HTML is, by default, accessible. By simply using “Plain Old Semantic HTML”, we have the ability to create rich and accessible web pages that can meaningfully stand on their own. More often than not, what makes a web page less accessible is the CSS and JavaScript we add to that HTML. With these additions, we can alter the meaning of elements, change their behaviour, or even block access to content entirely.
In this talk, we’ll explore how CSS and JavaScript can contribute, negatively or positively, to accessibility. We’ll learn when it’s appropriate to use these technologies and how they can be used to make even more accessible websites - from leveraging CSS to adapt experiences to different types of users, to using JavaScript to ensure our dynamic web applications work across all devices.
Ire Aderinokun is an independent User Interface Engineer from Lagos, Nigeria. She is an invited Google Expert, specialising in the core user interface technologies of HTML, CSS, and Javascript, but is interested in all aspects of technology. She is a co-founder of Helicarrier (YC S18), a company building cryptocurrency infrastructure for Africa, and is passionate about how this technology can supp...