E46: Driving Inclusion in Banking: Prashant Naik's Accessibility Journey

In this episode of the United in Accessibility podcast, Prashant Naik, a Digital Accessibility Specialist at Union Bank of India, discusses his decade-long efforts to enhance banking accessibility for individuals with disabilities, including the implementation of talking ATMs.

Transcript

00:04 Speaker  

Welcome to the United in Accessibility podcast. Today, we're honored to host Prashant Naik, Digital Accessibility Specialist and Senior Manager at Union Bank of India. Over his decade long career, Prashant has led transformative projects, including talking ATMs and digital accessibility initiatives to enhance inclusion in banking. Prashant's achievements include the prestigious IAAP Accessibility Impact Award 2024 and a National Award by the Government of India for the empowerment of persons with disabilities, reflecting his unwavering commitment to advancing accessibility in the banking sector. With extensive experience and professional certifications, he continues to shape inclusive practices across India. We're excited to hear his insights and the stories behind his journey on the United in Accessibility podcast.

01:00 Christopher Michael Lee  

Nice to have you today on the IAAP podcast. How are you doing, and where are you at?

01:06 Prashant Naik  

Thank you so much, Christopher. I am doing very well. I am in Mumbai, city in India. Thank you so much and looking forward to having a good conversation on this topic. A disclaimer the content and opinion in the session are in my individual capacity and does not represent Union Bank of India's views in any manner.

01:32 Christopher Michael Lee  

Welcome. And I've never been to Mumbai, but I have been to New Delhi and Bangalore, and it's a great place. I'm a huge fan of Indian food. So anyway, give us a little bit of background about yourself, and particularly around your journey in accessible banking.

01:52 Prashant Naik  

So, I am Prashant Naik. I am working in this field of digital accessibility in the capacity as a full time for the past two years as part of Union Bank of India's accessibility initiative, Union Access Accessibility Program. Union Bank of India is one of the largest public sector banks in India, and having a large customer base, large penetration of branches. So, my journey in this banking accessibility started as I have my personal connection. I am a person with albinism condition and having low vision as a disability. My living experience has shaped my passion for promoting inclusion and ensuring equal access, particularly as a banker, I have contributed in the areas of banking services for persons with disabilities. So, my journey began long back almost 18 years ago, before joining the banking sector, I was part of the disability welfare organizations, where I worked with well-known Resource Center in Mumbai for visually impaired persons, where I was doing content creation in accessible format, Daisy that is Digital Accessible Information System, so creation of books in DAISY format. Also in that assignment, I was part of many advocacy initiatives, including banking access for persons with disabilities, that journey and that interactions at that moment of my life with many bankers and the unbanked or underbanked community of my friends has really motivated me to work in this area and I remember the talking ATM in India, the first of prototype work that we did in that resource center for the visually challenge that is in the Saint Xavier's College in Mumbai. That has really given me the opportunity to know about the community requirement, as well as the banking sector. After joining the Union Bank of India, it allowed me actually to merge my disability understanding, my understanding of assistive technology, because I was a trainer teaching jobs to visually impaired persons. Also, after joining the bank, I have acquired the required skill as a banker by certifying myself. So that has given me the opportunity to implement India's first talking ATM, a truly accessible one in the year 2012 as part of Union Bank of India. That was one of the proudest achievements and further, of course, with my regular role as a banker in different departments, I was contributing equally in the area of empowerment of employees with disabilities in my bank voluntarily associated with non-government organizations, so the work is on, and yes, many such initiatives I was part of which has really empowered me, provided me a lot of knowledge and further understanding through certifications, professional qualifications has kept me motivated to realize the accessibility, because it actually promotes innovation. It enhances user experience for everyone. So, I'm part of the journey, a long journey, it has been very rewarding and for personal level, it is transformative for me, and I'm really thrilled to continue advocating for accessibility in banking, financial sector and beyond.

06:08 Christopher Michael Lee  

So, Prashant, just curious, do you mind sharing just a little bit more about your particular disability? You mentioned that you are visually impaired? Was that something that was at birth, or was that something that came along later in life? 

06:20 Prashant Naik  

Well, it is by birth, Albinism condition is a genetical disorder. I'm a person without any pigments. I am having white skin and blonde hair, and because there are no pigments, it has affected my visual acuity, as well as I'm very, very prone to sun burn, high altitude travel. All these are my challenges. I can say my visual acuity is I can read and write, but from a very near distance, and using assistive aids like magnification and something like prismatic lenses, monochromes or using a large monitor. So, this is all by birth. I have been educated, got my education, employment with this condition. Because of my condition itself, I think I got good understanding what person with disability, a person with total visual disability, or person with partial visual disability is facing in different industries, sectors, and, yeah, that is giving me a good understanding about the requirements at the user level. 

07:31 Christopher Michael Lee  

You know, it's interesting. I grew up having dyslexia. They called it something else when I was younger, I went to a special school, and I rode a smaller bus that took me to this school. This was in the second and third grade, fourth grade, and there was a woman, a girl, on the bus, that had the same condition that you have, and it was a challenge for her to explain her disability, mainly because the lack of pigment. And I'm just curious about just growing up, how you handled that with your peers, with your students, and did you go to a special school like I did for a couple years, or was it something that you were, you know, mainstreamed?

08:15 Prashant Naik  

Well, yes, here in India, having a different skin color and looking different from majority is definitely a big social challenge, at least during my childhood days, I remember, I can say many situations where I was really embarrassed or I was tortured, harassed, whatnot. But yes, I have attended a regular school, not a special school. I was part of the regular school. I studied with my fellow able-bodied students. And actually, that is really one of the advantages, because I was always supported, although I have faced certain challenges, as I mentioned, but that's part of life, and yes, even my college education, my further education, was always in the regular universities stream. I have taken advantage of sitting on the first bench because I was not able to see the blackboard many times, copying from the fellow student’s notebook. Yes, that was how the journey is, yes, because of sun burn, because I'm very prone to sun burn, avoiding outdoor activities, that is how my life is as far as possible. But it's not like I cannot. I can, but I need to take care of my thin skin. I appreciate you sharing that. And I guess there are some pokes in the sense of accommodating in school systems, you know, sitting in the front and getting able to copy someone's notes. So, there's some positive stuff tied to it, but I do appreciate you sharing that personal information with us. So, what I love about this podcast, particular podcast, is not only the topic of accessible banking, just that you have achieved so much include. Just recently, you know, getting an IAAP Impact Award as well as the National Award for Empowerment for Persons with Disabilities. Can you tell us a little bit about these awards and how they've impacted you? Thank you so much for the appreciation the National Award, which is bestowed by Honorable President of India that was in the year 2012 it was one of the proudest moment for anybody in in our country to get a receiving award from the highest authority. And that has come due to the almost my journey of 10 years of working in this field, as I mentioned, although 18 years. But it also started prior to that, with India's first cyber cafe for the Blind in the year 2002 where I was handling the cyber cafe for the visual impaired, where it was having Jaws as assistive technology. That was the beginning of the era of computer revolution, beginning of the area of information access, and early years of computer access with internet facility. So I was able to contribute a lot in that first of my assignment in this area, in this field, and followed by, as I mentioned about, my other contributions through other organizations, I was also part of setting up advanced computer programming center for visual impaired in the year 2005 followed by my assignment job as a project manager with Xavier's Resource Center For visually challenge from 2006 to 2012 so all this journey, I have contributed in various sectors, from training 1000s of visual impaired persons on using computer, ah, assistive technology development, some products, contribution, advocating for amendment of Copyright Act of India, so that access to the information through the books is possible as a team member of JVs Resource Center for Visually Challenge. And yes, the one of the most achievement is that having talked a team in India as truly accessible, having features of using any bank card, not having any specialized card kind of a service, and further improvising its overall workflow so that it is followed by all the banks. So that has provided me the opportunity to be awarded at the national level, and yes, the recent international recognition through IAAP Impact Award, 2024. It was incredibly humbling and deeply meaningful for me, because the journey is on, and these recognitions are not only my personal recognitions, but it's a collective effort of advocating for accessibility, inclusion, with many of the coworkers, the seniors and those who have shared they have supported me, inspired me throughout my journey. 

12:27 Christopher Michael Lee  

That is beautiful. It's amazing to come from where you started, you know, as you mentioned earlier, somebody that was, you know, born with visual impairment, dealt with some bullying, dealt with some challenges, like a lot of people do, and to be at the place you are right now, making impact, making systems change, and being recognized for that. It's very humbling to have you here today, and the work that you're doing is so impactful, particularly in India. So, I wanted to go back to a little bit of the discussion that we had about the, you know, accessible ATM and I believe and correct me if I'm wrong, I believe you said it was back in 2012, and I think I heard you mentioned that it was on a college campus. Is that correct?

13:57 Prashant Naik  

Yeah, the journey started with developing prototype at college campus, with the support and collaborative efforts with the vendors, but the actual implementation as employee of the bank, I was able to achieve when I joined Union Bank of India. There are two parts. One is in the year 2010/11, developing prototyping, and then as I joined Union Bank of India, actually implementation, making it a live talking ATM solution that happened in the year 2012.

14:33 Christopher Michael Lee  

And you mentioned that it was one of your greatest accomplishments. Can you say why that is?

14:41 Prashant Naik  

Yes, so in India, the banking access is for persons with vision impairment and persons with disability when we started our journey in 2008 was one of the major challenge areas through our efforts, advocating with the regulators, we were able to get the circulars, the directives issued and from the Reserve Bank of India, that is a main regulator of banks in India. So, the circular was issued, the directive was issued in the year 2008 followed by our follow ups about not only the banking access, but also about the accessible ATM machines, so that also the directives we received and then the work was to having a real solution for that. As part of the XR CBC team, we worked with two to three vendors we conceptualize what a requirement for a visual impaired users we tested with their prototype, or the solutions of text to speech engine, the screens, the access to the screens for low vision person, we created a checklist also and post that. Of course, that was just a prototype, but getting that in field, and not only a single ATM, but having a large number of ATMs, not only by one bank, but by many banks, so that users can get access to automated teller machine at their nearest location where the contribution is first having a real, workable solution with having a card access of any bank. So that was implemented and further, we work with the Indian Bank Association, that's an umbrella body of banks in India, to make it a standard creator for that. So, a model talking ATM was recognized as Union Bank of India and the same workflow. Because, again, as a visually impaired user, if I come across various different methods and workflows, it may be confusing for me with different vendors and different banks. So, the advocacy and success to have model talking ATM workflow was achieved. And first of all, that efforts of having just one ATMs to 10, 10 to 50, then 1000s of ATMs across India. One of the major works, where, along with not only my employer bank, but other banks, I worked other vendors. It's not only a single vendor or two or three vendors. There are many vendors who have ATMs machines. So, this was a long journey of 2010 onwards, and even today, where, with progress of technologies and many other features, the talking ATM is something which was having one of the biggest challenges so that was overcome, and having a fully accessible solution was achieved. Furthermore, the talking ATM located is something which I was part of, and that was my individual level achievement, or I can say individual level initiative. I can say voluntarily, totally voluntary initiative to develop such a web portal. And yes, further sustaining it, maintaining it, getting data that all was done. So, user connect, community, spreading awareness, demonstrations, creating videos, all that were journeys of talking ATM and that really, really has a long impact on the community and the banking sector.

18:38 Speaker  

The IAAP Certified Professional and Accessibility Core Competencies, CPACC credential is IAAPs foundational certification. Representing broad cross disciplinary, conceptual knowledge about thoughtful design, policy and management to be inclusive of all. The CPACC is the ideal credential for those who manage and support accessibility, but who may not personally design, implement or evaluate the technical details of accessible solutions. Check out the exam content outline on our website.

19:14 Christopher Michael Lee  

Yeah, no, I agree, and just not to say people with disabilities having access to you know their financial information is critical, and you mentioned earlier about just accessible documents and banking. Can you talk a little bit about some of the work that you've done with that particularly?

19:35 Prashant Naik  

Yes, so I am part of Union Access Accessibility Program, which was launched in May 2022, and I'm a full-time part of this program, so number of initiatives are undertaken with the team, and it is most important thing is we have a strategy developed to create inclusion, innovations and improvements, in what areas of banking we are working on. So, you mentioned accessible documents. So that is one of the areas where, as in the banking sector, we have communications in the form of circulars, internal circulars, number of policy documents, your intern, inter office documents, information, emails. A lot of things are there in a bank where access to this is most important as a screen reader user or as a low vision person. Many times, PDF documents are created using Scan PDF, which is not at all accessible with screen reader. Also, they have poor quality to visually see them that depend on the quality of the scanning. So, one of the most important is to break text-based PDF. Or we advocated for OCR best, or in ideal scenario, Word to PDF, created documents uploaded in the banks, DMS, Document Management System. So that has given us the access to lot of information as a blind person, because then the thing, which was totally in accessible for me, where I was dependent on somebody to read it out for me, a simple new policy, new products, new policy documents, so that has become accessible. Another area of accessible documentation is the user manuals. When we started talking ATM, we implemented talking at him, user manual with accessible PDF in electronic Braille format. It was made available in the DAISY format, full text, full audio, DAISY format. And all these documents are made available on the bank's corporate website. Now, through the union access, we have created number of user manuals for bank products, which are available in accessible PDF as well as large print format. Very recently, just a week ago, we came out with the digital rupee that is one of the central bank digital currency app user manuals for mobile app, both iOS as well as Android, users in all the three formats of EPUB, Daisy and accessible PDF. That's one of the key areas of document accessibility, which we have worked on under the union access, and that is only one area. The range of work that we have carried out is, of course, the most important thing is about innovating different products. So, in 2022 we have come out with the union spurs card. It's a debit card that has tactile as well as Braille features. So, a card product for visually impaired customers, that has helped in addressing the issue of identifying the bank name as well as the type of the card and right way to use the card. So that is one of the products that we launched. and in addition to that, one of the major accessibility barriers is CAPTCHAs. Bank has many portals, internal portals, customer facing portals, websites, the mobile apps where the authentication requires capture. So, we have come out with or most of the cases we have used accessible method of CAPTCHA, where we have used logical or mathematical questions readable with the screen reader. Very recently, this digital rupee app, which we made fully accessible, is having features of identification of coins and notes, currency notes with screen reader which was not earlier possible, or apps like tokenization app where the OTP or the code generated is auto announced. So, a person who is using Internet Banking portal without even using navigation through his screen reader, he can just generate the code, and that code is auto auto announced by the app. So these are few of the innovations, and we are working towards more in the innovations area on accessible banking. Awareness is the key to achieve accessibility, as we are learning from our journey. And it is not just once. It has to be done regularly. Lot of efforts we are putting and being a large bank, it is huge number of stakeholders we have to work with, from IT professional, digitization professionals, the training, staff, human resources, because it's not the work only for the customers. We equally provide support, accessibility support to the employees with disabilities. We have more than 2500 employees with disabilities. So, the support to them is also equally important to have this initiative sustainable long term, when asked to have the policies developed so that work is carried out in our journey in accessibility program to have strong internal policies to ensure that they focus on inclusion and accessibility. So these are the few initiatives there is a long list, like development of eLearning models so that our staff member can go through the E Learning Modules, self-paced modules for disability etiquette, Introduction to Indian sign languages, or it can be the variety officers, the capacity building so that all work is carried out during accessibility implementation at Union Bank of India. 

25:59 Christopher Michael Lee  

Okay, there is so much to unpack with all that you just laid out. Incredible stuff, interesting stuff. I could drill down on several of those points, and I know we don't have time, but just curious the tactile card that you mentioned can you just describe a little bit more about that? I mean, with our audience, when you talk about tactile, the way you touch the card and how you feel the card, you mentioned about knowing which card is tied to which bank, correct. Can you speak just a little bit more about that? Wow, that's fascinating. It really is. All the work that's gone into making the call designed in a way that people can get access to it. There's a lot of, you know, frustration that goes on when you go into your day, when you have a disability, and if you can limit that frustration by, you know, designing a card so it's easier for someone to use when they need to use it and not have to, we try to reuse it and use it to get it to work. So, I commend the work on that. I'm just going to rapidly fire some questions at you, because there's so much to unpack, as I mentioned a few minutes ago. The E learning module that you talked about, you know, having employees learn about the awareness or be exposed to the wellness of some of these accessible features. Do you know, just curious about what, what platform that you're using? Because a big part of digital accessibility is around education and learning is around digital platforms being accessible. Have you all tested platforms? Have you? Have you made a decision which platform that you're going to use, or have you developed your own platform? 

26:29 Prashant Naik  

Yes, so debit card solution, which is having on the face of the card the Braille letter "U". U stands for Union Bank of India. And at the age of the card, which is opposite to your smart card, opposite a. A shorter age is having a half-rounded circle cut. So this circle, half semicircle cut, is for debit cards and we have also conceptualized a credit card where it will be having a squarish cut. So, this cut is or the notch is helping us to peel the card age where we need to hold the card. The face of the card is always on the top of it when you insert the card into your ATM machine, as well as the card, is having large Union Bank of India logo and having good contrast that helps a person with low vision to know that "U" is a big Union Bank of India logo demonstrate that it is easily visible. So, the tactile is basically one is the cut or the not the Braille letter "U" that stands for Union Bank of India. And the large font, good texture is used for the bank logo. So, these are the key features. Now, bank name, of course, by filling the Braille is identified. The notch is the side, right side to hold the card, because we have seen many users using card in the wrong way, and then they are ultimately resulting in a machine getting hung up at a machine because they are inserting card in the wrong way. Many times, help is required. I have two, three cards of different banks to ask someone key tell me, which is this card, this that card? So those problems we have addressed to Union spurs. Spurs is a Hindi word which stands for touch, the debit card, which has helped us. And not only what Union Bank of India has done, though that is followed by the peer banks, they have also come out with a similar solution. It has opened up access to cards for visually impaired persons.  Well as a large sector bank, we have different verticals, and we have a training college. It is called the Union Bank Knowledge Center. So, it's all per view of them to go for the tendering and selection of the specific platform, the vendor, the developers, etc. But one thing was ensured that the RFP is that the tendering process or the document was having requirement for WCAG compliance. So, where we got into picture, where, in the initial discussions, we were called to demonstrate what accessibility is. It is using actually internet-based portal eLearning, where, basically, user is logged in, logging in the employee with his authentication of employee ID and further authentication process and in the portal, different options are provided for searching. We have more than 700 courses as a banking industry, on the main banking, core banking areas, from credit to deposits and using the core banking solutions, the IT related, I mean, all the key courses are part of it, so users are required to complete mandatory courses, as well as the role based courses, so that features of attending a course presentation web based or audio visual based. Yes, the courses are supported by audios, and post completion of the course assessment is one has to complete to complete his course, to achieve the course completion certificate and all this journey we have tested. It was a few months of work where we were part of the testing team. Issues were raised and addressed and Portal based journey, the app-based journeys are now very much Maximus accessible, access, accessible for visual impaired persons to complete with this assistive technology.

31:52 Christopher Michael Lee  

Great. Thank you for explaining that, breaking that down, you mentioned the RFP process, which is such an important piece. You know, a lot of times what I like to call the lack of accessibility within the organization deals with that procurement component. You know, when that's bleeding, you want to stop the bleeding and make sure that you're producing and purchasing accessible products and services. Do you work closely with your procurement team? And how does that relationship work with your accessibility job duties? 

32:26 Prashant Naik  

You mentioned it very rightly. The requirement should be mentioned in your RFPs for having accessible platforms, accessible products. That's the first step, because once it is there in the tendering and you bring in your selected vendor, you can definitely chase him. You can ask for accessibility. So that's most important. So, what we have done to achieve that is, of course, it's work in progress. It is long way to go the procurement policies, to have the clause, because the organizations refer internal policies people may change as banking. You must be aware of the transfers. And people keep on moving from one vertical, one department, one branch, one office, to another office regularly. So, you need to have something black and white. So, where policies are important to have the clauses. So, we were able to achieve that through having our IT procurement policy to have a clause on WCAG as one of the requirements not only that, but even the Information Technology Policy is having a chapter on digital accessibility. That's something which I think one of the great achievements we feel. Because once it is there, it will be there throughout the next revisions, of course, we can keep on improving it. As well as the commitment of bank is one more important thing for any organization to work in the accessibility area is having a leadership commitment that the top bottom approach. So, your accessibility commitment on the public, like what we have on the corporate website, and fortunately, as in our organization, me and my teammates are having disabilities. We are part of this program. As you are aware that "nothing about us, without us", that really helps, because we know what is required as users of technology, as we do face in accessibility, in other platforms, other than banking, also in daily living. It can be contrast level. It can be poor magnification. It can be screened or in accessibility and label button. So many so we know what is required as well as we are part of the system, so we know, as a bank, what are the possibilities where we need to have adjustments, or where we can push for maximizing accessibility. Once you have procurement with accessibility, that really helps. In my experience. Science with accessibility journey, it is really proven, and I really wish every organization would have such a policies where a clause is entered into RFPs.

35:14 Christopher Michael Lee  

Thank you for that. Now I've got four other questions for you. I want to get through these. I'm going to have a little bit of time. We'll just start. I'll start with, I want to go back real quickly with the ATM and I know that you have contributed to, you know, handbook, you know that really is focused on truly accessible ATMs as well as I believe those there's a bankers guide, the IDA bank is guide that really supports customers with special needs. Can you just briefly share with us, you know, just how these resources have enhanced accessibility in banking?

35:47 Prashant Naik  

So, the handbook on truly accessible ATMs is basically outlining the standard is requirement for accessibility in ATM design, including it has got what should be the workflow for talking ATM, the features of having the Braille keypad, the instructor, Braille instruction labels, the voice output, multilingual, as we also need to have other than English, the regional language support. And it also gives different vendors are having machines with different structure, so that so is well explained. So, there is something called as a orientation in the beginning of the ATM, as well as for the user to know where it can be the 3.5 mm jack located in that particular type of ATM machine. That is where this handbook on truly accessible talking ATM helps to understand the usage before visiting. And once the person got acquainted, the once person is regular user we have seen, within a one minute, they are able to complete the transaction. And they are out because they are well aware about where the part is, where, inserting the card, where, inserting the headphone jack from where the cash will be dispensed and so on. This is a very important document which educated people, and we made different efforts to also create audio demos, mp3 based which are part of the talking ATM India website, on the resources page. The next thing is about Indian Bank Association, bankers guide. Now there was a demand and push from different stakeholders. The umbrella body of Indian Bank Association, set up a committee, and I was part of the committee from the bank side, and I was happy to be there as I was representing or having the understanding of both as a person with disability as well as a banker. Other bankers were part of it. And through all the consultations with the stakeholders, the disability community, we have come out with a good report on accessible banking, on credit facilities, and on technology side. And one of the action points was to have compilation of existing directives from Reserve Bank of India, from Indian Bank Association, from disability laws in India. So, this is a book which I compiled by referring to all these required directives and documents. This was in the year 2018 and that talk has now part of many banks, corporate websites, web page called customers services for customers with disabilities. So there one can find this document which is accessible PDF. It is like a one stop, a document where the bankers can refer to what are the existing guidelines from the Union Bank of India for banking access to visual impaired banking access to other disabilities. What about the ATM directory? What the accessibility requirements under the accessible India campaign, which was launched in 2016. So, this book is a good compilation, and that has really helped in spreading awareness, not only for the bankers, but even at the user level, to advocate for the banking services. Because as a user, as a blind person, if I am denying accessibility or access to the banking, I can always talk about visiting your website. You have already uploaded an IBA and banker's guide, and that really helped many of our users and the communities get access to banking. 

39:26 Christopher Michael Lee  

Thank you, Prashant. We are out of time, but just in one minute, could you just, you know, briefly share any you know, kind of key takeaways that you would like to provide our listeners?

39:39 Prashant Naik  

Yeah, the journey has taught me that accessibility benefits everyone. So, it is not just for people with disabilities. It really improves usability for all we have seen, like features of voice commands or captioning, although they are these. Time for accessibility, but they have become mainstream. Also, actually inclusivity, Inclusion should bear mindset. It's not just a compliance, frankly, because we have to integrate accessibility into design. It should not be the afterthought. Yeah, it's most important thing is collaboration, learning, the professional qualifications that really gives you understanding about it from the IAAP courses that I have done. The final thing is, it's actually business opportunity, having accessible products. So overall, I can say, yes, it's a journey. So let's embrace the accessibility journey. 

40:43 Christopher Michael Lee  

Prashant thank you for your time. This has been a just a fascinating podcast. There's so much, as I mentioned earlier, that drill down on. We could have spent another hour talking about some of the ATM features and some of the tactile cards and so on. So again, thank you so much for your time and again congratulations on the awards, particularly the IAAP Impact Award, and we look forward to seeing many great things come from you in the future.

41:12 Prashant Naik  

Thank you for having me in this conversation and making accessibility a priority. Thank you so much.

41:21 Speaker  

The International Association of Accessibility Professionals Membership consists of individuals and organizations representing various industries, including the private sector, government, non-profits and educational institutions. Membership benefits include products and services that support global systemic change around the digital and built environment. United in Accessibility, join IAAP and become a part of the global accessibility movement.