ENGR110/210: Perspectives in Assistive Technology

Abstract: The accessible technology field is dynamic, complex, and full of opportunity. This presentation will describe Microsoft's approach to building accessible technology products and services. We will talk about a user-centered design approach to understanding customer scenarios.

Biosketch: Annuska Perkins has worked for Accessibility for Microsoft for 11 years, from spec’ing and designing features to product planning to envisioning future interactions. She has extensive experience in research and design for Windows accessibility features, deep knowledge of accessibility user needs, and expertise in accessible technology. She drove the redesign of the accessibility control panel in the Windows operating system; on the basis of market data, she defined necessary changes in the end-user presentation of the Windows accessibility features and created prototypes to illustrate the new design. Annuska is a former Microsoft representative to the W3C Web Accessibility Initiative’s working group that defines how to design accessible web content. She was on the Advisory Board for the National Center for Technology Innovation. She is a renowned industry resource for insights into accessibility and usability.