It’s Just Life… Now. Meet Hilda Dunford – Mother of a Child Who Happens to be Blind. @OurBlindSide on Instagram

Full Transcript Show Summary: Hilda Dunford is a mom with 3 children and with the distance learning being the virtual reality that it is, Hilda is fining more and more time to be with her children, learning, caring and growing together. I met Hilda through her @OurBlindSide Instagram account. Her Blog-like content gave me a peek into the life of Hilda, her family and her son who happens to be Blind/Low Vision. With the changes that the...

Into Adulthood: Voting Rights for Youth with Disabilities

Full Transcript Show Summary: Justin and Cindy from the Minnesota Disability Law Center joined Jeff Thompson in the Blind Abilities studio for a discussion on voting rights for youth with disabilities. We also get to talk to Nate and Nikki, 2 young adults, about their experiences voting accessibly using the Auto-Mark device and completing an absentee ballot. How do you find the information on where to vote and how to get your absentee ballot?...

Access and Engagement to Education and Flatten Inaccessibility Surveys: Meet Dr. L. Penny Rosenblum, Director of Research, American Foundation for the Blind (AFB)

Full Transcript Show Summary: Director of Research at American Foundation for the Blind, Dr. L. Penny Rosenblum, Joins us in the Blind Abilities Studio to talk about the two recent surveys, Flatten Inaccessibility and Access and Engagement to Education. The full reports will soon be published, and you can sign up to be notified they are available and stay up to date with AFB’s future research projects. Find out how...

Opening Doors to Opportunities for Transition Age Students: Meet Career Discovery Project Program Director and Author, Jon Marin

Full Transcript Show Summary: Program Director Jon Marin joins Jeff Thompson in the Blind Abilities studio to talk about the Career Discovery Project and his upcoming book release of, “See Us”. With his new book due out soon Jon talks about students and employment and the opportunities created through the Career Discovery Project and the awareness that his new book, See Us, will bring to people around the world. Jon talks about job...

Student Takes Action Against College Board’s Decisions that Leave Blind and Deaf Students Without Adequate Accommodations for the Advanced Placement Exams. Meet Kaleigh Brendle.

Full Transcription Show Summary: Kaleigh Brendle joins Jeff Thompson in the Blind Abilities Studio to talk about the decisions College Board has made in regards to accommodations not being provided even though the accommodations had been in place. Kaleigh has stepped up and is making her voice heard so that the voices of so many Blind, Visually Impaired, Deaf, DeafBlind, Hard of Hearing students will also be heard. Kaleigh is a high school...

Transition and Skills Programs for Youth and Teens at Lighthouse Guild. Meet Jaydan Mitchell, Youth Services Coordinator

Show Summary: Jaydan Mitchell joins Jeffrey Thompson in the Blind Abilities studio and talks about the Youth Skills Program and the Teen Transition Program offered by Lighthouse Guild. We hear from some of the students attending the Youth and Teen programs giving us insight into the positive impact that these programs are having on youth and teens facing the challenges of being blind or having low-vision. Here are some links to Lighthouse Guild...

Locked Down and Distance Learning: Transition Students Describe the Impact of Schools Closing and How They are Meeting the Virtual Challenges and the New Realities of 2020.

Full Transcript Show Summary: Simon Bonenfant pulled together a “RoundTable” of students to talk about distance learning, virtual learning and how they are adjusting to the challenges due to the lockdown and closing of schools across the nation. They talk about accessibility, processes, what’s working and what is not working and how they are advocating to be sure that they are not falling behind. Kaleigh, Simon, John, Jillian and Gianna...

Level Up – A New Online Workshop Series for High School Transition Age Students with Topics Ranging From Self-Advocacy, Self-Determination, Positive Self-Talk and More

Full Transcript Show Summary Transition Coordinator, Sheila Koenig, joined Jeff Thompson in the Blind Abilities studio to introduce us to the new workshop series, “Level Up”. SSB is excited to launch a new opportunity for students to connect with peers and learn about self-advocacy.  On Thursday, April 16 at 7 p.m. CST we will begin our series “Level Up: Learning Self-Advocacy through Music, Movies, & More”. Most of us...

Online with Simon Bonenfant: Meet Becca Weber – Transitioning to the Workplace, Volunteering with the National Homework Hotline and Online Learning for School

Full Transcript Show Summary: Becca Weber joins Simon in the Blind Abilities Studio to talk about her educational journey, her online learning, her assistive technology and her volunteer work with the National Homework Hotline. Becca gives some great advice about having a well-rounded knowledge of assistive technology. The need to know your rights and to be able to self-advocate in your schooling and in the workplace. Becca has her path mapped...

Check Out the Podcast Library from Blind Abilities. Over 621 Podcasts for Transition Students, College to the Workplace, Technology, iPhone101, Interviews and more!

By Jeff Thompson Blind Abilities has over 620 podcasts available on the web at http://blindabilities.com and you can download the free Blind Abilities app on the App Store. For the iPhone and iPad. With one click or tap you can find all the podcasts in the category of your choice. CollegeCareersSTEMiPhone101TechnologyMobilityJob InsightsFitnessInterviewsAnd much more All the Blind Abilities podcasts are done with a blindness...