FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

ReelAbilities Launches Customizable Viewing Feature “Poppins” for World Usability Day

New York, NY - November 13, 2026 — Just in time for World Usability Day, ReelAbilities today announced the launch of Poppins, a groundbreaking new accessibility feature designed to transform how viewers with autism or are neurodivergent experience film.

Added to the already existing accessibility features on the world’s only  disability-focused streaming hub, such as captions and audio descriptions, the new intelligent interface empowers viewers to customize their movie-watching experience in real time, selecting from a variety of sensory-friendly viewing modes, from a flashlight spotlighting any part of the screen, through animating the video into a cartoon, to changing the display of the movie onto an outdoor billboard, based on individual needs and preferences.

“With the addition of Poppins, ReelAbilities continues to set a new standard for inclusive culture and usability in film, arts, across the web and in everyday life,” said Isaac Zablocki, ReelAbilities founder & CEO.

ReelAbilities’ ongoing commitment to designing with, not for, diverse disability communities is reflected in every aspect of Poppins. The feature embodies the idea that access is not elective, and that customization should be a seamless part of every viewing experience.

Key aspects of Poppins include:

• Real-time Access: Adapts in real time to individual viewing needs.

• Personalized Playback: Lets each viewer control how they engage with films.

• Flexible Design: Benefits everyone, not only those using assistive technology.

As audiences increasingly expect experiences that are both personalized and inclusive, Poppins sets a new benchmark for accessible customer engagement. One size does not fit all — and ReelAbilities’ innovative approach reflects this reality by making adjustment and personalization intuitive and effortless. This work has been made possible through the generous support of the Nielsen Foundation.

Launched in conjunction with World Usability Day, a global celebration of inclusive and human-centered design, Poppins underscores ReelAbilities’ mission to ensure that accessibility is not only a value, but a lived, visible, and usable experience. 

Learn more about the feature here: ReelAblities.org/stream/

Until the end of November 2025, users can test Poppins and stream a ReelAbilities film free of charge by using the promo code “Poppins” 

To watch a brief “how-to” guide to using Poppins, go to:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHTVCETZtD4

Contact:
Lawrence Carter Long
Director of Engagement, ReelAbilities International
[email protected]
[email protected]

About ReelAbilities
ReelAbilities International, the world’s premiere organization promoting disability inclusion and advancing accessibility through film and cultural events, is a year round nonprofit that hosts its annual flagship film festival in NYC every April. Through groundbreaking programming and innovative accessibility practices, ReelAbilities dismantles stereotypes and improves industry norms, reframing how disability is remembered, represented, and reclaimed, both on and off the screen.