A Case for Usability and UX Testing
“Nothing About Us, Without Us” If real assistive technology users haven’t tested your website, how do you know it’s truly barrier-free for people with disabilities? You really can’t. That’s why it’s important to include people with disabilities in your web design and accessibility remediation process. Usability/UX testing is your opportunity to have real users test […]
Clear, Concise, and Convenient: The Importance of Plain Language
Learn how using plain language can improve user experience, make web content more accessible to everyone, and even boost your SEO rankings. What is plain language? Plain language is simple, straightforward, and easy to understand communication. The Plain Writing Act of 2010 defines plain language as: Writing that is clear, concise, well-organized, and follows other […]
Accessible Web to Attend Axe-Con
To us, being an a11y means never stopping learning and growing our accessibility efforts. Opportunities such as Axe-Con are perfect for our team to learn from trusted industry leaders. Axe-Con, named after Deque System’s Axe-core® project, will focus on the current state of web accessibility and how it can grow further. The Axe-core® project is […]
Accessibility Updates: Instagram, Twitch, and Zoom
This past August we published a blog post showcasing some of the latest Accessibility Updates for Windows, Firefox, and Apple. For our next installment in this series, we’re talking about accessibility updates to Instagram, Twitch, and Zoom! We love seeing companies taking strides to create a more inclusive experience on the web and hope that […]
Disability Drives Innovation: Accessibility 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 […]
Why Voting Must Be Accessible to All & How It Isn’t
If voting is a civic duty, shouldn’t all voters have access to all process steps? As state and federal elections draw near, this question is urgent and, because of Covid-19, in-person options for voting are more risky or, just plain unavailable. Unfortunately, when it comes to digital access, voting is not an easy process for many […]
Assistive Technology Focus: Sip and Puff Devices
Most types of assistive technology require the use of one’s hands, motor capacity, or mobility in another part of the body to use computer devices and the internet. Sip and Puff (or SNP) devices enable individuals who are unable to use a manual device to access computers and other essential technology. Users “take a sip” […]
Deadline approaching for Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act
In 2005 Ontario became the first Canadian Province to pass accessibility laws and has one of the most comprehensive policies created to date: The Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA). Many countries, like the US, have laws that require government organizations or organizations that use government funds to have and procure accessible technology, websites, […]
Assistive Technology Focus: Braille Display Devices
One of the best aspects of working in the digital accessibility field is learning about the innovative tools that enable users with disabilities to access and understand content they would otherwise be unable to experience. Assistive technology (AT) enables individuals with disabilities to access computers, electronic devices, and the web using alternative or additional input […]
Thirty Years After the ADA Was Passed, There Is Still Lots To Be Done
On July 26th, 1990, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was signed into law. In the past 30 years, many improvements to our physical world have been made–from curb cutouts to accessible entrances to braille buttons on elevators, ATMs, and kiosks. Many people with disabilities stress that though their lives have vastly improved since it […]