Global Accessibility Awareness Day
Imagine you are filling out a six-page form online. After spending 30 minutes, you are ready to submit. You see that large green button at the bottom of the page, you move your mouse and click… nothing happens. You get confused and try again. This time you watch carefully and visibly see the button being clicked and again nothing. You spend the next 10 minutes getting stressed and clicking the button even though nothing happens. At this point you are debating whether to chuck your computer across the room.
What can you do? It is not like there is an alternative option.
Now imagine you cannot see the screen, but have a screen reader telling you the elements and texts that are on the screen. And you experience this same empty button issue. What you are unaware of is that this code does not contain alternative text, which means you do not even know the button exists because the screen reader has no identifying marker. Not only are you unable to know about the button, but this button also cannot trigger the action of submitting the form.
How can we prevent these technological issues from happening in the first place? We make sure to create accessible and inclusive digital technology. A fantastic way to spread the word is to celebrate Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD) to talk, share, and implement accessibility into technology so we no longer have to see technology as our temperamental friend.
Rachel Holland
Coordinator of Accessibility
Center for Access and Assistive Technology