Disability Dialogue with Bill

Celebrate and Participate in Global Accessibility Awareness Day (2024)

Join me and many others around the world in celebrating the 13th Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD), which is celebrated annually the 3^rd Thursday of May, which  is May 16, 2024 this year. The purpose of GAAD is to get everyone talking, thinking and learning about digital access and inclusion, and the more than one billion people with disabilities/impairments.

I hope you share educational opportunities  all year and not just on Thursday, May 16, 2024, about how if you take some actions like I do and describe below you can also help to increase usability, accessibility and inclusion for digital technology.

• If you will be sharing any documents or communicating using Outlook, develop accessible Microsoft Outlook email messages, Word, PowerPoint,  Excel, and PDF documents and perform the automated accessibility checkers that are built into Microsoft Office products, as well as Adobe Acrobat for PDF files. Plus use other automated tools such as color contrast checkers and involve people with disabilities  in the required manual evaluations. Like all automated tools, these do not catch everything such as determining if an alternative text is descriptive enough or if it should be marked as decorative if it is not needed. Or making Excel files accessible for screen reader users to understand how the data in the cells relate to the headers and rows. Adding data tables needs to be done manually since it takes a person to understand where in the Excel file the data is and what row the column heading is at as described in the Excel link.
• Educate designers, developers and stakeholders to understand the benefits and how to design for inclusion and accessibility to help create an equitable experience for all. In addition, educate them on the importance of using automated as well as manual accessibility evaluation and resolving all usability/accessibility issues detected prior to the digital technology going into production. This is extremely important since the cost of remediating accessibility issues after they go into production is very expensive compared to catching them early and even worse may cause customer satisfaction issues or at times the issues may never get prioritized to be resolved.
• Coach designers, developers and stakeholders of software that it is necessary to conform to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines although this is just a baseline for success. To ensure the user interface (UI) is intuitive, usable and users can use the software independently and efficiently the UI also needs to be usable. Therefore, performing manual usability evaluations is required.
• If you have the opportunity, partner with a Disability Network Business Resource Group to help them educate and promote accessible, intuitive and inclusive digital technology for all. 

Let us all have an enjoyable time participating in the GAAD events going on and help us spread the word about the value of creating accessible, usable and inclusive digital technology.

How will you or did you celebrate Global Accessibility Awareness Day? If you were able to give a presentation or educate others what would seem to be the most educational? If you are new to Global Accessibility Awareness Day what did you find most valuable about the experience?

If you have any comments or feedback, I would appreciate it if you could please send an email to Bill Tipton since unfortunately the comments are closed to my blog site.

Bill Tipton

Contributing Author,

Global Dialogue Center

http://www.globaldialoguecenter.com/

LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/wdtipton

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bill.tipton.39

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Hold Thanksgiving in Your Heart and Actions Every Day

I truly believe we all should take time out of every day to celebrate thankfulness! As I describe in “Demonstrate Gratitude and Embrace Thankfulness” and “Giving Thanks” this month gives us extra encouragement to celebrate.

 

My life has obstacles, challenges and gratifying experiences that are similar to many others. These experiences provide many reasons to celebrate daily.

 

I am grateful even when facing obstacles and despite occasionally experiencing fear of the unknown/change I am not deterred from taking action. Realistically like many others, I am actually too busy due to many deadlines which require quick turnarounds to worry or contemplate long before I take action. Gratefully most of the time my actions turn out to be positive ones. However, occasionally without first seeking out and completing any required education I may make a judgment call error and also may not have the skills to efficiently complete a task.

 

I am grateful to be alive and experience life with all of its precious highs and lows. I am also blessed to be able to continue to learn new skills and grow professionally and personally. Valuing relationships with family, friends and colleagues is an additional key component of my thankfulness. I am also extremely grateful I am able to provide protection, shelter and food for my family and pets. Most of all I am truly grateful for my loving wife Kathy who relentlessly assists me daily by providing assistance for obstacles I cannot overcome due to my complete blindness. Kathy also continues to be my loving, caring wife and companion, as we overcome our blessed challenges together. I also cannot overlook being blessed by my higher power which I believe brought me back from a three month long coma. I also believe my higher power enabled me to survive, among other critical challenges, a couple of code blues when I was in the ICU.  I write about these challenges which can be read in my other blog posts.

 

I am still not beyond learning by any means. That is why I am reaching out to all of you to assist me, as well as others who read this blog post to help all of us learn how to best keep thankfulness and gratitude in our hearts and actions every day.

 

What are you thankful for? How will you celebrate thankfulness and gratitude this Thanksgiving and every day? Do you have any examples of how thankfulness and gratitude has benefitted you and others?

 

We all look forward to hearing from you.

 

Bill Tipton

Contributing Author,

Global Dialogue Center

http://www.globaldialoguecenter.com/

LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/wdtipton

Facebook: http://profile.to/wdtipton

Twitter: http://twitter.com/wdtipton            

Celebrate Holidays, Assist the Less Fortunate and Plan for the New Year

As the year transitions to closure I hope we can reprioritize what tasks we feel are the most valuable to allow us to take time to celebrate the holidays with colleagues, neighbors, friends and family. The closure of the year gives us an excellent opportunity to not only plan for renewal with the arrival of the New Year but also puts additional focus on assisting people in need during the holidays.

I feel we all should take every opportunity to learn and grow and this time of year provides many opportunities to share the gift of ourselves with extra incentive to celebrate life, family and friendships. I feel that having the mind-set of generosity and the willingness and enjoyment of sharing the gift of ourselves contributes to better health and well being. I believe this positively enhances our professional and personal lives. Taking the time to care for others less fortunate not only touches those we are assisting it also provides us with an invaluable chance to learn and grow from others’ experiences and knowledge. This could be the extra help a person needs to assist them in getting over or through some difficult times to enable them to be all they can be and strive to be.

As we get ready for year end and prepare to participate in holiday celebrations we should also prepare to assist those in need and set our personal and professional goals to catapult us into the New Year. We should do this with passion, renewed drive and a mind-set to pursue and accomplish our dreams and goals. We should however not overlook the need to plan and incorporate this mind-set into our inner values to help us succeed in whatever goals we want to achieve.

As I have learned we should not overlook life altering events that could cause our lives to go in a completely different direction than we had planned for. Such an occurrence might require us to add the completion of additional training or living modifications into our goals to adapt as best as possible to our new life situation in order to achieve our personal and professional goals. To prepare emotionally for such life altering changes we should anticipate such events and understand everything will not be as easy or comfortable as we might like or are accustomed to. However with the proper support from people around us these life altering changes might be a little more tolerable as we learn to adapt to our life situation.

How will you celebrate the holidays, share yourself with others and commemorate the end of the year? Do you plan to assist the less fortunate or those in need during this holiday season? How will you plan for a joyous and bountiful New Year? We all look forward to hearing from you.

Bill Tipton, Contributing Author

Global Dialogue Center http://www.globaldialoguecenter.com/

 LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/wdtipton

 Facebook: http://profile.to/wdtipton

 Twitter: http://twitter.com/wdtipton

Invaluable Attitude / Actions: Thankfulness

I personally enjoy this time of year as the calendar year gets closer to closure and the old year begins a rebirth into the New Year filled with new opportunities. I enjoy the Fall season’s weather as the air begins to turn into a crisp, clean, cold sensation that awakens a renewed sense of life into our body and mind depending on where you are located in the world. However what I am grateful for is how in some parts of the world people are taking time out from their busy schedules to celebrate an invaluable attitude followed by actions and thankfulness. I describe these attitudes and actions in Demonstrate Gratitude and Embrace Thankfulness.

I have personally seen and read about many individuals and families going through tremendous pain, hardships and difficulties. I am truly grateful that my wife Kathy and I have experienced only a few difficult challenges compared to what others are experiencing. I have shared these difficult challenges in my blog posts. I am truly touched from learning about the challenges some are experiencing and despite their difficulties some keep a positive attitude of thankfulness, joy, acceptance of people’s differences and caring for others.

I am thankful to have had the opportunity to experience some very uncomfortable situations which has reinforced what the true meaning and value of thankfulness is for me. I hope that you do not have to become disabled, suffer severe medical conditions, experience extreme hardships, tragedies or natural disasters like Hurricane Sandy to learn the value of a constant attitude of generosity and thankfulness.

My Thoughts and Opinions on How to Demonstrate the Value of Thankfulness

• Take nothing for granted

 • Give some of your time to assist non-profit agencies to help the less fortunate

 • Be a mentor to share your skills and companionship to educate others

 • Do not forget to say a simple “Thank You” to those who offer and provide assistance

 • Surround yourself with positive people (Virtually and in Person)

 • Share positive news instead of gossiping or speaking negatively about others

 I wish everyone a season overflowing with opportunities to graciously demonstrate thankfulness.

Does anyone have stories of thankfulness you want to share? Any experiences of how demonstrating an attitude of thankfulness has improved your personal and professional life? We all look forward to hearing your thoughts, comments and stories to assist us in enhancing our lives.

 Bill Tipton

Contributing Author,

Global Dialogue Center

http://www.globaldialoguecenter.com/

LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/wdtipton

Facebook: http://profile.to/wdtipton

Twitter: http://twitter.com/wdtipton

Year End: Appreciation and Reflection

As the year transitions to dusk and a fresh New Year is about to rise like the glorious brilliant sun on a clear day, it is often easy to neglect the importance of appreciation and reflection due to our busy schedules. The holiday season provides an excellent opportunity to consider what we are truly thankful for and demonstrate gratitude and appreciation for individuals who assist with our successes and aid in our difficult times. Some holidays have a tradition of gift exchange, which I believe, is one opportunity to demonstrate our appreciation. I believe the simple traditions of unselfish friendship and providing assistance can be of greater value then any monetary gifts. I understand some of us are in need of the basic necessities, such as shelter, food, caregivers, medicine or medical assistance, and monetary gifts can truly be a valued necessity. Beyond life’s necessities, I believe the gift of life and friendship is an invaluable gift that should be cherished.  Although we may have had challenges and unforeseen difficulties in the past year, I hope we can find reasons to celebrate the joyful season and reflect on the passing year with gratitude.

I have many reasons to smile, rejoice, reflect and celebrate. All I need to do to reestablish a gratitude mind-set is to think about my first Christmas after losing my eyesight. Lying in a hospital bed for seven months listening to patients experiencing pain and other unpleasant medical treatments, reinforces how very grateful I was and still am to receive the gift of life and the ability to leave the hospital to pursue my dreams.

Special Thoughts during Holidays describes some details of my first blessed New Year as a blind person.

After reflecting on this year, I plan to increase my effectiveness at acting unselfishly and demonstrating gratitude towards friends, family, co-workers, neighbors and other individuals who truly make a difference in my personal and professional life. I also plan to appreciate the many new acquaintances I will be able to meet on my walks.

After reflecting on this year, what are you thankful for? What traits will you attempt to enhance to promote success and gratitude? Did others play an important role in your life? Do you have any stories to share with examples of how valuing friendship increased your success or happiness, or the individual you were assisting?  Any examples of priceless gifts? We all look forward to hearing from you.

As this year closes, I wish you the very best in the New Year.

Bill Tipton

Contributing Author,

Global Dialogue Center

http://www.globaldialoguecenter.com/

LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/wdtipton

Facebook: http://profile.to/wdtipton

Twitter: http://twitter.com/wdtipton

Importance of Accessibility in Disaster Plans: Message from Japan's Tsunami

Disaster plans that include the disabled and the aging are critically important when we experience earthquakes, tsunamis and other tragic disasters like we had in Japan.

 

Postcard from Japan: Disability and Disaster - Beacon Broadside is an excellent description of the challenges and obstacles some people in wheel chairs faced during Japan’s devastating earthquake, and following tsunami. This story emphasizes the importance of accessibility as part of any disaster readiness and awareness plans to assist in the safe and efficient evacuation for people with disabilities, the elderly and others with temporary challenges. Along with wheel chair accessibility disaster preparedness plans need to include provisions for all disabilities, including the elderly. Such emergency preparedness plans will enhance the chances of surviving disasters. And, even though Japan, as well as other countries around the world have these emergency plans in place that they utilize when a disaster strikes, I understand that these plans cannot save everyone.   

  

•As I have been listening to the stories of extreme devastation in some areas of Japan, tragic loss of life and the courageous spirit of the people still experiencing challenges and enduring physical dangers, my heart and thoughts go out to everyone affected.

 

What did you learn from this story? Do you have any ideas to help the disabled, elderly and others with challenges in disasters?

 

We look forward to hearing your thoughts and comments.

 

Bill Tipton

Contributing Author,

Global Dialogue Center

http://www.globaldialoguecenter.com/

LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/wdtipton

Facebook: http://profile.to/wdtipton

Twitter: http://twitter.com/wdtipton

    

Celebrating Disability Employment Awareness Month

Hello everyone,

October is Disability Employment Awareness Month. The official theme for October 2010 National Disability Employment Awareness Month by US.Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment: "Talent Has No Boundaries: Workforce Diversity INCLUDES Workers With Disabilities. The theme serves to inform the public that workers with disabilities represent a diverse and vibrant talent pool for hire."

I am honored to have had the opportunity to attend, or help host many of these events. I will never forget the wonderful experiences I was able to share with others.

One of my Celebrations:

I was grateful to give the keynote speech and be a mentor at a Disability Mentoring Day celebration.

This gave me the privilege to meet and mentor a very talented and energetic student who was disabled, and getting ready to join the work-force. I was grateful to be able to share my experiences with my mentee and encourage her to succeed with a positive can-do attitude, correct skills and assistive technology (if needed).

I was honored to be asked to give the keynote speech at such a valuable event. As I stood at the podium sharing my knowledge and experience with the students, teachers, mentors, mentees and employees, in my darkness (I am completely blind), I could imagine the audience looking back at me. I could tell what concepts from my life’s experiences the audience found most valuable by the occasional applause or the subtle noises from the audience. I was so grateful and humbled to be able to provide encouragement for the whole group that day.

This day was filled with excitement and joy for all of the mentees and mentors. We all had the privilege to learn valuable lessons to help in our professional and personal life.

Learn more about Disability Employment Awareness Month and Disability Mentoring Day at JFActivist: Disability Mentoring Day.

How did you celebrate Disability Employment Awareness Month or Disability Mentoring Day? Did you learn anything from participating or hosting such a valuable event? Do you have any stories to share about your experience? If you have never heard of Disability Employment Awareness Month or Disability Mentoring Day, do you have any questions?

We all look forward to hearing from you.

Bill Tipton

Contributing Author,

Global Dialogue Center

http://www.globaldialoguecenter.com/

LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/wdtipton

Facebook: http://profile.to/wdtipton

Twitter: http://twitter.com/wdtipton

Courage to Live and Create Meaning

Has anyone ever hit a roadblock that seems impenetrable? Have you been unable to sleep because the day’s challenges keep racing uncontrollably through your mind at lightning speed as you anticipate tackling challenges all over again the next day? Does your mind uncontrollably contemplate solutions, strategies and actions to solve your challenges as you try to force sleep? Does stress and anxiety ripple through your body?

I believe we can all help each other meet such challenges we face in an ever changing and complex world we live in.

Like others, I have faced many challenges, some small and some critical.

Skills learned during hard times can be transferable and leveraged to help us in our every day life. Have the attitude that such painful and uncomfortable learning’s are a blessing in disguise. We need to be observant as not to miss out on how we can gain knowledge from our difficulties and learn to live without fear.

With our shared experience, and lessons learned in handling such challenges we can help each other in our personal and professional lives.

A few key lessons learned from my experiences

Some thought they should unplug my life support when I was in a coma for 3 months.

• Trust your inner instinct, have faith like my wife Kathy, family and primary care doctor did when they decided not to end my life

• When you enable a life to live you never know how many others that life will have a meaningful impact on.

All medical specialists said I had no hope of ever walking again.

• Believe in yourself and do not fully rely on the opinions of others.

•Dare to live, have faith, take chances and do not believe all negative comments directed towards you.

I recently listened to the recording of an excellent dialogue: Putting Our Differences to Work: HARD TIMES: Gifts of INSIGHT hosted by Debbe Kennedy. Many insightful and passionate leaders discussed and shared valuable lessons about difficult times and the value of learning and accepting these as a new opportunity for a new beginning.

I hope we can all have the courage to live without fear and create meaning in our life.

How can we help each other confront and defeat our roadblocks, fear, challenges and other obstacles’ that prevent us from fully flourishing as the person we want to become? Any insight to help put our restless minds at peace when we try to regenerate in our daily needed sleep? Do you have a story to share with lessons learned?

Bill Tipton

Contributing Author

Global Dialogue Center

http://www.globaldialoguecenter.com/

Thankful For Unexplainable Guidance

        
I believe all things happen for a reason. Most of us have had unexplainable circumstances at some point in our life that have had underlying meanings.

One unexplainable event happened to me very soon after I got home from the hospital. I was in the hospital  for seven months and lost all of my vision and ability to walk, due to an extremely critical medical condition that hit me without warning.

Very shortly after getting home from the hospital I received a telephone call as I laid in bed recovering. The voice on the telephone asked “ is this Bill Tipton?”. I said with some hesitation, “yes, it is” Then the person on the telephone asked, “are you blind?” I answered “who is this? They quickly responded I am John Doe, from a church I had never heard of. John Doe  said a member of his congregation had found a Braille bible in one of their pews after a service. The Braille bible had my name and telephone number hand written in it. John Doe  said they were calling me to return my Braille bible. I responded with astonishment, my name is Bill Tipton and I am completely blind. I told them I had never been to or heard of their church. I also told them I just got out of the hospital after a seven month stay and that was not my bible and I did not know Braille. I graciously thanked them for taking the time to call, as we both were in wonder of who the bible belonged to. 

I felt sensations of bewilderment and amazement run throughout my body wondering with astonishment how this bible with my name and telephone number got into their church. I wondered  why that apparently lost bible was left on a seat in the pew of that church. I thought this unexplainable event must have happened for some very special reason.

To this day I never found out how that bible got in that church. Every time I think about that Braille bible with my name and telephone number written in it I am in wonder. When I think about that telephone call those same sensations I had when I got that mysterious telephone call run through my body all over again. 

Some incredible events in my belief that followed that mysterious telephone call.

 • I returned to church in my wheelchair without any eyesight.

 • Learned how to use a screen reader to allow me to use a PC and applications without eyesight.

 • Learned grade one and grade two Braille.

 • Learned how to walk again and left my wheelchair behind after many doctors from multiple hospitals said I had no hope of ever walking again.

 • Joined three non-profits in my community to help others.

 • Returned to work after a tremendous amount of re-skilling to enable me to contribute my very best to my employer  as I help many customers and employees from all over the world.

I truly believe others have experienced unexplainable events that have taken them on similar paths as mine. If you have not, maybe we need to take life slower, so even the dimmest simplest of signals do not go unnoticed. Even if you do not fully understand the underlying meaning, your heart and attitude needs to be open to let your inner self accept the signals. Unexplainable events if associated with proper timing to your calculated planned events can catapult your success. Just a few examples of the planned events  I talk about are  learning from co-workers, friends, observing others, networking, work experience, formal education and doing volunteer work to help others.

With everyone attempting to accomplish more in less time in their personal and professional life, it is vital to pay attention to your unexplainable events  as much as your planned events. This frame of mind is needed to take advantage of the catapult  effect I described when you associate different types of learning opportunities together. This is even more critical during our unstable financial and economic situation our world is in today, when we are asked to do more with less, some are loosing jobs and their homes. In some parts of our world some are fighting for the bare necessities of life to enable them to live without enough food, access to medication to fight critical deadly diseases, lack of shelter  and other very unfortunate situations. .   If you do not take advantage of unexplainable events, it is like throwing away a free learning opportunity.

In the US we celebrate Thanksgiving Day this week. This Thanksgiving Day one of my many things I am grateful and thankful for is the ability to accept help from unexplainable sources with humbleness and gratitude. Live with an attitude of faith and expectance to help your dreams become a reality. 

Has anyone else had a unexplainable event happen? If so, after the event happened did that event trigger any special learning’s to help you? Do you see any explanations from my mysterious telephone call? We all look forward to hearing from you.
 
 Bill Tipton
Contributing Author
Global Dialogue Center
http://www.globaldialoguecenter.com/

            

Uncertainty and Fears During Unstable Times

Are you fearful and uncertain in these volatile and unstable times we are all facing in the world today? With financial meltdown, corporations letting employees go, small businesses going out of business and shutting down. Family owned and operated businesses loosing everything and having to start life all over again. Non-profit organizations struggling to keep their doors open to serve others who terribly need their services during these unstable times. Families and individuals loosing their homes, belongings and facing uncertainty and fear as they wonder where they will live. As our world’s population ages the elderly and disabled services are being cut, or completely eliminated.

With the instability in today’s world I believe we have a reason to fear the uncertainty in our live’s today.

I have personally seen family members loose their jobs, their homes and belonging’s. I have seen friends and co-workers loose their jobs from the companies they unselfishly worked for loyally for years. I have seen nonprofit organizations drastically trying to find ways to stay open to help the people who need their service, even more desperately during these unstable times. Throughout these difficulties with money, housing, lack of employment, medical problems, taking care of our elderly family members or friends, all cause stress, anxiety and fear of the unknown. This tends to put extra strain on friendships between family and friends.

Having a disability can add greater complexity into some of these difficulties. I am completely blind, and even though I use assistive aids or technology, I still need help reading my postal mail, filling out paper forms or the other things a sighted person does in their daily life. During these challenging times the help I might have been able to find in the past from a sighted person might not be available due to them taking care of more time sensitive critical needs. For some blind and visually impaired people, sighted help is provided by volunteers in some areas. Volunteers are not as abundant during these challenging times, probably because they are trying to take care of their own needs. People with different types of disabilities might be facing other added challenges that compound the difficulties others are experiencing.

During my challenges I am facing I have found the following to be useful.
• Do not be afraid to ask and accept help. Asking for help does not mean you are weak. We all need help at times.

• Helping each other if you can is critical. If you have family or friends it is best to band together to solve and handle some of the immediate challenges and plan for the long term obstacles and difficulties you know are in your future.

• Some of you might have gone through difficult challenges in past. It is time to remember what you learned from going through those complicated and undesirable times and put those lessons learned into actions now.

• If you are still working, be open and flexible to the changes that will come your way.

•If you are working, or not, learn new skills that will be valuable to you and your employer to help each other through these difficult times.

• Always be reinventing yourself with current knowledge and technical skills that keep up with this ever changing world we live in.

• Think about the others in the world who never had a house to live in, do not have enough food, or shelter, are experiencing fatal or critical medical conditions and have no family or friends.

• If you have religious beliefs turn to your spiritual beliefs and/or your faith for confidence and guidance.

•Do not give up! Believe in yourself and your abilities and values; even if others tell you differently.

Do any of you have ideas to overcome our challenges we face today? How did your faith and inner strength help you through uncertainty and fears? Are any of you facing uncertainty we might be able to give virtual help with? Do any of you have other suggestions to help us? Like I talked about, wee need to band together to solve some of these complex global issues we face today.

We all look forward to hearing from you so we can stick together to help each other.

Bill Tipton
Contributing Author
Global Dialogue Center
http://www.globaldialoguecenter.com/