Breadcrumb Trail
Session B: Web Accessibility 2.0
- Date and Time
- Tuesday, April 22, 2:00 PM to 3:30 PM
- Presenters
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- Beth Binkovitz (Marketing Manager; Kosada, Inc.)
- Description
-
Of all the people who can benefit from the expanding features of the Internet, disabled people are among those with the most to gain. With proper planning and knowledge, web accessibility for disabled users shouldn't hamper usability for non-disabled users, doesn't need to preclude aesthetically pleasing design, and won't make a website significantly more difficult or expensive to create or maintain. Web accessibility is especially crucial for those with reading or vision impairments.
The presenter will dispel the myths that accessible websites are necessarily ugly and costly and will also explain the basics of current web development trends (the (in)famous "Web 2.0" phenomenon) and how popular innovations can be configured to be optimally accessible. She will also:
- Explain the strengths and weaknesses of some common accessibility tools such as screen readers;
- Analyze some popular content management and blogging systems for accessibility features to help viewers make informed decisions when they set up their own websites;
- Give a brief overview of common website-building mistakes that hamper accessibility, with recommendations for better practices;
- Discuss separate but not equal: a note on the exclusionary nature of the "click here for the accessible version of this app" phenomenon;
- Inform attendees how to test a site/app/interface for accessibility --- tools and consultants.
This session will be useful to website programmers and designers, people who use the Internet to distribute information, website owners (not necessarily programmers or designers --- anyone with a business or organization that has a website), and anyone who works with the Internet at all. Anyone who has ever used the Internet is familiar enough to understand this presentation. While some parts of the content may be more useful to those with technical background, those without any technical background should be able to follow the presentation fairly easily.