#inclusivedesign — Public Fediverse posts

When accessibility work keeps getting pushed to the backlog, what can we do differently?

Karl McCabe is taking on that challenge at A11y Camp 2026 with 'Backlogged or checkboxed: why accessibility work gets ignored'.

When: 23–24 November 2026
Where: ICC Sydney

Save $100 with Early Bird pricing, available for a limited time.

Find out more and register: https://dub.sh/CMcqHvA

#A11yCamp #Accessibility #DesignSystems #InclusiveDesign #strategy

Online shops, membership sites, contact forms, and account systems all send emails users may need to read and act on. Are those messages accessible to every recipient?

Join Maria Maldonado for Email Accessibility in WordPress on Tuesday, September 15 at 10 AM Central.

The session will cover practical ways to improve both transactional and marketing emails.

Register now! https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/7417855082828/WN_Ol1nRzSQT_mE3oLnsJK4Uw

#WPA11yMeetup #WordPress #Accessibility #A11y #InclusiveDesign

Online shops, membership sites, contact forms, and account systems all send emails users may need to read and act on. Are those messages accessible to every recipient?

Join Maria Maldonado for Email Accessibility in WordPress on Tuesday, September 15 at 10 AM Central.

The session will cover practical ways to improve both transactional and marketing emails.

Register now! https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/7417855082828/WN_Ol1nRzSQT_mE3oLnsJK4Uw

#WPA11yMeetup #WordPress #Accessibility #A11y #InclusiveDesign

Online shops, membership sites, contact forms, and account systems all send emails users may need to read and act on. Are those messages accessible to every recipient?

Join Maria Maldonado for Email Accessibility in WordPress on Tuesday, September 15 at 10 AM Central.

The session will cover practical ways to improve both transactional and marketing emails.

Register now! https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/7417855082828/WN_Ol1nRzSQT_mE3oLnsJK4Uw

#WPA11yMeetup #WordPress #Accessibility #A11y #InclusiveDesign

Online shops, membership sites, contact forms, and account systems all send emails users may need to read and act on. Are those messages accessible to every recipient?

Join Maria Maldonado for Email Accessibility in WordPress on Tuesday, September 15 at 10 AM Central.

The session will cover practical ways to improve both transactional and marketing emails.

Register now! https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/7417855082828/WN_Ol1nRzSQT_mE3oLnsJK4Uw

#WPA11yMeetup #WordPress #Accessibility #A11y #InclusiveDesign

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.

An incredibly important read on inclusive workplace design

"Inclusivity begins with the basics of workplace design. (...) Before you talk about “next-gen workplace experience,” ask yourself: can everyone see, hear, move, breathe and focus here without struggle?"

https://www.leesmanindex.com/articles/parallel-realities/

#workplaceDesign #Architecture #inclusion #InclusiveDesign #invisibleDisability #disability

🚨 The State Department’s Font Flip:
A Step Back from Accessibility 🧑‍🦯❌♿
—ditching accessible Calibri as "woke."

Earlier this week, the U.S. State Department announced its decision to abandon Calibri—the sans-serif typeface adopted under the Biden administration—in favor of Times New Roman. The internal memo framed this as a "return to consistency," but I see it as something deeper: a symbolic retreat that elevates tradition above accessibility, inclusivity, and the promise of open standards. As someone who values thoughtful design in public institutions, I find this choice disheartening, yet it compels us to examine what typography truly demands in a digital age.

Typography transcends mere aesthetics; it fundamentally shapes how we read, perceive authority, and feel included in vital conversations. When a government agency alters its typeface, that shift signals its core priorities. The reversion to Times New Roman, a serif font rooted in print-era conventions, risks turning typography into another cultural flashpoint. I sincerely hope this does not herald a broader precedent, but instead sparks a return to evidence-based decisions that serve every one.

From Courier to Calibri: A Brief History of State Department Fonts

The State Department’s typography has mirrored the evolution of bureaucratic communication. For decades, Courier New—a monospaced font introduced in 1955—reigned as the default, embodying the analog world of mechanical typewriters, carbon copies, and precise diplomatic cables. Its uniform spacing delivered egalitarian functionality, aligning every character perfectly for legal drafts and official forms.

In the 1980s and 1990s, as computers reshaped offices, Times New Roman took over. Crafted in 1931 by Stanley Morison for The Times of London, this serif typeface excelled in dense newspaper columns and fine print, projecting the conservative professionalism suited to diplomacy. Yet it was engineered for ink on paper, not the glowing pixels of screens that define our era.

By the early 2000s, legibility studies championed sans-serifs like Arial and Calibri for digital dominance. In 2023, the Biden administration embraced Calibri precisely for its superior on-screen clarity, accessibility, and visual ease—aligning with best practices from the GSA and Department of Education. Part of the humanist grotesque family (think Helvetica's lineage, tracing back to Akzidenz-Grotesk in 1898 or Highway Gothic on U.S. road signs since 1948), Calibri marked genuine progress. The sudden pivot back to Times New Roman strikes me as nostalgia over necessity, undermining hard-won advances in inclusive design.

The Return to Times New Roman: Symbol Over Substance

Officials tout this revert as tradition preserved, but I contend tradition must yield to accessibility. Serif fonts shine in print, yet on modern screens—especially low-resolution or small displays—they falter for those with low vision or dyslexia. The British Dyslexia Association and Bainbridge Group on Visual Legibility affirm that sans-serifs, with their clean, uniform strokes, ease reading and curb fatigue across diverse users.

Consider Times New Roman's subtle distinctions between "I," "l," and "1"—they blur digitally, inviting confusion. Bainbridge and MIT’s AgeLab research underscores how uniform strokes and open apertures accelerate comprehension in electronic documents. By clinging to this proprietary relic, the State Department bypasses free, open-source gems like IBM Plex, Source Sans, or Lato, which offer transparency and adaptability. Thailand’s 2006 font competition, producing 13 national standards, proves governments can innovate boldly. This choice feels like a step backward, favoring the familiar over forward momentum.

The Science and Soul of Accessible Typography

Accessible typography is human-centered design at its core, backed by decades of research into font shapes, spacing, and character clarity for all readers, impaired or not. Fonts like OpenDyslexic, with weighted lower halves to prevent letter inversion, and Atkinson Hyperlegible, which sharpens distinctions between confusable characters like 0/O or 6/b, lead the way. Developed by the Braille Institute of America with Applied Design Works, Atkinson enhances accuracy and speed for dyslexic and neurotypical alike, all without aesthetic compromise.

Here’s my personal preference: Atkinson Hyperlegible is my favorite—it captures the open, modern inclusivity government design demands. Best of all, its SIL Open Font License makes it free and available for public, governmental, and educational use, unlike the corporate shackles of Calibri or Times New Roman.

Why Accessibility Matters in Public Typography

For institutions like the State Department, clarity is no luxury—it's a democratic imperative. Diplomats, journalists, and citizens alike deserve documents free of strain, legible across aging eyes, reading differences, and global devices. Times New Roman, born for 1930s newsprint, dismisses these truths, broadcasting detachment from digital realities. Accessibility isn't political posturing; it's practical humanity, the bedrock of public-spirited communication.

---
References

- British Dyslexia Association. Dyslexia Style Guide 2022: Creating Dyslexia-Friendly Content.
- Braille Institute of America. Atkinson Hyperlegible Study. (2021).
- Bernard, M. et al. “A Comparison of Popular Online Fonts: Which Size and Type is Best?” Usability News, Wichita State University (2003).
- Morison, S. A Tally of Types. Cambridge University Press (1939).
- MIT AgeLab. “Typography and Visibility on Digital Displays.” (2014).
- Shaikh, A. (2007). “Impact of Typeface Design on Legibility and Reading Comprehension.” Behavior & Information Technology.

#InclusiveDesign #StateDepartment #Courier #TimesNewRoman #Calibri #A11y #Typography #Accessibility #A11yMatters #DesignForAll #WebA11y #StateDeptFontFail #FOSS

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

Honored. Inspired. Driven.

Last week at #CSUN2025, we had the incredible opportunity to connect, learn, and grow alongside some of the most innovative minds in accessibility and assistive technology. As a fully remote team, gathering in person is always meaningful, but being part of conversations that shape the future of our technology makes it even more special.

We’re grateful for the chance to hear from industry leaders, learn from fellow innovators, and connect with Explorers (both new and those who have been here from the start) who shape the work we do every day. Having a seat at this table is an honor, and we’re more committed than ever to making Aira the best it can be.

Thank you, Center on Disabilities at CSUN, for another unforgettable year!

#Accessibility #AssistiveTechnology #InclusiveDesign #DigitalAccessibility #AdaptiveTech #AccessibleInnovation #TechForGood #BlindAccessibility #LowVisionTech #DisabilityInclusion #UniversalDesign

This upcoming futuring exhibition sounds super:

ArteFakt 2030 – Inklusive Zukünfte
Different Futures Make A Dialogue
Protopische Zukünfte 2030 - 2040

#DesignFuturing #InclusiveDesign #Bremen

Don't miss the vernissage tonight!

09. – 20.07.24
06. – 30.08.24
Di - Fr 11 - 18 Uhr
Sa 11 - 16 Uhr
(Con)Temporary Crafts Studio,
Carl-Ronning-Strasse 2,
28195 Bremen

Prendre en compte l'#accessibilité à chaque étape d'un #projet : "construire une #culture de l'accessibilité". Découvrez le très bel article en anglais de Felicity Miners-Jones via @TetraLogical #InclusiveDesign #a11y #webA11y

#Design #Techniques
Inclusive design for interaction designers · The many ways to include groups who face barriers in digital service design https://ilo.im/12ic1d

_____
#InclusiveDesign #DigitalService #UxDesign #UiDesign #InteractionDesign #WebDesign #WebDevelopment #WebDev #Usability #Accessibility #Content #Language #WebPerformance #ProgressiveEnhancement

"What if technology defaulted to #trust instead of tricks? What would it look like if technology was embedded with features that prioritized things like #privacy, #inclusion, and #ethics?" - Paula Goldman, Chief Ethical & Humane Use Officer at #Salesforce

#inclusiveDesign #designForAll #AIethics #responsibleAI
https://techcrunch.com/sponsor/salesforce/how-intentional-innovation-can-build-trust-in-tech/

This Apple video gave me goosebumps! Beyond amazing! ❤️
#accessibility #accessibledesign #a11y #inclusivedesign #designforall
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tVErGewfgdg