accessible design
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).
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 […]
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 […]
IBM Celebrates Global Accessibility Awareness Day – May 16
On Thursday, May 16, IBM site locations and iX Design Studios across the U.S. will celebrate the eighth annual Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD) – a worldwide observation to raise awareness of digital access and inclusion issues for people with disabilities. As an IBMer with a disability, and a founding member of IBM’s Team Able, I am […]
Advancing the design of NavCog
Every day, over 2.5 million people travel in and out of airports[1]. While air traveling has become an integral part of our lives and despite efforts to provide entertainment, comfort, and assistance, airports cause stress and anxiety. In fact, a recent study found that about 80% of people feel tense when traveling through the airport[2]. […]
Puzzle Solving with Computer Vision and Watson Services
Who doesn’t love the challenge of solving a puzzle? Jigsaw puzzles are a popular hobby for all ages and have been an important tool in a child’s physical, cognitive and emotional development. Children can develop physical skills such as better hand/eye coordination; cognitive skills such as shape recognition, memory, and problem solving; and emotional skills […]
Call for Code Brings Unique Opportunities for Inclusive Innovations
These are exciting times at IBM, following CEO Ginni Rometty’s May 24th announcement about Call for Code. As Laurent Sauveur of the United Nations Human Rights office points out, Call for Code is an excellent opportunity to explore how technology can play a role in addressing the needs of the most vulnerable populations. IBMer Daniel […]
Free Accessibility Tools and Technology Pay It Forward
May 17 marks the seventh anniversary of Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD). GAAD was introduced to spark a conversation around digital accessibility to get people thinking and learning about accessibility. While the conversation is important, we must remember this is not a theoretical exercise. These are real challenges affecting people daily, but tackling these challenges […]
When Should You Think About Accessibility?
Editor’s Note: Tom Babinzski, an Accessibility Advisor with IBM Accessibility Research, is starting a new blog series where he will share tips and tricks for accessible design and development. If you have topics you’d like Tom to address, please leave your thoughts in the comments section. I spend a majority of my time traveling to […]