Accessibility Policy Institute

09/30/2026

API CEO Dan McConchie is in Colorado Springs this week for the All Wheels Up Global Forum on Accessible Air Travel.

One of the strongest moments from the forum came from blind Paralympic triathlete Kyle C**n, who asked attendees to imagine trying to navigate an airport with no signs at all.

Dan shares why that simple example is such a useful way to think about accessibility—and why good policy starts with understanding how people with different abilities actually experience the systems around them.

Imagine walking into an airport and discovering there were no signs anywhere.

No directions to your gate. No indication of where security is. No way to know where baggage claim, restaurants, or restrooms are located.

How would you react?

That is what Paralympic triathlete Kyle C**n asked us to imagine yesterday at the All Wheels Up Global Forum on Accessible Air Travel.

Sitting there listening to him, I kept thinking about how easy it is to overlook barriers that don’t affect us personally.

For someone who is blind, an airport that most of us navigate almost automatically can become much harder when information is presented in only one way.

That is an important lesson for accessibility policy. We have to look at systems from the perspective of people whose abilities and experiences differ from our own, identify the barriers they encounter, and keep finding practical ways to make those systems work better.

That is a big part of what we are trying to do at the Accessibility Policy Institute.

And Kyle is a pretty remarkable reminder of what people can accomplish when given the opportunity.

A full-distance triathlon is a 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile bike ride, and a 26.2-mile run.

Kyle does that without sight.

If he can do all of that blind, the least we can do is keep working to make the airport easier for him to navigate.

08/28/2026

It was 1974 when this photo was taken in rural southern Indiana. Our CEO is the little guy sitting next to Dolly Parton, with no idea who she was—or that decades later he would be working in disability policy and reflecting on her commitment to inclusion.

📚 Dolly’s legacy extends far beyond music. Through Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, children who are blind or have low vision can access books in audio and braille through a partnership with the American Printing House for the Blind.

🎢 At Dollywood, accessibility is incorporated throughout the guest experience, with accommodations ranging from accessible routes and restrooms to sensory spaces, sensory kits and sensory-friendly hours, assistive listening systems, ASL interpretation, water-transfer wheelchairs and accessible waterpark tubes, accessible resort rooms, show transcripts, and more.

Dolly showed that inclusion can be part of everything we create—from books and childhood experiences to travel and entertainment.

She will always be remembered for her remarkable music career, but her commitment to helping people with disabilities participate more fully in everyday life is an important part of her legacy, too.

08/26/2026

♿️ Sometimes, accessibility isn’t an issue we think about—until it becomes personal.

A close friend of our organization recently became disabled and now relies on a wheelchair. His family needed to find a wheelchair-accessible van so he could get to therapy, but these vehicles can be expensive and incredibly difficult to find. When they found one on Facebook Marketplace, our CEO went along to see the van, test it out, and help make sure it would meet their needs.

The experience was a powerful reminder that disability can happen to anyone, at any time. In fact, people with disabilities represent the largest minority group—and unlike many other minority groups, anyone can become part of this community at any point in their life.

Accessible transportation isn’t a luxury. It can be the difference between being able to get to therapy, work, appointments, and community activities—or being unable to go at all. This is why accessible transportation, inclusive communities, and strong local resources matter. We need systems and resources that are there before someone needs them. Because accessibility isn’t just someone else’s issue. One day, it could be ours.

08/24/2026

🏞️ Zion National Park is making the outdoors more accessible!

The park recently became the first national park in the country to own and maintain an all-terrain wheelchair, called the Extreme Motus, for public use. Available free of charge, the wheelchair will help visitors with disabilities, mobility challenges, or injuries experience more of Zion’s trails.

This is an exciting step toward ensuring everyone has the opportunity to explore and enjoy our national parks. We hope Zion’s progress inspires more parks to invest in accessible equipment and inclusive outdoor experiences.

What accessibility improvements would you like to see at national parks? Let us know in the comments. 👇

08/21/2026

✈️ Disability advocate Shane Hryhorec was removed from a Virgin Australia flight following a dispute over the storage of his SmartDrive wheelchair motor. Virgin Australia has since apologised, but this incident reflects a much wider problem. People with disabilities should not have to face uncertainty, humiliation or inconsistent treatment simply because they travel with essential mobility equipment.

Airlines must do more than respond after something goes wrong. Clear policies, accessible aircraft, consistent procedures and disability-informed staff training are essential to ensuring every passenger can fly safely, confidently and with dignity.

Accessibility is not a special accommodation. It is a fundamental part of an equitable flying experience.

08/19/2026

Myth or fact? Let’s set the record straight! 👀♿

👉 Swipe through five common disability myths and the facts behind them. By challenging these assumptions, we can help create communities where people with disabilities are respected, included, and understood.

What disability myth should we address next? Share it in the comments!

08/17/2026

At a recent conference, we learned how AI glasses from Meta are enhancing accessibility for people with disabilities. Through real-time image processing, built-in cameras, and open-ear audio, these glasses are helping people navigate the world with more independence and confidence. A few standout features:
🔊 Real-time audio descriptions of surroundings
👓 Object recognition and scene description
📖 Text-to-speech for reading signage and printed text
🎨 Contrast enhancement and color correction for specific visual needs
🗣️ Hands-free accessibility commands for calling, texting, and taking voice-prompted photos/videos

What stands out most is how this technology turns everyday moments — reading a menu, finding a doorway, recognizing a face — into manageable tasks. It’s inspiring to see innovation combine accessibility, practicality, and personal style—showing how thoughtfully designed technology can help create a more inclusive world.

What other accessibility innovations have caught your attention lately? Drop them in the comments 👇

08/14/2026

🎙️ How can an ABLE account help you save and invest without losing access to essential benefits?

API CEO Dan McConchie shares how his Illinois ABLE account empowers him to live, work, and thrive—and offers insight for others who may benefit from this valuable financial tool.

Link in bio or click here to read Dan’s story: https://www.sunrisemedical.com/livequickie/blog/august-2026/my-able-account-allows-me-to-live-work-and-thrive

08/12/2026

🎙️ Today, we are highlighting a brief Q&A with Founder & CEO, Dan McConchie.

After 20 years of living with paraplegia, one lesson has remained clear: having a disability changes how you do things far more than what you’re capable of doing.

In this candid Q&A, Dan shares what living with a disability means to him, the invisible planning that comes with navigating an inaccessible world, and the assumptions he hopes we can leave behind. His experiences are also a reminder that people with disabilities don’t always need help. Sometimes, the most respectful thing you can do is ask, listen, and honor their answer.

👉Swipe through to hear Dan challenge common assumptions, share what he’s learned, and offer advice to those newly living with a disability.

08/10/2026

🎡Accessibility in hospitality extends beyond hotels and restaurants—it also shapes how people experience recreation and entertainment.

From accessible routes and sensory guides at amusement parks to tactile exhibits in museums and captioning devices in theaters, thoughtful accessibility helps ensure everyone can participate and have fun in activites that bring our communities together.

Swipe through Part 3 of our Accessibility in Hospitality series to explore ways recreation and entertainment venues can remove barriers. What accessibility features do you value most when visiting these venues? Let us know in the comments👇