ICEVI-ONNET - Anne Taylor : Toward a society where anyone can take on any challenge

<Program Background>
Starting in 1985,The Overbrook School for the Blind in Philadelphia, U.S.A. began actively accepting visually impaired students from developing countries for one-year intensive studies programs in three fields: English as a second language, computer literacy, and leadership training. The program enabled people with visual impairments to play more active roles in society. Following that, in 1989, The Nippon Foundation provided a one-million-dollar endowment to enable scholarships under this program.
 
This campus-based scholarship program ran through 1998, at which point the two institutions began a new initiative known as the Overbrook-Nippon-Network on Educational Technology for Blind and Visually Impaired Persons (ON-NET). The new program, which continues today, aims to expand educational and employment opportunities for those who are blind or have low vision in developing countries, and to establish a network of support groups in Asia.
 
Anne Taylor, an alum of the initial program, has worked at Microsoft since 2015, where she currently serves as Supportability Director, Accessibility. Ms. Taylor is nearly blind and can only sense light. However, she has turned this trait into a tactical advantage as she takes part in the review and testing process for the company’s design and engineering efforts, providing valuable guidance for the developers at Microsoft.
 
We had the good fortune to be able to interview Ms. Taylor about the challenges she faces and what she has gained from her experience of study abroad. The following article is based on that interview.
 
 
The Overbrook scholarship wrought great changes in her life
 
Ms. Taylor is originally from Thailand. While attending the Bangkok School for the Blind, she had the opportunity to meet Ankke Corte, who at that time was directing The Overbrook International Program.
 
She introduced Ms. Taylor to the idea of study at Overbrook, which thrilled her. She told us that “in those days, accessibility was not well developed in Thailand, so I was attracted to the idea of studying technology and English.”
 
The Overbrook School for the Blind International Scholarship Program was a one-year program, and Ms. Taylor spent her first year of high school there, studying with students from many other countries such as Thailand, Korea, Poland, Germany, the Netherlands, Malaysia and Japan.
 
 “The Overbrook School for the Blind is located in Philadelphia, which is one of the United States’ most historic cities, having been settled by the early colonists. While there, I learned not only about English and technology, but also about international politics and history. I enjoyed every minute of my scholarship period and gained valuable experience.
 
 “I had never touched a computer before I received the scholarship, but Overbrook exposed me to the idea of accessibility in the digital world. I became interested in technology and was able to meet people who would eventually become my mentors. It was also a great experience to learn how to travel alone and to be able to connect with a community of accessibility professionals.”
 
After her year at the school, Ms. Taylor finished out her high school education at the Kentucky School for the Blind. Then she enrolled at the University of Louisville where she studied general education for two years, and finally transferred to Western Kentucky University to complete a degree in Computer Information Systems.
 
 
What I'm doing is not “special”
 
Following university, Ms. Taylor worked in access technology at the National Federation of the Blind (NFB) from 2000 to 2015.
 
The NFB advocates for equal access for blind people to all information. During her tenure there, Ms. Taylor was initially involved in accessibility testing and programming, but her obvious talents led her into the director’s position.
 
In working to make sure that the needs of blind and low vision people were met throughout society, she had the opportunity to collaborate with major companies like Microsoft, Apple, Amazon, and Google, and in the course of this work, Ms. Taylor met Jenny Lay-Flurrie, Microsoft’s Chief Accessibility Officer, and joined the company in 2015.
 
She says, “Microsoft wanted someone who could advocate for the importance of accessibility within the company.”
 
Though her work is very important, she maintains a very down-to-earth attitude about it, saying, “One of the current issues in our society is that people with disabilities must continue to confront barriers as they work, play or even just live. I would like to emphasize the fact that what I am doing at Microsoft must not be considered as ‘special.' This is what must become the norm around the world.”
 
To help solve this, Ms. Taylor says that it is necessary for all people, regardless of disability or lack thereof, to have free and equal access to information.
 
 
Contributing to the development of technology
 
Unfortunately, at the global level, the unemployment rate for people with disabilities is high. As Ms. Taylor points out, this is because “They don’t have opportunities to get the experience or skills they need to enhance their lives with technology.” In many situations, this disparity leads to a significant wage gap.
 
Ms. Taylor is a highly valued employee and receives the same wage as other colleagues at Microsoft. She says, “Microsoft is setting a great example when it comes to hiring people with disabilities.”
 
The company’s management philosophy is, “Empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more.” The company is actively working on accessibility as well as welcoming people with disabilities onboard to promote inclusion and to change the culture within the company.
 
Ms. Taylor comments that “the mindset of the company's leadership has a big impact,” explaining that strong leadership is essential if we are to facilitate an attitude of diversity and inclusiveness in each employee. We must make people with disabilities a full part of our teams and reflect their opinions in our designs and ways of working. Microsoft, as a global leader, takes the issue of disability very seriously, working within its own corporate culture to improve it.
 
As the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals continue to attract attention, efforts to “leave no one behind” are spreading, especially among companies and local governments. Microsoft seems to be leading this charge.
 
Ms. Taylor concludes by saying, “It is my hope that my presence can inspire other companies to hire people with disabilities, and moreover that I can contribute to the development of technologies that give people with any kind of disability free and equal access to information.”
 
She is truly committed to building a society where anyone can take on any challenge.
 

 Profile  Anne Taylor
Studied in the United States after graduating from middle school at the Bangkok School for the Blind. Studied under the Overbrook School for the Blind International Scholarship Program during her freshman year of high school, following which she completed her high school education at the Kentucky School for the Blind. After completing the general education program at Louisville University, she received her degree from Western Kentucky University, majoring in Computer Information Systems.
 
Started work as an access technology specialist for the National Federation of the Blind (NFB) in 2000. Promoted to Director of Access Technology in 2004. Left in 2015 to join Microsoft. In her current role as Supportability Director, Accessibility, she works to improve accessibility in software and web services.