The Institute of Information and Communication Technology (IICT) of BUET and the Aspire to Innovate (a2i) programme of the ICT Division jointly conducted a day-long capacity development workshop on Web Accessibility for enhancing skills and knowledge on creating inclusive web spaces and promoting digital accessibility on May 21st, 2023. It has been conducted as part of the DiversAsia Project entitled “Embracing Diversity in Asia Through the Adoption of Inclusive Open Practices”, funded by the European Union under the Erasmus+ program.
The event was graced by Prof. Dr. Rubaiyat Hossain Mondal, honorable director; Dr. Liakot Ali, professor; Dr. Hossen Asiful Mustafa, associate professor; Dr. Md. Jarez Miah, assistant professor; Mr. Samin Rahman Khan, lecturer, IICT, BUET; and Mr. Vashkar Bhattacharjee, national consultant – accessibility, a2i.
The workshop was inaugurated with a welcome speech by Prof. Dr. Rubaiyat Hossain Mondal. Then Dr. Hossen Asiful Mustafa discussed the goals, initiatives, and current progress of the DiversAsia project in designing an inclusive educational environment for persons with disabilities.
The lead facilitator, Mr. Vashkar Bhattacharjee, a person with a visual disability, opened the main training session by discussing the significant opportunities and barriers that people with disabilities face regarding accessibility. He also highlighted the role of policies in Bangladesh and provided an overview of web accessibility tools and guidelines. In addition, he highlights the obstacles to web accessibility and demonstrates assistive technology, assessment techniques for web and app accessibility, WCAG 2.1, and the national accessibility guidelines following a checklist. In conclusion, he emphasized the significance of accessibility because it enables us to delve into the potential of every individual.
Prof. Dr. Liakot Ali concluded the seminar by thanking all the guests, organizers, facilitators, and participants. He also announced that BUET and a2i intended to host additional workshops and seminars regarding digital accessibility in the near future by engaging other universities.
This workshop emphasized the significance of fostering an environment conducive to innovation, research, and development in the field of digital accessibility, as well as the need for collaboration between academia, industry, and government to advance inclusive initiatives in Bangladesh. It is a major step towards a more accessible and inclusive smart Bangladesh for everyone.
The event was covered by Mr. Shafak Shahriar Sozol, a student and graduate research fellow of BUET; Zahid Sheikh, research assistant of DiversAsia project; M M Tariqul Huq, and Md. Asif Sadique, a young professional of the a2i program, ICT Division, Bangladesh.