The cover of Haben Girma’s book shows a side profile of Haben, a young black woman with long, dark hair against a red background. The title “Haben” is prominently displayed in the lower half, along with the subtitle and author’s name.

We at MAST are honored to be included as a resource in Haben Girma’s new memoir, “Haben: The Deafblindness Woman Who Conquered Harvard Law” (Available now at your favorite bookseller!) As fellow members of the Deafblind community, Haben and Lisa have known each other for years, and we have always been supportive of each other’s work. Having a friend and fellow Deafblind person whose story getting mainstream attention and is so identifiable to us as blind/Deafblind people  is a pretty big deal! Although we have different lives in many ways, Haben and Lisa have always shared a similar outlook about Deafblindness. We have aways been comfortable with ourselves, know that there is a way to do nearly anything, feel that our diversity is a strength, and feel a strong responsibility to advocate for full inclusion on behalf of people with disabilities.

We at MAST are very excited that Haben’s book highlights this philosophy and helps to educate the public on what Deafblind people can do. We also hope the book will inspire individuals, organizations and companies to look at what they can do to make the world a more inclusive place and take advantage of all the diverse talents that people with disabilities have to offer.

What kind of resource is Miles Access Skills Training?

Back when Lisa walked into her high school each day, she saw a wall mural that was big enough that (back then) even she could see it. It said “Luck is the meeting of preparation and opportunity.” At MAST, our mission is to help people with disabilities get the tools they need to be well-prepared to meet an ever expanding list of opportunities. We also help companies and organizations become leaders in creating opportunity, Not only for diverse populations, but for themselves. We consult with companies on how to make their workplaces, jobs, and services more inclusive.

Bridging the gap between the disabled and mainstream society is a two-way street. We have to meet in the middle. Companies need to do whatever they can to become accessible and inclusive and to create opportunities. Individuals with disabilities need to be prepared to take on these opportunities. So our main priority is to help people with disabilities understand and use the tools they need to be able to take advantage of any opportunity, even to make their own opportunities if they choose. We teach the skills that allow those who are blind, Deafblind or otherwise disabled to access the world using alternative methods. We do this largely through assistive technology, but that technology can be either high or low tech. There is a learning curve to doing things in a different-than-mainstream way, but these are the tools needed to be ready for an inclusive world. Here is a very basic list of our services:

There we are! Among many other great resources, Miles Access Skills Training is highlighted (emphasis mine) in an electronic copy of Haben’s memoir. This photo shows a screen shot of that page of the book.

Services for People with Disabilities:

• Our specialty is blindness skills training, but we also work with anyone who could benefit from adaptive tech to improve their lives. We are expert problem solvers for those with blindness combined with other disabilities.
• We teach adaptive tech across operating systems, devices and platforms (ie. Windows, Mac, Android, Google, JAWS, NVDA, VoiceOver, Dragon, HIMS, Humanware, Freedom Scientific braille displays, etc.)
• We also teach braille, Orientation and Mobility, and Daily Living skills
• We consult and help advocate for you in your school or place of employment to get what you need to work, learn and be successful

Services for Businesses, Employers and Organizations:

• Real-time narrative web and app accessibility testing from a diverse group of actual adaptive tech users across platforms
• Employment evaluations and technical assistance to make computer systems and office systems accessible across disability needs
• ADA compliance consultation

If Haben’s book has brought you here, welcome! Feel free to look around and contact us to see how we might be able to work with you to reach your goals. If you haven’t read her book, we highly recommend it! It is an enjoyable book to read and it promotes exactly the mission of MAST. With preparation and opportunity, there is nothing we can’t accomplish together.