mechanics of disagreement through programs like Dialogue Across Differences. We also explore the evolving value of degrees versus micro-credentials and AI-focused certificates, and why universities that teach how to think—not just what to know—will best prepare graduates for jobs that don’t yet exist. We close on a hopeful note. Inclusion done right drives performance because people do their best work when they’re respected and seen. From highlighting companies that walk the talk to taking small, personal actions that lower barriers, momentum is still possible. If you care about building ethical AI, resilient careers, and teams that can disagree without dividing, this conversation is for you. If this resonates, follow the show, share it with a colleague, and leave a review with one question you plan to ask about your own data or decisions. Your voice helps spark the dialogue we need. Support the show Follow axschat on social media. Bluesky: Antonio https://bsky.app/profile/akwyz.com Debra https://bsky.app/profile/debraruh.bsky.social Neil https://bsky.app/profile/neilmilliken.bsky.social axschat https://bsky.app/profile/axschat.bsky.social LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/antoniovieirasantos/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/axschat/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/neilmilliken/ Vimeo https://vimeo.com/akwyz https://twitter.com/axschat https://twitter.com/AkwyZ https://twitter.com/neilmilliken https://twitter.com/debraruh

A fall from a tree, a 42-day coma, and seven years of recovery could have ended a future. For Abdus Sattar Dulal, it sparked one. We sit down with the world president of Disabled Peoples’ International to trace a path from a village in Bangladesh to the halls shaping global disability policy, and we ask what it takes to turn rights on paper into access in real life. Dulal recounts building community from the ground up: opening a small shop, organizing youth, teaching adults to read, and then stepping into a factory job won after a chess tournament. There, he called out discrimination, faced threats, and chose a different fight—founding a cross-disability organization that he fueled after-hours for years. That drive grew into regional labor advocacy that placed disabled workers into industry roles, then into global leadership through DPI, an alliance spanning about 140 countries with consultative status at the UN and a decisive role in advancing the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. We unpack how treaties become tangible change, from Bangladesh’s rights and protection act to the stubborn gaps that persist: inaccessible schools, untrained teachers, hospitals without sign language interpreters or accessible beds, and websites that lock out shoppers. We also confront the data problem—how countries define disability differently, why hidden disabilities slip the net, and what that means for planning, funding, and accountability. Dulal doesn’t mince words about the funding shortfall; for a population that touches half the world when families are counted, investment remains far too small. His answer is empowerment: disabled leadership setting priorities, controlling budgets, and measuring outcomes so inclusion stops being a promise and becomes a system. If you care about disability rights, digital accessibility, education, and the UNCRPD, this conversation offers history, strategy, and a blueprint: align laws with the convention, train frontline professionals, mandate access across physical and digital spaces, improve data, and fund disabled people’s organizations to lead. Subscribe, share with a colleague, and leave a review with the one change you want to see funded first. Support the show Follow axschat on social media. Bluesky: Antonio https://bsky.app/profile/akwyz.com Debra https://bsky.app/profile/debraruh.bsky.social Neil https://bsky.app/profile/neilmilliken.bsky.social axschat https://bsky.app/profile/axschat.bsky.social LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/antoniovieirasantos/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/axschat/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/neilmilliken/ Vimeo https://vimeo.com/akwyz https://twitter.com/axschat https://twitter.com/AkwyZ https://twitter.com/neilmilliken https://twitter.com/debraruh

What happens when accessibility becomes a feature, not a fix? We sit down with Eugene Woo, CEO of Venngage, to explore how a design platform can bake inclusion into every step—from contrast-aware color pickers to exporting PDF/UA files that pass compliance without a remediation gauntlet. Eugene shares Venngage’s origin story, the early pressure from education and government users, and the decision to lead with built-in accessibility even when the market wasn’t asking loudly. We dig into common misconceptions that keep teams on the sidelines: the belief that “accessible” means boring, or that compliance always adds time and cost. Eugene reframes accessibility as a creative constraint that improves legibility and clarity, especially when the tool handles structure and checks in real time. Then we tackle AI. Trained on a mostly inaccessible web, today’s models can draft fast but still hallucinate compliance. Eugene explains how Venngage pairs generative speed with deterministic rules for headings, layers, and exports, keeping a human in the loop where quality matters most. The conversation widens to content strategy. Organic traffic that once flowed to blogs is shrinking as AI answer engines satisfy queries without a click. Eugene offers candid numbers and hard-earned perspective on what’s still working: unique data, useful tools, and product-led content that solves real problems. Looking ahead, he predicts pro tools will stay hands-on and AI-assisted, while non-designer platforms shift to prompt-first workflows—“apply my brand,” “swap this image,” “ensure contrast passes,” “export PDF/UA”—handled by an assistant that understands both design and accessibility. Subscribe for more thoughtful conversations at the intersection of design, accessibility, and AI. If this resonated, share it with a teammate and leave a review—your support helps more creators build work that everyone can use. Support the show Follow axschat on social media. Bluesky: Antonio https://bsky.app/profile/akwyz.com Debra https://bsky.app/profile/debraruh.bsky.social Neil https://bsky.app/profile/neilmilliken.bsky.social axschat https://bsky.app/profile/axschat.bsky.social LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/antoniovieirasantos/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/axschat/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/neilmilliken/ Vimeo https://vimeo.com/akwyz https://twitter.com/axschat https://twitter.com/AkwyZ https://twitter.com/neilmilliken https://twitter.com/debraruh

A life can change with a single word, but only if that word is followed by community. Paul Stevenson joins us to share how late diagnoses of Tourette’s, ADHD, and autism reframed decades of blame and opened a path to strengths, purpose, and international advocacy. We dig into the human story behind the UK box office hit “I Swear,” a film built with radical authenticity: 30 cast members with Tourette’s, a lead who studied the inner experience as much as the outward tics, and a creative team that checked every detail with lived voices. Paul explains why coprolalia is only one part of Tourette’s and often not the most disabling, and he lays out the real daily costs people don’t see—joint injuries, sleepless nights, and the exhausting pressure of suppression. He draws a clear line between masking and suppression, then shows how both drain energy, strain mental health, and make learning and work harder than they need to be. The fix is simpler than most accessibility plans: change the culture. Replace shushing with curiosity, pair diagnosis with peer support, and adopt strength‑led adjustments that cost nothing and unlock performance. We also confront a systemic gap that steals childhood learning: years-long delays for assessment and specialist care. Paul argues for early, strength‑based intervention, practical accommodations in the classroom, and managers who start with “What helps you work best?” His approach is open, humble, and deeply pragmatic—apologizing when a tic lands hard, inviting questions to replace fear with understanding, and reminding us that families live this too. By the end, Paul’s journey from isolation to ambassador shows what happens when people are seen for who they are and supported for what they can do. If this conversation moved you, share it with a friend, subscribe for more accessible leadership stories, and leave a review to help others find the show. Got a question about inclusion and neurodiversity? Drop us a note and join the conversation. Support the show Follow axschat on social media. Bluesky: Antonio https://bsky.app/profile/akwyz.com Debra https://bsky.app/profile/debraruh.bsky.social Neil https://bsky.app/profile/neilmilliken.bsky.social axschat https://bsky.app/profile/axschat.bsky.social LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/antoniovieirasantos/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/axschat/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/neilmilliken/ Vimeo https://vimeo.com/akwyz https://twitter.com/axschat https://twitter.com/AkwyZ https://twitter.com/neilmilliken https://twitter.com/debraruh

What if the way your team talks is the blueprint for every product you ship? We sit down with Erica Hall—co‑founder of Mule Design and author of Just Enough Research and Conversational Design—to connect the dots between internal communication, ethical practice, and the systems that end up in people’s hands. From AI hype to accessibility debt, Erica challenges the default settings that turn “innovation” into convenience theater and shows how small, human choices reshape outcomes. We unpack Conway’s Law and why so many “conversational” tools are really shields that prevent actual conversation. Erica explains why accessibility must be the foundation of value delivery, not an add‑on, and how multimodal design—voice, text, GUI—honors real life context switching. We talk about the political economy behind today’s platforms: funding fads, LLM bandwagons, and the quiet scaling of bias through automated decision making. Along the way, we explore the power dynamics of in‑house design teams, why external partners once provided crucial leverage, and how fear erodes the point of view needed to build responsible products. Most importantly, we get practical. Erica shares tactics to rebuild trust at work through private, human conversations that aren’t mediated or recorded; ways to move beyond AI theater by naming goals before choosing tools; and advice for new graduates navigating a volatile market without losing themselves. If you’re wrestling with inclusion, ethics, or the pressure to “ship a chatbot,” this conversation offers clear language, real examples, and a path to designing with dignity. Listen, share with a colleague who needs a sanity check, and leave a review so more builders can find this conversation. Subscribe for future episodes focused on ethical design, accessibility, and the real work of making technology serve people. Support the show Follow axschat on social media. Bluesky: Antonio https://bsky.app/profile/akwyz.com Debra https://bsky.app/profile/debraruh.bsky.social Neil https://bsky.app/profile/neilmilliken.bsky.social axschat https://bsky.app/profile/axschat.bsky.social LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/antoniovieirasantos/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/axschat/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/neilmilliken/ Vimeo https://vimeo.com/akwyz https://twitter.com/axschat https://twitter.com/AkwyZ https://twitter.com/neilmilliken https://twitter.com/debraruh

What if the most powerful part of your brand is the part most users can’t see? We sit down with designer and agency founder Rochelle Ratkaj Moser to unpack how accessibility becomes a strategic advantage when it’s baked into visual storytelling, not bolted on at the end. From plain-language copy to thoughtful reading order, alt text with meaning, and semantic structure that guides both people and screen readers, we explore the practical moves that turn mission statements into experiences everyone can use. Rochelle shares lessons from work with education nonprofits and the Brain Injury Association of America, reframing disability as a shifting spectrum rather than a checkbox. We talk about cognitive accessibility, low reading ages, and why designing for moments of disadvantage—fatigue, distraction, sensory overload—creates better outcomes for all. The budget conversation gets real: if roughly 26% of adults live with a disability, ignoring access is like burning one dollar of every four. Building access from the start saves money, avoids technical debt, and raises conversion because users can actually finish tasks. We also dig into the surprising synergy between accessibility, SEO, and AI. The same scaffolding that helps humans—clear headings, descriptive alt text, labeled tables—helps search engines and language models parse content more accurately. But we push back on designing for bots over people, calling out keyword stuffing in alt fields and reminding teams that ethical design serves humans first. For leaders and new designers alike, Rochelle offers a values-first approach to client selection, guidance on navigating DEI rollbacks, and encouragement to learn accessibility early—including emerging areas like XR, where standards are still evolving. If you care about brand trust, usability, and real reach, this conversation gives you a roadmap to make accessibility your competitive edge. Subscribe, share with a colleague who owns your website or content pipeline, and tell us: what’s one change you’ll make this week to include more users? Support the show Follow axschat on social media. Bluesky: Antonio https://bsky.app/profile/akwyz.com Debra https://bsky.app/profile/debraruh.bsky.social Neil https://bsky.app/profile/neilmilliken.bsky.social axschat https://bsky.app/profile/axschat.bsky.social LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/antoniovieirasantos/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/axschat/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/neilmilliken/ Vimeo https://vimeo.com/akwyz https://twitter.com/axschat https://twitter.com/AkwyZ https://twitter.com/neilmilliken https://twitter.com/debraruh

Need a quick test for whether a city is truly inclusive? Follow the signs to its toilets. We sit down with Gail Ramster from the Royal College of Art’s Helen Hamlyn Centre for Design to unpack how public restrooms quietly govern freedom of movement, confidence, and dignity—especially for people with continence conditions, disabilities, caregivers, and families on the go. Gail takes us from Victorian ideals to today’s fractured reality: underfunded municipal facilities on high streets versus the polished, well-maintained restrooms you find in malls and airports. She explains why there’s no single “perfect” accessible toilet—because needs can conflict—and shows how a smarter system offers multiple layouts while raising the usability of standard stalls. Think low-force taps and locks, reachable soap, intuitive wayfinding, and lighting that reduces sensory overload. We dig into the Great British Public Toilet Map, an open-data project featuring roughly 15,000 publicly accessible toilets across the UK, and how that database helps people plan trips with confidence and reveals “toilet deserts” where provision lags. We also explore culture and technology. From Japan’s Tokyo Toilet project and the wellness-centric mindset to the promise of privacy-preserving data that aligns opening hours and demand, there’s a clear path to better access without compromising dignity. Along the way, we talk about community toilet schemes, the economics behind cleaning and maintenance, and why businesses sometimes benefit from treating restrooms as part of the customer journey. Gail closes with candid advice for early-career designers: be brave, listen deeply, and let lived experience reshape your brief. If this conversation sparked ideas, subscribe, share with a friend who cares about accessible cities, and leave a review telling us one change that would improve your local public toilets. Your feedback helps more people find the show and keeps these stories flowing. Support the show Follow axschat on social media. Bluesky: Antonio https://bsky.app/profile/akwyz.com Debra https://bsky.app/profile/debraruh.bsky.social Neil https://bsky.app/profile/neilmilliken.bsky.social axschat https://bsky.app/profile/axschat.bsky.social LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/antoniovieirasantos/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/axschat/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/neilmilliken/ Vimeo https://vimeo.com/akwyz https://twitter.com/axschat https://twitter.com/AkwyZ https://twitter.com/neilmilliken https://twitter.com/debraruh

The tools that power accessibility are changing fast, but not always in the ways you’d expect. We sit down with Forrester analyst Gina Bhwalkar to unpack the new Wave on digital accessibility platforms and translate its findings into practical guidance for leaders who need results, not buzzwords. Gina walks us through what the Wave actually measures—quality of capabilities, forward-looking strategy, and real outcomes—and why it’s more than a feature checklist. If you’re choosing a platform to manage risk, drive adoption, and support thousands of properties, this is your map. We dig into a growing split in the market. Some vendors are all-in on prevention inside the software development lifecycle, embedding checks in design systems and CI pipelines. Others focus on compliance monitoring and executive reporting because legal exposure is still the main driver. Geography has become decisive: buyers want local language support and fluency in country-specific laws across Europe and North America, from the EAA to nuanced national requirements. Partner ecosystems now influence delivery quality as much as core features. AI is everywhere—issue detection, tailored remediation suggestions, org-level summaries, even chat-based education for designers and developers. But compliance is unforgiving. Hallucinated Voluntary Product Accessibility Templates and shaky claims create risk, so we argue for a “human at the helm” approach: use AI to scale, keep experts in control, and center people with disabilities in testing and decision-making. We also surface underserved areas buyers care about, including native mobile app testing and faster, more affordable audit models. The most surprising insight: customers’ top request isn’t more AI; it’s usability. Platforms that speak only to engineers stall adoption. Clear dashboards, role-based workflows, and localization are what unlock scale across product, design, and business teams. If you’re evaluating vendors, focus on fit: does it meet your legal landscape, integrate with your pipeline, and deliver insights leaders trust? Listen, then share your biggest challenge in scaling accessibility—and don’t forget to follow, rate, and review to help others find the show. Support the show Follow axschat on social media. Bluesky: Antonio https://bsky.app/profile/akwyz.com Debra https://bsky.app/profile/debraruh.bsky.social Neil https://bsky.app/profile/neilmilliken.bsky.social axschat https://bsky.app/profile/axschat.bsky.social LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/antoniovieirasantos/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/axschat/ Vimeo https://vimeo.com/akwyz https://twitter.com/axschat https://twitter.com/AkwyZ https://twitter.com/neilmilliken https://twitter.com/debraruh

AI loves the average—and that’s exactly why too many people get left out. We sit down with David Banes, chair of the Equitable AI Alliance, to explore how we move disability from the margins of tech conversation to the center of how AI is built, funded, and deployed. From Mobile World Congress to major health and education forums, we share what it takes to get lived experience on main stages and why those introductions from sponsors and allies change the room. We dig into the mechanics of inclusion: design for outliers to include everyone, co‑design with disabled people across the entire product lifecycle, and demand transparency in both datasets and model reasoning. David breaks down where bias shows up most—recruitment tools, university admissions, assessment systems—and how domain‑specific AI can misread faces, voices, and behavior as errors rather than human difference. We talk candidly about the privacy paradox: anonymized data protects people but can hide whether disability is represented at all. The path forward blends informed consent, easy‑read terms, and community governance with rigorous accessibility testing and evaluation against disability‑relevant metrics. Culture shapes everything, so we confront how ideas like “independence” vary by region and why global perspectives must steer inclusive AI. You’ll hear about the Alliance’s open Resource Hub, growing webinar series, and practical ways organizations can partner to raise standards across industry. If you care about accessible technology, ethical AI, and building systems that actually work for real people, this conversation gives you a roadmap and a reason to act. Subscribe for future episodes, share this one with a colleague shaping AI policy or product, and leave a review to help more listeners find these conversations. Your introduction might be the bridge that puts disability on the next big stage. Support the show Follow axschat on social media. Bluesky: Antonio https://bsky.app/profile/akwyz.com Debra https://bsky.app/profile/debraruh.bsky.social Neil https://bsky.app/profile/neilmilliken.bsky.social axschat https://bsky.app/profile/axschat.bsky.social LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/antoniovieirasantos/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/axschat/ Vimeo https://vimeo.com/akwyz https://twitter.com/axschat https://twitter.com/AkwyZ https://twitter.com/neilmilliken https://twitter.com/debraruh

Doors that don’t open themselves often open our eyes. That’s where Laura Wissiak journey began—watching visitors struggle with heavy museum doors in Vienna and realizing that access is the start of every user experience, not an afterthought. From there she taught herself UX, learned to code just enough to ship fixes, and found a voice by blogging through imposter syndrome. Along the way, she discovered that the accessibility community is bigger—and kinder—than it first appears, especially when we treat corrections as collaboration. We dive into the hard parts most teams avoid: why “replace the white cane” is the wrong goal, how social signaling matters for safety and dignity, and what happens when you build with blind users from day one. Laura walks us through Hope Tech’s Sixth Sense, a sleek neck‑worn wearable that detects obstacles from head to knee and slightly beyond shoulder width—where low signs, open doors, and jutting branches lurk. With private haptic feedback, optional audio, and profiles tuned for crowded transit or open streets, Sixth Sense augments the cane’s ground‑level strengths instead of competing with them. Style is part of accessibility too, so the device looks like premium headphones rather than medical gear, reducing stigma and blending into daily life. Beyond hardware, we talk about wayfinding, mental load, and why route planning for multi‑modal trips needs to be less exhausting. Laura shares candid lessons from co‑creation: users may cheer your intent while quietly rejecting your product, and that polite gap can sink a startup. The remedy is rigorous validation, lived experience inside the team, and a willingness to rebuild when the feedback you need contradicts the feedback you want. If you care about inclusive design, assistive technology, UX research, or accessible navigation, this conversation offers grounded insights you can apply today. Enjoy the episode? Follow, share with a colleague, and leave a quick review—then tell us: what’s one feature you’d prioritize for smarter, more human mobility tech? Support the show Follow axschat on social media. Bluesky: Antonio https://bsky.app/profile/akwyz.com Debra https://bsky.app/profile/debraruh.bsky.social Neil https://bsky.app/profile/neilmilliken.bsky.social axschat https://bsky.app/profile/axschat.bsky.social LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/antoniovieirasantos/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/axschat/ Vimeo https://vimeo.com/akwyz https://twitter.com/axschat https://twitter.com/AkwyZ https://twitter.com/neilmilliken https://twitter.com/debraruh