July is Disability Pride Month—a time to honor the experiences, rights, and dignity of people with disabilities. This month, many of us assert our identities, share our stories, and push for change in a world not yet built with us in mind. But today, I want to use this moment to shine a light in a different direction.
Author: Simon Miner
Access in Action: A Conversation with DeAnn Elliot of Insite Access
In this candid and insightful Q&A, DeAnn Elliott—founder of Insite Access and participant in the Massachusetts Commission for the Blind internship program—shares how her lived experience shapes her work as a manual accessibility tester. From parenting with assistive tech to building a business rooted in usability and dignity, DeAnn’s journey offers practical wisdom and a powerful case for inclusive digital design.
The power of “and”: one word that can transform accessibility conversations
What if changing just one word could defuse tension, build empathy, and move your accessibility conversations forward? Replacing “but” with “and” is a simple yet powerful shift that opens doors instead of closing them. Whether you’re advocating for inclusion or just trying to be heard, this is a technique worth mastering.
When is an image decorative? When it looks good but says nothing
When is an image decorative—and when does it deserve a voice? This practical guide helps content creators, designers, and developers decide which images need alt text and which ones should stay silent. You’ll get clear criteria, domain-specific tips, and work-arounds for platforms that don’t play nice with alt=””. Skip the noise, keep the meaning, and make your content cleaner for everyone.
Telling time with sound: how I built an accessible audio clock in 15 hours using AI
What happens when a blind musician, an idea about telling time with sound, and an AI co-developer walk into a browser? You get Song Clock—a quirky, accessible ear-training app built in 15 hours without writing code. Come for the a11y, stay to hear what time sounds like.
The WebAIM Million: What Changed from 2024 to 2025?
The web is slowly getting more accessible—but not fast enough. Each year, WebAIM scans one million home pages for accessibility issues. I’ve pulled the biggest insights from the 2024 and 2025 reports so you can see what’s improving, what’s not, and what it means for your website.
Disability and Divine Appointment: How an Unlikely Friendship Changed My Life
Some friendships begin in ways you’d never imagine. When I responded to a stranger’s cry for help, I didn’t realize it would lead to months of companionship, advocacy, and deep spiritual formation.
CSUN 2025: One of the Best Conferences of My Life
Attending CSUN 2025 was an unforgettable experience filled with insightful sessions, groundbreaking innovations, and inspiring individuals. It was a rare and powerful environment where accessibility wasn’t just a topic of conversation—it was a lived experience.
The best of axe-con 2025
Deque’s axe-con is one of the top web accessibility conferences, and the 2025 event certainly lived up to its reputation. With an array of insightful sessions, it was packed with valuable takeaways. Here’s a recap of some of my personal favorites.
Reaching the Cookie Jar: Creating an Accessible Cookie Banner
Here’s how I updated a home-grown cookie banner to make it more accessible.