Global Resources and Promising Practices for Building and Refining Accessible and Inclusive Smart Cities from Darren Bates LLC.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 56.7 million people — nearly one in five Americans — have a disability, such as vision loss, hearing loss or mobility impairments. People with disabilities face many challenges when websites are not accessible. For example, individuals who are blind may not be able to navigate a website using a screen reader if the website…
Read More
The Internet of Things (IoT) is expected to have an unprecedented impact on our daily lives. In particular, “smart environments” will change how we interact with our surrounding and with each other, including at home, in public spaces, and at the work place. This provides an opportunity to ensure equal access for people with disabilities. For example, operating doors, windows,…
Read More
Perhaps you’ve never considered making your mobile website accessible. Here’s a brief intro into what mobile accessibility means—and why it’s critical that mobile website owners and developers consider accessibility for people with disabilities from the get go. The Rise of Mobile-Friendly Websites Internet users are on their mobile devices more than their desktops, and spending on mobile marketing is…
Read More
We have been successfully delivering web design and development services for more than a decade. Today we would like to discuss how you can make your website inclusive for the people with disability. What is accessibility? Accessibility basically refers to the experience of users who access or interact with things differently than a typical “user” does. To be specific, accessibility…
Read More
Designing for Inclusion Inclusive design, design for all, digital inclusion, universal usability, and similar efforts address a broad range of issues in making technology available to and usable by all people whatever their abilities, age, economic situation, education, geographic location, language, etc. Accessibility focuses on people with disabilities — people with auditory, cognitive, neurological, physical, speech, and visual impairments. The…
Read More
By Max Starkov Background: There are approximately 48.9 million Americans with some form of disability. People with disabilities spend over $17.3 billion annually on travel, and the economic impact is at least double that figure since many of them travel with at least one or two other adults (Open Doors Organization). The vast majority of them use the Internet to plan…
Read More
The W3C Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) has released a video introducing Web Accessibility and W3C Standards. The four-minute video highlights why accessibility is the right thing to do, how it is essential for people with disabilities and useful for all. It was published as part of an accessibility project the Internet Society (ISOC) is working on to realize their vision: “The Internet is for Everyone”. It is also timed in recognition of the United Nation’s annual International Day of Persons with Disabilities on 3 December. For more videos and information on specific accessibility topics, see Web Accessibility Perspectives Videos: Explore the Impact and Benefits for Everyone. For a general introduction, see Accessibility – W3C.
Read More
Beginning Jan. 18, 2018, government agencies across the U.S. will be required by law to make their websites accessible to the more than 60 million Americans with visual, hearing or other disabilities. Yet more than 87 percent of 430+ local government respondents to Vision’s 2017 What’s Next Survey said they have moderate, weak or no knowledge of federal web accessibility requirements.
Read More
Americans depend on more than 4,500 federal websites to access critical government services and information, but a report from the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation finds of 91 percent of the most popular agency websites are failing to perform well in at least one key performance metric.
The second edition of ITIF’s “Benchmarking U.S. Government Websites” report follows up and expands on the initial ITIF report released in March. The organization tested 469 websites using publicly available tools for page-load speed, mobile friendliness, security and accessibility.
“As more people go online for public services and as security threats continue to evolve, it is important for federal websites to be more convenient, accessible, and secure,” ITIF research fellow Galia Nurko said. “This report shows a significant amount of work left to be done to modernize federal websites and ensure that, as technology advances, federal websites improve in turn.”
Read More
15 per cent of the world’s population lives with a disability. This represents about 1 billion people globally. Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs), such as mobile phones, satellites or the Internet, are a unique infrastructure that expand access to key public services, promoting digital inclusion. Throughout the world, persons living with disabilities are already benefitting from the advantages of ICT-enabled applications. But…
Read More
OpenAIR is a global web accessibility challenge that pairs teams of web developers with registered non-profits looking to create or improve their websites. 20th Annual OpenAIR is underway! February 8, 2018 – May 15, 2018 Welcome to OpenAIR – the web accessibility challenge! Organized by Austin based nonprofit organization Knowbility, OpenAIR is a global web accessibility challenge that pairs participating teams of web developers and…
Read More
This workshop will feature current tools utilized by developers and cultural organizations to help improve access and inclusion for people with disabilities. From website accessibility to the development of innovative apps, the session will feature a range of potential options for cultural administrators and organizations to explore. We will discuss best practices for online and digital accessibility, highlight innovative apps…
Read More
AAbility Tools, formerly the AT Network, is California’s Assistive Technology Act Program. We provide a variety of services for Californians with disabilities of all ages.Our services include: AT Exchange marketplace Device Lending Libraries Financial loan program for AT Information & Referral Reuse program in affiliation with organizational partnersIn addition, we provide in-person and webinar trainings, technical assistance to organizations on…
Read More
Criterion’s approach to ADA , Section 508, and WCAG testing is unparalleled in the industry because we test from a “real world” perspective by including expert auditors with disabilities. Criterion believes if you want to know whether a website is accessible, ask people with disabilities. Criterion also emphasizes knowledge transfer throughout every web accessibility project by providing our clients with…
Read More