Issue #2: January 28, 2025
Tip jar updates, my goals for the week (again), 4 recommended readings, and the weekly side quest.
Hello Pond friends!
Thank you for being here. I looked forward to sending this next issue all week! (Between bouts of overwhelm and dread.) I’m really enjoying the process of searching for a wide range of news, articles, tools, etc. to share with you.
I can’t wait until I can share them in The Accessibility Pond, where we’ll be able to have more conversations instead of me doing most of the talking in an email. ☺️
On that note, a quick reminder:
Until The Accessibility Pond is officially launched, the Recommended Reading portion of this newsletter will mostly share links to external news, articles, tools, etc. Then as I establish a regular reading, writing, and publishing flow, I’ll include my analysis and commentary for these materials.
What’s in store this week
Tip jar fundraising updates
My goals for the week
4 recommended readings
Last week’s side quest answer
The new weekly side quest
Tip jar fundraising updates
I announced The Accessibility Pond on January 17th, and requested donations to my tip jar with a $3,000 USD goal. As of January 28th at 11am Indianapolis time, 24 donations have been made totaling $1,766 USD and 58.9% of the goal! 🎉
My goals for the week
They’re the same as last week. The constant barrage of shocking news in the US was overwhelming. When I wasn’t online and trying to keep up with everything (which just isn’t possible btw), I was trying to rest. I did do quite a lot of knitting and I also untangled a good portion of my yarn stash.
Recommended reading
Dan McConchie launches Accessibility Policy Institute, Accessibility Policy Institute, January 27, 2025.
What catches my eye is “Beyond the ADA.” I don’t know much about Don McConchie but I will definitely be doing more research and keeping tabs on this new organization.
GitHub Is Showing the Trump Administration Scrubbing Government Web Pages in Real Time, Jason Koebler, January 23, 2025.
I share this article because it documents early ways accessibility (and heavily referenced accessibility resources) are being impacted by widespread efforts to “ban DEI”. Too many people are shocked to learn that disability and accessibility inclusion are in fact part of DEI and structured under DEI offices and organizations.
Federal Digital Accessibility Disappearance on Trump Day One, Eve Hill, January 27, 2025.
The Effect of Donald Trump’s DEI Executive Order on Accessibility, Eve Hill, January 27, 2025.
Both of these articles, guest written on Lainey Feingold’s website, Law Office of Lainey Feingold, do an excellent job of covering the legal effects and risks of the new White House administration’s first actions.
Last week’s side quest answer
According to WebAIM’s 10th SR User Survey (published February 2024), the three most problematic items (excluding CAPTCHA because it’s terrible for everyone):
Interactive elements like menus, tabs, and dialogs do not behave as expected
Links or buttons that do not make sense
Screens or parts of screens that change unexpectedly
This week’s side quest
What interaction modes do Windows screen readers have? What interaction modes does VoiceOver (macOS screen reader) have? Why is it important to know there are differences in interaction modes between Windows and macOS screen readers?