Today, marks the end of our Digital Accessibility Matters campaign, which launched in August. Over the past few months, we’ve explored the issues affecting millions of people online due to poor accessibility and shared ways to remove digital barriers.
On International Day Of Persons With Disabilities (IDPD), we take a look back over the perspectives from our Digital Accessibility Matters campaigners and present a range of key resources to help to build an accessible online world for all.
What is International Day Of Persons With Disabilities?
International Day Of Persons With Disabilities (IDPD) aims to promote an understanding of disability issues and mobilise support for the dignity, rights and wellbeing of persons with disabilities. It also seeks to increase awareness of gains to be derived from the integration of persons with disabilities in every aspect of political, social, economic and cultural life.
The 2023 IDPD theme is “United in action to rescue and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for, with and by persons with disabilities”. A fundamental shift in commitment, solidarity, financing and action is critical. Integral to this is the inclusion of the voices, needs and priorities of the global community of persons with disabilities in all their diversity.
Celebrating the Digital Accessibility Matters campaign
August saw the return of the Digital Accessibility Matters campaign, and what a campaign it has been!
During the course of the campaign, we heard from 16 incredible influential disabled people and organisations, such as Shaw Trust Accessibility Services and the Employers Network for Equality & Inclusion. By sharing their experiences about the impact that poor digital accessibility has and the restrictions they commonly face online, they’ve helped to raise vital awareness on the need to remove digital barriers.
What has the campaign been for? Exactly for comments like these, due to changing people’s mindsets:
- “Wow. This has made me rethink how I design and report on spaces. I need to really educate myself on what can be done to support everyone.”
- “Thank you for sharing, helps us all do better and consider all audiences when we share videos.”
- Do you know, it’s you talking about this that has prevented me from using a flashing effect on my reels – thank you for educating me!”
- Thank you for this well informed video highlighting the use of auto play, which is so default these days. I will definitely make sure not to use any flashing effects on my reels knowing this will help others!”
- “I need to write video descriptions. I’ve never done that before”
- “I really appreciate that you are doing these sort of campaigns. I think that most of online and social media platforms aren’t made accessible for visually impaired people. Even with some sight, it is impossible to read most tweets or news or captions, as the platforms don’t allow them to be made accessible. So, I love that you are trying to make people more aware of digital barriers.”
Not only bringing a deeper understanding on the need to create inclusive content, but also protecting people online from dangerous effects.
Here at HeX Productions, our team are passionate digital accessibility advocates and every platform that we design and develop is built with accessibility at its core. There’s nothing we love more than sharing our knowledge in order to help create an inclusive online world, so this campaign gave us the perfect platform to do just that. Throughout the campaign, we shared best accessibility practices and an array of useful free tools to help to eliminate online obstacles. This advice was not only for those in a web development or web design role, but also presented ways that organisations could tailor their online content to be inclusive for all. We have even been offering free website accessibility testing to seek out errors that could be shutting users out from information and services online and chances for people to ask our experts any burning accessibility questions.
Together, we’ve managed to reach out to hundreds of thousands of people, urging them to review their platforms and talking them through how to do so, along with how to report inaccessible websites.
It’s time for everyone to start prioritising digital accessibility and it’s each and everyone of our responsibilities to do so. There are endless benefits to becoming inclusive for organisations, but the overall gain that good digital accessibility brings to disabled people is monumental.
Read our Digital Accessibility Matters influencer blogs
Ways organisations can enhance their digital accessibility
4 steps towards web accessibility:
The need for inclusive media:
Useful accessibility resources:
Hopes for the future of digital accessibility
Some of our Digital Accessibility Matters campaigners have shared their hopes for the future with inclusion. Let’s all work together and change these hopes into a reality in 2024 and beyond!
Keep up-to-date with digital accessibility news and best practices
Just because the campaign is over, doesn’t mean that we’re stopping our crusade to shape an inclusive online world. Follow us on social media and hear unique perspectives and technical tips about digital accessibility. You can find us on:
- Facebook: Hex Productions
- X: @HeX_Productions
- LinkedIn: HeX-Productions
- Instagram: hex_productions
