My life is a hilarious roller coaster of miss-intended programming bugs because at 120 cm tall and 50 kilograms I completely fall off your radar.

Why did my scale call me! Why does facial recognition see me as a child? These are all valid questions I often ask myself as I navigate my weird and different world. Have you heard the phrase “You have to be this tall for Micro-services”? well what about: “You have to be this tall to operate a mobile phone?”. I am finding it harder and harder to reach any button except for “#” and “9”.

Building accessibility into the planning stages of programming can eliminate barriers for participation and create an inclusive environment for people with disabilities. Programming for diversity serves as an unquestionable indicator that your software embraces the diversity of your users and cares about their safety and comfort.

Join me on a fascinating and thought-provoking look at how you can program for accessibility.

My Talk Overview - I begin my talk by explaining the everyday challenges that I encounter. Then, I show, how too often, adaptation and dissemination to technological innovations widen the gap towards equal access for persons with disabilities.

I then introduce the Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI), the technical guidelines created by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) to create accessible mobile and web-based applications.

I conclude by going through a straightforward design process that shows how accessibility can become a feature set and not a hindrance.

My Inspiration - I often forget that I'm a little person. It's the physical environment and society that remind me. In giving you an insight into who I am today, I wanted to offer you a new perspective. I wanted to challenge the idea that design is but a tool to create function and beauty. The design dramatically impacts people's lives, all lives. Design is a way to feel included in the world, but it is also a way to uphold a person's dignity and human rights. Unfortunately, design can also inflict vulnerability on a group whose needs we don't consider.

So today, I want your perceptions challenged. Who are we not designing for? How can we amplify their voices and their experiences? What is the next step? Design is an enormous privilege, but it is an immense responsibility. So, I want to open your eyes.

Why am I the best person to do this talk:
1) I will do the topic proud!: I have broad experience in public speaking on accessibility. I work closely with the Accessibility Team at Microsoft and co-lead Accessibility advocacy for Developer relations at Microsoft

2) I will do the conference proud!: As a seasoned speaker, I often speak at both conferences and user groups. I have experience in delivering talks to large groups (100,000+) and have been professionally trained.

3) I will make the community proud!: I believe strongly in accessible software, and this conference is privileged to address essential accessibility issues. However, I am also aware that this may be a sensitive topic and will ensure that I take the utmost care in wording my talk in the most discreet manner.