Speakers
The Many Faces of Digital Accessibility
It’s common to enter the digital accessibility industry somewhere in the audit and review pipeline, evaluating the same mistakes and providing the same guidance for years. Burn-out is common if that’s all you do.
But digital accessibility offers much more than that for a career and goal. Whether trying to enter the industry from a different angle, growing to a a different role, or moving on while still making better outcomes for your fellow humans a goal.
Adrian Roselli
Adrian Roselli has been developing for the Web since 1993. He has served in W3C working groups, written articles for trade journals and web sites, participated as an author and editor on five web-related books, and was a founder of evolt.org, one of the first and largest communities for web developers in the 1990s.
Adrian co-founded a software development consulting firm in 1998, growing it to a dozen spin-off companies and 100+ employees. He left the firm after 18 years to focus exclusively on digital accessibility as a consultant, offering reviews, training, management consulting, and more.
From Screen to Speech: A Screen Reader Journey
Let’s enhance our understanding of screen readers! We’ll cover the end-to-end story of how pixels on the screen get translated into audio announcements and build our mental models of how screen readers actually work.
Strong mental models can help us navigate ambiguous scenarios more effectively, address complex accessibility issues, and better grasp the consequences of our decisions.
We’ll cover the role of ARIA (Accessible Rich Internet Applications), accessibility APIs, the accessibility tree, and more. I’ll include some examples of how this understanding led to better outcomes at Canva, my “aha moments,” and how to inspect the accessibility tree in developer tools.
Sarah Federman
Sarah Federman is a Frontend Engineer on the Accessibility Innovation team at Canva. As a designer turned engineer, she focuses on bringing her multidisciplinary mindset and systems thinking to tackle accessibility issues holistically.
Her background in design systems, experience working at scale at companies like Adobe and LinkedIn, and lived experience with neurodivergence and chronic pain help to bring a unique lens to the team.
Welcome Address
Rosemary Kayess
Rosemary Kayess’ five-year term as Disability Discrimination Commissioner began on Monday 29 January 2024.
Ms Kayess was one of the drafters of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). She is serving her second term on the United Nations (UN) Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, as Vice-Chair. She was awarded the Human Rights Medal in 2019 in recognition of her outstanding contribution to the promotion and protection of human rights.
Ms Kayess is a current and former member of a number of disability focused councils and committees. Current memberships include the NDIA Independent Advisory Council and the Australian Discrimination Law Experts Group. Former memberships include the Strategic Engagement Reference Group for the Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability.
Design Rebels: Rethinking the Principles of Design for Better User Experiences
In “Design Rebels: Rethinking the Principles of Design for Better User Experiences,” Charlii Parker challenges traditional design principles and explores innovative approaches to create truly inclusive and equitable digital experiences.
This engaging presentation will inspire designers to question the status quo, embrace unconventional ideas, and implement practices that cater to diverse user needs. Join Charlii to discover how breaking the mold can lead to transformative and user-centered design solutions.
Charlii Parker
Charlii Parker is a disruptor in the world of design, known for challenging conventional ideas and pushing the boundaries of what’s possible. With a passion for equitable and inclusive design, Charlii strives to create digital experiences that cater to the diverse needs of all users. Her innovative approach and commitment to accessibility have earned her recognition as a thought leader in the industry.
Whether speaking at conferences, leading workshops, or working on groundbreaking projects, Charlii is dedicated to transforming the way we think about and implement design principles.
Customer-informed accessibility in the CommBank app
The CommBank app got a new home page last year.
The redesign included an accessibility technique that I personally recommended.
It was a native mobile app pattern supported by both Apple and Android.
It bombed in usability testing.
We fixed it.
A reminder of the need to stay humble, talk to your users, and don’t assume the mobile platforms always know best when it comes to accessibility.
Allison Ravenhall
Allison has worked in digital accessibility roles for over 10 years across a variety of industries.
She is part of the CommBank digital accessibility team that supports the CommBank iOS and Android apps, the NetBank and CommBank websites, and other CommBank digital experiences.
Allison is currently creating role-based self-paced online digital accessibility training in collaboration with Intopia.
Creating Inclusive Spaces: Understanding the Mental and Emotional Impacts of Alcohol and Drugs on Digital Experiences
People with alcohol and other drug (AOD) challenges represent an often marginalised and diverse group, experiencing a range of mental and emotional impacts that can affect how they interact with a digital product.
When accessing a website, they may be intoxicated, experiencing trauma or emotional distress, or facing another health challenge.
So how do we design truly inclusive digital experiences that take into account the range of emotional and cognitive impacts they’re facing?
Ally Tutkaluk
Ally has a background in digital project management, UX design, and content, and currently works at mental health and alcohol and other drug charity Lives Lived Well. She is passionate about creating digital experiences that are valuable, meaningful, and designed with empathy.
Most recently, her work has concentrated on working with users facing trauma or other distresses, and how design and copy can help – not hinder.
Based in Brisbane, she also teaches design and creative project management at the Queensland University of Technology, where she is an MPhil candidate.
Her proposed MPhil thesis explores digital interface design for people facing mental health and alcohol and other drug challenges.
A rules-based approach to designing accessible dark (and light) mode
Designing and applying a UI colour scheme for both dark and light mode is hard. Designing one that is also accessible is even harder.
And when you’re not a great visual designer – well, you figure out a rules-based way that lets you design with logic.
Donna Spencer
Donna Spencer is a product designer at MakerX. She has extensive experience in user experience, service design, workshop facilitation and information architecture. She has worked in government, education, with startups and much more.
She is a regular conference and meetup speaker, article author and has written 5 UX-related books. She was the founder of UX Australia and ran it for 9 years. She sews, weaves and knits, and is currently renovating an old house. Her cats are known around the world as they like to ‘contribute’ to all presentations and meetings.
Holding Vendors Accountable: Designing your own accessibility vendor monitoring program
Learn how you can design your own accessibility vendor monitoring program from the group up and the most effective ways to work with vendors to create the best digital experience possible.
This session will go over everything from getting buy-in from internal stakeholders to navigating tough discussions with vendors about digital accessibility.
Jaunita George
Jaunita joined Navy Federal in 2020 and currently works as an ADA Digital Program Manager leading the Enterprise Technical Accessibility Team, as well as chairing the Accessibility A11ies Community of Practice and serves on the leadership team of Navy Federal’s disability Employee Resource Group.
She represents NFCU on the Accessibility Guidelines and ARIA Working Groups at the W3C. She is also on the leadership team of the Internet Society’s Accessibility Special Interest Group. She contributed to ARIA 1.2, WCAG 2.2 and is listed as a notable contributor to WCAG 3.0.
She is an attorney and developer with a background in instructional design, communications, program management and technology and people leadership. She is active in the accessibility community and is passionate about creating an internet that’s open, free, and accessible to everyone.
Accessibility: The Diamond of the Season
The hit TV show Bridgerton is celebrated for its delectable drama, scintillating sex scenes and diverse representation.
Although it’s set in the Regency era, it’s a wonderful display of who benefits from web accessibility! Promenade through the cast of characters of Bridgerton to see the impact of accessibility improvements.
Maia Miller
Maia is the Managing Director of Aleph Accessibility. An IAAP-certified web accessibility specialist, she brings a wealth of technical expertise and accessibility knowledge to the table. Maia has an innate ability to translate complex concepts into clear and easily digestible content.
Her contagious enthusiasm for web accessibility is combined with a pragmatic, down-to-earth approach to product development, providing audiences with practical strategies for successfully embedding accessibility into their digital products.
From the Ground Up: Rebuilding ABC iview Android TV for all
We will take you through our journey of making ABC iview more accessible on Android TV. We’ll talk about how we’ve used Google’s Jetpack Compose to create a more user-friendly experience.
Discover how we’ve improved colour contrast, label and element grouping, and fine-tuned focus management. We’ll also share some code snippets on how to implement and ensure everyone can enjoy a seamless viewing experience.
Michelle Chu
Get ready to meet Michelle at A11y Camp! Michelle isn’t your typical accessibility specialist; she’s on a mission to make the digital world more inclusive. With expertise in mobile and TV accessibility, Michelle ensures all digital experiences meet diverse needs of everyone.
Through inclusive design and research, she ensures no voice is left unheard. She goes beyond compliance, to advocate for inclusivity at every step of the way.
Nick Stathakis
Want to learn how to transform your accessibility requirements into reality? Look no further, as Nick will bridge that gap as he runs through how to make Android TV apps more accessible.
Utilising modern UI frameworks, like Jetpack Compose, it has never been easier to make apps look amazing and accessible!
Spearheading the accessibility maturity team within the ABC, he is on a daily mission to bring accessibility requirements to life within TV apps, leaving no Australian behind.
A false sense of accessibility: What automated testing tools are missing
It is widely reported that automated accessibility testing tools find around 20-30% of accessibility issues. What is not as widely reported is what that actually means in practice. What are the specific types of issues these tools can report? What are the issues that are missing? What is the significance of these issues? How accessible can my digital asset really be made using automated testing alone?
This presentation will explore these vital questions through a series of examples, illustrating the types of issues automated tools can and cannot identify, and will explain why this is the case. By understanding the strengths and weaknesses of these tools, you’ll develop a better understanding of if and where automated tools fit into your accessibility strategy, and what other considerations you should be making in order to deliver an accessible experience for your users.
Beau Vass
Beau is currently Technical Lead of the TTC Global Accessibility Practice, and formerly the Lead Auditing and Testing consultant for Vision Australia’s Digital Access team. In another life, Beau was a Senior Front End Developer, with over 13 years development experience within web development agencies around Melbourne.
Beau’s past and varied experiences in digital industries across both development and accessibility roles offers a unique perspective and insight into the accessibility challenges faced by digital industries, and how we can overcome them as a collective.
Ubiquitous Accessibility
Digital is an integral part of how we live, learn and work. It is now part of our homes, in our car, wearable, immersive and so much more.
The best of those experiences are inclusive by design, accessible by default and work for everyone straight out of the box.
In this session we will critically examine best of breed examples of accessible digital experiences and distil how we can lean in and learn from them.
Greg Alchin
Greg Alchin is the Principal Accessibility Specialist at Service NSW, where he drives agency culture and capacity to deliver digital products and services that are inclusive by design and accessible by default.
He is also a keynote speaker, disability advocate and accessibility specialist with over 30 years’ experience across education, community, commercial and government contexts.
Greg expertise has been sort by the Australian Human Rights Commission, United Nations and World Food Program.
Underpinning Greg’s professional experience is his lived experience with a visual disability, industry certification, and post graduate studies in accessibility.
The power of change
It is now commonplace for large employers, both public and private to talk about a culture of accessibility and inclusion. So, how does the digital world fit into this culture? How is technology improving inclusion in the workplace and what are the impacts of this change when it comes to employment for people with disability?
Discover in this closing session, some of the workplace programs and practices Donna Purcell came across when undertaking her Churchill Fellowship in 2022, and where some of the organisations she met with have continued to advance and innovate.
Donna Purcell
Donna Purcell is a Disability Advocate and a specialist in developing and leading change for the greater inclusion of people with disability in Australia.
In 2022, Donna undertook a Churchill Fellowship researching global leadership practices and culture change resulting in improved employment practices for people with disability.
Donna is a current Director on the Australian Disability Network Board and a certified Access Consultant.
Donna is passionate about creating accessible and inclusive communities where people are empowered to be their best.
