Feature Articles & Essays
These articles and essays include inspiring features on people and organizations realizing potential through the use of accessible technology, and essays by key Microsoft employees, partners, and associates who work to make computers more accessible.
Accessibility Perspectives Essays
![]() | Preserving Dreams: Inventive Rehabilitation Counselor Enables Patients to Gain Back Their Independence For more than a decade, Curt Johnson has served as a rehabilitation counselor with the UW Medical Center. Johnson, who likes problem-solving and mechanical tinkering, brings a unique set of skills to a challenging job. |
![]() | Microsoft is Working to Meet the Technology Needs of People with Multiple Sclerosis Ellen Kampel, public affairs manager in the Accessibility Business Unit at Microsoft, is an expert on accessible and assistive technologies and how they can enhance the lives of people with disabilities and age-related impairments. |
![]() |
Ergonomics and Accessible Technology Increase Comfort and Productivity for Employees Ursula Wright, a Microsoft ergonomics consultant, helps employees increase their comfort and improve their productivity with a combination of accessible technology, specialized equipment, and proven ergonomics principles. |
![]() | Creating a Positive Work Environment for People with Disabilities Mylene Padolina, a senior diversity consultant on the Global Diversity and Inclusion team at Microsoft, is an expert in workplace accessibility and accommodation for people with disabilities. |
![]() | Working Together, Microsoft and AT Vendors Create Innovative Technology Solutions for Everyone Dan Hubbell, a technology evangelist in the Accessibility Business Unit at Microsoft, manages the Microsoft Assistive Technology Vendor program, which makes AT manufacturers an integral part of the product development process at Microsoft. |
![]() | Senior Computing: A Growing Market for Information and Communications Technology Gary Moulton, a product manager in the Accessibility Business Unit at Microsoft, is spearheading an effort to evaluate the senior market for information and communications technology. Gary, who has a doctorate in business administration, spent 10 years at Apple before joining Microsoft in the mid-1990s. Today, Gary is an expert in accessible and assistive technology solutions. |
![]() | Strategic Accessibility Investments Make Windows Vista a Stronger Platform for AT Innovation Mic Wagoner, a principal software design engineer at Microsoft, led the accessibility design and development team during the entire product development cycle for Windows Vista. Mic and her team are responsible for many of the new and enhanced accessibility settings and features in the newest operating system from Microsoft. |
![]() | Listening to Users is the Key to Speech Recognition at Microsoft Rob Chambers, a Microsoft employee since 1995, leads a team devoted to developing state-of-the-art speech recognition technology for products such as Windows Vista. |
![]() | Accessibility is Good Design and Good Business Michael Takemura is director of the accessibility program office at HP, and understands the importance of forging strategic industry partnerships and promoting good public policy to encourage accessibility. |
![]() | The Aging Workforce is Changing the Demand for Technology that is Accessible Bonnie Kearney, director of marketing in the Accessibility Business Unit (ABU) at Microsoft, is an expert at analyzing customer trends and their affect on the market for accessible technology products. Her job is developing marketing strategies consistent with those trends to make accessible technology more readily available to the growing number of people who want it. |
![]() | Connecting People with the Right Technology Has a Positive Impact On Their Lives, and Mine Joanne Castellano is the director of TECHConnection, a program of Family Resource Associates, a nonprofit organization in Shrewsbury, New Jersey, that assists people with disabilities and their families. |
![]() | Usability Research and User Feedback are Keys to Accessible Product Planning at Microsoft Annuska Perkins, a product planner in the Accessibility Business Unit (ABU) at Microsoft, is an expert in gathering feedback from computer users and conducting computer user research. Her job is to help product groups at Microsoft understand and accommodate the needs of those who require accessible technology to use their PCs and the Internet. |
Feature Articles
Retired Computer Analyst with Parkinson's Discovers Accessibility Features Provide Greater Accuracy and Control |
Innovation through Collaboration: Microsoft and AT Companies Work Together to Make Windows Vista More Accessible |
Vista from an Accessible View |
Injured Iraq Vet, Using Technology that Helped Him Recover, Aims to Help Others |
45 Technology Centers Poised to Increase Awareness of Accessibility Features in Windows
|
Microsoft Accessible Technology Vendor Program (MATvp) Extends Global Reach
|
Washington State Designs State-of-the-Art Accessible Web Site to Match Washingtonians with Disabilities to In-Home Care Workers
|
Opening Doors: Accessibility Through New Technology |
It's All About Access |
Federal Internship Program Enables Students with Disabilities to Build Careers and Community |












