In late 2023, the Biden administration released new guidance that requires federal agencies to improve digital accessibility, including enforcing a set of accessibility guidelines before publishing to a website and overseeing digital accessibility processes. On June 17, UVA will host a free workshop on digital accessibility, with presenter Kevin Andrews, a Web Accessibility Specialist at Georgetown University who is presenting as part of his role as owner of Unlocked Freedom Access, a digital accessibility consultancy. As a blind person, Andrews has a personal connection to this work. Ahead of his talk, we asked Andrews a few key questions. This interview has been edited for length.—Claudia Gohn
What is web and digital accessibility?
When we talk about accessibility, we’re thinking about ways of making sure that—in terms of the digital or electronic accessibility, that context—we’re really trying to make sure that websites, systems, applications, documents, all of these resources are usable to the greatest number of people.
What do you do as a web accessibility specialist?
A lot of it is working with different stakeholders to help them make—or at least give guidance or recommendations to make—their materials or content more accessible. And it really depends. So one day I might be working with some content editors and I can walk them through how to make a page more accessible in terms of, you know, “Don’t just make the text bold. It has to be an actual heading,” which is communicated through the semantics with the screen reader. Or another day I might be working with some developers and I can give more technical guidance. “Well, you want to use this type of code or this sort of role to make sure that the semantics are getting communicated appropriately.”
What motivates you to give speeches and host workshops about digital accessibility, such as the one coming up at UVA?
They kind of see what the barriers look like—what a barrier could look like when something is not accessible. And then, “Here is what you can do. Here are maybe three quick fixes you can do today.” Obviously it’s not everything, but to really get on the path to make something more accessible. It makes them feel accomplished, it makes them feel good about the process, so they will continue to do it because accessibility is not one-and-done. You have to keep at it. And then especially with very dynamic websites where people are constantly adding content, removing content, there’s always gonna be—it’s very rare that there’s something fully 100 percent conforming and accessible. It’s very rare. So I would say I really enjoy that light bulb moment. I like being able to do the demonstrations for people and say, “Okay, well now you try it.”
Why is digital accessibility important?
I have a deep personal connection to the work because I have a disability myself. So it’s not something I can just turn off at the end of the day. … It is the right thing to do. I’m not a lawyer, so I won’t make legal claims, but it is the law here in the U.S. that your website—especially a public-facing website, whatever the industry—is accessible.
How does web accessibility and digital accessibility fit within the broader conversation about disability justice?
We talk about making sure that everyone does feel like they have a seat at the table—that’s inclusion. Part of that is, can I access what you’re even selling—or you’re talking about—as a disabled person? Can somebody access it? If you can’t, it’s sort of like having a party and the party is there, but you don’t know how to get in. You can hear everyone, but you’re outside and you’re like, “Well, lemme go around the back.” Nope. There’s steps. Can’t get in with the wheelchair. It’s sort of that. And so I compare it to something like that in the physical sense. Digital accessibility, obviously it’s a different context, but it’s similar in that you have a link that’s not descriptive and not labeled properly. So for a screen reader, it just says “link,” or it’s a link using an image and the image isn’t described or something’s not labeled, whatever it is.