Last year I reported that Web Essentials 04 was a conference that I was able to “attend remotely” with the help of photos and transcripts. This year, the Web Essentials ’05 crew have raised the bar one more notch when it comes to web standards and accessibility conferences – WE 05 will be podcast so that you can join us from around the world. Great stuff from a fantastic organizing committee!

I’m not sure what will be done in the way of transcripts, but you may find speakers’ presentations making their way on to the web (I’ll be posting mine). Add flickr to the mix, and that’s a pretty good overall experience in anyone’s book.

Check out WE05 on Technorati

Sometimes, accessibility can make you go around in circles, feeling like you’re stuck in a maze and can’t get out. Some accessibility puzzles are truly hard to solve.

I’m wondering – what are some of the most difficult challenges you’ve had with making things accessible? I’m not talking about things like “getting management to buy in,” or “it costs too much.” I’m talking about things that you or one of your colleagues built: a particular site map or navigation bar, a form or part of a form of an online process, or even multimedia components. I don’t need all the details, but an overview of the problem and context would be great, as I’m trying to get an idea of what others are struggling with right now.

Imagine, if you will:

Derek

As part of this web standards and accessibility consulting project we’ll produce a document that guides your work so your developers are ‘doing the right thing’

Client

That’s excellent – really good value and great for our redesign efforts

Derek

No problem. Let’s make it happen

Client

Yes. Let’s.

Continue reading The Meaning of Web Standards

Earlier this year, I lost a dear friend to cancer. A member of my immediate family has been diagnosed with cancer within the last few months. It sucks. I hate it. And I want to help beat it.

My wife, Kathryn, and I have been planning to participate in the annual Terry Fox Run in support of cancer research for some time now. I know that many of you will be giving in other ways to other charities and causes such as the relief efforts in New Orleans. I also know that I should have done this sooner, but if only a small portion of those that read this blog can/do make a small donation between now and the run, it will help. Thank you very much!

Terry Fox run online donation form

A long time ago, in a location far far away, there was a presentation at SXSW that included myself, Ian Lloyd and James Craig moderated by Glenda Sims. Audio was recorded and we had all promised that it would be transcribed and posted.

Which brings us to now – 6 months later, and we are able to finally announce that the transcription of “Accessibility… can’t we all just get along” is now live.

Many many many thanks to Glenda and James for their work transcribing the audio, and to James for putting the well-structured, accessible, and well-designed transcript together. There are some details in his work that show great use of space, style and semantics. Making things accessible isn’t always easy, but hopefully those of you that weren’t there will enjoy the audio and the transcription, and those of you that were there can relive the memories like it was the “good ol’ days.”