Events & Activities

Kick­start your efforts in just 60 min­utes with proven strate­gies that work in gov­ern­ment settings. Join us on Global Accessibility Awareness Day for a free, one-hour webinar packed with practical steps, real examples, and insights from public sector leaders who’ve been in your shoes—and found a way forward.

Panelists:

• Janet Shimabukuro, Assistant Director of Customer Experience, Washington State Department of Revenue
• Beckie Bean, Accessibility Consultant, Colorado Governor’s Office of Information Technology
• Moderator: Suzanne Boyd, Founder and CEO, Anthro-Tech, Inc.

You’ll walk away with:

• Proven, high-impact wins you can launch now—even under budget freezes or lean staffing
• Strategies to kickstart accessibility projects
• Tips for leadership buy-in and keeping momentum
• Real success stories from government teams that overcame funding and resource roadblocks
• Live Q&A where experts tackle your questions and give actionable 1-on-1 advice!

All registrants will receive

• Full webinar recording
• Downloadable starter guide to kick off your accessibility journey

On Global Accessibility Awareness Day, join WP Accessibility Day board members, Bet Hannon, Joe Dolson, and Amber Hinds, and lead organizer, Isla Waite, for a conversation about the current state of accessibility in WordPress, how they see it changing in the future, and what’s in the works for the WP Accessibility Day nonprofit and event this year. The panel discussion will be livestreamed on YouTube.

This special GAAD session Nichols Strategies’ Digital Accessibility Professional Learning Community for school communications professionals will focus on how we build consent and capacity to prioritize accessibility at all levels of our organizations.

May 15 is Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD)! If you’re new to accessibility, Deque’s Accessibility Fundamentals session is the perfect place to start—and it’s FREE! Led by the same accessibility experts trusted by the world’s biggest brands, this session is for everyone: policymakers, designers, developers, testers, and more. In just two hours, you will:

• Discover what digital accessibility is and why it matters.
• Learn which laws and guidelines apply to your location.
• Explore how people with disabilities navigate the web.
• Get tips for championing accessibility at your organization.

Join disability rights activist and author Emily Ladau for a powerful conversation in celebration of Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD). Drawing from her lived experience and advocacy work, Emily will share reflections on what accessibility truly means, why representation matters, and how we can all work toward a more inclusive world. In this fireside chat, Emily sits down with Lily Bond of 3Play Media to explore the evolving landscape of accessibility, the importance of centering disabled voices, and how awareness can lead to meaningful action—across media, workplaces, and everyday life. This is a session for anyone seeking to listen, learn, and deepen their understanding of disability and inclusion.

Join CPWA and CPACC-certified experts from DubBot and Promet Source for an informative webinar that delves into the critical role both automated and manual testing play in building a comprehensive accessibility strategy. You’ll learn how automated tools can quickly uncover common accessibility issues across large-scale websites, saving time and resources. We’ll also explore how manual testing complements these tools by identifying nuanced barriers that automation alone can’t detect. Finally, the session will provide practical, actionable steps for establishing a continuous accessibility monitoring program to ensure long-term compliance and inclusivity.

Join Dr. Alaina Beaver for a virtual session that is part of the international Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD) and coinciding with Boulder Startup Week! As an accessibility industry professional with over a decade of experience in the field, and as the Global Head of Accessibility Customer Engagement at ServiceNow, Alaina will share her insights in real talk about the challenges and breakthroughs that Accessibility and a broader focus on usability can provide complex tech organizations today. She’ll share her argument on why AI and Accessibility are inseparable, how Accessibility can drive real value, and share concrete resources that you can use in your own organization. Looking forward to seeing you there!

Over 95% of websites aren’t fully accessible. Yet, the most common challenge is no longer lack of awareness. It’s lack of planning, capabilities, and lasting success. Audits get done. Issues get flagged. But without the right people and processes in place, progress stalls fast. Join us to explore how top enterprises make accessibility sustainable from day one—and thrive at every stage of the journey. Together, we’ll cover insights you can use to:

➡️ Avoid common pitfalls of operationalizing digital accessibility at scale
➡️ Expand and upskill teams to build in-house capabilities for the long-term
➡️ Balance internal efforts with external support for optimal results
➡️ Monitor and maintain progress as digital content and products evolve
➡️ Integrate accessibility throughout the product development lifecycle

In an era where inclusivity is essential to educational success, AI offers powerful tools to help educators create more accessible, equitable, and engaging learning environments. This interactive webinar provides practical insights into harnessing AI to meet the diverse needs of all learners, with special attention to students experiencing visible and invisible disabilities—such as mobility, sensory, cognitive, and learning challenges.

Attendees will explore how AI-driven technologies can be employed to generate accessible learning content, including automated alt text for images, captions for videos, and accurate transcripts for audio resources. Additionally, the session will demonstrate how AI can support inclusive assessment practices by aiding in rubric creation, exemplar generation, and personalized feedback.

Throughout the webinar, educators and instructional designers will engage with case studies and hands-on demonstrations highlighting strategies to utilize AI effectively while mitigating biases and ensuring representation of diverse perspectives. By the conclusion of this engaging session, attendees will gain practical strategies and a curated toolkit of AI resources designed to enhance inclusivity, accessibility, and equity in their teaching practices.

Key Takeaways:

• Discover practical AI tools to enhance accessibility and inclusivity in course content
• Examine methods to leverage AI for equitable and personalized assessment practices
• Develop skills to recognize and mitigate biases in AI-driven educational content
• Access ready-to-use strategies and resources for immediate implementation

Intended Audience:

Faculty, instructional designers, accessibility specialists, and academic technologists committed to creating inclusive and accessible learning experiences

Each week we will discuss a different part of the book Design for All Learners: Create Accessible and Inclusive Learning Experiences. Join all sessions or just the ones you’d like to participate in. Contributing authors will be joining as well!

May 30 – Part 1: Exploring and Inclusive Mindset

June 6 – Part 2: Designing Inclusive Digital Content

June 13 – Part 3: Creating an Inclusive Physical Classroom

June 20 – Part 4: Creating an Inclusive Virtual Classroom

June 27 – Part 5: A Primer on Accessibility Standards

July 11 – Part 6: Adopting an Inclusive Mindset in Your Organization

July 18 – Part 7: Taking Action