It may come as a surprise to some of you (or maybe not), but I don't have formal training in computer science. I've learned all I know through some considerable amount of struggle and pain. And just when I thought I had it all down, I heard about accessibility. What on earth was that?
Back to the drawing board. Read the standard. Think I got it. Learn about ARIA. Revise my earlier thinking.
All in all, this gave me a hefty amount of experience working in the education and healthcare sectors, where I focused on inclusive design, technology and accessibility on the web.
I've been neck-deep in accessibility for years now. I've put together resources to help me understand and digest the WCAG. I still never thought I knew everything.
Just a few chapters into Sara Soueidan's Practical Accessibility Course and I am glad to be proven right.
The truth is, I've been a silent fan of hers for some time. Her friendly tone and how she structures and does her demos are easy to follow and I'm sure I'll be scribbling notes like mad for the rest of her course.
I can't recommend her material enough and I look forward to feeling like a complete novice again as I go through this. Brilliant stuff!
The last time I felt like this was when I was going through Marcy Sutton Todd's Testing Accessibility course. Big fan of hers as well!
It's humbling, really. Just when you think you've mastered something, you find out there's a whole new dimension to explore. What I love most is knowing that each little technique I pick up means that someone out there will have a smoother experience.
After all these years, that still feels pretty damn special.
By the way, Sara is running a Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD) 25% discount till Tuesday if you use the code GAAD25 at checkout.