CANnect was founded in 2006 as the Online Learning Commons for the Blind and Visually Impaired. For a generation, assistive tools for the blind have translated website content into speech; for people with low vision, magnification is often the key to Internet access. However, getting to a website and being able to use it fully are two different things. Most websites are not consciously designed for usability and accessibility, and that makes them needlessly difficult to navigate even with assistive technology. Online learning is rapidly becoming a viable alternative for many students across secondary and post secondary programs but few are designed including people with disabiities in mind. CANnect's board members represent a consortium that includes the world of philanthropy and the country?s oldest, most respected educational institutions for the blind.