Date
Wednesday, July 17, 2024
Session Type
General: 60 min
Name
Accessibility by Design: Strategic Web Development for All
Description

Accessibility is often dismissed as an afterthought, an inconvenience, or a polite nod to a small subset of library users. The truth is accessibility, or universal design, should be the foundation of a quality web experience for all. This presentation explores accessibility within web design and development as a marriage of the strategic and the actionable. We believe all development is a work-in-progress that evolves as new tools and new insights are engaged. This requires a community of practice built on collaboration, implementation, experience, and growth. We propose to examine the strategic formation of collaborative partnerships with library and campus colleagues, as well as library users to empower real and lasting change. Participant engagement will include interactive activities, use real-life examples, and opportunities for discussion. From there we explore the techniques available for testing the accessibility of your own web presence, whether you have a dedicated team of developers or an ad hoc committee with more passion than time. Attendees will leave the presentation with an expanded scope of accessible design as a necessity, knowledge on evaluating applications, resources for further learning, and tips for building coalitions. They will also leave with a checklist of 25 actions anyone can take to ensure an accessible web presence no matter their level of expertise or technological sophistication.

Track
Accessibility