2024-03-06 –, Workshop Room
Join web accessibility experts share insights on interdisciplinary approaches for inclusive design that enhances the navigation capacity for people with disabilities. We explore disciplines that provide language support, privacy, data protection, security, and safety for the disability community.
This session relates to everyone involved in the design of digital technologies which includes
standards, policies, applications, and more. Technology designers from different disciplines
are increasingly confronted with the topic of accessibility for people with disabilities, yet are
often unsure how to approach it. Sensitivities often prevent efficient interaction among designers from different disciplines. This workshop is open to all - designers, developers, digital rights activists, usability consultants, and accessibility consultants. One does not require specific expertise to participate. People with backgrounds in collecting feedback from users and open-source tool teams who have integrated and implemented usability and accessibility improvements based on user feedback are welcome.
The facilitators will share best practices and resources that comply with accessibility best practices and how one can achieve the desirable accessibility standard. We will also share the results or examples of feedback collected from people with disabilities, outlining specific gaps in the accessibility of current open-source tools such as BigBlueButton, Jitsi, RiseUp Pad, Crypto Pad, Tella, Destiny, CDR Link, Círculo, etc.
This workshop aims to, with involvement of the participants, map out some of the interfaces
between different disciplines and what each can bring to a shared table of requirements. The workshop facilitators will share experiences from their topics of expertise, including accessibility, security, user experience design, usability, and more. Participants will add to this diversity in ideas, experiences, and situations, while the moderator draws connections between the dots.
Participants will also have a:
1) Comprehensive understanding of the accessibility status of popular open-source tools by learning about the common accessibility myths. What are some common accessibility fails? Some examples provided below
> Keyboard navigation - developers forget to test with the keyboard and not just the mouse
>Alternative text for Images - allows blind people to actually understand the image
> Contrast between colors, e.g., light grey text on white background
>Placeholders vs labels on forms - should be invisible labels and related to the input so that it works for assistive technologies
2) Understand the dire need for adopting accessibility standards to foster digital inclusion for people with disabilities
3) The socio-economic benefits of making privacy and security tools more accessible by incorporating principles of web-accessibility
Raashi Saxena is a trainer and strategy consultant for the Accessibility Lab with extensive experience as a technologist, social impact innovator, and practitioner. She serves in a number of advisory roles, including for The Internet Rights & Principles Dynamic Coalition, Missions Publiques’s “We, the Internet" Project, and Threading Change, a sustainable fashion non-profit. As an international speaker, Raashi has spoken on panels and conferences across Africa, Asia, and Europe. She was highlighted as an expert in Mozilla's 2022 Internet Health Report and Pew Research Center's 2021 Report on Digital Spaces. Recognized by World Economic Forum as one of the Six Inspirational Young Female Leaders, Saxena is currently the Curator of Global Shapers Bengaluru Hub and is one of the 300 leaders of the 2020 Women Deliver Young Leaders Program represented by 96 countries. Raashi is based in Bangalore, India.
Nancy Reyes Flores is a web accessibility evangelist in Latin America and a Certified Professional in Accessibility Core Competency. She has taken leadership in projects working to make websites and apps accessible.
In 2017 founded Accessibility Lab, an organization specialized in digital accessibility and social inclusion for people with disabilities, promoting a new ecosystem: internet for all.
She has collaborated with the Mexican government and other private sector companies.
She also works with non-profit organizations on behalf of the rights for people with disabilities.
She focuses on perspectives and challenges to accomplish digital inclusion.
Nancy is a member of Digital Accessibility Ambassadors, Mexican Council of Accessibility and Inclusion, and Mexican Society of Accessible Technologies and Universal Design. She is also co-chair for the program category, Human Rights-Centered Design on RightsCon Costa Rica Program Committee.