May 9 is Global Accessibility Awareness Day (#GAAD), which is one day every year aimed at highlighting the importance of accessible information in a world reliant on digital technologies.
Events will be held across the country in support of GAAD, with Sydney city set to host the key event, A11y Bytes – proudly sponsored by Digital Access at Vision Australia. With a great line-up of speakers, A11y Bytes will be a celebration of inclusion through technology.
National Manager of the Digital Access team at Vision Australia, Neil King, said:
Global Accessibility Awareness Day is such an important initiative. It’s about engaging people who have no prior awareness of accessibility. Its countless benefits; its profound impact on people’s lives. The core message is that every person has a right to access information, and to participate in society.
GAAD began as a blog post by Los Angeles-based technologist, Joe Devon. Picked up on Twitter by Jennison Asuncion, a digital accessibility professional in Toronto, the two collaborated and a global awareness campaign was born. The challenge: “Raise awareness and know-how on making [web]sites accessible.” (Joe Devon, MySQLTalk.com, November 2011)
Now in its second year, accessibility and inclusive design enthusiasts from around the world will again come together on GAAD to, “…expand the conversation on digital accessibility beyond the converted.” (GAAD Facebook page)