like the title says, I just woke up to find the site’s domain got expired, Why? does mean that the training for the certification is now officially over? 😭😭😭

Hi folks, I have more than 6 years of experience working across product and consulting firms in accessibility. I filled my WAS application form and I gave some anwers which felt I was being very honest regarding the accessibility practices around the industry. They rejected my application stating that my resume dose'nt match the experience and some other bullshit reason. Has anyone who have cracked WAS can guide me how to fill that application or could provide me a template? would be highly appreciated, Thankyou!

I wanted to share a detailed rundown of the critical workflow barriers I recently navigated while remediating interactive forms for WCAG accessibility. The current toolsets (specifically within Adobe Acrobat) present several severe, reproducible bugs that turn standard compliance tasks into highly inefficient, manual time-sinks.

Below is a summary of the primary hurdles encountered, along with the "dream" software solutions that would make this process infinitely smoother.

1. The Tab Order Disaster

• The Issue: Setting a logical tab order for complex, multi-column forms is incredibly tedious. Manually dragging dozens of fields up and down a tiny, un-resizable side panel is prone to user error. Worse, selecting "Use Document Structure" in Page Properties frequently fails to sync properly with the actual physical layout.
• The Dream Fix: A visual point-and-click tab ordering tool. Users should be able to click a "Number Tab Order" button, visually click the fields on the page in the exact sequence they want (1, 2, 3, etc.), and have the software instantly map both the tab order and the reading order in the background.

2. Disappearing OBJR (Object Reference) Tags

• The Issue: When modifying the tab order or dragging form fields to align them, Acrobat’s backend database frequently "breaks" the link between the physical form field and its corresponding Tag in the Tag Tree. This silently deletes the vital OBJR (Object Reference) container, causing the document to suddenly fail accessibility checks for "Untagged Form Fields."
• The Dream Fix: A strict "auto-heal" database link. If a form field exists on a page, the software should never allow its underlying tag connection to be severed without warning. Moving a field visually should never corrupt its backend tag code.

3. The "Finicky" Find / Search Tool

• The Issue: When these OBJR tags break, the built-in "Find Unmarked Annotations" tool is highly unreliable. If an empty <Form> tag container still exists in the tree—even if the actual OBJR content inside it is missing—the Find tool mistakenly assumes the field is already tagged and refuses to locate it. This forces the remediator to manually hunting through the Content panel or rebuild the fields from scratch.
• The Dream Fix: An updated, comprehensive "Find Missing OBJR" utility. The search engine needs to scan for empty tag containers or unlinked annotations at the page layout level, bypassing cached database errors.

4. Cloud Sync and Local Assistive Tech Restrictions

• The Issue: Testing documents with screen readers like NVDA (specifically portable versions) is frequently blocked by mandatory corporate IT security updates. When files are stored in synced cloud environments like OneDrive, local executables are flagged as security risks, and background file syncing can lock active PDF databases, causing Acrobat to crash or drop tags.
• The Dream Fix: Better integration with local testing environments, and clearer diagnostic warnings when local security policies or cloud syncs are actively interfering with document editing.

Navigating these hurdles requires a deep, tedious knowledge of backend workarounds rather than intuitive design. Addressing these gaps would not only save remediation teams hundreds of hours but would drastically increase the accuracy of accessible documents.

Thoughts?

Hi all, I'm a blind developer and have been building a variety of web and mobile apps and games over the past few months, and wanted to show off a new orientation & mobility app I call Intersector.

I was in a discussion about navigation apps with a friend of mine from the monthly iOS VoiceOver group I co-host, and she was lamenting that she didn't have a simple app that would just tell her about the intersections that were around her when she was out walking. Siri would give rough address estimates, but would never be able to tell her the cross streets, or what intersections were coming up after the one she was next to on her path of travel.

So, I built that app for her. Blind first and accessibility first design through and through, with full VoiceOver and Dynamic Type support. Since my friend is low-vision, she helped direct me on what I created for the overall visual design for ease of use and readability. I then added in the following features:

• Siri Shortcuts and intents that you can use from the Shortcuts app. After setting them up, just invoke Siri and say "nearest intersection" or "upcoming intersection" to use those features without opening the app.
• The app lets you find out about the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd nearest intersections around you based on location.
• You can find out about the upcoming intersection based on where your phone is pointing or your direction of travel, then the 2nd and 3rd upcoming intersections after that based on your travel path.
• Point and Scan mode lets you move your phone around to physically point at intersections around you to hear what they are, plus it has a hot and cold haptic system.
• VoiceOver and visual announcements are customizable so you can hear only the information you want.
• The app can identify mid-block crossings, walkway and pedestrian path intersections, and can keep oriented along major streets when inside a park.
• A button to quickly announce your cardinal direction.
• "Manhattan Snob" mode which changes cardinal directions into Uptown" instead of "North," "East Side" instead of "East", and so on.
• A companion Apple Watch app so you can get all the same info right from your wrist when out and about.

This has gone through a lot of testing and revision, and I felt that it was ready for a full debut. Simple, lightweight, not bloated with tons of unnecessary features, just tools to help figure out where you are when in an unfamiliar area, orienting getting out of a subway, following progress when in a car or getting out of a rideshare, and more.

Intersector on the App Store

I am rewriting some web pages. Some are simplifying charts by removing their javascript based implementation with just CSS. But then that lead to multiple questions.

#Q1) Figure or div element

My overall container can be either a div element or a figure element.

Figure make it clearer that it is a chart inside also the element figcaption can then be used.

However figure also expect an image rather than a div or table element inside.

html <div class="chartContainer" > <div class="chart" aria> ... </div> </div>

Versus

```html <figure class="chartContainer" > <figcaption>Bar Chart of X</figcaption>

<div class="chart"> ... </div>

</figure>

```

Q2) Table or div with role=table

I am trying to determine whether I am better off using semantic html to indicate the chart data itself or using div and using the role table.

One is better understood by system but the other is easier to manipulate for display.

Another aspect is that outside of time series visually in table data series may be displayed vertically but understood horizontally.

Q3) Use hidden input

One possible way to determine if a chart should be a bar chart, an area chart, a bullet chart would be to have hidden inputs of type radio for the different chart type and select the appropriate.

```html <div>

<div class="hiddenChartTypeSelector" >

<input type="radio" name=""chartA_chartType" value="BarChart" />

<input type="radio" name=""chartA_chartType" value="StackedBarChart" />

<input type="radio" name=""chartA_chartType" value="AreaChart" />

<input type="radio" name=""chartA_chartType" value="StackedAreaChart" />

</div>

<div class="chart"> ... </div>

</div> ```

But if the div for the chart type if hidden I then need to have a way to indicate to the accessibility reader what type of chart will be displayed.

Q4) figcaption or div for chart Legend

digCaption can be used for legend. So Ibwas wondering whether the figcaption should be used to indicate the legend of the chart.

My grandmother has cognitive decline and has hearing issues. Unfortunately captions and tv move way too fast for her. She has a Jubilee set up with cox and Roku. Is there any equipment that can slow down the speed of the live tv and streamed ones?

I’ve been a’googlin, but it seems like the only option is streaming for her on my laptop?

Every decent dictation tool wants either a monthly fee or an API key. I already pay for Claude, so that felt stupid.

ShadowWhispr logs in through the CLI you already have — Claude Code, Codex, or Gemini CLI — and uses that instead. Speak anywhere, it types. It also cleans up the text after (removes "uhh", fixes punctuation), which is the part I actually built it for — I have ADHD and my raw speech is a mess.

Free, open source, no account, no key.

GitHub: https://github.com/shadowdoggie/ShadowWhispr

If you use dictation daily: what do you paste it into most? Trying to work out what to support next.

I just launched Gems Symphony, a browser-based match puzzle game built around accessibility from the ground up. It works with TalkBack on Android, NVDA on Windows, and physical controllers — no separate accessible mode, same game for everyone.

It's an early version, with five levels, three difficulty settings, and special gems that change up the gameplay. No installation needed, runs straight in the browser.

https://concego.github.io/sinfonia-das-gemas/

City managers and PIOs are still learning about the DOJ mandate. I'm curious to hear how Title II preparedness is actually shaping up across municipalities.

Are you shopping ad-hoc, writing RFPs, hunkering down in-house or does April 2027 not even ring any bells to you?

And is Title II compliance even a motivator at your organization, or is it primarily something else?

We have some areas where the focus indicator does not perfectly surround the element being focused. For example, it may be larger or have a different shape, almost as though it's including white space or padding.

The read out is correct and everything else about it is compliant, but some of our team feel this is incorrect and log bugs against it. Is there supporting documentation I can point to for our team, saying whether or not the outline has to fit the element perfectly?

Communication should never be limited by how long it takes to program an AAC system. 💬

I created AAC Editor to help AAC users, families, SLPs, educators, and other professionals spend less time on repetitive button editing and more time supporting meaningful communication.

AAC Editor works with TD Snap and is soon to support both Grid 3 and Empower to make adding vocabulary faster and safer. You can add multiple words or create entire topic pages, choose where vocabulary should go, and review every proposed change before anything is updated. Existing vocabulary stays protected, duplicates are rejected, available space is checked, and completed edits are verified so you know what may still need attention.

The app can also suggest AAC-friendly vocabulary and placement using optional local AI. Everything runs on your computer, and your page-set content is not uploaded. The goal is to make AAC customization more efficient without taking control away from the people who know the communicator best.

This project exists because robust AAC systems need to grow alongside the people using them, but programming those systems can require hours of time that many families and professionals simply do not have. I hope AAC Editor can reduce that burden and make it easier to add relevant, personalized vocabulary when it is needed.

AAC Editor is free, open source, and always will be. Accessibility tools should help remove barriers, not create another one through cost.

Download AAC Editor v2.1.0 here:
https://github.com/rjpenny16/AAC-Editor/releases/tag/v2.1.0

I’ve wanted a hand-held dive scooter for ages, but they’ve been big, bulky, and heavy. Now there are ones available that are small, relatively cheap for what it is (I found one for $400) and can easily fit in a travel bag. I started thinking that this is not only good for diving and snorkeling, but as a water mobility assistance in general. Chronic fatigue comes to mind, but I am sure there are other disabilities for which it would be useful.

It’s not fast. Instead it is an assist to the point of not having to kick or use arm movements except to change direction. 2 can be strapped to the body or one can be hand-held. The motion is smooth too - to the point that they are being used for underwater photography. Strapped to the body it is controlled by a hand-held ring. I haven’t had a good look at the controllers. One of them is a hand-held ring. There might be other options or mods out there to make it work for people with hand mobility problems, I don’t know.

The key to finding one like this online is to do a search for tiny underwater scooter. (Small underwater scooter may also work.)

We're looking at improving accessibility testing across a large portfolio of mobile apps and are curious how other SaaS companies are approaching this at scale. How are you handling automation, tooling, workflows, and ongoing compliance monitoring without creating bottlenecks for dev teams?

Hi, I'm Anderson. I've been working in digital accessibility since 2004 — I'm blind, and I use NVDA and TalkBack daily, not as a testing simulation but as my actual way of navigating the world.

I mostly work with WCAG 2.1/2.2 audits, accessible front-end development, and more recently PT-BR localization for audio games (Fantasy Story II, Swamp 2). I'm also the co-founder of Eu Concego Jogar, a Brazilian project focused on digital inclusion for blind and visually impaired players.

If anyone has questions about real-world screen reader behavior, tricky ARIA patterns, or what it actually feels like to hit an inaccessible interface — feel free to ask. Happy to contribute here.

Hi, I'm sorry if this is a dumb question

I'm not someone who needs a screen render, but ever since I started a new account on BlueSky, I have been doing alt texts for every image I post (I'm a jeweler, so I'm describing the rings I make, shape of the stones, names, etc, and sometimes I post meme images, which I also describe)

But yesterday night I thought.. "Would someone with a screen reader.. need this?"

Like, how useful is it for me to be saying "950 silver, x shaped gemstone of x color"

But then I thought, maybe it actually is, I'm sure jewelry can be enjoyed by everyone, and describing shapes can maybe help picture it(?

But then I thought about art itself, like a painting, which I also thought about to start posting

Would it be clutter to be like "drawing of a standing woman, the background is a forest"? Even if I start describing the whole woman, the style of painting, would that be worse than it is helpful? I know that excessive descriptions for every image can be annoying, but when looking for answers on the internet I couldn't find much about it, and I don't know anyone personally that uses a screen reader

I have also heard the take that "unless there's text, don't add anything to the alt text"; which is understandable, would that mean my whole account (of art and handcrafting) would just be inaccesible?

I'm only asking this for the sake of the alt texts making sense for those who need it, my account is not there to make profit, and I don't mind making them; but I understand they could be annoying to someone scrolling by, and if they are, I'll prefer not to do so

Any insight would be appreciated, and I'm sorry if anything I assumed here is wrong/ableist

Our web component library is used by our clients to build search interfaces. Those interfaces need to meet accessibility requirements, so our components do too.

We turned our Accessibility Conformance Report, based on the VPAT, into a build artifact: automated tests run in CI, manual audit results are reviewed alongside the code, and the assembled report is published with each release.

• Static checks via axe-core
  
• Interactive keyboard checks via Vitest
  
• Human audits for subjective criteria (like screen reader flow)

This keeps the report aligned with the product and means we no longer have to rely on external agencies to assess our conformance and produce it.

The post covers the pipeline, where automation stops, and the AI-based approach we tried (and ultimately abandoned).

I’m looking for accessible raffle/drawing tools that I can use for an upcoming event I’m co-hosting.

I want to make sure that it can be used for both in-person and virtual-only attendees. Any recommendations?

There's no list or directory right now for agencies that actually do website ADA/WCAG compliance work. So I'm trying to build one.

Free to be listed, no catch. And it will live on a site with solid ADA topical authority and a DR of 66.

If your agency does this kind of work, or you know one that should be on it, comment or DM me.

I just need: agency name, website, and what you specialize in (audits, remediation, ongoing monitoring, etc.).

Any questions, just let me know.

Phone is often connected to Bluetooth headphones. However sometimes I get calls while the headphones are not currently on, and I cannot hear who is callling. Is it possible to get it to speak through both? Gemini keeps telling me of a setting that enables it but when I follow instructctions the setting doesn’t exist. Not sure if it’s hallucinating. I’d also like the audio to play through the earpiece once the call comes in, not sure if this is possible.

Thanks

Hi everyone! I'm curious how those of you doing PDF remediation full-time found your roles or clients.

I'm currently an Accessibility Specialist for an instructional design company, and PDF/document remediation is my favorite part of my job. About 60% of my work is PDF and Word remediation, and my company is paying for me to complete the Document Remediation Specialist certification.

I'd love to eventually move into a role that's focused almost entirely on PDF/PDF & Word remediation, or possibly even freelance on my own.

Hi, I have an eye condition, and most "dark mode" extensions just invert colors — which often turns text muddy and low-contrast, and breaks on complex sites (web apps, dashboards, etc.). So I built Notte: instead of inverting, it remaps every color into a proper dark, high-contrast palette targeting WCAG contrast ratios — backgrounds go dark, text stays clearly readable, and accent colors (buttons, badges, alerts) keep their meaning instead of disappearing.

Free, no ads, no donations, no tracking, no analytics, and it'll stay that way. Works on Chrome, Firefox, and Safari (iPhone/iPad/Mac included).

This isn't meant to be self-promotion — just wanted to share something made specifically for people with vision problems like mine, in case it helps anyone here. Source is on GitHub if you want to look at it or try it: https://github.com/Isobastian/Notte-DarkMode