Accessibility Matters: The What, Why & How
Date
Wednesday, March 12, 2025
Time
9:00AM –
12:00PM ET
Location
CEC 2025
Baltimore, MD
Presenters
Michelle Soriano, CAST
Kelli Suding, CAST
Audience
Conference attendees
Description
In this session, participants will also learn how accessible materials interconnect with assistive technologies. They will explore the advantages of designing for accessibility, the common issues and difficulties that people with disabilities encounter, and the best methods and tools to make sure your materials are accessible to everyone. Participants will also get practical experience with testing and reviewing materials for accessibility and will gain a deeper understanding of how accessible materials and assistive technologies work together. By the end of this session, you will have the ability and knowledge to design for accessibility from the get-go and make your materials more inclusive and effective. Key Learning Outcomes
- Identify what AEM, AT, and accessible technology are.
- Observe 2 different examples of how AEM, AT, and accessible technology work together.
- Discuss one or more ways AEM, AT, and accessible technology are being utilized in their current environment.
- Identify 3 resources to support continuous learning around AEM, AT, and accessible technology.
- Understand the concept and importance of accessibility in design and how it relates to assistive technologies.
- Identify the common barriers and challenges that people with disabilities face when accessing materials and how to avoid or overcome them.
- Learn and apply the best practices and tools for creating accessible materials, such as using appropriate fonts, colors, contrast, headings, alt text, captions, etc.
- Test and review your materials for accessibility using various methods and tools, such as screen readers, keyboard navigation, accessibility checkers, etc.