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.