The mission of iBUG Today (iBlind Users Group) is to promote the individual independence, social integration and educational development of the blind community across the country through accessible technology training.

iBUG conducts world-wide virtual (via Zoom conference) and face-to-face group and individual training sessions, provides podcasts of the recorded training sessions, hosts social events, and presents the iBUG Road Show to groups interested in learning more about iBUG Today and its accessibility training and social events.  

Michael McCulloch, Founder and President

Michael grew up in Houston, Texas and is a graduate of Rice University where he received his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Electrical Engineering.  After graduating from Rice, he worked for The Boeing Company’s Space Exploration Division at the NASA Johnson Space Center.  Michael started out performing Guidance, Navigation and Control analyses on the Space Shuttle program.  He also supported 9 Shuttle flights working in Houston’s Mission Control Center.  He moved to the International Space Station program in 1996 and continued through his retirement in April 2017 in support of various aspects of mission operations of the International Space Station.  As his vision deteriorated, he used various adaptive software and equipment to continue accomplishing all of his work responsibilities.  Michael began losing his vision in his late 20’s due to glaucoma and has been legally blind since 2006.

Michael is the founder and president of the non-profit organization iBUG Today (iBlind Users Group).  iBUG Today has promoted the individual independence, social integration, and educational development of the blind through accessible technology training since May 2011.  Numerous organizations and medical professionals serving the blind refer their members, clients and patients to iBUG for the free training on the accessibility features of Apple and Android products. In 2018, iBUG Today received the Dr. Jacob Bolotin Award from the National Federation of the Blind which honors individuals and organizations who are a positive force in the lives of blind people and whose work advances the goal of helping transform their dreams into reality.

Michael is currently a member of the Houston Council of the Blind and served on its board from 2016 to 2018.  He was chair of the Technology Users Group for the American Council of the Blind of Texas from 2016 to 2017 and a founding board member of the Houston Area Visually Impaired Network from 2010 to 2017.  He has also been an active member of the Houston chapter of the National Federation of the Blind of Texas since 2012 and Visually Impaired Advocates since 2013.  Michael has assisted the Houston METRO Transit Authority in evaluating websites, beacon technology, and software for accessibility by the blind.

He was recognized for his service to the Houston disability community by being awarded the Care Award in September 2014 by the Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities.  In September 2016, Michael was inducted into the Who's Who Among Blind Texans Honor Society by the American Council of the Blind of Texas for demonstrating exemplary commitment to advocacy, awareness, education and community service.  In October 2017, he was appointed by Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner to serve a two-year term as a commissioner on the Houston Commission on Disabilities.  Michael is committed to serving and empowering the blind and disability community to become independent and productive members in society.

Michael enjoys traveling, mountain hiking, rock wall climbing, cross-country skiing, kayaking and other outdoor sports.  He also participates in numerous activities with Achilles International and the Lighthouse of Houston such as yoga, tandem bike riding, sky diving and dragon boat racing.  In June 2019, he completed the 4-day trek along the Classic Inca Trail to one of the new Seven Wonders of the World, Machu Picchu, Peru, which is just under 27 miles and scales two nearly 14,000-foot mountain passes.  Michael is the oldest blind person (age 64) to hike this amazing trail.  His adventure is chronicled in the documentary, “One Step at a Time” and highlights the teamwork and personal and physical obstacles he overcame on his journey.  The film will empower others to get out of their comfort zones, take on new challenges and see that all things are possible regardless of their abilities.

Sandhya Rao, Vice President - Training & Special Events, Secretary

Sandhya grew up in Houston. When Sandhya was two months old, she was diagnosed with a rare brittle bone disease called osteo petrosis, which caused her blindness.  Sandhya attended Rice University where she graduated Magna Cum Laude in 1991 with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Behavioral Science. In June 1994, she received her Doctor of Jurisprudence from the Stanford University Law School. She was admitted to the State Bar of Texas in November 1994 and started working as a law clerk of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas, Galveston Division.  From September of 1995 through the present, Sandhya has been working as a staff attorney in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas, Houston Division.  She conducts legal research on constitutional issues and drafts judicial memoranda. 

Sandhya is active in the legal and blind communities and serves in the following positions. She has served as a board member of the Stanford Club of Houston since 2005.  Since 2013, Sandhya has served as the secretary of the Federal Section of the Houston Bar Association. Since 2011, Sandhya has served as a member of the Board of Directors of the Lighthouse of Houston. In 2015, Sandhya became the Secretary of the Braille Revival League of Texas (BRLT). She became a member of the Board of the Houston Council of the Blind in 2015. Sandhya is also a member of the National Federation for the Blind of Texas - Houston Chapter and Houston Heights Lions Club. She is a classically trained pianist and regularly performs at nursing homes and hospitals.  

Sandhya has received the following honors:  Garland Walker Inn of Court Professionalism Award; Recognition Award for twenty years of Distinguished Federal Judiciary Service; and Phi Beta Kappa.  Sandhya is committed to forever altering the lives of the blind and visually impaired community by giving them the technological tools to achieve their full potential.

iBUG was founded in May 2011 by Michael McCulloch after conducting an iPhone Workshop at the Houston Area Visually Impaired Network (HAVIN) sponsored Insight Expo held March 5, 2011 at the University Eye Institute on the University of Houston campus. During the workshop, attendees expressed an interest in forming a users group to continue developing their iOS accessibility skills and iDevice proficiency.

Our Logo

The iBUG logo is the word "ibug" in lower case font style with the top half of the "g" consisting of a smiling lady bug wearing dark glasses. Underneath is "ibug" written in Braille.  Underneath that is the name iBlind Users Group.

Contact Us

iBUG Today, Inc. 
Phone: 832-453-7139
Address: 4719 Caroline, Houston, TX  77004

If you have questions or comments about iBUG or this website, please contact us using the inquiry form below. 

Please do not use this form for questions about Apple devices or software or third party applications, as we are not able to provide one-to-one support. These questions should be directed to the Weekly iBUG Buzz, where they will receive a more-informed response from iBUG advanced members.