Here you will find all the latest news and upcoming events.

Latest News

InDesign Latest Release Includes New Accessibility Features

In the recent update to version 19.2 (February 2024) of InDesign, new features were introduced to improve the export of accessible EPUBs, thanks to […]

AccessU 2024 Call for Proposals

AccessU will feature seven learning tracks this year. The organizers are accepting proposals from presenters who may not be able to attend the event […]

Perth Web Accessibility Camp 2024, Call for Papers

Do you have some great accessibility information that you’d like to share at PWAC 2024, either in person or online? The organizing team would […]

Upcoming Events

CSUN 2024

March 18, 2024 - March 22, 2024

The CSUN AT Conference is typically one of the largest events in the world, drawing an international audience and highlighting the latest developments from across the assistive technology field. There are many presentations and sessions at this conference which are of interest to our readers including:

  • Reading and writing math with a screen reader – Richard Orme and George Kerscher
  • European Accessibility Act: Game changer for accessible books – Richard Orme and Elisa Molinari
  • Sourcing Accessible Education Materials – Rachel Comerford
  • Accessibility QA for ebooks: Are automatic tools enough – Gregorio Pellegrino
  • Accessible online writing – Rachel Comerford and Crista Earl
  • Certified accessible ebook ecosytem – Rachel Comerford

In this free webinar from the Canadian Children’s Book Centre metadata expert, Amanda Lee, will discuss what accessibility metadata is, where it goes, why it matters, and what it can do for you and your children’s books. We’ll also discuss ways you can work accessibility metadata creation into your workflow so that every reader will know if your books will work for them.

The Bologna Book Fair is one of the most prominent fairs dedicated to the publication of material for children globally. Now entering it’s 7th decade the fair continues to inspire and excite children’s publishers throughout the world and there is always an important focus on accessibility.

Of particular interest to our readers is the professional seminar organized by the LIA Foundation in the framework of Aldus UP and ABELab, co-funded by the Creative Europe Programme of the European Union:

Do Androids Dream of Great Alternative Descriptions for Images?

April 8th

10:30 to 11:15

BBPlus Theatre, Bologna Children’s Book Fair

A crucial component of accessibility is providing reliable alternative descriptions for images. However, crafting alternative descriptions for images stands out as a particularly challenging task for publishers, due to the need for specialized knowledge and the amount of time to ensure accuracy. This is especially challenging when attempting to make backlist titles accessible, as they were not originally designed with accessibility in mind.

Fondazione LIA will explore the world in which AI meets the alternative description of images with insights from professionals in the field, exposing both the possibilities through a showcase of the options available and the concrete applications already adopted by the industry.

John Slatin AccessU is THE annual conference where tech professionals, content creators, policymakers, and advocates come together for deep learning in accessible digital design. This three-day digital accessibility training conference will not just to talk about accessibility but aims to teach coding, usability, and inclusive design skills in an interactive and communal environment. Delegates will learn to integrate accessibility into their digital communications work.