Events
National Disability Employment Awareness Month
This October is the 75th year America has observed National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM). Like other “awareness months,” NDEAM spotlights a disparity in the workforce—in this case, the lower than average employment rates of Persons with Disabilities (PWDs). NDEAM works to lessen this inequity through workshops, seminars, and online resources. This year also marks […]
Compliance
Proactive inclusion is everyone’s responsibility
It’s now 30 years since the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was signed into law in the United States. This important legislation sets out the rights of United States citizens with disabilities to access workplaces and communities. The ADA covers higher education, including access to conferences where academic research is presented. Accessibility for a large […]
DevOps
IBM contributing back to the community on Global Accessibility Awareness Day
Today is the ninth Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD). Over the years, IBM has held numerous events and activities to bring awareness to the digital access and inclusion of people with disabilities internally at IBM and externally. It is more critical than ever to blend the technical aspects of creating accessible solutions with the empathy […]
National Disability Employment Awareness Month
This October is the 75th year America has observed National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM). Like other “awareness months,” NDEAM spotlights a disparity in the workforce—in this case, the lower than average employment rates of Persons with Disabilities (PWDs). NDEAM works to lessen this inequity through workshops, seminars, and online resources. This year also marks […]
Proactive inclusion is everyone’s responsibility
It’s now 30 years since the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was signed into law in the United States. This important legislation sets out the rights of United States citizens with disabilities to access workplaces and communities. The ADA covers higher education, including access to conferences where academic research is presented. Accessibility for a large […]
IBM contributing back to the community on Global Accessibility Awareness Day
Today is the ninth Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD). Over the years, IBM has held numerous events and activities to bring awareness to the digital access and inclusion of people with disabilities internally at IBM and externally. It is more critical than ever to blend the technical aspects of creating accessible solutions with the empathy […]
Harnessing the Power of Video Remote Interpreting in Professional Space
In a typical interpreting scenario, there are three main actors: Deaf user, sign language interpreter, and hearing non-signer(s). When the deaf user signs, the interpreter would voice, so the non-signer hears the conveyed message. When the non-signer speaks, the interpreter will sign accordingly, so the deaf user receives the communication from the speaker. With the […]
Accessibility Strengthens the User Research Practice
Inclusive design is the buzz term around the design community. Inclusive design can be interpreted in many different ways and have numerous outcomes. When narrowing the scope to user research, though, how does inclusive design make an impact? As a user researcher, it is critical to talk with people using various offerings to understand their […]
IBM Accessibility tribute to Dr. Jim Thatcher
News has spread throughout the IBM accessibility community that one of our family, Dr. Jim Thatcher passed away this weekend at the age of 83. Jim worked for IBM for 37 years and left a legacy that to this day works to make technology accessible to persons with disabilities. He first joined IBM as a […]
Diversely Deaf IBMers Work to Create An Accessible Future
This past August, I started my position as UX designer at IBM Accessibility. I was new to the team, and relatively new to the world of inclusive design—but only from a designer’s perspective. Born profoundly deaf, I brought with me a lifetime of experiences with accessibility (or lack thereof, in many cases). My second week […]
Exploring AI Fairness for People with Disabilities
This year’s International Day of Persons with Disabilities emphasizes participation and leadership. In today’s fast-paced world, more and more decisions affecting participation and opportunities for leadership are automated. This includes selecting candidates for a job interview, approving loan applicants, or admitting students into college. There is a trend towards using artificial intelligence (AI) methods such […]
AI Fairness must be considered as part of National Disability Employment Awareness Month
Two days ago, Gartner released its top ten technological trends for 2020 of which business leaders need to be aware. Their third item, “Democratization of Expertise,” caught my eye. I have seen that idea many times tied with Artificial Intelligence (AI) and AI’s ability to enable users to make decisions without being experts themselves. I […]