oz: the blog of glenda sims ( the goodwitch)

You can help make the web a more accessible place by donating to Derek Featherstone’s IronMan Challenge.

Derek is competing in the upcoming IronMan Challenge in Lake Placid, New York on July 23. His goal is to raise $25,000 for Knowbility, an outstanding accessibility non-profit. If he meets that goal, Knowbility is eligible for additional matching funds from Janus!

It’s a great opportunity to support the wonderful Knowbility accessibility programs and to recognize Derek’s amazing effort! Please take a moment to pledge. If we all chip in, we can help Derek reach his goal while helping to sustain programs that ensure that everyone - including people with disabilities - can access the technology opportunities that have changed our world.

...continue reading Donate to Accessibility via Derek Featherstone’s IronMan Challenge for Knowbility

One of the most common questions I hear these days is, “Does 508 specifically apply to State of Texas Agencies and their Electronic and Information Resources?”
If you understand that the Texas State Accessibility Standard and the 508 Standard are almost exact copies of each other, then the answer is a resounding YES!
According to Texas Administrative [...]

...continue reading Don’t Discriminate! Make IT Accessible!

Knowbility Extends Early Deadline Discounts for The John Slatin Access U Training Institute, Austin, TX - May 11-12, 2009

Two days of classes in accessible information technology to help meet state and federal accessibility requirements.

In response to current economic conditions, the deadline for Early Bird discount registration rates for the John Slatin Access U training have been extended indefinitely. The announcement was made by the sponsoring organization, Knowbility, Inc.

...continue reading John Slatin Access U: Web Accessibility Conference

Yesterday was Ada Lovelace Day. What is Ada Lovelace Day? A day to honor inspirational female role models in the field of technology.

Who is my Ada? I’m incredibly fortunate to be surrounded by brilliant geek women, so selecting my Ada is delightfully difficult. Today, as I look back over my 20+ years in technology and pose the question, “What woman has helped me the most in my career as a digital alchemist?” I know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, the answer is Sharron Rush and Steph Troeth. That is right, I’ve got two Adas!

...continue reading My Adas - Sharron Rush & Steph Troeth

Ever tried to explain to a software vendor why making their products accessible is important? I often get that privilege. In fact, some of the brightest moments in my work are when I have the opportunity to open a person’s mind to the intrinsic value of accessibility.
Taking a person from “Why would blind [...]

...continue reading Understanding the Impact of Accessibility

A close friend and colleague has been told that their loved one has only hours to live. As I offer comfort, I’m reminded of when my grandmother died and I could not be there to say good-bye.

In tears, I remember writing a love note to my grandma and faxing it to the nurses station in Massachusetts, so that the nurses could read it to her.

Tonight, I recalled this poem that Meg recently shared with me. I hope some day it can bring you comfort.

...continue reading There she goes…here she comes

I’m thrilled to be speaking at Web Directions North (WDN) in Denver this February 2-7, 2009. This intimate conference is the perfect opportunity to sharpen your professional skills and rekindle your passion for all things web. The program has been handcrafted for web designers, developers and UX professionals to soak up the latest best practices. What makes WDN so special?

...continue reading Web Directions North 2009 in Denver

As an accessibility expert and advocate, I have often wondered,

How hard is it for a person to get access to the latest version of JAWs?

The answer to this question is important, especially when I’m testing the accessibility of UT web offerings. If I happen to have JAWS 10 beta installed, but my student population doesn’t have access to that version yet, I could end up reporting that content is accessible, when in reality, my students might be unable to get to the information.

...continue reading iTunes 8 is Accessible!