Podcast

00:00:00:00 – 00:00:04:14
00:00:04:14 – 00:00:24:08
Unknown
Welcome to another episode of Vantage Viewpoint. Today we are diving into a critical conversation at the intersection of accessibility and AI, and how artificial intelligence and human expertise can work hand-in-hand to create better, more efficient PDF Accessibility Outcomes. Joining me today is Greg, an expert in AI powered accessibility workflows here at Apex CoVantage.
00:00:25:10 – 00:00:27:04
Unknown
Hello, Greg. Welcome back to the show.
00:00:27:04 – 00:00:40:00
Unknown
Thanks, Sampath. Very happy to be here. This is a topic that’s gaining a lot of traction. There’s truly potential in how we can blend technology and human insight to make digital content truly accessible. So where would you like to start sampath?
00:00:40:00 – 00:00:49:07
Unknown
Okay, let’s start off from the top, shall we? So what do you think, AI or where do you think AI brings the most value when it comes to making PDFs accessible?
00:00:49:09 – 00:00:55:12
Unknown
That’s a good question Sampath. AI works best when you’re dealing with high volumes of content.
00:00:55:12 – 00:01:13:20
Unknown
When the documents are structurally consistent, similar to forms or templates, publisher standard formats, when you want to generate alt text for images quickly and ideally when the PDFs are born digital, not scanned so they’re clean and machine readable right from the start.
00:01:13:22 – 00:01:20:12
Unknown
In those situations, the power of AI can really speed things up while maintaining a decent level of accuracy.
00:01:20:12 – 00:01:27:21
Unknown
That does sound powerful, Greg, but I believe there’s also a cost to getting these AI systems of the ground right?
00:01:27:21 – 00:01:43:07
Unknown
Absolutely correct. The cost to develop and implement AI tools can be significant. That’s why it’s generally best handled by a software provider, a SAS platform provider, or an experienced vendor.
00:01:43:09 – 00:01:51:03
Unknown
For most organizations, it wouldn’t make sense to build from scratch, especially if you’re not dealing with enormous or ongoing document volumes.
00:01:51:03 – 00:02:08:02
Unknown
That’s great. Greg. Now, I believe with the cost of implementation and considering that, you know, AI is really, really new to the scene. But considering the advantage, the advantages and the leaps and bounds at which it’s growing, I’m sure they must also be a lot of limitations.
00:02:08:03 – 00:02:10:15
Unknown
Where does I tend to fall short in this space?
00:02:10:15 – 00:02:15:08
Unknown
There are a few common challenges associated with implementing an AI solution.
00:02:15:08 – 00:02:28:22
Unknown
One of them is in a low volume scenario. In such cases, there’s not enough data to train models effectively. You can get very strange results by using very small quantity data to do a proper training.
00:02:29:00 – 00:02:31:05
Unknown
That means you don’t account for the variance in the source.
00:02:31:05 – 00:02:52:22
Unknown
The training input also really matters. The more aligned it is with the actual use cases, the better the outcomes from using an AI solution. When you’re in a live, production scenario. And, the other rub that’s involved in that highly variable content can create some problems or be misinterpreted.
00:02:52:22 – 00:02:55:11
Unknown
It can throw the AI results off,
00:02:55:11 – 00:03:18:08
Unknown
associated with all text generation. Well, that’s an improving area for AI. It’s done a very good job with recognizing lots of images. It can be inconsistent and sometimes it can provide problems that require human review. The types of responses that are generated can seem to be very mechanical in certain cases.
00:03:18:10 – 00:03:30:05
Unknown
In other instances, there’s more data that’s needed. Particularly when you’re dealing in Stem content, where you may have to look at the context surrounding an image to be able to get an appropriate alt text response.
00:03:30:05 – 00:03:38:03
Unknown
and when you’re working with page images or scanned PDFs, you end up relying on the OCR. That’s what I mentioned before in digital earlier.
00:03:38:03 – 00:04:01:22
Unknown
When you have scanned objects and you’re, you’re doing the OCR extraction, there’s another potential layer of inaccuracy that’s introduced, which could throw off an AI result. So it becomes necessary to be able to look at options that are going to put people in the process, to be able to look at it from a hybrid perspective, rather than just a software solution alone.
00:04:01:22 – 00:04:23:21
Unknown
Now that we have spoken about the limitations, Greg. I believe that the sweet spot seems to be a hybrid approach. I where it makes sense and human oversight where it’s needed so that the data can be trained better. The deployed solutions can be better optimized for or any sort of problems that we encountered during accessibility of document remediation.
00:04:23:23 – 00:04:44:09
Unknown
Exactly. Correct. Yeah. At apex we use best of both worlds kind of approach. It’s a, hybrid workflow as you described. We start by making sure that we do a complete source analysis, and we’re choosing the proper tools to be able to do the work that we have the right AI models that we want to put into place.
00:04:44:09 – 00:05:09:14
Unknown
We then use, AI with the PDF workflow to be able to get to accessibility to create an intermediate accessible PDF file. What that means is that the file has been processed by the AI, it’s been reviewed, objects have been identified, and they’ve been appropriately tagged to the extent that the AI is able to handle the the content there, then we will run a series of automated checks.
00:05:09:14 – 00:05:32:08
Unknown
I mean, we can use things like, Adobe Accessibility Checker, or we could use the PAC checker for PDF and then, take that information where human analysts can step in and look at the issues that may be reported by the checking tools and ensure that their the tagging has been updated as necessary, that the document will pass all criteria.
00:05:32:10 – 00:05:58:08
Unknown
And, additionally can check to make sure that any old text that has been generated is accurate and contextually appropriate. One of the things that we do to improve our process is we consider the human document that has been prepared to be a gold standard document at that juncture. We can take that gold standard document and then the source, and we can feed those back into our AI models.
00:05:58:12 – 00:06:40:20
Unknown
And we do this periodically so that we’re improving the AI training as we go forward. So as we do work, we have the potential to expand the quantity of, trained materials that have been used with the AI model. And the objective is to ensure that when we’re generating the tagged output from our, our system, that we’re going to keep incrementally improving that over time, to be able to get to, having less, the human touch that’s involved into, it turns out that’s an iterative it’s a collaborative process that that goes on between the production folks and our software developers to balance the speed, cost, efficiency, and quality to get to a good
00:06:40:20 – 00:06:45:04
Unknown
end result for, an efficient workflow to award accessible PDFs.
00:06:45:04 – 00:06:59:04
Unknown
Thank you, Greg, for explaining how human and AI oversight works. Now, for all our listeners tuning into this episode, if you have any high volume and large scale PDF remediation needs, you can contact Apex CoVantage.
00:06:59:04 – 00:07:02:18
Unknown
Now, Greg, looking ahead, how do you see the space evolving?
00:07:02:18 – 00:07:13:15
Unknown
It’s a good question, Sam, for I see a future where AI is going to handle more and more of the heavy lifting associated with, doing document remediation.
00:07:13:16 – 00:07:26:10
Unknown
And human experts, will continue to act as quality controllers and also trainers. It’s an interaction between the folks that are reviewing the output files and the folks who are doing development work with the AIS.
00:07:26:10 – 00:07:38:01
Unknown
The more high quality data that we can feed into the system from these hybrid workflows, the more intelligent the AI will be, and the more accurate will be when it’s delivering results.
00:07:38:03 – 00:07:59:22
Unknown
Ultimately, we’re moving toward, highly scalable, high quality, document accessibility. Results, and doing so in a way that’s going to deliver things in a fast manner. And it’s not going to compromise in any way. Human experience at the, delivery side, when the remediated PDF is made available.
00:08:00:00 – 00:08:06:15
Unknown
Thanks, Greg, for that. Now, before we wrap this episode up, what is your one key takeaway for all our listeners?
00:08:06:15 – 00:08:27:12
Unknown
The the probably the biggest key takeaway that I would say is that, pdf accessibility because of variation in different types of sources out there, it isn’t a one size fits all process. So you can’t take one solution and then apply it to every scenario as a huge enabler.
00:08:27:14 – 00:08:38:01
Unknown
But it’s only effective when it’s used strategically, and you’re combining it with skilled human reviewers to ensure that you’re going to get the appropriate end result.
00:08:38:01 – 00:08:43:12
Unknown
That’s how we make accessibility at Apex efficient, sustainable, and effective.
00:08:43:12 – 00:08:55:04
Unknown
That’s great. Greg. Thank you so much. And I think this concludes this episode for today and for for our listeners. If you’re exploring scalable solutions for accessible PDFs.
00:08:55:06 – 00:09:01:01
Unknown
Definitely check out how Apex Co Vantage blends I am human expertise to deliver these better outcomes.
00:09:01:01 – 00:09:03:19
Unknown
Hey Greg, thank you so much for being here today with us.
00:09:03:19 – 00:09:05:20
Unknown
Great. Welcome, Sampath. Thank you for having me
00:09:05:20 – 00:09:06:19
Unknown
on. Thank you.
00:09:06:19 – 00:09:10:09

00;00;02;06 – 00;00;02;28
Hello, everyone.00;00;02;28 – 00;00;04;27
Welcome to today’s episode.00;00;04;27 – 00;00;07;02
We are going to talk about
a very critical topic00;00;07;02 – 00;00;09;23
in educational technology,
which is accessibility.00;00;09;23 – 00;00;13;16
As we know, deadlines
like European Accessibility Act are fast00;00;13;16 – 00;00;15;24
approaching, and edtech providers face00;00;15;24 – 00;00;19;06
significant challenges in ensuring
that the content remains accessible.00;00;19;25 – 00;00;23;06
Joining me today is Prashanth,
an expert in EdTech accessibility.00;00;23;19 – 00;00;26;04
Hey Prashanth, it’s very nice
to have you here with us.00;00;26;04 – 00;00;27;06
Thanks. Simple.00;00;27;06 – 00;00;29;01
I’m excited to dive into this discussion.00;00;29;01 – 00;00;29;16
That’s great.00;00;29;16 – 00;00;33;17
Now, as you know, deadlines in a edtech
world can be very relentless.00;00;34;03 – 00;00;36;02
What makes you think accessibility00;00;36;02 – 00;00;38;14
is so challenging under all these time
constraints Prashanth?00;00;39;01 – 00;00;42;27
Good question Sampath, but this is indeed
a very interesting point to talk about.00;00;43;01 – 00;00;47;09
Remediation in a edtech industry is nothing
but modifying and optimizing00;00;47;19 – 00;00;49;07
educational content00;00;49;07 – 00;00;52;26
to ensure it meets accessibility,
compliance and quality standards.00;00;53;23 – 00;00;56;29
It is crucial for creating an inclusive
learning environment00;00;57;10 – 00;01;01;02
that caters to diverse learners,
including those with disabilities.00;01;01;07 – 00;01;05;03
Now, let me tell you why
remediation is so resource intensive.00;01;05;08 – 00;01;08;08
First, let’s talk about high content
volumes.00;01;08;16 – 00;01;12;04
In general,  edtech companies
deal with vast amounts of content00;01;12;13 – 00;01;17;05
from textbooks and course materials
to multimedia and interactive resources.00;01;17;20 – 00;01;22;09
So remediating such extensive
content requires huge time and efforts.00;01;22;14 – 00;01;25;09
The next one is about content, complexity.00;01;25;09 – 00;01;29;04
Education content exists
in multiple formats like PDFs,00;01;29;16 – 00;01;34;07
ebooks, videos, simulations,
and interactive learning modules.00;01;34;22 – 00;01;37;08
Each format requires a unique remediation approach00;01;37;08 – 00;01;40;15
to ensure accessibility and usability.00;01;40;20 – 00;01;43;20
Last but not least, keeping content00;01;43;20 – 00;01;46;20
updated is a significant factor.00;01;47;03 – 00;01;50;03
Accessibility is not a one size
fits all solution.00;01;50;16 – 00;01;53;11
It requires thoughtful design
that accommodates00;01;53;11 – 00;01;56;21
different disabilities,
learning styles and preferences.00;01;57;11 – 00;02;00;28
As new content is created
and existing materials are updated.00;02;01;10 – 00;02;04;09
Accessibility Standards must be consistently applied.00;02;04;26 – 00;02;08;00
This includes providing alternative text for images,00;02;08;18 – 00;02;11;06
ensuring proper hearing structures,00;02;11;06 – 00;02;13;27
maintaining sufficient color contrast,00;02;13;27 – 00;02;18;16
LATek and CATek coding for map assets,
incorporating transcripts,00;02;19;05 – 00;02;23;19
captions, scene descriptions,
and ensuring screen reader compatibility.00;02;23;25 – 00;02;26;08
Now our listeners will also be
aware of the challenges00;02;26;08 – 00;02;27;27
involved with accessibility.00;02;27;27 – 00;02;29;11
Now, given these challenges,00;02;29;11 – 00;02;32;03
What do you think is the best way
for learning content providers00;02;32;03 – 00;02;35;01
to integrate accessibility
effectively in their approach?00;02;35;01 – 00;02;38;22
A proactive, born accessible approach.00;02;38;22 – 00;02;42;15
Integrating accessibility from the start
is the key solution,00;02;42;19 – 00;02;47;01
A born accessible approach means embedding
accessibility considerations00;02;47;13 – 00;02;50;08
from the very beginning
of content development.00;02;50;08 – 00;02;53;08
This proactive method ensures
that all learners,00;02;53;19 – 00;02;56;25
including those with disabilities,
can fully engage00;02;56;25 – 00;03;01;22
with educational materials
without requiring extensive modifications later.00;03;01;24 – 00;03;05;06
If you ask me about the benefits
of an accessible approach,00;03;06;03 – 00;03;08;27
designing content correctly
from the beginning00;03;08;27 – 00;03;12;09
prevents accessibility issues,
saving significant time00;03;12;19 – 00;03;16;02
and resources compared to post publication
remediation.00;03;16;27 – 00;03;20;08
Ensures compliance with accessibility
standards like00;03;20;08 – 00;03;26;02
WCAG, ADA and Section 508 guidelines
avoiding legal risks.00;03;26;06 – 00;03;29;06
Enhances user experience for all learners.00;03;29;15 – 00;03;32;16
Features like captions, alternative text00;03;32;29 – 00;03;37;11
and structured navigation benefit
not only learners with disabilities,00;03;37;19 – 00;03;40;18
but also those in different
learning environments00;03;40;18 – 00;03;43;13
like mobile users
and multilingual learners.00;03;43;13 – 00;03;46;13
Supports multiple learning modalities.00;03;46;14 – 00;03;51;05
Text, audio, video, interactive elements,
and adaptive tools00;03;51;15 – 00;03;55;20
make content more engaging
and effective for diverse learners.00;03;55;25 – 00;03;59;00
Now let’s talk about other factors
like automation.00;03;59;03 – 00;04;02;09
Automation can help speed up remediation,
However.00;04;02;19 – 00;04;06;22
AI coupled with humor in low quality
checks is required to ensure00;04;06;22 – 00;04;11;00
that content is scholastically effective
and technically compliant.00;04;11;18 – 00;04;16;01
Skilled professionals must review,
correct, and enhance the content.00;04;16;17 – 00;04;19;02
AI implementation
with human in the loop00;04;19;02 – 00;04;22;02
approach has proven to be both accurate
and effective.00;04;22;22 – 00;04;26;01
Second point is about training
content creators.00;04;26;28 – 00;04;30;03
Empowering instructional designers
with strong understanding00;04;30;03 – 00;04;33;03
of best practices is crucial for creating00;04;33;10 – 00;04;36;03
inclusive learning experiences.00;04;36;03 – 00;04;39;03
Third is about conducting regular audits.00;04;39;13 – 00;04;42;16
Accessibility is not a one and done task,00;04;42;28 – 00;04;47;11
but a continuous process that requires
regular evaluation and updates.00;04;47;28 – 00;04;51;08
By integrating accessibility
into routine content, audits00;04;51;08 – 00;04;55;23
Ed Tech companies can prevent
compliance violations and00;04;55;23 – 00;04;59;03
Enhance user experience, and uphold their commitment to inclusivity.00;04;59;03 – 00;05;02;07
Now we are spoken about a born accessible approaches.00;05;02;08 – 00;05;06;14
Spoken about automation and you’ve spoken
about artificial intelligence.00;05;07;03 – 00;05;09;22
Now, speaking about the solutions
is one thing,00;05;09;22 – 00;05;13;09
and implementing them in real world
scenarios is another thing.00;05;13;20 – 00;05;16;27
In all your experience, Prashanth,
have you worked with any client00;05;17;05 – 00;05;18;26
in tackling these challenges?00;05;18;26 – 00;05;21;21
Definitely some,
but I’m happy to share my experience00;05;21;21 – 00;05;23;26
with a strong commitment
to accessibility and00;05;23;26 – 00;05;26;12
A Leading edtech company wanted to perform00;05;26;12 – 00;05;30;16
education platform system enchancements
for accessibility compliance.00;05;31;07 – 00;05;35;11
Few challenges encountered by the customer
are educational materials00;05;35;11 – 00;05;38;13
included intricate elements
like complex tables,00;05;38;25 – 00;05;41;13
mathematical equations, and PDFs,00;05;41;13 – 00;05;44;15
which are inherently challenging
to make them accessible.00;05;45;08 – 00;05;49;06
The extensive library of resources
required systematic remediation00;05;49;17 – 00;05;52;24
to ensure all materials meet accessibility
standards.00;05;53;00 – 00;05;56;21
Keeping pace with updates in guidelines
necessitated00;05;56;21 – 00;05;58;22
continuous adaption and improvement.00;05;58;22 – 00;06;00;29
To address these challenges,00;06;00;29 – 00;06;05;05
we incorporated short
and descriptive alternative text00;06;05;14 – 00;06;10;08
for more than 200,000 images
to help visually impaired learners00;06;10;21 – 00;06;13;21
comprehend visual content
through screen readers.00;06;14;08 – 00;06;17;03
Processed HTML coding tables.00;06;17;03 – 00;06;19;25
LATeK and CATek coding for rendering00;06;19;25 – 00;06;24;02
more than 100,000 mathematical equations
to ensure mathematical00;06;24;09 – 00;06;29;01
notations are both visually clear
and accessible to assistive technologies.00;06;29;08 – 00;06;32;27
Enchanced thousands of PDFs
to include proper tagging,00;06;33;08 – 00;06;36;18
reading order, and navigational aids
to facilitate00;06;36;18 – 00;06;40;13
compatibility with screen readers
and improve overall usability.00;06;41;05 – 00;06;44;19
We also incorporated transcripts, scene
descriptions,00;06;45;07 – 00;06;47;20
and closed captions
for thousands of minutes00;06;47;20 – 00;06;50;20
of video content to ensure that learners00;06;50;25 – 00;06;54;21
who are deaf or hard of hearing
can access auditory information.00;06;54;21 – 00;06;57;06
That’s quite an impressive
transformation, honestly.00;06;57;06 – 00;07;00;06
And even more impressive numbers
that you have quoted.00;07;00;06 – 00;07;02;09
Now, for all the learning
content providers00;07;02;09 – 00;07;05;19
looking for a quick and efficient document
remediation platform,00;07;05;19 – 00;07;09;28
services like document a11y can help
you streamline your processes.00;07;10;07 – 00;07;13;20
Ensure compliance is without slowing down
your content production.00;07;13;25 – 00;07;16;18
This is also a great example
of how accessibility efforts00;07;16;18 – 00;07;18;00
can make a real world impact Prashanth.00;07;18;00 – 00;07;22;13
Do you have any other final advice
for learning content providers?00;07;22;18 – 00;07;23;14
Sure, Sampath.00;07;23;14 – 00;07;28;04
I urge all providers to make accessibility
a priority from the beginning.00;07;28;28 – 00;07;33;14
Investing in accessibility
only saves time, reduces costs00;07;33;14 – 00;07;37;02
and fosters an inclusive
learning experience for all learners.00;07;37;05 – 00;07;39;10
Well said Prashanth,
and for all our listeners,00;07;39;10 – 00;07;42;10
if you think accessibility is a challenge
for you or your team,00;07;42;21 – 00;07;45;21
Reach out to experts who can help
streamline this process for you.00;07;46;04 – 00;07;47;05
Thank you for joining us Prashanth.00;07;47;05 – 00;07;49;07
The pleasure is mine, Sampath.00;07;49;07 – 00;07;52;00
I appreciate the opportunity. Thanks Prashanth.

Podcast: Future-Proofing with WCAG 3.0
[00:00:02.730] – Jhanvi (Host)
Hey everyone, and welcome to Vantage Viewpoint. I’m your host, Janvi, and today we are diving into a topic that’s crucial for any website owner: accessibility. But this is not your average accessibility chat. We are talking about the future, WCAG 3.0, the upcoming update to the Web Accessibility Guideline. Did you know that over 1 billion people worldwide experience some form of disability? By making our websites accessible, we open doors to a vast and diverse audience. And that’s not just the right thing to do. It’s a good business too. So buckle up as we explore today why you should start thinking about WCAG 3.0 from now itself. Today, I’m joined by Greg, a resident accessibility expert. Hey, Greg. Thanks for being here.[00:00:53.370] – Greg Suprock
My pleasure, Jhanvi. I’m excited to talk about the topic of WCAG 3.0 and share some insights on how to prepare for this significant change.
[00:01:03.310] – Jhanvi (Host)
Absolutely. For those who may not be familiar, WCAG stands for Web Content Accessibility Guidelines, and version 3.0 is said to be a game changer in the world of digital accessibility. Greg, why is it so important for organizations to start preparing for WCAG 3.0 now itself?
[00:01:24.120] – Greg Suprock
Well, Jhanvi, WCAG 3.0 is currently a working draft. It introduces a new approach to accessibility guidelines. It’s not just about ticking off success criteria. It’s about truly understanding and catering to diverse functional needs of users with disabilities. By getting ahead of the curve and preparing for WCAG 3.0 now, organizations can future proof their websites and digital products for evolving accessibility standards. This approach will not only improve the user experience for a wide audience with diverse needs, but it will also avoid potential legal issues and reputational damage down the line.
[00:02:11.590] – Jhanvi (Host)
That’s a great point, Greg. Let’s not forget the impact on brand image. By prioritizing inclusive design and accessibility, organizations can position themselves as socially responsible leaders, setting an example for others to follow. Now, just imagine being unable to navigate your favorite website or app simply because it wasn’t designed with accessibility in mind. That’s why preparing for WCAG 3.0 is so, so crucial. It’s about ensuring equal access and opportunity for all.
[00:02:42.910] – Greg Suprock
That’s right, Jhanvi. And Speaking of the new WCAG 3.0 landscape, one of the most significant shifts is the focus on user needs, desired outcomes, and recommended methods to achieve those outcomes. Prior versions of WCAG concentrated more on success criteria. WCAG 3.0 also broadens its scope beyond traditional websites and covers various devices and content types, from desktops and mobiles to wearables and the internet of Things. This comprehensive approach acknowledges the ever-evolving digital landscape and ensures that accessibility remains a priority across multiple platforms. WCAG 3.0 recognizes that accessibility isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution. It’s about understanding and addressing the diverse needs of users with disabilities, ensuring that they can perceive, operate, understand, and engage with digital content effectively.
[00:03:46.890] – Jhanvi (Host)
Wow, those are some fantastic insights, Greg. Now, let’s dive into the practical steps organizations can take to prepare for a smooth transition to WCAG 3.0. What would you recommend as starting point today.
[00:04:02.260] – Greg Suprock
Jhanvi, I always suggest starting with WCAG 2.0 audit. Before diving into WCAG 3.0, it’s essential to understand your current accessibility status. Conduct a thorough audit of the website to identify any issues or gaps based on the existing WCAG 2.2 guidelines. This will provide a solid foundation from which to build on. Next, it’s crucial to build awareness and knowledge within your organization. Train your development and content teams about the principles and approaches of WCAG 3.0. Encourage them to attend webinars, read white papers, and stay up to date with the latest accessibility developments. And speaking from experience, our team had documenta11y ensured that our website was accessible according to WCAG 2.1 guidelines. However, when WCAG 2.2 emerged, we detected a thorough website audit and found we had over 90 issues reported by our tech team that needed to be addressed to comply with the new set of guidelines. This situation highlights the importance of staying updated on evolving accessibility sustainability standards and proactively working towards compliance to avoid rework and ensure a seamless user experience for all. If organizations want to prevent these kinds of situations, they should start by staying informed about developments like WCAG 3.0 and adopt an approach that integrates accessibility from the ground up.
[00:05:33.120] – Greg Suprock
By doing so, they can make their businesses more inclusive, reach a wider audience, and avoid costly rework down the line.
[00:05:49.200] – Jhanvi (Host)
Those are all fantastic recommendations, Greg. As we wrap up, let’s touch on some proactive steps organizations can take to future-proof their digital products for long-term accessibility success.
[00:06:02.380] – Greg Suprock
Sure, Jhanvi. First and foremost, it’s essential to design with accessibility in mind from the very beginning. Incorporate accessibility best practices and principles into your design thinking. Ensure that inclusive design is woven into the fabric of your digital products. Additionally, embrace adaptable and flexible layouts. As WCAG 3.0 expands its scope to various devices and content types. It’s crucial to create websites that can adapt and respond to different user preferences and contexts. Prioritize development with responsive layouts, flexible design that can seamlessly adjust to different screen sizes, input methods, and assistive technologies. Another key aspect is content clarity and structure. Focus on using plain language, logical content organization, and proper semantic markup to ensure your content is easily perceivable and understandable for all users, including those with cognitive or learning disabilities. Lastly, invest in accessible content creation tools. Empower your editorial team with tools and platforms that encourage and facilitate the creation of accessible content. Look for options that support features like alternative text for images, proper heading structures, and accessible media players.
[00:07:39.710] – Jhanvi (Host)
Those are all fantastic proactive steps, Greg. Thank you for sharing your valuable insights with our listeners. As we wrap up today’s episode, let’s recap the key takeaways. WCAG 3.0, Currently a Working Draft, is a significant update that shifts the focus towards user needs, functional outcomes, and inclusive design. Preparing for WCAG 3.0 now will future proof your website, improve user experience, mitigate legal risk, and enhance your brand image as an inclusive organization. Start by auditing your current accessibility status, educating your teams, and integrating accessibility testing tools. Last but not the least, take a proactive approach by designing with accessibility in mind, embracing flexible layouts, prioritizing content clarity, and investing in accessible content creation tools. Remember, accessibility is an ongoing journey, and WCAG 3.0 is just the next step in making the web more inclusive for everyone. Stay informed, stay committed, and together we can build a more accessible digital world. Until next time, keep creating inclusive experiences.