Knowbility

Most accessibility audits find the problems. They don’t fix the culture that created them.

That’s the gap Ela Gorla has spent 15+ years closing—inside major corporations and government departments across Australia and the U.K.

This Thursday, she's joining us for Be a Digital Ally to break down the 5 most common pitfalls organizations hit when implementing accessibility—and exactly what to do instead.

Here is what we're covering:
- Spotting where implementation quietly breaks down
- Ditching the "quick fix" tools that promise compliance but don't deliver
- Building habits that make accessibility stick (not just survive the audit)

Thursday, June 18 at 3:00 PM CT. Free to attend.
Link to register: https://knowbility.org/programs/be-a-digital-ally/june-2026

📅 Join us for Knowbility's, Be a Digital Ally session on Thursday, June 18 at 3:00 PM CT!

Accessibility consultant and UX research expert Ela Gorla will lead an essential deep dive into Implementing Accessibility: Five Common Pitfalls (and What to Do Instead). With 15+ years of experience spanning major corporations and government departments across Australia and the U.K., Ela brings real-world insight into what actually works.

In this session, we will:
Identify common pitfalls organizations encounter when implementing accessibility
Evaluate tools that promise quick fixes but fail to deliver meaningful results
Adopt practical habits that foster long-term, sustainable accessibility

Register here: https://knowbility.org/programs/be-a-digital-ally/june-2026

The May edition of the Knowbility newsletter is out!

Read the latest updates about Sharron's farewell, our community programs including the AccessU recap, The Accessibility Internet Rally, Be a Digital Ally and more:

Knowbility Newsletter: May 2026 This is my last message to our community as Executive Director (ED). It’s with great joy that I hand the reins over to the incoming ED Jillian Fortin Burtnett. She is exactly the leader Knowbility needs to scale and strengthen our programs and services.

The Shawn Lawton Henry, W3C WAI 2026 Update Town Hall is now available on Knowbility's youTube channel for everyone to watch.

Catch up on the latest news from the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) with this in depth conversasion:

W3C WAI 2026 Update Town Hall Session SummaryGet the latest news from the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI). In this interactive session you can ask quest...

Join Dr. Stephanie Cawthon and an expert panel including Melissa Gholson, Meagan Karvonen, Cara Cahalan Laitusis, and Jan McSorley, for the webinar, "Beyond Compliance in the Era of AI: The Future of Accessibility in State Assessments." Sponsored by Accessible Teaching, Learning, and Assessment Systems (ATLAS) The University of Kansas. The event takes place on June 1st from 2–3 PM ET.

Register today at: https://kansas.zoom.us/meeting/register/X7dBhfbIRbm_oqd7r42Drg #/registration

In celebration of Global Accessibility Awareness Day, we are officially releasing the Knowbility Sight Sound Soul music video! 🌍

Observed annually on the third Thursday of May, is a worldwide movement driving digital inclusion for the 1+ billion people living with disabilities.

Aligning with this mission to break down barriers, Sight Sound Soul (a collaboration by Knowbility and Art Spark Texas) was a fully accessible, multi-sensory performance. By blending American Sign Language, human captioning, audio description, and real time painting with live music, it ensured everyone could experience the show together.

The video also celebrates the passing of the leadership torch from founding Executive Director Sharron Rush to the exciting future we anticipate with our incoming ED Jillian Fortin Burtnett.

We hope you enjoy it:

AccessU 2026 - Sight Sound Soul music video (Official) How do you describe a beehive? At Access U, we’ve been busy as a be...

AccessU 2026 kicks off this Monday!

With 70+ classes both in person and online, this is the place to be for digital accessibility. Plus, you get to view all the recordings through the end of 2026 on your own time.

We’ve heard some agencies are streaming these sessions to their entire team in the conference room. We don't object as it fulfills our mission to raise awareness and improve digital accessibility skills.

Don't miss AccessU 2026 - it's going to be a good one: https://knowbility.org/programs/john-slatin-accessu-2026

A few years ago, our friend Elisa Miller suggested, organized, and ran an Unconference to close AccessU. Elisa was a super connector, bridging the distance between the UX and digital accessibility communities with her hugely popular workshops on inclusive user study design.

Elisa passed away shortly after AccessU 2025. We have felt her loss keenly. While AccessU won't be the same without her ebullient energy, we will honor her memory by closing with the Elisa Miller Unconference for AccessU 2026 and the years to come.

Get your ticket and join us next week: https://knowbility.org/programs/john-slatin-accessu-2026

While our full schedule features dozens of world-class instructors and courses, we wanted to share a quick preview of some of the general sessions you can join this year at AccessU:

𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐤 𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐦𝐚𝐧 on Simplifying Mobile Accessibility
𝐁𝐞𝐜𝐤𝐲 𝐆𝐢𝐛𝐬𝐨𝐧 on Accessible Labeling in HTML & ARIA
𝐃𝐨𝐮𝐠 𝐒𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬 on Inclusive Data Visualization with ParaCharts
𝐊𝐞𝐥𝐬𝐞𝐲 𝐑𝐮𝐠𝐞𝐫 on AI-Assisted Accessible Development.
𝐅𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐤 𝐄𝐥𝐚𝐯𝐬𝐤𝐲 on Accessibility and Visualization

This is just the beginning. These five sessions represent only a fraction of the incredible lineup of the 70+ courses we have planned, covering everything from policy and advocacy to advanced coding, AI integration, inclusive marketing, and document accessibility.

Explore the full list, read about our other speakers, and customize your learning path with eight specialized learning tracks.

👉 AccessU 2026 Schedule of Classes: https://knowbility.org/programs/john-slatin-accessu-2026/classes

Lucy Greco will present on the opening night of John Slatin AccessU: "How Technology Changed Me and What I Hope for in The Future." She offers us a profound perspective on how digital tools can either liberate or thwart the potential of people with disabilities.

This session explores the evolution of assistive technology, from early hardware to modern AI and examines what must happen next to ensure people with disabilities don't just use technology, but truly thrive because of it.

This keynote takes place on Monday, May 11, 6:00-7:00 PM CT at the Hyatt Regency, in person or online.

For more information and to see the full list of keynote speakers visit: https://knowbility.org/programs/john-slatin-accessu-2026/keynote-speakers