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Chicago Tribune
11-06-2025
- General
- Chicago Tribune
Andrew graduate Zoe Tseng awarded $10K scholarship from Lighthouse Guild
Zoe Tseng, who just graduated from Andrew High School in Tinley Park, has learned to embrace the many challenges of being legally blind, taking on new activities such as line dancing. Tseng's hard work caught the attention of many teachers at Andrew, but also the scholarship committee from the Lighthouse Guild in New York City. The nonprofit awards scholarships to students with blindness or low-vision who 'have demonstrated exceptional academic achievement and perseverance,' according to President and CEO Thomas Panek. In Tseng's case, the scholarship is worth $10,000. In addition to her high GPA and honors and advanced placement classes, she's also been mastering her knowledge and skills in psychology, which she'll be studying at the University of Illinois Chicago come fall. She also received the Rita Brud Scholarship from Tinley Park for $1,000 and the University of Illinois Chicago's yearly scholarship for $5,000. 'I like connecting with others and being able to help them,' said Tseng, adding she loved AP biology and learning about the brain and different aspects of personalities. 'It feels good.' Her extracurricular activities have often centered on that connection. She was a member of the Restorative Circles peer mediation group where she volunteered with an intervention specialist helping students who had gotten into fights, and participated in writing letters to veterans and residents of a retirement community. Tseng also was a Senior Leader at Andrew, and helped start a chapter of HOSA-Future Health Professionals. She also enjoys spending time with friends, riding a tandem bike with her family, reading and making and drinking bubble tea. Tseng hasn't let being legally blind stop her from these activities, but it's taken some doing. 'I wouldn't say it's no big deal because it is,' she said. 'I have to put a lot more effort into it than someone sighted. But I'm happy with how things are going for me. There are a lot of positives.' Tseng was born with cone-rod dystrophy, a genetic disorder that causes progressive loss of vision. She can still see, though everything is blurry and she wears sunglasses because of a sensitivity to light. But she's been working since third grade with Kathleen Redican, a teacher for the visually impaired at the Southwest Cook County Cooperative Association for Special Education, who has taught her to use technology to help make up for what she can't see. So she learned to use the screen reader software called JAWS — Job Access With Speech, as well as VoiceOver on the phone, another screen reader, which uses touch and voice. Redican said Tseng has come a long way from being a quiet young girl to an independent, self confident teen who advocates for herself. 'She's extremely driven, she's motivated, she is one of the kindest people I know,' Redican said. 'She's just so considerate, so thoughtful. 'She has faced many barriers and challenges because of her vision impairment. I just feel like throughout her education, she has demonstrated remarkable perseverance, adaptability and independence.' At Andrew, Tseng received occasional assistance from special services aide Kim Duffy, who, for example, helped her learn to measure materials correctly in chemistry class. Tseng has also drawn, and returned, strength and support from classmates. 'I have the community of other blind students or students with disabilities,' she said. 'I understand what it's like to feel a little different or frustrated that I'm not like my peers.' Her success has been the result of a combination of 'drawing on the strength of those around us and being intrinsically motivated,' she said. Another source of support is more ineffable. 'Having a more personal relationship with the Lord, that's been a really big influence on me,' she said of being a parishioner and helping out at Lemont Church. 'I think the Lord's love is very influential.' Behind it all has been the support of her mother Katie, dad Robert and older sister, Sophia. Even their 11-year-old shih-tzu-poodle, Ginger, has had a role. Robert Tseng, her dad, said the family is continually impressed by Zoe. 'She has an interesting combination of being somebody who's very determined, perseveres through hardships, but also somebody at the same time who can connect with people — she's empathetic,'he said. 'I think that's a very interesting combination. 'Sometimes we scratch our heads … we're not sure where things come from,' he said. 'I think part of it is nature, the way they were born, and of course the people who have come into their lives. We have two daughters and they're each very special in their own ways,' he said. But he added that not being able to focus on a computer screen the way many people do could have been a benefit. 'It's a blessing in disguise,' he said. He said the support of the church, school and teachers have also been a difference. 'She's had some wonderful teachers,' he said. 'They've had such positive influences on her life.' Redican said her former pupil has left her mark on her and at school. 'Zoe has made such a positive impact on my life and the Victor J. Andrew Community,' said Redican. 'I know she will continue to positively impact others she will connect with as she pursues her college education at the University of Illinois Chicago.'
Akhbarna
03-06-2025
- Business
- Akhbarna
Orange Jordan and iSystem Launch Digital Skills Workshop for Persons with Disabilities
أخبارنا : Orange Jordan,in collaboration with iSystem, held an interactive workshop at the Orange Digital Center for Innovation to mark Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD). The event brought together 30 participants who were persons with disabilities, reinforcing the company's commitment to digital inclusion under the "Differently Abled, Definitely Enabled' initiative. Certified experts led hands-on training for participants with disabilities to empower them to use smartphones efficiently through specialized sessions. The training covered current and upcoming accessibility features, instructions on configuring devices to suit individual needs, and detailed explanations of the VoiceOver feature along with other assistive tools. Additionally, participants received practical tips to enhance their iPhone usage, heard an inspiring personal testimonial on content creation, and explored various entertainment and accessibility apps designed to simplify their digital lives. Orange Jordan emphasized that organizing this workshop builds on its previous efforts in the field, including a similar event held in 2018. This reflects the company's ongoing commitment to promoting equal opportunities, empowering all segments of society, and fostering digital inclusion. These efforts align with Orange Jordan's Sustainable Development Goals, as the company continues to develop programs and initiatives aimed at digital inclusion for persons with disabilities, ensuring their full participation through innovative tools and applications tailored to their needs. It is worth noting that the workshop also showcased Orange Jordan's digital inclusion services designed to support and effectively integrate persons with disabilities. These services include the SignBook application for sign language and the Digital Inclusion Catalogue for persons with disabilities. Additionally, the event highlighted the 7th Circle Mall, winner of the 2023 Gold Category in the "Accessible Buildings Award,' recognized for its comprehensive accessibility features. This award was launched by the Higher Council for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in 2022 to promote inclusive environments for all persons with disabilities. About Orange Jordan Orange Jordan, with over 1800 employees across nearly 300 shops and locations throughout Jordan, strives to provide the best customer experience through an integrated set of digital solutions including fixed lines, mobile lines, internet, data, and Smart Life Solutions to around 4.6 million customers in Jordan. Orange Jordan is a subsidiary of Orange Global Group, which is present in 26 countries worldwide. In line with the Group's strategy "Lead the Future' and through its positioning as a true responsible digital leader, Orange Jordan supports the national digital transformation vision. Orange Jordan prioritizes community service, and in this context, it implements a comprehensive CSR strategy that revolves around 4 pillars including digital education, digital inclusion, entrepreneurship, climate, and environment. In addition to serving individual customers, Orange Jordan offers tailored solutions for businesses through its sub-brand, (Orange Business). To learn more, please visit our website: About Orange Orange is one of the world's leading telecommunications operators with revenues of 40.3 billion euros in 2024 and 127,000 employees worldwide at 31 December 2024, including 71,000 employees in France. The Group has a total customer base of 291 million customers worldwide at 31 December 2024, including 253 million mobile customers and 22 million fixed broadband customers. These figures account for the deconsolidation of certain activities in Spain following the creation of Group is present in 26 countries (including non-consolidated countries). Orange is also a leading provider of global IT and telecommunication services to multinational companies under the brand Orange Business. In February 2023, the Group presented its strategic plan "Lead the Future", built on a new business model and guided by responsibility and efficiency. "Lead the Future" capitalizes on network excellence to reinforce Orange's leadership in service quality.
Arab News
28-05-2025
- Business
- Arab News
Saudi coders describe inspiration behind award-winning apps
RIYADH: Two Saudi women spoke to Arab News about the inspiration behind their apps that were named in the top 50 of a global coding competition held recently by Apple. Manar Al-Ghamdi, 22, began coding her app during the COVID-19 pandemic with encouragement from her father. What started as a curiosity quickly turned into a career path. 'It's wonderful when you do something and you see the result of it,' Al-Ghamdi said. '(It is) a magnificent feeling, to see the result of your hard work.' Her app, developed as part of a challenge-based learning module, aims to improve accessibility for visually impaired users. Drawing on Apple's VoiceOver technology, she created a game centered on Lama, a blind girl who guides users through her world. 'When I worked on real-world challenges, that helped me understand the impact of technology on people's lives. One of the most meaningful things that came during the academy was accessibility challenges,' Al-Ghamdi said. 'I talked to someone who is blind and a programmer (and) he showed me how he programs. It opened my eyes to how often accessibility is overlooked in app development, and how it's crucial to design for everyone,' she said. The app is both an educational and empathetic tool, introducing developers to the challenges faced by blind users. 'We need the world to be inclusive, not exclusive,' Al-Ghamdi said. 'When I show anyone my app, they say, 'Oh my God, that's a real thing, that's a challenge.' 'The more knowledge they have after using my app, I think that's the rewarding part,' she added. Both developers are graduates of the Apple Developer Academy in Riyadh, a program designed to nurture and develop coding talent in the Kingdom. 'My experience at the Apple Developer Academy has been truly transformative,' Al-Ghamdi said. 'The academy pushed me to grow, not only as a developer, but as a thinker, a collaborator, and a problem solver,' she added. Al-Ghamdi was motivated to participate in Apple's Swift Student Challenge after meeting previous winners through an academy-hosted session. 'The session I was very excited about is when the club invited the previous winners. They told us about how exciting it was. So I was like, OK, I want that too,' Al-Ghamdi said. 'After this magnificent journey I had here at the academy, the first thing in my mind now is, I want to create an app or develop something that really impacts people's lives,' she said. 'I want to build something meaningful.' 24-year-old Yomna Eisa's app takes a more personal approach. Inspired by her own struggles with mental health, she designed an animated educational app that helps users understand internal stress responses through lighthearted, accessible storytelling. 'I wanted to create something that is personal to me, so that regardless of anything, regardless of outcome, to me, that's still winning, that I created something that has meaning to me,' Eisa said. 'My cats were always a huge emotional support for me, so it was really important to me to incorporate them in this app,' she added. Eisa taught herself animation using her iPad, despite not having an artistic background. 'I'm not an artist. I don't know how to draw, but I wanted to try something different with this app, and I did all the animation myself on my iPad. 'I don't think the person I was before the academy would have been the kind of person to try out risking learning something entirely new,' Eisa said. 'I hope that my app will teach them about what goes on internally in their body when they're under chronic stress ... and deliver that message in a way that is lighthearted and comfortable to the user,' she added. Eisa described the Apple Developer Academy as a key influence on her personal and professional development. 'The academy really pushes us to try new things and try our best to make mistakes and learn from those mistakes. And it's been such a push for me, personally and professionally, and made me change entirely,' Eisa said. 'Honestly, I feel like an entirely new person. The academy program, she said, was 'motivational, encouraging, and comfortable ... being surrounded by our mentors and other women who share similar values when it comes to continuous learning has honestly been so encouraging,' she added. Fueled by her experience at the academy, Eisa is now looking ahead. 'I want to use my knowledge in tech to create something that is useful,' Eisa said. 'I want to hopefully continue doing that and possibly work for a company or an organization that can help me support that and fulfill that goal,' she added. The Swift Student Challenge is part of Apple's broader effort to nurture young talent in coding, design and entrepreneurship. The 50 winners — including Al-Ghamdi and Eisa — will attend Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference at Apple Park in Cupertino, California, in June. Their recognition highlights Saudi Arabia's growing presence in global tech innovation, especially among young women.
The Star
28-05-2025
- The Star
This blind Malaysian student is overcoming barriers to build better technology
Since young, Kenzon Yeoh, who was born blind, has had a clear vision of his future – even when he couldn't grasp the hurdles awaiting him, nor the challenges he had to overcome. 'I have always wanted to be an inventor or a scientist of some kind,' says the 24-year-old Penangite. 'I want to create solutions and solve problems for as many people as I possibly can.' This early ambition, undimmed by the challenges he had faced and is still facing, made this young man determined to achieve his goals, despite not having the sense of sight. But navigating the world without being able to see wasn't his only early lesson in perseverance. Yeoh and his three siblings were raised in a modest family, living a humble lifestyle. 'My siblings and I were always told that we need to work hard to succeed in life. I took that advice to heart,' he recalls. So instead of giving in to hardship, Yeoh used his shortcomings to fuel his determination. 'I knew I needed to excel, to show that I am capable of achieving my goals despite my disability. There were many ups and downs in my life and sometimes my visual impairment felt like an insurmountable barrier, but where there's a will, there's a way,' he says. For Yeoh, technology is not a tool but a lifeline. Photo: KENZON YEOH Finding his calling Yeoh is now a final year Bachelor of Computing (Cybersecurity) student at Curtin University Malaysia in Miri, Sarawak. His passion for technology, he says, is sparked by his childhood dream of invention and problem-solving, which brought him to the world of computing, specifically cybersecurity. 'My disability had forced me to deviate from my intended path of pursuing chemistry and other science fields,' he says. However, the widespread use of computer and digital devices has created a new vista for him. 'I realised that this opened up another avenue for me to explore and somewhat rekindled my interest in scientific and technical pursuits,' he explains. His journey to complete his diploma in computer science became a crucial stepping stone that firmly reaffirmed his passion in cybersecurity. Still, navigating university life as a visually-impaired student comes with its unique set of hurdles. 'Access to reading materials, assignments and navigating unfamiliar environments were major challenges,' Yeoh admits. His reliance on technology became paramount. 'I relied heavily on screen reader software, assistive technologies and a strong network of very supportive friends and lecturers.' Yeoh (seated, second from left) with the YTL Foundation team. Photo: KENZON YEOH Technology became his lifeline. 'Screen reader software and assistive technologies are ever-present in my daily life; they help me with my studies and daily activities,' says Yeoh, who enjoys reading fantasy and non-fiction materials, and browsing the Internet. He uses Non-Visual Desktop Access software on his computer that has Apple's VoiceOver in-built screen-reading feature for everything from coding to leisure. This is on top of innovative apps like Be My Eyes and Seeing AI that help him to read documents, identify objects and even troubleshoot technical issues. Beyond software, physical aids like his Braille display, which translates text and mathematical notations and a lecturer's creative use of a 3D pen to render diagrams are some of the diverse ways he accesses information. Yeoh says a significant turning point in his academic journey was becoming YTL Foundation's first visually impaired scholar. 'It was a mix of disbelief, gratitude and motivation when a foundation doesn't see my disability, but look at my potential instead.' The scholarship allows him to pursue his dreams without the stress of financial limitations for both his diploma and bachelor's degree. 'It gives me the courage to step into spaces I once felt excluded from. It is still unusual for visually impaired students in Malaysia to obtain formal education in such a technically demanding field,' he adds. Yeoh (standing, second from right) with his family. Photo: KENZON YEOH A step into the working world His recent internship with YTL Construction marked another milestone. For him, it was more than just work experience; it was validation, although it came with its own set of anxieties. 'I was initially nervous due to uncertainties about what I could contribute to the company, how I would be treated and the possible difficulties of having to move to an unfamiliar environment during on-site duties,' Yeoh admits. As part of the cybersecurity team, he worked on data analysis automation and brought unique insights to the table – insights shaped by a lifetime of navigating the world without sight. 'My perspective as a visually impaired individual allowed me to focus my attention on non-visual details, and due to my exposure to varied technologies, I was occasionally able to provide alternatives to fulfilling some of the company's needs that ended up being faster or easier to deploy,' he adds. Despite his initial fear, Yeoh found his internship experience positive. The foundation, he says, provided support in navigating the new living environment, while his colleagues assigned him challenging tasks. 'They didn't make a big deal out of my visual impairment, giving me meaningful tasks that were at once challenging and rewarding,' Yeoh says, adding that emotional support came from his family, friends and lecturers. 'I've gained many skills during my studies and internship that will help me in my future career, including soft skills like critical thinking, problem-solving, communication skills and teamwork, as well as technical skills such as system security, programming, testing and a basic understanding of various technology-related fields,' he continues. Yeoh is positive about his future. 'Professionally, my goals have always been rooted in the same childhood passion of solving problems, breaking barriers and helping shape technology that's inclusive and empowering,' he says. His internship experience has strengthened his desire to contribute to a world where progress embraces everyone. 'While I'm still discovering if cybersecurity will be my long-term path, I'm committed to making a meaningful impact, especially for the visually impaired community, but also for anyone who feels unseen,' he says. Yeoh sees his journey as part of a larger movement towards inclusivity: 'In many ways, I hope to carry forward the spirit that real progress includes everyone.' 'That's the legacy I aspire to build, and on a personal level, I just want to live life fully, do my best and hopefully, inspire others along the way,' he says.
Fast Company
16-05-2025
- Health
- Fast Company
For this CVS Health developer, making tech more accessible is personal
Cory Joseph has been blind since birth. So he's among the people Apple aims to serve with an addition to its App Store called 'Accessibility Nutrition Labels,' one of a raft of features the company announced earlier this week to mark Global Accessibility Awareness Day. Once the labels go live later this year, each app's listing will detail the accessibility features it supports, such as the VoiceOver screen reader, voice input, options to adjust text size and screen contrast, and captioned audio. These enabling technologies can be the difference between an app being essential and unusable: 'Having this level of transparency from the App Store is huge,' says Joseph. He isn't just one of the users who will benefit from that information, though. As a principal accessibility solutions architect at CVS Health, Joseph is in the business of making sure software works for everybody. Given his employer's scale—it's the world's second-largest healthcare company by revenue and reaches 100 million people a day—it's a job with the potential for deep real-world impact. When using CVS's apps, 'everyone's trying to find the best care, and we want to make sure that's barrier-free for everyone,' explains Joseph. The 6-year-old team he's on has been responsible for achievements that go well beyond taking advantage of the core accessibility features offered by Apple and other platform providers. In 2020, for instance, the company introduced a CVS Pharmacy app feature called Spoken Rx —'a baby of mine,' Joseph says. Special radio-frequency identification (RFID) labels on prescription containers enable it to read aloud vital information such as dosage instructions. CVS Health has also made some of its investments in accessibility freely available to other developers by open-sourcing them, including iOS and Android code, an automated system for testing website usability, and tools for annotating web designs in Figma. As a field, accessibility has come a long way since Apple first dedicated a team to it, initially known as the Office of Special Education. Over 40 years, the company has built a wealth of functionality into its products to facilitate their use by people with disabilities, including the technologies that make the iPhone useful even if you can't see its touchscreen interface. Some of its recent advances, such as on-device generation of custom synthetic voices, would have been unimaginable just a few years ago. This week's announcements even include support for brain-computer interfaces. By contrast, there's nothing gee-whizzy about the Accessibility Nutrition Labels themselves. They just summarize the features that a given app has enabled. But by doing that in such a straightforward, prominent way, they'll not only aid millions of users but also give some glory to the software makers who take accessible design seriously. Rather than be embarrassed by listings that make their lack of effort obvious, developers who don't yet have much to brag about might finally get with the program. Joseph hopes that the labels' associations are only positive. 'It's easy to think about this sort of thing as a badge of shame, and I think that's not the right way to think about this,' he told me. 'This is an opportunity for independent developers, large organizations, and everyone in between to highlight the good work they do.' Even though Joseph works for a company that has dedicated significant mindshare and money to that good work, he's up front about the obstacles to rapid progress that large companies face, even when they have all the right intentions. 'I would be lying if I said that there aren't challenges,' he told me. 'We're a gigantic organization. There are challenges in every gigantic organization. Of course, we balance all of our work and plan everything out as best as we can, and we deliver the most successful experience that we can across our applications.' The good news, he adds, is that CVS Health-size resources aren't necessary to make software accessible. 'Realistically, it's easier for smaller developers,' he says. 'They can move more quickly, they can update their code faster, and they can adapt to and take in their user feedback in real time and make those changes by engaging directly. For independent and smaller developers, this shouldn't be a burden.' I find that take heartening. And if Joseph is right that app creators don't have to be humongous to get inclusive design right, Accessibility Nutrition Labels will soon prove it. You've been reading Plugged In, Fast Company 's weekly tech newsletter from me, global technology editor Harry McCracken. If a friend or colleague forwarded this edition to you—or if you're reading it on can check out previous issues and sign up to get it yourself every Friday morning. I love hearing from you: Ping me at hmccracken@ with your feedback and ideas for future newsletters. I'm also on Bluesky, Mastodon, and Threads, and you can follow Plugged In on Flipboard. More top tech stories from Fast Company
