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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link="#467886" vlink="#96607D" style='word-wrap:break-word'><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><b><u><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Braille Monitor January 2026</span></u></b><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><a href="https://nfb.org/images/nfb/publications/bm/bm26/bm2601/bm260102.htm">(back)</a> (<a href="https://nfb.org/images/nfb/publications/bm/bm26/bm2601/bm2601tc.htm">contents</a>) (<a href="https://nfb.org/images/nfb/publications/bm/bm26/bm2601/bm260104.htm">next</a>)<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>From the President’s Desk: The Federation Shares Pressing Concerns with Vispero’s CEO<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>by Mark A. Riccobono</span></b><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shapetype id="_x0000_t75" coordsize="21600,21600" o:spt="75" o:preferrelative="t" path="m@4@5l@4@11@9@11@9@5xe" filled="f" stroked="f">
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</v:shapetype><v:shape id="Picture_x0020_2" o:spid="_x0000_s1026" type="#_x0000_t75" alt="Mark A. Riccobono" style='position:absolute;margin-left:191.8pt;margin-top:0;width:243pt;height:253.5pt;z-index:251659264;visibility:visible;mso-wrap-style:square;mso-width-percent:0;mso-height-percent:0;mso-wrap-distance-left:0;mso-wrap-distance-top:0;mso-wrap-distance-right:0;mso-wrap-distance-bottom:0;mso-position-horizontal:right;mso-position-horizontal-relative:text;mso-position-vertical:absolute;mso-position-vertical-relative:line;mso-width-percent:0;mso-height-percent:0;mso-width-relative:page;mso-height-relative:page' o:allowoverlap="f">
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</v:shape><![endif]--><![if !vml]><img width=324 height=338 style='width:3.375in;height:3.5208in' src="cid:image001.jpg@01DC8084.AE93C330" align=right alt="Mark A. Riccobono" v:shapes="Picture_x0020_2"><![endif]><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>One of the responsibilities I have as President of the National Federation of the Blind is to develop relationships with the executives of organizations and corporations whose work has an effect on blind people. Sometimes these are within the blindness field, but often they are companies who do not regularly work with blind people. Vispero is one of the major companies within the blindness field whose products have a wide reach and whose relationship with the community of blind people is critical. In my time as President of the Federation, I have worked with three previous CEOs of the company. Recently, I have begun building a relationship with the newest CEO, Ms. Rhonda Bassett-Spiers. Frequently, these relationships are built in private meetings where I help people understand the nature of the Federation—we are different than the many agencies for the blind that they tend to interact with—and I strive to help new leaders know that the Federation will always give them the straight story from blind people whether they like it or not. It is extremely unusual for me to publish correspondence between a new CEO and myself on behalf of the Federation after only a couple of months. However, the extreme concern from Federation members caused me to act swiftly to ensure that good information was out in the public.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>For context, we knew that a new CEO was coming to Vispero. Bob Ciminera shared with me months before our 2025 National Convention that he would be retiring. I should interject here that in late November I learned that Mr. Ciminera passed away. He was a strong supporter of the organized blind movement, believed deeply in the products of his company, and trusted the wisdom of the community. Our hearts go out to his friends and family. One of the last things I undertook with Bob was to make sure that the company got Glen Gordon to present at our convention and to our annual banquet so we could give Glen our Kenneth Jernigan Award. We shared the 2025 Convention presentation given by Glen Gordon and Ryan Jones of Vispero in the November 2025 issue of the <i>Braille Monitor</i>. In acknowledging Glen’s tremendous contributions over thirty years, none of us could have foreseen that he would resign from the company only three months later. And there has been even more concerning news. Convention attendees and readers will remember that a new feature, AI Page Explorer, was demonstrated in a video, and the audience was told that this feature would be part of FS Companion beginning in the fall. But upon release, this feature is not part of FS Companion and is only available with more expensive JAWS licenses. It is specifically excluded from the most affordable license, JAWS Home Annual. We are now told that it was intended all along for “professional and academic environments,” but it was demonstrated using the website dedicated to the restaurants at the New Orleans Marriott, suggesting it was intended for general use. These and other concerns finally got to the point that I felt we needed to clearly document our concerns and share them directly with Ms. Bassett-Spiers. She wrote back to me fairly quickly. I had intended to use these correspondence to do a more personal interview with her myself for our <i>Access On</i> podcast. However, after her reply she cancelled the podcast interview, suggesting that we defer meeting until early in the new year. The extreme level of concern among Federation members causes me to release these correspondence, as blind people deserve straight answers. We will continue to work to build an executive-level relationship and to hold Vispero accountable to its loyal blind customers. Here are the correspondence from November 2025:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>November 7, 2025<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Sent via email<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Dear Ms. Bassett-Spiers,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>As you know, the National Federation of the Blind is the nation’s transformative organization of blind people, with affiliates in every state as well as the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. As the voice of the nation’s blind, we have a duty to alert those who offer products and services to us when there is a groundswell of concern. This is the commitment I have also made to you in the two one-on-one conversations we have held.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Following feedback from many of our members who are raising new issues almost daily, I feel compelled to formally convey to you a series of pressing concerns regarding Vispero’s direction and engagement. As the producer of JAWS, ZoomText, and Fusion, Vispero impacts the daily lives and opportunities of millions of blind individuals across the United States and worldwide. With this influence comes a profound responsibility to prioritize the needs, aspirations, and leadership of those you serve.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Pricing and Licensing Changes<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>While we appreciate that Vispero must operate in a manner that ensures ongoing commercial viability, we are concerned by the limited and unclear communication around recent changes to JAWS licensing models and pricing structures. These changes have generated significant confusion, anxiety, and frustration worldwide. The temporary removal of the Home Annual License option from the website, reversed only after public backlash, created unnecessary alarm. This decision led many to believe that a product they used daily was suddenly out of their financial reach.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>We urge Vispero to provide a clear explanation of the new pricing options and to show respect for its loyal customers by explaining clearly why these changes are necessary.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Erosion of Home Annual License Functionality<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>We are disappointed that JAWS Home Annual License holders have been excluded from the new Page Explorer feature. Vispero highlighted this feature at our recent national convention in July, valuing it sufficiently to produce a video demonstrating the new functionality. It was marketed at that time as an addition to FS Companion. At no time was there any mention that Vispero would create different tiers of JAWS users when it came to cutting-edge AI tools.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>When the Home Annual License was introduced in 2018, the National Federation of the Blind applauded the move. We believed it worked for everyone. The unemployment rate among blind people is far too high. The JAWS Home Annual License allows those who do not qualify for funding to use JAWS at a price they can afford. They can become familiar with the product, which in turn improves employment prospects. When an Annual Home License user finds work, Vispero benefits when an appropriate license is purchased for the blind person’s workplace. This program has been an investment in the capacity-building of blind people.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Depriving Annual Home License customers, who have paid in good faith, of new core features is a concerning new policy that changes the implicit social contract of this license. We call upon you to reconsider this decision and make Page Explorer, along with future AI features, available to this category of users.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Vispero Account<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>In the United States, JAWS 2026 requires users to create and sign into a Vispero account. If it eventually becomes possible for customers to return authorizations when upgrading computers and share settings across devices, then users will benefit from this change. However, we are also hearing concerns. Many of these may be addressed with clear, transparent, respectful communication.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Some JAWS users are concerned about the amount of data being collected, such as the name of a person’s employer. We seek assurance that all data Vispero is collecting is actually necessary for the operation of JAWS, and that users are not being required to provide marketing data, which should be optional, in order to use their screen reader.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Additionally, there are concerns about whether a cloud outage such as that which affected Amazon Web Services in October may disrupt JAWS if ongoing use requires verification that users are logged in.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>We seek further clarity and assurance on these issues.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Technical Support<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>We are hearing from members that Vispero is no longer accepting technical support requests via email. While we appreciate that requiring users to submit a web form may aid Vispero through the mandatory provision of information that can help the technical support process, email is a ubiquitous medium. Even those who have access to older notetaker products, whose JAWS may not be working at all, can submit a written technical support request via email.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>We invite you to reconsider this decision.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Blind Leadership<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>We are concerned by the apparent decline in blind leadership at Vispero that has recently occurred. We believe that one of the reasons JAWS has become the dominant product in the screen reader industry is that the original company that developed JAWS—Henter-Joyce—was founded by a blind person. There were always capable blind people, who were users of the product, in key positions. This allowed those blind people to mentor people who are not blind but who possessed the values and curiosity to be successful.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>In recent days, we learned of the departure of Glen Gordon. Glen is a giant in this industry who developed many of the paradigms that all graphical screen readers subsequently adopted. Marking the 30th anniversary of JAWS for Windows, we honored Glen’s contribution at this year’s national convention of the National Federation of the Blind in New Orleans by giving him the prestigious Kenneth Jernigan Award for his outstanding contribution. The fact that Glen felt he must resign from the company—not because he wished to retire, but because of a perceived incompatibility of values—is of serious concern and one we would expect would cause considerable reflection about the company’s direction.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>We also note that other blind people in leadership roles have been redeployed into positions that appear to have less direct influence on the products and services blind people use. We are concerned that these changes will result in Vispero making decisions that are not informed by the knowledge and lived experience of blind people.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>The National Federation of the Blind proudly supports, and indeed insists, that blind people help direct the products and services intended for our use. However, multiple recent developments are creating an increasing disconnect between leadership and the people the company exists to serve.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>We are here to help. It is our hope that Vispero and the National Federation of the Blind can continue to be trusted partners. We remain uniquely placed to provide constructive advice based on the views of our extensive membership across the nation. We encourage you to engage with these concerns in a spirit of partnership and urgency. We request a comprehensive, public response to the issues outlined above and a commitment to ongoing dialogue with the organized blind movement.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Your leadership presents an opportunity to set a new standard for access, accountability, and inclusion. We urge you to seize it.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>I look forward to your prompt and substantive reply.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>November 10, 2025<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Sent via email<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Dear Mark,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Thank you for your thoughtful and comprehensive letter. I greatly appreciate the time and care the National Federation of the Blind (NFB) has taken to share these concerns and perspectives. The NFB plays a critical role in representing the voice and lived experience of the blind community. We value the open dialogue we’ve established through our past conversations and ongoing collaboration.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>At Vispero, our purpose is to empower individuals who are blind or have low vision to achieve independence and access opportunities.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>We recognize that fulfilling this mission requires transparency, accountability, and close partnership with organizations like the NFB to ensure our decisions reflect the needs and lived experiences of the community we serve.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>We take the feedback outlined in your message very seriously. The issues you’ve raised regarding pricing and licensing clarity, feature access, account functionality, data privacy, technical support accessibility, and blind leadership within Vispero directly address areas that are core to our mission and values. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>I’d like to address each of your points individually to provide background and context.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Pricing & Licensing<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>We recognize the importance of affordability and clarity to the communities we serve. For many users, the Home Annual License has been a bridge to independence, education, and employment. In 2018, when the Home Annual License was launched, the subscription price for JAWS was $90 per year. The price was increased by 5 percent in 2021 to $95, and again in 2025 by 10 percent to $104.50. This represents just two price increases over an eight-year period.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>The Home Annual License remains central to our mission to keep JAWS accessible and affordable. Despite not being profitable, we continue to offer it because it aligns with our mission to support the blind and low-vision community and to ensure individuals have affordable access to JAWS for personal use.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Earlier this year, we removed the Home Annual License option from our website, requiring our loyal customers to contact us directly to make a purchase. This decision was made after discovering that several businesses were purchasing this lower-cost license rather than true home users. While we recognize this may create a minor inconvenience, the process helps ensure that the product remains available to the individuals for whom it was designed. To support this change, we also published a blog post that explains the different licensing options and helps customers select the right product for their needs. I’d be happy to share this link if you would like.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>I’d like to reaffirm that the Home Annual License remains a core offering for Vispero. Going forward, any updates to pricing or licensing will be communicated clearly and collaboratively. We welcome the NFB’s feedback as part of this process.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Feature Access and AI Page Explorer<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>I understand and appreciate the community’s disappointment regarding the exclusion of AI Page Explorer from the Home Annual subscription. We intended to design this specific feature for professional and academic environments, where users frequently engage with complex, data-rich systems. However, we also recognize that innovation should never feel like exclusion.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>We are actively reviewing how to make AI-driven functionality more broadly available, and we have many new capabilities planned for release across our product portfolio in 2026. As I mentioned in our recent conversation, we would like to work closely with the NFB and other community representatives early in our development cycle to gather feedback and ensure our innovation plans align with user needs.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>To that end, I reached out to Beth [Braun, Chief of Staff for the National Federation of the Blind] Friday, November 7th, to schedule a call with you and your CTO to review our product strategy and gather your input.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>As a company, we will not always offer identical functionality across all product tiers; however, we are committed to providing upgrade paths where possible. We have always listened to and responded to customers who contact us with specific needs.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Vispero Account and Data Privacy<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>The new Vispero Account was introduced to strengthen our connection with users and create a more unified experience. By enabling registration, we can simplify license management, cross-device personalization, and lay the foundation for future AI-driven features that adapt to individual user preferences. We also share the concern about data collection and want to assure users that only information essential to software functionality is required. We will be publishing a clearer explanation of what data is collected, why, and how it is protected.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>We also share your concern about reliability. We are designing the system so that temporary cloud outages will not disrupt product access, and we will provide additional transparency on these safeguards.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Technical Support Access<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>We appreciate the feedback regarding the transition away from email-based technical support.<br>Currently, only about 7 percent of customers use email to contact our support team, with the majority choosing to call and speak directly with one of our fully staffed technical support representatives, who can address issues immediately.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>We implemented the web form to help capture key details upfront and enable our team to respond more efficiently. However, we fully recognize that accessibility must always come first. For users who require immediate assistance—or who may find the web form difficult to access—our call center remains available to provide direct support.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Our goal is to ensure that every customer, regardless of circumstance or technology access, has a reliable and responsive way to reach our team. The call center remains our primary channel for achieving this level of service.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Blind Leadership and Representation<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>We share your deep appreciation for the extraordinary contributions of leaders such as Glen Gordon, and for the generations of blind professionals who have shaped JAWS and other Vispero products. Blind leadership and lived experience remain fundamental to our innovation model. While some roles have evolved as part of our broader organizational transformation, we reaffirm our commitment to ensuring that blind professionals continue to have a meaningful influence across our product, research, and customer experience teams.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>As reflected on our website, our leadership team includes two members of the blind community—Matt Ater and Ryan Jones—who both play critical roles in shaping the company’s strategy, direction, and user engagement. Their expertise and advocacy continue to strengthen our organization, ensuring that our decisions reflect the perspectives of the communities we serve.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Looking ahead, we plan to expand our formal engagement with blind advisors, advocates, and users through ongoing listening sessions and advisory panels. We would greatly value the NFB’s partnership in this effort. We have developed a community outreach and engagement strategy to build stronger, more direct connections between Vispero and the community, and I would welcome the opportunity to review our plans with you to gather your feedback and insights.<br>Additionally, as we discussed on our call, I would greatly appreciate any recommendations you may have to help Vispero as we continue our efforts to recruit and hire blind engineers.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Looking Forward: A More Collaborative Partnership<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>As I mentioned when we met, I want to, and am committed to, working differently together—proactively rather than reactively. That means:<o:p></o:p></span></p><ul style='margin-top:0in' type=disc><li class=MsoNormal style='mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1'><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Inviting NFB’s input earlier in Vispero’s product planning cycles.<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class=MsoNormal style='mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1'><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Hosting regular briefings to discuss upcoming updates and feature roadmaps.<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class=MsoNormal style='mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1'><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Partnering on communication to the broader community when changes are on the horizon.<o:p></o:p></span></li></ul><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Our goal is to ensure that the voices of blind users help shape every stage of development, and that communication around change is clear, respectful, and transparent.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>We are proud of our shared mission to empower people who are blind or have low vision through technology. As we integrate AI and next-generation tools into JAWS, ZoomText, and Fusion, our vision remains constant: to ensure every user has the independence, confidence, and opportunity they deserve.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Thank you again for your partnership and for holding us to the high standards we strive to meet. We look forward to continuing this conversation and working more closely with the National Federation of the Blind to ensure Vispero’s innovation always advances accessibility for all.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Warm regards,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Rhonda Bassett-Spiers<br>Chief Executive Officer<br>Vispero<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></body></html>