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Microsoft Accessibility sessions slated for CSUN 2018

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Visitors to the CSUN 2017 Microsoft booth experience a Sight Sign app demonstration. Credit: Malavika Rewari.

Update: New Resources for CSUN Attendees

Microsoft at CSUN 2018

The 33rd annual CSUN Assistive Technology Conference is March 19-23 in San Diego, California. At Microsoft, we’re busy preparing for exhibit hall demonstrations and a record number of sessions, which we’ve scheduled Wednesday through Friday. Thursday, our annual Microsoft Reception will be from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. in the Seaview Room (lobby level.)

Throughout the conference, our engineers, program managers, and world-class researchers are presenting Microsoft’s commitment to – and progress in – accessibility, with sessions addressing:

  • New features for accessibility in Microsoft products, including the latest for Windows, Office 365, and Xbox.
  • How we’ve built – and sustain – an inclusive work environment and culture at Microsoft.
  • How cutting-edge work in Microsoft research is paving the way for the future in accessibility, such as with Hearing AI and the Seeing AI app.
  • Developer, IT, and enterprise news.
  • A new, paid user research program, suitable for remote participation.

As you plan your conference schedule, we invite you to join us at our sessions, listed below. Links are included to easily add sessions to your calendar, through iCal or Outlook.

All sessions, unless otherwise noted, are in Seaport Ballroom H-Microsoft, 2nd Floor, Seaport Tower in the Manchester Grand Hyatt Hotel. See you there!

Wednesday, March 21

9 a.m. Accessibility at Microsoft

Kicking off our CSUN sessions is Chief Accessibility Officer Jenny Lay-Flurrie, who will share Microsoft’s approach to accessibility and how we’re helping people achieve more with technology.

10 a.m. Accessibility in Windows 10: What’s New

The Windows team presents accessibility in Windows 10, including features introduced in the Fall Creators Update and what’s planned for 2018.

11 a.m. What’s New in Microsoft Office 365

Discover how Office 365, with accessibility built-in, empowers you to communicate, consume, and create content in your preferred way and helps everyone collaborate inclusively.

1:20 p.m. Inclusive Hiring: People with Disabilities at Microsoft

Microsoft Inclusive Hiring team shares learnings, best practices, and approach for finding, onboarding, and retaining top talent in the disability community.

2:20 p.m. Outside the Box: Innovation at Microsoft

Learn how great ideas can be found and harnessed outside the pipeline, and what this means for future innovation in the accessibility field.

3:20 p.m. Accessibility Suite of Knowledge

Learn best practices and methodology to drive fundamental changes within a technical product, website, and services environment, in order to include everyone.

4:20 p.m. Accessibility User Research Collective: Partnership for User Input

The new Accessibility User Research Collective is a Microsoft-Shepherd Center partnership to improve the quality and quantitative of user feedback from the disability community.

Thursday, March 22

8 a.m. Strategies to Make your IT Applications More Accessible and Usable

Learn how the Office engineering team approaches making all Office 365 applications accessible with scalable techniques, durable engineering processes, and a customer-first focus.

9 a.m. Windows Narrator: What’s New in Windows 10

We’ll provide an outline of Microsoft’s screen reading strategy and roadmap. Plus, recap Windows 10 improvements to enable screen reading partners and improvements to Microsoft’s inbox screen reader, Narrator.

10 a.m. Beyond Compliance: Staying Out in Front of Digital Accessibility Legal Trends

Join Microsoft lawyer Sue Boyd and disability rights lawyer and author Lainey Feingold for a lively discussion about best practices that keep pace – and outpace – current legal developments in the accessibility space.

11 a.m. Create Inclusive Classrooms with Microsoft 365 Education

Discover accessible and intelligent technologies to personalize learning for students with disabilities and create content that engages a diverse classroom audience.

1:20 p.m. Microsoft Reading and Writing Tools: Designed for Learning Differences

Discover Microsoft tools specially designed for users with learning differences, such as dyslexia, dysgraphia, ADHD, and language learners.

2:20 p.m. Seeing AI: Leveraging Artificial Intelligence to Augment Visual Awareness

Discover behind the scene details, user stories, upcoming research, and best practices that help guide the development of Seeing AI app.

3:20 p.m. Excel 101 Tips and Tricks

Explore creating accessible Excel worksheets with tables, learn about new accessibility features and shortcuts, and ask an Excel expert questions.

4:20 p.m. Easily create accessible documents and communications with Office 365

Learn about proven techniques and upcoming investments in Office 365 for easily creating accessible and standards-aligned documents and communications in your school or workplace.

Friday, March 23

8 a.m. Microsoft IT’s Journey to an Accessible Enterprise Organization

Insights and lessons from our experience with governance, resourcing, operating models, and working with suppliers to drive accessibility.

9 a.m. Modernization of IT with SharePoint Accessibility

Learn how government and educational institutions are increasing accessibility through modernization of IT initiatives. Plus, demo of how SharePoint 365 can transform the accessibility of your organization.

10 a.m. Controlling Your Computer with Your Eyes

A presentation and demonstration of the eye control feature in Windows 10 for people with mobility disabilities and motor impairments.

10 a.m. Teach Access 2018 Update

Teach Access unites technology companies and universities in an effort to expose college students to accessibility. 2017 milestones and 2018 strategies will be presented.

11 a.m. Create Engaging and Accessible Presentations with PowerPoint and Sway

Use PowerPoint and Sway to create engaging and accessible presentations with minimal effort.

1:20 p.m. Xbox Gaming for Everyone

Demonstrating accessible technologies in Xbox, our research, and how we design our interfaces and games to be more inclusive.

2:20 p.m. How I used Microsoft OneNote to Manage a Medical Crisis

Hear Steve Sawczyn’s journey as a blind professional and father staying organized at work and home. Learn useful features and shortcuts for using Microsoft OneNote.

3:20 p.m. Inclusive Design for Deaf and Hard of Hearing using AI in a Scaleable Way

Learn more about the role inclusive design, Artificial Intelligence, and developers to make the auditory world more inclusive.

4:20 p.m. Software Architecture Used in Microsoft Office for Exposing Accessible Content

Learn the software architecture used by Office to expose document content programmatically so that it can be consumed by screen readers on multiple platforms.

Visit Microsoft Exhibits in the Grand Hall, Booth 213

Microsoft accessibility team members will be in Booth 213 (Grand Hall). Come by for product demonstrations, quick tips and tricks, or just to say hello.

Send us your feedback and suggestions

We are only as good as the feedback we receive, and we want more of it! We know that accessibility is the foundation for building inclusive experiences, which enable everyone to create accessible content, develop diverse environments, and be more connected, independent, and productive.

CSUN attendees provide us with the crucial feedback that we need and use to improve the usability of our products and services. There are many ways to submit feedback:

Together, we are pushing the boundaries of what technology can do to empower everyone to achieve more. Visit us online at Microsoft Accessibility, and we’ll see you at CSUN 2018!