Portfolio
Throughout Justin's career in accessibility, he has had the opportunity to share his knowledge, skills, and lived experience through multiple venues. He has written articles for publications such as Nature and Runway Girl Network, spoken at in-person and virtual events such as AccessU, Axe-Con, and A11yTalks, and been a guest on multiple podcasts.
If you would like justin to write something for you, speak at your event, or anything else, you can contact him to discuss options.
Writing
-
Using alt text to make science Twitter more accessible for people with visual impairments
Co-written with Dr. Domenico Chiarella and Dr. Christopher Jackson, this article examines how alt text can be used on science-based Twitter posts to make them more accessible to people with visual impairments.
-
British Airways World Traveler Plus Ticks the Boxes for TATL
Trip report on flights from Austin to Naples, Italy via London on British Airways.
-
Op-Ed: Airlines should follow United lead on seatback IFE accessibility
Article discussing a newly-announced seatback in-flight entertainment system United was beginning to install that has a plethora of accessibility features, including a built-in screen reader, screen magnification, and assistance for color blind passengers. -
Op-Ed: DOT made the right call with service animal guidance
Article discussing guidance provided by the US Department of Transportation on flying with service animals. Note that this guidance pre-dates the DOT rule-making discussed in later articles. -
Op-Ed: DOT NPRM could discourage service animal owners from traveling
Article reacting to the proposed rules for traveling with service animals that were issued by the US Department of Transportation while the proposal was open for comment. -
Flying blind in a post-pandemic world - it’s complicated
Article speaking to blind people about their thoughts on traveling by air just as air travel was beginning to rebound during the COVID-19 pandemic. -
United impresses with accessible app for the blind
Article examining recent updates to United's iPhone app in which United touted all the accessibility improvements that were made. -
DOT service animal rule lifts some proposed burdens on handlers
Article examining the new rules adopted by the DOT surrounding flying with service animals. -
Exploring airline form accessibility for service animal handlers
Examining the accessibility of the forms used to submit service animal information soon after the new rules for flying with service animals were adopted. The issues that were identified with United and Alaska's forms have since been resolved. -
Minor hiccups aside, United strives to be accessible for the blind
Trip report on flights from Phoenix to Houston and back On United's 737 MAX 9 in late April 2021. -
Why US animal relief areas are ripe for improvement
Article discussing experiences with service animal relief areas in airports and how they could be improved. -
How United’s accessible in-seat IFE lives up to expectations
Trip report for flights between Phoenix and Houston on United's 737 MAX 8 equipped with the accessible in-flight entertainment system United started rolling out to their fleet in 2019. -
Op-Ed: Sensory overload and the case for quieter airports
Article examining my personal experiences with sensory overload in airports and strategies that airports, airlines, and travelers can use to mitigate it. -
Why United's decision to add Braille in cabins is profound
Article looking at United's recent announcement that they have begun installing Braille signage throughout their mainline aircraft.
-
Alt Text and Social Media
Introduction to using alt text on different social media platforms.
Podcasts
-
Justin Yarbrough talks about alt text
Justin discusses the importance of using alt text and thinking outside of our own use case. -
Justin Yarbrough talks about form validation and screen readers
Justin talks about the importance of providing clear and concise error messages within form validation and the best form validation patterns for screen reader users.
-
Boarding Pass 013: Airline Accessibility
Justin discusses the accessible seat-back entertainment system United is starting to roll out on aircraft and the US Department of Transportation's proposed changes to regulations surrounding flying with a service animal. -
Boarding Pass 029: Where did my Dog Drop a Nugget?
Justin discusses his Runway Girl article about flying as a blind passenger during the early days of the pandemic and other aviation-related topics. -
Boarding Pass 059: Dogs on a Plane
Justin discusses the new US Department of Transportation regulations surrounding flying with a service animal on the eve of their going into effect.
-
#10 Mountain Goating in Dublin
Justin and his wife Jen talk about their travels, including the challenges associated with traveling as a blind person.
-
Episode 115 - Axe-Con 2023 Is Here, Get To Know Deque Systems Justin Yarbrough
Justin speaks with Brian and Ed about his panel for axe-con 2023, his work in accessibility, and a plethora of other blindness and accessibility-related topics.
-
Episode 6 - Justin Yarbrough, Digital Accessibility Specialist
Justin discusses his work in digital accessibility at a community college.
Speaking
- September 2019: Panelist for Digital Inclusion - What? Who? Why?, which discussed all things digital inclusion.
- May 2022: Participated in a panel hosted by Deque Systems discussing working as an accessibility coach
- May 2024: Hosted an "Unconference" session, an informal discussion over lunch, where attendees were able to ask questions of me as a blind screen reader user and accessibility expert.
- March 2023: Organized and served as a panelist for Working from Within: Having a Disability and Working in Digital Accessibility. While free registration is required to view the recording, a [promotional video](Meet Justin, Steve and Trudy at axe-con 2023!) for the talk is also available.
- October 2021: Co-presented an overview of accessibility in higher education hosted by MCCCD's Diversity Advisory Council.
- October 2021: Organized and served as a panelist for a discussion on working within MCCCD as an employee with a disability hosted by Ability Maricopa for Disability Employment Awareness Month.
- May 2022: Served as the master of ceremonies for Ability Maricopa's first ever convocation held for graduating students with disabilities.
- July 2020: Co-presented If you're Blind, how do you tweet? in which my co-presenter provided a basic introduction to screen readers and I conducted a demo. You can download the demo site here (.zip file).
- 2022: Presented on a paper I co-wrote on using alt text to make science Twitter more accessible to blind people for a virtual conference the university was hosting on digital accessibility.
Other Media
This is a non-exhaustive collection of media quoting Justin. Media featuring Justin in a larger role can be found in the other sections of this page.
InAccessible
-
It's All About the Money (and Healthcare)
This podcast examines the difficulties that people with disabilities have finding work. Recorded during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, there is an emphasis on the transition to remote work. Justin discussed his experiences working remotely since the beginning of the pandemic and how the transition to remote work could open up more opportunities for people with disabilities.
Inclusive Communication
-
Interview with Justin Yarbrough
Justin spoke with Denis Boudreau about his experiences attending live live in-person and virtual training and speaking events as a blind person.
Runway Girl
-
US airlines seek to honor disability rights while enforcing mask use
Article examining how airlines were trying to accommodate passengers with disabilities that were unable to wear masks early in the pandemic after airlines had started to require masks be worn on planes. While Justin's disability does not prevent him from wearing a mask, he was concerned how the policies would affect passengers who were unable to wear them.
The Up Front
-
Disabled passengers, airport wheelchairs and the pernicious myth of "Jetway Jesus"
At the start of the 2025 holiday travel season, the Wall Street Journal wrote a piece on "jetway Jesus," the phenomenon of passengers who needed assistance boarding a flight being able to miraculously walk off the planes. Justin provided a few quotes while author John Walton takes a deeper look at the problems with this narrative, the challenges passengers with disabilities face while flying that may cause them to need assistance, and other related topics.
The Athletic
-
How one Diamondbacks fan refused to let going blind dim his love for baseball
Profile by Zach Buchanan, former Diamondbacks beat writer for The Athletic about Justin's blindness journey and his love for baseball. A subscription is required to read the full article.
axe-con
-
Meet Justin, Steve and Trudy at axe-con 2023!
Promotional video recorded for an axe-con panel Justin participated in discussing working in accessibility while having a disability.
Rio Salado College
-
Living with Blindness: Interview with Justin Yarbrough
Interview conducted with Rio Salado College librarian Kirstin Thomas as part of Rio's recognition of the 31st anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act being signed into law.
Please note that Justin has no control over the accessibility of any links to third-party sites