Today is Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD). Help us celebrate the 12th GAAD day and get everyone talking, thinking and learning about digital access and inclusion, and the more than one billion people with disabilities/impairments around the world.
The mission of the GAAD Foundation is “to disrupt the culture of technology and digital product development to include accessibility as a core requirement”.
Digital accessibility refers to the inclusive design and development of digital content and technologies that enable anyone with a disability to access and interact with information and services on the internet.
Some of the most common accessibility issues in digital content are simple to fix (and avoid). Low contrast text and missing alt text for images are the two most common accessibility barriers. There are more rather startling statistics on the GAAD web site.
The JCU Library Open Education team encourages and supports our Pressbooks authors to improve the digital accessibility of their open eBooks with simple changes like:
- including alternative formats
- using alt text for images
- ensuring information is not conveyed by colour alone
- following universal design principles.
Our upcoming eBook, JCU OER Author Guide, has myriad tips, links, and guidance on digital accessibility for anyone planning or writing an open educational resource.
For 24 hours, JCU teaching staff are encouraged to think about and address as many accessibility issues in this year's (2023) LearnJCU subjects as possible. Prizes are available:
- 1st prize: $250
- 2nd prize: $150
- 3rd prize: $100
A drop-in virtual room is available today from 9am-4pm AEST with CEE staff on hand to help fix your files. JCU staff wishing to particpate in the challenge can Register and take advantage of lots of extra information on the JCU Fix Your Content Day (FYCD) website.
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