A true pioneer in the accessibility field, Tom Wlodkowski, Vice President of Accessibility for Comcast was the featured guest at a recent event hosted by LightHouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired in San Francisco.
This accessibility-focused event allowed Tom to share how Comcast is opening new doors to independence for people of all abilities and to drive awareness for the Comcast philosophy that by making a product more inclusive it creates a better experience for everyone.
Throughout the fireside chat with Scott Blanks, Senior Director of Programs for LightHouse, Tom spoke about the numerous innovations he and his team have created. From the award-winning Xfinity X1 Voice Guidance text-to-speech interface and the web-based Xfinity Adaptive Remote to implementing a dedicated support center specifically tailored for customers with disabilities, Tom and his team define the strategy to ensure current and future Comcast products and services include customers of all abilities.
The event was a unique opportunity for attendees to hear more about the Comcast Accessibility Lab, which provides an interactive atmosphere where accessibility features are at the forefront of everything the team does as they strive to find the next breakthrough for those with disabilities.
Toward the end of the event, Erin Lauridsen, Director of Access Technology for LightHouse, facilitated a Q&A with attendees that included LightHouse members, students, donors and board members.
Tom closed the event – which took place on Giving Tuesday – by announcing Comcast was contributing $50,000 to LightHouse for the Blind. The organization plays an instrumental role in the accessibility community and beyond—from empowering blind and vision-impaired people with the basic skills to navigate everything from reading braille to equipping them with digital and technology skills.
Comcast is proud to be a long-standing partner, supporting LightHouse’s incredible programs and services that have impacted thousands of blind and visually impaired people. It’s for this reason, that the Comcast Foundation provided a $50,000 grant to LightHouse for the Blind for their digital and technology programs to empower more students with the skills necessary to succeed in their education, careers and lives.
To learn more, and experience the event for yourself, please check out this video.