Buet, a2i conduct capacity development workshop on promoting web accessibility

Buet's Institute of Information and Communication Technology (IICT) and the Aspire to Innovate (a2i) program of the ICT Division joined forces to organise a comprehensive capacity development workshop centred on the importance of web accessibility.

The workshop aimed to enhance skills and knowledge among participants in creating inclusive web spaces and promoting digital accessibility, press release.

The event took place on 21 May 2023 and was part of the DiversAsia Project titled "Embracing Diversity in Asia Through the Adoption of Inclusive Open Practices," which received funding from the European Union's Erasmus+ programme.

The workshop featured esteemed attendees, including Professor Dr Rubaiyat Hossain Mondal, Dr Liakot Ali, Dr Hossen Asiful Mustafa, Dr Md Jarez Miah, lecturer Samin Rahman Khan, all from the Institute of Information and Communication Technology (IICT), Buet, and Vashkar Bhattacharjee, national consultant -- accessibility, a2i.

Dr Rubaiyat Hossain Mondal inaugurated the workshop with a warm welcome speech. Following that, Dr Hossen Asiful Mustafa provided insights into the DiversAsia project, discussing its goals, initiatives, and the current progress made in designing an inclusive educational environment for individuals with disabilities.

Vashkar Bhattacharjee, a lead facilitator who himself has a visual disability, initiated the main training session. He shed light on the various opportunities and barriers faced by people with disabilities concerning web accessibility.

Additionally, he highlighted the role of policies in Bangladesh and provided an overview of web accessibility tools and guidelines. Bhattacharjee further addressed the obstacles to web accessibility and offered demonstrations of assistive technology and assessment techniques for web and app accessibility.

He discussed WCAG 2.1 and the national accessibility guidelines, emphasizing the importance of accessibility in unlocking the potential of every individual.

Concluding the seminar, Dr Liakot Ali expressed gratitude to all the esteemed guests, organisers, facilitators, and participants. He announced that Buet and a2i were committed to hosting future workshops and seminars on digital accessibility in collaboration with other universities.

The workshop underscored the significance of creating an environment that fosters innovation, research, and development in the field of digital accessibility.

Furthermore, it emphasised the need for collaboration between academia, industry, and the government to advance inclusive initiatives in Bangladesh. The event marks a significant step towards building a more accessible and inclusive smart Bangladesh for all.

The workshop received media coverage from Shafak Shahriar Sozol, a student and graduate research fellow of Buet, Zahid Sheikh, research assistant of the DiversAsia project, as well as M M Tariqul Huq and Md Asif Sadique, young professionals from the a2i program, ICT Division, Bangladesh.