Four Easy Ways to Make Social Media Posts Accessible
We talk a lot about making web content and functionality accessible and how doing so takes a commitment and sometimes a lot of work. Something that doesn’t take much time—but is often overlooked when discussing accessibility—is social media. Several social media platforms make it fairly easy to create accessible posts. Here’s an overview of how […]
Assistive Technology Focus: Keyboard
Imagine not being able to use a mouse or touchpad to use your computer. Folks with motor disabilities, vision issues–including blindness– or even a broken hand cannot use a mouse to point to items on the screen, click on check-boxes, or “right click.” This is where the trusty keyboard comes in. Considering that early computers […]
Accessible Web Staff Continues to Advance Professional Accessibility Certifications
We’re thrilled to announce that Accessible Web team members have earned new International Association of Accessibility Professionals (IAAP) certifications! Senior Developers Ryan Berliner and Nick Romano recently passed the Web Accessibility Specialist (WAS) exam. The IAAP explains that the WAS is a “technical-level credential intended for accessibility professionals who are expected to evaluate the accessibility […]
Gears 5: A Video Game Built for Accessibility
The Vancouver-based game developer, Coalition Studio, developed their new game, Gears 5 with loads of accessibility features–something many video games lack. New features include: Coalition Studio’s Reasoning How did Coalition Studio decide on these improvements? User-testing with folks with an array of disabilities and gaming preferences–seems like the obvious answer, but there are many products […]
Ninth Annual Global Accessibility Awareness Day
Every third Thursday in May marks Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD), which focuses on digital access and inclusion for all. What is digital accessibility? It is ensuring that folks with disabilities have the same experiences and outcomes with web-based services, content and other digital products as those without disabilities. Each year various tech companies, non-profits, […]
Assistive Technology Focus: Captioning, Transcripts and Audio Descriptions
I love captioning. I realized that I understand content, easily retain information and enjoy my viewing experiences more when I watch videos, TV and movies with the text right on my screen. Plus, I rarely need to backtrack to figure out what a character in a movie or show said! This is an example of […]
Website Accessibility & California Housing Laws: Make Sure Your Site Complies
Most websites fall under Title III of The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) which governs access of persons with disabilities to places of “public accommodations.” These are defined as entities that own or operate a place of public accommodation, which include the real estate, mortgage and insurance industry. In addition to the ADA, there are […]
What Can the Tech Industry Learn from “Crip Camp”
Judith “Judy” Heumann contracted Polio as a child in 1949, which left her unable to walk. When she was old enough to go to school, the public school principal denied her entry, citing that she was a fire hazard because she used a wheelchair. She also could not go to the movies, restaurants asked her […]
Assistive Technology Focus: Screen Readers
…the Internet can mean many things to people with a disability: a luxury, a necessity, a way to participate in the information society, a way to gain access to more information than was previously available, or only one of the many ways of accessing information. It is also seen as a technology which may potentially […]
Accessible Video Conferencing While Social Distancing & Working From Home
To date, most states in the U.S. have some type of “stay at home” or “shelter in place” order to prevent further spread of COVID-19. Many are relying on video conferencing tools to socialize and stay connected to friends and family. These video conferencing tools have become even more important for the almost 30% of […]