Events & Activities

February 5 through May 15, 2025 marks the second annual 100 Days of Accessibility at the University of Iowa. The goal of the 100 Days initiative is to illustrate the ongoing nature of accessibility practice by providing a window of opportunity for individuals and groups to effect real progress in their accessibility journey. Throughout the 100 Days, Accessibility@IOWA offers trainings, workshops, and other resources to increase awareness, develop skills, set goals, and inspire knowledgeable action toward accessibility and inclusion.

(german below) Since 2018 the accessibility working group of the German UPA (professional association of german usability and user experience professionals) publishes a series of articles to raise awareness of digital accessibility and make existing knowledge and information accessible for UX professionals. All articles (including those from previous years) are publicly accessible all times at www.fronta11y.org The CfP open until April 1st: https://forms.gle/JAza26JGZCLkxeJ56 join us! — (unten auf Deutsch) Seit 2018 veröffentlicht die Arbeitskreis Barrierefreiheit der German UPA (Berufsverband der deutschen Usability- und User-Experience-Professionals) eine Reihe von Artikeln, um das Bewusstsein für digitale Barrierefreiheit zu schärfen und vorhandenes Wissen und Informationen für UX-Professionals und allies zugänglich zu machen. Alle Artikel (auch die aus den Vorjahren) sind jederzeit unter www.fronta11y.org öffentlich erreichbar. Der Aufruf zur Einreichung von Beiträgen läuft bis zum 1. April: https://forms.gle/JAza26JGZCLkxeJ56 Mach mit!

This free event highlights assistive technology solutions and ideas that helps make our campus more accessible, working toward the goal of universal design.

As Google Maps Volunteers, Local Guides are celebrating their 10th anniversary contributing data (photos, reviews, videos and rates) on Google Maps. We have dedicated the month of May 2025 to review our activities towards accessibility and inclusion. This will help us make more helpful and useful contributions for billions of users worldwide. Join us!

Name: Chhatarpur Accessibility Awareness Day

Date: 2nd May 2025

Time: Morning (starting at 9:00 AM)

Venue: Police Line, Chhatarpur, Madhya Pradesh

Organized by: Chhatarpur Local Guides

Event Lead: Ranu5g

Main Objective: To increase accessibility information for Chhatarpur on Google Maps and make it a model for modernization among Class 3 cities in India.

Hello everyone! Today we have gathered here at Police Line, Chhatarpur for a very important mission – Chhatarpur Accessibility Awareness Day. This event is an opportunity for all of us Chhatarpur Local Guides to make our city even more accessible on Google Maps. Today’s objective is to make people aware that whenever we review a place, we must also write about its accessibility features – like wheelchair ramps, accessible toilets, elevators, parking spaces, or sensory support like Braille menu and sign language support. This will not only help in building an inclusive city, but will also help a Class 3 city like Chhatarpur to be recognised as a modern city on the Indian map. If Chhatarpur comes on top in terms of accessibility and modernization, it will be the result of our hard work. Today is the beginning of a new thought, a new direction and a change.

Deutsche Telekom – Month of Accessibility 2025 May 6–28, 2025

To build awareness and strengthen accessibility skills across the organization, Deutsche Telekom is hosting a Month of Accessibility from May 6 to 28, around GAAD on May 15. The internal program includes keynote talks, workshops, hands-on testing sessions, and contributions from external experts and employees with lived experience. Topics range from accessibility and AI to inclusive user journeys and neurodiversity. The initiative is hosted by the T&I / DT IT segment and supports awarenss for the European Accessibility Act (EAA) and highlights accessibility as a driver of innovation, product quality, and inclusive workplace culture.

We’re celebrating this year’s GAAD by changing genres: instead of theory now we’re putting the focus squarely on practice. Diving deep into the details, thoroughly exploring one specific issue, breaking it down into pieces, and collaboratively working out solutions with a focus on different ability areas. Besides accessibility experts Károly Szántai and Árpád Nagy guiding you through the entire process, you will also meet several experts by experience, who provide help and feedback on your work. Through interactive activities, participants will gain hands-on knowledge of accessibility practices and tools, and learn how to improve the accessibility of their own products and services.

Join IrishJobs, part of The Stepstone Group, for an exclusive briefing on the upcoming EU accessibility legislation and its implications for fostering inclusivity in the workplace. The European Accessibility Act (EAA) comes into force on the 28th of June this year. The new accessibility requirements are aimed at removing barriers for individuals with disabilities, promoting equality, and standardising accessibility standards across industries and EU member countries. This legislation is a significant opportunity to not only ensure compliance but also to create a more inclusive, diverse, and equitable work environment.

Our speakers:

• Cormac Chisholm, Founder of DevAlly and accessibility advocate
• Adam Harris, Founder and CEO of AsIAm, Ireland’s Autism Charity
• Bobbie Hickey, Influencer and disability inclusion advocate
• Mimouna Mahdaoui, Head of Accessibility, The Stepstone Group

At the Lunch & Learn you will learn:

• The key components of the EU accessibility legislation.
• How accessibility affects recruitment strategies, workplace policies, technologies, and practices.
• Strategies to align with the regulations and champion inclusivity.

Whether you’re in HR, operations, or leadership, this briefing will equip you with the knowledge to navigate these changes effectively and create a workplace where everyone can thrive. We look forward to seeing you there as we explore how inclusivity in the workplace can be both a legal requirement and a strategic advantage. Attendees will also have the opportunity to experience our award-winning Accessibility Lab. The Lab provides a safe environment to challenge preconceptions and biases around disability, with interactive content and a suite of tailored exercises covering a range of disabilities and conditions.

Throughout GAAD week, we will be sharing on the Web for All Movement’s social media profiles (Instagram, Facebook and Linkedin) testimonials from some people with disabilities in our network, telling what they do on the web when they find accessible websites and applications, for example. Developing digital channels with accessibility can no longer be seen as a favor or as an unnecessary investment. This thinking is outdated and urgently needs to be updated. Digital accessibility is provided for in the Brazilian Inclusion Law (LBI – 13.146), more specifically in article 63. There is also a very recent ABNT standard – NBR 17225 – with all the detailed recommendations used globally to make websites accessible. The campaign theme chosen for this year is “We are here: accessibility is not a favor!” This concept was chosen because, despite all the barriers, people with disabilities are present on the web every day. They are working, studying, creating, consuming. It is not about the future: it is about presence. And ensuring digital accessibility is not a favor, it is the minimum. It is recognizing a basic right. In addition to showing these people how to generate more connection with society, we will share educational content on how to develop accessible digital projects. We will also teach how to identify accessibility flaws on websites and how to correct them.

How people can participate:
a) Reposting our posts to raise awareness in your network.
b) Tagging people and companies in the comments of our posts and encouraging your contacts to reflect on this urgent and necessary topic.
c) Sharing this issue with the leadership and colleagues of the company where you work and suggesting that they start a review of accessibility on the organization’s internal and external digital channels.
d) Making your own posts more accessible by describing the images, captioning videos and ensuring adequate contrast in the images you post.
e) Taking advantage of the commemorative date to create themed corporate events to raise awareness among the internal public of the company where you work.

Nutzt Eure Kaffeepause für Inputs und Diskussionen zu aktuellen Themen der digitalen Barrierefreiheit. In der Woche rund um den GAAD erwarten Euch jeweils um 14:00 Uhr Kurzvorträge, gefolgt von einer offenen Diskussionsrunde. Jede Sitzung dauert 30 Minuten: 15 Minuten Input und 15 Minuten Diskussion. Wir freuen uns auf Eure Teilnahme und einen gemeinsamen (digitalen) Kaffee!