Global Accessibility Awareness Day

What is Global Accessibility Awareness Day?

Thursday 16th May is Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD). This is an awareness day focusing on the inclusive practice of making digital products accessible. Increasing the usability and accessibility of digital products like websites, mobile applications, and other online tools is vital as everyone needs to have access to the same information regardless of ability or disability.

The awareness day was launched in May 2012 by Los Angeles based web developer Joe Devon and has attracted the attention of companies including Facebook, Google, Microsoft and Apple, who work constantly to create and develop accessibility features on their platforms.

There are 14.1 million disabled people in the UK, which is around 1 in 5 people of the population.

What is digital accessibility?

Digital accessibility is the practice of removing barriers on any digital platform such as websites and apps, thus making them as user friendly as possible. Ensuring that everyone can access, navigate, and interact with these digital products in some way. Someone with a disability must be able to experience web-based services, content and other digital products with the same effective outcome as those without disabilities.

Digital accessible platforms can also help people without disabilities. For example,

people using mobile phones or those with slower internet connections will benefit from an accessible website or digital product. It is essential that websites and technologies are designed with good user experience principles so people can:

• Understand and interact with the web

• Contribute to the web

Accessibility is essential for some, but useful for all.

Access to information, including the web, is defined as a basic human right by the United Nations.

How it all began...

The story of GAAD originates from a single blog post in 2011 penned by co-founder Joe Devon. In the post, the GAAD co-founder discussed many ways the tech industry and web development are underdeveloped when it comes to accessible design.

After witnessing his father struggle with complicated banking sites due to impaired vision and hearing, Devon was inspired to write the article titled GAAD: CHALLENGE: Accessibility knowhow needs to go mainstream with developers.

In this article, Devon challenged everyone, including himself, to think deeper and more deliberately about how a more accessible internet can look. The post proclaimed the third Thursday of May as the official Global Accessibility Awareness Day, and so it all began.

GAAD continues to lead tech down a more accessible pathway for internet users, as well as educate tech leaders and teachers on how to encourage more accessible workspaces and classrooms for all.

The goal

Is for everything to be accessible by default and to get everyone talking, thinking and learning about digital (web, software, mobile, etc.) access or inclusion, as well as people with different disabilities. Encouraging others to think and learn about it. Next time you are on a website, take a look and see if you think the site is as accessible as it could be.

Some Common Accessibility Failures found on homepages of websites...

What is Harpenden doing for online Accessibility?

In June 2023, we launched the UserWay accessibility widget on our website. The UserWay widget is a high calibre tool which ensures our website is accessible with coverage that addresses the needs of the broadest range of disability profiles including blind, visual impairments and colour blindness, motor, cognitive, dyslexia, learning disabilities, seizures, epilepsy and ADHD.

understanding of the different features and profiles of accessibility needs that are required from a digital perspective.

Low contrast text is the most common accessibility issue

The most common impairments affect hearing, vision, motor, and cognitive skills.

One billion

people worldwide are living with disabilities/impairments affecting vision, motor, hearing, and cognitive skills.

Another common accessibility failure is missing links on a web page.

A whopping 60.9 errors are seen per home page.

This accessibility tool is clearly located in the top right of the screen when you visit our website. Even if you do not have any accessibility demands, we encourage all visitors to have a go at using it to explore the different features and see it in action. This will further help you gain a greater

If at any point during your relationship with Harpenden Building Society you encounter any communication difficulties or have any vulnerabilities that you would like us to be aware of, please do not hesitate to contact us and we will document this on your personal records. If you do make us aware of any additional requirements or adjustments, this will help us to provide a level of service that will enable your relationship with us to run smoothly.