Kae Anderson, CPACC

I'm adding a section on my site for case studies of accessibility work I've done and it's similar to a blog; i.e. list of case studies that lead to individual pages. I've used different CMSs but wanted something small that didn't require loads of config, login etc. I decided on a similar approach to what we used in the AO Design System for our docsite, rendering local mdx files in Next pages. Since this is Next v14, I'm using the app router architecture instead of page router. I think it's easier for dynamic routes but initially didn’t like the generically named 'page.tsx' in each route folder. The app router seems familiar and I can’t help thinking it reminds me of Vue2/Vue Router? When looking at the metadata, I came across the Frontmatter extension. It acts as a CMS within VSCode and is customisable, but I haven’t fully explored it yet. It has SEO recommendations, simple metadata fields that can be changed in the setting file, I can create content and preview the mdx pages while editing. Because this is my own site, I can be a bit more creative with what I use/how I do things. I’m sticking to mostly stable things for the main functionality, because I don’t want to have to totally rebuild in 6 months, but it’s interesting to try out a few new things here and there.

5

When I was preparing for the #CPACC exam, I was super curious what others' experiences were and how they approached the exam. That's why now, that I am "on the other side" and have finally taken (and passed 🎉) the exam, I wanted to share my journey. It's definitely been a bit of a roller coaster ride, I was so nervous before taking the exam, you wouldn't believe it 🙈 But it all turned out for the best, I passed with 704 out of 800 points and am now officially a Certified Professional for Accessibility Core Competencies 🤓 Are you studying for CPACC? How are you approaching the exam?

12

1 Comment

Today I’m sharing some resources for writing inclusive content. Maybe you’re a UX writer, content specialist, or designer who writes. If you’ve been wondering how to make your words work for more people, then these resources will help you! Content makes such a big difference in how inclusive and accessible things will be, so you have a lot of power! Resources: Accessibility Strategies for Your Content Team from Deque Systems, Inc (article) - https://lnkd.in/eigMrhY7  Content Design for Accessibility: Why It Matters and How To Do It on Medium (article) - https://lnkd.in/eEyXTQkf Creating Accessible Content: 5 Rules for Writers from Bureau of Internet Accessibility (article) - https://lnkd.in/ebPbVq_G Creating accessible content from Texthelp (article) -  https://lnkd.in/eV6SNS-K  Dyslexia friendly style guide from the British Dyslexia Association (article) -  https://lnkd.in/e36z8Pwk 50 Ways To Make Your Content Accessible by Stephanie H. (article) https://lnkd.in/eAdghX52 Marketers in Progress: How we’re building accessibility into our content practice from Siteimprove (article) -  https://lnkd.in/gffkJFm3 Neuroinclusive Content Design from axe-con (video) - https://lnkd.in/dkeGjMmC Plain language guidelines from Plain Language . Gov (site) - https://lnkd.in/eSQRFt-A If you have accessibility resources for content then please share them in the comments! And I'd especially love some recommendations for videos. I only have one video on this list, and it would be great to have a wider range of options so people can use what works for them. #Accessibility #A11y #AccessibilityMatters #UXWriting #Content #ContentWriting #AccessibleContent

47

10 Comments

Uncomfortable truth: WCAG compliance does not mean actual accessibility. [WCAG is the acronym for Web Accessibility Compliance Guidelines] – WCAG do not consider *all* accessibility issues. – WCAG do not consider all best practices.  – WCAG do not consider overall inclusion. – WCAG do not consider usability. Examples of bad practices that cause accessibility issues and that are ignored by the WCAG: – Use of non-descriptive link text – Use of low-contrast typefaces – Use of complicated layouts – Use of unfamiliar patterns – Use of more than one H1 – Use of too many emojis – Use of autoplay video* *(no, it’s not enough to provide a stop button, or to make it stop after 5 seconds. I only need 2-3 seconds to get sick) There is a big difference between providing a technically and legally compliant service, and providing a service that is truly accessible and inclusive. STOP asking the question “does it comply with WCAG?”  START asking the question “can everybody use this?” Adopting inclusion will expand your business (and, why not, your karma too). In a nutshell: Be compliant and legal. Of course. But also: don’t be a dick. Want to get a basic intro on how to not be a dick, and expand your karma instead? Sign up to my free Accessibility Primer. https://lnkd.in/dJmjqM3P Image description: a concrete step with a round, blue sticker in the middle saying “Good Karma”. Adapted from a photo by Claudio Schwarz on Unsplash. #a11y #DontBeADick #GoodKarma #Accessibility #WCAGCompliance #HatchConference

14

4 Comments

If you really want to understand PDF accessibility in depth, then don't miss this glossary. A group of dedicated international experts (The PDF Accessibility LWG hosted by the PDF Association) has compiled this glossary. Does it help you to better understand accessible PDFs? Which terms are you missing? #PDFUA #AccessiblePDF

43

4 Comments

Yesterday I panned accessibility statements that don't say anything. Today I'll share a tool to create a statement that's substantial and helpful. The W3C has a handy accessibility statement generator. It makes it easy to put together a good accessibility statement. It's a form you fill out. It asks for: * your company's name, website, etc. * what accessibility standard you meet, or intend to meet * whether you meet that standard today, or have work to do * how visitors can reach you regarding accessibility * etc. It creates a statement for you that you can then edit as needed, and post on your website. Use this tool to create an accessibility statement. It'll help you make a statement that's both substantial and helpful, that conveys useful information to people with disabilities and others who care about accessibility. Link is in the comments. #accessibility #law ---- Want to create an accessibility statement yourself? Use the W3C's accessibility statement generator -- link in the comments. Need a little help creating your accessibility statement? Feel free to reach out. (I'm not a lawyer and this is not legal advice).

30

11 Comments

This! If it takes up more than 1 line, best to err on the side of accessibility and left-align it. This is one of the things I'm always scanning for (and the Oxford comma, of course). #AccessibleDesign #InclusiveDesign #UIDesign #UXContent

1

2 Comments

#CoDesign according to the #NDIA #NDIS Doesn't look like #CoDesign. No mention of #UNCRPD in *OUR* (ie #NDIA's) #CoDesign principles. A little hint: the #UNCRPD is *THE* design determinant. #CoDesign *CAN'T* happen without explicit commitment to #UNCRPD. Explains why the #NDIS Bill breaches #HumanRights The #CoDesign Advisory Group - which "provides strategic advice to the NDIA on the implementation of co-design and engagement processes in the disability community" -  hasn't met in 9 months. As I explained in my recent article, #CoDesign has been weaponised. https://lnkd.in/d8VMKkvZ Take a look. #NothingAboutUsWithoutUs #RoboNDIS #ClassAction #RoyalCommission robondis.org Mark Toomey Tony Ridley, MSc CSyP FSyI SRMCP Karen Kline Samantha Connor Mark Sweeney Nick Avery Graham Taylor Tara Hannon Muriel Cummins Georgia van Toorn Dr George Taleporos (GAICD, PhD) Shirley Humphris Peter Gregory Jordon Steele-John #BillShorten David Pocock Vinod Ralh Paul Flintoft �� 👇👇 https://lnkd.in/dKq7mdzZ

6

3 Comments

Accessibility and inclusive design friends - what are your favorite videos to refer people to or use as resources? A lot of the things I use as references are articles or websites, and that means people who learn better from videos aren’t getting information in a way that works for them. If you have videos you recommend then I'd love to hear about them! Anything in the inclusive design or accessibility field is fine - they can be on any topic, for any audience, and they can be short or long. #Accessibility #A11y #AccessibilityMatters #InclusiveDesign

23

8 Comments

Monday Accessibility Design Tip Web Accessibility Guideline (WCAG) 3.1.3 Unusual Words (Level AAA) Readable Text (Language Complexity) ➜ Definitions should be provided for words that may be unfamiliar. ➜ Such as jargon, idioms, or words used in unusual ways. ➜ You might use tooltips, glossaries, or inline explanations to achieve this

14

5 Comments

For your next accessibility audit, keep this list close: things will start making sense! 🙌 Let’s look into it 👇 1. Semantic HTML is your friend 2. Keyboard usage is more important than you may think 3. Contrast really shouldn't be a problem we still have in software in 2024 4. Sizing - you shouldn't need a magnifying glass on the web 5. Form-labelling done right is a life-saver 6. Alternative names & text - it's easy, just give more context #accessibility #checklist #audit

8

1 Comment

Thanks so much to folks who came to my talk, Accessible UX: Design for the Rest of Us, last week at SIC! If you missed it, I'll be giving it again later this month at Web Accessibility in Mind: https://lnkd.in/gmQEYd-8 The talk focuses on design best practices to better support people with cognitive disabilities and chronic illnesses that impact information processing and fine motor skills. I don't do design talks often anymore, but this one is near and dear to my experience!

19

1 Comment

Accessibility and UX design are deeply intertwined, though they are often approached separately. How can you start weaving accessibility into your process and create a more inclusive user experience? Learn more about accessibility and UX design: https://hubs.li/Q02RdHnD0 #Accessibility #DigitalAccessibility #A11y #UserExperience #UX

10

Check out the newest draft of the WCAG 3.0 Guidelines. It is currently in the exploratory phase and the final version will probably be ready sometime between 2026-2028. These new guidelines are meant to apply broadly to devices like wearables and mobile devices, which weren't part of the scope of WCAG 2.0. Content that meets WCAG 2.2 A and AA standards should meet the minimum requirements for WCAG 3.0. The rating system itself is changing too as WCAG 3.0 will use bronze, silver, and gold categories. #accessibility https://lnkd.in/dzQFBmzu

9

1 Comment

Color. It's the first thing most data viz designers think of when they think about #accessibility. Thanks to a lot of great advocacy that's been done in the field, most designers now know that they should avoid the red/green palette in their designs. And while it's true that about 8% of men and .5% of women have some form of red-green color deficiency, it can still be excruciating to convince stakeholders to move away from their familiar semantics of red and green. That's why I love Ethan Lang's recent project on color accessibility. It takes a novel approach, using some of the most well-recognized pieces of art in the world, to make the case on the impact of color deficiency on viz design. Perhaps in a way that could change the mind of that recalcitrant manager... Want to see Ethan break it down himself? Join us for the Accessibility #Tableau User Group this Thursday from 12-1pm ET. Find the link to RSVP in the comments!

12

3 Comments