Coming May 9: Global Accessibility Awareness Day

http://www.facebook.com/globalaccessibilityawarenessday

COPIED FROM http://www.facebook.com/globalaccessibilityawarenessday/info

The intent of Global Accessibility Awareness Day is for it to be a community-driven international effort to increase awareness of digital (web, software, mobile app/device, touch screen kiosk, etc.) accessibility for people with different disabilities.

A Global Accessibility Awareness Day was inspired by a blog post written by a Los Angeles-based developer, Joe Devon http://mysqltalk.wordpress.com/2011/11/27/challenge-accessibility-know-how-needs-to-go-mainstream-with-developers-now. The idea is that on may 9, people in communities around the world hold a talk, organize hands-on demos, or plan another activity that brings attention to some aspect of digital accessibility. You can make it big or small, formal, or less so. Why not unplug your mouse and use the keyboard alone and surf the web for an hour on that day and blog about your experience. It's completely up to you.

In addition to this Facebook page, and knowing that Facebook is not where it needs to be from an accessibility perspective for everyone, a website and other communication channels will come online to help peple come together, and to help promote day's events as they get organized.

This initiative is still in its infancy. It's definitely community-driven, that means by you! For now, Like this page to express interest and to stay updated as the day takes shape. Post your thoughts on the idea of a Global Accessibility Awareness Day on the Wal and/or express interest in helping to organize an event in your city. We are going to need people who speak other languages to help us spread word about the day to truly make it global. Follow @GblA11yDay on Twitter. E-mail globala11yawarenessday at gmail.com.

Ultimately, the goal is to use one day, May 9, to raise the profile of and expand the conversation on digital accessibility beyond traditional audiences. It is not meant in any way to replace other efforts.

Let's see if we can do this, and have some fun at the same time.