Sight Unseen LLC

10/31/2025

10/31/2025

MSU researchers explore how advertisers can design more inclusive, accessible ads for blind and visually impaired consumers using purposive audio descriptions.

10/26/2025

November is National Assistive Technology Awareness Month!

This year, we’re going all in on celebrating the tools and innovations that make independence easier.

From screen readers to smart devices, assistive technology is opening doors for people with visual impairments every day.

At Braille Institute, our experts are here to help you discover the tech that works best for you, no matter where you’re starting from.

Learn more about our Assistive Tech programs here: https://www.brailleinstitute.org/find-services/offerings/assistive-technology/

10/26/2025

So very true! 

👁️ “I never knew that…” — Let’s change that.

Most people only learn about blindness after they meet someone who’s blind.
By then, assumptions have already formed.

So let’s flip that.
Here are 5 things most people get wrong about blindness — and 5 truths everyone should know:

❌ “Blind means total darkness.”
✅ Blindness is a spectrum — many people see light, shapes or colour.

❌ “If they don’t look blind, they’re fine.”
✅ You can’t always see sight loss — it’s not a costume.

❌ “Helping means grabbing their arm.”
✅ Ask first. Respect is help.

❌ “Braille is old-fashioned.”
✅ Braille is literacy. Tech didn’t replace it — it amplified it.

❌ “Blind people can’t enjoy films, art or travel.”
✅ Audio description, touch, sound, movement, and storytelling make the world just as rich — sometimes richer.

If more people understood this, the world would be safer, kinder, and more inclusive — not just for blind people, but for everyone.

💬 Comment with one thing you wish more people knew about blindness.
🔁 Share this so the learning happens before the assumptions do.

10/19/2025

Bad assumptions are made about us! 

10/18/2025

The Office for Civil Rights exists to enforce the promise that 7.5 million students — more than 15 percent of all public school children — have the protections and access guaranteed by law. Now that promise is being gutted.

TLDR:
If lawmakers don’t intervene and court challenges fail, billions of dollars in education grants appropriated by Congress could be delayed or never distributed. Civil rights investigators will face mounting caseloads, making enforcement nearly impossible. School districts, state agencies, and parents will have virtually nowhere to turn for help interpreting and enforcing federal requirements under laws like the Every Student Succeeds Act.

Some schools and states may simply stop following federal education laws altogether.

“If there are not people there to make sure the laws are followed, the laws are meaningless.”

It feels like the new attitude is this: if you can’t get rid of Section 504, get rid of the agency that enforces it. Disability rights rarely have a visible lobbying base, which means politicians can quietly dismantle oversight without immediate backlash and achieve the same result they would if they repealed the law itself.

It’s impossible to claim you want the United States to have one of the best education systems in the world while removing the oversight that protects 15 percent of all children from being denied the education they need to reach their potential. Weakening education rights isn’t just about kids in special education — it affects every child with ADHD, anxiety, dyslexia, or a physical or chronic health condition.

I needed physical accommodations to participate fully in school. Because of those protections, I was able to succeed academically, earn advanced degrees, and build a full-time career that allows me to contribute to society and the economy through meaningful work and taxes. That is the return on investment when we uphold the right to education for students with disabilities.
Weakening these rights doesn’t just harm a subset of students with disabilities. It erodes the very foundation of our nation’s talent and potential — the inventors, teachers, artists, and leaders of tomorrow. When 15 percent of our students are denied the tools they need to succeed, when oversight disappears, we’re not saving money. We’re gutting the future of our kids and our country.

https://www.edweek.org/policy-politics/ed-dept-offices-will-be-virtually-wiped-out-in-latest-layoffs/2025/10

https://apnews.com/article/layoffs-education-department-special-education-shutdown-3c066e2b1799c96a50e14dd63f46cd96

10/18/2025

Today is , a reminder of the importance of accessibility and inclusion. At Be My Eyes, our mission goes beyond borders, we are working to make the world more accessible for everyone, in every country! 🌍

Recently, our global team came together in Copenhagen to talk about our plans and goals for 2026 and beyond, while some joined remotely from different corners of the world! ✈️

Every day, whether near or far, we collaborate across time zones and countries to bring accessibility to everyone who needs it. Because accessibility isn’t just for one place, it’s for everyone, everywhere! 💙

10/16/2025

Gardening Tips for People Who Are Blind or Visually Impaired

Gardening isn’t just about sight — it’s about smell, touch, and sound too. Whether you’re growing herbs on a windowsill or tending a full backyard garden, here are some tips to make it easier and more enjoyable:

1. Use Raised Beds or Containers
Keep plants at waist height to make watering and weeding more comfortable and to define clear boundaries.

2. Organize with Texture and Touch
Use tactile markers like bump dots, rubber bands, or textured labels on pots. You can also plant different textures side by side — fuzzy lamb’s ear, smooth basil leaves, or spiky rosemary.

3. Label Plants Accessibly
Add large print or braille labels, or use QR code tags that can be scanned with a smartphone to identify plants using a voice app.

4. Choose Fragrant or Edible Plants
Lavender, mint, basil, and tomatoes are great choices easy to identify by scent or touch and useful in the kitchen.

5. Plan with Pathways in Mind
Use paver stones, gravel, or edging materials to define walkways. This helps with orientation and prevents stepping into garden beds.

6. Use Smart Tech
Voice assistants, accessible weather apps, and smart irrigation systems can help you manage watering and care by voice command.

Gardening is a beautiful way to connect with nature no matter your level of vision. With a few adaptations, you can create a garden that engages all your senses and brings joy every day.

10/15/2025

Today is White Cane Safety Day – also known as Blind Americans Equality Day – a day to honor the contributions of Americans who are blind or have low vision and recognize the importance of the white cane.

On this day and every day, ACB reaffirms its commitment to creating a world where people who are blind or have low vision can navigate freely and independently. Check out a list of white cane laws by state on our website here: https://www.acb.org/white-cane-laws-states.

Read ACB’s White Cane Safety Day message: https://www.acb.org/recognizing-white-cane-safety-day-celebrating-independence-and-accessibility.

10/11/2025

Thank you to our current sponsors and vendors!!

06/20/2025

On Juneteenth, ACB’s Multicultural Affairs Committee (MCAC) shares a reflection from Janae Miller, president of ACB’s Columbus, Ohio Chapter and board member of American Council of the Blind of Ohio:

“Juneteenth is a powerful reminder that African American people are free in this country. It is a day for us to reflect on this freedom and understand that we deserve the same peace, opportunity, and respect that are afforded to others.

This year, Juneteenth holds special meaning for the American Council of the Blind as its National Conference and Convention is being held in Texas. In 1865, it was in Galveston, Texas, where news of freedom finally reached all enslaved people.

I encourage all members and friends of ACB, especially those of African descent, to take time to reflect on the significance of Juneteenth. This reflection should not be limited to this year alone, but should happen every year as a reminder of how far we have come and how much further we must go.”