The Blind Life Podcast

I sat down with Tony Gabehart to discuss NVDA Coach, a free interactive training add-on for the NVDA screen reader. Designed for both beginners and experienced users, NVDA Coach helps people learn NVDA through guided lessons, keyboard commands, and hands-on practice. A fantastic resource for blind and visually impaired users, assistive technology trainers, and anyone wanting to improve their screen reader skills.

Link to download: ...

In this episode of The Blind Life Podcast, I sit down with Joan Jaeger from Hadley to talk about the emotional side of vision loss, peer support, asking for help, and Hadley’s new “Coping and Adjusting Together” workshop series. An important conversation about mental health, low vision, blindness, and learning how to move forward after vision loss.

Visit Hadley to learn more:

► https://hadleyhelps.org/

#Blindness ...

What is ocular gene therapy, and could it treat inherited retinal diseases like Stargardt and Usher syndrome? In this episode, I’m joined by Dr. Jayashree Sahni of AAVantgarde to break down how gene therapy works, what clinical trials involve, and what patients can expect. We cut through the myths and explore the real potential of gene therapy for vision loss.

Contact AAVantgarde to learn more:

► www.aavantgarde.com

► clinic...

I sat down with Jerry Barrier to explore the world of blind birding and why it’s such a powerful, accessible hobby. By focusing on bird calls, you don’t need sight to enjoy the experience fully. We also discuss helpful smartphone apps and dive into the upcoming Global Blind Birder Bird-a-Thon (May 3–4, 2026), a 24-hour event celebrating connection through sound!

Birdability website ► https://www.birdability.org/

...

In this interview, I talk with Tamara, a professional musician who has been teaching accessible music for blind and visually impaired musicians for nearly 20 years. We explore low-tech and high-tech options for learning and reading sheet music, from traditional approaches to modern assistive technology. Tamara also shares insights from her accessible music theory books designed specifically for blind musicians. This conversation is...

In this interview, I talk with Mike Iannelli, co-founder of ABLR, and Heather Buster, a visually impaired professional who completed the ABLR workforce training program and went on to secure meaningful employment. We discuss what ABLR is, how the accredited training program works, and why digital accessibility testing is a strong career path for blind and visually impaired individuals. Mike shares insight into the program’s s...

In this episode of The Blind Life Podcast, Sam sits down with Joe Jorgensen, creator of "Accessibyte", a powerful suite of assistive technology tools designed to help the blind and visually impaired community build essential skills for school, work, and everyday life. From the interactive Typio typing program to fun, educational games in Accessibyte Arcade, Joe shares how his accessible software and adaptive equipment make learning...

In this interview, we sit down with John Tobin, Vice President of Clinical Operations at Splice Bio, to explore groundbreaking gene therapy research for Stargardt’s disease and its potential impact on the blind and visually impaired community. John shares insights into Splice Bio’s mission, how their innovative work could transform options for people living with vision loss, and what families, professionals, and support...

In this episode, Sam speaks with Patrick Long of InnoSearch.ai and Mark Riccobono of the NFB about their new partnership to improve digital accessibility for blind users. Rather than focusing on basic compliance, the conversation explores true usability—addressing issues like unlabeled buttons and missing alt text. They emphasize the need for blind-led innovation and meaningful collaboration with the community. The NFB’...

In this episode, I break down all the brand-new accessibility features coming to **iOS, macOS, iPadOS, watchOS, and VisionOS** this summer. From accessibility nutrition labels in the App Store to Live Captions on Apple Watch, Braille Note Taker functionality, and even personal voice upgrades, Apple is making huge strides for users with low vision, blindness, hearing loss, and other disabilities. And yes, major improvements are also...

"A Staff Of Independence"  As the US celebrates the anniversary of its independence, we are talking about the white cane and how it has brought independence to the visually impaired community. I also talked to several VIP influencers and asked them about their white cane journeys. Project Guiding White: ► https://guidingwhite.wordpress.com/ ACB: ► http://www.acb.org/tennessee/white_cane_history.html#:~:text=James%20Biggs%20of...

In this exciting episode of The Blind Life, Sam is joined by InnoSearch AI and Be My Eyes representatives to announce a groundbreaking new partnership that will revolutionize accessible shopping for the blind and visually impaired community. InnoSearch AI is a screen-reader-optimized shopping and travel platform offering access to over one billion products and services. Thanks to their collaboration with Be My Eyes, users can acces...

In this video, we’re diving into all the latest updates to the Meta Ray-Ban Smart Glasses for 2025, including two game-changing features that just rolled out in April. Whether you're new to the Meta glasses or a longtime user, these updates bring some major quality-of-life improvements—especially for those of us in the blind and visually impaired community. I walk through how features like real-time object recognition, ...

The BlindShell Classic 3 is here. This latest version of the popular accessible phone for the blind and visually impaired comes packed with major upgrades, including a touchscreen for select apps, a faster processor, and a brand-new AI assistant, Luna. Plus, we’re diving into Tandem, the exclusive BlindShell app that makes communication easier than ever. New Features: - Touchscreen support for select third-party apps - Luna A...

In this heartfelt episode of "The Blind Life Podcast," we discuss the often-overlooked challenges faced by blind and visually impaired individuals at social events. From the struggle to recognize faces and read body language to the emotional weight of feeling invisible, we explore the complexities of navigating social spaces without sight. This anonymous Facebook post highlights the importance of empathy, understanding, and small g...

Welcome to The Blind Life Podcast!

In this exciting episode, we're joined by Drew Crook, an accessibility architect at Paramount Global. Drew is at the forefront of making streaming platforms like Pluto TV and Paramount Plus more accessible to everyone. 

Drew shares his personal journey living with a vision impairment, and how he thrives in his career with the support of his third guide dog. We dive deep into his experiences, ...

Okay, folks, get ready. Because today, we’re going deep, deep into the world of those Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses. Oh, yeah. Hold on. We’re not just talking about how cool they look. But let’s be honest, they are pretty slick. Right. But you’ve sent us a ton of stuff on these glasses. Yeah. Reviews, articles, even some hints about what’s coming down the line.

🔍 Episode Highlights:

• Unboxin...

Hey everybody, it's Sam with The Blind Life! Welcome back to another exciting episode of The Blind Life Podcast. In today's episode, I'm thrilled to chat with my friend Sedona Dave, the brilliant mind behind Awarewolf Gear. We dive deep into the creation and innovation of two groundbre...