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Today, the 15th annual Microsoft Ability Summit was held, bringing together over 20,000 attendees from 164 countries in a virtual setting to explore the future of AI and accessibility. With a long-standing commitment to investing in accessibility, Microsoft has been at the forefront of this effort for over three decades, dating back to the earliest accessibility features in Windows 95. The company continues to innovate at an unprecedented pace, and individuals with disabilities remain at the forefront of this progress, leading the way in shaping the future of technology.
Accessibility is a fundamental right for people with disabilities, and its impact extends to making technology more user-friendly for everyone. This is evident in how customers worldwide are leveraging Microsoft technologies. For instance, Copilot for Microsoft 365 is revolutionizing workplace productivity, with over 10 million people using Edge each month to access the web through the Read Aloud feature, while over 1 million people utilize Immersive Reader to simplify webpage reading. Moreover, partners like Tobii Dynavox and Special Olympics are harnessing AI to empower individuals with disabilities globally. These examples represent just a fraction of the highlights from the Summit.
A summary of the new accessibility products, features, and programs announced at the 2025 Ability Summit is provided below.
What’s New in 2025?
The Xbox Adaptive Joystick is now available for purchase exclusively at the Microsoft Store. With over 429 million players with disabilities worldwide, the company recognizes the diverse needs and preferences of each player. The Xbox Adaptive Joystick is a wired controller designed primarily for players with limited mobility, offering versatility and seamless integration into existing gaming setups. Developed in collaboration with the Gaming and Disability community, the joystick joins Microsoft’s family of adaptive accessories, including the mouse, pen, adaptive kit, and Xbox Adaptive Controller. For more information, visit Xbox Support.
Furthermore, Microsoft’s hardware packaging is now designed to be both accessible and sustainable, eliminating the use of plastic clamshells. To facilitate accessible packaging for other companies, the Packaging and Content Team at Microsoft has published its Accessible Packaging Design Guide, providing practical guidelines, best practices, and strategies for creating accessible packaging and fostering a trusted customer experience.
At the Summit, Microsoft teams and partners shared their efforts to advance accessibility through technology:
- Tobii Dynavox is integrating Microsoft Neural Voice, a capability of Azure AI Speech, into their assistive communication solutions, offering more personalized options for individuals using eye gaze assistive communication devices. Neural Voices are available in over 50 languages within their apps TD Talk and TD Phone.
- Microsoft Teams will be enhanced for users of Sign Language View. Later this year, Teams will be able to identify when someone is using sign language and feature them prominently as a speaker in the meeting, facilitating clear and accessible communication for everyone.
- Copilot is empowering neurodiverse talent. A recent EY study found that Copilot helped 76% of neurodiverse employees perform better at work by enhancing communication, memory recall, and focus. At the Summit, Microsoft shared how new features like Team Reflow and PowerPoint Designer are assisting people in their work. The stories of four early adopters of Copilot in New York are also available.
- AI is being integrated into Narrator, with rich image descriptions powered by AI coming to Narrator in Windows Insider Preview this spring. Additionally, Azure AI Foundry announced new UI improvements to reduce cognitive load.
- Over 5 million learners worldwide have participated in Microsoft’s Accessibility Skilling program, with partners such as Teach Access, Computacenter UK, and the City of New York. The free, virtual training includes the latest information on AI and is available for organizations to use in their learning management systems.
- Speech recognition has improved by up to 60%. The Speech Accessibility Project, led by the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, has achieved a breakthrough in improving accuracy gains for non-standard speech. The Azure platform team demonstrated how developers can leverage GitHub Copilot to write accessible code.
- Special Olympics shared how Copilot has been a game-changing training companion for their coaches and athletes with intellectual and developmental disabilities, preparing for the Special Olympics World Winter Games in Turin, Italy.
The progress made in accessibility is a result of the people who design technology with accessibility in mind. This approach benefits everyone, creating a more productive and efficient workplace. The story of Dave Dame, Senior Director of Accessibility and Human Factors at Microsoft, highlights how accessible technology helps him thrive as a leader.
Onward
For over 30 years, Microsoft has prioritized accessibility in its products. Accessibility not only makes the company’s tools and technologies easier for everyone but also accelerates innovation worldwide. From the introduction of Sticky Keys and speech recognition in Windows 95 to Seeing AI in 2016 and beyond, accessibility innovations have had a profound impact on people’s lives, often in ways that were not initially anticipated. For example, closed captions have become invaluable for everyone watching videos and calls.
AI has the potential to create significant advancements across every sector of the economy and society. Microsoft will continue to approach this technology in a grounded and responsible manner, working to ensure that the latest innovations reach those who can benefit from them the most.
Whether this is your first or fifteenth Ability Summit, thank you for joining. It is hoped that you gained new insights, skills, or knowledge that will help you, your community, or your organization get the most out of technology. All content will be available to watch after the event.
Let’s move forward together.
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