AXSChat Podcast
Podcast by Antonio Santos, Debra Ruh, Neil Milliken: Connecting Accessibility, Disability, and Technology
Welcome to a vibrant community where we explore accessibility, disability, assistive technology, diversity, and the future of work. Hosted by Antonio Santos, Debra Ruh, and Neil Milliken, our open online community is committed to crafting an inclusive world for everyone.
Accessibility for All: Our Mission
Believing firmly that accessibility is not just a feature but a right, we leverage the transformative power of social media to foster connections, promote in-depth discussions, and spread vital knowledge about groundbreaking work in access and inclusion.
Weekly Engagements: Interviews, Twitter Chats, and More
Join us for compelling weekly interviews with innovative minds who are making strides in assistive technology. Participate in Twitter chats with contributors dedicated to forging a more inclusive world, enabling greater societal participation for individuals with disabilities.
Diverse Topics: Encouraging Participation and Voice
Our conversations span an array of subjects linked to accessibility, from technology innovations to diverse work environments. Your voice matters! Engage with us by tweeting using the hashtag #axschat and be part of the movement that champions accessibility and inclusivity for all.
Be Part of the Future: Subscribe Today
We invite you to join us in this vital dialogue on accessibility, disability, assistive technology, and the future of diverse work environments. Subscribe today to stay updated on the latest insights and be part of a community that's shaping the future inclusively.
Episodes
287 episodes
Inside Forrester’s Wave: How Accessibility Platforms Stack Up
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 ...
•
31:22
How We Build AI That Includes The Outliers
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...
•
26:21
Building Tech People Actually Want
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. Fr...
•
28:23
Who gets to joke about pain—and why it matters
What if the fastest way to change a mind is to make it laugh first? We sit down with comedian and writer-performer Julliet Burton to explore how humor can turn stigma into understanding without losing its edge. Julliet shares the craft behind h...
•
32:22
From Developer to Advocate: Building an Accessible Future in Germany
Marc Haunschild joins AXSChat to share his experiences as an accessibility consultant helping companies navigate the European Accessibility Act and comply with modern digital inclusion standards. Drawing from nearly two decades as a developer, ...
•
24:18
Are We Losing Ourselves to Artificial Intelligence?
The fascinating yet troubling relationship between artificial intelligence and human connection takes center stage in this thought-provoking discussion. Debra, Neil, and Antonio dive deep into the paradox of technology that promises connection ...
•
25:13
The Invisible Link: Hypermobility and Neurodivergence
What happens when our bodies and brains are more connected than medicine has led us to believe? In this illuminating conversation, Jane Green MBE, founder and chair of SEDS Connective, unpacks the profound yet often overlooked connection betwee...
•
27:28
Unlocking ADHD in Singapore
What does it mean to be diagnosed with ADHD at age 50? For Moonlake Lee, it wasn't just a personal revelation – it became the catalyst for creating Singapore's first charity dedicated to supporting people with ADHD.When Moonlake's daugh...
•
31:46
Accessibility Journey: From Casino Dealer to Code Champion
Julia Undeutsch's path to becoming an accessibility specialist defies conventional career trajectories. From studying musicology and Japanese while working as a poker dealer to becoming a passionate advocate for digital inclusion, her story rev...
•
29:15
From Front-End Developer to Accessibility Champion
Crystal Preston-Watson takes us on her fascinating journey from self-taught coder and journalism dropout to becoming a Senior Digital Accessibility Analyst at Salesforce's Office of Accessibility. With refreshing honesty, she shares how her own...
•
32:38
Can Business Schools Bridge the Corporate Inclusion Gap?
What does it take to lead effectively in today's diverse business landscape? Gisele Marcus, Vice Dean at Olin Business School at Washington University in St. Louis, brings a refreshing perspective shaped by her extensive Fortune 500 experience ...
•
32:57
What if deaf people could have truly private phone calls?
Communication is everything, but what if you couldn't make a private phone call? Tomer Aharoni, CEO and co-founder of Nagish, joins AXSChat to reveal how his team is revolutionizing accessibility for deaf and hard of hearing individuals.
•
28:26
Rediscovering Disability in Ancient Rome: The Cambridge School Classics Project
When was the last time your history book mentioned Julius Caesar's seizures or Hannibal's missing eye? The erasure of disability from our historical narratives isn't accidental—it reveals our modern discomfort with integrating disability into s...
•
37:00
The Body You Have is the Only One That Matters
What if fitness was designed to meet you exactly where you are, instead of demanding that you change to fit into someone else's idea of exercise? That's the revolutionary concept behind Second Skin Society, and founder Lee-Anne Reuber is making...
•
28:09
The Accessibility Apprenticeship Revolution
Dimple Khagram, founder and CEO of Purple Beard Training, talks about creating the UK's first Accessibility Specialist Apprenticeship in an interview with Antonio Santos and Neil Milliken. What began as a passion project has expanded into a maj...
•
27:52
Accessibility Champion's Journey at Sanofi
What happens when a curious quality assurance tester encounters an odd request about color contrast? For Iulia Brehuescu, it sparked a journey that would transform not only her career but also impact accessibility practices across a global phar...
•
24:58
Silicon Savanna Speaks: When Mobile-First Meets Accessibility
What does digital accessibility look like in a mobile-first continent with 1.4 billion people speaking hundreds of languages across 50+ countries? Irene Mbari-Kirika, Executive Director and Founder of
•
29:57
The Communication Gap in Tech Accessibility
Accessibility in mobile technology has evolved from seemingly impossible challenges to remarkable innovations. Join us as we welcome back Sabine Lobnig from the Mobile and Wireless Forum to discuss this fascinating journey.Sabine shares...
•
27:51
Myths, Misunderstandings, and Magic Tools: Demystifying the European Accessibility Act
The countdown to the European Accessibility Act has begun, and organizations across the EU and beyond are racing to understand what this landmark legislation means for their products and services. In this timely conversation, accessibility expe...
•
28:10
The Invisible Revolution: How Code-Based Graphics Are Changing the Internet
Accessibility and sustainability collide in this eye-opening conversation with Heather Neff, CEO of Equivalent. She returns to AXSChat to share groundbreaking developments in their mission to transform static graphics into responsive, accessibl...
•
26:34
Confusing, Hopeful, and Necessary: Our AI Accessibility Journey
The most valuable accessibility conversations are happening in unexpected places. In this reflection on recent events, the AccessJet team shares how conferences focused on broader topics yielded surprising insights about disability inclusion, c...
•
17:33
From Frustration to Delight: Real Accessibility Wins in Everyday Products
When we're constantly fighting for baseline accessibility compliance, it's easy to miss the quiet victories happening around us. In this candid conversation, returning guest Steve Tyler shares refreshingly positive experiences that demonstrate ...
•
35:58
Tristan Lavender on Leading Philips' Neurodiversity Network
What happens when a global company with 70,000 employees embraces neurodiversity as a driver of innovation? Tristan Lavender, founder and chair of Philips Neurodiversity Network, takes us behind the scenes of building one of the company's large...
•
27:29
Virtual Exchange and Global Learning for Disability Inclusion
Dr. Kelly Tzoumis, professor emeritus at DePaul University and lecturer at Johns Hopkins, discusses virtual exchange programs that make global learning accessible to students with disabilities. These innovative approaches embed intercultural ex...
•
30:41