Experts at the Center of Excellence in Nonvisual Access offer various training events throughout the year to share best practices in web accessibility and access technology. Below is a list of the events by date. We host conferences, seminars, and accessibility boutiques.
Accessibility Boutiques and CENA seminars are offered by the National Federation of the Blind thanks to the support of state of Maryland through the Nonvisual Accessibility Initiative grant administered by the Maryland Department of Disabilities.
March 22 Google Workspace Seminar
1:00 to 5:00 p.m. (EST) via Zoom
Google’s web-based productivity suite is an attractive alternative to Microsoft Office. Screen reader users can easily use Google Workspace, and it includes helpful tools for ensuring that documents, spreadsheets, and presentations are accessible to audiences with disabilities. On March 22 from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. (EST), join us as we explore Google Workspace, demonstrate how its applications work with a screen reader, and review some best practices for creating accessible content. Material covered will be:
- Introducing the Google Workspace ecosystem and how to navigate in Drive with a screen reader
- Using Google Docs, Slides, and Sheets with a screen reader
- Enabling accessibility and Braille support
- Using accessibility checker tools
- Reviewing the basics of modern web browsing methods with a screen reader
Register for the March 22 Google Workspace Seminar.
March 28 Remote Access Boutique
2:00 to 3:30 p.m. (EST) via Zoom
Remote desktop access has always been challenging for blind people. Existing clients are either not accessible at all, or only work with one screen reader, which must be running on both ends of the connection. Now, a third party alternative, Pneuma Solutions, who brought us Scribe for Meetings, has another accessible offering. Remote Incident Manager is the most accessible remote access tool available. Attend this boutique on March 28 from 2:00 to 3:30 p.m. eastern time to dig into all of the options. Here are a few highlights:
- Easily establish a connection across the internet with a simple key word
- Does not require a screen reader, but works with JAWS, NVDA or Narrator
- Great for remote training or technical support
Register for the March 28 Remote Access Boutique.
April 25 Basics of PDF Remediation Boutique
2:00 to 3:30 p.m. (EST) via Zoom
Whether we as a disability community like it or not, PDFs are one of the most popular forms of document used today. From bank statements and tax documents, to school work or a menu from a restaurant, PDFs seem to be used everywhere. But for blind and low-vision users, inaccessible PDFs can be a roadblock that prevents you from accomplishing tasks. Join us on April 25 from 2:00-3:30 to learn the basics of PDF remediation. Topics to be covered include:
- Converting Word documents into PDFs
- The basics of tags and how they work
- Making inaccessible documents accessible
Register for the April 25 Basics of PDF Remediation Boutique.
May 30 Meeting Platform Accessibility Boutique
2:00 to 3:30 p.m. (EST) via Zoom
The use of online meeting platforms has drastically increased in work, school, and even personal life. The increased demand has pushed providers to add features and improve accessibility. Attend this boutique on May 30, 2023 from 2:00 – 3:30 p.m. to learn about the latest developments in online meeting platforms. Some platforms that will be covered are:
- Zoom
- WebEx
- Microsoft Teams
This boutique will explore the level of accessibility and the accessibility features of each platform.
Register for the May 30 Meeting Platform Accessibility Boutique.
June 14 Smart Cities Seminar
1:00 to 5:00 p.m. (EST) via Zoom
This seminar will highlight the work we have done with Vispero and their JAWS kiosk software, our work with the ITI kiosk, the work with MDOT (spin to be seen, accessible train station changes), Autonomous vehicles, and Navilens and other O&M technologies.
More details to come!
Register for the June 14 Smart Cities Seminar.
June 27 Modern Web Browsing Techniques Boutique
2:00 to 3:30 p.m. (EST) via Zoom
Applications are migrating off your local hard drive and into the cloud. Remember the days when you’d have a CD, or even a stack of floppy disks to install software onto your computer? Well, those days are mostly gone. Gone too are the days when you simply had to remember to tab and use arrows to read information on the web. And while it may seem that many applications that run through a browser are inaccessible to screen reader users, it turns out that most of them actually work very well with JAWS and NVDA. But you need to think of them more like applications than web pages, and you have to re-learn how to navigate them with your screen reader.
Join us to walk through the basic concepts of turning off the JAWS Virtual Cursor, or switching to browse mode so that you can easily interact with these applications. Learn how to pick up the robust list of keystrokes developers have built into these applications to assist those who rely on keyboard-only interaction. You’ll discover that tools like Google Workspace, Office 365, and even Twitter aren’t such scary applications.
Register for the June 27 Modern Web Browsing Techniques Boutique.
July 25 Document Accessibility Boutique
2:00 to 3:30 p.m. (EST) via Zoom
Attend Upcoming Event on Creating Accessible Documents
From students to professionals to friends in our community, digital documents are shared daily, and it is important for accessibility to be incorporated into the documents we create. Learn some of the basic but powerful techniques experts use every day to build accessibility into their documents. Join us on July 25, 2023 from 2:00 – 3:30 p.m. (EST) to learn how to make your documents accessible for all. Some topics that will be covered:
- Word document accessibility
- PowerPoint accessibility
- PDF accessibility
Register for the July 25 Document Accessibility Boutique.
Previous Events
Low-Vision Smartphone Accessibility Face Off Boutique
Do you have low vision? If so, most smartphones have low-vision accessibility features that can make them easier for you to use. But learning about low-vision accessibility on smartphones and keeping up to date with all the latest developments can be difficult.
The National Federation of the Blind in partnership with the Maryland Department of Disabilities is sponsoring a Low-Vision Smartphone Accessibility Face Off Boutique on February 28, 2023, 2:00 – 3:30 p.m. ET, where you can learn about the latest in low-vision accessibility on smart phones. The Boutique will focus on the accessibility features of the IOS and Android operating systems, which runs the majority of smartphones on the market.
At the Face Off Boutique, attendees will learn how the low-vision accessibility features of IOS and Android stack-up against each other. Once you learn about the pros and cons of accessibility features of each operating system, you will be able to decide which one comes out on top to meet your individual needs! Topics to be covered include:
- Native low-vision accessibility functions
- Using third-party applications to enhance smartphone low-vision accessibility
- Comparisons between similar functions of each operating systems
Advocating for Accessibility
As blind people, we often encounter products or services that are not accessible. Whether you encounter products or services that are not accessible in school, at work, or in your ever day life, self-advocacy can be the key to getting those products and services made accessible. In fact, many products and services are made accessible through the efforts of their users. But connecting with companies to make their products and services accessible can be challenging.
The National Federation of the Blind in partnership with the Maryland Department of Disabilities held an Advocating for Accessibility Boutique on Tuesday, January 31, 2023. Participants learned how to connect with companies to make products and services accessible. Specific topics included:
- What information you need and how to gather it;
- How to get through to the right department or person at a company;
- How to compile a detailed issue report;
- What you can try when a company doesn’t respond; and;
- Specific strategies for connecting with employers and educational institutions.
Accessible Device Showcase Seminar
On Wednesday, December 14, 2022, in partnership with the Maryland Department of Disabilities hosted an Accessible Device Showcase Seminar. Whether you are buying for yourself or you are searching for the perfect gift for family or friends, it can be hard to find consumer electronic devices that are accessible to blind and low vision individuals.
The Accessible Device Showcase Seminar helped attendees fill their gift giving and personal wish lists with the latest in accessible consumer electronic devices. From smart homes to leisure activities, the seminar covered:
- Video games
- Smart home devices
- Mobile applications
- Toys and games
- Home appliances
Social Media Accessibility Boutique
On Tuesday, November 29, 2022, the National Federation of the Blind in partnership with the Maryland Department of Disabilities hosted a Social Media Accessibility Boutique. Social media has become a regular part of our daily lives. Whether it is keeping up with your family and friends' latest activities on Facebook, engaging with people on Twitter, or watching the latest viral video on TikTok, there’s always something competing for our attention. But the lack of accessibility of social media platforms and content make it difficult for blind users to keep up with the latest trends and activities on social media.
The Social Media Accessibility Boutique provided strategies for successfully navigating social media platforms as a blind person. The boutique featured tips on how individuals can make social media content accessible to blind and low vision users. The Boutique focused on the Facebook, Twitter, and TikTok platforms. The training included:
- Tips and recommendations on navigating the platforms with screen readers;
- Tips on finding and engaging with content; and
- Best practices for posting accessible content on social media.
Education Technology Accessibility Boutique
On Tuesday, October 25, 2022, the National Federation of the Blind in partnership with the Maryland Department of Disabilities hosted an Education Technology Accessibility Boutique. Educators, students, and parents must now deal with a wide variety of technology used in schools. Knowing which technologies are accessible to all students is increasingly difficult. The Education Technology Accessibility Boutique covered numerous classroom technology accessibility topics including:
- The importance of educational technology being accessible to blind and low-vision students.
- Accessible Learning Management Systems (LMS)
- Document Accessibility
- The accessibility of other technology used in classrooms
Office 365 Suite Accessibility Boutique
On Tuesday, October 4, 2022 the National Federation of the Blind in partnership with the Maryland Department of Disabilities hosted a Microsoft’s Office 365 Office Suite Accessibility Boutique. Microsoft Office 365 can be a powerful online tool for students, those working from home, and businesses and government entities. The online Office 365 Suite of applications can even help you get work done on the go. The Office 365 Accessibility Boutique showed attendees how the software is accessible for blind and low-vision users. The Boutique focused on Office 365’s Word, PowerPoint, and Excel applications.
Web Accessibility Testing Seminar
On Wednesday, September 14, 2022, seminar participants were shown how to build a solid foundation in website accessibility to test their own websites. Properly testing a website for accessibility for blind and low-vision users may seem to be a daunting task.
You may be struggling with questions such as:
- Which automated tool should I use?
- How much manual testing is needed?
- Do I need to know how to use a screen reader to test my site?
The National Federation of the Blind can helped answer these questions and more during a half-day Web Accessibility Testing Boutique. The Boutique offered attendees information on various aspects of both manual and automated website accessibility testing. The Boutique included information on testing webpages with automated tools, reviewing automated testing tool reports, and using screen readers to manually test webpages.
Hands-on web accessibility testing experience was included. The group reviewed and analyze a report from an automated website accessibility testing tool. The group was also guided through testing a webpage manually with NVDA, a free open-source screen reading application.
The seminar was recommended for website developers, web designers, web administrators, content administrators, website owners, those who administer a website for a business or government agency, web coordinators, or those who review or audit websites for accessibility..
Intro to Web Accessibility
On Tuesday, August 30, 2022, the National Federation of the Blind hosted an Intro to Web Accessibility Boutique.
Blind users use the internet every day. And 81% of Americans say that they access the internet via computers or mobile apps every single day. Americans use the internet for everything from work, to caring for their selves and families, to being entertained. Yet, many websites and apps remain difficult to impossible for blind people to access because they are not designed with accessibility in mind.
Web accessibility is easy when designed from the start, and designing accessible websites and apps can benefit everyone, not just blind users. The National Federation of the Blind Center of Excellence in Nonvisual Accessibility's Intro to Web Accessibility Boutique showed participants how to make their websites and apps accessible to blind users and better for everyone. The boutique covered topics such as:
- What is a screen reader, and what is the experience for someone who depends on this technology to navigate websites.
- What should a web developer keep in mind to make sure their websites are accessible.
- What are the current Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG).
The Center of Excellence in Nonvisual Accessibility presented this free Intro to Web Accessibility Boutique in partnership with the Maryland Department of disabilities.
Creating Accessible Documents Boutique
On Tuesday, July 26, 2022 the Center of Excellence in Nonvisual Accessibility hosted an event discussing how to create accessible Word, PowerPoint and PDF documents
From students to professionals to friends in our community, we share digital documents daily. It is important to ensure that digital documents are equally accessible to blind people. Contrary to what many believe, it is actually simple to make your digital documents completely accessible to users of assistive technology.
At the The National Federation of the Blind Center of Excellence in Nonvisual Accessibility Creating Accessible Documents Boutique participants learned some of the basic but powerful techniques experts use every day to build accessibility into their digital documents. Some topics that will be covered include:
- Word document accessibility
- PowerPoint accessibility
- PDF accessibility
Learning how to create accessible digital documents is easy and making a habit of creating accessible docs is painless. And creating accessible documents makes them better for everybody, not just blind people using assistive technology.
Recording and materials coming soon.
Linux Accessibility Boutique
On Tuesday, June 28, 2022 the Center of Excellence in Nonvisual Accessibility hosted an event discussing the Linux operating system.
Linux administration is a high-demand job skill offering competitive pay, which is easily accessible for blind people. In addition, most existing training is also accessible without having to add special instructions for how to use Linux with a screen reader. We have answers about what resources can get you started.
The National Federation of the Blind is excited to present an accessibility boutique all about Linux on Tuesday, June 28 from 9:00 to 10:30 a.m. eastern time, the Center of Excellence in Nonvisual Accessibility will present David Hathaway to share the ins, the outs, and the whys about this powerful, free operating system. David runs a school in Malaysia which teaches Linux administration to blind people, preparing them to sit for the LPI Certification, as well as for diverse jobs in information technology.
Recording and materials coming soon.
Busting Myths Surrounding Hiring the Blind
On Tuesday, May 31, 2022, the Center of Excellence in Nonvisual Accessibility hosted an event to dispel myths around blind people in the workplace. This Accessibility Boutique featured a panel discussion with industry leaders and experts on blindness in the state of Maryland.
- Ronza Othman, President of the National Federation of the Blind of Maryland
- Kristin Patterson of the Maryland Department of Labor
- Kevan Worley of Worley Enterprises
- Maurice Peret, Career Mentoring & Employment Programs at the National Federation of the Blind
Recording and materials coming soon.
Online Learning Platforms Seminar
Many online education services allow a person to learn a variety of subjects through text and video courses. Unfortunately, the accessibility of both the course platform and course content can vary wildly, and even be inconsistent with each other. The National Federation of the Blind Center of Excellence in Nonvisual Accessibility hosted a seminar on Wednesday, June 15, 2022, to discuss the accessibility of several online learning platforms, such as SkillShare, Udemy, and MasterClass. For each service, the seminar covered topics including:
- Signing up for the platform
- Courses offered
- Accessibility of the web site and app
- Accessibility of the course content
- And more
Recording and materials coming soon.
Braille for Beginners
What is Braille? It is a logical and versatile system for reading and writing. Learn about the use of Braille for education, employment, entertainment, and the many aspects of life! Translation software is available as a tool to assist in the creation of complete, accurate, navigable, and timely Braille documents. On Tuesday, April 26, from 2:00 to 3:30 p.m. eastern time, when we covered the basics about Braille. We discussed the following:
- Braille—how it works, how it is used
- Steps for producing braille documents
- Introduction to BrailleBlaster, free braille translation software
… and more. Recording and materials coming soon.
Beyond the Web Page: Strategies for Using Web Applications with Screen Readers
The lines between desktop and web applications overlap as new technologies are developed. This results in web pages that behave like desktop programs and desktop programs that behave like web pages. This increases complexity for screen reader users as long established routines and expected behaviors no longer work. Screen reader users must adapt to changing workflows and new behaviors on the fly more than ever before. The National Federation of the Blind Center of Excellence in Nonvisual Accessibility present on Tuesday February 22, 2022 from 2:00-3:30 p.m. eastern via Zoom tips and strategies for navigating complex web sites and web applications with a screen reader. Topics covered:
- recognizing when something is more than just a web page
- finding documentation and keyboard shortcuts
- screen reader tips for interacting with complex web applications
- commonly encountered issues and how to deal with them
- and more.
Recording and materials coming soon.
Excel and PowerPoint Document Accessibility Boutique
Learning how to use certain tools in Excel and PowerPoint can seem complicated at first, especially if you are a screen reader user. However, these are common documents used in schools, organizations, and volunteer work. Microsoft Office provides tools for screen reader users to create accessible documents. We covered:
- Excel
- Pivot tables
- Building graphs
- Using filters
- PowerPoint
- Adding alternative text
- Adding multimedia
- Presenting as a screen reader user
… and more. Recording and materials coming soon.
Overview of Collaboration Tools Seminar
Businesses and teams of all types continue to collaborate and work together online with project management tools and other collaboration platforms. These platforms enable teams in widely distributed areas to work seamlessly with each other. The National Federation of the Blind Center of Excellence in Nonvisual Access compared the accessibility of several of the top collaboration services. We will review Slack, Microsoft Teams, Trello, and Discord. For each service, topics we covered:
- Initial setup
- Creating projects
- Chatting among team members
- Sharing files
- And more
Recording and materials coming soon.
More Information
For more information about CENA or to inquire about potential partnership opportunities, please call us at 410-659-9314, option 5 or email us at [email protected].