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

[Logan]

Apologies for the delayed response   your email got buried in my inbox.
The following organizations offer a program similar to AO:
World Services for the Blind
Blind Institute of Technology
The Carroll Center for the Blind



On Sat, Jul 5, 2025 at 8:43 AM Joe Orozco via NABS-L <nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
wrote:

> 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
>
> --
> Joe Orozco: Your Message, My Mission
> https://joeorozco.com/services/
>
> -----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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