Welcome to the Talent Lab Tech Notes blog! Explore tips, perspectives, and news from our team of accessibility and usability experts and AFB Talent Lab participants in this collection of articles that’s updated monthly.
It’s 2025, and for many, automation and artificial intelligence (AI) are an ordinary part of everyday life. From smart home routines to virtual assistants and chatbots, both automation and AI have proven to be quite versatile and handy in a multitude of ways. With that being said, it is also the case that automation and AI currently do not address or solve every problem on their own; this is especially true in the realm of digital accessibility.
Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, "We must be as courteous to a person as we are to a picture, which we are willing to give the advantage of a good light."
As time passes, technology becomes more commonplace and increasingly crucial for most aspects of life, be it work, school, or leisure. As we integrate and evolve with digital spaces, equal access to technology and digital resources is essential for people with disabilities to ensure they can fully participate and engage with the world. That is our mission– to create a world of endless possibilities for people who are blind or have low vision.
Technology is making exciting strides in bridging accessibility gaps for individuals with visual impairments. Through the integration of sound, specifically binaural soundscapes, accessible technology is creating new avenues for blind individuals to access information, navigate their surroundings, and engage in a diverse range of activities. But how does this work, and what is the science behind the creation of binaural soundscapes?
In a world increasingly driven by buzzwords, phrases like "diversity" and "inclusion" often dominate headlines and advertisements. These terms signify a positive societal shift towards valuing differences, particularly in workplaces, educational institutions, and corporations. However, beneath the surface of these catchphrases lies a profound challenge: the need to truly understand and appreciate their essence, especially in the context of disability.
In any conversation about accessibility, there is always discourse and debate about how to implement testing, its different methods, strategies, tricks, and tips – anything you could ever wonder about – with many degrees of effectiveness and success. But a practice that absolutely should not be dismissed is Pair Testing.
In order for an assistive technology user to be able to identify every necessary aspect of an element on a website/application, this element needs to have their name, role, and values properly implemented through the respective markup language (commonly HTML). This is because the screen reader receives the information about each element that will be announced to the user through these name, role, value properties. So it is important to make proper use of HTML semantics and utilize HTML attributes and tags accordingly.
If you have ever used Android and Talkback, I’m sure you have heard the “Double tap to activate” instruction before. It is an indication that a control is clickable. This is fine for things like buttons, which should be clickable, but the issue is that this announcement happens when there is a click event tied to a certain element. It doesn’t matter if the click does anything or not, or if the element is announced as a valid control such as “button”.
The term “Digital Accessibility” may at first seem daunting. For many, accessibility can be an entirely new concept, and so, when faced with a situation where you have to apply it, one may be at a loss on where to start. What is the best way to learn? Upon doing general research to familiarize yourself with this new concept, you will most likely encounter advertisements on several “automated testing tools,” and you might think your predicament has a quick fix. That, however, is a false comfort.
Google IO, the annual developer conference, once again amazed audiences with its groundbreaking announcements. Held on May 10, 2023 at the Shoreline Amphitheater in Mountain View, CA, this year's event showcased a wide range of exciting developments across various domains, with a less notable focus on accessibility during the keynote. In this blog post, we provide a comprehensive overview of the key accessibility-related announcements made at Google IO 2023, highlighting the remarkable innovations and technologies unveiled.