[NABS-L] Concerns About Program Claims By Presenters During The NFB National Convention

[Joe Orozco]

Thanks for sharing. I'd been planning on checking them out. Side income is never a bad thing, but this gives me pause. Are there comparable companies with better/proven reputations?

Joe

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-----Original Message-----
From: NABS-L <nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Logan via NABS-L
Sent: Saturday, July 5, 2025 4:24 AM
Cc: Logan <logansmithny980 at gmail.com>; nfbcs at nfbnet.org; nabs-l at nfbnet.org; rehab at nfbnet.org
Subject: [NABS-L] Concerns About Program Claims By Presenters During The NFB National Convention

I would like to highlight some concerns raised by counselors from across the country regarding presentations to be made by  AccessAbility Officer
(AO) at the NFB National Convention. During this presentation,  AccessAbility Officer will discussed their program, known as the CAT Program, which they assert guarantees competitive integrated employment for vocational rehabilitation clients.
However, it appears that what they are actually offering is an apprenticeship rather than a guaranteed job after clients graduate from the program. This distinction is crucial and potentially misleading. When a client claims, "I secured an apprenticeship, or what  AccessAbility Officer refers to as a job with AO," it may lead counselors to believe that the client has attained permanent and stable employment, thereby justifying the closure of their vocational rehabilitation case.
Furthermore, many clients have reported that they do not have any accessibility testing work for extended periods during their apprenticeship with  Accessability Officer, which adds to the misleading nature of the claims regarding clients securing jobs.
  AccessAbility Officer's portrayal of program success is concerning, as it conflates an apprenticeship with a job when communicating with individuals who are blind and their counselors. This misrepresentation has resulted in increasing scrutiny and criticism of AO country wide by counselors..
Moreover, the AccessAbility Officer claims that their graduates receive two industry certifications. While it is accurate that graduates obtain the Trusted Tester certification from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which is recognized within the industry, the second certification the CAT Program certification is not acknowledged by any external authority. This certification is self-created and lacks recognition in the broader web accessibility field.
Additionally, AO asserts that it has grown into a $1,000,000 company; however, this figure should be approached with skepticism, as it has not been independently verified by any external entity.
In light of these considerations, I encourage everyone to critically assess the claims made by  AccessAbility Officer.
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