Building the Accessibility Profession in Support of CRPD Implementation

Article 9 of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) requires States Parties and their constituents to ensure that information and communication technologies products and services are accessible to Persons with Disabilities. The complexity of tasks to achieve this objective has fostered the emergence of the accessibility profession led by the International Association of Accessibility Professionals (IAAP).  

This session will stage professionals from around the world who are IAAP Certified Professional in Accessibility Core Competencies (CPACC), Web Accessibility Specialists (WAS), and Accessible Document Specialists (ADS) reflecting their competence and commitment to the accessibility profession, international standards, and good practices. The session will also explore how IAAP Professional Certifications provide employers, the accessibility community, and the public with an objective measurement of the accessibility competence of current and/or prospective employees or consultants. Survey data for 2022 from IAAP’s over 5,000 certification holders will be highlighted during the presentation. Speakers will also share their motivations for participating in IAAP Professional Certifications and the impact it has had on their careers, their teams, and/or business opportunities.

Moderator: Samantha Evans, CAE, ICE-CCP, Certification Manager, IAAP/G3ict 

Introduction: Mohammed A. Loutfy, CPACC, Director, Capacity Building and Advocacy, G3ict

• Eric Ngondi, CPACC, Director, United Disabled Persons of Kenya
• Beatriz González Mellídez, CPWA, ADS, Head of Accessibility & Digital Inclusion, Central Europe, Atos
• Sheri Byrne-Haber, CPACC, Senior Staff Architect, Accessibility, VMWare