With a focus on digital access and inclusion, Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD) is a day to bring awareness to, and educate people globally on, the importance of digital accessibility for people with disabilities and impairments. After all, the internet is a tool meant for everyone, and that includes the more than one billion people who are blind and visually impaired, hard of hearing, and have motor and/or cognitive disabilities.
Inspired by a blog post written by Los Angeles-based web developer Joe Devon, Toronto-based accessibility professional Jennison Asuncion and Devon collaborated to co-create GAAD on the third Thursday of every May. The goal of the now globally recognized day is to bring awareness and knowledge to those who are new to digital accessibility. Supporters celebrate GAAD primarily through virtual events that allow people from all over the world to get involved.
So, how can you participate?
Today, on May 21st, you can join several free, virtual events provided by Deque Systems, Inc., a leader in digital accessibility. These range from tutorials about basic accessibility fundamentals to webinars where you can learn from panels of experts. Whether you’re eager to learn more about digital accessibility or a professional in the field, be sure to check out this list of webinars.
Throughout the year, you can also do your part to make the world more digitally accessible:
- Include captions or audio descriptions on all video content (and let others know they should, too)
- Use a free, online tool to test your website for accessibility
- Spread the GAAD message on social media
To learn more about Global Accessibility Awareness Day, please visit: globalaccessibilityawarenessday.org, and don’t forget to share this blog to help get the word out!
