Over the last couple of weeks, some of you on Twitter and LinkedIn may
have seen reference to the first Global Accessibility Awareness Day on May
9. This grassroots effort has been driven by a blog post by a Los
Angeles-based dev, Joe Devon
http://mysqltalk.wordpress.com/2011/11/27/challenge-accessibility-know-how-needs-to-go-mainstream-with-developers-now/
which I happened upon by pure luck. I was excited by the idea and
potential because it fully supports the notion of reaching beyond the
converted (i.e., to  the balance of the design, development, and related
IT communities). Think of it as a large accessibility “un”event in keeping
with the camp/unconference movement that many of you know me as the poster
guy for.

Fast-forward and at this point, there are two free public events
confirmed, one  in Los Angeles featuring Yahoo!’s Todd Kloots and Victor
Tsaran http://www.meetup.com/LA-UPA/events/62248512 and a more modest one
in Toronto hosted by myself http://www.mysqltalk.com/gaadtoronto.htm, with
a few other events still in the works. The ultimate goal is to
raise awareness and begin digital accessibility conversations of all kinds.

An official website will go up next week, which will include ideas on how
everyone can participate (e.g., unplug your mouse for an hour and use your
computer and blog about your experience). For now, there is info at
http://www.facebook.com/globalaccessibilityawarenessday.

While I know all too well that May 9 is just around the corner, if anyone
here has the time, and is willing and able to organize some sort of intro
to accessibility talk, demo of adaptive technology/mobile/other
accessibility, or other digital accessibility awareness building event in
your community/at work/school, get in touch with me via
globala11yawarenessday at gmail.com so it can be included and promoted. It
doesn’t have to be formal or large. Your target are designers, developers,
IT decision-makers, and others who are most likely not members of this
e-mail list.

Jennison

-- 
Jennison Mark Asuncion
Co-Director, Adaptech Research Network http://www.adaptech.org
LinkedIn at http://www.linkedin.com/in/jennison
Follow me on Twitter http://www.twitter.com/jennison
Accessibility Camp Toronto http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XeP5Kl4GDgA