Proposed Accessibility Workshops for UIC - jongund/web-accessibility-course GitHub Wiki

Session 1: The Experience of Disability

The goal of the session is for participants to understand the experience of people with disabilities using the web. Participants will learn the demographics of disability and be introduced to the built-in accessibility features of Microsoft Windows and Apple macOS. The session includes hands disability experience of participants using a computer while wearing props that simulate specific disabilities. Screen readers will be demonstrated to help participates understand how the features of a website effect the usability by people who are blind.

Participants: Anyone interested in learning more about how people with disabilities use computer technology.

Time: 90 minutes

Note: Participants will be expected to have their own laptop computer for participating in the workshop activities.

Session 2: Landmarks, Headings, Links and Forms

The goal of the session is for participants to understand the basics of web page accessibility. The session will start with the use of landmark regions and HTML headings to support screen reader users in understanding the types of content on a web page. Participants will then learn how screen readers experience navigating to links. The session will continue with understanding the accessibility of forms through demonstration of the techniques for control labels, control group labels, error feedback and providing instructions. The session will close with a discussion of the issues related to navigation menus and the tradeoffs to developers and users for different techniques. The session will also include demonstrating how screen readers make this information available to users on web pages at UIC.

Participants: Participants should have some experience designing and/or creating websites.

Time: 90 minutes

Note: Participants will be expected to have their own laptop computer for testing examples using.

Session 3: Introduction to ARIA Widgets

The goal of the session is for participants to understand how ARIA enhances the accessibility of web pages for people who blind using screen readers when creating custom HTML widgets. The workshop will work through creating a custom checkbox and comparing the custom checkbox to the experience of a standard HTML checkbox when using screen readers. The steps in example includes adding keyboard support, roles, properties and an accessible name to creates a fully accessible custom checkbox. The checkbox example will also demonstrate how to support people with visual impairments through using images, character entries and SVG graphics to render the visual state of the checkbox. Each stage in the examples will be available online for participants to try with there own computers and assistive technologies.

Participants: Participants should have basic knowledge of HTML and web page creation.

Time: 90 minutes

Note: Participants will be expected to have their own laptop computer for testing each step in the checkbox example development.

Session 4: ARIA Building Blocks

The goal of the session is for participants to understand the essential concepts and best practices for creating accessible websites and the role ARIA can play in accessibility. The session will start with an overview of how HTML, CSS and ARIA markup is combined to communicate accessibility information through operating system accessibility APIs to assistive technologies, including screen readers. Participants will learn how keyboard support determines which roles should be used to describe content to assistive technology users. The session will review the keyboard, roles, properties and states used in the ARIA Authoring Practice examples, including menu button, combo-box, slider and date picker dialog examples. The session will provide information on concepts and best practices for defining accessible names and descriptions. The session will conclude with best practice techniques for supporting operating system high contrast settings through the use of SVG, CSS and media queries.

Participants: Participants should have some experience with HTML, CSS and Javascript coding.

Time: 90 minutes

Note: Participants will be expected to have their own laptop computer for testing examples in the ARIA Authoring Practices.