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Courses in user-centered design, where students learn about centering design on the needs of individuals, is one natural point in which accessibility content can be injected into the curriculum. We describe the approach we have taken with sections in the undergraduate User-Centered Design Course at the University of Maryland, College Park. We initially introduced disability and accessibility in four modules: 1) websites and design portfolios, 2) introduction to understanding user needs, 3) prototyping, and 4) UX evaluation. We present a description of this content that was taught as an extended version in one Fall 2018 section and as an abbreviated version in all sections in Spring 2019. Survey results indicate that students' understanding of accessibility and assistive technology increased with the introduction of these modules. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) is the most well-documented, well-accepted, set of interface guidelines on the planet, based on empirical research and a participatory process of stakeholder input. A recent case in a U.S. Federal District Court, Robles v. Dominos Pizza LLC, involved a blind individual requesting that Dominos Pizza make their web site and mobile app accessible for people with disabilities, utilizing the WCAG. The court ruled that, due to the legal concepts of due process and primary jurisdiction doctrine, the plaintiff loses the case simply for asking for the WCAG. This court ruling minimizes the importance of evidence-based accessibility research and guidelines, and this poster will provide a background of the case, describe preliminary analysis of related cases, and discuss implications for accessibility researchers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In his ASSETS 2020 keynote talk, Dr. Lazar discusses how technology accessibility researchers and practitioners have been working during the pandemic to improve the quality of life for people with disabilities. Adults with disabilities are three times more likely than adults without disabilities to have the serious underlying medical conditions which place them at a higher risk of severe illness from COVID-19. Dr. Lazar discusses two data collection efforts in the accessibility community to understand technology-related needs during the pandemic, and then highlights current initiatives to address these needs. Accessibility researchers and practitioners are currently working on projects that are 1) providing for accessible public health information and data (such as fully accessible data dashboards), 2) developing tools and technologies for helping people with disabilities stay healthy and avoid the virus (such as accessible masks and technologies for social distancing), and 3) ensuring that online learning and teleconferencing can be accessible for people with various disabilities and needs (such as Deaf users and users of AAC). Dr. Lazar challenges accessibility researchers and practitioners to get more involved in researching and developing digital technologies to improve the quality of life for people with disabilities. Specifically, he suggests some potential areas of research and development work: technologies to allow for priority scheduling of deliveries and purchasing of items with limited quantities for people with disabilities, new uses of crowdsourcing to empower people with disabilities during the pandemic, and studying the impact of masks on the use of automated speech recognition. Dr. Lazar ends the speech by challenging everyone to find accessibility projects that give you joy, are intellectually challenging, and meet the needs of the world! [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although there have been numerous studies investigating password usage by neurotypical users, a paucity of research has been conducted to examine the use of authentication methods used by individuals with cognitive impairment. In this paper, we report a longitudinal study that investigates how individuals with Down syndrome interact with three user authentication mechanisms. It confirms that many individuals with DS are capable of using traditional alphanumeric passwords as well as learning other authentication methods. Contrary to previous belief, the result suggests that mnemonic passwords may not be easier to remember for individuals with DS during initial usage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]