Explore how The Resource Key drives visibility, positioning, and ecosystem connection across the $23T Disability Market. See real-world impact stories with global organizations, inclusive investors, and scaling startups shaping the future of disability innovation.

Case Studies | Disability Innovation Across Organizations, Investors & Startups – The Resource Key

On-device AI and empathetic UX are reshaping inclusion. Discover how a simple transcript prompt reveals the $23T opportunity in accessibility design.

The Future of Inclusive Tech: From AI Transcripts to Trust-Building Design

A quiet feature, a powerful moment: How inclusive design starts with clarity, not complexity.

How One Simple Tap Can Shift the Way We Build Technology and Who We Build With

From NYC to Ghana—She Brought Speech Therapy Where It Didn’t Exist

Improve your social media presence with The Resource Key's free webinar replay on 4 Ways to Make Your Social Media Inclusive and Accessible. Learn about using alt text, image descriptions, color contrast, and hashtags, as well as best practices for accessible content creation and strategies for creating an inclusive online community. Receive a webinar replay, transcript, PowerPoint, and reference outline with resources for free. Start creating a more diverse and equitable online community today.

4 Ways to Make Your Social Media Inclusive and Accessible - Free Webinar Replay

Inclusive Starter Keys:  Inclusive and Accessible Social Media.

Free Inclusive and Accessible Social Media

Learn how to begin making your meetings more inclusive with these four simple steps. From providing closed captioning to offering multiple communication options, discover how to ensure accessibility for all participants. Start your journey towards inclusive meetings with our practical tips and insights.

4 Essential Steps to Start Making Your Meetings Accessible Today

Discover The Resource Key's approach, detailing the system, methods, tools, alternative communication options to start making your meetings accessible today.

4 Ways to Start Making  Your Meetings Accessible Today

Discover key strategies for empowering individuals with disabilities, including creating safe spaces, highlighting real-life examples of successful inclusion, and actively involving them in conversations and decision-making. Learn from resources like the Disability Visibility Project and Job Accommodation Network, and understand the importance of hiring and empowering people with disabilities in leadership roles for genuine, lasting inclusion.

Empowering People with Disabilities: Actions for Inclusion and Change

Discover key strategies for empowering individuals with disabilities, including creating safe spaces, highlighting real-life examples of successful inclusion, and actively involving them in conversations and decision-making.

Beyond Duct Tape Diversity: 3 Ways for Sustainable Inclusion

Discover the personal journey of overcoming societal barriers and stigma associated with learning disabilities. This article delves into the challenges faced by individuals with learning disabilities and highlights the importance of self-advocacy and the pursuit of inclusive strategies. Follow the story of resilience as one individual defies limitations, embraces their unique abilities, and empowers others to find their voices in an often-unaccommodating world. Learn how society's perception can be transformed through understanding, support, and a commitment to inclusivity.

Living in society as a woman with a Learning Disability

"I cannot change the fact that I have a disability and how limiting society can be. The only thing I can do is use strategies to help myself be able to do things and compensate. I use my voice to speak power and hopefully a more inclusive society. " -Michelle Steiner

Interconnected will be an important word as we continue to look towards the future in building inclusion and accessibility.  Taking new information, unrelated concepts, different perspectives and interconnecting them to build out the future will be a skillset to continue to develop to continue moving forward.

Interconnected

"We want to be a community that is centered around universal design and being inclusive of all people regardless of ability. That means that we have to continue to learn about accessibility and disability, and celebrate the many contributions and gifts our disabled students bring to our campus.” -Eduardo Pazos, Assistant Dean of Student Affairs for Inclusion and Diversity

The Resource Key is proud to announce that we have been listed in The Valuable Directory, a unique resource featuring expertise within digital, physical and cognitive accessibility, as well as tools for inclusive recruitment and branding practices.  As one of only 77 successful organisations globally, we are proud to have been selected by an independent expert review panel.  Our appointment shows our ongoing support to ending disability exclusion, and we look forward to working with The Valuable 500 companies to achieve this.

The Resource Key Joins The Valuable Directory for Disability Inclusion

"The Resource Key is proud to announce that we have been listed in The Valuable Directory, a unique resource featuring expertise within digital, physical and cognitive accessibility, as well as tools for inclusive recruitment and branding practices.  As one of only 77 successful organisations globally, we are proud to have been selected by an independent expert review panel. "

Mozzeria is a pizzeria located in Washington, DC that is known for their authentic wood-fired Neapolitan pizzas.  We love that inclusion and accessibility is embedded within every area of Mozzeria.

The Restaurant Redefining How to Build Community

“I really want to see deaf employees earn the respect that they deserve, so that when somebody walks in that doesn’t sign, they see that deaf people can do everything from owning a restaurant to bartending to cooking.” — Ryan Maliszewski, Mozzeria CEO

  321 Coffee is a “coffee shop and roaster providing meaningful work opportunities to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.”

321 Coffee

“Together, we are building a company that stands for inclusion and doing business the right way.” — 321 Coffee

100 Cameras “works with youth around the world who have had challenging experiences, and they teach them to process and tell their stories through photography in a way that impacts how they view themselves and their role in their community.”

100 Cameras

“Every kid – no matter their background or circumstances – deserves the right to have access to tools that support them in processing their experiences in a way that creates space for emotional freedom in their future."  — 100 Cameras

AgrAbility is a United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) funded program that provides support, education, and assistance to ranchers and farmers with disabilities. AgrAbility was started through the 1990 Farm bill, the first eight State/Regional AgrAbility Projects (SRAPs) were funded in 1991. During that time, “the National AgrAbility Project (NAP) was led by Purdue University’s Breaking New Ground Resource Center in partnership with Easter Seals (national office).” 

AgrAbility

“Agricultural workers with disabilities are often unable to continue working in a manner they are accustomed to, resulting in reduced productivity and increased chance of secondary injury. But with the help of AgrAbility, many of these professionals are able to put their knowledge and expertise back into the field.”  — AgrAbility

Yes I Can provides career skills training and employment services to individuals with disabilities to assist them in developing the skills they will need to secure a career within the entertainment industry earning a competitive wage.

Yes I Can Unity Through Music and Education

“YIC believes individuals with disabilities should have the same right as non-disabled individuals to have access to a full range of available employment opportunities and to earn a living wage in a job of their choosing based on their talents, skills, and interests.” — Yes I Can Unity Through Music and Education (YIC)

Inclusively is the technology-centered inclusion solution and employment platform for job seekers with disabilities, mental health conditions, and chronic illnesses. 

Inclusively

“I believe that having a job is something that can change someone’s life. It is something that provides stability, but not just financial stability, it provides something that you can look forward to, that you can work on, that you can have successes in, that you can become better at, that you can learn to overcome challenges.” — Charlotte Dales, CEO of Inclusively

Photography and video exhibit – both online and in-studio – that showcases the food-related stories of eight disabled Canadians, eight Canadians from culturally diverse backgrounds, and eight Cowichan Valley food and beverage producers.

Cowichan Valley Disability, Culture and Food Through Art Exhibit

"I want to use my platform to showcase the stories of other people, I want to elevate their voices, I don’t want to tell their story for them, I want to give them the ability to share their stories to allow people to connect with it. Like you are sitting down with a friend over a cup of coffee and you’re learning about something that you have never ever ever have thought of before because of your own privilege and you’re like wow how have I not know about this I want to be part of a solution.”— Jules Sherred

Input from the disabled community is a critical part of any company’s inclusivity efforts. Here’s how to seek out their perspectives.

How to include workers with disabilities in your DEI initiatives

"It is important to have a company culture that welcomes people with disabilities prior to them being hired for a position. The culture is a thread that is interlaced into each area of the company, from its values to its recruitment process, efforts to retain employees and provide leadership opportunities for growth, to many other areas." -Jourdan Saunders, CEO of The Resource Key

We enjoyed reading this article about The Goodtime Hotel a few weeks ago. In the article “Grutman said the goal is to make “aspiration accessible,” and Birnbaum said the hotel will be “affordable luxury.” We looked on The Goodtime Hotel website and they specifically state all of the ways in which their hotel is accessible. We love that inclusion and accessibility were thought of from the start.

Hotel Ensuring Accessibility from the Start

“Grutman said the goal is to make “aspiration accessible,” and Birnbaum said the hotel will be “affordable luxury.” We looked on The Goodtime Hotel website and they specifically state all of the ways in which their hotel is accessible. We love that inclusion and accessibility were thought of from the start.

The Project Why is what comes to mind when starting, agreeing or pursuing any project.  Sometimes the “Why” is just as important as the project itself. Why did you agree to this project?  This question is important because when committing to a project we want to be able to finish what we started, and asking the “Why” questions allows a deeper understanding of the connection to the project, and commitment to the project. 

The Project Why

Events have the capacity to bring about change, to create spaces to develop relationships to bring about change, and gather new information to use to bring about change.

Events Empower

Authentic Representation is so important.  Authentic is key because you can have representation without it being authentic. 

Authentic Representation

Music can be such a powerful tool for activism in the community, leadership through lyrics, and communicating authentic messages. 

Who are we designing for? What are we considering when we are designing? So many more questions that come to mind when designing and more importantly inclusive and accessible design.  Honestly, we wouldn’t have to say “inclusive and accessible design” if inclusion and accessibility was a part of our design process from the start. The design process is constantly changing, evolving, open to change.  Nothing about design feels static or not changing. 

Design Impact

Who are we designing for? What are we considering when we are designing? So many more questions that come to mind when designing and more importantly inclusive and accessible design. 

Stay Connected takes on a whole new meaning depending on the person, context, and environment.

See how Verizon partnered with The Resource Key to turn a disability innovation accelerator into a high-fit, trust-based pipeline with better participation and ROI.

Verizon x The Resource Key: Disability Accelerator Case Study

Focus: Community access strategy, qualified pipeline growth, and conversion-ready founders

The Verizon Forward for Good Accelerator supports startups building disability-centered technologies that advance access across health, education, workforce, and accessibility, as part of Verizon’s broader digital inclusion and disability innovation commitments. For this cohort to deliver value, Verizon needed a pipeline of founders whose solutions were authentically rooted in disability communities and ready to benefit from the program’s funding, coaching, and partnerships. Verizon engaged The Resource Key to ensure that outreach translated into qualified interest, not just impressions.​

The accelerator already offered meaningful benefits: expert mentorship, non-dilutive funding, and ecosystem connections, but the program’s success depended on attracting founders who met specific disability-innovation criteria and could fully leverage these resources. The challenge was converting awareness into high-fit applications from disability-centered startups across healthcare, education, workforce, and accessibility, while honoring the trust norms of those communities.​

Put the opportunity in front of disability-focused innovators early in their decision cycle.

Increased the share of applicants whose work aligned with disability-centered innovation and community co-design.

Strengthened brand trust so founders viewed Verizon as a credible, long-term partner in inclusive technology.​

The Resource Key activated outreach through networks already shaping disability innovation, including disability leadership, healthcare innovation, education, workforce inclusion, and inclusive tech communities. This shifted visibility from broad channels to curated spaces where founders building disability-centered solutions were already engaged, improving the likelihood that views translated into relevant applications.​

Messaging was refined so founders could quickly see fit and value: what the accelerator offered, who it was designed for, and why disability-centered design and leadership were non‑negotiable. This clarity helped self‑select out founders who were not aligned and moved aligned founders from interest to application by reducing confusion and perceived risk at the moment of decision.​

Announcements and calls for applications were amplified to a community of 50,000+ stakeholders across disability, healthcare, education, workforce, and technology, emphasizing program benefits, eligibility, and community alignment rather than generic promotion. Positioning Verizon alongside trusted disability and innovation partners further increased credibility, which is a key conversion driver in trust‑sensitive ecosystems.​

A community-aligned access strategy designed to increase the share of disability-centered founders in the pipeline.​

Targeted amplification of accelerator communications across trusted networks reaching 50,000+ relevant stakeholders.​

Messaging and positioning support oriented around fit, readiness, and value so that outreach converted into qualified interest and applications.

Ongoing feedback loops to keep outreach aligned with community expectations and improve program-market fit over time.​

Results: Return on Investment (ROI) and Conversion Impact

Improved participation quality: Disability-focused founders were more likely to discover, understand, and engage with the accelerator, resulting in an applicant pool that more closely reflected the program’s disability-innovation focus instead of broad, misaligned interest.​

Higher-conversion pipeline: Clearer criteria and community-based outreach reduced unqualified applications and increased the proportion of applicants whose solutions, leadership, and validation aligned with disability-centered innovation, improving the efficiency of selection and support resources.​

Brand and ecosystem value: Verizon’s role in disability innovation became more visible and trusted within key communities, strengthening long-term partnership potential, founder loyalty, and the perceived value of future cohorts.​

Through this collaboration, the Verizon Forward for Good Accelerator reached 50,000+ highly relevant stakeholders across disability, healthcare, education, workforce, and technology sectors, converting that reach into a stronger, more aligned applicant pipeline and more efficient use of accelerator resources.

Organizations with strong programs but limited community access partner with The Resource Key when they are ready to trade generic reach for trusted participation, because this level of disability-centered access, alignment, and credibility cannot be built overnight inside a marketing team.

Learn how Verizon partnered with The Resource Key to turn a well-designed disability innovation accelerator into a high-fit, trusted pipeline, shifting from generic reach to participation that actually matches the program’s mission.

Strengthen Your Market Positioning Before You Expand

See how Noala partnered with The Resource Key to turn a strong digital speech platform into a U.S.‑ready offering with clear positioning, aligned messaging, and accessibility.

Noala x The Resource Key: U.S. Market-Ready Positioning

Digital health teams with strong products but unclear U.S. positioning partner with The Resource Key when they are ready to trade guesswork for market-ready clarity because this level of disability-aware messaging, accessibility alignment, and sector fit is hard to build from the inside.

Focus: Market positioning, sector-aligned messaging, and accessibility for U.S. launch readiness

Noala is a digital speech and language platform that increases access to communication support for children and families. As the team prepared to expand into the U.S., success depended on more than translating existing materials; they needed a market story and experience that matched the expectations of U.S. healthcare, education, and disability communities.​

Noala partnered with The Resource Key to ensure their positioning, messaging, and accessibility would support a confident, credible U.S. entry, so go-to-market efforts translated into adoption, not just awareness.​

Noala’s platform and mission were strong, but U.S. audiences needed a clearer answer to three questions: what the product is, who it is for, and how it fits alongside existing clinical and school-based supports. Without sharper positioning, Noala risked being perceived as “just another healthtech app” in a crowded space.​

At the same time, launching in disability-related markets meant accessibility and disability alignment had to be visible and intentional from the start. Any gaps in experience, language, or design could weaken trust with the very communities Noala aims to serve.

Clarified their position in the U.S. speech and language ecosystem.

Tuned messaging to U.S. healthcare, education, and disability norms.

Aligned product experience and communications with accessibility expectations.

The Resource Key refined Noala’s U.S. narrative so families, clinicians, partners, and potential acquirers could quickly understand the platform’s value, differentiation, and role within care pathways. This included clarifying use cases, outcomes, and how Noala complements, not replaces, existing speech and language services.​

Messaging was strengthened across website, product, and partner-facing materials so benefits and impact were communicated in language familiar to U.S. healthcare, education, and disability audiences. This clarity reduced confusion, supported more confident referrals, and helped decision-makers quickly see whether Noala matched their needs.​

The Resource Key assessed Noala’s experience, content, and design choices through a disability and accessibility lens, identifying priority updates to better align with inclusive product standards. Recommendations focused on making it easier for diverse users:  children, families, and professionals to navigate and trust the platform.​

A U.S. market positioning framework that articulated Noala’s role, differentiation, and value for key audiences.

Messaging guidance that brought clarity and sector-specific language to customer-facing and partner-facing touchpoints.

Accessibility alignment recommendations covering product experience, communications, and design considerations.

Feedback on the pre-launch roadmap to help prioritize changes that would matter most for U.S. users and stakeholders.

Stronger Market Narrative
Noala gained a clearer, more competitive U.S. story that improved how the team communicated value and differentiation to families, clinicians, and potential partners.​

Better-Aligned Product and Roadmap
Roadmap and platform decisions were adjusted using U.S.-specific and disability-informed recommendations, reducing launch risk and limiting costly post-launch corrections.​

Launch-Ready Confidence
Noala entered the U.S. market with greater confidence and credibility, supported by positioning, messaging, and accessibility practices aligned to the expectations of healthcare, education, and disability communities, contributing to the platform’s attractiveness as a strategic acquisition.​

"We were able to adjust our tech roadmap / platform ahead of our US launch.  Jourdan's expertise and listening skills enabled her to give us a thoughtful and actionable feedback. We highly recommend working with her!"

How a digital speech and language startup strengthened positioning, clarified messaging, and aligned accessibility to confidently enter the U.S. market.

Let’s explore how we can support your next disability-centered project, whether it’s research, outreach, or building awareness with inclusive strategy, targeted visibility, and meaningful stakeholder engagement.

Discover how Langston University partnered with The Resource Key to reach federal and state-level disability stakeholders and achieve 100% recruitment for a federally funded research project, through targeted outreach, strategic communication, and inclusive engagement practices.

How Langston University Achieved 100% Stakeholder Engagement in Disability Research

Langston University’s Rehabilitation Research and Training Center (RRTC) on Research and Capacity Building for Minority Entities is a federally funded research center located at the university’s Oklahoma City campus. Led by Professor Edward Manyibe, the center is dedicated to strengthening disability research and expanding engagement with underrepresented communities, policymakers, and practitioners nationwide.

View Langston University Rehabilitation Counseling Program Ranked Top 20 in Nation

Langston University’s RRTC launched a federally funded research project focused on gathering insights from key disability stakeholders. To succeed, the project needed meaningful participation from federal and state policymakers, disability researchers, practitioners, and community leaders—audiences that are traditionally difficult to reach without trusted pathways.

They needed a clear and strategic outreach plan to identify high-value participants; they needed messaging that was consistent, inclusive, and aligned with disability community expectations; and they were working under strict timelines that required rapid and efficient recruitment.

The core gaps were market insights, market visibility, market connection, market messaging, market accessibility, and market positioning, all of which were essential to recruiting the right participants in time.

The Resource Key provided targeted support across multiple service areas to help Langston University meet its recruitment goals.

Market insights: we identified and mapped key informants across disability research, policy, and community sectors to guide a strategic sampling and targeting process.

Market visibility: we increased awareness of the study across trusted disability networks so stakeholders understood the relevance and importance of the project.

Market connection: we built an inclusive outreach and follow-up system designed to authentically engage policymakers, researchers, and practitioners.

Market messaging: we crafted consistent, clear communication aligned with disability community expectations to build credibility and encourage participation.

Market accessibility: we ensured outreach timing, format, and language reflected inclusive engagement practices.

Market positioning: we positioned Langston’s RRTC as a research leader committed to equity, collaboration, and community-centered inquiry.

We delivered a complete, end-to-end stakeholder engagement strategy that supported the success of the research project.

We designed a targeted outreach plan and sample development strategy tailored to disability-sector stakeholders. We created a structured communication and messaging framework to support all outreach activities. We coordinated recruitment and executed a three-step follow-up system to ensure participation. We also implemented inclusive engagement practices that strengthened trust and increased responsiveness.

Recruitment Success:
The project achieved 100% of its recruitment target within two months, including participation from hard-to-reach policymakers and researchers.

Organizational Efficiency:
Timelines accelerated due to structured coordination, centralized communication, and clear outreach systems.

Reputation & Credibility:
Langston University RRTC strengthened its positioning as a research institution committed to disability equity, stakeholder collaboration, and inclusive research design.

This engagement focused on six core service areas:
Market Insights, Market Visibility, Market Connection, Market Messaging, Market Accessibility, and Market Positioning.

"Thanks to Jourdan's leadership and organizational skills, we scheduled several interviews within two months and achieved our 100% recruitment target. Jourdan’s professionalism and dedication make her an invaluable asset to any research team."

-Edward Manyibe, Research Professor and Research Director at Langston University Rehabilitation Research and Training Center (RRTC) on Research and Capacity Building for Minority Entities, Oklahoma City Campus

How a leading research center achieved full stakeholder recruitment for a federally funded disability study through strategic outreach, clear messaging, and trusted community alignment.

Langston University: Advancing Inclusive Research Through Targeted Stakeholder Engagement