Events & Activities

Our goal at eLaHub is to make all learning content ‘accessible as the default’. To help achieve this we’ve transformed Susi Miller’s Designing Accessible Learning Content book into an online self-access programme. The course shows L&D professionals how to create inclusive, legally compliant learning content using a range of authoring tools. The full course is available in Autumn. Sign up: https://www.elahub.net/sign-up-taster/ to unlock 7 free showcase lessons we’re releasing to celebrate GAAD.

May 18 – May 26: We are encouraging Hubbers to take time to review their personal README for accessibility. We will have a Day of Learning session during GAAD to help guide through the accessibility review. Then we will allow people time to update over the next week. We have a baseline metric and will re-run our analysis to evaluate the improvement.

The Learning Technology Coach (LTC) podcast is hosted by two learning technology coaches and produced by the Centre for Innovation in Teaching and Learning (CITL) at Memorial University. Learning technology coaches are current graduate students at Memorial who use their research and teaching experience to support instructors across the institution by investigating and proposing learning technologies to address instructional challenges. The podcast was initiated by the coaches to broaden their understanding of how pedagogy and technology intersect to create meaningful teaching and learning experiences. This six-episode series themed, “Accessibility in Higher Education”, features the voices of academics, students, administrators and accessibility advocates as they discuss opportunities and challenges in creating equitable and accessible learning experiences for all.

AUDARA is a revolutionary web application designed to enhance accessibility in Romanian museums, promoting a more inclusive environment for cultural exploration. This robust platform meticulously analyzes approximately 300 parameters, based on a comprehensive range of accessibility criteria that conform to existing legislation, global best practices, and the expertise of certified auditors. These auditors, specialists in the field of accessibility and accessible tourism, conduct rigorous on-site visits to assess the facilities. The app generates comprehensive accessibility reports, serving as a pivotal tool for identifying areas of improvement and directing the investment needed to eliminate barriers. These reports are the bedrock of AUDARA’s mission: to make cultural activities within museums more accessible to everyone. However, the app’s role extends beyond merely providing reports. It also functions as an essential learning resource for museum staff and accessibility experts. The on-site audit process and the ensuing discussions facilitated by AUDARA offer an invaluable non-formal training opportunity for museum personnel. The platform heightens staff awareness about the importance of accessibility, fostering their interest in the subject and paving the way for more in-depth training opportunities. Thus, AUDARA serves not only as a powerful analytical tool but also as a catalyst for cultural and organizational change in the museum industry. The app’s contributions are instrumental in creating a more inclusive, accessible, and engaging museum experience for all visitors.

Since 2018 the working group for accessibility in the German UPA (professional association of german usability and user experience professionals) publishes several articles to raise awareness of digital accessibility and make existing knowledge and information accessible for UX professionals. All articles (including those from previous years) are publicly accessible all times. The CfP is still open: https://forms.gle/DFwGRzGfBfYVZjEC8 (german) + https://forms.gle/h8ZHjzBwaX74nUi4A (english)

Every year, the AccessBoost course (about digital accessibility) participates in some way with GAAD promotion actions. This year the action will be different and unprecedented. Through 50 profiles (of friends and acquaintances), at 9 am on May 18, 2023, posts will be published with a black screen (with nothing written) and only the following caption: “This post contains the alternative text “. There will only be the alternative text explaining the campaign. We know that many people will not know what it is about this will generate curiosity. After 1 hour of the post, all profiles will include a response informing what the campaign was about and the importance of having alternative text in posts on social networks. There will be the dissemination of both the GAAD and the AccessBoost courses.

We are excited to announce that in celebration of the Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD), UiPath UX Research and Accesibility Program invites users with diverse disabilities to explore our RPA UiPath tools. At UiPath, accessibility is a core value that we take seriously. We are committed to creating products that are not only functional but also inclusive and accessible to everyone, regardless of their disabilities. As part of our ongoing efforts to promote inclusivity and diversity, we are organizing this event to better understand the unique needs and challenges that users with diverse disabilities face when interacting with our products.

Come and listen to my interview of Ron Klein; grandfather of possibilities on Accessibility Is Home podcast. Get inspiration for GAAD when you hear how Ron created more access to information by his invention of the braille and the TTY machine.

Accessibility Champions will participate in a day of validating the color contrast issues that have been resolved through the recent Primer color update. We’re excited to have a dedicated day for our Champions to go through and bring the backlog down.