About Us

Established in 1981, the Round Table on Information Access for People with Print Disabilities is a membership organisation that includes education, government, business, alternate format producers, community, and disability organisations across Australia and New Zealand.

Our vision is to:

To ensure that all published information is simultaneously accessible to people with print disability in Australasia, at an equivalent cost, and in their preferred format, and that producers apply the concepts of born accessible and universal design principles when creating content.

Our mission is to:

To facilitate and influence the production and use of quality alternative formats for people with print disabilities by optimising the evolving Round Table body of knowledge.

In 2024, the Round Table was awarded the Accessible Book Consortium International Excellence Award for its enduring contributions to accessibility. The Accessible Books Consortium is a public-private partnership led by the World Intellectual Property Organization. The jury praised its wide-ranging impact across sectors such as education, government, and business in Australia and New Zealand. They placed particular emphasis on the resources developed by the Round Table to support the creation of accessible formats and its role in uniting diverse stakeholders through its annual accessibility conferences.

Round Table Constitution and Strategic Plan

Executive Committee

The Round Table Executive Committee is composed of members elected to committee positions at the Round Table Annual General Meeting in accordance with the Round Table Constitution. A job description for each position is available by clicking on the position title. All positions are voluntary and include:

President
Vice President
Treasurer
Secretary
Conference Coordinator
Consumer Representative
General Executive Committee Member

A part time Administration Officer supports the Committee in its work and receives a small remuneration determined by the Committee.

Members

Member organisations range from state government departments, direct service providers, production organisations, tertiary institutions, libraries, through to volunteer based community. Members have exclusive access to the Members’ area, which houses minutes and working documents.

Subcommittees

Australian Braille Authority

The Australian Braille Authority (ABA) is a subcommittee of Round Table. It has the specific focus of promoting the use and production of braille, including the accreditation of braille transcribers and monitoring overseas developments.

Australia and New Zealand Accessible Graphics Group

The Australia and New Zealand Accessible Graphics Group (ANZAGG) is a subcommittee of the Round Table. Its focus is on access to graphics using strategies including (but not limited to) enlargement, tactile graphics, description, 3D printing and sonification.

Tammy Axelson Lifetime Achievement Award

The Tammy Axelsen Lifetime Achievement Award is a prestigious honour bestowed upon individuals who have made an outstanding contribution to the print disability sector. Recipients are recognised for their significant role in improving accessibility, promoting the rights of people with print disabilities, and demonstrating leadership and dedication over their careers.

First introduced as the Round Table Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2009 Annual Conference dinner – the award has become a significant recognition of dedication and impact within the field. In 2016, the award was renamed in memory of Tammy Axelsen, a long-standing friend and administrative officer of the Round Table, who served the organisation with unwavering commitment until her passing in June 2015. The award celebrates those who have demonstrated exceptional leadership, commitment, and left a lasting impact over their careers

Recipients of the Tammy Axelsen Lifetime Achievement Award are presented with a unique memento comprising two connected rosewood plaques, each 24 cm in diameter. Designed to stand upright or hang on a wall, these plaques feature the Round Table logo and award details, including the recipient’s name and year of recognition. One plaque is inscribed in print, while the other is in braille, symbolising the essence of accessibility and inclusion that the award celebrates.

Recipients of award

2025 – Neil Jarvis
2023 – Kathy Riessen
2019 – Tom Macmahon
2018 – Christine Simpson
2017 – Ramona Mandy
2016 – Nigel Herring
2015 – Elisabeth Wegener
2014 – Bill Jolley and Janet Reynolds
2013 – Frances Gentle
2012 – Josie Howse
2011 – Jacqueline Booty and Jan Smark Nilsson
2010 – John Simpson
2009 – Bruce Maguire and Mary Schnackenberg

Our partners

UK Association of Accessible Formats (UKAAF)
South Pacific Educators in Vision Impairment (SPEVI)
International Council for Education of People with Vision Impairment (ICEVI)
Australian Inclusive Publishing Initiative (AIPI)