Items tagged with: accessibility

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Items tagged with: accessibility

I've been asked about my thoughts on these things a few times over the years and I'm trying to get better at blogging stuff like this, so here goes:
Why UI Automation is Insufficient as an Accessibility API for the Web: jantrid.net/2025/03/19/why-uia…
My Thoughts on Asynchronous Accessibility APIs: jantrid.net/2025/03/20/async-a…
Direct UIA Access to Web Content Processes: jantrid.net/2025/03/21/uia-dir…
#accessibility

Why UI Automation is Insufficient as an Accessibiliy API for the Web | Jantrid

UI Automation (UIA) is Microsoft’s recommended accessibility framework for Windows, replacing the earlier Microsoft Active Accessibility (MSAA) framework. De...
www.jantrid.net
#Accessibility

I'm getting a new IPad shortly.
Are there any good #accessible mediaplayers and recording-apps out there which aren't just the built-in memo and musicplayer-apps?
I'm asking because this IPad air has USBC so I can connect external drives to it and I'd like to play and record stuff on it without going through the standard apple-apps if possible.
#accessible #accessibility #apple #blind #ipad #audio #music
#Accessibility #accessible #apple #blind #music #audio #ipad

#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

#a11y #Accessibility #blind #forgejo #keyboardnavigation

I don't know about you, but I am inclined to not take the advice of someone who writes (presumably dictates and sends anyway) "Oreo label" instead of `aria-label` very seriously. #accessibility
#Accessibility

#a11y #Accessibility #politics #News #unitedstates #ada

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

Stacked vertically in black Helvetica on a yellow tee: “Perceivable & Operable & Understandable & Robust & Punch Nazis.”
Stacked vertically in white Helvetica on a purple tee: “Perceivable & Operable & Understandable & Robust & Punch Nazis.”
Stacked vertically in white Atkinson Hyperlegible on a royal blue tee: “Perceivable & Operable & Understandable & Robust & Punch Nazis.”
Stacked vertically in black Atkinson Hyperlegible on a light blue tee: “Perceivable & Operable & Understandable & Robust & Punch Nazis.”

POURPN, Helvetica, black text by aardrian

The four principles of WCAG plus two more related to real-life accessibility. Set in Neue Helvetica Heavy as black text for lighter colored shirts. There is a version in white text and also matching shirts using Atkinson Hyperlegible.
TeePublic
#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
#Accessibility #privacy #fediverse #AltText #altbot @Altbot

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)
#Accessibility #microsoft #AI

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
#a11y #Accessibility @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

A woman with a white cane interacts with two Aira team members at the booth. One holds a small device while the other shows something on a smartphone. The table is covered with flyers, tech accessories, and a laptop. A black Aira ASL shirt is draped over a chair.
Aira team members set up a booth at CSUN 2025, unpacking boxes and organizing materials. A black banner behind them displays the Aira logo and the phrase “ACCESS IS A HUMAN RIGHT.” The booth is surrounded by red and gray curtains.
Five people sit around a wooden table in a lounge area, engaged in conversation. Two wear black “Access” shirts, while others wear business attire. A reflective silver divider and dark gray cushioned walls are in the background.
A smiling woman with glasses and earbuds stands next to a man wearing a navy sweater and a blue lanyard labeled “Troy Otillio, Aira.io, Expo Visitor” at CSUN 2025. The background shows a blurred conference setting with booths and people.
#Accessibility #inclusivedesign #techforgood #universaldesign #assistivetechnology #digitalaccessibility #disabilityinclusion #csun2025 #adaptivetech #accessibleinnovation #blindaccessibility #lowvisiontech

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

Web Design References: Webdev Newsletter

Web Design References: News and info about web design and development. The site advocates accessibility, usability, web standards and many related topics.
www.d.umn.edu
#a11y #Accessibility #webdesign @Adrian Roselli @Scott O'Hara @Mike Gifford, CPWA @Chris Ferdinandi ⚓️ @Smashing Magazine @Lainey Feingold @Inclusive Design 24 (#id24) @Stef Walter @Jorge Arango @Adam Silver @Christopher Phillips @Intopia @Ted Drake

Exciting news! Microsoft just launched a brand-new AI course: "Create Accessible Solutions using AI Innovations." Learn how to harness AI to build more inclusive technology. Check it out now! 🚀 #Accessibility #AI
Explore the course here: learn.microsoft.com/en-us/trai…

Create accessible AI experiences - Training

This module provides guidance on how to collaborate effectively with customers, partners, and the disability community to create innovative solutions that are accessible and inclusive.
learn.microsoft.com
#Accessibility #AI

My Ability Summit 2025 recap stream is just 30 minutes away.
Join me at 5 PM Central Time as I break down the biggest announcements, AI advancements, and accessibility innovations from this year's event.
When: Today at 5 PM CT
youtube.com/watch?v=Pw6a6aR-sz…
Don't miss it. See you soon. #AbilitySummit #Accessibility #AI

Microsoft Ability Summit 2025: Top Highlights & Key Takeaways

Turn your videos into live streams with https://restream.ioThe Microsoft Ability Summit 2025 just wrapped up, and I’m bringing you the biggest announcements,...
YouTube
#Accessibility #AI #abilitysummit

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

#Accessibility #accessible #aria

#a11y #Accessibility #inclusion #inclusivedesign #id24

Have made my first ever experience with the package pickup stations of the Austrian post last weekend. They have been made accessible to the blind. The procedure is as follows: 1. You receive a physical notification about a package being dropped off at a station in your mailbox. 2. The notification has one of its corners cut off to make a tactile difference. This way you can tell where the code you need to scan is located. 3. You go to the pickup station. The tactile flooring inside will guide you to the stations. 4. You touch anywhere on the touch screen of the station. 5. You touch again, this time the area above a circle shape that can be touched on a strip below the screen itself. 6. The voice guide is activated and issues further instructions. 7. You place the code on your notification in front of the reader. 8. Assuming it has been scanned correctly, you proceed to signing the delivery confirmation on the touch screen. How you can do it without seeing the screen is still a mystery to me but I guess anything you draw is accepted by the system. 9. The locker opens and makes a ticking sound until you find it, remove your package and shut the door. I still find the way of opening it with a mobile app that some providers in other countries offer far easier but it's great those are ready for use even if you don't want or can't use a smartphone. #Accessibility #Blind
#Accessibility #blind

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

#Accessibility #chrome #screenreader

#a11y #Accessibility

Thanks to a meetup at our local hackerspace @metalab , I have learnt about a web-based, open source, highly accessible video downloader frontend you can fire up at cobalt.tools. Really easy how it works: 1. You open the site; 2. you paste the link into the edit box; 3. You press enter; 4. The standard "Save File" dialog comes up. All the extra stuff like formats and qualities can be set in the settings and a choice between a video, audio-only or video-only version is offered under a button below the link input. #Accessibility #Blind

cobalt

cobalt lets you save what you love without ads, tracking, paywalls or other nonsense. just paste the link and you're ready to rock!
cobalt.tools
#Accessibility #blind @metalab

#Accessibility #Disabled #Disability #MentalHealth #spoonie #disabilityawareness

There’s something very depressingly emblematic that Chrome Dev Tools’ annoying “Ask AI” sprinkles everywhere include one that pops up and *covers* the Accessibility Tree toggle.

#google #chrome #ai #accessibility

A close up of Chrome Dev Tools showing a button with an “Ask AI” title displayed over the top of a round button, which is for displaying the accessibility tree.
#Accessibility #google #chrome #AI

You can’t say ”it’s not worth making it accessible for only 1% of our users”. That’s a logical fallacy. And reveals a lot about your understanding of the subject area, and your value system.

If you had made it accessible to begin with, people with disabilities could’ve been 20% of your user base.

And it would have been better for 100% of your users.

#a11y #accessibility

#a11y #Accessibility

I’m quite enjoying the new Ally app from Envision. Being able to customise the AI is interesting, although the iOS app doesn’t seem to have all that many voices yet.
It’s very good at reading digital displays which other apps sometimes struggle with, but it’s not perfect. I was using it to check shopping items and it misidentified a couple of things. Still, it’s not bad and reasonably fast, although not as good as the Meta Rayban’s Look and Tell feature. Still since Meta have withdrawn that in the UK, Ally is a decent enough alternative.
#Accessibility #AI
#Accessibility #AI

#Accessibility #accessible #fediverse #blind #Mastodon

Navigating iOS WhatsApp message threads is becoming very difficult with VoiceOver. Management of focus position, especially after performing an action is atrocious, it jumps largely back up the thread losing your position, this happens a lot especially on a busy thread. How can we get Meta to take heed of these issues #WhatsApp #VoiceOver #Accessibility #A11Y #iOS
#a11y #Accessibility #whatsapp #ios #voiceover

#a11y #Accessibility

Saying "No-one using our service has accessibility needs" is a bit like saying "We don't need a ramp, no-one in a wheelchair has ever come up the stairs".

#accessibility #A11y

#a11y #Accessibility

#a11y #Accessibility #FediHire #getfedihired #internship #a11yjobs #accessibilityjobs

#Accessibility #blind #music #audio

This study explores using Spatial Audio, musical cues, and audio descriptions to enhance the video game experience and to make it accessible to people who are blind or have low vision. The study included a mix of participants with and without visual impairments. The feedback highlighted the importance of accessible keyboard controls and sounds that convey character movement and object location. #accessibility journals-sol.sbc.org.br/index.…

Unseen: Advancing Digital Accessibility with Binaural Audio Technology in an Immersive Gaming Prototype

The growing significance of accessibility, particularly in the realm of disability rights, is unmistakable.
journals-sol.sbc.org.br
#Accessibility

The next OZeWAI panel topic is Accessibility for Content Management Systems featuring Amber Hinds (Equalize Digital), @mgifford, CPWA (CivicActions) and Ricky Blacker (WPEngine), moderated by Brigitta Norton.

Register for the Ask the Professionals on 21 March 2025 – 12-1.30pm AEDT (UTC+11). events.humanitix.com/ozewai-on…

#Accessibility #A11y #CMS #Drupal #Wordpress


OZeWAI online event - Ask the Professionals - 21 March 2025

Get tickets on Humanitix - OZeWAI online event - Ask the Professionals - 21 March 2025 hosted by OZeWAI. Online. Friday 21st March 2025. Find event information.
events.humanitix.com
#a11y #Accessibility #wordpress #drupal #cms @Mike Gifford, CPWA

Okay, this is just stupid! One of the benefits of having a #website is that people can access your services at any time, day or night, right? Well, I just went to the #SocialSecurity website to try and get a benefit verification letter, which I need because I'm trying to reestablish a #VocationalRehabilitation case. I clicked "Sign In" and was greeted by this message:

This service is not available at this time.
Please try again during our regular service hours (Eastern Time):

| Day | Service Hours |
|-----|--------------|
| Monday-Friday | 4:15 a.m. - 1:00 a.m. |
| Saturday | 5:00 a.m. - 11:00 p.m. |
| Sunday | 8:00 a.m. - 11:30 p.m. |
| Federal Holidays | Same hours as the day the holiday occurs. |

If you need immediate assistance:

  • You may call us Monday through Friday: 8:00AM - 7:00PM at: 1-800-772-1213
  • If you are deaf or hard-of-hearing, call our toll-free TTY number: 1-800-325-0778


This of the website limitation is especially frustrating for me because I have a #Non24HourSleepWakeDisorder and an unpredictable schedule. It feels like the website is designed without thinking about people like me who need flexibility.
Has anyone else out there had similar issues with government services or other websites?
#Vent #Venting #Disability #ChronicIllness #Accessibility #DisabilityRights #InclusiveDesign #GovernmentServices #PublicServices
@disability@a.gup.pe @disability@beehaw.org @disabilityjustice @accessibility @chronicillness @spooniechat @spoonies

#Accessibility #Disability #chronicillness #disabilityrights #inclusivedesign #website #socialsecurity #vocationalrehabilitation #non24hoursleepwakedisorder #vent #venting #governmentservices #publicservices @Disability group @ChronicIllness group @DisabilityJustice group @spoonies group @Accessibility @Disability and Accessibility @spooniechat group

#Accessibility #opensource #sustainability #drupal #government #drupalcon #govtech #atlanta #drupalconatlanta

The Web #Accessibility Slack community attracts an unfortunate share of asks that go something like:

"I have an interview/have been tasked with giving a presentation/have been promoted to a role and need to become an expert in accessibility by tomorrow, but I know nothing. Can you please send me free resources?"

And like... it's up to every community member whether or not to respond to these, and I'm all for encouragement. But does accessibility really need people who aren't willing to pay for materials, have unrealistic expectations of how much there is to learn, and may have even lied their way into a position they clearly don't want?

I think not, personally.

#Accessibility

I’m going to be interviewing people for an accessibility engineer role focused on mobile applications. What are your preferred questions for this role?

#accessibility

#Accessibility

My apologies if this is common knowledge among screen reader users, but I’ve just learned something new. Often, when scrolling social media, my Voiceover voice would change to a non-English speaking voice and read a post in another accent. It was so pronounced that I could not understand the post even though swiping through one word at a time did allow me to read the words which were clearly in English. But I’ve had French, German, Russian, Arabic & Oriental accents cropping up for no obvious reason.
I thought this might be something to do with Language Detection but it’s not. The way to fix it is quite bizarre.
I use Fiona as my Primary voice. But someone suggested I revert to some other voice as the primary one, then add Fiona as a Rotor Voice. So I put good old Daniel back as my primary voice, then added Fiona to the Rotor. After selecting Fiona from the rotor, I went back and checked one of the posts I had been unable to read and this time it worked perfectly.
Quite why a Rotor voice reads a post in English but the Primary voice doesn’t is beyond me, but if anyone else is having this problem, this is how to fix it.
#Accessibility #Voiceover
#Accessibility #voiceover

Well now that is really nice. TwBlue's latest version is getting to be a nice alternative to tweesecake. You can now get to filter posts, you can now specify the language in which a post is written... Definitely looking like a suitable alternative, more and more.
Now, if only one could make it so the enter key does not post but rather make a new line, and to send with something like shift+enter or ctrl+enter, that'd be perfect. I will have one hell of a hard time to adjust.

#accessibility #blind

#Accessibility #blind

#Accessibility #math #braille

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