We recently had over 250 government representatives join us at Adelaide Convention Centre for the first of a series of events being held by Digital Access at Vision Australia. Aimed at driving accessibility awareness, the seminar was free to attend and taught basic steps for a first review of website accessibility using the W3C’s Easy Checks framework.
Designed to be quick and easy, rather than definitive, the simple steps outlined by Easy Checks are a great way to introduce people to accessibility, and empower them with some basic skills for identifying accessibility issues on a website. Following the seminar one Department of Premier and Cabinet (DPC) staffer exclaimed, “A brilliant introduction to accessibility. The techniques I learned to identify accessibility issues were easy and effective!”
Organised as a W3C Member initiative, with tremendous support from DPC South Australia, we asked Jennifer Fleming, Senior Project Officer Strategic Programs and Investment, Office of the Chief Information Officer, what motivated her to host this event, to which she responded:
As a result of correspondence sent from the Premier to all agency Chief Executives asking them to conform to WCAG 2.0 (for all websites under their control, including internal sites), the Premier asked agencies to participate in a Website Improvement Working Group – to share ideas and solutions. To date, I’ve held four meetings and approximately 100 people attended on each occasion. Your event fitted into the Website Improvement Working Group scope. At previous meetings attendees communicated to me they required more education/assistance in relation to website accessibility. Your session provided a solution to this, and it was free.”
Next stop: Hobart, Tasmania!
Our next seminar is coming to Hobart next month. Free to attend, this is an opportunity for anyone involved with online content – web teams, marketing and communications personnel, administrators and management – to learn simple practical skills for reviewing accessibility. Please note: the session teaches a first review of web accessibility, i.e. basic steps to identify where accessibility issues exist.
Digital Access at Vision Australia presents: W3C Easy Checks – A First Review of Web Accessibility
- Date: Thursday, June 19
- Time: 10:00 AM to 11 AM (with a Q&A session following)
- Location: Stanley Burbury Theatre, University of Tasmania, Sandy Bay Campus
Prior registration is essential. Click here to register or for further information.
Please contact us if you require assistance with your registration.
Keep in mind: it’s all about the users
The W3C’s Easy Checks framework provides a good introduction to web accessibility and the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) – a great starting point. Those with more in-depth knowledge of accessibility can rely on WCAG 2.0 for a more robust framework for achieving technical web accessibility conformance. Keep in mind, though: it’s all about the users.
Why are we taking steps towards accessibility in the first place? So that people with a wide range of disabilities or age-related impairments can have the same access to online content and services as everyone else. Through this campaign, we’ll expose the negative impact an inaccessible website can have for a variety of user groups.
Another great campaign is coming up on May 15. Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD) is about getting people talking, thinking and learning about digital accessibility and users with different disabilities. Read Webinar, events and haiku for Global Accessibility Awareness Day to find out how you can get involved and learn more about this important issue.