Access Granted for June, 2026
"Access Granted explores better alt text, Tech Club updates, and an accessible AI quickstart guide!"
Access Granted
Issue 1 • June 2026
The newsletter from Control Alt Access
Accessibility is a journey, not a destination.
In This Issue
Welcome
Welcome to the first issue of Access Granted, the monthly newsletter from Control Alt Access.
My name is River, and I am the founder of the company. I earned my Master's degree in Blindness and Low Vision Studies from Western Michigan University in 2014. I then worked in traditional vision rehabilitation services for more than 10 years.
I started Control Alt Access when I realized that traditional vision rehabilitation services often don't provide enough support to help people develop the confidence and independence needed to live, work, and play in today's digital world.
My philosophy is that true access requires both effective assistive technology skills and digital spaces that are designed with accessibility in mind from the beginning, not added as an afterthought. Control Alt Access provides one-on-one individualized assistive technology training, as well as WCAG-guided accessibility consultation and reviews.
I recently earned a certificate in Information Accessibility Design and Policy from the University of Illinois and am currently preparing to take the exam to become a certified accessibility professional.
Each month, this newsletter will cover accessibility tips, technology resources, and practical ideas you can put into practice as soon as you finish reading.
Accessibility Tip: Describe What Matters
Many digital creators never fail to add alt text to their images. They've been told it's what they're supposed to do, and so this accessibility feature becomes a checkbox.
But did you know alt text is just as much a communication tool as the words in your post?
Before crafting the alt text for your social media post, ask yourself these questions:
- What information would a sighted person gain from seeing this image?
- Why are you including this image in your post?
- What details are necessary to understand the image?
Less helpful:
Person standing in front of an office.
More helpful:
Person standing outside their computer repair shop on opening day, surrounded by several pieces of technology equipment.
The second description tells readers not only what is in the image but also why it matters.
Not every detail belongs in alt text. Hair color, background elements, and personal effects may be relevant in some situations, but not in others.
The goal is not to describe everything. The goal is to communicate the information, context, and purpose of the image.
Accessibility works best when people receive equivalent information, not necessarily identical experiences.
For more information about accessible image descriptions, visit the Control Alt Access Resources page:
https://controlaltaccess.com/resources.htmlTech Club Update
Tech Club is a monthly meeting where blind and visually impaired technology users can discuss technology tips, information, and resources. We meet virtually on the first Saturday of each month at noon. Meetings consist of a 30-minute presentation on a selected topic followed by 30 minutes of questions and discussion.
This month, our session focused on Apple Wallet, Apple Pay, and Apple Cash. Attendees learned the basics of setting up Apple Wallet, making purchases with Apple Pay, and using the Messages app to send Apple Cash.
Our August meeting will focus on smartphone passcodes and biometric security. We'll discuss practical ways to secure your devices while maintaining accessibility and convenience.
Tech Club is free to attend, and optional contributions help support future meetings and accessibility resources.
For more information and to RSVP for the next meeting, visit:
Tech Club | Control Alt Access
Information and registration for Control Alt Access Tech Club, a free technology help session focused on practical accessibility support, with optional donations accepted.
Resource Spotlight: Accessible AI Prompts Quickstart Guide
Control Alt Access offers a growing collection of free resources covering digital accessibility and assistive technology.
This month, we're spotlighting the Accessible AI Prompts Quickstart Guide.
This guide introduces practical prompting techniques that can help AI tools produce more accessible documents, social media content, image descriptions, and other digital materials. Whether you're using AI for work, education, advocacy, or personal projects, a better prompt often leads to a better result.
Just remember: AI can be a powerful accessibility tool, but it's still important to review its output before publishing or sharing it.
View the guide here:
https://controlaltaccess.com/resources/accessible-ai-prompts-quickstart.htmlWhat Would You Like to Learn?
Control Alt Access exists to help people build confidence with accessibility and assistive technology.
What topics would you like to see covered in future newsletters or Tech Club meetings?
Simply reply to this email and let me know.
I'd love to hear from you.
Until next time,
River
Founder, Control Alt Access
Accessibility is a journey, not a destination.
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