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Of dark descents and delayed deadlines
Published 4 months ago • 4 min read
Issue #25 • 5 May 2026
Hi Reader.
There are moments in accessibility work when the path forward feels less like a smooth sidewalk and more like a dimly lit tunnel. The recent extension of the Department of Justice’s ADA Title II web accessibility deadlines is one of those moments. What was once a clear milestone has shifted, pushed out by a year or more depending on the size of the public entity. (More on this below.)
It’s easy to read that news and feel the air go out of the room a bit. Progress delayed can feel like progress denied. But the truth is quieter and steadier than that: the expectation for accessible digital experiences hasn’t changed. The work still matters just as much today as it did yesterday.
The inside of Colossal Cave forms a cathedral of stone beneath the desert, where time drips slowly from the ceiling and every surface to tell a story carved in patience and grit.
I felt a version of that reality on a recent trip through Colossal Cave just outside of Tuscon, AZ. Navigating shadowy uneven surfaces, unexpected stairs, and low rock formations demanded steady focus and constant adjustment. At one point I tripped on an outcropping and had to scramble to keep from falling. But relying on handrails, and on my wife’s guidance and timely cautions, kept me moving forward. By the end, I was mentally and emotionally spent, but also grateful. I had made it through something challenging and fulfilling, one careful step at a time.
That’s the attitude I’m trying to carry into this season of a11y work. Progress isn’t always fast or visible, but it is real. And it’s not a solo effort. We learn from one another, share what’s working, lend perspective when things get difficult, and move forward together. The small wins matter. The steady effort matters. This is good work that changes lives.
So let's keep going. Fix one issue. Improve one experience. Take the next step.
Upcoming events
Accessible Design Strategies for Websites and Documents workshop
Registration is open for a free accessibility training workshop I’m leading on May 14, presented by Easterseals Massachusetts and MassAbility. In this 90-minute virtual session, we’ll cover practical ways to improve readability, structure content, and support screen readers and keyboard navigation. You’ll leave with techniques you can apply right away.
If AI feels like both a superpower and a slippery slope in your accessibility work, this session is for you. In this upcoming IAAP webinar, I’ll walk through practical, real-world methods to use AI to speed up testing, content creation, and remediation, without sacrificing quality or judgment. You’ll see what actually works for solo practitioners and small teams, where human oversight matters most, and how to build workflows that make AI a true partner, not a liability. Expect concrete examples, honest tradeoffs, and a few “try this today” techniques to bring to your projects.
Virtually Able: Stories of Disabled Tech Life DISCO storytelling event
The Disabled Stories Collective is stepping into a new chapter, now officially a 501(c)(3), and celebrating with its next storytelling event in partnership with Perkins Library’s Library Without Walls program. Join us for “Virtually Able: Stories of Disabled Tech Life,” a fully online event on Friday, May 29th, 2026 at 7:00 PM ET, where tellers will share tales exploring disability and the modern tech world we navigate. Interested in telling your story? Reach out to info@disabledstoriescollective.org.
Get Hands-on Accessibility Training and Immediate Improvements with LABS
Pedal Point’s Live Accessibility Building Sessions (LABS) are hands-on, real-time working sessions where your team improves accessibility while learning how to sustain it. Bring your own pages, documents, or components, and we’ll test, fix, and refine them together, step by step. No abstract theory, no shelfware reports, just practical progress you can see immediately.
Each session blends testing, remediation, and training, so your team leaves not only with improved content, but with the confidence to keep building accessibly long after the session ends. It’s a steady, collaborative way to turn accessibility from a one-time task into an everyday habit.
Whether you’re just getting started or looking to build momentum, LABS meets you where you are and helps you move forward, one meaningful improvement at a time.
What happens when design trades choice for convenience? This piece unpacks how digital experiences, especially AI-driven ones, can quietly narrow user control, a shift that hits people with disabilities hardest, where flexibility isn’t a luxury, it’s essential. With crisp, pointed examples, it challenges designers to confront whose needs are being optimized, and who gets left out. The takeaway is hard to ignore: accessibility isn’t just about removing barriers, it’s about protecting agency in systems increasingly eager to decide for us.
The U.S. Department of Justice has delayed Americans with Disabilities Act web accessibility deadlines for state and local governments to 2027 and 2028. While this adds breathing room, accessibility is already required by law, and pushing deadlines risks slowing progress just as momentum was building. But the takeaway is clear, progress shouldn’t pause simply because the clock moved.
Global Accessibility Awareness Day returns on May 21, a worldwide moment to rethink how we build the web for people with disabilities. This annual event sparks conversations, workshops, and hands-on activities that challenge teams to experience digital barriers firsthand and fix them. Join a session, run a quick audit, or try navigating your site without a mouse, even one small step can shift your perspective and make your work more inclusive.
Have a monumental May!
Simon Miner Pedal Point Solutions
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Web designers, developers, and content creators, get the latest in web accessibility news, tools, and techniques delivered to your inbox to help make your websites accessible and inclusive to visitors with disabilities.
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