Helen Keller Services has named the five recipients of its 2026 AccessAbility Awards, honoring organizations that advance accessibility for people who are blind, have low vision, or are DeafBlind, and for the broader disability community. The honorees are Canon U.S.A., Inc., for printing technology that turns visual imagery into tactile experiences; Dot Inc., for the Dot Pad X multiline braille and tactile graphics display; The Indianapolis Public Library's Michigan Road Branch, for its inclusive workplace; OXO, for decades of universal design; and Rylo, formerly Nagish, for real-time communication technology shaped by the Deaf, DeafBlind, and hard-of-hearing communities. Now in their sixth year, the awards will be presented October 9 at the Helen Keller National Center in Sands Point, NY.
NEW YORK, Sept. 30, 2026 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Helen Keller Services (HKS) today announced the five recipients of its 2026 AccessAbility Awards, recognizing organizations demonstrating exceptional commitment to advancing accessibility for individuals who are blind, DeafBlind, or have low vision and the broader disability community. Now in their sixth year, the awards spotlight leaders who understand that accessibility is not a compliance checkbox. It is a catalyst for better design, expanded opportunity, and full participation in community life.
The 2026 honorees are Canon U.S.A., Inc., Dot Inc., The Indianapolis Public Library's Michigan Road Branch, OXO, and Rylo, formerly Nagish. Four are being recognized for products and initiatives that expand access: printing technology that turns visual imagery into tactile experiences, a multiline tactile display that puts braille and graphics under a reader's fingertips, household tools built on universal design, and communication technology shaped by the Deaf, DeafBlind, and hard-of-hearing communities. The fifth is being recognized for practice: a neighborhood library that shows what it looks like when a public institution welcomes people with disabilities as patrons, employees, and community members. The recipients will be celebrated at an awards ceremony on Friday, October 9, 2026, at the Helen Keller National Center for DeafBlind Youths and Adults in Sands Point, NY.
"Accessibility is not a feature you add at the end. It is a decision about who belongs, and the organizations we honor this year have made that decision at every level," said Dr. Susan Ruzenski, CEO of Helen Keller Services. "Our awards exist to show what happens when that commitment is real: better products, stronger workplaces, and communities where people who are blind, DeafBlind, or have low vision participate fully. This year's recipients are proof of what is possible."
The 2026 AccessAbility Award Recipients
"The selection committee looked for organizations where accessibility shows up in the everyday details, not only the mission statement," said Megan Dausch, Accessibility Specialist at Helen Keller Services, who led the selection committee. "What stood out about this year's recipients is that each one engages directly with the disability community and lets that feedback shape what they build and how they serve. That is the standard these awards celebrate, and it is within reach of any organization committed to ongoing dialogue with people with disabilities."
Canon U.S.A., Inc.
Canon U.S.A., Inc. is being honored for its innovative printing technology, which is being used to create tactile and accessible experiences that enable people who are blind, have low vision, or are DeafBlind to engage meaningfully with visual content. Through finely detailed tactile renderings, Canon's technology helps transform visual imagery into an immersive touch experience, demonstrating how technology can make visual storytelling accessible to everyone.
"We are honored to receive the AccessAbility Award from Helen Keller Services," said Sammy Kobayashi, President and CEO, Canon U.S.A., Inc. "This recognition reflects Canon's commitment to leveraging our print technologies to create more inclusive experiences. Our large-format tactile print capabilities, enabled by the Arizona printer platform, demonstrate how advanced printing technology can help make visual information more accessible through touch. We are proud to continue developing solutions that help remove barriers and demonstrate the power of print to create greater opportunities for all."
Dot Inc.
Dot Inc. is being honored for advancing tactile access to digital information through Dot Pad X, a portable multiline refreshable braille and tactile graphics display. By combining multiline refreshable braille with tactile graphics in one device, Dot's technology gives people who are blind and DeafBlind access through touch to maps, charts, diagrams, images, and text, content that is often presented only visually, from educational materials and workplace documents to data visualizations. With Dot Pad X, a person who is DeafBlind can explore what icons look like on a smartphone, access tactile graphics, and read a full page of braille without constantly panning a single-line display. Dot's work expands access to digital information and supports greater independence in learning, work, and everyday life.
Dot Inc.'s relationship with Helen Keller Services includes participation in Tech Blitz, the assistive technology showcase at the Helen Keller National Center, where the Dot team led a breakout session and community members experienced the technology firsthand.
"We are honored to accept this award on behalf of the entire Dot team. When we founded Dot, we wanted to expand what is possible through tactile access. With Dot Pad X, we brought multiline refreshable braille and tactile graphics together in one portable device, enabling people who are blind and DeafBlind to access more information independently at work, at home, and in school," said Eric Ju Yoon Kim and Ki Kwang Sung, Co-founders of Dot Inc.
"Our goal is to make independent access part of everyday life, from reading and learning to working, navigating, and communicating. We are proud of the impact Dot Pad X is already having, and we know there is much more to do. We are grateful to Helen Keller Services for recognizing this work and for helping advance greater access and opportunity for people who are blind and DeafBlind," the co-founders added.
The Michigan Road Branch of The Indianapolis Public Library
The Michigan Road Branch of The Indianapolis Public Library is being recognized for creating an inclusive culture that welcomes people with disabilities as employees, patrons, and community members, and for showing what accessible employment looks like in practice. The branch builds the conditions for DeafBlind employees and employees with disabilities to do their jobs and belong on the team: customizing the accessibility features built into everyday workplace technology, arranging ASL interpretation not only for trainings and team meetings but for social gatherings, structuring schedules around varied tasks, and fostering colleagues who learn basic ASL to communicate directly. The same commitment extends to patrons, with interpreters at a wide variety of events and staff equipped to support the accessibility features on the devices people use every day.
The branch's connection to Helen Keller Services runs through HKNC's DeafBlind Employment Specialists, who work in communities across the country, including Indiana, partnering with local employers and service providers to create sustainable employment pathways. That partnership gave HKS a firsthand view of the branch's workplace culture, and it is why the branch stands alongside four technology and design companies this year: honored not for what it builds but for how it employs and serves, proof that accessibility leadership is within reach of any organization willing to commit to it.
"The Michigan Road Branch is honored to be recognized by Helen Keller Services for our commitment to creating an accessible and inclusive workplace," said Bethany Allison, Manager, Michigan Road Branch of The Indianapolis Public Library. "We believe accessibility should be at the heart of everything we do, not only for the community members we serve, but also for the employees who make our work possible. We are thankful to have our efforts recognized as we continue creating spaces where everyone is able to thrive."
OXO
OXO is being honored for a decades-long commitment to universal design, creating household products that are functional for the widest range of people. From the ergonomic peeler that started it all to angled measuring cups, one-handed POP containers, locking tongs, and jar openers designed for limited hand strength, OXO's products are intuitive, comfortable, and low effort by design. The company tests products with members of the disability community, including through its partnership with Day Undefined, an organization advancing accessible living through product testing and feedback, and maintains a long relationship with the Cincinnati Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired. OXO's original Swivel Peeler is in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art, a reminder that design serving people with arthritis, limited grip strength, or dexterity challenges is simply good design for everyone.
"At OXO, accessibility has been a guiding principle for more than 35 years. Our founding philosophy was rooted in the belief that thoughtful design should empower as many people as possible to use products with confidence and ease. When we design with empathy and inclusivity in mind, we create better experiences for everyone. We are honored to receive the AccessAbility Award and grateful to Helen Keller Services for recognizing the role design can play in building a more accessible world," said Francoise Vielot, VP Product Development, OXO.
Rylo
Rylo, formerly Nagish, is being honored for building private, real-time communication technology for the Deaf and hard-of-hearing community. Rylo's AI-powered platform removes barriers to communication in personal, professional, and public settings while adhering to the highest regulatory and privacy standards. The company considers accessibility throughout its product design and development process, regularly tests and improves its products, and incorporates feedback from the Deaf, DeafBlind, hard-of-hearing, and speech-disabled communities it serves.
"We're proud to be recognized by Helen Keller Services and grateful to the Deaf, DeafBlind, and Hard-of-Hearing community for continuing to guide us as we work toward a more connected and accessible world," said Matt Sherman, Head of Community at Rylo. "We've always believed that the people who experience communication barriers firsthand should have a voice in shaping the solutions designed to address them. Our community has challenged us and helped us build a product that reflects real needs and real experiences."
Building on a Legacy of Recognition
The AccessAbility Awards have honored industry leaders across diverse sectors since 2021. Past recipients include Apple, United Airlines, LEGO, Be My Eyes, Procter & Gamble, Kellanova, Netflix, Microsoft, The Viscardi Center, ADP, The Heckscher Museum of Art, Polara Enterprises, Tatum Robotics, and Teach Access, among others. These organizations have demonstrated that accessibility drives better design, enhances customer experiences, and contributes to a more equitable society.
In 2024, the awards expanded to include a virtual Accessibility Symposium that reached over 3,000 viewers worldwide, featuring speakers including Sumaira Latif from Procter & Gamble, Beth Foor from Kellanova, and award-winning producer Joe Strechay.
Why Accessibility Matters
With one in five people worldwide living with a disability, the global market represents $7 trillion in annual disposable income, an often underserved opportunity for businesses that prioritize accessibility. Yet beyond the compelling business case, accessibility is fundamentally about creating a world where everyone can fully participate in society.
"For 130 years, Helen Keller Services has stood for the idea that opportunity should be within everyone's reach," said Larry Kinitsky, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Helen Keller Services. "On behalf of the Board, I congratulate this year's recipients. From global companies to a neighborhood library, they prove that accessibility leadership can come from anywhere, and that when it does, entire communities benefit. It is a privilege to honor organizations that share the values at the heart of our mission."
Media Contact
Matthew Salaverry, Helen Keller Services, 1 5163937553, [email protected], https://www.helenkeller.org/
SOURCE Helen Keller Services
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