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Accessibility Spotlight

We put a spotlight on accessibility advocates, both internally and externally, and their ongoing efforts to make the world a more accessible place.

Accessible Web Auditor Coauthors Web Accessibility Study

Our own Meagan Griffith coauthored an article in the journal Interacting with Computers. The research paper entitled “Quantifying the Cost of Web Accessibility Barriers for Blind Users” looks at the issue of web accessibility from a different angle than many of the articles on the subject that come before it. Lots of research has been […]

Micro-volunteering in Accessibility: Be My Eyes

Hans Jørgen Wiberg, a visually impaired furniture craftsman, started Be My Eyes to become more independent. Be My Eyes is a free app that connects blind and low-vision people seeking visual assistance with a network of volunteers via video calls.  How it works: This expands beyond the day-to-day tasks. Their Be My Eyes for Work […]

Disability Drives Innovation: A11y Spotlight

Haben Girma, the first person who is deaf-blind to graduate from Harvard Law School, believes that disability drives innovation. She uses the example of two Italian friends whose desire to correspond through letters sparked the invention of the typewriter. One was blind and the other sighted, so the latter created a machine where his friend […]

A11y Updates: Windows, Firefox, and Apple

We’re always thrilled to hear about technology companies updating their products specifically for accessibility. Not only does improved technology enhance experiences for people with disabilities, but these updates move the needle further toward progress. Let’s hope other companies and organizations follow suit because everyone benefits from accessibility. Here are some of the highlights from the […]

A11y Spotlight: Neil Squire Society

Helping people with disabilities gain confidence and independence through the computer When Bill Cameron’s cousin, Neil Squire, was in a car accident that left him unable to move his leg or arms or to speak, Bill was determined to find a way to help Neil communicate.  This determination eventually led to the Neil Squire Society, […]

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, […]

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 […]

LEGO’s Commitment to Learning Through Play for the Visually Impaired

Staying true to their commitment to redefining play and reimagining learning, the LEGO Foundation and LEGO Group are taking steps to ensure that LEGOs can be experienced by all children, especially those who are visually impaired. In August, LEGO debuted its first audio and Braille building instructions, a free service that gives visually impaired people […]