Building Accessible Systems: Understanding Disability and Web Accessibility

This conference talk from PyCon US explores the critical issue of accessibility in software development, highlighting that 15-20% of the world's population has some form of disability while most software remains inaccessible. Discover what disability means, how to evaluate website accessibility, and how to address user access issues that may not be immediately apparent. Learn about the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines and when you need to think beyond these standards. Through real-world case studies, examine accessibility requirements by analyzing interfaces from well-known companies, revisiting web design from the GeoCities era, applying government press conference concepts to content delivery, exploring medical device accessibility, and navigating technical events. Gain valuable insights on evaluating software accessibility, understanding the consequences of inadequate assessments, and designing inclusive systems that work for everyone in this 46-minute presentation.