Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD) 2020

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The Significance of Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD) 2020 as the World Goes Virtual to Fight the Pandemic

21^st May 2020 marks the 9th annual celebration of Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD). What started as a community effort to create awareness about digital accessibility has gained tremendous momentum worldwide.

As the day continues to raise awareness, encourage wider participation, and inspire productive discussions about web accessibility and maximizing its reach, this year it is more significant than ever. With the world continuing to adapt to and weather the COVID-19 situation, digital and virtual technologies have emerged to be lifesaver providing a semblance of normalcy in every aspect.

Digital accessibility is a necessity now more than ever

From education, business, daily essential transactions to entertainment it is becoming imperative to digitally transform in order to function seamlessly and effectively. Plus, people are increasingly turning to digital media to access information, news et al. As the world continues to go virtual, everyone, irrespective of their degree of ability, should be able to interact with and access these services. And for that, it is critical to remove every possible obstacle so that digital content meets the accessibility requirements of users with diverse cognitive, visual, and motor disabilities.

Accessible design makes digital content inclusive and improves user experience

While web accessibility is an important initiative across every industry, it is particularly crucial in the publishing industry. Whether it is educational, legal, corporate, healthcare, or any other publishing sector, providing easy access to information and equal opportunity to interact is essential not just for users with disabilities. It also benefits people who are aging or are suffering from temporary limitations or disabilities.

While the publishing industry has been proactive in ensuring digital accessibility, it is an evolving requirement as the technology continues to advance and the world becomes more virtual. So, to celebrate this day, let’s take the opportunity to evaluate the website to see how far along are you on accessibility curve and how can you make the digital content accessible to one and all.

And in case you do not have the bandwidth or resources, we, at Amnet can help you achieve your web accessibility objectives. We have been providing an extensive range of accessibility solutions to our publishing partners for years, making their digital content inclusive and optimizing user experience. Connect with us to find out more about our services.