Screen Readers and Street Smarts: How Travel Taught Me Tech

A man with short dark hair is smiling gently, wearing a gray suit jacket, a dark blue checkered shirt, and a black, gray, and lavender striped tie against a light neutral backdrop. — This is Brett Boyer, who has been a leader in advocating for accessibility and technology equity for blind people. This image was published alongside his reflections in the Braille Monitor, where he discusses independence, leadership, and the ongoing work of removing barriers for the blind community.

Empowerment Through Structured Discovery

Brett Boyer’s article reminds us that true independence for blind people isn’t about memorizing routes or keystrokes—it’s about learning to explore, problem-solve, and recover when things go wrong. He describes how Structured Discovery, first introduced in cane travel, gave him the confidence to navigate the world on his own terms. This same philosophy drives his approach to teaching screen readers: instead of training students to follow scripts, he empowers them to ask questions, troubleshoot, and take control. This perspective is critical for building Vibrant, Diverse, Inclusive, Accessible Communities, because independence fuels participation and shared contribution.

Removing Barriers to Tech Confidence

In his experience as a technology instructor, Boyer highlights the danger of what he calls “screen-reader Simon Says,” where students simply follow commands until something unexpected happens—and then freeze. That’s not independence, and it creates a barrier to full community participation. Boyer urges trainers to shift the focus from rote memorization to teaching students how to orient themselves, explore technology, and think critically. This approach creates problem-solvers who can adapt to broken web pages, software glitches, or inaccessible interfaces—exactly the kind of skills that make our communities stronger.

Building Courage, Not Just Skills

Boyer’s call is clear: we need to stop underestimating students by oversimplifying technology lessons. Instead, we should build trust, challenge students, and encourage them to “go around the table”—to find solutions, even when the environment is unpredictable. This philosophy of teaching directly supports our mission of removing barriers that prevent people from fully joining and shaping inclusive communities. Empowered learners become empowered participants, leaders, and innovators.

A Call to Action for Community Builders

If we want to build communities where every person has the opportunity to contribute, we must invest in teaching approaches like Structured Discovery. Boyer challenges us to ask, not “Did they memorize the shortcut?” but “What will they do when nothing looks familiar?” That’s the mindset shift that creates true explorers—people ready to engage, connect, and lead.

Read the Full Article: Screen Readers and Street Smarts: How Travel Taught Me Tech
by: Brett Boyer

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Striving to remove barriers that prevent us from building a Diverse, Vibrant, Inclusive, Accessible Community!