UW Global Accessibility Awareness Day (UW GAAD)
GAAD is an annual global event, designed to engage people around the world in talking, thinking, and learning about digital access and inclusion.
Each year, the UW commemorates GAAD by offering a day of ideas and sharing through presentations, panels, and other activities related to digital accessibility. In 2026 we have even more reason to celebrate GAAD 鈥� the incredible amount of hard work and dedication our community has devoted to making UW a more accessible university for our students, our colleagues, and the public!
This year we will be celebrating with a hybrid event, in person and on Zoom. GAAD 2026 at UW will highlight digital accessibility efforts from across our community and will feature presentations, panels, and guest speakers who represent a wide range of units and disciplines. We hope you鈥檒l join us!
Save the date
UW鈥檚 2026 GAAD celebration is happening on Thursday, May 21, from 10:00 am to 4 p.m. in room 250 at the HUB and online.
GAAD 2026 sessions are free and open to the UW community, but registration is required. Join us for one session or attend them all!
Program agenda
Names and affiliations of speakers appear below the agenda.
| Activity | Start Time | End Time |
|---|---|---|
| Community Partners: Working Together to Build Digital Accessibility (presentation) | 10:00 am | 10:50 am |
| Lightning Talks:听Spotlight on Digital Accessibility Milestones听across UW听 | 11:00 am | 11:50 am |
| Lunch (bring your own) and Networking | Noon | 12:35 pm |
Keynote address / Thoughts from Leadership:
|
12:45 pm | 1:50 pm |
| Toward more accessible course materials: Where do I start?听(Presentation and Discussion)听 | 2:00 pm | 2:50 pm |
| Challenges and emerging solutions in accessible Math/STEM (panel) | 3:00 pm | 4:00 pm |
Evening Agenda
| Activity | Start Time | End Time |
|---|---|---|
| The Office of Public Lectures presents: What Does Law Mean in Crisis? How Crip Feminist Technoscience Will Save Us – with Ly X墨nzh猫n M. Zh菐ngs奴n Brown | 6:30 pm |
Speakers
Community Partners: Working Together to Build Digital Accessibility (Presentation)
- Allison Shults, Associate Director, Information Systems, Graduate in Medical Education (GME)
- Jessica Kruse, Information Systems and Web Support Specialist (GME)
- Karen Crow, Communications and Outreach Manager, Environmental Health and Safety (EHS)
Lightning Talks: Spotlight on Digital Accessibility Milestones across UW
- University Marketing and Communications (UMAC): Teri Shelton
- Foster School of Business: Jon Kieb
- UW Libraries: Robin Chin Roemer
- Housing and Food Services (HFS): Dominick Mendoza
- Student Life: Rachel Koon
- UW Medicine Learning Technologies and Infrastructure: Thomas Peavey
- UW Professional & Continuing Education (PCE): Stacey Fontes
- UW Medicine Web Team: Andreas Montano
Toward more accessible course materials: Where do I start? (Presentation and Discussion)
- Ken Yasuhara, Director, Office for the Advancement of Engineering Teaching & Learning (ET&L)
- Devshikha Bose, Assistant Director, ET&L
- Delancey Wu, Assistant Teaching Professor, Psychology
- Patty Buchanan, Associate Teaching Professor, Industrial & Systems Engineering
Challenges and Emerging Solutions in Accessible Math (Panel)
- Erik Steen, Senior Computer Specialist, Accessible Technology Services (ATS)
- Kevin Lin, Assistant Teaching Professor, Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science & Engineering
- Nicole Hoover, Associate Teaching Professor, Engineering & Mathematics Department, UW Bothell
- Zach Lattin, Disability Access Center-Campus IT Accessibility Coordinator, Clark College
- Gaby de Jongh, IT Accessibility Specialist, ATS
Learn More
- | The GAAD Foundation
- UW GAAD Archives
Questions?
Contact ATS Events at ats-events@uw.edu.