This document discusses creating an inclusive social media strategy for the public sector. It provides an overview of key accessibility barriers people with disabilities face using social media and practical tips to overcome these barriers for various platforms like Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and LinkedIn. The document recommends that public sector organizations engage all teams to make websites and social media fully accessible, be open to feedback, and distribute free accessibility resources to maximize access for people with disabilities.

1. Creating an
inclusive social
media strategy
Dr Scott Hollier
Social Media in Public Sector 2014

2. Who is Media Access
Australia?
• Australia‟s only independent NFP
organisation increasing access to
media for people with disabilities
• Provides expert knowledge and
advice on existing and emerging
mainstream technologies
• Works as a catalyst for change in
multiple areas of access

3. Who am I?
• Professional:
• Project Manager & WA Manager for MAA
• W3C Advisory Committee representative
• Academic:
• Adjunct Senior Lecturer, Edith Cowan
University
• PhD thesis „The Disability Divide‟
• Personal: Legally blind, first-hand
knowledge of access issues

4. Defining social media
• In the public sector, social media
should focus on practical
engagement
• “The need to create, modify, share,
and discuss Internet content in a
particular situation.” (Kietzmann et.
al. 2011)

5. Benefits of social media
• The public want to create, modify,
share and discuss in areas of:
• Personal life
• Work
• Entertainment
• Goods and services
• Education

6. Benefits for people with
disabilities
• Personal: share and discuss in
environments without prejudice
• Work: overcome high levels of
unemployment through online
interaction
• Entertainment: sharing captioned
videos, play online games
• Provision of goods and services:
getting Dominos pizza coupons

7. Relevance to the public
sector
• Gov 2.0 Round table in 2009
highlighted need for practical
engagement of government services
via social media to people with
disabilities
• Gov 2.0 Taskforce in 2010 used a
competition to raise awareness of
inaccessible websites

8. National Transition
Strategy (NTS)
• Australian Federal government
released NTS in 2010
• Three phases: preparation, transition
and implementation
• Implementation WCAG 2.0 targets:
• Level A end of 2012
• Level AA end of 2014

9. Changing relevance of
accessible social media
• In 2009, Media Access Australia
released its Social Media Accessibility
Review
• Original request: “Which social media
tool is most accessible and worth
perseverance?”
• By 2011, changed to “I want to use what
everyone else is using, how do I
overcome the barriers?”

10. SociABILITY project
• ACCAN funded project to support
people with disabilities
• 49 people provided tips and tricks on
getting around social media
accessibility
• This was combined with online
research and personal interviews to
gain information

11. Key questions
• What can the social media tool do?
• What are the specific benefits to me?
• What tips and tricks can help me get
around the accessibility issues?
• How can I get set up to use it for the first
time?
• How do I perform the necessary everyday
tasks?
• How do I make my own content
accessible?
• Where do I go for help?

12. Key barriers
• Websites not WCAG 2.0 compliant
• Unable to sign up due to CAPTCHA
• App incompatible with their AT
• Interface keeps changing (especially
Facebook)
• Unable to find help

13. Resource overview
Report:
SociABILITY: Social
media for people with a
disability

14. Resource overview
• Tip sheets
• Two-page quick
reference
• Similar in structure to
consumer guide
• Six tip sheets, one for
each social media tool

15. Facebook
tips & tricks
• Use mobile site m.facebook.com
• Additional keyboard shortcuts
• WAI-ARIA support
• Assistive technology helpdesk
• Facely HD app for iOS
• Facebook now make more regular
accessibility announcements with main
site gradually improving and CAPTCHA
dropped on sign-up

16. LinkedIn
tips & tricks
• Finding people easier using Google than
LinkedIn‟s own search
• LinkedIn support receptive to needs of
consumers with disabilities (removed
CAPTCHA)
• LinkedIn app on iOS accessible
• Twitter is a good way to communicate
with LinkedIn about accessibility issues
• LinkedIn still has issues but is one of the
more accessible tools

17. YouTube
tips & tricks
• Automated caption service
• Free caption editors: Amara
• YouTube alternative players: Accessible
YouTube and Easy YouTube
• YouTube app on iOS works with screen
reader
• HTML5 interface likely to improve
accessibility in the long run

18. Twitter
tips & tricks
• Easy Chirp accessible Twitter portal
www.easychirp.com
• Lots of accessible apps on iOS: main app,
Twitterrific, Twittelator for iPad,
Tweetosaurus, Tweetero
• Good way to ask questions about disability-
related issues
• Use #a11y to discuss accessibility issues
• Now has accessibility team so main site is
improving

19. Blogging
tips & tricks
• Focus on making content accessible
rather than accessibility of tool
• Media embedding options
• Labelling links
• Font selection
• Blog template selection

20. Skype
tips & tricks
• Good option for deaf and hearing
impaired to communicate using Auslan
• Windows:
• Screen reader mode
• Additional keyboard commands
• Mac: fairly accessible
• iOS: fairly accessible
• Resources for accessibility of other
platforms

21. Practical accessibility tips
for public sector
• Accessibility is not just IT – engage
marketing, comms, content producers,
document creators and other roles in
accessibility training
• Make your website WCAG 2.0
complaint: only 26% were at end of 2012
• Use a variety of social media tools to
maximise accessibility of messages

22. Practical accessibility tips
for the public sector
• Conversations that end with „its all on
our website‟ or „just follow us on…‟
are problematic - social media is a
conversation, not a broadcast
• Be open to accessibility criticism and
demonstrate willingness to improve
• Use and distribute free resources

23. Professional Certificate in
Web Accessibility
• Six week online training course
• University-accredited. Jointly delivered
by UniSA and W3C member Media
Access Australia
• For ICT professionals to integrate web
accessibility into work practices
• www.mediaaccess.org.au/learn

24. Access iQ:
A Media Access Australia service
• Complete Guides to Web Accessibility
• Australia‟s only web accessibility service
directory
• Training and workshops
• Digital accessibility consultancy
• Website testing and auditing
• www.accessiq.org

25. Further information
• Dr Scott Hollier:
• E-mail:
scott.hollier@mediaaccess.org.au
• Website: www.mediaaccess.org.au
• Twitter: @mediaaccessaus