It’s 2021 and we have all heard about #accessibility for people with disabilities, maybe even looked into ADA Section 508 or #WCAG. We frequently design and test our system with accessibility in mind, run our automated testing software, and when they pass the tests, we bask in the glow of a job well done. But should we?

Accessibility standards should not be the end goal, but only the bare minimum. We should be striving to create systems that are not just accessible but fully usable and inclusive for people with disabilities.

The problem is disability is not a monolith and the solution is not just designing for screen readers. There is no single "disabled user" persona to use in research, planning, and testing. People with disabilities face a wide range of challenges, and use a wide range of assistive technology to to interface with everything from computer systems to common every-day objects.

Learn first-hand from our panel of experts, including those with disabilities, on the challenges they face, and why bringing #usability to accessibility is so important. Develop compassion by stepping beyond empathy, and committing to becoming part of the solution.

Key learning objectives/takeaways:
* Learn directly from people with varying disabilities how they interact with computer interfaces
* Develop compassion through new understanding of the challenges people using assistive technologies face
* Gain insight into how accessibility standards mark the bare minimum and should not be an aspirational goal
* Motivate the use of UX best practices to create usable systems for people with a wide range of disabilities

🎤 Presenter(s): David Minton
🔗 Session details: LINK TO SESSION ON DGC WEBSITE