98 “We’re now seeing companies start to allocate Copilot as an assistive technology and prioritising disabled employees when distributing licences,” says Lay-Flurrie. “It’s fascinating to see because designating something as an assistive technology is a multiyear process, and many technologies undergo massive amounts of development to reach that point. The fact that Copilot has already reached that status speaks volumes.” When identifying different accessibility use cases it is important for organisations to keep in mind that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to disability, so the accommodations needed will vary from person to person. Driving progress in accessibility therefore requires collaboration. Microsoft integrates it into the development process for each product, website and tool it creates. “Regulation is not the goal, because the evolution of technology is moving quicker than that, and so it is important to have the right communities working with us on advisory boards and design springs,” says Lay-Flurrie, who gets most feedback from the Disability Answer Desk, which is where individuals can get assistance with accessibility in products across the Microsoft ecosystem. “Once a product is out in the world, I get over one thousand calls a month from people asking for help, providing feedback and suggesting new features,” she says. “It’s a methodical process where we embed the insights of disabled people throughout. The goal is to simply deliver breakthrough, accessible experiences that empower everyone.” Microsoft also collaborates with its partner ecosystem to develop products and share knowledge or research. For example, when Microsoft created the Neurodiversity Program in 2015, it did so with the help of SAP, who came to the Microsoft campus and shared the knowledge it gained from launching its own Autism at Work programme in 2012. In 2017, Microsoft, SAP, EY and JPMorgan Chase collaborated to create the Neurodiversity @ Work Employer Roundtable. The roundtable now includes over 50 employers across 10 industries that are committed to sharing best practices and learnings to provide more opportunities for neurodivergent employees. There are also a variety of partners developing their own products and solutions that can integrate with the Microsoft ecosystem. For instance, Tobii Dynavox provides communication solutions for people with cerebral palsy, autism, or any other condition that can cause a communication disability. The organisation has worked with Microsoft for several years, and its TD I-Series is an eyecontrolled communication solution built on the Windows platform. The solution also comes FEATURE Tobii Dynavox is one of many Microsoft partners developing assistive technology that supports people with disabilities in the workplace Photo: Tobii Dynavox
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