Session: Create accessible navigation from scratch with WordPress

Date: Saturday, July 14, 2018
Time: 10:00 - 10:45 am (CDT) (UTC-05:00)
Location: Simon Hall 112
Format: General Lecture Session

Session description

No matter how users get to your sites, they deserve an inclusive, accessible experience. A main navigation component built with accessibility in mind goes a long way towards this goal. Fortunately, WordPress leaves the implementation of accessibility best practices up to theme and plugin developers. This means that by carefully thinking about how to build a menu from the 'ground up', we can help all of our users use our sites better. Instead of relying on the default WordPress navigation menu functions, this presentation will demonstrate:

  • The basics of menu accessibility
  • How custom a WordPress Walker class can be used to create accessible markup
  • How to write flexible and extensible CSS to ensure that the menus are usable even without javascript
  • How to implement Javascript that enhances the user’s experience

Presenter

Adam Berkowitz

Headshot of Adam Berkowitz

Adam Berkowitz is a web developer for the University of Connecticut’s office of University Communications. In his position there, Adam has taken an active role in the area of web accessibility. Other technical interests of Adam’s include: javascript application development, learning about Docker and containerization, and blogging. A  self-taught developer, Adam switched careers from music performance and education to web development in 2016. Outside of work, Adam enjoys spending time with his family.

Sessions

  • General Lecture Session: Create accessible navigation from scratch with WordPress

Session video