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Massachusetts Commission for the Blind outlines free supports and assistive technology for hiring employees who are legally blind
Summary
The Massachusetts Commission for the Blind told employers in a webinar that its vocational‑rehabilitation services — from workplace technology assessments to orientation & mobility training and assistive devices like JAWS and OCR readers — are free, individualized and intended to make hiring and onboarding smoother.
The Massachusetts Commission for the Blind on Wednesday walked employers through free, individualized supports it offers to help hire and onboard people who are legally blind, including orientation and mobility training, workplace technology assessments and assistive devices such as screen‑reader and OCR tools.
MCB Commissioner John Oliveira told attendees the agency’s vocational‑rehabilitation mission is to increase employment among people who are blind. “We want to educate you about this, the potential opportunities that you have to partner with us and work with some of our consumers,” Oliveira said, urging employers to use MCB as a partner rather than substitute for hiring decisions.
Why it matters: MCB presenters cited U.S. Census Bureau figures — about 8.2 million Americans report a vision difficulty — and noted the employment rate for people who are legally blind (about 44%) remains well below the general population (about 75%). MCB said a principal barrier is lack of employer knowledge about accommodations and available services.
What MCB offers: The agency described a three‑stage support model. Before hiring, MCB can vet candidates and conduct mock interviews; during hiring it can advise on lawful interview questions and help make platforms (for example, cloud collaboration tools) accessible to screen‑reader users; after hiring it provides orientation and mobility (O&M) training, rehabilitation teaching and consults on workplace modifications.
Ally Bull, MCB’s Director of Orientation & Mobility Services, described individualized O&M plans that cover safe commuting options and mapping workplace routes and points of interest. Bull said simple environmental changes — bump dots next to elevator buttons, high‑contrast tape on stairs, lighting adjustments — are common, low‑cost steps that improve safety and independence.
Alexander Pooler, Director of Assistive Technology, demonstrated several devices MCB deploys: desktop and handheld video magnifiers, high‑contrast keyboards, OCR readers that photograph printed pages and read them aloud, and screen‑reader software such as JAWS. Pooler emphasized these tools are portable and matched to each consumer’s skills and job tasks. “The Assisted Technology Unit are the experts on this and we do highly encourage you to reach out to us anytime,” Pooler said.
On software accessibility, presenters encouraged employers to consult before swapping platforms. Christiane Whitman, an HR practitioner who partners with MCB, said her organization kept using a cloud collaboration platform once it became JAWS‑compliant instead of replacing it.
Next steps: Panelists invited employers to host interns, request in‑service trainings at their workplaces, submit job leads to MCB’s Employment Services and contact MCB staff for tailored support; Daniel Martin supplied an email for follow‑up. MCB reiterated its services are free and individualized.
The webinar closed with practical tips for virtual meetings (choose accessible platforms, announce names when speaking) and an offer to assist candidates using the Commonwealth’s MassCareers site.
