Categories
conference event

Events July thru Dec 2011

Here are some great web accessibility-related events for the remainder of the year. Know any others?

HCI International 2011: Universal Access in Human-Computer Interaction
July 12-14
Orlando, Florida (Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek)

ARIA & jQuery UI Accessibility Hackathon
July 11-12
Toronto, Canada (Inclusive Design Research Centre, OCAD University)

Open Web Camp III
Saturday, July 16, 8:30AM to 5PM PST
Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA
Twitter: @openwebcamp #owc3

Accessibility Camp Montreal
August 26, 2011
Montreal, Canada
Twitter: @A11yMTL

Boston Accessibility Unconference
Saturday, September 17, 10am to 5pm EST
Twitter: @a11ybos

Accessibility Camp Toronto
Saturday, September 24
Toronto, Canada (downtown, specific location to be announced)
Twitter: @A11yCampTO Email: a11ycampto at gmail dot com

Web Accessibility London Unconference
Wednesday, 21 September 2011, 10am to 4pm
London, UK (City University London)

Accessibility Summit (online event)
Tuesday, September 27, 9-5 Central Time

Accessibility Camp DC
Saturday, October 22
MLK Library in Washington, DC
Twitter: @AccessCampDC

Assistive Technology Industry Association (ATIA) Chicago Conference
November 3-5
Schaumburg, IL

14th Annual Accessing Higher Ground
Accessible Media, Web and Technology Conference
November 14-18
Westin Hotel in Westminster, Colorado

Ottawa Accessibility Unconference
Friday, December 2
Ottawa, Canada

Categories
twitter

Easy Chirp

Accessible Twitter blue bird icon In cased you missed the news a few weeks ago, the web-accessible Twitter application “Accessible Twitter” changed its name to “Easy Chirp“. Here’s the original Web Overhauls press release. Nice to see the story made it to other PR and news sites including MyNewsDesk.com, PR.com, and Accessible Insights.

Reasons for the change are explained in the press release.

The name change is due to several reasons, the foremost is that the Twitter rules of use for third-party applications does not allow the word “Twitter” in the name of the application. Also, the word “easy” is simpler to understand than “accessible”, especially to those not in the accessibility or disability communities. And, the new name is considerably shorter, especially important with the 140-character limit in Twitter statuses, better known as tweets.

The former Twitter name/handle caused a delay in the update of two application settings that could only be resolved by changing the name.

Earlier this year, Easy Chirp/Accessible Twitter received the American Foundation for the Blind 2011 Access Award.

Categories
conference event expert

IT Accessibility Goes To Camp

A guest blog by Jennison Asuncion.

June 1 marked the date of the second Accessibility Camp Guelph. Led again by Sean Yo, it took place in an appropriate spot for a barcamp-type event, The Bullring Pub at Guelph University (Ontario, Canada). As with the five other accessibility camps I have been involved in over the last two years, Accessibility Camp Guelph offered participants a no-cost opportunity to build and drive an agenda and conversations focused on IT accessibility/inclusion.

I have been asked why I so enthusiastically “instigate” and champion the accessibility barcamp/unconference movement. As I said during Accessibility Camp Seattle last month, I have a keen interest in making the topic of IT accessibility, accessible, to the people who have a hand in making it happen: from the devs, to the usability and UI design folks, and everyone in between. As I experienced attending the first accessibility camp in Washington D.C. in 2009, the barcamp/unconference format lends itself perfectly to this purpose. By its very nature, it calls for a free, less formal, open atmosphere where folks with varying levels of experience with and perspectives on accessibility, including end-users with disabilities, come together to chart the day, discuss and learn. If the numbers of attendees and feedback surveys are any indication, these dedicated accessibility camps are being well-received. What’s more, they are building community (the tribe), and have inspired monthly Accessibility DC and Accessibility Baltimore meetings.

Plans are underway in 2011 so far for events in Montreal, Toronto, Ottawa, Boston, Washington D.C., and London UK. Want to learn more? Why not consider putting on an accessibility camp in your city. An accessibility camp website maintained by John F. Croston III is a good place to start.

You can also follow @A11yEvents on Twitter for the latest on these and other accessibility gatherings and traiditional conferences.