AT Banter Podcast

Get ready to jingle all the way with our festive holiday special! Join Rob, Steve, Lis, and Ryan as they unwrap a world of Christmas traditions, sip on their favorite holiday spirits,  reminisce about past yuletide episodes filled with laughter and cheer and even break out a new holiday song! Travel with us from the enchanting tale of Ukraine's Christmas spider to Iceland's mischievous Yule Cat and Sweden's iconic Yule Goat. We'll also serve up some of the world's most unusual holiday delicacies, from live carp to the daring kiviak. And, of course, no holiday episode would be complete without the age-old debate: Is 'Die Hard' truly a Christmas movie? Tune in for a sleigh ride of fun, festive facts, and spirited discussions that will have you ho-ho-ho-ing. Happy Holidays! 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.

The Canada Disability Benefit is new monthly benefit that received royal assent on June 22, 2023 whose goal was to reduce poverty and support the financial security of working-age persons with disabilities. However, with the recent announcement that this Benefit will only provide a supplementary benefit of up to $200 a month, it has received pushback from the disability community. Rob and Ryan welcome Janet Rodriguez from Disability Without Poverty to discuss why the $200 monthly federal benefit falls short of the $27,000 annual income needed to live above the poverty line before diving into a discussion about the need for self-advocacy, cross-disability solidarity, and systemic change to address ableism and improve support systems. Show Transcript https://atbanter.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/at-banter-podcast-episode-408-discussing-the-canada-disability-benefit.pdf Show Notes Disability Without Poverty https://www.disabilitywithoutpoverty.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 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 we dive into the topic of accessible travel as Rob, Ryan, Lis and Steve welcome Robin East, Vice Chair of Independent Living Canada and Co-Chair of the Transportation Committee at Council of Canadians with Disabilities to the show. We discuss a recent incident involving a deaf woman with a service dog being removed from a Porter Airlines flight and highlight systemic issues in airline treatment of service animals, emphasizing the need for better training and enforcement and brainstorm possible solutions including increased public awareness, media attention, and potential class-action lawsuits. Show Transcript https://atbanter.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/at-banter-podcast-episode-407-robin-east.pdf Show Notes Council of Canadians With Disabilities http://www.ccdonline.ca/en/ Independent Living Canada https://www.ilc-vac.ca/ Porter breaks its own rules by kicking deaf woman and her service dog off a flight https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/porter-airlines-deaf-service-dog-1.7363838 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, Ryan and Steve welcome friend of the show and founder of Blind Beginnings, Shawn Marsolais, back to announce a very momentous milestone for the organization – after 10 years of being in a shared office space, Blind Beginnings is moving to their own larger space in Vancouver in January 2025. The organization aims to raise $25,000 through a Giving Tuesday and Year End campaign to set up this new home, which includes five offices, three larger rooms, and a playroom. Shawn talks about the move and what it will mean for Blind Beginnings going forward and the positive impact it will have on programming for families with blind or partially sighted children or teens. Show Transcript https://atbanter.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/at-banter-podcast-episode-406-blind-beginnings-new-home.pdf Show Notes Blind Beginnings www.blindbeginnings.ca Donate to Blind Beginnings https://www.blindbeginnings.ca/donate Take a Tour of the New Blind Beginnings Space https://youtu.be/lvxff24dYaM?si=OT0rZ_NN2bmUcgSS 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, Ryan and Lis welcome Nicole Bergstrom, Hilton's Senior Director of Accessibility to the show to discuss Hilton’s partnership with Be My Eyes. Nicole explains the integration of Be My Eyes' support with Hilton employees, emphasizing the importance of choice and training for Hilton Customer Care representatives. The conversation highlights Hilton's efforts to enhance travel experiences for guests with disabilities and their commitment for providing an accessible experience for their guests. Show Transcript https://atbanter.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/at-banter-podcast-episode-404-nicole-bergstrom-hilton-accessibility.pdf Show Notes Hilton Partnership With Be My Eyes https://stories.hilton.com/releases/hilton-and-be-my-eyes-launch-industry-first-partnership Accessible Travel: Be My Eyes Partners with Hilton https://youtu.be/L2M7gWogzfA?si=aYM7SPNEDZWCRmJn 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 and Ryan discuss the challenges and misconceptions surrounding invisible disabilities with Jess Stainbrook, Executive Director of the Invisible Disabilities Association. They explore the organization's efforts to raise awareness and advocate for people with invisible disabilities, including legislative initiatives to implement disability ID symbols on government IDs and training for law enforcement. Jess shares his personal experiences with dyslexia while emphasizing the need for societal understanding and acceptance. The conversation highlights the importance of education, representation, and community support for individuals with invisible disabilities. It’s a long overdue conversation around invisible disabilities that you won’t want to miss, especially if you are a fan of 70s era sitcoms! Show Transcript https://atbanter.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/at-banter-podcast-episode-404-invisible-disabilities-association.pdf Show Notes Invisible Disabilities Association https://invisibledisabilities.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 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 and Ryan welcome Scott Martin, a podcaster and soon-to-be author, who shares his journey becoming a quad amputee to coaching soccer, adopting children, and much more. Scott discusses his upcoming book, set for release on June 9, 2026, coinciding with the 2026 World Cup, his podcast entitled ‘Life Is A Road Trip’, and the importance of advocacy and the need for societal change. The conversation highlights the challenges and triumphs of adapting to life with a disability, the impact of storytelling, and the potential for grassroots advocacy to drive systemic change. Show Transcript https://atbanter.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/at-banter-podcast-episode-403-scott-martin.pdf Show Notes Life’s A Road Trip on Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/lifes-a-road-trip/id1658423751 Life’s A Road Trip on Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/3hSFOMivFBODVHl4p6dLes 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.

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 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.

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 1-844-795-8324 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 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/ 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, 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%3AAccessibleMediaInc. 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, 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 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.

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. 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.

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 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.

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 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.

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 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.

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 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.

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 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.

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 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.