The document summarizes a presentation where the presenter discusses what they have learned about accessibility from questions and answers on Stack Overflow. It includes questions asked on Stack Overflow about HTML, CSS, ARIA, assistive technology, and accessibility in general, along with short answers or responses provided. The presentation concludes by emphasizing the importance of accessibility professionals being present and providing guidance on sites like Stack Overflow and at local tech events.
Everything I Know About Accessibility I Learned from Stack Overflow
1. Everything I Know About
Accessibility I Learned
from Stack Overflow
rosel.li/a11yTOConf (case sensitive)
#a11yTOConf
Presented by Adrian Roselli (@aardrian) for a11yTO
13. Assistive Technology
Q: How do I override how JAWS
navigates tables and replace the
keystrokes with my better
keystrokes?
#a11yTOConf
14. Assistive Technology
Q: How can I check if a user has a
disability or is using a screen
reader? You know, to justify
making a design accessible.
#a11yTOConf
18. Where Are A11y Pros?
• Are we on Stack Overflow?
• Are we at local tech events?
• Are we training teams?
• Are we involved in education?
• We need better outreach.
#a11yTOConf
22. Everything I Know About
Accessibility I Learned
from Stack Overflow
rosel.li/a11yTOConf (case sensitive)
#a11yTOConf
Presented by Adrian Roselli (@aardrian) for a11yTO
Notes de l'éditeur
As the Help Desk of the web
Less “Wisdom of the Crowds”
More “Most Popular, Not Most Correct”
I am explicitly not including links to posts
All questions/answers are paraphrased
Only 3.4% of SO survey respondents identified as having a disability (selection bias in inaccessible survey)
These slides use the fonts and colors from the SO site (tho I added link underlines)
Event hashtag in the bottom right
Linger on this slide.
Not all HTML questions are HTML.
This is an example of answer I saw to a question about writing content only screen readers will see. It was not accepted.
One answer cautioned against it, but explained how you could do this with script.
Linger on this slide.
CSS questions usually have a script aspect to them.
Question was about overriding ugly underlines.
Really wanted to prevent all users from ruining his/her design.
Many questions conflate JS, CSS, and HTML.
Do not understand distinction.
Linger on this slide.
As a11y pros we struggle with ARIA ourselves.
Think of what we have seen so far.
Imagine how out of hand this can get.
Question was about making sure a screen reader user never missed instructions.
Problem was that they were not in the flow of the form.
Also, confusing, so SR users who saw it would struggle.
He/she wanted SR user to know there was an image.
Was not concerned what it said, but wanted to use to know was missing something.
Had inherited somebody else’s code.
Conversely, this was a desire to hide everything.
Came about because page failed validation for missing alt text.
Did not seem to understand blank alt is fine.
Dev found table navigation in JAWS confusing.
Decided his method for using the tables made more sense.
Built a giant library that worked outside an SR, but it fell apart in JAWS.
Struggled to make the case for a11y support to bosses.
Bosses wanted numbers.
Bosses also only considered a separate site, but numbers had to justify effort.
Who do they ask?
What is their regular support channel?
Where do these devs learn these things?
When do they realize they need to get help?
How do they know what to even ask?
Why aren’t they find or asking us?
They do not just stumble across our things.
They find awful tutorials.
They follow name brands who do not do it.
They see lots of lip service.
They see terrible advice in general.
As an industry, where do we go?
Are we in an echo chamber?
Who here interacts with any devs outside of those in their day job?
Is this our fault?
Many are already out there.
Many are already out there.
Maybe choose a place to make your mark.
Hang out on a forum.
Leave helpful comments at the big sites.
Follow-up on the social medias.
Go to local tech events.
Pester local colleges and universities.
Offer to run a course.
Accept that sometimes we will be wrong.
If you do choose to go to Stack Overflow, I made a couple resources for you.
I am taking my annual sanity break.
Re-using answers is awesome.
A well-documented / -linked / -researched answer should be re-used.
This can make it easier to find.
I filed an issue forever ago.
The bug reporting model is weird.
I accepted an answer, but no idea what happens next.
Use this in the meantime.
As the Help Desk of the web
Less “Wisdom of the Crowds”
More “Most Popular, Not Most Correct”
I am explicitly not including links to posts
All questions/answers are paraphrased
Only 3.4% of SO survey respondents identified as having a disability (selection bias in inaccessible survey)
These slides use the fonts and colors from the SO site (tho I added link underlines)
Event hashtag in the bottom right