Digital accessibility is a field that is quickly growing. Organizations worldwide are working to increase their reach, and this work is with the end goal of becoming more inclusive of all populations, especially those with disabilities. Digital accessibility is a field dedicated to ensuring websites, digital media, software, and more are accessible, according to standards set by the World Wide Web Consortium, or W3C. These standards are referred to as WCAG, or Web Content Accessibility Guidelines. In 2021 alone, the amount of job postings on LinkedIn that mention accessibility, grew 78% over the previous year. BIT Academy is announcing a Digital Accessibility Analyst course, which will begin in February of 2023. Spaces are limited, so don’t wait to apply once the interest form is live!
The instructor will work with each student throughout the program, providing feedback, answering questions, providing guidance, and ensuring everyone is best equipped for success. But what makes a BIT Academy course different from studying independently?
- This course is fully remote, with sessions held via Google Meet
- Like all of our candidate services, the Digital Accessibility Analyst course is offered at no cost to students
- This course is taught by an instructor who possesses real-world experience and multiple certifications in the digital accessibility field, and the course is designed specifically by and for people with disabilities
- We focus on inclusion; true accessibility isn’t just accommodation of needs, but includes students in a way that they feel comfortable in their own learning environment
- If an accommodation is needed, it’s likely available or can be made so with advanced notice
- We go beyond the materials available through other training courses, and students will experience the following:
- Perform a complete audit of a real website
- Example resources for creating accessible documents in multiple formats, and a library of resources gathered from across the internet will be provided
- Gain a solid understanding of accessibility laws and regulations
- Gain experience with automated accessibility tools, and using assistive technologies
- Learn strategies for effectively communicating accessibility issues, and methodologies and action plans to remove accessibility barriers
Candidates who are best suited for this course will possess the following attributes:
- Beginner or above knowledge of Assistive Technology, including at least one screen reader on Windows or Mac; at least one mobile screen reader (Android or IOS); system or browser-level magnification
- Basic understanding of how websites and documents work (past use of website builders or HTML, CSS, JAVA, and similar are helpful)
- Familiarity with common tools such as Microsoft Office, Google Apps, Adobe Reader, and mainstream web browsers
- Advanced problem-solving skills
- Ingenuity, creativity, and driven to learn and explore new ideas
- Good verbal and written communication skills
- Collaborative mindset and the ability to work well on a team
At the end of this course, each participant should be more than ready to take and successfully pass the International Association of Accessibility Professionals CPACC and WAS certification exams.
This course is the first of its kind. During the student selection process, an assessment to determine familiarity with disability etiquette, website and document knowledge, Assistive Technology knowledge, and other technology skills necessary for this course will be provided, and a brief interview to discuss students’ background, interest, and goals in the program will be scheduled.Please email us for questions about this course or for general Academy info.