Pioneering Accessibility: Early Computing, Screen Readers, and New Tech

Jan. 28, 2026
Read time: 5-15 mins
Codex 1356x644

Since the 1950s, U-M has been a leader in computer science and technology. Rackham alumni Jim Thatcher and Jesse Wright helped pioneer human-computer interaction by creating IBM’s first screen readers for blind and low-vision users. More than six decades later, a U-M team is once again advancing screen reader technology. In this research spotlight, learn more about the Rackham alum and his faculty mentors behind the next leap in accessible computing.

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