a11yTOConf2019

Beyond Accessibility: Learning From The Disabled Community

Speaker: Liz Davis
Twitter: @lizdavis__

Designers begin with assumptions
Yes programmers you also design your code with assumptions.

Our life experiences inform our design assumptions.
Your biases will influence your designs and approach to accessibility.

WATCH: Movie “When Billy broke his head”, available in Netflix
IMDB When Billy broke his head

My biggest issue being disabled is being underestimated A lot of effort goes into showing how capable I am, or making abled-bodied people feel OK around me.

Read about: Disability Rights movement 1978 bus access

Tech is rapidly taking over lives
We refuse to wait for a11y to be considered when there’s time, points or budget

How to learn:

• Work alongside the disabled community
  • Hire disabled people
  • Test your product with disabled people
  • Talk to disabled groups
• Demand change where it maters. We have the power to create or destroy barriers. Demand that disabled people have a voice

What is activism in the digital world?

• We have lost of civil lawsuits
• We’re doing structured negotiations
• Our government is sorta, helpful