Recent datepicker experience:
1. Control is presented as three separate spin controls, supporting the Up/Down Arrow keys to increment and decrement the value as well as manual typing. But because they're not text inputs, I can't use the Left/Right Arrow keys to review what each separate one contains, only to move between day, month, and year.
2. I tab to year.
3. I press Down Arrow, and the value is set to 2075. I'm unclear how many use cases require the year to be frequently set to 2075, but I can't imagine it's many so this seems like a fairly ridiculous starting point.
4. I press Up Arrow, and the value gets set to 0001. The number of applications for which 0001 is a valid year is likewise vanishingly small.
5. I delete the 0001, at which point my #screenReader reports that the current value is "0". Also not a valid year.
6. Out of curiosity, I inspect the element to see which third-party component is being used to create this mess... only to find that it's a native `<input>` with `type="date"` and this is just how Google Chrome presents it.

A good reminder that #HTML is not always the most #accessible or user-friendly.

#accessibility #usability

I’m a fan of @iFixit already because they help people reduce waste and gain some agency over repairing the panopticon devices for which we pay stupid money.

Even more of a fan because they are working to make their content accessible and asking for feedback.

More of this from orgs, please.

mastodon.social/@iFixit/114229…

#a11y #accessibility

#OpenStreetMap #wheelchair #accessibility The "grab rails" proposal is open for voting: wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Pr…

Please, add your vote!

Can you guess what I'm reading about from this nonsensical #screenReader output? I loaded the webpage myself and not even I understand. #accessibility

"
heading level 2 How it Works
Slides carousel 1 / 3 slide
out of slide 2 / 3 slide graphic How it works
out of slide 3 / 3 slide
out of slide 1 / 3 slide
out of slide 2 / 3 slide graphic How it works
out of slide 3 / 3 slide
out of slide 1 / 3 slide
out of slide 2 / 3 slide graphic How it works
out of slide 3 / 3 slide
out of slide button Previous slide
button Next slide
button current Go to slide 1
button Go to slide 2
button Go to slide 3
out of carousel link app-tutorial
link App Tutorial
heading level 2 No One Does it Alone...
"

I filed two issues today on W3C Group Draft Note “Accessibility of machine learning and generative AI.”

• Note fails to discuss sustainability aspects of using AI
github.com/w3c/ai-accessibilit…

• Replace ‘overlays’ as a section
github.com/w3c/ai-accessibilit…

Note: raw.githack.com/w3c/ai-accessi…

#a11y #accessibility

AI and Machine Learning - note fails to discuss sustainability aspects of using AI · Issue #15 · w3c/ai-accessibility

Issue #13 touches on this, but I think it warrants its own section in addition to ethical aspects. While the Web Sustainability Guidelines are structured as a recommendation and testing framework, ...

^GitHub

In-Process is now available, featuring all the info on CSUN ATC 2025, Thorium Reader, how the NVDA 2025.1 Update is going, Open-Source software and a new RH Voice Update! Read it all here: nvaccess.org/post/in-process-2… and don't forget to subscribe via email: eepurl.com/iuVyjo

#NVDA #NVDAsr #ScreenReader #Accessibility #CSUNATC #CSUNATC25 #CSUN #Thorium #RHVoice #OpenSource #FOSS #FLOSS #News #Newsletter #Update

Is it just me, or does Sero for Android, on Google play, lead to a "not found" error?

play.google.com/store/apps/det…

#Sero #blind #accessibility @pneumasolutions

“Here is a list of WCAG 2.2 Level A and AA success criteria that I think cannot be completely tested with automated tools. These criteria require manual testing because they involve meaning, usability, intent, or user experience that automated tools cannot fully evaluate.”
html5accessibility.com/stuff/2…

@SteveFaulkner with the automation-to-WCAG-pipeline fatberg.

#a11y #accessibility

“Can generative AI write contextual text descriptions?”
tetralogical.com/blog/2025/03/…

Huge improvements from a few years ago, but even with context these need help. A good example of genAI only as a tool, not as a solution.

#a11y #accessibility

Can generative AI write contextual text descriptions? - TetraLogical

In 2025, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Large Language Models (LLM) like ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, and DeepSeek are being used for everything. Writing emails. Generating code. Even applying for jobs.

^TetraLogical

Sometimes I wonder if me writing up trivial issues like the following is making a difference. I mean, if you are a developer, and you don’t see what is wrong here in like half of a 10th of a second, what are you even doing? Respectfully.

<input
type="radio"
id="radio-abcd"
aria-label="[object Object]. "
checked=""
value="1"
/>
<label for="radio-abcd">Useful label</label>

#a11y #accessibility

New in GNOME 48 is the necessary support for keyboard handling by the Orca screen reader in Wayland sessions. As I reported on the Orca mailing list recently, I have updated my system, and this support is so far working as intended. You need Mutter 48 and the latest AT-SPI installed.

Thanks are owed to the software developers responsible for this work.
#gnome #accessibility #Linux #Wayland

#Blind users, users that rely heavily on #keyboardNavigation or anyone else with a preference on that matter (please indicate what applies in the comments):

Do you have a preference for or comments on the format of URLs? During user research, we have learned that URLs that are easy to handle are a good thing.

We are currently considering to introduce URLs that do not need more reserved usernames in #Forgejo, such as codeberg.org/-/something/ or codeberg.org/_something/.

#a11y #accessibility

New POUR tees just dropped!

The four principles of WCAG, plus more. You can pay money for them (3 day sale)!

Available in black or white, set in Neue Helvetica Heavy or Atkinson Hyperlegible. You can choose shirt colors.

Black Helvetica:
teepublic.com/t-shirt/73535251…

#a11y #accessibility

Hey Fediverse!

I'm micr0, creator of @altbot, the open-source bot that helps generate alt-text for images on the Fediverse to make content more accessible.

What's New in 2.1?

After successfully moving image processing to local hardware with version 2.0, I've now brought video processing capability back - but with a major privacy upgrade! Altbot can now generate descriptions for videos completely locally and privately without sending content to Google or any other third-party services.

Important note: Currently, video processing is visual-only and doesn't include audio transcription. The audio processing Google was doing was some serious black magic fuckery that isn't possible to replicate locally with current technologies. But the visual descriptions are excellent and totally private!

With this update:

• All processing happens locally with zero data retention
• Complete privacy for all content
• No data used for training models
• Videos processed with the same privacy standards as images

I've also maintained Altbot's focus on energy efficiency - while video processing naturally requires more resources than images, I've implemented it to be as efficient as possible, keeping power consumption to a minimum while still delivering great results.

Thank You for Your Support!

I want to express my heartfelt thanks to everyone who helped me reach my donation goal on Ko-fi with the 2.0 launch! Your generosity made it possible to set up the local processing infrastructure that powers this privacy-focused service.

The response from the community has been incredible, and it means so much to know that privacy and accessibility are values we share.

What's Next for Altbot?

I'm already working on exciting future developments:

• An Altbot API that will allow developers to integrate alt-text generation into their applications
• Direct integration with Fediverse software platforms - I'm collaborating with instance developers to make accessibility a built-in feature!

Remember that Altbot has always been and remains fully open-source, with self-hosting being a core feature from day one for anyone who wants to run their own instance.

Supporting Ongoing Development & Infrastructure

Altbot currently runs on hardware in my home, which means I'm covering all the electricity costs for powering the GPU server that processes your media. While I've designed the system to be energy-efficient, running a dedicated AI server still impacts my monthly power bill.

Monthly donations would be especially helpful in sustainably supporting:

• Ongoing electricity costs
• Time spent on development and maintenance
• Future infrastructure improvements

Even small recurring contributions can make a huge difference in keeping this service running reliably and allowing me to dedicate more time to improvements!

Ways to Support:

• Ko-fi (one-time or monthly): ko-fi.com/micr0byte
• Ethereum: 0xC992E57236eb9F30E79d0469446a6CF08Be05939

I've added the ETH option for those who prefer crypto or don't want to use PayPal!

Version 2.1 also includes various internal improvements and bug fixes that make everything run more smoothly behind the scenes.

Thanks again for your support in making the web more accessible without compromising on privacy!

Feel free to boost or reach out with questions! For press inquiries: inquiries@micr0.dev

#Accessibility #Privacy #Fediverse #AltText #Altbot

Buy Micr0byte a Coffee. ko-fi.com/micr0byte

Become a supporter of Micr0byte today! ❤️ Ko-fi lets you support the creators you love.

^Ko-fi

About time roflmeow

• AI comes to Narrator. Rich image descriptions powered by AI will be coming to Narrator in Windows Insider Preview this spring

blogs.microsoft.com/blog/2025/…

#accessibility #microsoft #ai

Microsoft Ability Summit 2025: Accessibility in the AI era - The Official Microsoft Blog

Today, we hosted the 15th annual Microsoft Ability Summit, with over 20,000 attendees from 164 countries coming together virtually to discuss the future of AI and accessibility.

^{Jenny Lay-Flurrie (The Official Microsoft Blog)}

Ever seen fancy italics, bold text, or even gothic letters in a slick marketing post on social media?

These platforms do not offer text formatting, so people use weird mathematical characters from the fringes of the Unicode spectrum. And because they aren't really letters screen reader software will announce them as silence or incomprehensible garbage.

@aardrian has the lodown in "Don’t Use Fake Bold or Italic in Social Media"
adrianroselli.com/2025/03/dont…

#a11y
#accessibility

Don’t Use Fake Bold or Italic in Social Media

I posted something on Mastodon that uses Unicode math symbols to produce fake bold and fake italic text. I used YayText.com to generate it, but I am not linking it because you I don’t want you to use it.

^{Adrian Roselli}

Honored. Inspired. Driven.

Last week at #CSUN2025, we had the incredible opportunity to connect, learn, and grow alongside some of the most innovative minds in accessibility and assistive technology. As a fully remote team, gathering in person is always meaningful, but being part of conversations that shape the future of our technology makes it even more special.

We’re grateful for the chance to hear from industry leaders, learn from fellow innovators, and connect with Explorers (both new and those who have been here from the start) who shape the work we do every day. Having a seat at this table is an honor, and we’re more committed than ever to making Aira the best it can be.

Thank you, Center on Disabilities at CSUN, for another unforgettable year!

#Accessibility #AssistiveTechnology #InclusiveDesign #DigitalAccessibility #AdaptiveTech #AccessibleInnovation #TechForGood #BlindAccessibility #LowVisionTech #DisabilityInclusion #UniversalDesign

Today's Web Design Update: groups.google.com/a/d.umn.edu/…

Subscribe info: d.umn.edu/itss/training/online…

Featuring @theadamsilver, @stephaniewalter, @smashingmag, @mgifford, @LFLegal, @mactoph, @aardrian, @Ted_drake, @intopia, @scottohara, @inclusivedesign24, @cferdinandi, @jarango, and more.

#Accessibility #A11y #WebDesign

Hits from my Tuesday morning inbox:

1. An unsupervised, LLM-generated, and hence completely useless set of recommendations about how to implement #accessible hovercards.

2. An email suggesting that accessible websites are ugly websites, and therefore we need some sort of cookie in everyone's browser describing what access technology they use so they can be directed into the appropriate "ghetto". This was sent to the #ARIA Authoring Practices mailing list for some reason.

Considering going back to bed.

#accessibility

Today I learned: If you use #Chrome and are annoyed by those "Sign in with Google" dialogs stealing keyboard focus on certain websites, you can disable it at the browser level.

In the address bar, type or paste in "chrome://settings/content/federatedIdentityApi" (without the quotes. You should land on the "Third-party sign-in" Settings page.

On that page, there'll be two radio buttons: "Sites can show sign-in prompts from identity services", and "Block sign-in prompts from identity services". Set it to the second one, and you should find that the problematic dialogs are no longer present.

#accessibility #screenReader