We’ve just returned from the 2025 CSUN Assistive Technology Conference—our strongest showing yet, with a six-person team, two standing-room-only presentations, and (for the first time) a bold, eye-catching booth on the exhibition floor.
As advocates for accessible data visualization, CSUN is a key event for us. It’s where global leaders in accessibility, education, and tech come together—and where we can both share what we’ve learned and listen closely to the top innovators in the field.
Pushing the Standards Forward
Our presentations this year were a collaboration with Frank Elavsky, PhD student and researcher at Carnegie Mellon University, and Ted Gies, User Experience and Accessibility Manager at Elsevier, focusing on practical strategies for accessible, inclusive data visualizations.
The turnout was fantastic, and the presentations sparked deep technical questions and conversations that continued long after the sessions ended.
A Booth That Delivered
Our booth was designed to attract attention, and it did. Our team gave countless demos of our accessibility and sonification modules and connected with hundreds of attendees. Whether they were educators, accessibility experts, developers, or just curious passersby, one thing was clear –people appreciated and praised our efforts and leadership in making data meaningful for everyone.
And yes—our legendary socks and chocolate giveaways didn’t hurt either (they were gone by day two!).
Building Relationships, Old and New
Beyond the booth, our team stayed busy with meetings, networking events, and plenty of spontaneous hallway conversation with existing and potential customers.
We also formed new connections with people from the education sector and academia who were overjoyed to learn how our accessibility and sonification features could benefit their students with disabilities. And they were even happier when we told them they can use all Highcharts libraries for free with our Educational License.
An interesting side note…we discovered that many accessibility-focused consultants routinely recommend us to their clients and evangelize on our behalf. Aw, shucks.😊
What’s Next?
At Highcharts, we believe that everyone should be able to understand and interact with data. Our presence at CSUN is just one way we continue to learn, share, and shape the future of inclusive data visualization.
We left CSUN inspired, energized—and already thinking about how we can do even more next year. (Also, shoutout to Stevie Wonder for the photo op with Marita and Nancy!)
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