GOVTalks Fall 2014: Accessibility

On November 12, 2014, state agency employees gathered for our Accessibility GOVTalks. We heard from other agencies and private organizations to ensure our websites are accessible for everyone, including those with physical and cognitive disabilities.

Georgia's Accessible ICT Initiative

Mike Galifianakis
State ADA Coordinator

Programs and services must be usable and accessible for everyone. The World Wide Web's been around for decades now, about as long as the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). It's past time we eliminate the digital divide between government services and people with disabilities.

Accessible Practices for State Organizations

Christopher Lee
Department Head, AMAC Accessibility Solutions and Research Center

See how real state organizations have implemented accessible practices, and actually saved money and resources in the process. The University System of Georgia, for example, switched from providing textbooks in braille — costing $30,000-50,000 each — to using digital copies to serve multiple students across the state.

Disability 101

Liz Persaud
Training, Outreach and Development Coordinator, AMAC Accessibility Solutions and Research Center

Carolyn Phillips
Tools for Life Director, AMAC Accessibility Solutions and Research Center

Over 54 million American have a disability, making this the country's largest minority. What does it look like to live with a disability? See real-life examples, personal anecdotes, and impressive assistive technology. “For a person without a disability, technology makes things easier. For a person with a disability, technology makes things possible.”

The Case for ICT Accessibility and Web Accessibility Tips, Tools, and Strategies

Joy Kniskern
Technology Initiatives Strategist, AMAC Accessibility Solutions and Research Center

Learn the history, current laws, and projected outcome of accessible legislation in the United States and Georgia. Several legal documents and cases stress the need for making technology accessible for everyone. Learn how to make sure your digital communications comply with legal requirements.

Tips for Compliance

• Make sure your third party vendors are trained in web accessibility
• Avoid the colors yellow, green, and red
• Avoid using colors alone to convey information
• Use true text and not text images
• Don’t have a font size smaller than 10
• Have descriptive hyperlinks (not “click here” or “read more”)
• Caption videos
• No flashing content
• Provide alternative text for images

Accessibility Compliance Resource

Tools for Making Accessible Documents

Norah Sinclair
Customer Support and E-Text Accessibility Specialist, AMAC Accessibility Solutions and Research Center

Word documents, PowerPoints, and PDFs also need to be accessible. Follow along with Norah's workshop to learn how.

Closing Remarks