The webmaster of Knowbility asked me if I would be interested in submitting a short article on Access U for the Knowbility newsletter. This is what I just sent off…
I stumbled upon Access U and Knowbility in early 2007 when searching online for accessibility training or conferences. Being from Ohio, I had never heard of the organization before, but the breadth of the courses (from coding best practices to advice on how to effect organizational change) really impressed me. I signed up, and the biggest challenge was narrowing down which sessions I would attend! In the end, I selected
- Enterprise Accessibility Compliance Concepts
- How we Use the Web
- Accessible Forms
- Accessibility- What NOT to do.
- Designing for Accessibility: Beauty Secrets of the CSS Masters
- Moving Large Organizations Towards Accessibility and Standards
- Testing for Web Accessibility
As the time towards the conference drew nearer, I got increasingly excited, particularly with the communication from Teenya Franklin. Even before I set foot on the St. Edwards campus, I felt like I was ‘part’ of the conference. This feeling of community and shared knowledge and passion for the field continued through the next several days. The information I gained from the sessions themselves was equally as important to me as the opportunity to meet some real experts and advocates in the field of accessibility. It was wonderful to ask their thoughts on specific issues that had been plaguing me, and I am thankful I made those connections, as I have continued to engage with them since returning home.
My only regret? That as an Ohio resident, I may never have the opportunity to again attend Access U and participate in what was so engaging and enjoyable an experience. But I suppose that is just one more reason why it is so important to develop an accessible online environment - to continue to foster such community!
