At Banter Podcast

It’s that time of year again—spooky season is upon us! Join Rob, Ryan, Steve, and Lis for our annual Halloween episode, where things get delightfully weird. In this special edition, we summon the “Ghosts of Assistive Technology Past,” play a round of Mad Scientist to create ridiculous ‘FrankenAT’ inventions, and roast each other with some hilariously bad costume ideas. AT Banter is brought to you by Canadian Assistive Technology, providing sales and training in Assistive Technology and Accessibility with over 30 years of knowledge and experience. Visit them online at www.canasstech.com or call toll-free 1-844-795-8324 or visit their Assistive Technology Showroom at 106 – 828 West 8th Avenue, Vancouver. Need repairs on your device? Chaos Technical Services offers service and support on almost any piece of Assistive Technology, while also providing parts and batteries. Visit them online at www.chaostechnicalservices.com or call 778-847-6840.

This week Rob, Lis and Ryan welcome Evan Starnes from Blind Level Tech, a podcast focused on assistive technology. Evan shares the origins and evolution of Blind Level Tech, emphasizing its goal to educate older listeners about technology before chatting about current AT trends, including AI's role in accessibility, real-time video description and AI-generated content. They also discuss the potential and challenges of wearable technology, particularly Apple's Vision Pro, and the importance of integrating accessibility features in new devices. Show Transcript https://atbanter.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/at-banter-podcast-episode-401-evan-starnes-blind-level-tech.pdf Show Notes Blind Level Tech https://aftersight.org/audio-publications/blind-level-tech/ AfterSight https://aftersight.org AT Banter is brought to you by Canadian Assistive Technology, providing sales and training in Assistive Technology and Accessibility with over 30 years of knowledge and experience. Visit them online at www.canasstech.com or

What do a mini-moon asteroid with a terrible name, romance at an Aldi and pickle-making in a hospital all have in common? No, they aren’t all various types of conspiracy theories, they are just three of many Good News story we are featuring on this week’s very special Good News episode of the show! Join Rob, Steve, Ryan, Lis, and special guests Casey and Cassandra from the Rare With Flair podcast as they dive into a variety of stories that are designed to make you feel warm, fuzzy, and optimistic! Oh yeah, and it’s our 400th episode too! Show Transcript https://atbanter.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/at-banter-podcast-episode-400-its-time-for-some-good-news.pdf Show Notes Rare With Flair Podcast https://rarewithflair.com Good News Network https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/ AT Banter is brought to you by Canadian Assistive Technology, providing sales and training in Assistive Technology and Accessibility with over 30 years of knowledge and experience. Visit them online at www.canasstech.com or call toll-free 1-

This week, Rob and Ryan are joined by Lainie Ishbia, a TEDx speaker and disability lifestyle advocate. Lainie shares her experiences living with Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease, her advocacy work, and her website, Trend-Able, which empowers people with disabilities to find stylish and functional clothing. During the conversation, Lainie highlights the significance of adaptive fashion and the urgent need for increased visibility and acceptance of invisible disabilities. She delves into the complexities of navigating societal perceptions and emphasizes the importance of fostering open dialogue to challenge ableism before also discussing the changing landscape of disability representation and the power of personal stories in driving greater understanding and empathy. Show Transcript https://atbanter.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/at-banter-podcast-episode-399-lainie-ishbia-trend-able.pdf Show Notes Trend-Able https://www.trend-able.com/ EmBrace It https://www.trend-able.com/embrace-it-podcast-speaking-engagements/

This week, Rob, Ryan, Lis, and Steve sit down with Jacob Shymanski, host of AMI Today, a live show on AMI-audio and YouTube that airs weekdays at 11 a.m. Eastern. Jacob provides an overview of the show’s format, which serves as a digest of various AMI-audio programs and includes in-depth interviews with prominent voices from the disability community. During the conversation, Jacob—who is visually impaired due to Familial Exudative Vitreoretinopathy (FEVR)—shares his personal journey, from working behind the scenes in technical production to becoming an on-air host. He also discusses the significance of advocacy, the challenges of living with vision loss, and the ongoing efforts to make technology and media more accessible for everyone. Show Transcript https://atbanter.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/at-banter-podcast-episode-398-jacob-shymanski-ami-today.pdf Show Notes AMI Today on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tR0vpzT7BlE&list=PLM5Ss_-z2cibFAZonxukg5RFibacwGswB&ab_channel=AMI%3AAccessibleMe

This week, Rob, Ryan, and Steve are joined by returning guest Donna Jodhan, an advocate and author, to discuss her latest initiatives. Donna shares insights on her new focus—transition programs designed to help youth with disabilities prepare for the workforce, enhancing their value to employers. The conversation also revisits Donna’s landmark 2010 court case challenging the accessibility of Canadian government websites, a pivotal moment that contributed to the development of the Accessible Canada Act in 2019 before diving into the importance of self-advocacy and the critical need for robust enforcement to ensure compliance with accessibility laws. Show Transcript https://atbanter.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/at-banter-podcast-episode-397-donna-jodhan-returns.pdf Show Notes Donna Jodhan https://www.donnajodhan.com/ AT Banter is brought to you by Canadian Assistive Technology, providing sales and training in Assistive Technology and Accessibility with over 30 years of knowledge and experience. Visit them o

The summer is over and that means AT Banter returns to full strength as Rob, Ryan, Lis and Steve welcome Joshua Ang, host of the new AMI show Got Game to the show. They discuss the premise and origins of the show, which involves six youth with disabilities from all over the country coming together to a Board Game café to play accessible board games and discuss their respective lived experiences before diving into the importance of having youth driven content that fosters community and education. Show Transcript https://atbanter.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/at-banter-podcast-episode-396-joshua-ang-got-game.pdf Show Notes Got Game on AMI Plus https://www.amiplus.ca/Got-Game AT Banter is brought to you by Canadian Assistive Technology, providing sales and training in Assistive Technology and Accessibility with over 30 years of knowledge and experience. Visit them online at www.canasstech.com or call toll-free 1-844-795-8324 or visit their Assistive Technology Showroom at 106 – 828 West 8th Avenue, Vancouver.

Rob and Ryan welcome Penn Street, host of the Blind Chick Podcast, who shares her journey of losing her vision due to Stevens-Johnson Syndrome. The three dive into a discussion of the importance of early intervention, mentorship, and community support as well as the need for better representation and accessibility in various aspects of life, including dating apps and government before talking about the importance of sharing lived experiences to inspire and educate others through podcasting. Show Transcript https://atbanter.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/at-banter-podcast-episode-395-penn-street-the-blind-chick.pdf Show Notes The Blind Chick https://aftersight.org/audio-publications/the-blind-chick/ AfterSight https://aftersight.org/ AT Banter is brought to you by Canadian Assistive Technology, providing sales and training in Assistive Technology and Accessibility with over 30 years of knowledge and experience. Visit them online at www.canasstech.com or call toll-free 1-844-795-8324 or visit their Assistive T

Rob and Ryan gather together on a Friday night just in time to welcome Rocky Batzel and Chason Sordoni, founders of SnapSlide, an innovative child-resistant closure mechanism which is designed for easier accessibility for people with limited strength, arthritis, or those with one arm, or anyone who may struggle with traditional child resistant lids. They also get into a rousing discussion about universal design and the importance of community support and consumer advocacy in driving change. It's a fun and illuminating episode you don’t want to miss! Show Transcript https://atbanter.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/at-banter-podcast-episode-394-snapslide.pdf Show Notes SnapSlide https://www.snapslide.com/ SnapSlide On Facebook https://www.facebook.com/people/SnapSlide/100067111487742/ AT Banter is brought to you by Canadian Assistive Technology, providing sales and training in Assistive Technology and Accessibility with over 30 years of knowledge and experience. Visit them online at www.canasstech.com or call t

Rob, Lis, and Ryan take a break from practicing Olympic Breakdancing long enough to welcome Jonathan Price to the show to discuss his role at Colorado based non-profit that produces audio newspapers, magazines, and podcasts for the blind and low vision community as Podcast Producer. They discuss shared their experiences and insights on creating and growing a successful podcast, highlighting the importance of genuine conversations, spontaneity, and community involvement.  Show Transcript https://atbanter.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/at-banter-podcast-episode-393-jonathan-price-aftersight.pdf Show Notes AfterSight https://aftersight.org/ AfterSight Podcasts https://aftersight.org/category/audio-publications/featured-podcasts/ AT Banter is brought to you by Canadian Assistive Technology, providing sales and training in Assistive Technology and Accessibility with over 30 years of knowledge and experience. Visit them online at www.canasstech.com or call toll-free 1-844-795-8324 or visit their Assistive Technolo

Rob, Ryan and Lis welcome Amy Amantea and her writing partner Rena Cohen to the show to talk about their new Radio Play Podcast entitled “Disability Tour Bus”. They talk all about the about how the play and how it came about, its themes, and why it is that the Arts can be such a successful platform for transmitting its of inclusion and disability.   Show Transcript https://atbanter.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/at-banter-podcast-episode-392-disability-tour-bus.pdf Show Notes Disability Tour Bus https://realwheels.ca/disability-tour-bus/ Disability Tour Bus on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ttKYEEHgwsQ AT Banter is brought to you by Canadian Assistive Technology, providing sales and training in Assistive Technology and Accessibility with over 30 years of knowledge and experience. Visit them online at www.canasstech.com or call toll-free 1-844-795-8324 or visit their Assistive Technology Showroom at 106 – 828 West 8th Avenue, Vancouver. Need repairs on your device? Chaos Technical Services offers s

Rob, Ryan and Steve rise early once again in order to welcome Luke Anderson, Executive Director of the StopGap Foundation back to the show to give us some updates on the organization which works to build portable ramps for businesses while highlighting the importance of accessibility and inclusion in public spaces. He also details Stop Gap’s recent innovative marketing campaign called, The Inaccessible Font, it’s purpose, and how it has been was received by the Business community. Show Transcript https://atbanter.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/at-banter-podcast-episode-391-luke-anderson-the-inaccessible-font.pdf Show Notes Stop Gap Foundation https://stopgap.ca/ Inaccessible Font https://inaccessiblefont.com/ Luke’s Previous Appearance https://atbanter.com/2022/07/20/at-banter-episode-294-stopgap-foundation/ AT Banter is brought to you by Canadian Assistive Technology, providing sales and training in Assistive Technology and Accessibility with over 30 years of knowledge and experience. Visit them online at 

Rob, Ryan, and Steve rise early once again in order to welcome Peter Tucic, Director of Strategic Partnerships for HumanWare to the show to talk about their innovative new multipurpose, multiline, tactile electronic Braille device, The Monarch. They discuss what makes The Monarch unique, the new technology that drives the device, and its potential to revolutionize the education space for students who are Braille users. Show Transcript https://atbanter.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/at-banter-podcast-episode-390-meet-the-monarch.pdf Show Notes HumanWare https://www.humanware.com/en-canada/home More Information on the Monarch https://www.humanware.com/en-canada/monarch AT Banter is brought to you by Canadian Assistive Technology, providing sales and training in Assistive Technology and Accessibility with over 30 years of knowledge and experience. Visit them online at www.canasstech.com or call toll-free 1-844-795-8324 or visit their Assistive Technology Showroom at 106 – 828 West 8th Avenue, Vancouver. Need r

Rob, Ryan, Steve, and Lis gather together for a full house this week to welcome author LK Bowen to talk about her debut novel, “For Worse”. They discuss the novel’s origins, how the choice was made to make the protagonist share LK’s eye condition of retinitis pigmentosa, and the importance of representation and agency in literature and media.    Show Transcript https://atbanter.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/at-banter-podcast-episode-389-lk-bowen-and-for-worse.pdf Show Notes LK Bowen Online https://www.authorlkbowen.com/ Buy “For Worse” on Amazon https://www.amazon.com/Worse-L-K-Bowen/dp/B0CL5D2YG3 AT Banter is brought to you by Canadian Assistive Technology, providing sales and training in Assistive Technology and Accessibility with over 30 years of knowledge and experience. Visit them online at www.canasstech.com or call toll-free 1-844-795-8324 or visit their Assistive Technology Showroom at 106 – 828 West 8th Avenue, Vancouver. Need repairs on your device? Chaos Technical Services offers service and sup

Summer is in full swing so it seems only fitting that this week’s episode is all about heading to Camp! Join us as Rob, Ryan and Lis welcome Alex Jurgenson and Matthew Alvarnez from the Camp Bowen Division of the Canadian Organization of the Blind and DeafBlind. They discuss Camp Bowen’s history as a longtime venue for campers who are blind or partially sighted, its current line-up of Summer Camps and Programs, and what makes the Bowen Island location ideal for its attendees, staff, and volunteers. Show Transcript https://atbanter.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/at-banter-podcast-episode-388-camp-bowen.pdf Show Notes Camp Bowen https://campbowen.ca/ Canadian Organization of the Blind and DeafBlind https://cobd.ca/ AT Banter is brought to you by Canadian Assistive Technology, providing sales and training in Assistive Technology and Accessibility with over 30 years of knowledge and experience. Visit them online at www.canasstech.com or call toll-free 1-844-795-8324 or visit their Assistive Technology Showroom a

This week Rob and Ryan welcome Martijn van der Spek, app developer and founder of Sparkling Apps to the podcast to talk about his new revolutionary image and video description app, PiccyBot. They explore the latest developments in AI-powered speech recognition and description, highlighting their potential to revolutionize descriptions by offering personalized, conversational, and human-like interactions and how features such as customizable settings, natural-sounding descriptions, and improved accessibility for individuals with disabilities can be key benefits of the AI revolution. Show Transcript https://atbanter.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/at-banter-podcast-episode-387-martijn-van-der-spek-piccybot.pdf Show Notes Sparkling Apps https://sparklingapps.com/ PiccyBot on iOS https://apps.apple.com/us/app/piccybot/id6476859317 PiccyBot on Android https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.sparklingapps.piccybot AT Banter is brought to you by Canadian Assistive Technology, providing sales and training i

Ryan and Rob turn on the mics on a Friday night for one of the biggest and most chaotic episodes ever as they welcome Terrin, Josselyn, LaKisha, and Carina from the “Babies Down Bottles Up” Podcast! They talk about the origins of the podcast and the challenges and importance of balancing authenticity and advocacy, their own lived experiences of being Moms who are blind or partially sighted, and much more. It’s an episode full of laughs that you don’t want to miss! Show Transcript https://atbanter.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/at-banter-podcast-episode-386-babies-down-bottles-up.pdf Show Notes Babies Down Bottles Up on Apple https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/babies-down-bottles-up/id1531015317 Babies Down Bottles Up on Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/4XQleCpiodkxziCTSnE344 AT Banter is brought to you by Canadian Assistive Technology, providing sales and training in Assistive Technology and Accessibility with over 30 years of knowledge and experience. Visit them online at www.canasstech.com or call

Steve, Rob, Lis and Ryan dive into a bit of hockey talk this week before welcoming disability advocate and blogger Jody Yarborough to the show to discuss her blog, “Love Disabled Life”. They discuss a wide variety of topics including the importance of being vocal and taking action when it comes to self advocacy to the challenges of accessibility and inclusion.   Show Transcript https://atbanter.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/at-banter-podcast-episode-385-jody-yarborough.pdf Show Notes Love Disabled Life https://www.lovedisabledlife.com/ AT Banter is brought to you by Canadian Assistive Technology, providing sales and training in Assistive Technology and Accessibility with over 30 years of knowledge and experience. Visit them online at www.canasstech.com or call toll-free 1-844-795-8324 or visit their Assistive Technology Showroom at 106 – 828 West 8th Avenue, Vancouver. Need repairs on your device? Chaos Technical Services offers service and support on almost any piece of Assistive Technology, while also

It’s a very special episode this week as Keisha Anderson, co-host from the Blind Beginnings Podcast joins Rob and Ryan to welcome Lina Coral and Juna Gjata, hosts of the Blind Girl Chat podcast to the show.  They discuss the show and its origins before diving into a discussion about everything from disability representation in media to misconceptions that many sighted people have about blindness. Show Transcript https://atbanter.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/at-banter-podcast-episode-384-lina-coral-and-juna-gjata.pdf Show Notes Listen to Blind Girl Chat Apple Podcast : https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/blind-girl-chat/id1737027522 On Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5vj03K1bty02RT2r59qRT2 AT Banter is brought to you by Canadian Assistive Technology, providing sales and training in Assistive Technology and Accessibility with over 30 years of knowledge and experience. Visit them online at www.canasstech.com or call toll-free 1-844-795-8324 or visit their Assistive Technology Showroom at 106 – 828

This week Rob, Ryan, and Lis welcome MLA for North Vancouver – Seymour and Parliamentary Secretary for Accessibility Susie Chant to talk about the BC Accessibility Act and the recent call for draft recommendations from the public regarding the development of accessibility standards. They talk about BC’s accessibility legislation and its importance and highlight the work that is currently being done to improve the lives of BC residents with disabilities. Show Transcript https://atbanter.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/at-banter-podcast-episode-383-susie-chant.pdf Show Notes Take the BC Accessibility Standards Questionnaire https://engage.gov.bc.ca/govtogetherbc/engagement/accessible-bc-standards/ AT Banter is brought to you by Canadian Assistive Technology, providing sales and training in Assistive Technology and Accessibility with over 30 years of knowledge and experience. Visit them online at www.canasstech.com or call toll-free 1-844-795-8324 or visit their Assistive Technology Showroom at 106 – 828 Wes