Microsoft Accessibility
Technology, Information and Internet
Redmond, WA 2,854 followers
Making accessibility easier for everyone. Responsible Innovation. Built-In Accountability. Collective Impact.
About us
Our goal is to make accessibility easier for everyone. We are committed to driving responsible innovation and advancing shared progress so that accessible, trusted AI benefits everyone.
- Website
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https://microsoft.com/accessibility
External link for Microsoft Accessibility
- Industry
- Technology, Information and Internet
- Company size
- 10,001+ employees
- Headquarters
- Redmond, WA
- Specialties
- Accessible Technology, Accessibility Training, and Inclusive Innovation
Updates
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Accessibility moves forward when we come together to share ideas, learn from one another, and build with disability communities from the start. AbilityNet TechShare Pro 2026 will bring together leaders across accessibility, technology, business, government, and disability inclusion to explore how AI is changing accessibility. We’re honored to have Microsoft and GitHub colleagues Neil Barnett, Rylin Rodgers, and Ed Summers joining this year’s speaker lineup for the 10th anniversary event, alongside global voices from HSBC, Amazon, Forbes Accessibility 200, GAAD Foundation, and more. AbilityNet TechShare Pro 2026 takes place November 18-19 in London and online, with keynotes, panels, workshops, and more than 50 sessions across two days. You can learn more and register here: https://lnkd.in/gMqcrWt8 #Accessibility #DisabilityInclusion #AIforAccessibility
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It is essential that people with disabilities contribute to the development of the technology we use to live, work, learn, and play. That's the best way to ensure it can be used by everyone. GitHub has been investing in accessibility for many years now. However, we know that the barriers to participation can extend beyond user interfaces. They created this survey with the goal of learning more about how developers with disabilities contribute to software development and how accessible technology helps them do their best work. We would appreciate your input in this anonymous survey, available until August 31. https://lnkd.in/egVxW6dT Please share within your organizations and communities. #Accessibility #DevelopersWithDisabilities #OpenSource #InclusiveInnovation Ed Summers
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Inclusion changes who gets to participate. As Special Olympics wraps its Global Week of Inclusion, Microsoft for Nonprofits is spotlighting Changemaker Malvin Mukombe, a Sargent Shriver Global Messenger for Special Olympics. Sports gave Malvin a sense of belonging. Now he's using his platform to help more people feel seen, heard, and confident in what they can achieve. It's a powerful reminder of what inclusion can unlock, and why inclusive technology is changing who gets to take part. Read Malvin's story: https://lnkd.in/gKr8v-g6 #Accessibility #DisabilityInclusion #ChooseToInclude #InclusiveInnovation #GlobalWeekOfInclusion
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As AI becomes a bigger part of how people create, communicate, and understand the world, it's essential that people with disabilities are represented accurately, authentically, and with dignity. The images AI generates today influence how society sees disability and how people with disabilities see themselves. That's why I'm excited about the Community Library Creator, a Microsoft Research project that gives disability communities a structured way to shape how they’re represented in AI and help shape the data behind it. What makes it meaningful is that it wasn't built for the disability community; it was built by the disability community. People help create, select, and annotate the images, defining for themselves what authentic representation looks like. They also retain control of the data, including whether to share it or remove it. This work helps address a longstanding gap in AI systems, which have too often overlooked or inaccurately portrayed people with disabilities. More importantly, it demonstrates a principle I believe is fundamental to AI: the people most affected by technology should have a voice in shaping it. Community-led efforts like this move us beyond inclusion as an afterthought and toward AI that better reflects the diversity of human experience. Read how communities are taking charge of AI data: https://lnkd.in/guk2Xirf Christina Mallon Ioana Tanase Anja Thieme #Accessibility #DisabilityInclusion #ResponsibleAI #InclusiveInnovation #AIforAccessibility
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Some of the best product insights at Microsoft don't come from telemetry or dashboards. They come from lived experience. As new technology reshapes how we work, accessibility must move beyond compliance to support how different people actually process information. Our neurodivergent employees understand that firsthand. To bring their perspective into how we build, we turned Neurodiversity Celebration Week into an ongoing co-design program. In the first round, 150 neurodivergent employees evaluated 10 products across the company using real-world scenarios, sharing how those products hold up for everyday focus, memory, organization, and task completion. As software engineer Jordan Cowe puts it: "If something affects a neurodivergent employee, it likely also affects many people who don't identify as neurodiverse. Fixing these issues improves the products for everyone." Read the story: https://lnkd.in/gKbPEWtA #Accessibility #Neurodiversity #InclusiveDesign #DisabilityInclusion #AIforAccessibility Tarena Shanaberger
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We're carrying the momentum from the Disability:IN conference straight to the American Council of the Blind Conference and Convention in St. Louis, Missouri. We're excited to continue the conversation with the blind and low vision community, learn from attendees, and explore how accessibility and AI can unlock new opportunities for everyone. If you’re able to attend, don’t miss the session with Ed Summers on July 25, follow by Neil Barnett on July 30. #Accessibility #DisabilityInclusion #ResponsibleAI #InclusiveInnovation #AIforAccessibility Jessica Rafuse https://acbconvention.org/
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We're excited to be part of the Disability:IN Global Conference & Expo in Dallas next week. It's always an incredible opportunity to learn, connect, and collaborate with leaders across the disability community. If you're attending, be sure to say hello! This year, Microsoft will share perspectives on how AI, accessibility, and disability inclusion are shaping the future of work, driving innovation, and creating new opportunities for people and organizations alike. JULY 27 ➜Neurodiversity and AI at Work: Driving Innovation, Revealing Friction (Laurie Allen) JULY 28 ➜The Next Growth Platform: AI, Innovation, and the Future of Market Leadership (Neil Barnett and Jenny Lay-Flurrie) ➜How Innovation Enters the Enterprise (Jessica Rafuse) JULY 30 ➜Self-Configuring Workspaces and Agentic Tools as Next-Generation Accommodations (Laurie Allen) https://lnkd.in/gyfMPADz
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Great experiences should be accessible to everyone. Discover how accessible technology can help more people connect with the moments and communities that bring sports fans together.
Matchday is more than what happens on the pitch. With Microsoft Seeing AI, Paralympian Anthony Ferraro explores Seattle and shows how accessible tech can help more people connect with the energy, excitement, and community that surrounds the game.
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Accessibility is built through partnership, listening, and action. A great perspective from Neil Barnett on why working with the disability community is essential to building better technology. https://lnkd.in/gu4xSMaj
I had the privilege of speaking this week at the National Federation of the Blind conference in sunny Austin, joining more than 3,000 members of the blind community. I left energized, optimistic, and reminded why this work matters so much. A few things stood out: 🔹 Accessibility and AI must be built with the disability community, not for the disability community. The decisions being made today will shape who technology works for in the years ahead. Blind people and people with disabilities must be part of defining that future. 🔹 Community feedback is directly shaping Microsoft products. Improvements such as Copilot key remapping, Narrator enhancements, a movable taskbar, Natural Voices with Magnifier, and expanded braille support all reflect input from the disability community. When people share their experiences, products get better. 🔹 Narrator deserves a fresh look. Narrator has come a long way in recent years, with improvements across AI image descriptions, natural voices, braille support, screen curtain, speech recap, and Microsoft 365 experiences. It's evolving into a more personalized and productive experience for work and everyday life. 🔹 Partnerships accelerate progress. Organizations and partners like NFB, Be My Eyes, One Court, and the Disability Answer Desk demonstrate what's possible when lived experience, community expertise, data, AI, and engineering come together. That's how innovation becomes more useful in the real world. I'm also excited about the Copilot audio training we're developing with NFB, launching this fall. It's a great example of how partnership and community expertise can help more people build confidence with AI. Thank you to the NFB community for the conversations, feedback, and partnership. Your insights continue to shape our products and help ensure AI works for everyone. I'm excited to continue building that future together. National Federation of the Blind Matt Philipenko Crystal Jones Laurie Allen Jessie Lorenz Saqib Shaikh Jerred M. Michael Buckley #microsoft accessibility
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