There is something magical about reading to a child. My mom read to me often and I cherish those memories.

One of my favorite books was a manuscript my mom had written, “Herbie Hic-up”. I’ve always dreamed of getting mom’s book published. She had sketched illustrations, but wanted an illustrator to bring the visuals to life.

Fast forward 40+ years. I may have grown-up, but I still dreamed of asking my favorite British designer, Jon Hicks, if he would consider illustrating my mom’s book.

2010, I finally asked Jon. I was so thrilled when he said he would give it a go…that I squealed and bounced around like a little kid. I may have grown older, but I have the heart and soul of a 4 year old (and I wouldn’t have it any other way).

Watch “The Tale of Herbie Hiccup” come to life.

I am surrounded by women in technology that inspire me. When I paused to consider who to recognize as my Ada for 2010, I knew without a doubt, it was Leslie Jensen-Inman. Leslie’s developing a model web education program at the University of Tennessee Chattanooga. Her students, steeped in web standards and best practices, are already producing professional level work before they graduate. I’ve met and worked side-by-side with a number of her students and can testify that Leslie’s passion for creating beautiful and usable web sites has been ignited in each of them.

Leslie’s desire to teach the web doesn’t stop with her students. She actively reaches out to educators, community leaders, business people and web developers. Leslie orchestrated the first in a series of fabulous events called Web Education Rocks (aka WE Rock Tour). This event brought together teachers, students, artists, web developers, politicians, entrepreneurs and business leaders who all benefit from an open web. The event helped everyone understand that the future of the web is built on today’s web education. It was a magical evening of inspiration, connecting and sharing of valuable web education curriculum resources (WaSP InterACT Curriculum Framework). And the WE Rock Tour didn’t end there…it continued in Australia and is booking dates in Europe and the US for 2010.

I cannot possibly express how inspired I have been by Leslie’s vision, energy and boundless optimism. Working with her is deeply satisfying and re-energizing. But don’t just take my word for it. Join us in the great adventure to further Web Education!

Join world renowned accessibility experts for two days of classes, many of them hands-on, to help you improve your skills and understand the both the need and the techniques for inclusive IT design. From the basics to the bleeding edge, AccessU will provide the resources you need.

Who Should Attend Access U

Web developers, IT Managers, policy developers, administrators, programmers and anyone else with IT responsibilities in your company

Register for AccessU Online Today!

How To Register For AccessU

Where: St. Edward’s University, Austin, Texas
When:Monday, May 10th and Tuesday, May 11th, 2010
Optional post conference classes on Weds. May 12th, 2010

Cost:
Early Bird Rates: Rates will go up $ 75 after April 1, 2010
General Registration: $425 (2 days of workshops) – or $235 per day
Usability Track $425 – two days of workshops
2 days AccessU with Post Conference: $820.00
Post Conference Only: $395

Group Rate (register 6 people or more for a 30% discount), contact Kim Leno kim@knowbility.org.

For conference information, contact

Teenya Franklin, Community Programs Director
teenya@knowbility.org
512.305.0310

Font Size and Accessibility

The good folks at WebAIM have added an alert to the WAVE for any font rendered at 9px or below. They have observed that it becomes more difficult to read small text below 10px, particularly if you have a visual disability.

Font Size and Readability

Julia Kulla-Mader has studied the readability and legibility of fonts and posted her research at In Search of the Perfect Font. Her conclusion:

* Use an 11 to 14 point font regardless of your audience.
* Pay as much attention to font color as you pay to font size.
* Use scalable fonts.

Font Size and Usability and Aging

Clara Sibley has gathered valuable data on usability and aging. It is not surprise to see that research has shown 8-9 point font sizes (and even 10 point) are too small for the elderly.

Nayak et al (2006) examined the effect of font size and design attributes on comprehension. One hundred and five seniors ranging from 58 to 90 years of age participated in the study. Findings showed that 33% of the participants found 8-9 point font size too small with an additional 22% finding 10-point text too small.

Arc90 Readability Tool

When I’m on a destination page and really want to read it, I often reach for my Readability Bookmarklet. After clicking the magic “Readability” button, I sigh in relief and then dive into the juicy content with my eyes and my brain fully engaged.

So, when you want to read, I recommend Readability aka The Peace and Quiet Button).

What Do You Think?

If you were the god of the internet and could set a minimum font size standard (for text that is intended to be read)…what would you do?

Me…I think, if you set your rendered font size below 10 point, you really don’t want me to read it.

Do you remember when you first became a web standards believer? (or do you want to know why web standards are important?) Whether it was last week, last year or last decade, it forever changes the way you create for the web. But, when was the last time you helped someone else understand the value of web standards? Until web standards have completely permeated our industry, it is important for us to continue to spread the word while producing content that illustrates the point.

If you haven’t heard, Monday, November 30th is “Blue Beanie Day”. What in the world is “Blue Beanie Day”? It is a great idea dreamed up by Douglas Vos of Detroit, Michigan to show support for web standards and accessibility. Here is an excerpt from the 3rd Annual Blue Beanie Day Event Page:

The third annual Blue Beanie Day will be celebrated on Monday, November 30, 2009. On this day thousands of Standardistas (people who support web standards) will wear a Blue Beanie to show their support for accessible, semantic web content.

It’s easy to show your support for web design done right. Beg, borrow, or buy a Blue Beanie (or Blue Toque in Canada) and snap a photo of your mug wearing the blue. (Or get creative with Photoshop). Then on November 30, switch your profile picture in Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, (and any other social network) and post your photo to the Flickr Blue Beanie Day 2009 group.

Next Steps

1. Make a personal commitment to fight Web Standards apathy. Show solidarity with the Standardistas on Monday, November 30th, 2009.
2. Buy, beg, or borrow a Blue Beanie (blue hat or cap, even a black or grey one will do in a pinch.)
3. Take a photo of yourself wearing the Blue Beanie. Or take a cool group photo of you and your friends wearing Blue Beanies.
4. Post your photo, or photos to Facebook, Flickr, Twitter, and other social networks on Monday, November 30th, 2009. Remember to switch your Facebook profile photo that day, too!.
5. Start by inviting all your friends to the Facebook Event for Blue Beanie Day 2009.
6. Promote Blue Beanie Day on your blog, wiki, facebook page, twitter tweets — telling all your friends to get ready for Blue Beanie Day.

Want to help with planning the 3rd Annual Blue Beanie Day? Organize a group photo in your city? You might qualify to win a free copy of Zeldman and Marcotte’s (brand new) Designing With Web Standards 3rd edition. Contact Douglas Vos (mailto:doug.vos@gmail.com?Subject=BlueBeanieDay2009)

So, what are you waiting for? Go find, make, or photoshop your Blue Beanie. Tell your friends and see how many new people you can introduce to the way the web should will be.

For a quick introduction, I recommend starting with the W3C goals. I swear, every time I read them I get goosebumps. Once you have “web for everyone. web on everything.” as your personal goal, you could head to the W3C’s Developing a Web Accessibility Business Case or read the difinitive text by Jefferey Zeldman, Designing with Web Standards.

It was a somber experience. The site was so much larger than I had imagined. I felt grief, loss and emptiness. I’m not sure what I was searching for, but I just knew I hadn’t found it yet…so I kept walking…one more block….one more block.

And then I came to St. Paul’s Chapel and I knew I had found what my heart and soul were seeking. As I walked through the gate, I experienced the feeling of quiet strength, courage and hope in the midst of the greatest loss.

As I was walking back to my hotel, I passed Firehouse 10. The door was open and two firemen were talking to tourists and selling tshirts and calendars (all proceeds go to charity).

Someone in the crowd asked if these men had been there on 9 11. Fire Fighter John Morabito said he was there, inside the building as it started to come down. He brought out a photo album to share.

It wasn’t until later, on my trip home, that I read an account of Morabito’s experiences. But at that moment, all I knew was…this man is my hero. And for all the people who risked their lives to save others….I hugged him and thanked him.

At 2:49pm on Sunday, October 18, 2009, I forever fell in love with New York.

Every exception form that is filled out will need to be reviewed by that agency’s accessibility coordinator. And the head of that agency will have to approve any exceptions, while documenting how reasonable accommodations will be handled as well as setting a time limit on the exception.

Every exception is a chance to help people see that making IT accessible is often easier than documenting exceptions. And if the agency understands the principles of universal accessibility, then the effort to make IT compliant ends up benefiting everyone.

With that said, I’m collecting a list of Electronic Information Resources (EIR) Accessibility Exception Requests to share with my colleagues. I hope you find this information helpful and that you use it to knock down barriers between people and information technology.

EIR Accessibility Exception Requests

• California State University – CSU IT Accessibility Exception Request (doc)
• Texas Workforce Commission – TWC EIR Accessibility Exception Request (pdf)
• Texas Health and Human Services – HHS EIR Accessibility Exception Request (doc).

You may wonder why a girl in Texas is referencing a university in California. Well, while CSU is far from Texas, they have taken a leadership role in accessible IT. In fact, CSU’s Accessibility Technology Initiative is a great model to examine. Closer to home, the Texas HHS Accessibility Center is another excellent state agency accessibility program

Are there any other EIR Accessibility Exception Request forms that you have found helpful? I’d love to know about them!

Open Web Education Alliance: Educating the Next Generation

In the world of web standards, industry forms best practices, education instructs emerging talent—and neither the twain shall meet. A decade on, the rate of standards adoption across the school/street divide is dishearteningly poor. Join us to discover how curriculum building and strategic industry alliance can close the gap.

Don’t miss your chance to hear about the revolution that is occurring in web education. Vote for the Open Web Education Alliance: Educating the Next Generation panel in the SXSWi 2010 Panel Picker.

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.

What’s an IronMan?

For those that aren’t familiar with an IronMan triathlon, here’s how it goes: at 7am 2400 people begin a gruelling day of triathlon racing 3.8km swim (2.4 miles), 180km bike (112 miles), and then run a marathon 42.2 km (26.2 miles). Eventually most will make our way across the finish line, though some will not.

How will Knowbility spend your money?

Every dollar of the funds raised through the Janus Challenge is directly applied to Knowbility’s award-winning programs. The convenient online form even allows you to choose which program your donation supports. Here is a brief snapshot of current program activities:

• ATSTAR – ATSTAR (for Assistive Technology: Strategies, Tools, Accommodations & Resources) helps teachers, school administrators and parents effectively integrate assistive technology into the classroom for students. This online series of training modules has had over 600 participants this year, affecting thousands of K-12 students throughout the US! We’ve launched an online Forum for ATSTAR students and alumni, and are looking forward to welcoming new schools this fall.
• Accessibility Training Institutes – For technology professionals who need to know more about accessibility, Knowbility offers training aligned with emerging technologies, new guidelines and best practices

  The California Web Accessibility Conference, attracting over 200 attendees from California universities, state agencies and businesses across the US is offered annually in partnership with the University of California’s Chancellor’s office.

  The John Slatin AccessU is a 3 day annual conference produced in partnership with St Edward’s University. Hands-on accessibility classes are organized into 4 professional tracks: Technical, Content, Administrative and Usability.

• The Accessibility Internet Rally (AIR) – Participants, start your (search) engines! AIR is a web design contest focused on creating web sites that are accessible to everyone, including people with disabilities The purpose of the AIR program is to raise awareness and skills within the technology sector about how and why to make technology applications accessible. AIR Rallys are currently run in Austin, San Antonio, and Houston and are planned for Boston and other cities around the US. Donate to support AIR in your city!
• AccessWorks – The AccessWorks program provides fee-based accessibility assessment, reporting and remediation services for customers in both the public and private sectors.

  The revenue generated helps to sustain our organization and provide further opportunities for people with disabilities.

  AccessWorks is now hiring disabled veterans and people with disabilities as part of an innovative on-the-job training program where they will learn how to perform accessibility remediation of PDF files and other common document formats. As an integral part of Knowbility’s accessibility practice, the trainees will provide valuable services to our customers and contribute to making the electronic world more accessible and inclusive for everyone.

Knowbility programs need your support, please make a donation! You will be helping millions of people with disabilities who deserve access to technology/

Knowbility is a non-profit based in Austin, Texas . Knowbility’s mission is to support the independence of children and adults with disabilities by promoting the use and improving the availability of accessible information technology. We envision a world of barrier-free information technology in which children, youth, and adults with disabilities have greater options to learn, work, and fully participate as producers and consumers in the information marketplace.

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 Code (TAC 206.50) all state of Texas web sites must meet the Texas accessibility standard. The Texas accessibility standard (as laid out in TAC 206.50) is almost an exact copy of the Federal 508 standard. They basically did a copy and paste, and then the state of Texas made one change…they made it so captioning for multi-media (video/audio) is not required in advance. According to Texas state law, captioning must be provided on request. Everything else from the Federal 508 standard applies. And in reality, the state of Texas could still be sued under the 508 standard via the ADA…so we aren’t completely safe from the captioning in advance issue either.

Here is a quote from the TAC 206.50 portion of the Texas State Law:

Effective September 1, 2006, unless an exception is approved by the executive director of the state agency or an exemption has been made for specific technologies pursuant to §213.17 of this title, all new or changed Web pages and Web content shall comply with the standards described in this subchapter.

Perhaps an even better piece of the Texas State law is TAC 213.15 (Accessibility Standards for State Agencies: Functional Performance Criteria) where it reads:

Effective September 1, 2006, unless an exception is approved by the executive director of the state agency or an exemption has been made for specific technologies pursuant to §213.17 of this chapter, all electronic and information resources developed, procured or changed by a state agency shall comply with the standards described in this subchapter.

There is no shadow of a doubt, all information technology MUST be accessible if you are a State of Texas Agency. Doesn’t matter if you bought it or developed it. Doesn’t matter if it is meant for the public, or just meant for your employees. Any deviation from the State of Texas Accessibility requires a compliance exception and exemption as defined by TAC 213.17. This exception must be approved by the executive director of that agency and must include:

• a date of expiration;
• a plan for alternate means of access for persons with disabilities;
• justification for the exemption.

And, if laws aren’t motivational to you…if it takes a lawsuit to get your attention….well….the risk of lawsuits is very real. Target.com settled for 6 million dollars in August 2008 over an accessibility lawsuit. There is a lawsuit in the courts right now against the state of Texas and Oracle/Peoplesoft (brought by Texas State Employees). A new case just hit the books over Law School Applicants.

• Target Settlement
• Law School
• State of Texas & Oracle

Staples also just reached an agreement to make their stores and web sites accessible.

I think the writing on the wall is crystal clear. Information Technology needs to be accessible for everyone. If you are not actively making your IT accessible, then I believe that you are guilty of discrimination.