Ensuring Accessible Content with Benetech’s Approved Publishing Tool Service

Scheduled at 3:00 pm in Colorado I-J on Wednesday, November 13.

Speaker(s)

• Charles LaPierre, Principal, Accessibility and Content Quality Architect, Benetech
• Will Awad, , iAccessDigital

Session Details

• Length of Session: 1-hr
• Format: Lecture
• Expertise Level: Beginner
• Type of session: General Conference

Summary

Benetech's Global Certified Accessible (GCA) program helps publishers create born accessible content. Building on this success, Benetech launches the Benetech Approved Publishing Tool service to validate accessibility compliance of publishing tools themselves. This service aims to meet the publishing industry's need to ensure accessibility for all readers. It promotes accessible content and ensure publishers' content creation tools comply with accessibility standards across the industry.

Abstract

The drive for accessible content is more crucial than ever, both as a social responsibility and a legal necessity. Benetech's GCA program has pioneered efforts to promote accessibility in the publishing industry. Building on this success, Benetech introduces the Benetech Approved Publishing Tool, a groundbreaking service that provides a pathway for creators of publishing tools to achieve independent validation of accessibility compliance. This addresses the needs of both tool creators and publishers. For tool creators, it offers a clear and structured approach to ensure their products meet rigorous accessibility standards. This process involves exporting and submitting EPUB files to demonstrate the tool's output, followed by detailed reports from Benetech testers highlighting any accessibility issues and recommending fixes.

For publishers, the Benetech Approved Publishing Tool program provides a trusted resource for selecting tools that align with accessibility best practices. This ensures that content is born accessible, meeting the needs of a broader audience. The benefits extend beyond compliance, as fully accessible products often offer enhanced functionality and user satisfaction. Participating in the program grants tool creators’ access to ongoing support and insights from Benetech, including updates on global accessibility standards and shared learnings from the broader community. This continuous engagement helps ensure that approved tools remain at the forefront of accessibility trends. Learn why this is necessary for promoting accessibility in publishing and shifting the focus earlier in the toolchain. Knowing which tools create accessible content will help publishers improve the overall accessibility of their production workflows. Overall, this program plays a pivotal role in promoting a more inclusive and accessible publishing ecosystem, offering a pathway to compliance while fostering a commitment to accessibility across the industry.

Keypoints

1. Streamlined Compliance Pathway: How the Benetech Approved Publishing Tool program validates tools.
2. Benefits of Born Accessible Content: Creating accessible content expands readership.
3. Meeting Accessibility Standards: Independent validation ensures compliance and support.

Disability Areas

All Areas

Topic Areas

Uncategorized, Web/Media/App Access

Speaker Bio(s)

Charles LaPierre

Charles LaPierre, Benetech: Principal, Accessibility Standards, and Technical Lead, Global Certified Accessible. Charles has over 25 years’ accessibility development experience and has been a pioneer in accessible product development since 1993. Charles currently a member of the following W3C Working Groups: Publishing Working Group, MathML Refresh, ARIA, APA / Personalization Task Force, as well as a member of the EPUB3 W3C Community Group, and co-chair of the Accessibility Metadata W3C Community Group. Charles is the technical architect of the new Global Certified Accessible initiative at Benetech to certify publisher content as conforming to the new EPUB 1.0 Accessibility Specification. Charles has a bachelor's and master's degree in Electrical Engineering from Carleton University, Ottawa, Canada.

Will Awad

Rick Johnson is the Vice President of Product Strategy, and one of the founders of VitalSource Technologies, Inc. Now a division of the Ingram Content Group, VitalSource is the maker of Bookshelf®, the most widely used platform for delivery of electronic textbooks in the world. As VP of Product, Rick manages the strategic direction of the fast growing platform, guiding the architecture, and implementation of its clients and systems.

Rick's career has been focused on bringing together his three passions: technology, publishing, and education. He is a frequent speaker on electronic textbooks, their integration into an institutional environment, and how the accessibility needs of individual students can best be accommodated in their delivery. He has served on multiple committees addressing the needs around delivering accessible content to students, was a member of the working groups responsible for version 2 and version 3 of the EPUB standard, currently serves on the board of directors for IMSGlobal (http://www.imsglobal.org/boardofdirectors.html) and the IDPF (http://idpf.org/about-us/leadership), and is the co-inventor of 3 domestic and international patents dealing with electronic books and their distribution.

Prior to Ingram and VitalSource, Rick spent more than 12 years with Apple Computer, Inc. As a Senior National Consulting Engineer for them he was instrumental in the implementation of complex solutions for many higher education and corporate customers, and received numerous national and international awards.

A graduate of the communication and business departments of Biola University in 1984, Rick has lived in the Phoenix area with his family since they moved from Southern California in 1991. Married to his wife Susie for more than 30 years, together they have raised two children, and are very active in their church and community. Rick also serves on the board of directors for several non-profit ministries.