About this talk
A record-breaking tandem cyclist and three-time Paralympian, Matt King is no stranger to shattering expectations. Today, Matt works at Facebook, where he continues to push the limits as the company’s first blind Accessibility Engineer.
Driven by a mission to make accessibility more pervasive in our technological world, Matt is determined to provide people from across the ability spectrum with accessible platforms for social networking and self-expression. Tune in to Matt’s 2017 TEMED Talk to find out how he is using assistive technology to close the disability-accessibility gap online.
About Matt King
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Matt King is a groundbreaking engineer and a champion for software accessibility. As the first blind engineer at Facebook, now Meta, he works to ensure that technology is designed for everyone, including people with disabilities. Matt lost his sight in college due to an eye disease, which forced him to learn how to use a computer with a screen reader—a tool that reads text on a screen aloud. Frustrated by the limitations of these tools, he began working to improve them. Today, he is a leader in inventing new ways to make online experiences enjoyable and equitable. His work has expanded to include designing accessibility features for the company’s new virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) technologies. Beyond his professional life, Matt is an accomplished athlete. He is a three-time Paralympian and a record-breaking tandem cyclist. He holds a championship medal as the only blind person in the field of elite US track cyclists. Matt’s personal and professional journeys have made him a powerful voice for inclusive design and a living example of what is possible when technology is made accessible.
