The Record - Issue 19: Winter 2020

60 www. t e c h n o l o g y r e c o r d . c om V I EWPO I NT Accessibility for all B E AT R I Z OL I V E I RA : B I NDTUN I NG BindTuning is developing assistive technology for Microsoft SharePoint to help empower people with disabilities in the workforce “Invisible disabilities are finally being acknowledged” I n the beginning, I only had a few little signs that something wasn’t quite right. For instance, if I was watching a video with strong animation, a blinking GIF, or flashing lights, my eyes would start twitching, and a strong head- ache would follow. It wouldn’t last too long, but it would block my ability to control my mind or body, even at work. For a while, I wasn’t sure what was going on until I passed out during my first significant seizure. I was 23 when I was diagnosed with epilepsy. I have a disability. Without medication three times a day, I can experience temporary but complete disablement during a seizure. This may come as a surprise to my business circles because my disability is invisible. Disabilities aren’t always obvious and don’t always require the use of wheelchairs, white canes, or hearing aids. Close to one-fifth of the world’s population experiences significant disa- bilities, but there are millions of people world- wide with invisible disabilities – an umbrella term for a whole spectrum of challenges that are not immediately apparent. The range of invisi- ble disabilities is so wide that you can be 100 per cent sure that many of your colleagues are experiencing them right now. Conditions such as epilepsy, colour blindness, hearing issues, light sensitivities, anxiety, PTSD and dyslexia, to name just a few. The good news is that invisible disabilities are finally being acknowledged. Also, assistive tech- nology is empowering more people in the work- force than ever before. Following its corporate mission to “Empower every person…on the planet to do more”, Microsoft is a very active supporter of assistive technology solutions that make the lives of peo- ple with disabilities a bit easier. Microsoft’s commitment to meaningful inno- vation is evident in the assistive technologies available out-of-the-box in Office 365, from screen readers, Tell Me and Office Lens for vision, to immersive readers, captioning and Learning Tools for hearing and neurodiversity. Keyboard shortcuts, dark themes, even subtitles in over 60 languages – all of these various fea- tures show a ‘people first’ attitude towards inclu- sivity and diversity. However, there has been little from an acces- sibility standpoint developed specifically for SharePoint-based intranets, which counts mil- lions of users across the globe. Accessibility is nothing new for many web platforms like WordPress, Webflow or Wix, but there has been no similar tool that is installable across SharePoint sites. Until now. My advocacy for accessible tools within SharePoint is not just because of my own con- dition. When developing a SharePoint intranet design for Centro de Reabilitação Profissional de Gaia, a Portuguese rehabilitation centre for