Digital Accessibility - The Quick Wins
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The document discusses the importance of digital accessibility for employing individuals with disabilities and emphasizes that mainstream office technology already has built-in accessibility features. It encourages employers to ensure that their communications are accessible, outlines actions they can take to improve accessibility, and provides resources for further assistance. Additionally, it highlights common barriers and practical steps for enhancing accessibility in documents, websites, and social media.
Digital Accessibility - The Quick Wins
- 1. Alex Varley Disability Employment Conference 2015 Digital Accessibility The Quick Wins
- 2. A major barrier to employing people with disabilities is the perception that they need specialist technology that is: • Expensive • Needs extensive training to use • Not compatible with existing office systems Why is this important?
- 3. Employment agencies/employers need to ensure that information and communications can be used and accessed by people with disabilities. And…
- 4. Mainstream office technology Communications including social media Getting started is important What should we focus on?
- 5. The simple message is that Windows, iOS, Android based systems are packed with built-in accessibility features. Mainstream office technology
- 6. For example in Windows you can: • Change the icon and text size • Adjust cursor width and blink rate • Mouse pointer size and movement • Change the colour scheme to high contrast • ToggleKeys • On-screen keyboard • Magnifier (touch-enabled in 8) • Narrator screen reader (touch-enabled in 8)
- 7. And Mac: Improvements over Windows: • Better screen reader VoiceOver • Braille display support However… • VoiceOver doesn’t work with the Office suite, works mostly with OpenOffice for Mac
- 8. iOS: iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad • Great access: VoiceOver, zoom, captioned video, colour changes. • VoiceOver & Zoom work together in iOS 6+ • App compatibility better all the time
- 9. Android: Google Android phone and tablets: • Much cheaper than Apple • Features and apps include Talkback screen reader, magnifier, BIG Launcher, IDEAL accessibility apps However… • Only really a viable alternative if running Android 4.2+
- 10. • Can’t see visual-only information • Tables that I can’t navigate through • Little boxes that I have to click with limited dexterity • Videos/audio I can’t hear • Complex language (CALD issue too) • Assume I can access social media • Time to find/complete a task • Only one way of doing something • Documents that I don’t understand Communications issues for people with disabilities
- 11. • Documents – PDFs are ok if they are based on accessible content • Websites – need some access features • Social media – what are the limitations? What are the main issues?
- 12. Start with making the basic document work Basic Document PDF Web Version Pictorial Easy English
- 13. From an Easy English tenancy guide in UK
- 15. • Main public interface • Where people find out information • If you can’t make it accessible then how can you ask an employer to take disability seriously? • WCAG standards • Applies to Intranets as well • Focus on getting started Website Accessibility
- 16. • Text alternatives • Search engines • Enlargement buttons • Labelled images • Font enlargement, colour contrast • Video messages not captioned • Time out too quickly • Meaningful links What’s really important?
- 17. You can find lots of information you need at the Disability Employment website You can find lots of information you need at the Disability Employment website What is a meaningful link?
- 20. • Which social media are accessible? • Facebook • Twitter • LinkedIn • YouTube • Webinars • Mobile apps and versions • This can impact on online presence Social media
- 21. A very useful resource (free) http://www.mediaaccess.org.au /online-media/social-media Or just go to the home page and put “Sociability” into the search box.
- 22. • What is your largest disability group you deal with? • What are key parts of your process? • Do you understand basic accessibility of office software and hardware? • Have you looked at your documents and communications ? • Tell your staff, clients and agencies that you are doing this – external pressure helps commitment. Where do I start?
- 23. • There are specialist suppliers (including MAA) who can help you. • Number one error. Do not just rely on specifying it as part of a RFT or contracted service process. • Get some basic knowledge so that you can properly evaluate your suppliers. • Focus on upskilling in areas that are ongoing (such as accessible documents). • Ask for real-work evidence of accessibility skills. Outsourcing accessibility
- 24. 6 things you can do today 1. Turn on the built-in Windows screen reader 2. Change the display format on your office computer and show a client how easy it is 3. Rewrite a job description using simple words and pictures 4. Read the MAA guide to accessible social media 5. Run your website against the basic checklists on www.accessiq.org 6. Contact MAA for some advice and assessment of your needs
- 25. Useful websites 1. www.mediaaccess.org.au for general access information for media and digital 2. www.accessiq.org for more specific web/digital advice (more technical) 3. www.mediaaccess.org.au/digitalaccessibilityservices/ Our range of services to help you. Includes some useful case studies and articles. 4. www.and.org.au Australian Network on Disability helps employers with all aspects of employing people with disabilities.
- 26. If you would just like us to help you: 1. Review your digital accessibility across the organisation with a Digital Accessibility Maturity Assessment. 2. Train your staff in Accessible Content creation (Word, PDF, InDesign, HTML). 3. Ask us to make your existing documents accessible. 4. http://www.mediaaccess.org.au/digitalaccessibilityservices/ Our range of services to help you. Includes some useful case studies and articles.