At Banter Podcast

This week, Rob, Ryan, and Steve are joined by returning guest Donna Jodhan, an advocate and author, to discuss her latest initiatives. Donna shares insights on her new focus—transition programs designed to help youth with disabilities prepare for the workforce, enhancing their value to employers. The conversation also revisits Donna’s landmark 2010 court case challenging the accessibility of Canadian government websites, a pivotal moment that contributed to the development of the Accessible Canada Act in 2019 before diving into the importance of self-advocacy and the critical need for robust enforcement to ensure compliance with accessibility laws. Show Transcript https://atbanter.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/at-banter-podcast-episode-397-donna-jodhan-returns.pdf Show Notes Donna Jodhan https://www.donnajodhan.com/ AT Banter is brought to you by Canadian Assistive Technology, providing sales and training in Assistive Technology and Accessibility with over 30 years of knowledge and experience. Visit them o

The summer is over and that means AT Banter returns to full strength as Rob, Ryan, Lis and Steve welcome Joshua Ang, host of the new AMI show Got Game to the show. They discuss the premise and origins of the show, which involves six youth with disabilities from all over the country coming together to a Board Game café to play accessible board games and discuss their respective lived experiences before diving into the importance of having youth driven content that fosters community and education. Show Transcript https://atbanter.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/at-banter-podcast-episode-396-joshua-ang-got-game.pdf Show Notes Got Game on AMI Plus https://www.amiplus.ca/Got-Game AT Banter is brought to you by Canadian Assistive Technology, providing sales and training in Assistive Technology and Accessibility with over 30 years of knowledge and experience. Visit them online at www.canasstech.com or call toll-free 1-844-795-8324 or visit their Assistive Technology Showroom at 106 – 828 West 8th Avenue, Vancouver.

Rob and Ryan welcome Penn Street, host of the Blind Chick Podcast, who shares her journey of losing her vision due to Stevens-Johnson Syndrome. The three dive into a discussion of the importance of early intervention, mentorship, and community support as well as the need for better representation and accessibility in various aspects of life, including dating apps and government before talking about the importance of sharing lived experiences to inspire and educate others through podcasting. Show Transcript https://atbanter.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/at-banter-podcast-episode-395-penn-street-the-blind-chick.pdf Show Notes The Blind Chick https://aftersight.org/audio-publications/the-blind-chick/ AfterSight https://aftersight.org/ AT Banter is brought to you by Canadian Assistive Technology, providing sales and training in Assistive Technology and Accessibility with over 30 years of knowledge and experience. Visit them online at www.canasstech.com or call toll-free 1-844-795-8324 or visit their Assistive T

Rob and Ryan gather together on a Friday night just in time to welcome Rocky Batzel and Chason Sordoni, founders of SnapSlide, an innovative child-resistant closure mechanism which is designed for easier accessibility for people with limited strength, arthritis, or those with one arm, or anyone who may struggle with traditional child resistant lids. They also get into a rousing discussion about universal design and the importance of community support and consumer advocacy in driving change. It's a fun and illuminating episode you don’t want to miss! Show Transcript https://atbanter.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/at-banter-podcast-episode-394-snapslide.pdf Show Notes SnapSlide https://www.snapslide.com/ SnapSlide On Facebook https://www.facebook.com/people/SnapSlide/100067111487742/ AT Banter is brought to you by Canadian Assistive Technology, providing sales and training in Assistive Technology and Accessibility with over 30 years of knowledge and experience. Visit them online at www.canasstech.com or call t

Rob, Lis, and Ryan take a break from practicing Olympic Breakdancing long enough to welcome Jonathan Price to the show to discuss his role at Colorado based non-profit that produces audio newspapers, magazines, and podcasts for the blind and low vision community as Podcast Producer. They discuss shared their experiences and insights on creating and growing a successful podcast, highlighting the importance of genuine conversations, spontaneity, and community involvement.  Show Transcript https://atbanter.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/at-banter-podcast-episode-393-jonathan-price-aftersight.pdf Show Notes AfterSight https://aftersight.org/ AfterSight Podcasts https://aftersight.org/category/audio-publications/featured-podcasts/ AT Banter is brought to you by Canadian Assistive Technology, providing sales and training in Assistive Technology and Accessibility with over 30 years of knowledge and experience. Visit them online at www.canasstech.com or call toll-free 1-844-795-8324 or visit their Assistive Technolo

Rob, Ryan and Lis welcome Amy Amantea and her writing partner Rena Cohen to the show to talk about their new Radio Play Podcast entitled “Disability Tour Bus”. They talk all about the about how the play and how it came about, its themes, and why it is that the Arts can be such a successful platform for transmitting its of inclusion and disability.   Show Transcript https://atbanter.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/at-banter-podcast-episode-392-disability-tour-bus.pdf Show Notes Disability Tour Bus https://realwheels.ca/disability-tour-bus/ Disability Tour Bus on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ttKYEEHgwsQ AT Banter is brought to you by Canadian Assistive Technology, providing sales and training in Assistive Technology and Accessibility with over 30 years of knowledge and experience. Visit them online at www.canasstech.com or call toll-free 1-844-795-8324 or visit their Assistive Technology Showroom at 106 – 828 West 8th Avenue, Vancouver. Need repairs on your device? Chaos Technical Services offers s

Rob, Ryan and Steve rise early once again in order to welcome Luke Anderson, Executive Director of the StopGap Foundation back to the show to give us some updates on the organization which works to build portable ramps for businesses while highlighting the importance of accessibility and inclusion in public spaces. He also details Stop Gap’s recent innovative marketing campaign called, The Inaccessible Font, it’s purpose, and how it has been was received by the Business community. Show Transcript https://atbanter.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/at-banter-podcast-episode-391-luke-anderson-the-inaccessible-font.pdf Show Notes Stop Gap Foundation https://stopgap.ca/ Inaccessible Font https://inaccessiblefont.com/ Luke’s Previous Appearance https://atbanter.com/2022/07/20/at-banter-episode-294-stopgap-foundation/ AT Banter is brought to you by Canadian Assistive Technology, providing sales and training in Assistive Technology and Accessibility with over 30 years of knowledge and experience. Visit them online at 

Rob, Ryan, and Steve rise early once again in order to welcome Peter Tucic, Director of Strategic Partnerships for HumanWare to the show to talk about their innovative new multipurpose, multiline, tactile electronic Braille device, The Monarch. They discuss what makes The Monarch unique, the new technology that drives the device, and its potential to revolutionize the education space for students who are Braille users. Show Transcript https://atbanter.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/at-banter-podcast-episode-390-meet-the-monarch.pdf Show Notes HumanWare https://www.humanware.com/en-canada/home More Information on the Monarch https://www.humanware.com/en-canada/monarch AT Banter is brought to you by Canadian Assistive Technology, providing sales and training in Assistive Technology and Accessibility with over 30 years of knowledge and experience. Visit them online at www.canasstech.com or call toll-free 1-844-795-8324 or visit their Assistive Technology Showroom at 106 – 828 West 8th Avenue, Vancouver. Need r

Rob, Ryan, Steve, and Lis gather together for a full house this week to welcome author LK Bowen to talk about her debut novel, “For Worse”. They discuss the novel’s origins, how the choice was made to make the protagonist share LK’s eye condition of retinitis pigmentosa, and the importance of representation and agency in literature and media.    Show Transcript https://atbanter.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/at-banter-podcast-episode-389-lk-bowen-and-for-worse.pdf Show Notes LK Bowen Online https://www.authorlkbowen.com/ Buy “For Worse” on Amazon https://www.amazon.com/Worse-L-K-Bowen/dp/B0CL5D2YG3 AT Banter is brought to you by Canadian Assistive Technology, providing sales and training in Assistive Technology and Accessibility with over 30 years of knowledge and experience. Visit them online at www.canasstech.com or call toll-free 1-844-795-8324 or visit their Assistive Technology Showroom at 106 – 828 West 8th Avenue, Vancouver. Need repairs on your device? Chaos Technical Services offers service and sup

Summer is in full swing so it seems only fitting that this week’s episode is all about heading to Camp! Join us as Rob, Ryan and Lis welcome Alex Jurgenson and Matthew Alvarnez from the Camp Bowen Division of the Canadian Organization of the Blind and DeafBlind. They discuss Camp Bowen’s history as a longtime venue for campers who are blind or partially sighted, its current line-up of Summer Camps and Programs, and what makes the Bowen Island location ideal for its attendees, staff, and volunteers. Show Transcript https://atbanter.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/at-banter-podcast-episode-388-camp-bowen.pdf Show Notes Camp Bowen https://campbowen.ca/ Canadian Organization of the Blind and DeafBlind https://cobd.ca/ AT Banter is brought to you by Canadian Assistive Technology, providing sales and training in Assistive Technology and Accessibility with over 30 years of knowledge and experience. Visit them online at www.canasstech.com or call toll-free 1-844-795-8324 or visit their Assistive Technology Showroom a

This week Rob and Ryan welcome Martijn van der Spek, app developer and founder of Sparkling Apps to the podcast to talk about his new revolutionary image and video description app, PiccyBot. They explore the latest developments in AI-powered speech recognition and description, highlighting their potential to revolutionize descriptions by offering personalized, conversational, and human-like interactions and how features such as customizable settings, natural-sounding descriptions, and improved accessibility for individuals with disabilities can be key benefits of the AI revolution. Show Transcript https://atbanter.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/at-banter-podcast-episode-387-martijn-van-der-spek-piccybot.pdf Show Notes Sparkling Apps https://sparklingapps.com/ PiccyBot on iOS https://apps.apple.com/us/app/piccybot/id6476859317 PiccyBot on Android https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.sparklingapps.piccybot AT Banter is brought to you by Canadian Assistive Technology, providing sales and training i

Ryan and Rob turn on the mics on a Friday night for one of the biggest and most chaotic episodes ever as they welcome Terrin, Josselyn, LaKisha, and Carina from the “Babies Down Bottles Up” Podcast! They talk about the origins of the podcast and the challenges and importance of balancing authenticity and advocacy, their own lived experiences of being Moms who are blind or partially sighted, and much more. It’s an episode full of laughs that you don’t want to miss! Show Transcript https://atbanter.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/at-banter-podcast-episode-386-babies-down-bottles-up.pdf Show Notes Babies Down Bottles Up on Apple https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/babies-down-bottles-up/id1531015317 Babies Down Bottles Up on Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/4XQleCpiodkxziCTSnE344 AT Banter is brought to you by Canadian Assistive Technology, providing sales and training in Assistive Technology and Accessibility with over 30 years of knowledge and experience. Visit them online at www.canasstech.com or call

Steve, Rob, Lis and Ryan dive into a bit of hockey talk this week before welcoming disability advocate and blogger Jody Yarborough to the show to discuss her blog, “Love Disabled Life”. They discuss a wide variety of topics including the importance of being vocal and taking action when it comes to self advocacy to the challenges of accessibility and inclusion.   Show Transcript https://atbanter.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/at-banter-podcast-episode-385-jody-yarborough.pdf Show Notes Love Disabled Life https://www.lovedisabledlife.com/ AT Banter is brought to you by Canadian Assistive Technology, providing sales and training in Assistive Technology and Accessibility with over 30 years of knowledge and experience. Visit them online at www.canasstech.com or call toll-free 1-844-795-8324 or visit their Assistive Technology Showroom at 106 – 828 West 8th Avenue, Vancouver. Need repairs on your device? Chaos Technical Services offers service and support on almost any piece of Assistive Technology, while also

It’s a very special episode this week as Keisha Anderson, co-host from the Blind Beginnings Podcast joins Rob and Ryan to welcome Lina Coral and Juna Gjata, hosts of the Blind Girl Chat podcast to the show.  They discuss the show and its origins before diving into a discussion about everything from disability representation in media to misconceptions that many sighted people have about blindness. Show Transcript https://atbanter.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/at-banter-podcast-episode-384-lina-coral-and-juna-gjata.pdf Show Notes Listen to Blind Girl Chat Apple Podcast : https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/blind-girl-chat/id1737027522 On Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5vj03K1bty02RT2r59qRT2 AT Banter is brought to you by Canadian Assistive Technology, providing sales and training in Assistive Technology and Accessibility with over 30 years of knowledge and experience. Visit them online at www.canasstech.com or call toll-free 1-844-795-8324 or visit their Assistive Technology Showroom at 106 – 828

This week Rob, Ryan, and Lis welcome MLA for North Vancouver – Seymour and Parliamentary Secretary for Accessibility Susie Chant to talk about the BC Accessibility Act and the recent call for draft recommendations from the public regarding the development of accessibility standards. They talk about BC’s accessibility legislation and its importance and highlight the work that is currently being done to improve the lives of BC residents with disabilities. Show Transcript https://atbanter.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/at-banter-podcast-episode-383-susie-chant.pdf Show Notes Take the BC Accessibility Standards Questionnaire https://engage.gov.bc.ca/govtogetherbc/engagement/accessible-bc-standards/ AT Banter is brought to you by Canadian Assistive Technology, providing sales and training in Assistive Technology and Accessibility with over 30 years of knowledge and experience. Visit them online at www.canasstech.com or call toll-free 1-844-795-8324 or visit their Assistive Technology Showroom at 106 – 828 Wes

Close your eyes and imagine in you mind, a green apple, sitting against a white background. What do you see? If the answer is nothing, then this week’s episode might be for you! Rob, Ryan, Lis and Steve welcome Anthony Gutierrez to the show to discuss Aphantasia, a condition he shares with 3% of the global population that is characterized by the inability to build mental images. It’s a fascination discussion about this fairly new condition that you won’t want to miss! Show Transcript https://atbanter.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/at-banter-podcast-episode-382-anthony-gutierrez-aphantasia.pdf Show Notes Aphantasia Network https://aphantasia.com/ AT Banter is brought to you by Canadian Assistive Technology, providing sales and training in Assistive Technology and Accessibility with over 30 years of knowledge and experience. Visit them online at www.canasstech.com or call toll-free 1-844-795-8324 or visit their Assistive Technology Showroom at 106 – 828 West 8th Avenue, Vancouver. Need repairs on your devi

It was with great sadness that we here at AT Banter learned that Brooke Ellison, an incredible advocate and champion of disability rights for many years, passed away at the age of 45 on February 4, 2024. We were blessed here at the show to have been able to chat with her back in June of last year, and even though our time with her was limited, she made an indelible impression on all of us. We have wanted to pay tribute to Brooke for awhile now, but the truth is we were unsure on how to best do that. Being a collection of 4 podcasting numbskulls with a silly little show in one corner of the podcast world, we felt like nothing we could do or say would do her legacy justice or communicate the huge impact she left on ourselves and the people who knew her. We decided that perhaps the best way that we could pay tribute to her and spread her message to those who may have missed it would be to re-broadcast our interview with her. We had so much fun with her that afternoon, laughing and joking about making her an hono

This week Rob, Ryan, and Lis sit down to talk with Elizabeth Lalonde, advocate and founder of the Pacific Training Centre for the Blind, located in Victoria, BC. They discuss the origins of the Centre and its unique service model which includes a “non-custodial” approach to training in which blind teachers train blind students, before diving into a lively conversation regarding the importance of more training options for visually impaired Canadians. Show Transcript https://atbanter.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/at-banter-podcast-episode-381-elizabeth-lalonde-pacific-training-centre.pdf Show Notes Pacific Training Centre for the Blind https://pacifictrainingcentre.ca/ Pacific Training Centre for the Blind on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100091941198664 AT Banter is brought to you by Canadian Assistive Technology, providing sales and training in Assistive Technology and Accessibility with over 30 years of knowledge and experience. Visit them online at www.canasstech.com or call toll-free

This week Rob, Ryan and Steve welcome Rabiah Dhaliwal, youth mental health activist, humanitarian, advocate and founder of Voice for Hope Foundation to the show to discuss her work in reducing the stigma around mental health and increasing access to mental health services, disability rights and inclusion, and the new Touchscapes Art Exhibit which brings accessible art to the public to highlight the importance of universal design. Show Transcript https://atbanter.files.wordpress.com/2024/05/at-banter-podcast-episode-380-rabiah-dhaliwal-and-voices-for-hope-foundation.pdf Show Notes Voices For Hope Foundation https://www.voicesforhopefoundation.ca/ Touchscapes  Exhibition https://www.nafvan.com/touchscapes-exhibition AT Banter is brought to you by Canadian Assistive Technology, providing sales and training in Assistive Technology and Accessibility with over 30 years of knowledge and experience. Visit them online at www.canasstech.com or call toll-free 1-844-795-8324 or visit their Assistive Technology Showroom

Rob, Ryan, Lis, and Steve get geeky about accessibility and nachos as they welcome back Tanner Gers to the show. In the years since Tanner last visited, he founded a company called AccessAbility Officer, which provides provides accessibility audits, technical accessibility certifications, and disability employment services. We discuss the growing demand for digital accessibility testing and certification and how it has the potential to provide a new career path for job seekers with disabilities.  Show Transcript https://atbanter.files.wordpress.com/2024/05/at-banter-podcast-episode-379-tanner-gers-and-accessability-officer.pdf Show Notes AccessAbility Officer https://accessabilityofficer.com/ Tanner Gers – AT Banter Episode 235 https://atbanter.com/2021/04/13/at-banter-episode-235-tanner-gers/ Tanner Gers LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/tannergers/ AT Banter is brought to you by Canadian Assistive Technology, providing sales and training in Assistive Technology and Accessibility with over 30 years