Skip to content

Celebrate Global Accessibility Awareness Day on May 15

Join the Pack, Learn New Skills, Be Inspired

Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD) is celebrated annually on the third Thursday in May to highlight the importance of digital accessibility and its impact on over one billion people worldwide with disabilities. Since its launch in 2012, GAAD has encouraged communities to build more inclusive digital spaces—and the University of Washington is proud to take part.

Each year, the UW community marks GAAD with a day of interactive workshops, insightful talks, and hands-on activities focused on creating accessible and inclusive documents, courses, web content, and more. This year’s event on May 15 is co-hosted by UW-IT Accessible Technology Services, CREATE, and the UW Center for Learning, Computing, and Imagination.

Spend the day discovering tools, strategies, and resources to help you build accessibility into your digital spaces—while also preparing for the April 2026 WCAG compliance deadline.

Here’s an overview of the day’s events:

  • Morning – Start strong with workshops focused on fixing common accessibility problems
  • Mid-day – Hear from UW leadership and digital accessibility experts
  • Afternoon – Dive deeper with hands-on workshops specifically tailored for UW instructors to make courses more accessible or website owners to learn about DubBot, an enterprise web accessibility checker
  • Evening – Be inspired by Josh Miele, a technologist and author of Connecting Dots, as he shares his journey navigating as a blind person in a sighted world

Some sessions will be hybrid (HUB 250 and Zoom), while others will be in person or online only. Check the full schedule, session details, and find registration links on the UW GAAD 2025 website.

Spotlight on faculty: Amy J. Ko

Amy J. KoTo kick off a new series spotlighting digital accessibility experts and champions at the University of Washington, we spoke with Amy J. Ko, a professor at UW’s Information School, adjunct professor in the Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science & Engineering, and a member of the Digital Accessibility Initiative’s Innovation & Research Action Team.

Her research encompasses human-computer interaction, computing education, and accessibility. She has made significant contributions towards integration of accessibility into computing education, notably co-editing the open-source book “Teaching Accessible Computing.” She also developed Wordplay, an educational programming language for creating accessible, multilingual, interactive typography. Professor Ko shared powerful insights on the importance of community in advancing accessibility and inclusion.

I read an interview with you that said your interest in programming began early in life. What first sparked your interest? 
In 7th grade my math teacher had us buy a TI-82 graphing calculator. The programs he taught us for math formulas weren’t very interesting, but I got a version of Tetris from a classmate and was fascinated that a little computer could make programmable games! I wanted to know more, so I learned to program it and taught what I could to others. Sometimes I got in trouble for sharing my games and animations with others.
I noticed that your faculty page states that your research “imagines and enables equitable, joyous, liberatory learning about computing and information, in schools and beyond.” Those words equitable, joyous, liberatory mean so much in the movement towards accessibility. It sounds like helping others and the community aspect of computing has always been important to you—even when you got in trouble for it. 
When I was young, I didn’t know the word for “accessibility.” And I never had a formal computer science class in K-12. I just knew that I wanted to help family members and other students who were experiencing ADHD, mobility issues, and other situational impairments. I wasn’t necessarily looking at accessibility, I just wanted to identify what problem needed to be solved to help create digital worlds that work for everybody.
Has mentorship played a role in your career? 
It has, but mentorship came late in my career. Richard Ladner in the Allen School & UW CREATE invited me to help lead AccessComputing and that helped me understand what opportunities there were in the community for advocacy and organizing efforts.
Is there a question that you’d like to be asked in interviews that you aren’t typically asked?
I’m never asked about accessibility! I would like to be. It intersects with so many things I care about, including race, gender, class, and diversity, and of course computing and education.
Is the DOJ’s April 2026 deadline for digital accessibility compliance making accessibility a more prominent issue? 
Yes, since the ruling there has been both excitement and trepidation. There’s a risk of unintended consequences in compliance. We want to help them build a more accessible world, and compliance can be a tool for that, but we can’t lose sight of what’s important.

Accessibility is much bigger than violations of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG); assessment policies can be inaccessible, our physical classrooms are often inaccessible, group work can be inaccessible. We can automate some WCAG testing, but we also need to build a strategy and get organized around solving problems that cause barriers for students, and not all of those are about digital content.

We also need to create accountability mechanisms for faculty and support to help them meet accessibility requirements. The April 2026 deadline presents a chance to enable greater coordination with on-the-ground, hands-on work and help strengthen advocacy with top-down support. We’re working hard at the Information School to lead on these strategic plans, envisioning a comprehensive culture of accessibility that spans faculty, staff, students, and leadership.

Resources

  • Learn more about the U.S. Department of Justice’s Title II ruling under the Americans with Disabilities Act, including the compliance deadline to meet Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 AA by April 2026 on the Digital Accessibility website.
  • Read more about Dr. Ko’s partnership with Information School faculty and AccessComputing specialist Terrill Thompson to integrate accessibility in iSchool courses on the AccessComputing website.

UW Advances Digital Accessibility

Advancing Digital Accessibility with New Tools and Training

The University of Washington is taking significant steps toward a more inclusive digital future, calling on faculty, staff, and administrators to prioritize accessibility in their digital spaces. With new federal regulations impacting web and course content, UW is taking proactive steps to ensure compliance and foster a culture of digital accessibility across our campuses
.
Digital accessibility is both an ethical responsibility and a legal requirement. By April 2026, digital resources are expected to meet Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 AA standard under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). To support this transition, the ADA Office, UW-IT Accessible Technology Services, and Teaching@UW are partnering with others across the UW campuses to provide accessibility tools, events, and training opportunities.

ADA Digital Accessibility Initiative & “Power of the Pack”

UW has launched the ADA Digital Accessibility Initiative, a collaborative effort between Compliance Services, the Provost’s Office, and UW-IT to establish university-wide governance and sustainable accessibility practices. A key part of this initiative is the “Power of the Pack” campaign, which emphasizes shared responsibility—when everyone contributes, the entire community benefits, making you an integral part of this collective effort.

Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD) Is May 15

In celebration of Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD) on May 15, the UW is offering a series of free in-person and online presentations and workshops. Participating in these events provides an excellent opportunity for collaboration, information sharing, and  enhancing your understanding of digital accessibility. A detailed agenda will be announced soon.

New Accessibility Checker Available

One of the latest resources is DubBot, an automated website accessibility checker now offered through UW-IT. This tool scans UW websites for common barriers—including poor color contrast, missing alt text, and keyboard navigation issues— allowing web administrators to find issues and make their websites more accessible for people with disabilities.

“UW-IT provides this tool to help all UW website owners, including faculty, researchers, and staff, identify accessibility barriers, just as Ally can be used to highlight issues in Canvas,” says Mary Mulvihill, Executive Director of UW-IT’s Accessible Technology Services.

Faculty and staff can request access to DubBot and find more information at the Accessible Technology DubBot website.

Stay Informed and Take Action

With the April 2026 deadline approaching, UW is actively ensuring that its digital presence reflects its values of accessibility, inclusion, and innovation. Through the “Power of the Pack” campaign, the University encourages all faculty, staff, and administrators to participate in training and collaboration opportunities to help create more accessible and inclusive digital environments.

To stay informed of digital accessibility tools, resources, and training, visit and bookmark the Digital Accessibility website and this news blog.

Starting an Accessibility Journey: 5 Easy Tips

Learning and applying accessibility skills to your digital content doesn’t have to be overwhelming! In a February 24th presentation, Instruction Accessibility Specialist Mary-Colleen Jenkins shared five simple yet powerful tips to make course materials more inclusive. From using structured headings to ensuring proper color contrast, these small changes can significantly improve accessibility for all users.

Mary-Colleen’s session offers practical strategies that can be implemented right away to documents and slide decks for your classes. She emphasizes progress over perfection—even small, consistent efforts make a big impact. Watch the recorded presentation and take your first steps toward creating a more inclusive digital environment! With the new ADA Title II rule requiring public institutions to comply by 2026, now is the perfect time to get started.

Watch the Recording

Digital Accessibility Meet-Ups


Join UW’s Monthly Accessibility Meetups: Web Usability & Instructional Accessibility

Accessibility is a key part of creating inclusive digital experiences, whether you’re designing websites or developing accessible courses. To support these efforts, UW-IT’s Accessible Technology Services hosts two monthly meetups: one focused on Web Accessibility and Usability and another devoted to Instructional Accessibility for faculty and course designers.

These informal gatherings provide opportunities to discuss accessibility challenges, get feedback, and learn best practices from experts and peers. Whether you’re a web developer, designer, faculty member, or instructional designer, these meetups offer valuable insights to enhance accessibility in your work.

About the Web Accessibility/Usability Meetup

The Monthly Web Accessibility/Usability meet-up is a place for accessibility-minded colleagues to casually review and discuss projects, including hands-on testing and code review. You will be encouraged to bring questions and troubleshoot issues from your own website, as it is a great learning experience for everyone.

These sessions are led by Hadi Rangin, a web accessibility specialist with UW-IT Accessible Technology Services. Hadi, who holds a master’s degree in computer science and is a screen reader user himself, offers a unique perspective on how websites and web applications can be made more usable including users with disabilities. If you’re working on a project and would like to get accessibility feedback from your peers, email Hadi (hadir@uw.edu) to be added to the agenda. Visit the Accessible Technology Services events page for more details on how to join.

Instructional Accessibility Meetup for Faculty & Course Designers

Faculty and course designers interested in making their online courses more accessible can join the Instructional Accessibility Meetup for a casual yet insightful discussion on best practices and Universal Design for Learning (UDL).

These meetups are hosted by Mary-Colleen Jenkins, an instructional accessibility specialist with UW’s Accessible Technology Services (ATS) and a former UW instructor and will feature guest speakers from the UW community. Mary-Colleen understands the challenges faculty face in improving course accessibility and provides practical strategies for prioritizing accessibility without feeling overwhelmed.

The upcoming session in March, “The Basics of Building Accessible Tables” with Gaby de Jongh, will cover essential techniques for making tables more accessible for students with disabilities.

Why join?

Both meetups provide a collaborative space to learn, share ideas, and ask questions about accessibility. Whether you’re troubleshooting web accessibility issues or figuring out how to make your course materials more inclusive, these gatherings connect you with a supportive community.

Why now?

By April 2026, digital resources are expected to meet the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 AA standard under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). To support the University community in this effort, several UW offices, including the ADA Office, UW-IT Accessible Technology Services, and Teaching@UW, are partnering to share accessibility tools, events, and training opportunities. As we work together to meet requirements, we will also create better online experiences for the entire UW community.

Find more details and links to register on the Accessible Technology Services events page.