Accessiblity Meetup
Eric Molendyk from Tetra Society
- non profit org, one of the disabilities foundation
- assist people with disabilities achieve independent and fulfilling lives using assistive devices
- connect technologists and engineers who volunteer their time to help those with disabilities do what they want to do
- examples: custom holders of electronic devices, computer setups, wiring devices to work with other devices (e.g. smartphone control of powerchairs), wheelchair baby carrier, tetralights (safety bar of LED lights that attach to mobility devices)
- important that when designing physical items for wheelchair users, nothing sticks out, because liable to be damaged
Joanna Briggs from Simply Accessible
- assessment of websites, mobile apps, kiosks, anything digital
- digital accessibility guidelines: WCAG 2.0 (AODA, Air Carrier Access Act), BBC Mobile Accessibility Guidelines, Section 508
- there is no “typical” behaviour, because difference depending on individuals
- assistive technology include screen readers, zoom, voice recognition, keyboards (custom layout, high contrast), switches, eye tracking
- sometimes aspects or “features” can conflict e.g. high contrast is good for people with low vision, but can be problem with people with reading disabilities
no one has the same setup
- ways to determine accessibility: expert review (manual code review), assistive technology testing, automated testing, usability sessions with real people
- example: pop-up with small x to close an email subscription of a specific site (no semantic link, missing text equivalent, lower contrast, floating when CSS background images disappear, esc key doesn’t dismiss, focus not isolated to pop-up modal)
- most important issues to tackle: keyboards, images, forms, document structure
Steph Kirkland from Vocal Eye
- describe live theatre and shows
- listeners get a handheld device to listen; describers get microphone with transmitter
- describers are trained to observe, analyze, and describe in such a way that serves the audience; background in theatre and writing
- describers put in about 25 hours to write the script, paid by fee charge to theatre
- challenge to get the word out to very niche, frequently isolated; how for theatres to accept, get funding
- theatre buddies by meeting with disabled and escorting disabled listener to the theatre
- can now offer training, can be used for classrooms and other contexts
- ticket access program with reserved seating and low ticket prices
- bringing different communities
- allow more participation
- working with small, community theatres ways to provide increased accessibility and number of disabled attendees
- after show touch sessions
- tend to use sympathetic voice, non-intrusive though not overly dramatic, nor robotic
- describer will see show at least 3 times, sometimes get review video; have learned to describe less than more
Meetup Discussion
What do people want?
* diversity of arts, physical, digital space
* assistive technology demos; see how people use it
* daily life challenges
* look at ways of filling the gaps
* mix of presentation and social time
Announcements
* slack channel?
Meetups
* aiming for approximately once a month (9-10 times a year)
Accessibility Needs
* space
* speaker training?
* ASL
* CART transcription
* copies of presenter slides, notes