Learning to be accessible

Accessibility is a key aspect to ensuring digital content is more readily available to all people in the community, regardless of ability.

Community Service Organisations (CSOs) are the vital link to connect people to community services. Yet web content is often inaccessible to people with disability, including those with a vision or hearing impairment or people with a learning disability. This can render online information partially or entirely unusable for many. CSOs need to be at the forefront of accessible online communications to ensure an effective digitally inclusive society.

As accessibility is critical to equality and fairness, it is vital that CSOs embrace digital inclusion and provide clear, accessible and relevant online information that is available to all.

OZeWAI is Australia’s only web accessibility conference, bringing together national and international experts, to create an environment promoting knowledge sharing and collaboration. The conference provides a unique opportunity for professionals from a diverse range of backgrounds to enhance their skills and link with others working towards the same goal.

In its early years the conference was already attracting international speakers and attendees with an interest in the then niche area of web accessibility. As accessibility rose higher on the public agenda, its influence has expanded, particularly in the government and education sectors.

The conference is this year under new management by Media Access Australia, Australia’s only independent not-for-profit devoted to increasing access to media for people with disabilities. Infoxchange's design studio, SocialDesign, worked with Media Access to create the refreshed brand logo and website that establishes a strong visual direction for the OzeWAI conference to grow with.

The topics at the conference address the difficulties all organisations, including CSOs face when creating accessible websites. This year’s presentations cover issues such as creating accessible PDF's and other electronic documents, web accessibility issues in an aging population, mobile app accessibility and accessibility in social media.  

As we discover new and diverse applications for the web, OZeWAI continues to look at how accessibility can make existing and emerging technologies accessible across the increasing number of platforms and devices available.

The OZeWAI conference brings to the community service sector a healthy and vibrant discussion of these issues that helps make the web a more inclusive place for all.

The conference runs from 30 November to 2 December 2011, at La Trobe University, Bundoora Victoria.

Visit the OZeWAI conference website for more information.