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Google IO12 Review and Accessibility

I was fortunate enough to attend the Google I/O conference again this year (last year’s I/O blog). It was again held at the Moscone Center in downtown San Francisco, California. The opening keynote was a smash hit, and in addition to product announcements, featured skydivers wearing Google Glass!

On the second floor, it was a pleasure to meet Phil Strain (@pstr) in person; we’ve followed each other on Twitter for a couple years. He now works for Google and was helping out in the accessibility developer sandbox (booth). He demonstrated the latest ChromeVox. Also at the sandbox, Peter Lundblad demonstrated to me the braille output support using a new Nexus 7 tablet and a Humanware braille display.

Google announced the release of Android Jellybean (4.1) to be released through over-the-air updates to the Galaxy Nexus, Nexus S and Motorola Xoom in July. The announcement came with several Android accessibility enhancements including:

  • Speech recognition is now local to the device, no longer requiring the device to be connected to the Internet in order to use it.
  • Gesture support allowing for greater nonvisual control of the device using the touch screen.
  • Native support for refreshable Bluetooth Braille displays.
  • Source: The Mobile Accessibility Landscape

Session videos

Making Android Apps Accessible with T.V. Raman, Charles Chen, Alan Viverette, Peter Lundblad. Session description:

Android 4.0 introduced platform-level accessibility APIs so that you don’t have to be an expert to make an app that’s accessible to people with disabilities. Come learn how APIs for accessibility make your job easier. We’ll provide code examples covering touch exploration, speech synthesis, multiplatform support through use of a DPAD, magnification for low vision, braille, and more.

Advancing Accessibility for the Web with Rachel Shearer, Dominic Mazzoni, Charles Chen. Includes announcement and demo of the new Chrome Accessibility Developer Tools. Session description:

This session will help you learn through code samples and real world examples how to design and test your web apps for complete accessibility coverage. We will review APIs such as the Text-to-speech (TTS) API, tools like ChromeVox and ChromeShades and how Google products implement solutions today for users with disabilities.

Related links

Tidbits

  • I ran into Peter Hazelhurst, former VP of two of my past employers. Turns out he now is Global Head of Payments, Product Management at Google. He presented on “Introducing Google Wallet Cloud APIs”.
  • It was neat to run into Isabelle Olsson, a lead designer on the Google Glass project, outside the conference center. She had presented in the keynote.
  • The line to get the “free” devices on the first day was incredibly long; wrapped around the entire first floor! I would say it was “unbelievable”, but not too surprising considering three cool toys were being handed out including the new Nexus 7″ tablet.
  • While attending on Wednesday, my wife, kids, and parents (who were visiting from Michigan) had a great time touring downtown San Francisco!
Photo of accessibility sandbox (booth) at Google IO 2012
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conference

Web Accessibility Conferences 2012

Here’s a list of conferences relating to web accessibility this year. Details for some of the annual events are not announced yet. Please comment with any changes, additions, and comments.

ATIA 2012 Orlando
January 25-28, 2012
Orlando, FL U.S.A.

Techshare India 2012 “Bridging the Barriers”
6-7 February 2012
New Delhi, India

International Technology & Persons with Disabilities Conference
Feb 27-March 3, 2012
Manchester Grand Hyatt Hotel
San Diego, CA U.S.A.

Power Up 2010 Conference and Expo
April 2 and 3, 2012
Columbia, Missouri U.S.A.
Holiday Inn Executive Center
presented by Missouri Assistive Technology

W4A 2012
9th International Cross-Disciplinary Conference on Web Accessibility
16-17 April 2012
Lyon, France

John Slatin Access U (from Knowbility)
May 15-17, 2012
Austin, Texas U.S.A.

Guelph Accessibility conference
May 29-30
Guelph, Ontario, Canada

Penn State Web 2012 Conference
June 11-12, 2012
Pennsylvania U.S.A.

ICCHP
13th International Conference on Computers Helping People with Special Needs
July 11-13, 2012; Pre-Conference July 09-10, 2012
University of Linz, Altenbergerstraße 69, 4040 Linz, Austria

AHEAD: Association on Higher Education And Disability
July 9-14, 2012
New Orleans, Louisiana U.S.A.
The Sheraton Hotel

Illinois Web Accessibility Conference and Expo
TBD

HighEdWeb Association (Higher Education Web Professionals)
October 7-10, 2012
Milwaukee, Wisconsin U.S.A.

ASSETS 2012
The 13th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility
October 22-24, 2012
Boulder, Colorado, U.S.A.

Accessing Higher Ground
Accessible Media, Web and Technology Conference
TBD
Colorado, U.S.A.

OZeWAI Conference
Australian Web Adaptability Initiative
Melbourne, Australia
Late November

Categories
conference css event jobs law podcast twitter

Podcast #91: Game Plan, CSS, Lawsuits & Events

Dennis and Ross discuss the “Accessibility Game Plan”, a couple good CSS tips, upcoming events, and a few lawsuits, and more!

Download Web Axe Episode 91 (Game Plan, CSS, Lawsuits & Events)

Transcript of podcast 91

What’s New

The Game Plan

Careful with CSS

Lawsuits

Conferences & Events

Jobs

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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

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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.