We are a team dedicated to the advancement of equitable access and empowerment of persons with disabilities through the provision of tools and solutions aimed at fostering independence and productivity.
Our Foundation
Deaf entrepreneurs Myrna and Phil Aiello founded Abacus N Bytes, Inc. in 1982, becoming the foundation for what is now the iYellow Group. After transforming into TCS Associates, they began offering two main services: Assistive Technology services to support those who are visually impaired, blind, or DeafBlind, as well as Information technology software and hardware services.
Image Description: Phil Aiello, Myrna Aiello, and their daughter Jessica Aiello (age 1) outside of their first retail store in Greenbelt, MD in 1982.
TCS Associates went on to add interpreting services in 2005 before they expanded into two companies: TCS Interpreting and TCS Access. In 2020, Jessica Aiello brought together TCS Interpreting, TCSAccess, and TCS Access Captions under one holding company called TCS Access.
With the combined capabilities TCS Access and the two other companies, TCS Access is in the position to serve the visually impaired, blind, Deaf, and DeafBlind communities unlike anyone else.
TCS Access is currently led by CEO Joshua Pennise and President Matt Belcher.
TCS Access was founded in 1982 by nationally renowned Deaf entrepreneurs Myrna and Phil Aiello. We specialize in services regarding the assessment, implementation, and provision of reasonable accommodations for individuals. These services are for, but not limited to, blind, DeafBlind, and Deaf people, people who are hard-of-hearing or visually impaired, and people with a physical disability or intellectual impairment.
Why We Do It
Our mission is to advance equitable access and empowerment of persons with disabilities through the provision of Assistive Technology tools and solutions aimed at fostering independence and productivity.
We believe all individuals, regardless of ability, should have equitable access to the tools needed to perform essential job or educational functions. We believe a disability should not be a barrier to successful, competitive employment or academic achievement.
What We Must Do to Achieve Equitable Access for All
Raise the Bar
We continually strive to hold ourselves and our clients to higher expectations and rise above the industry status quo.
Celebrate Differences
We celebrate our diversity and are proud of our differences. We look for the unique qualities and perspectives each person and partner bring to our team. It is through this lens we are better positioned to assist those in need of our services.
Be in it Together
When we do well, we all do well and when we have challenges, we work through them together.
Make No Assumptions
We cannot change the status quo if we continue to make assumptions.
What They’re Saying About Us
As a long, long-time user of assistive technology, I have the utmost respect and praise for the members of the [TCS Access] assistive technology unit – they have literally kept me afloat, employed, and as independent as possible over the decades that I have worked for [Federal Agency].
- Federal Client
Every moment when I see a listed email in my Inbox, open and read that email, open and read related attachments, compose content, use my iPhone to read mail remotely, and do other office-related tasks (which basically means EVERY moment), that represents the ways in which your team has impacted me and continues to impact me. In other words, thanks to all of you, I get to do my job more effectively than what would be the case otherwise, had your support not been in existence as strongly as it has been.
- Federal Client
Thanks so much for conducting this training. [the client] loved it. It is my understanding that this is her first experience with TCS Access, but it will not be her last… Thanks again.”
- Client from a Blind Advocacy Organization
I really enjoyed the training last week. Thank you for helping make Dragon so much more useful to me. I already created a couple of macros that I didn’t think of last week.
- Dragon User
(Typed using Dragon Naturally Speaking Software)
…what really struck me was his insistence that everything be done right. He didn’t cut corners. He didn’t slack off. He didn’t say that whatever issues arose were just beyond his control. He just kept at it. All the while, he had a truly positive and friendly disposition.
- Federal Client
…the entire team was just awesome! From the get-go, I could literally feel the team’s dedication to ensuring that everything worked well. Beyond merely asking if the technology met my needs, there would be these periodic informal check-ins just to make sure. Then, if ever I had even the smallest question, it was answered practically at lightning speed.
- Federal Client