Help build an inclusive Twittersphere with Easy Chirp 2

April 8, 2013 — L. Legendary

For those of you who follow these things, you already know that Twitter (www.twitter.com), the social media micro-blogging platform, is making changes to its Application Programming Interface (API). For those of you who have no idea what that means, or why it’s significant, allow me to get you up to speed.

According to Wikipedia, An application programming interface (API) is a “protocol intended to be used as an interface by software components to communicate with each other. An API is a library that may include specification for routines, data structures, object classes, and variables.” If you want to read more, go here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Application_programming_interface

Twitter has only had a single version of the API in its entire history. Now, they want to make changes, and update to version 1.1. They have announced new developer “rules of the road,” and have outlined the proposed changes here:

https://dev.twitter.com/blog/changes-coming-to-twitter-api

The changes will affect all third-party applications that interact with Twitter, such as those you might use as an accessible alternative to the main Twitter web site. Some of these third-party Twitter clients have already completed the necessary adjustments, while others may not even bother, and may simply disappear. Time is running short, however, because Twitter has announced the “sunset” of version 1.0 of the API here:

https://dev.twitter.com/blog/api-v1-retirement-final-dates

Ever since I first discovered Twitter, I’ve been using the accessible alternative created by Dennis Lembree. Originally called Accessible Twitter, the web-based version now goes by the name Easy Chirp. Due to the changes made by Twitter to the API, Dennis has been forced to reinvent Easy Chirp, soon to be Easy Chirp 2. Dennis needs your help. He has started a kickstarter profile, and needs your pledges. The money raised will be used to compensate the experts Dennis has hired to assist with the project. As usual, when making a contribution to a Kickstarter project, you will receive a thank-you gift commensurate with the amount of your donation. See more info here:

Help build an inclusive Twittersphere: http://tinyurl.com/c9fsj5v

“I created Easy Chirp over four years ago and am touched by the support it’s received from the community. Now it must be rebuilt due to the Twitter API change, and I hope to collaborate this time with a few other developers.” Lembree says.

Dennis plans some new features and additional streamlining to make Easy Chirp 2 even faster and more accessible. It will continue to support keyboard-only users, will work without Javascript, and will be better optimized for mobile devices. Of course, it will still feature the user-friendly interface you’ve come to expect, useable by people who have a variety of disabilities, and who use a variety of assistive technologies.

Says Lembree: “To me, Easy Chirp exemplifies what a web app should be: platform agnostic, accessible, and simple. It provides a unique and necessary service in the social media space.”

There is no shortage of Twitter clients in the market, which can be used with different operating systems and device types. I use Easy Chirp for my own reasons, not the least of which is that I know Dennis, like him, trust him, and appreciate his work. If you have used Easy Chirp in the past, but have never clicked on that “donate” button just below the sign-in link on the Easy Chirp home page, then scrape a few coins out from between the sofa cushions and send them Dennis’s way. We’ll be tweeting at one another again before it’s time to fly south for the winter.

Pledge to the Easy Chirp 2 Kickstarter here:

Http://www.kickstarter.com and perform a search, or go directly to the Easy Chirp 2 project page here: http://tinyurl.com/c9fsj5v

For all things Twitter API, go here:

https://dev.twitter.com/docs/api

You can follow Easy Chirp: @EasyChirp for updates, or you can follow me @Accessible_Info on Twitter as well.

LL

Posted in Accessible experts, AT articles, AT News, Cool Tools, Social Media Mania. Tags: , , , , , . No Comments »

Optelec to announce new product launch at CSUN13

February 26, 2013 — L. Legendary

This just hit my desk, and I wanted to get it posted while you are still putting together your CSUN13 schedule.

Optelec invites you to attend this presentation:
Topic: Diagnostic Tool; Hope for Low Vision Patients

Description: There are many reasons low vision patients are turned away. What if there was a simple inexpensive diagnostic tool?

Track: Blind/Low Vision
Session ID: BLV-053

Date: Friday, Mar. 1 @ 1:50 PM PST

Location: Annie AB, 3rd Floor
Presenter:
Rebecca Kammer, OD
Assistant Director of Optometric Education, Associate Professor College of Optometry Western University of Health Sciences.

Check this out, while you’re walking the exhibit hall: Optelec Booth #205
28th Annual CSUN International Technology & Persons
with Disabilities Conference

Exhibit Hall: Feb. 27 – Mar. 1, 2013

This year is different. We have a NEW product release unlike any other. We listened. We tested. We pushed the limits. We set the standards yet again.

Be there to witness low vision industry history in the making for our official worldwide product launch of the NEW….
Special unveil on Wednesday, Feb. 27th at 3:00 PM!
Where: Optelec Booth #205

The product speaks for itself, don’t miss it…
Point & Read to Stay In Touch!

**Plus, visit our Optelec Booth to learn how you can WIN $100 towards your next purchase**

Follow us on Twitter @Optelec with #CSUN13 and Facebook for announcements and photos!

Contact us at 800.826.4200 or marketing@optelec.com to connect at the show or arrange a demo at the booth.

FREE to ATTEND!
Exhibit Hall Schedule
Wednesday, February 27: 12:00 PM – 7:00 PM
Thursday, February 28: 9:30 AM – 5:30 PM
Friday, March 1: 9:30 AM – 5:30 PM

Optelec U.S. Inc.
800.826.4200 (main), 800.368.4111 (fax)
E: info@optelec.com

www.Optelec.com
See you there!

LL

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The 2013 Assistive Technology and Persons with Disabilities Conference

February 4, 2013 — L. Legendary

If you are a person who has a disability, or if you know or love someone who does, you will soon have an opportunity to attend what could be a life-changing event. If you have never before attended the International Conference on Disability, presented by California State University, Northridge, I am going to work hard over the next few weeks to give you some compelling reasons to attend. This annual conference is the largest of its kind, and each year showcases the very latest assistive technologies, teaching techniques and best practices for web and mobile accessibility development, as well as the latest in disability-related policy news and legislation. You’ll hear inspiring words from thought leaders and educators, and you can experience the camaraderie and fellowship of others who may be living with a disability similar to your own. If you can only attend one event this year, this is the one to attend. There is truly something educational, fun and uplifting here for everyone.

Start with this link, below. It will take you to the main page, where you will find all the info you need. Attendee registration is now open, so make your plans soon.

http://www.csun.edu/cod/conference/2013/sessions/index.php

If you want to explore the full list of educational sessions, click this link:

http://www.csun.edu/cod/conference/2013/sessions/index.php/public/conf_sessions/

You will be amazed at the range of topics, and the depth to which they can be explored. If you are not a technology fanatic, don’t worry. There are sessions on just about every aspect of disability awareness, accessibility and advocacy. All levels of expertise are addressed at many sessions, so don’t let intimidation or feelings of technical illiteracy keep you away.

There are also some social events you can attend. For example, The Paciello Group, WebAIM, Infoaxia, PayPal, The Center on Disabilities at CSUN, EZFire, OpenDirective, and CA Technologies will coordinate and sponsor a tweetup at the CSUN Technology & Persons with Disabilities Conference. The tweetup will be held Thursday, February 28th at 6:00pm at the Manchester Grand Hyatt, San Diego. Additional details will be coming soon. The tweetup is open to all Twitter users, but attendees are asked to RSVP.

http://csuntweetup.com/

Finally, be sure to use the hashtag #CSUN13 when tweeting about the conference. Check back here throughout February, as I will be showcasing a few of the presenters you can look forward to seeing at the conference. Make your travel arrangements early, and I look forward to seeing you there. You can follow me at @Accessible_Info on Twitter, so tweet me up so we can meet!

LL

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AI Squared set to release ZT 10 update with important fixes

January 10, 2013 — L. Legendary

AI Squared is set to release ZoomText maintenance update 10.0.6, a free update that will fix a number of issues that have plagued users since the major release of ZT 10.  As a ZoomText user, the most frustrating of these has been a problem with cursor detection, especially when entering text into an edit field, such as that used when I enter search terms into a search engine, or when composing a tweet in Twitter. 

Here is an excerpt from the release notes page, which outlines the entire list of fixes.  Hope you find yours there.

Version 10.0.6

Release:  January, 2013 for Windows 7, Vista, and Windows XP

Improvements to IE9 support
ZoomText now provides greatly improved support for email and other web sites when running in Internet Explorer 9 (IE9). Improvements cover many of ZoomText’s features including: typing and program echo, cursor echo and tracking, cursor enhancements, reading with AppReader and DocReader, and use of Reading Zones.

64-bit version of IE9 is now supported
ZoomText can now be used with Internet Explorer 9 (IE9) 64-bit.

PDF documents now open quickly in Adobe Reader. 
When ZoomText was running, PDF documents would open very slowly in Adobe Reader. This problem has been fixed.

Caps Lock state now correctly announced
In various applications, including Microsoft Office and Firefox; ZoomText would incorrectly announce the state of the Caps Lock. This problem has been fixed.

WebFinder now works with Firefox 15
ZoomText’s WebFinder can now be used in Firefox 15 to find text in web pages.

ZoomText now reads in ABBYY FineReader
ZoomText’s AppReader and DocReader can now be used to read text captured from images in ABBYY FineReader.

There are other fixes that improve response when using other programs, such as Firefox, Gmail, and jaws 13.  To read the entire release notes page, go here:

http://ht.ly/gHG6w

For more info, contact support at AI Squared: http://aisquared.com/.

LL

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National Federation of the Blind Sends Message to America’s Teachers

October 11, 2012 — L. Legendary

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT:
Chris Danielsen
Director of Public Relations
National Federation of the Blind
(410) 659-9314, extension 2330
(410) 262-1281 (Cell)
cdanielsen@nfb.org<mailto:cdanielsen@nfb.org>
National Federation of the Blind Sends Message to America’s Teachers
NOOKs in the Classroom Discriminate Against Blind Students

Baltimore, Maryland (October 10, 2012): The National Federation of the
Blind<http://www.nfb.org>, the oldest and largest nationwide organization of
blind people and the leading advocate for equal access to education and
technology, commented today on Barnes & Noble’s recently announced “Fall
Educator Appreciation Week” promotion, which is designed to promote the use
of the company’s NOOK e-readers in the classroom.

Dr. Marc Maurer<http://www.nfb.org/marc-maurer-bio>, President of the
National Federation of the Blind<http://www.twitter.com/NFB_voice>, said:
“We have a critically important message for America’s teachers and school
administrators.  We know that you are deeply committed to the full and equal
education of all of your students, including those who are blind, as
evidenced by your support of educational concepts like Universal Design for
Learning.  For this reason, we ask that you heavily consider the
accessibility of technology when making decisions about whether to
incorporate it into the classroom.  Technologies that are fully accessible
to the blind will also benefit other students who cannot read print or have
difficulty doing so, including students with certain learning disabilities
and those whose native language is not English.  Federal law
requires<http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/docs/dcl-ebook-faq-201105.html>,
and blind students and their parents demand, that the technology that is
used in the classroom provide the same content and the same benefits to
blind students as to all other students.  The Barnes & Noble NOOK e-readers
available to date do not currently meet this
standard<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_CNQCrowbUI&feature=plcp>, nor do we
have evidence as to whether the newest product line, which begins shipping
this fall, will do so.  Please stand up for your students and join us in
demanding that Barnes & Noble make the necessary changes to its e-reading
devices so that they can be used by all students.  Until it does so, please
tell Barnes & Noble that these devices are not appropriate educational
tools.”

###

About the National Federation of the Blind

With more than 50,000 members, the National Federation of the Blind is the
largest and most influential membership organization of blind people in the
United States. The NFB improves blind people’s lives through advocacy,
education, research, technology, and programs encouraging independence and
self-confidence.  It is the leading force in the blindness field today and
the voice of the nation’s blind.  In January 2004 the NFB opened the
National Federation of the Blind Jernigan Institute, the first research and
training center in the United States for the blind led by the blind.

 

 

 

LL

 

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NFB 2012 preview: Digit-Eyes to exhibit at national convention

June 25, 2012 — L. Legendary

Here’s something to look forward to if you’re planning to attend the 2012 National Federation of the Blind conference held this year in Dallas, Texas :.

 

Digit­‐Eyes is exhibiting at NFB this year.
This is your chance to meet the developers behind the product!

Digit-Eyes is a unique application that enables people who are visually‐impaired to identify items using their iPhone or iPad. Digit­‐Eyes reads nearly 27 million UPC and EAN codes and tells you the product name ­‐ and the full description, usage instructions and ingredients ‐ in 10 languages. Using Digit‐Eyes, inexpensive off-­the-­shelf office supplies and a standard inkjet or laser printer, you’ll be able to record audio labels or make text labels that are read aloud by your phone.

At our booth at NFB, you’ll be able to try the Digit-Eyes products that you’ve seen online, let us know what new features you’d like to see in the product and even make appointments to work with one of our master teachers to refine your Digit­‐Eyes skills.

The booth features:

·         Hands‐on experience with the iPhone and iPad.

 

o   Find how Digit-­Eyes can be used to make and play back your own labels

o   Learn how to apply the special washable labels to create talking food containers or to label clothing

o   Use the iDevices to read the manufacturer’s UPC codes to identify all sorts of items. Even find out the product ingredients, usage instructions and nutritional information.

 

·         Opportunities for educators and counselors to get free introductory packages that contain not only sample labels, but also iPhone and Digit-­Eyes information and training materials for low-­vision and non-­sighted students and clients.

 

·         The complete line of Digit-­Eyes products – all at special show pricing:

o   Pre-­printed paper labels

o   Washable Labels

o   QR-­coded Playing Cards you can read with your Android or iPhone

A limited number of spaces for free training are available on a first-­come, first-­served basis. If you’d like to reserve your session, please tweet @digit_eyes or e­‐mail support(at)digit­eyes(dot)com.

 

Look for Digit-Eyes at booth B-31 starting July 1st, 2012

.

LL  

 

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Press release on free events and exhibit hall at CSUN 2012

February 28, 2012 — L. Legendary

Waiting until midweek to attend the free events at the CSUN 2012 Assistive Technology and Persons with Disabilities Conference?  If so, you will be met by thousands also flocking to get a look at the latest assistive devices on display in the exhibit hall at the Manchester Gran Hyatt.  Below is the latest info on the tweetup event, and other information on free events scheduled for the week.  See you there!

 

San Diego to Host 27th Annual International

Technology & Persons with Disabilities Conference

Geri Jewell to Keynote Largest Tech Conference For People with Disabilities;

CSUN 2012 Exhibit and Several Forums Will be Open to the Public


San Diego, CA—February 23, 2012—California State University, Northridge (CSUN) announced today highlights for the upcoming 27th Annual International Technology & Persons with Disabilities Conference including the free exhibit and several forums that will be open to the public. The world’s largest and only university-sponsored tech event dedicated to people with disabilities will again take place at the Manchester Grand Hyatt Hotel in San Diego, February 27-March 3, 2012. CSUN is also proud to announce that actor, comedienne, speaker and advocate, Geri Jewell, will keynote the 2012 conference.

“Our conference is very unique to the industry and brings together thousands from around the world including scientists, influencers, government officials, visionary tech execs and entrepreneurs, all committed to driving innovation in assistive technology to promote inclusiveness for people with disabilities—our largest group of attendees and the reason we all gather to push the research and industry forward each year,” said Sandy Plotin, managing director of CSUN’s Center on Disabilities.

Actor, comedienne, speaker and advocate for people with disabilities, Geri Jewell, will keynote the 2012 conference. Jewell, who brought national attention to cerebral palsy and ability awareness in her role as “cousin Geri” in the 80’s TV series, The Facts of Life, uses humor to facilitate attitude changes. Jewell remains a leading force in disabilities advocacy and continues her acting career as seen on the award-winning HBO series, Deadwood, and in the new FOX series, Alcatraz.

“We are thrilled to have Geri Jewell as our keynote this year. By sharing her disability as her greatest blessing, she transforms the focus of her motivational appearances and training sessions from disabilities to a true celebration of ability. She’ll undoubtedly inspire and empower conference attendees, which is our ultimate goal,” added Plotin.

CSUN 2012 will include two days of engaging pre-conference events and 350 general sessions led by experts, all focused on promoting accessibility through technology innovation and policy change. Also, there will be over 130 exhibitors demonstrating the latest in assistive technology from software and social media apps to robotics. The exhibit hall and several forums will be open to the public and free of charge.

FREE EXHIBIT HALL HOURS (OPEN TO THE PUBLIC):

  • Wednesday, February 29, 12:00 PM – 7:00 PM
  • Thursday, March 1, 9:30 AM – 5:30 PM
  • Friday, March 2, 9:30 AM – 5:30 PM

FREE EXHIBITS & FORUMS (OPEN TO THE PUBLIC):

Microsoft, Online Event – Follow Microsoft on its “Road to CSUN”, an eight-day road trip from Seattle to San Diego that will explore and share the world of accessibility discovered on the way to the conference. See regular updates and video on Microsoft’s Accessibility Blog, http://aka.ms/EnableBlog and Twitter (@MSFTEnable or #Road2CSUN), February 20 – 28th.

Emergency Preparedness for People with Disabilities – Reps from FEMA and other agencies will discuss emerging hazards, new communication technologies and maximizing wireless device readiness (mobile, smart phone, tablet). Explore Apps, cloud storage, social media readiness, alternative power options for essential communication and independence, and other key preparedness. – Thursday, March 1, 10:00 a.m-12:00 p.m. PT (Elizabeth Ballrooms “D” & “E”)

Department of Labor, Featured Presentation – Kathleen Martinez, Assistant Secretary for Disability Employment Policy, will speak about the agency’s efforts to promote the development and adoption of accessible workplace technology by America’s employers, which is essential to advancing the employment of people with disabilities. – Thursday, March 1, 12:00-12:30 p.m. (Elizabeth Ballrooms “D” & “E”)

U.S. Access Board – The Board recently conducted a public hearing on a revised draft of updated requirements for information and comm. technology (ICT) covered by Section 508 of the Rehab. Act and Section 255 of the Telecom. Act. The next Public Hearing on the Draft ICT Rule will be held at CSUN 2012. – Thursday, March 1, 1:00-3:00 p.m. PT (Elizabeth Ballrooms “D” & “E”)

Department of Transportation – Representatives of the DOT and Amtrak will discuss the rights of people with disabilities when in transport by land, air and sea, and the importance of designing a livable and accessible community. This session will also include a discussion of recent DOT rulemaking, enforcement and outreach activities to make our travel system more fully accessible as well as a video presentation on evacuating people with disabilities during emergencies. – Friday, March 2, 10:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. PT (Elizabeth Ballrooms “D” & “E”)

For more information about the conference including how to register for pre-conference workshops and other closed-session events, visit the Center on Disabilities’ website at <http://www.csun.edu/cod> or call (818) 677-2578.

About CSUN
California State University, Northridge has more than 35,000 full- and part-time students and offers 66 bachelor’s and 53 master’s degrees as well as 28 teaching credential programs. Founded in 1958, CSUN is among the largest single-campus universities in the nation and the only four-year public university in the San Fernando Valley. The university serves as the intellectual, economic and cultural heart of the Valley and beyond. http://www.csun.edu

###

 

Don’t forget to use the #CSUN12 hashtag when tweeting about the event.

LL

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Official press release for the CSUN 2012 International AT Conference

February 16, 2012 — L. Legendary

Leaders in Assistive Technology to Demo Innovations at

Technology & Persons with Disabilities Conference in San Diego


Industry Leaders in Consumer Electronics, Software and Assistive Technology to Showcase the Latest Innovations Driving Accessibility

San Diego, CA—February 16, 2012—California State University, Northridge (CSUN) announced today sponsored events and assistive technology to be demonstrated at the upcoming 27th Annual International Technology & Persons with Disabilities Conference. CSUN 2012, which will be held in San Diego February 27th-March 3rd, is the world’s largest technology event dedicated to the community of people with disabilities. Sponsored events, demos and give-aways will be hosted by industry leaders including Adobe, Deque Systems, Freedom Scientific, Google, IBM and Microsoft.

“We have an exciting line-up of engaging sessions and exhibits hosted by leaders driving innovation in assistive technology to promote inclusiveness for people with disabilities,” said Sandy Plotin, managing director of CSUN’s Center on Disabilities.

This year, CSUN will hold two days of pre-conference events and 350 general sessions led by internationally-recognized experts. There will be 130+ exhibitors demonstrating the latest in assistive tech from software and social media apps to robotics. The exhibit hall and several forums will be open to the public and free of charge.

SPONSORED EVENTS, DEMOS & GIVE-AWAYS:

*See CSUN Center on Disabilities website for dates/times/locations

ABILITY Magazine Give-Away – CSUN’s official Media Partner will be offering a free subscription to its digital magazine for all registered attendees.

ADOBE Town Hall & Mixer – Adobe will hold for conference registrants a Town Hall event, followed by a mixer.

CSUN Tweet-Up 2012 – The 4th Annual CSUN Tweet-Up will take place in the Microsoft Showcase Suite.

“Join the group and spread the word about your conference experience,” said Plotin, “This year’s Tweet-Up will include a Photo Booth, so stop by and see your pictures, which will be posted directly on Twitter!”


Deque Systems Accessibility Software Launch & Demos – Deque Systems, which provides software, training, and consulting for web accessibility and Section 508 compliance, will announce at CSUN 2012 the March 2012 release of Worldspace Sync, a major revision to the company’s enterprise level accessibility software suite, which is used by Fortune 100 companies, universities and large government agencies.

Freedom Scientific Demos, Give-Aways – The largest worldwide manufacturer of assistive tech products for those who are blind or have low vision will demo its latest version of JAWS (and how it works with social media) as well as its recently unveiled High Definition desktop video magnifiers, TOPAZ XL HD, which provides a crisp, clear image and the widest field of view (up to 11 inches). The company will give away prizes daily including its popular MAGic screen magnification software with a MAGic Large Print Keyboard valued at $574! During CSUN 2012, register for a chance to win the grand prize – a 24” TOPAZ XL HD desktop video magnifier valued at $4,495.00.

Google Event – Google will hold an all-day event at CSUN 2012 where team members will be available for questions/answers and hands-on demos and Q&A about recent accessibility improvements in Google products: docs, Chrome and Android.

IBM Presentation – Attend this session with Frances West, worldwide director of the IBM Human Ability and Accessibility Center, to learn how advanced and fully inclusive social collaboration platforms like IBM Connections 3.0 can accelerate value creation and help extend the impact of your social business strategy to capitalize on the ideas and insight of every individual and drive unprecedented levels of business value.

KNOWBILITY’s AccessU – This “conference within a conference” will be held onsite from February 27-28th. A leader in accessible information technology since 1998, KNOWBILITY provides ability awareness and support education and training to hundreds of businesses, educational institutes, nonprofit organizations and government agencies across the globe. AccessU will address issues including how to train staff, implement effective accessibility strategies, and monitor long-term goals to reach millions of new users. Each attendee will receive a copy of the new book from Jeff Kline, Strategic IT Accessibility: Enabling the Organization.

Microsoft “Road to CSUN” – In addition to the nine sessions that Microsoft will hold in a dedicated showcase suite at the conference this year, Microsoft Technical Evangelist for the Accessibility Business Unit, Daniel Hubbell, and colleague Gary Moulton, Product Manager, Accessibility Business Unit, who is responsible for coordinating Microsoft’s efforts with assistive tech manufacturers, will embark on “Road to CSUN”, an eight-day road trip from Seattle to San Diego that will explore and share the world of accessibility they discover along the way. Follow their journey on Microsoft’s Accessibility Blog, http://aka.ms/EnableBlog and Twitter (@MSFTEnable or #Road2CSUN), where regular updates and video will be posted, Feb. 20 – 28th.

FREE EXHIBIT HALL HOURS (OPEN TO THE PUBLIC):

  • Wednesday, February 29, 12:00 PM – 7:00 PM
  • Thursday, March 1, 9:30 AM – 5:00 PM
  • Friday, March 2, 9:30 AM – 5:00 PM

For more information about the conference including how to register for pre-conference workshops and other closed-session events, visit the Center on Disabilities’ website at <http://www.csun.edu/cod> or call (818) 677-2578.

About CSUN
California State University, Northridge has more than 35,000 full- and part-time students and offers 66 bachelor’s and 53 master’s degrees as well as 28 teaching credential programs. Founded in 1958, CSUN is among the largest single-campus universities in the nation and the only four-year public university in the San Fernando Valley. The university serves as the intellectual, economic and cultural heart of the Valley and beyond. http://www.csun.edu

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ZoomText release 10 first update now available

February 7, 2012 — L. Legendary

The first of the ‘after the decimal” updates is available from AI Squared, for those of you who now use ZoomText release 10.  If you’d like to take a look at the release notes, go here:

http://ht.ly/8Vaza

 

This update provides for both product enhancements as well as important bug fixes.  If you want to download  the update, go here:

 

http://ht.ly/8VavY

 

This is a free update, so get it now. 

 

LL

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Elle Waters to present “Accessibility Is The New Black” at CSUN 2012

February 6, 2012 — L. Legendary

At the CSUN 2012 conference on disability, you’ll discover a full slate of presenters lined up who will educate and inspire.  Each year I have attended, I left feeling both deeply grateful for the achievements of those who have worked so hard to facilitate the lives of people with disabilities, yet determined to work harder myself, in an effort to educate as many as I can as to what is possible.    

This year, one of the speakers you can look forward to hearing from is Elle Waters.  Elle is a self-described "geek, web accessibility activist, media zealot, event spinner, academic researcher, metaverse enthusiast, and social justice rabble-rouser."

My kind of girl.  Her "official" title is Enterprise Web Accessibility Coordinator for Humana.  Ms. Waters, who will be presenting alongside Wendy Chisholm of Microsoft, was kind enough to    share her thoughts about CSUN 2012, and her presentation.
 
Waters said, "Last year was my first year attending CSUN. I arrived with my own small story to tell, and I wasn’t sure how valuable it would be to others. I was quickly inspired by the dedication and inclusive nature of everyone around me. At CSUN, I saw that we all have narratives that contribute to a bigger story. I left equipped with practical information and a new appreciation of a diverse and participatory digital culture.
This year, I hope to continue the discourse about the role that large corporations can have in changing the perception of web accessibility from compliance to inclusion. To that end, I have a talk entitled "Accessibility is the New Black" that presents a case study about a large social media digital marketing campaign where accessibility was a key role in its overall success."

Finally, Ms. Waters points out that the scope of her talk is not limited to just social media and marketing, , but encompasses "all enterprise digital initiatives."
  

You can follow Elle on Twitter here:  @nethermind

 

Click here to go to the CSUN 2012 conference home page.

 

LL

 

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