ISOC Accessibility Standing Group

Standing Group/Special Interest Groups (SG/SIGs) are an opportunity for Internet Society members to collaborate on and find solutions for topics of interest that are not necessarily addressed directly by the projects under the Internet Society Action Plan.

Membership

Membership of the Accessibility Standing Group is open to all Internet Society Members. To join the Internet Society visit https://www.internetsociety.org/become-a-member/ - it's free!

Formation

The Internet Society Accessibility Standing Group was formed on November 1 2021, subsequent to ISOC's plan to de-charter existing Special Interest Groups. While the new SIGs are temporary and project-based, both Accessibility and Youth, as Standing Groups, are permanent.

The Accessibility SIG (A11ySIG) will continue, but revert to its origin as an Internet Society New York Chapter (ISOC-NY) project.

• March 31 2022 Formal welcome from Internet Society BoT Chair Ted Hardie (pdf)

Communication

The SG communicates via the Accessibility Standing Group Connect Community

Leaders

An election was held in January 2022, with the results (pdf | xls) , announced on February 14 2022. Terms expire on Dec. 31 2024.

• Chair: Gunela Astbrink
• Vice-Chair: Vashkar Bhattacharjee
• Secretary: Kindy Vereus Montreuil (from March 2022)
• Treasurer: Judith Hellerstein
• Planning and Reporting Officer: (Tie) Zakari Yama and Swaran Sanadhika Ravindra
• ChAC Representative: Shamsuddeen Mohammed Lawal

On April 12 2022, Klaus Hoeckner was appointed as an an associate member of the leadership team, to act as back up for Shamsuddeen Mohammed Lawal.

• Proxy ChAC Representative: Klaus Hoeckner

Former officers

• Peter Crosbie (Secretary Jan-Mar 2022)
• Joly Macfie (AMS Admin Jan 2022 - Mar 2023)

Calls

See Accessibility SG Calls

also ASG sub-committee on content development

Activity Plan

For 2022, the Internet Society has allocated a maximum of 30’000 USD per SG/SIG to pursue significant activities that support the mission of the Internet Society through the SG/SIGs work. The Accessibility SG Activity Plan (AP) will be inclusive of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and an activity budget. The activity framework will conceptualize, measure, and evaluate the work the SG/SIG will carry out throughout 2022

• Mar 15 2022 ISOC has supplied a template for the Activity Plan. (docx, pdf)
• May 11 2022 After deliberation, and a consultation of the SG members, the finished Activity plan was submitted to ISOC. pdf

Framework

• Draft ISOC Accessibility Framework Version 1.1 (July 20022)

Group / Member Activities

• 6 Sept 2022 Demonstration of accessible and inaccessible web and e-services through screen reading software ISOC Community Week presentation by Vashkar Bhattacharjee and Dr Muhammad Shabbir
• 12 Sept 2022 Inclusion of persons with disabilities in the ICT job sector APrIGF 2022 presentation by Swaran Ravindra
• 14 Sept 2022 Strengthening the disability voice in Internet Governance APrIGF 2022 presentation by Gunela Astbrink
• 26 Oct 2022 APrIGF 2022: Inclusion of persons with disabilities in the ICT job sector APrIGF follow up blog by Swaran Ravindra
• 12 Nov 2022 Les règles d’Accessibility Web pour les Développeurs webinar by Zakari Yama
• 1 Dec 2022 IGF 2022 WS#446 Harnessing the power of accessible technology WSIS session: speaker - Gunela Astbrink
• 5 Dec 2022 Webinar: The regulatory framework for Accessibility in the EU webinar by Klaus Hoeckner
• 2 Dec 2022 Making online content accessible to all blog by Gunela Astbrink
• 21 Dec 2022 Bangla Desh Accessibility Webinar webinar by Vashkar Bhattarcharjee
• 11 Jan 2023 Community Consultation on Content Development of Disability Leadership Training In Internet Governance and Digital Rights Workshop
• 8 Feb 2023 Accessibility Standing Group Annual General Meeting Meeting
• 15 Mar 2023 Regulatory Framework for Accessibility in Europe CSUN presentation by Klaus Hoeckner. (pdf)
• 3 Apr 2023 Standing Group Members Meeting Meeting (pdf, video)
• 3 Apr 2023 Banking is for every person Dhaka Tribune Op-Ed by Vashkar Bhattarcharjee
• 10 Apr 2023 Vashkar’s drive for disability-inclusive banking services Prothom Alo story on Vashkar Bhattarcharjee
• 18 May 2023 Impacts of GAAD on promoting smart accessible digital service Dhaka tribune Op-ed by Vashkar Bhattarcharjee
• 19 May 2023 Digitization must be for all Dhaka tribune Op-ed by Vashkar Bhattarcharjee
• 29 May 2023 Inclusive Africa Conference 2023 Klaus Hoeckner speaks on 'Assistive Technologies and Funding' panel