Accessibility with Apple: Designed for all Learners

May 21, 2021

EASIER, EU accessibility legislation, European Electronic Communications Code, Free Tech Signs, Revised Audio Visual Media Services Directive, SHAPES, SIGNON, The Web Accessibility Directive

Celebrating Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD) on the 19^th of May 2021, Apple held an interactive workshop providing an overview of Apple’s accessibility features and their implementation in the classroom. This was complemented by the call for an accessible digital learning environment through the European Commission’s Strategy for Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the Digital Education Action Plan.

Introductions made by Elisa Molino, Accessibility Policy Lead for Europe at Apple, who highlighted the importance of the relationship between education and accessibility. Going further stating that “the powerful technology is the technology that empowers each and every one of us, Apple’s perspective that accessibility is a human right.”

The session covered demonstrations of accessibility features that can support all learners, including learners with a disability. This included increasing the size of text and items with Magnifier as a digital magnifying glass, using vocal commands with Voice Control to open and navigate services and apps, the ability for students to include closed captions to their video projects using Clips, and using Spoken Content to add an audio component to text.