Ray Campbell explores how to become an accessibility specialist, addressing common misconceptions, essential skills, accessibility standards, training options, career opportunities, and the importance of understanding diverse disabilities and assistive technologies.
Category: 2017
Explore the articles from the 2017 24 Accessibility series featuring expert insights on WCAG, inclusive design, accessibility testing, AI, legal compliance, screen readers, color contrast, React, SVG, user research, and accessibility careers. Practical guidance for designers, developers, testers, and advocates.
Congrats! You Just Received an Inaccessible Gift Card
Dennis Deacon examines how inaccessible gift card emails and redemption pages can exclude people with disabilities. He identifies common HTML and keyboard accessibility issues, including missing alt text, unassociated form labels, and inaccessible help content, then shows how simple fixes restore access.
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The Trials and Tribulations of the Title Attribute
Scott O’Hara explores the accessibility challenges of HTML’s title attribute, including inconsistent browser and screen reader support. He explains common misuses and identifies situations where title can still provide accessibility value.
Color Contrast, Beyond the Basics
Beth Raduenzel explores why passing WCAG color contrast requirements does not always create an accessible experience. She examines links, focus indicators, navigation, toggles, form controls, and maps, showing how designers can improve contrast and usability for people with low vision.
React’s Accessibility Code Linter
Scott Vinkle explores how React developers can use eslint-plugin-jsx-a11y to identify accessibility issues in JSX. The article demonstrates configuring the linter for browser consoles, code editors, and CI workflows, helping teams catch accessibility problems earlier in development.
Accessibility Testing Tools for Desktop and Mobile Websites
Paul J Adam reviews accessibility testing tools for desktop and mobile websites, including WAVE, aXe, a11yTools, tota11y, and HTML_CodeSniffer. He explains how automated tools complement manual keyboard and screen reader testing to identify accessibility issues earlier.
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Growing an Accessibility Meetup
Job van Achterberg shares lessons from building the local Inclusive Design & Accessibility meetup. He explores growing attendance, finding speakers, choosing accessible venues, engaging diverse audiences, and connecting designers, developers, and accessibility advocates.
How to Build a Cloud-Hosted Accessibility Testing Windows Computer using Amazon WorkSpaces
Eric Bailey explains how to build a cloud-hosted Windows computer with Amazon WorkSpaces for accessibility testing. The guide addresses barriers to Windows access, explains why browser testing services may be insufficient, and provides step-by-step instructions for creating a virtual accessibility testing environment.
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Getting Started in Accessibility: A Philosophy
Alaina Wiens challenges the idea that accessibility belongs only to technical experts. She argues that accessibility is a philosophy and an ongoing pursuit, encouraging everyone to advocate for a web that works for everyone.
Web Accessibility in the Corporate World
Donna Maddox examines the practical challenges organizations face when implementing accessibility. She explores over-compliance, redundant content, ARIA misuse, competing requirements, and why access matters more than a perfect solution for users today.
SVG, Icon Fonts, and Accessibility: A Case Study
Dennis Lembrée examines the accessibility of SVG icons, icon fonts, sprites, and images, comparing their strengths and limitations. Using Easy Chirp as a case study, he explores screen reader support, keyboard access, performance, styling, and the practical tradeoffs of each approach.
Writing Automated Tests for Accessibility
Marcy Sutton explains how automated accessibility testing can strengthen development workflows, prevent regressions, and free teams for complex testing. She explores unit and integration tests, keyboard interactions, axe-core, and why automation must complement manual and user testing.
WCAG 2.1 and Silver (AG): What is Next for Accessibility Guidelines
Glenda Sims explores the development of WCAG 2.1 and the emerging Silver Accessibility Guidelines, explaining how proposed updates address gaps in mobile, low vision, and cognitive accessibility, while offering insight into the future of digital accessibility standards.
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Shifting from Fear to Motivation When Talking about Digital Accessibility Law
Lainey Feingold explores how digital accessibility law can motivate organizations to create more inclusive technology rather than fuel fear of lawsuits. She explains the role of the ADA, Structured Negotiation, accessibility standards, testing, training, and proactive accessibility practices.
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How do you Convince a Company that Tames Dinosaurs to Design Inclusively?
Dominic Berry explores how to convince oil and gas companies to embrace inclusive design. Using real-world examples involving color blindness, deafness, mobility, aging, usability, and safety, Berry demonstrates why accessibility is both good design and smart business.
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How Accessibility Saved My Professional Life
Dennis Deacon shares his journey from front-end developer to accessibility advocate, describing how accessibility work at United Airlines, community involvement, WCAG testing, and direct user experiences transformed his career and purpose.
Accessibility in Resizing Text
Tim Wright explores why text resizing and zooming are essential for people with low vision. He examines WCAG 1.4.4, the impact of disabling user scaling, and how small development changes can significantly improve accessibility and create a better experience for users.
A Developer’s Guide to Better Accessibility
Melanie Sumner and Sean Massa explain how developers can build more accessible web applications through semantic HTML, appropriate ARIA, keyboard support, accessible names, automated testing, and screen reader testing, while integrating accessibility into their teams and development communities.
Five Ways in Which Artificial Intelligence Changes the Face of Web Accessibility
Denis Boudreau examines how artificial intelligence could transform web accessibility through image and facial recognition, automated lip-reading, text summarization, and real-time translation. He explores how these emerging technologies could reduce barriers and improve digital inclusion for people with disabilities.
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Providing Alternate Content for Screen Reader Users
Sam Joehl explores techniques for providing equivalent content to screen reader users when visual information lacks a direct programmatic alternative. The article covers visible alternatives, ARIA, visually hidden text, and choosing appropriate techniques to create more accessible web experiences.
5 Common Misconceptions About Web Accessibility
Melanie Myers examines five common misconceptions about web accessibility, including who benefits, whether it affects functionality, how much time it requires, whether it is optional, and whether accessible websites can still be attractive and engaging.
The Three Developers and the Insightful User Tester
Scott O’Hara uses a Three Little Pigs-inspired story to show how developers can create accessibility barriers through poor HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and ARIA choices. He highlights semantic HTML, keyboard access, accessibility testing, and learning from users with disabilities.
Thoughts On The Inclusive Web
Allen West shares his experiences as a blind screen reader user, examining inconsistent web accessibility, inaccessible media controls, login barriers, and other challenges. He urges organizations to prioritize accessibility and create a truly inclusive web.
Accessibility First: Rethinking the Way We Approach Website Design and Development
Carie Fisher explores an accessibility-first approach to web design and development. She explains how inclusive design, accessible components, typography, structure, color, forms, and media can improve usability while making accessibility an integral part of the development process.
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