Accessibility Event Spotlight: axe-con 2023

Web accessibility software and services company Deque Systems is hosting the 2023 axe-con Digital Accessibility Conference on March 15 and 16 highlighting the importance of digital accessibility and covering a wide range of related issues—from design and development to testing, legal concerns, and much more.

Recognized as the world’s largest annual digital accessibility conference, axe-con 2023 runs Wednesday, March 15 through Thursday, March 16 from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. EST. Registration is free online!

This year’s conference features case studies from enterprise organizations about their large-scale digital accessibility efforts, as well as a series of interactive panel discussions and sessions regarding best practices and updates on emerging technologies hosted by accessibility experts from around the world.

Topics are organized into five main categories:

• Development
• Design
• Keynotes
• Organizational Success With Accessibility
• Wildcard

All sessions are recorded and feature live captioning and ASL. Attendance also counts toward certification credits.

Event sponsors include InclusionHub Founding Partner Fable, a leading accessibility testing platform powered by people with disabilities; as well as Adobe, Walmart, GitHub, Articulate, Apex Covantage, AbilityNet, and Workplace Accessibility Group (WAG).

Digital Accessibility Experts

Deque Systems Chief Information Accessibility Officer Glenda Sims and Vice President & Chief Program Architect Greg Williams launch this year’s event with a pre-conference welcome on March 15 at 8:30 a.m. EST.

Throughout its two days, axe-con 2023 features accessibility specialists from some of the world’s largest tech firms—including Google, Meta, Adobe, and Microsoft—as well as advocacy organizations spanning the globe.

Speakers include:

• Imani Barbarin, Disability Rights & Inclusion Activist - As a disability justice advocate living with cerebral palsy, Barbarin discusses the importance of equal accommodations for an inclusive society and workplace.

• Rachele DiTullio, Senior Software Engineer, Citizens Bank - This session guides attendees in crafting assistive technology-based forms, adding necessary HTML and ARIA attributes, handling data validation and errors, and more.

• Preety Kumar, CEO & Founder, Deque Systems; and Dylan Barrell, CTO, Deque Systems - The Deque Systems executives provide an accessibility progress update about the industry.

• Alyssa Panetta, Web Designer/Developer, University Libraries, University at Albany - Panetta, a brain cancer survivor, shares proven techniques on creating accessible websites for those living with cognitive impairments.

• Steve Saylor, Accessibility Advocate & Blind Video Gamer - This session addresses why developers and content creators must continually advocate for accessible gaming initiatives.

• Mike Shebanek, Head of Accessibility, Meta - A leader establishing accessibility programs for some of the world’s largest technology companies, Shebanek shares best practices and lessons learned along the way.

• Jutta Treviranus, Founder & Director, Inclusive Design Research Centre - A leading accessibility legislation researcher and advocate, Treviranus discusses digital accessibility within the age and context of AI, as well as associated threats and opportunities.

Expo Visitor passes also include 20-minute interpreting services. Accommodation requests are first-come, first-served time slots.

Learn more about the 2023 axe-con Digital Accessibility Conference by checking out this year’s agenda and speaker roster. Free registration can be completed online. Contact Deque Systems for additional information. Event sponsor Fable’s Accessibility Evangelist Sam Proulx is the host of The InclusionHub Podcast, which has featured axe-con speaker Jutta Treviranus as a guest on several episodes. Check out the podcast!