Intro Digital Accessibilty

CONTINUING THE ACCESSIBILITY CONVERSATION NO MATTER WHAT

Apex Communications Network spent several months working with local organizations throughout Stark County to host an in-person digital accessibility lunch-n-learn at the Stark County Plain Branch library; and the weekend before the event was scheduled, some of the team tested positive for COVID-19. While this might seem like the timing couldn’t be worse, the Apex team came together and quickly shifted everything to a digital event in just 3 days. Instead of a lunch-n-learn, it now was going to be a Livestream on YouTube. With the help and understanding of MentorStark, Pinnacle Press, Cherry Blend Coffee Roasters, and Maks Munchies N More, Apex was able to make the shift and had just enough time to spread the word about the unexpected changes.

When the time came, the Livestream started and Jan, RJ, and James delivered the same content they planned to share in person. They lead the conversation by explaining what digital accessibility is and why it is so important for every organization to integrate it into their everyday work. Following that, they dove into definitions, key terms, statistics, and showcased what the current landscape looked like. The second half of the presentation was dedicated to introducing the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines version 2.1 and walking through some “easy wins” that can turn an inaccessible website into something everyone can access and engage with. While they did not have time to cover every detail, they made it a point to show some great examples of assistive technology in action and how it works when being used in accessible and inaccessible environments.

Regardless of the situation, the show must go on and the conversation must continue. Apex is leading by example and helping several of our local organizations to incorporate accessibility into their daily activities to ensure everyone, regardless of abilities, has the opportunity to access and engage.

Watch the playback of the Livestream by searching for Apex Communications Network on Youtube.