#inclusivedesign — Public Fediverse posts

Was ist »Inklusives Design«?
Das erklärt Prof. Nora Bilz am 17. September bei der Publishing User Group Hamburg.
19 Uhr, online, kostenlos. Infos & Anmeldung:
https://pughh64.eventbrite.de

#Publishing #InclusiveDesign #InklusivesDesign
#a11y #accessibility #Barrierefreiheit

Dr. Elissa Kreiss discusses in a new podcast why the real challenge for multimodal AI is figuring out what information matters most! 👇
📺 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jtQq8NspkY4
🎧 https://open.spotify.com/episode/40RF0vPLX6H4rZYMdEBA1s?si=_Nn6jm9fQlqOP6xVPhaqlw
🍏 https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/is-an-image-worth-a-thousand-words-hidden/id1805993416?i=1000784372303
📄 https://arxiv.org/pdf/2205.10646
 
#WiAIR #WomenInAIResearch #MultimodalAI #Accessibility #MachineLearning #ComputerVision #InclusiveDesign #NaturalLanguageGeneration #AIEthics

THE FUTURE OF ACCESSIBILITY
TECHNOLOGY IS ALMOST INVISIBLE 💎

I keep hearing about AI in terms of productivity. Writing faster. Making presentations. Summarising meetings. Saving companies money.

Fine.

But I think some of the most important uses of AI may be much more ordinary.

For disabled people, AI could remove thousands of tiny barriers that other people barely notice.

I have left-sided hemiplegia. I use only one hand.

So imagine an AI I can simply talk to.

It can write what I dictate. Read something aloud. Search the web. Fill in forms. Explain an incomprehensible government letter. Operate a computer without requiring endless clicking, dragging and menus.

It could describe what is in front of someone who cannot see it clearly.

Caption and interpret speech for someone who cannot hear it.

Help someone who struggles with language find the words they are trying to say.

Turn complicated instructions into something understandable.

Remember appointments, medications, names, routines and important details when memory is unreliable.

Help plan an accessible route before leaving home.

And eventually, perhaps, simply stay quietly with us.

If I fall while I am out walking, I would like my AI to notice, ask whether I am all right, and, if necessary, call Peter and tell him where I am.

Not because I want a machine supervising my life.

Quite the opposite.

Because I want to be able to live it safely and more fully.

The best accessibility technology disappears.

It does not constantly remind you that you are disabled.

It quietly removes the obstacle and lets you get on with your day.

That may turn out to be one of AI's greatest contributions.

Not making humans more productive.

Making more humans free.

@3goodthings
@DigitalCoup
@meditation
@economics_that_works
@startrek

#Disability #Accessibility #AssistiveTechnology #PWD #IndependentLiving #InclusiveDesign #FutureOfTech #AIForGood

MYSTERY IN BLUE

A TRAVEL TROUBLES NOTES STORY

THE ECHO OF THE BLUE MOUNTAINS

Book III: An Australia Day Mystery

CHAPTER 1: THE TIMEOUT TRAP

It was Australia Day, and the heat was enough to melt the CSS off a stylesheet. The Three Best Friends—Liam, Dax, and Dev—were driving their trusty 4WD up the winding roads of the Blue Mountains. The esky was chockers with lamingtons and snags, and the mood was “she’ll be right”.

“I reckon we camp near the Three Sisters,” Dax said, adjusting his sunglasses. “Great view, high contrast, easy navigation.”

But as they approached Katoomba, the car’s dashboard display flickered. A countdown timer appeared on the GPS screen:
SESSION EXPIRING IN 10 SECONDS.

“Dev, extend the session!” Liam yelled.

Dev reached for the “Continue” button, but the car hit a pothole. His finger slipped.

3… 2… 1…

The GPS went black. The engine sputtered. The car rolled to a halt on the shoulder of the highway.

“It’s the Timeout Trap,” Dev groaned. “The system didn’t give us enough time to interact. It violated the rule: Provide users enough time to read and use content”.

The Genial Fix

“A standard timeout is fine for security,” Liam said, wiping sweat from his brow. “But for a critical task like driving? We need an option to turn off, adjust, or extend the time limit”.

Liam pried open the dashboard panel. He found the physical timer relay. “I’m bypassing the default setting. I’m hard-coding an exception for ‘Real-time Activity’.”

He twisted two wires together. The screen roared back to life, but the map was different. The roads weren’t marked with names; they were marked with code.

“We aren’t in Katoomba anymore,” Dax whispered. “We’re in the Source Code.”

CHAPTER 2: THE RECURSIVE RAVINE

They hiked into the valley, but the path was behaving strangely. Every time they walked 100 meters, they found themselves passing the same gum tree.

“It’s an infinite loop!” Dax cried. “We’re stuck in a recursive function without an exit condition!”

“It’s worse,” Dev said, pointing to a signpost. It spun wildly, the arrows changing direction every second. “The navigation is inconsistent. One minute the ‘Home’ link is on the left, the next it’s in the footer.”

A voice boomed from the canyon walls—a distorted, echoing laugh.

“Welcome to the Echo. Navigation is fluid here. Try to find the breadcrumb trail.”

“Breadcrumbs!” Liam realized. “The Echo is mocking us. We need to create a Site Map to understand the structure of the valley.”

The Physical Site Map

Dax grabbed a stick and began drawing in the red dirt. “If the visual path is broken, we rely on the DOM order.”

He mapped the landmarks like HTML elements: : The Sky (Always visible) : The Valley Floor (Where the content is) : The River (The end of the page)

“The Loop is in the ,” Dev noticed, looking at Dax’s map. “We’ve been walking in a sidebar! We need to Skip to Main Content.”

“Skip Links!” Liam shouted. “Find the anchor!”

They spotted a hidden trail marker labeled #main-content. They jumped over the barrier, breaking the loop and landing on the true path toward the Three Sisters.

CHAPTER 3: THE VOICE OF THE SISTERS

They reached the famous rock formation, but the viewing platform was deserted. A single, massive microphone stood at the edge of the cliff, pointing at the rocks.

“To pass,” the Echo’s voice thundered, “You must speak the Password. But be warned: The Echo listens to all inputs.”

“It’s a Voice Input Control,” Dev said. “But look at the wind. It’s blowing a gale. The background noise is too high.”

Liam stepped up to the mic. “Open Sesame!”

The wind howled. The system responded: “Did you say ‘Open Salami’?”

“No!” Liam yelled. “Cancel! Undo!”

The system processed the command: “Ordering Salami.”

“It’s an Error Prevention nightmare!” Dax panicked. “For inputs that cause legal commitments or financial transactions, we must be able to reversible, checked, or confirmed”.

The Modal Trap

A holographic receipt appeared in the air, blocking their path.
CONFIRM PURCHASE?

There was no “Cancel” button. Only “Yes.”

“It’s a Focus Trap,” Dev said. “I can’t tab away from the ‘Yes’ button. We need to force a keyboard interrupt.”

“Don’t speak,” Liam whispered. “Switch input modalities. The WCAG guidelines say users should be able to switch between input modes (voice, keyboard, mouse) at any time.”

Liam plugged his portable keyboard into the base of the microphone. He typed: ESCAPE.

The receipt vanished. The “Salami” order was cancelled.

“Fair crack of the whip,” Liam muttered. “That was close.”

CHAPTER 4: THE FOG OF #CCCCCC

They descended the Giant Stairway, but a thick fog rolled in. It wasn’t just white; it was a flat, featureless gray.

“I can’t see the steps,” Dax said, freezing in place. “The contrast ratio between the stone and the fog is 1:1. It’s invisible.”

“The Echo has lowered the contrast of the world,” Dev realized. “It’s targeting users with low vision.”

Dax, the designer, pulled out his “High Contrast” visor—a pair of augmented reality goggles he used for testing.

“I’m switching to High Contrast Mode,” Dax announced. “I’m inverting the colors.”

Through the goggles, the gray fog turned black, and the stone steps glowed neon yellow.

“Follow me!” Dax shouted. “I’ve got sufficient contrast!”

The Text-Only Fallback

But then the fog thickened, blocking even the AR signal. Dax stopped. “I’ve lost the visual.”

“Don’t rely on sensory characteristics alone,” Liam recited. “Don’t rely on shape, size, or visual location”.

Liam closed his eyes. He reached out and felt the railing. It had Braille markings etched into the steel.

“The railing has a text alternative!” Liam said. “It says: ‘Step 842. Turn Left.'”

They descended the rest of the stairs by touch, guided by the tactile “Alt-Text” of the mountain.

CHAPTER 5: THE PHANTOM’S SERVER

At the bottom of the valley, they found it. Not a cave, but a bunker. The door was marked with the “Echo” symbol—a sound wave eating its own tail.

“This is where the Australian Day broadcast is coming from,” Dev said. “If we don’t fix the accessibility settings, the Prime Minister’s speech will be broadcast without captions, without Audio Description, and in a font size no one can read.”

They burst inside. The server room was unguarded, but the console was protected by the ultimate barrier.

A CAPTCHA.

But not just any CAPTCHA. It was a grid of 16 images of Australian animals.

“Select all the Quokkas,” the computer sneered.

“They all look like Quokkas!” Liam yelled. “That one might be a Wallaby! Or a small Kangaroo!”

“It’s a cognitive barrier,” Dev said. “It relies on cultural knowledge and visual acuity. It’s inaccessible.”

The Biometric Twist

“We need an alternative,” Dax said. “Look for the audio icon.”

There was none.

“Wait,” Liam said. “This system is old. It’s running on Legacy Code. It probably supports ‘Device Authentication’.”

Liam pulled out his USB key—his “Authorized User” token.

“Not requiring CAPTCHAs for authorized users,” Liam grinned, plugging it in.

The screen flashed green. AUTHENTICATED.

CHAPTER 6: THE FINAL REFACTOR

They had access. Now they had to patch the broadcast before it went live in 5 minutes.

Dev worked on the player. “I’m adding a transcript toggle. I’m ensuring the media player keyboard controls are standard.”

Dax worked on the visuals. “I’m fixing the color palette. No more red-on-green text. I’m boosting the luminance.”

Liam worked on the content. The speech was written in dense, academic English.

“I’m simplifying,” Liam muttered. “Short sentences. Plain Language. Expanding acronyms.”

3… 2… 1…

The “On Air” light turned red.

On screens all across Australia—from the pubs in Sydney to the stations in the Outback—the broadcast appeared.

It was perfect.

The captions were synced.

The Audio Description described the flag waving in the wind.

The text was readable, high-contrast, and clear.

“She’ll be right,” the Prime Minister said on screen.

“She certainly will be,” Liam smiled, collapsing into a beanbag chair in the corner of the bunker.

EPILOGUE: THE NULL ISLAND

The sun was setting over the Blue Mountains, painting the Three Sisters in gold and purple. The Three Best Friends sat on the bunker roof, eating the lamingtons that had miraculously survived the trek.

“We did good,” Dax said. “We made Australia Day accessible.”

“But who built the Echo?” Dev asked, holding up a strange, black microchip he had pulled from the server.

Liam took it. Etched into the silicon were coordinates.

0°N 0°E.

“Zero Zero,” Liam whispered. “That’s Null Island. The place where bad data goes to die.”

“There’s no land there,” Dax said. “It’s just ocean off the coast of Africa.”

“That’s what the maps say,” Dev said, his eyes gleaming with a new mystery. “But the code says otherwise. Someone is building a digital fortress at Null Island. And they just pinged us.”

Liam stood up, dusting the crumbs off his shorts.

“Well,” he grinned. “I’ve always wanted to go on a cruise.”

“Pack your togs,” Dax laughed.

“And your keyboards,” Dev added.

The Three Best Friends looked at the horizon. The Blue Mountains were behind them, but the Ocean of Null was waiting.

🔗 Explore IAC25 and join us in Philadelphia: https://linktr.ee/theiaconf

👇 Why do YOU #IAC? We’d love to hear your story in the comments.

#InformationArchitecture #UXDesign #ContentStrategy #InclusiveDesign #IAC25 #DesignLeadership #TechForGood #DesignCommunity #SponsorshipOpportunity

I'm curious to hear what others are #SelfHosting! Here's my current setup:

Hardware & OS

• Hardware: #RaspberryPi500 (8 GB RAM, 512 GB SD card) #RPi #RPi500 #SingleBoardComputers #HomeLab
• OS: #Stormux, an accessible #Linux distro based on #ArchLinuxARM #LinuxAccessibility #AccessibleTech

Infrastructure & Networking

• Dashboard: #Glance (#Docker) #DockerApps
• Reverse Proxy: #Caddy
• DNS: #Cloudflare
• Domain Registrar: #Porkbun
• Networking & Remote Access: #Tailscale (non-Docker), love its SSH agent and magic DNS features. #NetworkSecurity

Security & Monitoring

• Ad Blocking: #AdGuardHome (non-Docker). Previously used PiHole but find AdGuardHome slightly faster. #PrivacyTools
• Server Monitoring: #Beszel (non-Docker). Tried Grafana/Prometheus/Alertmanager (accessible but overkill) and Netdata (poor screen reader accessibility). Beszel isn't perfect but best compromise so far. #ServerMonitoring
• Server Overview: #Cockpit (non-Docker)
• Security Tools: #Fail2ban, #FirewallD, #ClamAV, and #Rkhunter (non-Docker). Tried CrowdSec but couldn't get it working on Stormux. #CyberSecurity
• Service Uptime Monitoring: #UptimeKuma (Docker), accessible and easy to use. #MonitoringTools

Authentication & Identity Management

• Authelia (Docker): Just set this up for two-factor authentication and single sign-on. Seems to be working well so far!
  
• LLDAP (Docker): Lightweight LDAP server for managing authentication. Also seems to be working pretty well!
  #AuthenticationTools #IdentityManagement

Productivity & Personal Tools

• Docker Management: #Dockge (Docker). More accessible than Portainer; main issue is built-in terminal isn't readable with screen readers. #DockerCompose
• Docker Logs Viewer: #Dozzle (Docker), great web interface and easy searching.
• Git Hosting: #Forgejo (non-Docker), my personal Git server. #GitServer
• Backups: #IDrive (non-Docker), backs up all my devices easily. #BackupSolutions
• Notes: #Joplin server (Docker). Accessibility improving; love the VSCode extension. #NoteTakingApps
• Bookmarks: #Linkding (Docker). Accessible bookmark manager with good browser extension support. #BookmarkManager
• Recipes: #Mealie (Docker), starting to learn cooking! 🍳📖  #CookingApps
• RSS Feeds: #Miniflux (non-Docker), excellent accessibility. Originally wanted better podcast support but other options had major accessibility issues. #RSSReader
• Automation & Workflows: #N8N (Docker). Haven't explored deeply yet—open to ideas! #AutomationTools #WorkflowAutomation
• Pastebin Service: #PrivateBin (non-Docker). Considering alternatives or CLI tool for easier console access. #PastebinAlternative
• File Sharing & Editing: #Samba (non-Docker), easy file management from my Windows 11 mini PC. #FileSharing #Windows11
• Search Engine: #SearXNG (non-Docker), accessible and searches multiple engines at once. #PrivacySearchEngine
• IRC Client: #TheLounge (non-Docker). Some accessibility issues but best I've found so far for always-connected IRC. #IRCClient
• Read Later Service: #Wallabag (Docker). Biggest issue is Wallabagger Chrome extension doesn't work for me yet. #ReadItLater

Notifications & Development Workflow

• Notifications via: #Ntfy (Docker) and Zoho's ZeptoMail (#Zoho)
• Development Environment: Mostly using VSCode connected to my server via Remote-SSH extension. #VSCodeRemote

Accessibility Focus ♿️🖥️

Accessibility heavily influences my choices—I use a screen reader full-time (#ScreenReader), so I prioritize services usable without sight (#InclusiveDesign, #DigitalAccessibility). Always open to discussing accessibility experiences or recommendations!

I've also experimented with:

• Ollama (#Ollama): Not enough RAM on my Pi.
• Habit trackers like Beaver Habit Tracker (#HabitTracking): Accessibility issues made it unusable for me.

I don't really have a media collection, so no Plex or Jellyfin here (#MediaServer)—but I'm always open to suggestions! I've gotten a bit addicted to exploring new self-hosted services! 😄

What's your setup like? Any cool services you'd recommend I try?

#SelfHosted #LinuxSelfHost #OpenSource #TechCommunity #FOSS #TechDIY

@selfhost @selfhosted @selfhosting

🌟 Introduction Post 🌟

Hi everyone! 👋 I'm Lanie Molinar Carmelo (she/her), and I'm thrilled to join the amazing community here on allovertheplace.ca! Here's a little about me:

🧑‍💻 Who I Am

• Conservative #Christian woman and #Aroace
  
• Totally #blind and #ActuallyAutistic, living with multiple #chronicIllnesses
  
• Advocate for #DisabilityRights, passionate about creating a more inclusive world 🌍
  

I'm a #UsabilityTester and an aspiring #AccessibilityConsultant, working to make technology better for everyone, especially those of us with disabilities. I'm most passionate about helping those with multiple disabilities, as it's an area that doesn't get enough attention.

🐾 Meet Squeaker!

I'm also the proud human to my 10-year-old Miniature Pinscher, Squeaker, who is the best little companion anyone could ask for. 🐕💖 He drives me nuts sometimes, but I don't know what I'd do without him. My profile picture features me with Squeaker, and my header shows him wrapped in a blanket with just his adorable face peeking out!

📚 What I’m Studying

I'm currently learning:

• Digital Accessibility through the BIT Accessibility Analyst Course
• Literary Braille Proofreading via the NLS
• Programming on platforms like freeCodeCamp and Codecademy
  

My goal is to develop accessible apps that empower people with disabilities, contribute to open-source projects that promote inclusion, and just do what I can to make the world more accessible.

💡 What I Do

I run or co-lead several online support groups for people with multiple disabilities. These groups provide safe spaces to connect, share resources, and talk with others who "get it." You can find them here:

• Facebook: Multiple Disabilities Peer to Peer Support Group
  
• Discord/Mailing List: MultAbilities
  
• Clubhouse: People with Multiple Disabilities
  

Right now, my focus is on growing these groups and making connections with others who are passionate about supporting multiply disabled individuals. If you're interested in joining or collaborating, feel free to reach out or check out my website at laniecarmelo.tech, where you'll find links to all the groups!

🎮📖🍴 My Interests

When I’m not advocating or studying, you can find me:

• Exploring #technology and experimenting with self-hosting on my Raspberry Pi 🖥️
  
• Reading #SciFi, #Fantasy, #Mystery, and some nonfiction 📚
  
• Playing #AccessibleGaming titles like incremental games, puzzles, RPGs, roguelikes, and MUDs 🎮
  
• Enjoying delicious food—especially #chocolate, #seafood, #milk, and #cheese 🍫🧀
  

I also love swimming 🏊‍♀️ when my health allows it.

🛠️ My Goals

One day, I hope to found a nonprofit organization to support multiply disabled individuals. The nonprofit would:

• Provide peer support groups
• Help fund assistive technology
• Advocate for education and employment opportunities
• Collaborate with disability-focused organizations to improve accessibility

For now, I'm focused on running my support groups and building connections that could help make this dream a reality. If you have ideas or resources—or just want to chat—let me know! 🤝

🤝 Let’s Connect!

I’m always happy to chat about:

• Accessibility in #tech or tech in general
  
• Disability advocacy
  
• Programming (#HTML, #JavaScript)
  
• Braille
  
• Books
  
• Or just life in general!
  

Feel free to follow me here or check out my website at laniecarmelo.tech.

#Introduction #DisabilityCommunity #AccessibilityMatters #Blindness #AutismAcceptance #ChronicIllnessWarrior #TechForGood #DisabilityAdvocate #OpenSourceProjects #BrailleLiteracy #GamingWithDisabilities #InclusiveDesign

It’s #SystemsOfHarm podcast drop time 🎤

This week’s episode features the wonderful Imran Afzal and I talking about design systems and racism.

Every design system team I’ve worked with has been all or mostly white, so this feels like a really important listen.

#DesignSystems #UXDesign #InclusiveDesign

Apple: https://apple.co/3Ja4DE8

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3X1XwU2

RSS: https://bit.ly/43gtLkB

This week’s episode of #SystemsOfHarm podcast is now live 📣

In this episode I’m chatting to Fred Warburton, Design Systems Manager at Springer Nature, and former #A11y lead at Babylon about design systems and accessibility.

Apple: https://apple.co/3NfoAvE

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/42ulmbY

RSS: https://bit.ly/43gtLkB

Fred and I first met on the Babylon Health design system team back in 2020...

#DesignSystems #InclusiveDesign #UXDesign

New episode of #SystemsOfHarm just dropped 🎉

This week I’m talking to @LauraParkerUX about design systems and dyscalculia - a persistent difficulty in understanding numbers.

Apple: https://apple.co/3C3d0gY

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3oDbCOQ

RSS: https://bit.ly/3pZUXW1

Around 6% of the population has dyscalculia, affecting their ability to do tasks like tell the time, deal with financial matters, and transpose reference numbers.

#dyscalculia #InclusiveDesign #DesignSystems #UXDesign #A11y

Episode 2 of #SystemsOfHarm is live 🎉

In this @lurkmoophy and I talk trans-exclusion and design systems. We talk about Luke’s experience of being non-binary, masking, and how design systems can scale trans-exclusion and erasure, if we’re not careful.

Apple: https://apple.co/3M6G8Z1
Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3IvoIoc
RSS: https://bit.ly/3pZUXW1

Boosts appreciated 🙏🏻

#DesignSystems #UXDesign #InclusiveDesign

The first episode of my new podcast - #SystemsOfHarm - is now live 🎉

My first guest is the wonderful author, speaker and filmmaker, David Dylan Thomas.

In this episode, we kick off the series with a big ol’ chat about how cognitive bias impacts the design systems we create, and how we can counteract it and to create more inclusive systems.

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/4uXNd3ZKfTIBXidBzd7G8T?si=feExfSkfQNiGOZQwzk3Xzw

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/design-systems-and-cognitive-bias-with-david-dylan-thomas/id1687682423?i=1000613049973

#DesignSystems #InclusiveDesign #UXDesign