Why We Never Get to Web Accessibility 102

00:00:11 Let's get started! I'm starting right away because, again, we've got a lot of ground to cover. Hi everybody, welcome to my talk. My name is Liz, and I work at Vitals. That's my Twitter handle, and just a warning: it's filled with a lot of Star Trek and Dungeons & Dragons. If you want to follow me based on that, great! Today we're going to talk about why we never get to Web Accessibility 102.

00:00:32 Before I start, I have a couple of disclaimers to cover. First, I do not identify as disabled; I'm coming at this from the perspective of an able-bodied person who works a lot in accessible development. There are many great disabled developers and internet users who have articulated important points about this topic, and I will provide resources at the end of this talk so you can find their work.

00:00:58 Disclaimer number two: I'm going to touch briefly on some legal aspects, but in case it's not obvious, I am NOT a lawyer, and even if I were, I am NOT your lawyer, so you should not take legal advice from me. Disclaimer number three: this will be a very U.S.-focused talk. I'm cognizant that there are people here from other countries, but I am more familiar with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

00:01:23 Despite this limitation, I hope there are still some general principles discussed that apply widely. Finally, there is currently a debate in the disabled community regarding the terminology used—whether to reference disabled people or people with disabilities. I'll be using both terms interchangeably because I respect that individuals may feel strongly one way or the other. If I say something that is not your preferred term, I apologize.

00:01:43 So let's start with why I’m here. Like many of you, I saw a tweet back in December opening the RailsConf call for proposals. I thought about what I was working on that might interest the Rails community. Over the past year and a half, I’ve been ramping up my focus on accessible development at my company, so I decided to talk about that.

00:02:10 In fact, I decided to give a presentation I’ve already delivered at my company to various teams in different settings. That presentation includes topics like: Welcome to Accessibility 101! Disabled people use your website—some use screen readers, some are color blind. Try out your website using just the keyboard. You get the idea.

00:02:37 Before transitioning into software development, my background was in academia, where one cardinal rule is to try not to repeat what others have already said. While this topic is important, I am aware that similar things have been said repeatedly at this conference; notably, in 2017, 2015, 2014, and all the way back to 2006. I'm not implying those talks are needless repetition; I actually watched all of them in preparation for this talk. The different perspectives that developers bring to the topic make it worthwhile to explore.

00:03:12 It's not necessarily a bad thing to have multiple talks on the same topic; we only get to meet like this once a year. We often hear talks on how Docker improved my Rails app, cured my acne, and even saved my marriage, which shows that repetition can be beneficial. However, this leads to the question: why do we repeatedly cover Accessibility 101 without diving deeper? What we need are specific talks catered to our audience that offer more than just introductory information.

00:03:50 For example, I’m talking about accessible syntax—where it lives and what it looks like. Did you know that if you need a strikethrough on your website, you can achieve that with either HTML 'del' tags or CSS text decoration properties? The way you implement these can impact how certain screen-reader and browser combinations read your content, especially in contexts where it's vital that the screen reader announces changes clearly.

00:04:27 In this RailsConf context, how about a specific talk like 'How I Hacked NVDA into Loving Rails'? NVDA is the only widely used open-source screen reader. By learning how it operates, you can enhance your web applications for accessibility. If you have specialized knowledge in a popular framework, you can submit pull requests to improve compatibility either for NVDA or Rails.

00:04:49 My original idea for this talk was to suggest we stop doing Accessibility 101 and dive headfirst into 102. However, I discussed this with Tim Springer, the CEO of Level Access, a company that conducts website audits for accessibility and offers great training programs. He pointed out that it’s not necessary for everyone to possess Accessibility 102 level knowledge. Not every Docker user is responsible for giving talks about Docker, after all.

00:05:28 He also noted that when evaluating website accessibility, the top 10 out of the 100 most common accessibility-related bugs usually encompass about 80% of total accessibility issues. These issues often boil down to basic concepts, such as providing labels for form fields and using correct alt attributes for images.

00:05:59 Clearly, we keep giving 101 talks, yet we fail to implement that foundational knowledge. This brings me to a realization rooted in my background in the liberal arts. If we are passing on knowledge but failing to do so effectively, it’s worth asking why this is happening. I found a pretty straightforward answer: we develop expertise in the domains we focus on, but we’re not adequately investing in accessible development.

00:06:39 Thank you for coming to my talk! Oh wait—I have 32 minutes left! We should address the second question: Why aren’t we working harder to become better at accessible development? This is a multifaceted question with various factors at play, starting with perhaps the least comfortable one, which is ableism.

00:07:05 Every person in this room, and anyone watching this video later, has grown up in an ableist society. None of us chose that, but we must address it as we have a say in how ableism manifests moving forward. One of the most damaging ways that ableism affects us all is by erasing disabled people—their presence, voices, stories, perspectives, and needs.

00:07:57 Let’s conduct a quick experiment related to self-identification of disabilities. The 2010 census asked people whether they identified as having a disability; however, it’s important to note this only reflects those who felt comfortable disclosing that in a census. Self-identification is often problematic, as we will discover.

00:08:23 We're going to do an interactive exercise. Raise your hand if the following number sounds too low and keep it raised until I mention a number you think sounds too high. Ready? Let’s start with 1 in 100. Does that sound too low? Raise your hand. How about 1 in 50? 1 in 10? 1 in 5? Hands down, now you’re finally right: 19% of adults in America identify as having a disability. This figure is likely an undercount.

00:08:56 There are individuals who don’t feel comfortable disclosing their disabilities or may not view their condition as a disability, despite it being categorized as such. For example, some individuals with color blindness might not consider themselves disabled, even though their experience necessitates accessible development.

00:09:37 Given this context, we’ll stick with the number 19%. Now, let’s discuss two formative aspects of society that contribute to understanding how ableism operates: entertainment and education. Let’s start with entertainment. During the 2017–2018 primetime television season, only 1.8% of regular recurring characters had a disability.

00:10:20 Moreover, as reported by the Washington Post, approximately 95% of characters with disabilities in film and television were portrayed by actors who do not have disabilities. Moving on to education, many of us likely learned about historical figures like Helen Keller in school, and you may know about FDR using a wheelchair.

00:10:51 However, did you know about Harriet Tubman’s seizure disorder? Were you aware that we largely thank two remarkable deaf women scientists, Henrietta Swan Leavitt and Annie Jump Cannon, for our understanding of different types of stars based on their color? I could continue discussing the significant contributions of disabled individuals in U.S. history, but it’s clear that such stories are not widely taught.

00:11:28 Now, let’s shift to technology. I’ve been trying to find accurate statistics regarding the percentage of tech workers who identify as having a disability, but this information is hard to come by. One major tech company, Slack, has gathered this data, and I want to commend them for doing so. 1.7% of Slack’s workers identify as having a disability, compared to 19% in the general population, indicating a significant gap.

00:12:17 This disparity leads us to reconsider: is it surprising that the disabled community is often absent from our work, and consequently, from the priorities of our companies and teams? However, I don’t believe this problem is solely attributed to ableism; there are various other reasons at play.

00:12:44 During my discussion with Tim Springer, he highlighted a common issue among companies he audits. Many adopt a fixed-break mindset toward accessible development, meaning they only address accessibility issues sporadically or reactively, rather than integratively.

00:13:00 Additionally, I have observed companies employing a feature mindset, where they might focus on a single aspect of accessibility for one specific day and then quickly switch their attention to other features, neglecting the long-term commitment required for maintaining accessibility. Accessibility should be integrated into ongoing workflows; it is not something you merely check off and move on from.

00:13:45 Unfortunately, this leads to situations where, every few years, companies realize their sites are not accessible and scramble to outsource it to a third party, hoping someone else will fix the problem for them without recognizing that accessibility needs consistent and dedicated attention.

00:14:15 I have also seen companies organize accessibility hackathons, and while these can be beneficial for exploring creative solutions, they are not effective for creating lasting accessibility improvements. This is particularly true in scenarios where only 1.7% of tech workers identify as having a disability, as it diminishes opportunities for consulting individuals who are directly impacted by accessibility challenges.

00:14:50 For instance, several years ago, I started learning sign language, and I quickly noticed a recurring pattern: once a year, someone always sends me an article about 'sign language reading gloves,' promising to revolutionize communication for the deaf. However, the experts have already pointed out that it's a gimmick compared to using a simple piece of paper and a pen, which is much more effective.

00:15:30 These trends reflect the short-burst mindset that often exists among stakeholders. When stakeholders only engage occasionally, asking once a year whether everything is accessible, it creates pressure for reactive rather than proactive planning.

00:16:07 At the developer level, we also experience challenges in prioritization. I can choose what tickets to work on in my company, which is likely true for many of you. The projects I volunteer for often fall into one of these categories: does it make my life easier, does it have a significant impact, or does it simply look cool? Unfortunately, accessible development often does not meet these criteria.

00:16:54 If only 1.7% of developers identify as having a disability, the changes may not seem to improve our immediate lives. Additionally, even though many disabled users exist, ableism often undermines their experiences and reduces our perception of impact. Moreover, accessibility solutions sometimes appear unpolished compared to newer features that seem visually appealing.

00:17:38 I had to have a difficult conversation with my team last year regarding a tooltip feature that we were excited about. Unfortunately, the new tooltip didn’t function properly with screen readers, which meant we had to stick with the previous, clunky version.

00:18:12 Additionally, there are structural challenges in our workflow that need addressing. For instance, there’s a perception in programming that front-end work is not 'real' coding. This perception creates barriers to prioritizing front-end responsibilities, where most accessibility work resides.

00:18:51 To conclude this section, let’s engage in a quick activity. Close your eyes and, if at any point during your career, you have copied and pasted code from a tutorial or Stack Overflow, raise your hand. Keep your hand raised if you did this in the past month. Look around; you’re in good company.

00:19:22 What this demonstrates is that it’s easy to incorporate code snippets for common programming tasks. However, while examples from tutorials frequently utilize only basic HTML structures, like 'ul' and 'li', these do not convey the importance of semantic HTML for developing accessible websites.

00:20:05 Good semantic HTML is critical for web accessibility, but if developers are only exposed to less complex examples, they are unlikely to internalize the necessity of robust HTML structure.

00:20:48 So, how do we move forward? A primary thought that arises is considering which industries effectively accommodate disabled individuals. Unfortunately, it's difficult to single out any industry that does this well.

00:21:10 However, I can think of two examples: architecture and education. Public buildings constructed after 1990 must have wheelchair-accessible hallways, and educational institutions must accommodate students with disabilities. The difference in these fields can often be traced back to regulations, such as the Americans with Disabilities Act for architecture and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act for education.

00:21:50 This leads to my first recommendation: we should lobby for laws and policies that consistently apply the ADA across the internet. Although there may be varied opinions on this issue, it is something people across the political spectrum have desired for quite some time.

00:22:37 To provide context, the ADA was passed in 1990, shortly before the internet began to flourish. Since then, we've struggled with understanding how it applies in this new context. A notable aspect of the ADA is that public accommodations must be accessible for people with disabilities, but the concept of 'place' is ambiguous when discussing the internet.

00:23:14 For example, if I am a disabled person on vacation in France trying to buy tickets through a RailsConf website, but the site is inaccessible, does the ADA still apply to me? Are we referring to the physical location of my computer, the servers’ location, or my smartphone as I walk down the street? These are complicated questions.

00:23:57 Under these circumstances, industry leaders reached out to Congress, asking for direct laws defining how the ADA should relate to the internet. Shockingly, Congress did not achieve this goal. They later went to the Department of Justice, which promised guidance, but various factors led to delays and eventual discontinuation of their efforts.

00:24:42 Consequently, I urge you to contact your representatives or the DOJ to request clear guidelines for the ADA’s application to the internet. Furthermore, ask your representatives to develop explicit policies for people with disabilities on their websites—especially since only one major candidate included such information during the 2016 election.

00:25:27 To put this in perspective: in the 2016 election, only one of the four main candidates had a section on disability policies on their website. In contrast, each candidate had specific plans for addressing issues related to undocumented individuals, who make up only 3 to 4% of the population. This discrepancy underscores the invisibility of the disability community.

00:26:07 Once we establish these frameworks, we can evolve into an industry that truly prioritizes accessibility, akin to the architecture or educational fields. Now, at the company level, it can be challenging to persuade management that we need to focus on accessibility.

00:26:52 One effective argument is that accessibility improves SEO. Google’s algorithms cannot see images and rely on how you structure your HTML to make determinations about what's present on your site. Thus, when websites lack descriptive alt attributes for images, they miss critical opportunities for optimization.

00:27:37 Another argument is to reference your company’s mission statement, which likely encompasses terms like 'everybody' or 'our users.' Challenge your stakeholders by asking, 'Do we really mean everybody, or just a percentage of the population?' Also, incorporating real user stories can convey the urgency of making web pages accessible. It's much more impactful to mention that users with assistive technology can't navigate our homepage than presenting generic facts.

00:28:16 Finally, let’s not ignore the legal implications. Lawsuits for accessibility issues are becoming increasingly common. A typical scenario involves an individual running an automated script through your site, identifying accessibility barriers, and then approaching your company with demands to either resolve the issues or face litigation.

00:28:59 For example, the Unruh Act in California states that any commercial operation in the state cannot discriminate against individuals based on disability. If your company operates in California and your site is not accessible, you might be legally accountable under this act. Furthermore, the Unruh Act permits monetary damages per infraction, which can lead to severe financial consequences if you are found liable.

00:29:54 Keyboard-only Tuesdays or similar exercises can help create awareness of accessibility issues among your team. When your developers experience accessibility barriers firsthand, they tend to prioritize solutions more readily. Managers should praise and incentivize accessibility-related contributions just as readily as they do for more visually striking features.

00:30:34 Encouraging seniors to supervise and teach juniors about accessibility can elevate the team's overall proficiency. Volunteers at coding boot camps can attest that one of the best ways to internalize knowledge is to teach others. Consider assigning seniors the responsibility of reviewing pull requests to ensure accessibility standards.

00:31:17 Next, consider attending or sending someone to a11y (accessibility) conferences. I've personally experienced tremendous growth in my understanding of accessibility topics through events like Accessing Higher Ground, which focuses heavily on practical solutions applicable to our work.

00:31:55 I realize that I've been a bit sneaky, as I mentioned earlier that similar talks already exist. But I want to highlight the importance of specific industry knowledge—like how to effectively use NVDA or the importance of semantic HTML in creating accessible websites. These insights, shared at dedicated accessibility conferences, can benefit our field greatly.

00:32:49 To support accessibility efforts on a personal level, engage with organizations focused on disability rights or accessible development. Seek out activists and advocates for disability rights. Participating in ASL poetry slams or other events can broaden your understanding and foster meaningful connections.

00:33:45 Connecting with individuals who are different from you is crucial. It will make you a better person and a more conscientious developer. Consider factors like representation in your company’s branding or outreach. For instance, if your company’s sales begin and end on Saturdays, think about those who may not be able to benefit from that due to their own commitments.

00:34:38 Lastly, I recognize I'm at RailsConf, and many of you are prominent Rails podcasters, bloggers, and vloggers. Accessible development starts at home. If you have a podcast, do you provide a transcript to serve the deaf community? If you produce coding videos on YouTube, are you including captions, or simply relying on automatically generated captions?

00:35:16 While I know many of you produce excellent content, consider whether your examples utilize various forms of semantic HTML or if they are limited to using divs and spans. All of these discussions are connected—the more we normalize accessibility efforts in our everyday work, the more we will see change.

00:36:03 Lastly, I want to share a few resources to assist your journey. Google is your best friend; whatever I have mentioned today can be found through research on Google. The WCAG 2.0 guidelines are widely accepted standards for accessibility—we are currently moving toward WCAG 2.1, which contains even more detailed documentation.

00:36:33 Finally, I want to recommend a comprehensive list of accessibility resources available at Paul Jay Adams’s blog. Here, you will discover a massive compilation of accessibility-related topics, and you might find some new insights that inform your approach to accessible development.

00:37:12 Thank you so much for your time! I will be available if anyone has questions, and I appreciate you all attending my talk.