Access Unlocked: Innovating for Information Equity
New legal frameworks are significantly altering the accessibility landscape. At the forefront of this transformation is technology, a powerful enabler that has reshaped how information is accessed and shared. This conference explored the dynamics between legislative changes, technological progress, and advocacy efforts that collectively enhance information equity. The 2025 conference was dedicated to deepening the understanding of information equity as an essential element of social justice. It emphasized the critical need for cross-sector collaboration to overcome the obstacles faced by individuals with print disability and to pave the way for a society where inclusive participation is the norm.
Dates and Venue
Date: Sunday, 25 May to Tuesday, 27 May 2025.
Venue: Stamford Plaza Melbourne, 111 Little Collins Street, Melbourne, Australia
The Australian Braille Authority (ABA) Annual Meeting was held on Saturday, 24 May 2025.
Keynote and Feature Speakers
- Maryanne Diamond, Board Member, National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) – The Road to Marrakesh – history and relevance of the treaty.
- Carly Iles, CEO & Jonathan Craig, Policy and Advocacy Manager, Vision 2020 Australia – V2020A – 25 years of collaboration.
- Dr Emily White, Lecturer (University of Melbourne) and President (International Council for People with Visual Impairment – Pacific Region) – Accessing the expertise of teachers and people with lived experience to drive innovation in braille literacy assessment and teaching.
- Professor Gerard Goggin, Distinguished Professor, Institute for Culture and Society, Western Sydney University. Associate Investigator, Centre of Excellence in Automated Decision Making and Society – Disability & digital citizenship: Australian consumers & citizens with disability navigating digital society.
- Sonali Marathe, President, Round Table on Information Access for People with Print Disabilities Inc – Transforming access: a decade of progress, and what’s next in information accessibility.
Conference Proceedings
Round Table members can access conference papers and presentations, as well as the ABA meeting documents in various formats through the Members-Only page.
Sponsors
Round Table proudly acknowledges the following sponsors and exhibitors of the 2025 Round Table Conference.
Platinum Sponsor
- Blind Low Vision NZ
Silver Sponsors
- NextSense
- Vision Australia
Bronze Sponsors
- Disability Media Australia
- EverAbility Group / VisAbility
Exhibitors
- HumanWare
- Pentronics
- Quantum RLV