AI for Accessibility

My first job for a nonprofit was serving as the Marketing and Outreach Coordinator for Sun Sounds of Arizona’s northern office. Sun Sounds is a radio reading service for people who are blind or have a disability that prevents them from reading print. We had volunteers who would read the local paper, grocery store ads, and much more.

Now, even with a typical smart phone, you can have assistive technology at your fingertips. It used to be very difficult for someone who was blind to get access to technology that could describe images or could read text for them. Now it can be available on any standard device without an extra costs.

What you can do now for free

With the free version of chatGPT, you can make your trainings or meetings more accessible. For example, you can share a photo of yourself and ask the generative AI app to describe you in a way that would help you introduce yourself to an audience member who is visually impaired.

Sample Prompt:

I am facilitating for a group in which there are participants who are blind and I want to be able to introduce myself with a visual description of myself. If I share a picture of myself, is this something you can help me with?

Sharon Tewksbury-Bloom

Sample response:

“Hello everyone, I’m standing here with a warm smile. I have short, neatly styled dark hair with a modern flair, and my eyes are cheerful, reflecting my enthusiasm for our time together. I’m wearing a vibrant royal blue long-sleeve top, which brings out a sense of energy and confidence. My attire is professional yet approachable: classic black trousers paired with matching royal blue shoes that echo the color of my top. The combination suggests a sense of coordination and attention to detail. My hands are resting on my hips, in a posture that conveys readiness and eagerness to engage. To complete the picture, I’m wearing small, round earrings that add just a hint of sparkle.”

Also for ALT Text

In addition, you can use the same concept to have chatGPT describe images and then use those descriptions for “alt text” on your blog posts, LinkedIn posts, or websites. Alt Text is asked for every time you upload an image. The Alt Text is used by a screen reading software to describe the image when someone is relying on the software to read the blog or content out loud. If there is no alt text, the reader will miss out on any visual content.