Designing for Accessibility Focused Sessions at SXSW 2019

Society isn’t moving forward unless we are all moving together. During the Design Track at the SXSW Conference, we’re highlighting the emphasis being placed on increasing accessibility for those who have historically been overlooked or ignored.

Join us in the JW Marriott, Salon FG, H on March 13-14 for an in-depth look at how technology, design, and media are impacting access for those with disabilities or chronic conditions.

Accessibility Series Session Highlights

Litigation Mitigation: ADA Website Compliancy

Lately, there has been an increase in attempts to enforce ADA website compliance – with the number of demand letters being served and lawsuits being filed rising. The need to make company websites more accessible to all is not something that can be put off for much longer. The sooner businesses comply, the less likely they are to be hit with costly legal action. This interactive panel features Michele Landis, Co-Founder of Accessible360, Kenn Leuzinger, Partner at Zing Llc, Vesna Novakovic Rafaty, Chief Education Officer of DylanListed LLC, and Dylan Rafaty, Chief Navigation Officer of DylanListed LLC, will discuss why and how to make websites accessible and ADA compliant. In the process, audiences will be exposed to C-Hear, a new web-based and desktop tool that will help Content Managers begin to address ADA website compliance – because having websites and apps available to more people, to discover services and become loyal customers, is vital to the bottom line.

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The Blind Cook: MasterChef Winner, Christine Ha

MasterChef winner, Christine Ha, will sit down for an interview with Jeff Yang, Columnist for CNN Opinion, for a conversation on overcoming the odds as the first-ever blind contestant to win MasterChef, becoming a New York Times best-selling author, and now a culinary envoy on behalf of the American Embassy as part of various cultural diplomacy programs in Jordan, Serbia, Bosnia/Herzegovina, and Croatia.

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Being Human: The Future of Innovation and Success

What is disability, and who gets to define it? This session will explore what it means to be human by seeking to answer questions like what does universal design and technology ethics play in creating future workplace innovation and success, and why calling something “normal” is limiting. Christopher Soukup, CEO of Communication Service for the Deaf, is a leading human rights and disability advocate as well as the CEO of the world’s largest Deaf-led social impact organization and will be leading this session in both ASL and English.

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The Outer Limits: Tackling Inclusivity in the Media

Broadcasters have embraced non-verbal communications since the early 20th century, but the same can’t exactly be said for creators and communicators who develop content. Why do we treat inclusivity as an add-on? Join Soon-Mee Kim, Executive Vice President of Global Diversity and Inclusion Leader at Porter Novelli, Holly Maniatty, ASL Interpreter, Matthew Maxey, CEO of DEAFinitely Dope, and Rikki Poynter, YouTuber, content creator, writer, activist, and public speaker, who will debate the question: how can we ensure that those with disabilities don’t get left on the outer limits of entertainment?

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Empowering Accessibility with AI, IoT, & Robotics

Technology is changing the way that people interact with the world around them, especially people with disabilities or chronic conditions. Innovations like artificial intelligence, robotics, and IoT ecosystems facilitate the full and flexible inclusion of all individuals looking to participate in socioeconomic activities. Shana Penna, CEO of Inmogeia Technologies and a serial impact entrepreneur, will explore the impact of emerging technologies on the populations who need it most.

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Explore the rest of the Accessibility Series and come work towards a more accessible future for everyone with us this March!

Browse More Accessibility Series Sessions

Attend SXSW 2019

Get your SXSW Badge and reserve your hotel today to attend SXSW 2019 and experience these Conference sessions along with 10 days of screenings, showcases, exhibitions, networking, and more this March 8-17 in Austin, TX.

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Featured Image by Nena Untung

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