At this time last year I was in Denmark. I was there with work for several wonderful days before taking the train to Berlin (a train that loaded on to a giant ferry to cross the Baltic Sea before popping back out onto train tracks), then I flew to Edinburgh and took a train to Glasgow before returning home. Every other year my employer pulls together a Global Meetup, for all branches of the company, and plans it to coincide with Global Accessibility Awareness Day. Yesterday we stayed local but I was able to join my colleagues, including Keith Bundy, as he taught a class of aspiring web developers about assistive technologies and why web accessibility matters and how they should bring those ideas with them into their future careers. I like to emphasize that accessibility isn’t about disabilities, it’s about inclusion. Ensuring that everyone is able to access the same information and services online. Oh and our event even made the nightly news.
Five More Good Things for GAAD:
- Mashable posted a decent roundup. What you need to know about Global Accessibility Awareness Day.
- Microsoft’s new Xbox controller is designed entirely for players with disabilities
- I just learned about Able Gamers: We give people with disabilities custom gaming setups including modified controllers and special assistive technology, like devices that let you play with your eyes, so they can have fun with their friends and family. We’re using the power of video games to bring people together, improving quality of life with recreation and rehabilitation.
- Last night I visited my former employer, Clockwork, for their GAAD event co-hosted by WeCo. They had a great panel for people who use, design, build, or sell technology and a Device Expo afterward.
- I’d like to include this in a non-cheesy way, but I appreciate these quotes about accessibility.
A few photos below from GAAD 2018, and the full album can be found here.
Post a Comment