{"id":6577,"date":"2021-03-02T17:52:59","date_gmt":"2021-03-02T23:52:59","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blindabilities.com\/?p=6577"},"modified":"2021-03-07T11:42:50","modified_gmt":"2021-03-07T17:42:50","slug":"how-a-journey-through-vision-loss-prepared-laura-allen-to-become-head-of-strategy-for-accessibility-and-disability-inclusion-at-google","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/?p=6577","title":{"rendered":"How a Journey Through Vision Loss Prepared Laura Allen to Become Head of Strategy for Accessibility and Disability Inclusion at Google"},"content":{"rendered":"<!--powerpress_player--><div class=\"powerpress_player\" id=\"powerpress_player_7902\"><audio class=\"wp-audio-shortcode\" id=\"audio-6577-1\" preload=\"none\" style=\"width: 100%;\" controls=\"controls\"><source type=\"audio\/mpeg\" src=\"https:\/\/traffic.libsyn.com\/secure\/blindabilities\/LauraAllen.mp3?_=1\" \/><a href=\"https:\/\/traffic.libsyn.com\/secure\/blindabilities\/LauraAllen.mp3\">https:\/\/traffic.libsyn.com\/secure\/blindabilities\/LauraAllen.mp3<\/a><\/audio><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a href=\"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/?page_id=6580\">Full Transcript<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Show Summary:<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Laura Allen joins Raqi and Jeff in the Blind Abilities Studio to talk about new developments in Google\u2019s accessibility and disability inclusion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Laura Allen is Head of strategy for Accessibility and Disability Inclusion,&nbsp;bringing together the Google network of teams to bring awareness to accessibility and disability inclusion within the entire google corporation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Laura uses a mix of accessibility tools to be independent which gives her a clear perspective on the need for accessibility and how inclusion in the workplace is an everyday experience for everyone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Laura talks about the new developments in accessibility, resources and how the teams at Google are innovating for a more accessible future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>From high school to college to the workplace, Laura has been building on&nbsp; her life experience to bring awareness and to develop strategies for accessibility across Google\u2019s products and building a more inclusive workplace environment at Google.<br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To find out more about Google and Accessibility check out the links to their Accessibility Blog and Support Team below.<br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>From the Google Blog:&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/blog.google\/outreach-initiatives\/accessibility\/\">The latest news about our efforts to help everyone access and enjoy the web.&nbsp;<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>From the Google Help Center:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You can use&nbsp;Google Workspace&nbsp;for online collaboration, organization, and productivity. These&nbsp;resources can&nbsp;help you&nbsp;get started with Google Workspace using assistive technology.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/support.google.com\/a\/answer\/1631886?hl=en\">Google Workspace User Guide to Accessibility<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/support.google.com\/accessibility#topic=9071908\">Google Support Team on Accessibility<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You can connect with any of the Google accessibility support teams for Android, Chrome, Workspace, Chrome Book, YouTube and more Google Products. You can also&nbsp;&nbsp;join an accessibility&nbsp;&nbsp;community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Contact Your State Services<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>If you reside in Minnesota, and you would like to know more about Transition Services from State Services contact Transition Coordinator Sheila Koenig by&nbsp;<a href=\"mailto:Sheila.Koenig@state.mn.us\">email<\/a>&nbsp;or contact her via phone at 651-539-2361.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Contact:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>You can follow us on Twitter&nbsp;<a href=\"http:\/\/www.twitter.com\/blindabilities\">@BlindAbilities<\/a><br>On the web at&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/\">www.BlindAbilities.com<\/a><br>Send us an&nbsp;<a href=\"mailto:info@BlindAbilities.com\">email<\/a><br>Get the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/itunes.apple.com\/us\/app\/blind-abilities\/id1085849859?l=es&amp;mt=8\">Free Blind Abilities App&nbsp;on the App Store<\/a>and&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/play.google.com\/store\/apps\/details?id=com.blindabilities.android.blind&amp;hl=en_US\">Google Play Store<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Check out the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/groups\/607027582712671\/\">Blind Abilities Community<\/a>on Facebook, the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/BlindAbilities\/\">Blind Abilities Page<\/a>, and the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/groups\/jobinsightsgroup\">Career Resources for the Blind and Visually Impaired<\/a>&nbsp;group<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<!--powerpress_player--><div class=\"powerpress_player\" id=\"powerpress_player_7904\"><audio class=\"wp-audio-shortcode\" id=\"audio-6577-3\" preload=\"none\" style=\"width: 100%;\" controls=\"controls\"><source type=\"audio\/mpeg\" src=\"https:\/\/traffic.libsyn.com\/secure\/blindabilities\/LauraAllen.mp3?_=3\" \/><a href=\"https:\/\/traffic.libsyn.com\/secure\/blindabilities\/LauraAllen.mp3\">https:\/\/traffic.libsyn.com\/secure\/blindabilities\/LauraAllen.mp3<\/a><\/audio><\/div><p>https:\/\/traffic.libsyn.com\/secure\/blindabilities\/LauraAllen.mp3 Full Transcript Show Summary: Laura Allen joins Raqi and Jeff in the Blind Abilities Studio to talk about new developments in Google\u2019s accessibility and disability inclusion. Laura Allen is Head of strategy for Accessibility and Disability Inclusion,&nbsp;bringing together the Google network of teams to bring awareness to accessibility and disability inclusion within the entire [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":8,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[17,524,467,514],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6577","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-bapresents","category-tech-abilities","category-technology","category-transcribed"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p6rcRg-1I5","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":7739,"url":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/?p=7739","url_meta":{"origin":6577,"position":0},"title":"ABLR Works: BVI Training Program for Digital Accessibility Testers &#8211; Meet CEO, Disability Awareness Speaker and Author, John Samuel","author":"Blind Abilities Team","date":"December 7, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Podcast Summary: When speaking to businesses ,adding Accessibility to Diversity Equity and Inclusion, an IDEA worth Spreading.is what John Samuel is all about. As CEO of\u00a0ABLR Works, John talks about a new program that they have developed to teach Blind and Visually Impaired students to become Digital Accessibility Testers. ABLR\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;BlindAbilities Presents&quot;","block_context":{"text":"BlindAbilities Presents","link":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/?cat=17"},"img":{"alt_text":"BlindAbilities Logo A black square with white initials, B A.","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":6331,"url":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/?p=6331","url_meta":{"origin":6577,"position":1},"title":"Tech Has the Power to Change Lives, Especially People with Disabilities \u2013 Meet Kiran Kaja: Google&#8217;s Accessibility Lead for Search, Assistant and News","author":"Blind Abilities Team","date":"November 3, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"Full Transcript Show Summary: Kiran Kaja is the Accessibility Lead for Search, Assistant and News at Google. Kiran joins Jeff Thompson in the Blind Abilities Studio for a conversation about Kiran\u2019s journey from a bleak outlook for education to his jobs that led him around the world and to Google.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;BlindAbilities Presents&quot;","block_context":{"text":"BlindAbilities Presents","link":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/?cat=17"},"img":{"alt_text":"Google written in Braille","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Google-Doodle-for-Louis-Brailles-107th-Birthday.-has-Google-in-Braille.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Google-Doodle-for-Louis-Brailles-107th-Birthday.-has-Google-in-Braille.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Google-Doodle-for-Louis-Brailles-107th-Birthday.-has-Google-in-Braille.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":3608,"url":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/?p=3608","url_meta":{"origin":6577,"position":2},"title":"Introducing Geoff Eden: A Pioneer in Canadian Disability Advocacy","author":"Blind Abilities Team","date":"June 4, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Blind Abilities moves north of the US border and chats with Geoff Eden. Geoff has been a long time advocate in the Canadian blindness community, with his work for CNIB as a Manager, his procurement of early assistive technology and other adaptive equipment for CNIB clients. Geoff worked for the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;BlindAbilities Presents&quot;","block_context":{"text":"BlindAbilities Presents","link":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/?cat=17"},"img":{"alt_text":"BlindAbilities Logo A black square with white initials, B A.","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":8283,"url":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/?p=8283","url_meta":{"origin":6577,"position":3},"title":"Gina Martin&#8217;s Journey Toward Founding Diverse Abilities is a Testament to Resilience and Transformation","author":"Blind Abilities Team","date":"June 2, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Podcast Summary: Join us on Blind Abilities as we talk with Gina Martin, founder of Diverse Abilities. Diagnosed with Progressive Cone Dystrophy in 1992, Gina's journey to embrace her blindness began in 2015. 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If You Don\u2019t Believe in Yourself, Trust Me, No One is Going to Believe in You. Meet Google Accessibility Testing Program Manager &#8211; Jyotsna Kaki.","author":"Blind Abilities Team","date":"May 26, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"Full Transcript Show Summary: Jyotsna Kaki, Google\u2019s Accessibility Testing Program Manager,\u00a0joins the That Blind Tech Show team in the Blind Abilities studio to talk about Google Accessibility and Jyotsna\u2019s journey to her present position at Google. 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Be My Eyes is a free app that connects blind and low-vision people with sighted volunteers and company representatives for visual assistance through a live video call. Download for iOS Download for Android Alexander Hauerslev\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;CSUN2019&quot;","block_context":{"text":"CSUN2019","link":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/?cat=525"},"img":{"alt_text":"BlindAbilities Logo A black square with white initials, B A.","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6577","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=6577"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6577\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6583,"href":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6577\/revisions\/6583"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/8"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=6577"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=6577"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=6577"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}