A2i Blog

19 July 2024

How has technology improved accessibility over the last 25 years?

At A2i we’re celebrating our 25th birthday so we’re looking back at how accessibility and technology have changed over the last 25 years. From mobile phones to AAC devices, we want to talk about how modern technology has improved accessibility for disabled people. In 1999, as the millennium approached, there was a sense of society …

A hand catching a mobile phone

10 July 2024

How has Braille changed over the last 25 years?

By Dave Horwood   At A2i we’re celebrating our 25th birthday this year so we’re looking back at what has changed for our customers and staff since 1999. While Braille has been through many changes since its invention exactly 200 years ago, its role in teaching literacy to visually impaired people and allowing them to …

A refreshable Braille display

27 June 2024

A2i is 25! Let’s celebrate!

This month marks an important milestone for A2i: our 25th birthday! 25 years of providing accessible formats to thousands of organisations, charities, government bodies, and individuals  across the UK.   As we celebrate our achievements, we want to share how our small business has changed over the last 25 years. If you follow us on …

A2i's old logo, and A2i's new logo next to each other. the new logo is more accessible and more modern.

14 June 2024

Running a business for 25 years

By Susie Fisher When I set up this business, I didn’t really have any long-term aspirations or goals. I simply saw a need, and felt I knew how to meet that need. At age 25, I also had the perspective of youth with little responsibility and plenty of energy! Who knew what would happen?! I …

Susie Fisher smiling

12 June 2024

A2i’s new video – meet some of our staff and learn about our services

Here’s the full script of A2i’s video Hi, I’m Susie Fisher, Director of A2i. I set up A2i in 1999. I was working in a disability department in a University at the time, where I discovered that it was impossible to get course materials in Braille in less than two months which was obviously too …

Front screen of video. A blue background with A2i's logo and strapline. The text says "We're celebrating 25 years. A2i 1999 est. making information accessible"

20 May 2024

5 ways A2i increase the digital accessibility of your e-text PDFs.

by Amelia Ling   At A2i, our expert transcribers follow a strict process, guided by WCAG accessibility standards, to ensure our e-text documents are accessible to people who are Blind or visually impaired. E-text is a digitally accessible format for people who cannot read printed text. Some people need to read information digitally using accessible …

A lady preparing e-text on a computer screen

17 May 2024

A2i’s new staff member – introducing Dave Horwood!

Dave joined A2i in the Autumn last year, having moved back to Bristol from Brighton. Dave’s knowledge and skills have been invaluable as we continue to improve our products, and he is a much-valued member of the A2i team.   We asked Dave some questions about his role, as well as what he likes to …

Dave standing outside the Red Lion pub in Salisbury, at the end of one of his charity walks. Dave is wearing shorts, a t-shirt and a big rucksack! The pub is 800 years old, with pretty hanging baskets and a statue of a red lion, next to Dave.

13 March 2024

How do visually impaired people access e-text documents?

By Dave Horwood As a visually impaired person, I feel empowered when an e-text document is accessible. It means I can access information without assistance, on an equal footing with my sighted friends and family. What is E-text? E-text is text that can be read digitally such as e-books, pdf documents and even text messages. …

Dave sitting at his desk, smiling, in A2i's office. He is wearing a turquoise jumper and has headphones on

27 February 2024

What is a BSL video?

Firstly, let’s talk about BSL. BSL stands for British Sign Language, and it’s a visual means of communication that includes gestures, facial expressions, and body language. According to Sense, BSL is the preferred language of around 87,000 people who are D/deaf. BSL is also used by many hard of hearing and hearing individuals. A BSL …

Image of a screen. The majority of the screen shows a still from a video, with a lady sitting at a garden table, talking. In the bottom right of the screen there is a man signing. To the left of the signer, and underneath the video of the lady, there are 2 lines of white subtitles on a dark blue background.

19 February 2024

How to convert documents into Large Print accessible format

 How to get documents your translated into Large Print Have you been asked to produce your information in Large Print?  You may be thinking, “…surely I can just magnify my document on the photocopier?” Or “Maybe I’ll just increase the font size…” We explain below why it can be a bit more complex than that, …

Photo of front covers of some documents for the Football Association. the bottom document is the standard print version. The other document is the Large Print version created by A2i.
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