Accessibility Certification with Regine Gessner

Anne:
Hello everybody. Welcome to the next episode of All Things WordPress and WooCommerce in regards to accessibility. My name is Anne Bovelett. I’m an accessibility specialist. I have a lot to say about accessibility, and I try to teach anyone who wants to hear it and probably those who don’t want to hear it too. Accessibility is very important. Since we’re talking e-commerce, we’re also talking about revenue. It doesn’t really matter why you make something accessible, as long as you do it. If your web shop is losing revenue by the thousands or millions because you’re not making it accessible, you’d have good reason to do it, right?

I know that came out a bit harsh, but I don’t mean it that way. We’re trying to come from a kind place. One of the things we’ve learned lately is that people are saying, “We don’t know where to go. We don’t know who to turn to. We don’t know who to ask or who to trust.” I can understand that this is a very uneasy situation to be in.

I’m sure that if my co-host Taeke Reijenga could have been here today, he would have started filling us in on a lot of stuff in that regard. Unfortunately, due to personal circumstances, he couldn’t be here today, but he’ll probably be back next episode. So, let’s see how far we get today.

This show is not just about the people that everybody already knows. We love the familiar faces, but it’s also about introducing some people you may not know yet. Today, I’m super excited to introduce Regine Gessner from the IAAP. I’ll ask her to explain what the IAAP is, who she is, what the IAAP is doing, and about an interesting discussion we had in December about certification. Hi Regine, welcome.

Regine:
Hello Anne. Thank you very much for having me here today. I’m very happy to join in. My name is Regine Gessner, and I am working for the IAAP, which stands for the International Association of Accessibility Professionals, an association based in the U.S. The IAAP started 10 years ago and has developed several chapters in different regions. Four years ago, we started the German-speaking chapter, called IAAP DACH, which stands for Deutschland, Austria, and Switzerland. We are in charge of the German-speaking community and are the contact point for these countries.

The IAAP’s mission is to network and exchange ideas. That’s one of our key pillars. Another is certification and advanced training. These are our key points. Since we started here in the German-speaking area, we have more than 350 members, including organizations. When you become a member, you are a member of the global IAAP, but then you will be directed to the region where you are based. Worldwide, IAAP has 6,500 members and about 220 organizations.

So, that’s basically what the IAAP is. My position, since a bit more than a year ago, is to manage everything full-time, as it became too much to handle voluntarily. I am the main key contact for all people interested in membership and certifications. I’m the connection to the global team in the US and coordinate our working groups, board, and some of our tools.

Anne:
Alright, so just for our audience, because we have mentioned certification several times, this is about the certification for specialists in accessibility in several disciplines. These certifications are sometimes a topic of discussion regarding their value and importance. We will get into that later on because this was the basis of our discussion in December.

One of the reasons I asked you to join us today is because we know that in many organizations, regardless of size, it matters that you have people trained to maintain accessibility over time. Accessibility is not a one-off, is it?

Regine:
That’s right. It’s not a one-off; it’s an ongoing process. It’s not something that is done and then over. It’s something you have to start and build up capacity or competence in your company and teams. To implement it is not only technical but also a mindset in the people. That is very important and a key pillar. It must be obvious and natural that thinking about accessibility is part of the company or structure.

Anne:
Let me ask you a controversial question. Do you think companies should make CPAC certification an obligatory certification for everybody working on their digital representation? Would that be a good idea?

Regine:
I would say yes. From my personal view, even as a newcomer in this topic, I did the CPAC certification, and it gave me a basic understanding of what we’re talking about. It covers disability models, types of disabilities, barriers people face in the digital world, what can help them, and what’s important to know when building a website, app, or documents. It’s not a technical certification but a basic knowledge one. So, I would recommend it as a good foundation when building your team.

Anne:
Yeah. I’ve been thinking about this topic long and hard, especially now that we’re talking about it with this podcast. I hear a lot of companies say, “Making things accessible is too expensive.” But what if you integrate this into the core of your business? If it becomes second nature, getting the CPAC certification teaches you a lot about the why. And if you understand the why, it comes more naturally to a person.

This is why I was asking this question. It’s tough because, in an ideal world, you’d want everyone certified. For example, if you own a web shop with a lot of people coding and creating content, you can say, “It’s expensive to remediate or keep fixing things.” But if you have to keep fixing things, it means people are doing things the wrong way. I would love to hear from our audience if they agree with this or why they disagree. Let’s discuss this in the next couple of weeks as people respond.

Another thing I wanted to ask you, the DACH chapter in Germany has about 350 members. While I’m happy there are so many members, I’m also worried because, with the upcoming legislation, it’s sad that the law has to push us to speed up a process we’ve been waiting for the past 20 years.

Regine:
Yes, I agree. In the beginning of 2023, we had about a hundred members, and now we’ve really increased. But for three countries, or even the whole world, having just 6,500 members in IAAP is not much.

Anne:
But there is a great thing. It means there is opportunity for people working in web design, development, content creation, marketing, and communication to learn and expand their services. I’m sure many companies will want to do this and might outsource it. There are pros and cons to that, but let’s say our audience includes web shop owners, developers, designers, and other disciplines. If a web agency starts thinking about accessibility, learning about it, and expanding their services, what would you recommend from an IAAP point of view?

Regine:
If a company has no connection with accessibility yet, they can start by joining the community to network and learn. We offer several tools for our members to get in touch with each other, such as online breakfast meetings and networking events. These connections and exchanges are very valuable. Members can discuss their issues and concerns, and the group can help each other. This is very helpful.

Anne:
This is wonderful and very similar to the WordPress community, where we help each other succeed. It kept me coming back to WordPress in general. People exchange information and support each other. I hear complaints about Slack, and I’m one of them. Can you tell our listeners where they can go on your website to find out how to become a member and if they can talk to someone before becoming a member?

Regine:
It’s simple. They can email contact@iaap-dach.org, which is for the German-speaking region. This will come to me, and I can get in touch. I prefer personal calls to understand better. You don’t necessarily need to be a member to do certifications, but being a member has its benefits.

Anne:
Is the same approach available for the international department if people go to accessibilityassociation.org, or is this specific to the German chapter?

Regine:
We have several chapters, including a Nordic chapter for Denmark, Norway, Finland, Sweden, and Iceland, a UK chapter, and a Mexican chapter. More chapters are in the process of starting. You are always welcome to contact the global colleagues from IAAP.

Anne:
That’s wonderful because we have listeners from all over the world. Investing in accessibility can be costly for some, but it’s essential. Let’s discuss the December DACH region discussion about certification. People sometimes look for shortcuts to show certification without the proper intentions. There are also people with 10-20 years of experience who might question the need for certification. For example, someone who wrote the book on accessibility guidelines might be offered a junior salary because they lack certification.

This is an interesting dialogue because certification is important. If someone gets certified, it means they learned a lot about the topic. There are several certifications, such as CPAC and WAS. Could you explain the prerequisites for the WAS certification?

Regine:
Yes, to start with the basic certification, CPAC, it gives you basic knowledge, but not expertise in digital accessibility. The WAS (Web Accessibility Specialist) certification requires a minimum of three years of documented roles and responsibilities in web accessibility. It’s not just enough to have knowledge of HTML or JavaScript; hands-on experience and knowledge of code elements and assistive technology are needed. This exam is for those with significant experience.

The same applies to the ADS (Accessible Document Specialist) certification. These certifications are valid for three years and need to be renewed or maintained by collecting credential points through training or speaking at conferences. This ensures that knowledge stays current.

Anne:
Accessibility is never a one-off, right?

Regine:
Exactly, it’s an ongoing process.

Anne:
This brings up the importance of accredited courses, like those offered by the Accessibility Collective

. They provide credits for IAAP certification, which helps ensure the courses give you long-term benefits. Companies need to understand where to find the correct information and how to avoid conflicting advice. Referring to the WCAG guidelines and talking to the IAAP are crucial.

Regine:
I agree. The IAAP is not perfect, but we provide a platform, guidelines, and legislation. The discussion on certification is important, and there are many specialists with years of experience. They can use their references and tools to prove their expertise. The IAAP is one channel, but there are many pieces to the puzzle that help us on our way.

Anne:
Yes, altogether we can take the fear out of doing accessibility right. Every time I speak to companies, I emphasize that accessibility is everyone’s task, not just one person’s. Support and teamwork are essential. If someone finds an issue, it’s about helping each other, not pointing fingers.

If someone contacts you about an issue with your web shop, it’s a gift, even if it’s wrapped in anger. Engaging with them can turn them into ambassadors. Ignoring accessibility can mean losing potential customers, and it’s important to take these opportunities to improve.

Regine:
Absolutely, everyone wants access to everything. For example, around 15% of people in Europe have some kind of disability and can’t use everything fully. This potential customer base is missed if your shop isn’t accessible.

Anne:
Yes, there’s so much potential. Ignoring accessibility leaves about 13 trillion dollars on the table globally, which is larger than the Chinese economy. This includes all accessibility, not just digital. Restaurants not accessible to wheelchairs miss not just the person in the wheelchair, but also their friends and family.

Regine:
Exactly, the whole group can’t go there.

Anne:
So, if someone contacts you about an accessibility issue, consider it a valuable opportunity. Improving accessibility benefits everyone. Thank you so much, Regine, for coming on the show today at such short notice. Your insights were invaluable.

Regine:
Thank you very much for having me. It was a pleasure to be here, and I will make sure to provide all necessary links and information for your audience to learn more about us, our certifications, member benefits, and events.

Anne:
Thank you. And thank you to Greyd in Munich for sponsoring this podcast. This has been a different show than usual, but flexibility is important. We’ll talk about WordCamp Europe next month. Thank you, Bob Dunn, and Do the Woo for giving us this platform to discuss digital accessibility, especially in e-commerce. If you have questions or comments, please reach out to us. Thank you and see you next month.