I’m proud to announce Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD), Detroit returns for the third year on May 19, 2016 at 6:30pm in downtown Detroit.
We have an exciting event planned for this year: an interactive hands-on session to help you better understand the importance of making the web accessible to everyone.
GAAD is a day to raise awareness of digital accessibility in the products and services we use and design.
Started in 2012 by Joe Devon and Jennison Asuncion, GAAD has helped to spread awareness of digital accessibility with events featuring workshops, presentations, talks, and hands-on activities.
The GAAD Detroit event is one of dozens of events being held around the world on May 19 to encourage people to gather together to talk, think, and learn about accessibility.
Our event is a joint partnership between Refresh Detroit and Metro Detroit WordPress, two groups I’ve been actively involved with for years. My Refresh Detroit co-leader Nick DeNardis and I are the main organizers for GAAD Detroit; Chris DeMars is event host.
Who Is This Event For?
Do you create, develop, or design websites/web applications or web content? This event is for you!
If you want to learn how we can work together to make the web accessible to everyone, we’d love for you to attend.
Learn to Listen: Experience the Web from the Perspective of a Screen Reader User
You work hard on your web content and want it to reach as wide an audience as possible. So you study all the accessibility-related guidelines and do your best to apply them to your work.
But what does it all really mean? How does someone who uses a screen reader experience your site? How will the next change you’re planning to make impact that experience?
In this hands-on session led by Al Puzzuoli, information technologist at Michigan State University’s Resource Center for Persons with Disabilities, you’ll learn to use a screen reader as a tool to answer those questions.
In addition, you’ll:
- Experience accessible sites that work well, and sites that need improvement
- Learn the basics of controlling your computer and navigating the web, using only a screen reader and keyboard
- Visit the website of your choice, and use your skills to conduct some basic accessibility testing
Register today!
Speaker
As the resident Information Technologist at Michigan State University’s Resource Center for Persons with Disabilities, Al Puzzuoli spends his time doing network and server administration, troubleshooting computer concerns, and working with staff and students to test the accessibility of various information systems across campus.
When he is not working (or playing with computers), Al enjoys swimming, playing the trumpet, bowling, and spectator sports.
Event Details
The event will be held at Grand Circus in Detroit, Michigan from 6:30pm to 8:30pm. Pre-registration is required, cost is $5.00.
We’ll have networking and refreshments (food and soft drinks/water) from 6:30pm to 7:00pm; presentation begins at 7:10pm.
If you have a Windows or Mac laptop, we encourage you to bring it so you can get hands-on with a screen reader.
Al’s presentation will be based on using NVDA (NonVisual Desktop Access), a free screen reader for Windows. We’re expecting to have volunteer helpers for attendees using VoiceOver on the Mac.
Windows users are recommended to download and install the free NVDA screen reader on the laptop before the event.
Sponsorships Available
We invite you or your organization to take part in GAAD Detroit as a sponsor. By sponsoring GAAD Detroit, you’ll have access to an audience of web and business professionals throughout southeast Michigan and northwest Ohio.
To thank you for your sponsorship, we offer a number of benefits. Contact me for more information.
Hope to see you there!
