On digital accessibility: where do we need to go from here?

Abstract

We have certainly come a long way since the publication of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) V2.0 in 2008. Between advances such as the Accessible Rich Internet Applications specification (WAI-ARIA), work done to make frameworks like Drupal and Angular JS more accessible, and legislation such as the 21st Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act (CVAA) in the USA and the internet regulations under the AODA in Canada, we have seen progress in digital accessibility. Or have we? The reality is that while we have definitely seen pockets of progress on various fronts, many websites, mobile applications, and technologies that we have yet to see (but are being thought-up by startups around the world) have and are not considering accessibility. It is within this context that based on his experience and observations, having worked in the digital accessibility space for over ten years, Jennison Asuncion will discuss what he sees as some of the areas where we who live and breathe digital accessibility need to step in, and in some cases, step up, if we are going to see the kind of sustained improvements in digital accessibility that are scalable and that will keep pace with the rapid pace of technology change.