Maxwell Ivey
The Blind Blogger
Accessibility Advocate
Entrepreneur
Author
Consumer Reports (CR.org)
1 Article
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Hacks to Maintain Independence with Vision Loss or Blindness
Practical, lived-experience strategies for people adjusting to vision loss — from low-tech labeling systems to assistive technology — helping readers reclaim independence and confidence in daily life.
AudioEye
15 Articles
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Maxwell Ivey: From Carnival Owner to Blind Blogger
An introduction to Maxwell as AudioEye’s newest contributing writer — his journey from carnival owner to online entrepreneur and accessibility advocate.
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Building an Online Business When You Are Blind
A first-person account of how inaccessible websites and tools create daily barriers for blind entrepreneurs, and why digital accessibility is crucial for inclusion.
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What It’s Like to Shop Online When You’re Blind
Maxwell describes the real-world challenges blind shoppers face — from vague product descriptions to inaccessible checkouts — and makes the business case for accessible e-commerce.
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The Impact of Accessibility on Business Websites
Practical guidance on how e-commerce, travel, and employment sites can improve accessibility from the start for users with vision impairment and other disabilities.
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Five Tips for Building an Accessible Podcast
A podcast owner’s guide to making shows fully accessible — covering navigation, player design, audio descriptions, social sharing, and more.
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Drag and Drop Doesn’t Have To Be a Nightmare
Maxwell shares the frustrations of drag-and-drop UI for screen reader users and highlights three companies offering accessible keyboard-friendly alternatives.
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Bonds Between Disabilities
Exploring the shared experiences and community connections across different disability groups, and why cross-disability solidarity matters in advocacy.
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How Might AI Impact the Future of Work for People with Disabilities?
Examining the promise and risks of generative AI for disabled workers — and why the disability community must have a seat at the table in AI development.
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Six Tips for Making Your Presentations Accessible
Actionable advice on designing and delivering slide presentations that are fully accessible to attendees with visual impairments, hearing loss, and other disabilities.
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The Surprising Gap in Email Accessibility
Why email — one of the most ubiquitous communication tools — remains a persistent accessibility problem for screen reader users, and what senders can do about it.
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For Assistive Technology Users, Website Updates Often Mean New Hurdles
Maxwell explains why screen reader users are often reluctant to update browsers and assistive tech — and why developers should think twice before rolling out sweeping site redesigns.
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6 Tips for Making Forms Accessible
A practical, user-centered guide to accessible form design — covering labels, error messages, keyboard navigation, and the small details that make a big difference for screen reader users.
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Facing My Fear of Walmart.com
Maxwell revisits Walmart.com after years of avoiding it — documenting the accessibility barriers he encounters and celebrating the genuine improvements the retailer has made for blind shoppers.
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Technology Is Great, but Experts Still Matter
A measured take on accessibility automation — arguing that while AI and automated tools have real value, they can’t replace the insight of disabled users and human accessibility experts.
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Honoring Three Women Who Have Impacted My Accessibility Journey
A personal tribute to three women whose mentorship, advocacy, and friendship helped shape Maxwell’s path as an accessibility writer and blind entrepreneur.
php[architect] Magazine
8 Articles — Recurring Column: Barrier-Free Bytes
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Barrier-Free Bytes: Introducing Maxwell Ivey
The debut column introducing Maxwell’s recurring accessibility series in php[architect] — making the case for why developers need to build inclusion into their code from the start.
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Barrier-Free Bytes: Done-For-You Accessibility
A provocative look at the “done-for-you” approach to accessibility — exploring whether automated fixes can be a bridge to inclusion or a barrier to genuine progress.
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Barrier-Free Bytes: Headings and Workflow
Making the case that effective heading structure is as much a workflow decision as an accessibility one — and how developers can make navigation intuitive for all users.
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Barrier-Free Bytes: Accessibility as Process
Exploring why accessibility is a journey rather than a destination — with practical guidance for backend developers on how to think inclusively across every feature they build.
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Barrier-Free Bytes: Chat Boxes and Accessibility
Using a frustrating LinkedIn chat experience as a launching point, Maxwell offers concrete advice on building chat interfaces that work for screen reader users.
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Barrier-Free Bytes: Inclusive Meetings and Presentations
Timed to php[tek]25, Maxwell addresses how to make team meetings, conference sessions, and presentations accessible for colleagues and attendees with disabilities.
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Barrier-Free Bytes: Accessibility Beyond One Person
What happens to your accessibility practice when the one person responsible for it leaves? A call for teams to embed inclusive thinking into their culture and processes.
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Barrier-Free Bytes: AI and the Disability Community
Maxwell’s thoughts on the sweeping rise of generative AI — what it could mean for people with disabilities, and why inclusion must be designed in, not added on.
Reviewed.com
3 Articles
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Roku Voice Remote and TV Accessibility Review: Easy Blind Streaming
A thorough hands-on review of Roku’s accessibility features from the perspective of a totally blind user — what works, what doesn’t, and what could be improved.
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Lego Braille Bricks Review: A Toy That Teaches a Vital Skill
Maxwell reviews LEGO’s Braille Bricks — praising their educational potential and strong community support while noting packaging and website accessibility shortfalls.
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8 Low-Vision Aids to Quickly Navigate Blindness and Visual Impairment
Drawing on decades of personal experience, Maxwell shares low-tech, low-cost hacks — from tactile tape labels to sock holders — that help people new to vision loss regain independence.
VisionAware / APH Connect Center
2 Articles
Peer Advisor, supporting adults adjusting to vision loss through lived-experience guidance.
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Maxwell Ivey: Entrepreneur on the Midway
Maxwell’s personal story — from growing up in a carnival family to building a thriving online amusement equipment brokerage as a totally blind entrepreneur — told for VisionAware’s community.
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From Carnival Owner to Blind Entrepreneur: Navigating Accessibility
Maxwell reflects on his unexpected path to becoming an accessibility expert — writing for AudioEye, php[architect], and Reviewed — and shares advice for others with disabilities entering professional fields.
WritersWeekly.com
2 Articles
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How Your Social Media Activity Can Destroy Your Business
A candid warning for freelancers and entrepreneurs about the ways careless social media behavior can damage professional reputation, client relationships, and long-term business success.
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Why Making Your Website Accessible Can Increase Your Profits!
Maxwell makes the business case for web accessibility — showing entrepreneurs and site owners how designing for disabled users expands their audience, builds loyalty, and boosts the bottom line.
Magnets and Ladders
2 Pieces
Published in Magnets and Ladders, the literary magazine produced by Behind Our Eyes, Inc. — a nonprofit showcasing writers with disabilities.
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From Frightened Radio Guest to Prolific Podcast Guest to Host of What’s Your Excuse?
A personal narrative tracing Maxwell’s evolution from a nervous first-time radio guest to a confident podcast host — a story of growth, vulnerability, and finding his voice on the airwaves.
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Finding Solutions: Moving Carnival Rides
A memoir piece drawn from Maxwell’s years running a carnival equipment brokerage — recounting the creative problem-solving required to move massive rides across the country as a blind entrepreneur.
Claude