Michael Hingson and Shir Ekerling - The Future of Web Accessibility

Summary

Michael Hinkson, Chief Vision Officer, and Shear Eckerling, CEO and founder of Accessory, discuss the urgent crisis of internet inaccessibility for persons with disabilities. They emphasize the need for scalable and practical solutions, introducing Accessory's user-centric approach leveraging cloud-based technologies to make web accessibility a reality by 2025. Eckerling shares a personal 'light bulb' moment, illustrating the transformative potential of accessible web design. They invite viewers to join their mission for an inclusive and usable internet for all.

Takeaways

• 🌐 Michael Hinkson, Chief Vision Officer, and Shear Eckerling, Founder and CEO, discuss the current crisis of internet inaccessibility for persons with disabilities.
• 🔍 They believe traditional accessibility solutions are not scalable and cannot keep up with the needs of the growing internet landscape.
• 🏗️ Accessory Software Development aims to address this issue by creating scalable and practical solutions for web accessibility.
• 💡 Shear Eckerling's personal experience with a screen reader mode on a website was a turning point, demonstrating the potential for the internet to become accessible.
• 🛠️ Accessory takes a user-centric approach, leveraging cloud-based technologies to scale and maintain website accessibility.
• 🚀 The goal is to make the internet accessible by 2025, a vision driven by the scalable approach of Accessory's technology.
• 🤝 Shear joined Accessibility because of the alignment of visions to ensure persons with disabilities can have an accessible and usable internet experience.
• 🔑 The script emphasizes the responsibility of accessibility advocates to find new approaches to make the internet accessible for all.
• 📚 An accompanying post to the video is mentioned, which presumably provides more details and context to the discussion.
• 📢 The speakers invite viewers to read the post, consider the issues, and join the effort to make the internet accessible and inclusive.
• 🌟 The script highlights the importance of innovation and collaboration in solving the web accessibility crisis for persons with disabilities.

Q & A

What is the main issue discussed by Michael Hinkson and Shear Eckerling in the video?

The main issue discussed is the major crisis of the internet not being accessible for persons with disabilities due to the lack of scalability in traditional accessibility solutions.

What is the role of Michael Hinkson in the video?

Michael Hinkson is the Chief Vision Officer who emphasizes the responsibility of accessibility advocates to acknowledge the need for new approaches to make the internet accessible.

What is Shear Eckerling's position and what is his vision for web accessibility?

Shear Eckerling is the Founder and CEO of Accessibility, and his vision is to make the internet accessible by 2025 through scalable and practical solutions for business owners.

What approach does Shear Eckerling advocate for in order to achieve scalable web accessibility?

Shear Eckerling advocates for a user-centric approach that leverages cloud-based technologies capable of scaling and processing a large number of websites simultaneously while keeping them accessible on an ongoing basis.

Why did Shear Eckerling join the Accessibility company?

Shear Eckerling joined Accessibility because it was an opportunity for him to help ensure that people with disabilities could have a more accessible and usable internet.

What was Shear Eckerling's 'light bulb moment' regarding web accessibility?

His 'light bulb moment' was when he encountered a new software on a usually inaccessible website that, when activated in screen reader mode, made the website incredibly usable and accessible.

What is the market failure that Shear Eckerling refers to in the video?

The market failure refers to the inability of current web accessibility solutions to be scalable and practical for every business owner, which is why Accessory exists to find a way to make web accessibility scalable.

What is the goal of Accessory's scalable approach to web accessibility?

The goal is to make flexibility accessible and to solve the problem of the internet not being accessible for persons with disabilities, ultimately aiming to make the internet accessible by 2025.

What is the call to action for the viewers of the video?

The call to action is for viewers to read the accompanying post, think about the issue, and join the effort to ensure an accessible, usable, and inclusive internet for all.

How does the video script suggest that the current state of web accessibility is unsustainable?

The script suggests that the current state is unsustainable because traditional accessibility solutions are not scalable and cannot keep up with the growing needs of persons with disabilities.

What is the significance of the term 'screen reader mode' mentioned in the script?

Screen reader mode is significant as it represents a feature that, when activated, greatly improves the usability and accessibility of a website for individuals with visual impairments.

Outlines

00:00

🌐 Web Accessibility Crisis

Michael Hinkson, Chief Vision Officer, and Shear Eckerling, Founder and CEO of Accessibility, discuss the current crisis of internet inaccessibility for persons with disabilities. They emphasize the need for new, scalable solutions that can keep up with the rapid pace of the internet, rather than relying on traditional methods which are not sustainable. The video aims to raise awareness about the urgency of this issue and calls for immediate action.

🛠️ Advancing Web Accessibility

Shear Eckerling shares her vision as the driving force behind the development of accessibility software at Accessibility. The company is focused on making the internet accessible by 2025 through a user-centric approach that utilizes cloud-based technologies. This approach allows for the simultaneous processing and ongoing accessibility of a vast number of websites, making web accessibility scalable and practical for business owners while empowering users with disabilities.

💡 Personal Experience with Accessibility

Shear Eckerling recounts her personal 'light bulb' moment when she discovered a new software that made an inaccessible website incredibly usable through a screen reader mode. This experience solidified her belief in the potential of technology to make the internet accessible for all, including those with disabilities. It also motivated her to join Accessibility and contribute to the mission of making the internet fully accessible and usable for everyone.

📢 Call to Action for Inclusive Internet

The video concludes with a call to action for viewers to read an accompanying post, reflect on the discussed issues, and join the movement to ensure an accessible and inclusive internet for all. The speakers express gratitude and invite the audience to be part of the solution, highlighting the collective effort required to make the internet a space that is usable and welcoming to everyone, regardless of their abilities.

Keywords

💡Accessibility

Accessibility refers to the design of products, devices, services, or environments for people with disabilities. It involves removing barriers to create a more inclusive world. In the video's context, it is about making the internet usable for people with disabilities, which is the central theme of the discussion.

💡Chief Vision Officer

A Chief Vision Officer (CVO) is a senior executive responsible for setting and articulating the long-term vision of a company. Michael Hinkson, mentioned in the script, holds this role at Accessory and is leading the conversation on internet accessibility.

💡Founder

A founder is a person who establishes an organization or project. Shear Eckerling is identified as the founder of Accessibility, indicating that she initiated the company and is likely involved in its strategic direction.

💡Chief Executive Officer

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) is the highest-ranking officer in a company, responsible for making major corporate decisions. Shear Eckerling is also the CEO of Accessibility, emphasizing her leadership role in the organization.

💡Web Accessibility

Web accessibility means that websites, mobile apps, and tools are designed in a way that people with disabilities can use them. The script discusses the crisis of the internet not being accessible and the need for scalable solutions to make web accessibility a reality.

💡Scalable Solutions

Scalable solutions are those that can grow or expand to accommodate a larger number of users or an increase in demand. The video emphasizes the need for scalable solutions to address the growing issue of internet accessibility for persons with disabilities.

💡Cloud-based Technologies

Cloud-based technologies refer to services that are delivered over the internet and stored on remote servers. The script mentions leveraging these technologies to scale accessibility solutions and process a large number of websites simultaneously.

💡Screen Reader Mode

Screen reader mode is a feature that allows visually impaired users to navigate and understand web content through audio output. In the script, it is an example of how technology can make a website accessible, as experienced by Shear Eckerling.

💡Inclusive

Inclusiveness is about creating an environment or system that is welcoming and usable by everyone, including people with disabilities. The video's goal is to make the internet inclusive to all, which is a core part of the accessibility message.

💡Visionary

A visionary is someone who has the ability to think about and plan the future with imagination and wisdom. Shear Eckerling is described as the visionary behind Accessory, indicating her role in shaping the company's future direction and goals.

💡Market Failure

Market failure occurs when a market does not produce an efficient outcome. In the script, it is mentioned as the reason why Accessory exists, to address the inefficiency of current approaches to web accessibility.

Highlights

Michael Hinkson, Chief Vision Officer, discusses the major crisis of internet inaccessibility for persons with disabilities.

Shear Eckerling, CEO and founder of Accessible, emphasizes the need for scalable and practical solutions for web accessibility.

The traditional methods for accessibility are deemed not scalable and unable to keep pace with current needs.

The urgency to address the accessibility issue now rather than in the future is highlighted.

Shear Eckerling shares her vision behind Accessory, aiming to make the internet accessible through new approaches.

Excessive, a company, is introduced as a solution to make web accessibility scalable and practical for business owners.

A user-centric approach leveraging cloud-based technologies for scalability and ongoing accessibility is mentioned.

The goal is set to make India accessible by 2025 through this scalable approach.

Shear Eckerling's personal motivation to join Accessible stems from a desire to help the disabled community.

Shear's 'light bulb moment' upon discovering a software that made a usually inaccessible website usable.

The importance of finding a solution that allows the internet to be accessible to persons with disabilities is underscored.

An accompanying post to the video is mentioned for further reading and reflection on the discussed issues.

A call to action for viewers to join in the mission to make the internet accessible, usable, and inclusive for all.

The transcript concludes with thanks to the audience for their attention and potential participation.

Transcripts

hello i'm michael hinkson chief vision

officer

for accessory with me today is shear

eckerling

accessibility's founder chief executive

officer

and the person who is leading

accessibility software development

in the accompanying post to this video

you'll read about

why we believe that there is a major

crisis today because

the internet is not at all accessible

for persons with disabilities

we think that this is an issue because

the internet and

accessibility related solutions from the

traditional way of doing things

are not scalable and can't keep up we're

in a situation

where we need to address the issue now

not at some time in the future sure

would you like to

give us some of your thoughts you're the

visionary behind accessory

billing on mike's words we believe that

it's our responsibility

as accessibility advocates to

acknowledge that new approaches

must be taken if we are to truly make

the internet accessible and someday soon

the market failure that mike has

mentioned is

the reason why excessive even exists to

find

a way to make web accessibility scalable

and practical for

practically every business owner while

also enabling people with disabilities

to effectively use the internet or in

other words to make flexibility

accessible

and to solve this problem we took a

user-centric approach that

leverages cloud-based technologies that

can scale

and can process a huge number of

websites simultaneously and also

keep them accessible on an ongoing basis

and

this scalable approach is basically

what is driving the practicality of our

vision

which is to make the indian accessible

by 2025

when i was offered the opportunity to

join accessibility i jumped at the

chance because this was an opportunity

for me to help make sure that

those of us who happen to live in this

community of persons with disabilities

and accessibility could have visions

that were totally aligned

i first learned about accessibility when

i went to a website that i usually found

to be fairly inaccessible

and suddenly encountered this brand new

software

that when i followed the instructions to

activate what was called a screen reader

mode

the website became incredibly usable and

accessible

more than i ever could have imagined

this was really a light bulb moment for

me because

for the first time it was clear to me

that there was a solution that would

allow the internet to become accessible

in the way that i

and other persons with disabilities

would like

as i said earlier we have a post that

will be accompanying this video

please read it please think about it and

then

please join us in helping to make sure

that all of us have the internet that we

want

that is accessible and completely usable

and inclusive to all

thanks very much