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The Pedal Pointer

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.

A winter night illustration shows a silhouetted Santa riding in a sleigh pulled by a reindeer across soft icy-blue hills under a deep navy sky. Warm gold stars and a large gold moon shine above. Three gold pine trees stand on the hills. The greeting “Happ
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Holidays just got brighter with accessible color palettes and tax savings

Issue #21 • 9 December 2025 Hi Reader. Amazon's recent Black Friday color scheme was an interesting departure from holiday norms -- white text on an orange background (color hex code #F76201). This felt bright and cheerfully perched between Thanksgiving and Christmas, but it also fell short of WCAG's minimum color contrast ratio for normal font sizes which likely made elements in its header navigation harder to read for many visitors. The company has since updated its palette to a...

Extreme closeup of a camera shutter almost fully closed behind a lens reflecting colored lights

Issue #20 • 04 November 2025 Hi Reader. A few weeks ago, I attended a talk by author Andrew Leland and asked how he handles the anxiety that can come from awkward or embarrassing moments tied to disability. His blunt reply, “Just say ‘f**k it’ and move on,” was a bit shocking, but also revealing. Andrew is a member of the National Federation of the Blind, and while he seems to align himself with its principles of self-confidence and fierce independence, he also recognizes that the...

The Case for Vision logo appears above a collage of photos showing the product in use. These include a student watching a teacher's hand writing on the whiteboard through an iPad mounted on stand and a hand pinching an iPhone screen to zoom in on a menu b

Issue #19 • 07 October 2025 Hi Reader. Lately, I’ve been reminded how much stronger our ideas become when we build them together. Whether it’s creating an accessible video campaign with fellow disabled creatives or sharing stories on stage with others who’ve lived the experience, the whole truly becomes greater than the sum of its parts. This month’s Pedalpointer celebrates that spirit of collaboration—with a behind-the-scenes look at a set of inclusive marketing videos developed for a...

A sign reading “Accessibility matters here” rests on top of a contract, partially obscuring its text.

Issue #18 • 02 September 2025 Hi Reader. As fall approaches, I’ve been busy giving the Pedal Point website a content refresh, and I want you to have the first look. One big update is a brand-new Services page, which lays out the full range of what our agency offers, from testing and remediation to training, consulting, and accessible website builds. Each service has its own page with more details, and I’d love your impressions, especially if you use assistive technology, since your...

White silhouettes of a man and a woman dance beneath the Disability Pride flag. The man is holding a red-tipped cane in one of his hands.

Issue #17 • 05 August 2025 Hi Reader. July was Disability Pride Month, and it got me reflecting on the power of story. I recently attended a local event where disabled storytellers shared moments of vulnerability, humor, and grit—and I even ended up telling one of my own. Our lived experiences aren’t just valid; they’re powerful tools for shifting mindsets, building empathy, and shaping more inclusive spaces. This month’s Pedalpointer celebrates Pedal Point’s new certification as a...

Two illustrated posters contrast the words “but” and “and” using stick figures. The left poster, red, slightly tilted, and partially obscured by the one on the right, shows two angry stick figures standing back-to-back with arms crossed and the word “but.

Issue #16 • 8 July 2025 "Buongiorno Reader! I just got back from a trip to the beautiful region of Tuscany in Italy, where I put a pair of Meta Ray-Ban smart glasses to the test as assistive tech. A blind colleague had called them a game-changer, so I was curious to see how they'd work for me. They showed promise—translating signs, answering location-based questions, and capturing hands-free photos and videos while tandem biking or climbing a bell tower. But the fit was off, and like most...

Cartoon headshot of an elderly Simon Miner

Issue #15 • 03 June 2025 Hi Reader. Today is my 50th birthday. I’ve been reflecting on the gap between what I expected from life and what it’s actually given me. Some dreams are still out there. Some chapters closed in ways I didn’t anticipate. But along the way, I’ve been surprised—again and again—by grace, resilience, and the quiet beauty of the unexpected. I thought I'd have more certainty by now—more answers, more clarity. But what surprises me is how confident I am in the right things:...

The text "WebAIM Million 2024 vs 205" hovers above an arrow sloping downward and to the right with the number 1,000,000 above it.

Issue #14 • 06 May 2025 Hi Reader. Big news from Pedal Point HQ: I’ve officially transitioned to doing digital accessibility work full time! I've dreamed of striking out with Pedal Point like this for years, and now that it's happened, I have to pinch myself to make sure I'm awake. It’s an absolute blast to have the freedom to focus all my energy on teaching, equipping, and collaborating with people to make the web a more inclusive place. Whether I’m engaging clients, delivering trainings, or...

Simon Miner speaks at CSUN 2025 about building empathy to drive accessibility initiatives. Photo by Chelsea Nguyen.

Issue #13 • 08 April 2025 Hi Reader. Lately, I’ve been thinking about what it means to intentionally build deep relationships with other people with disabilities. This is a key part of my a11y Joy Plan, and I believe it's essential to being an authentic, grounded practitioner of digital accessibility. Here are a few mindsets I’ve found helpful as I seek to build meaningful relationships within the disability community: Be humble and curious. I try to come to relationships with a learner’s...

A smiling cartoon zombie with pink hair atop a bare skull wearing a light t-shirt and dark grey jacket stands in front of an exploding orange light.

Issue #12 • 11 March 2025 Hi Reader. The world of digital accessibility feels chaotic right now. Starting in June, the European Accessibility Act will require anyone doing business in the EU to have accessible digital products and services. The ADA web + mobile rule rolling out over the next couple years mandates that all US federal, state, and local websites and apps must be accessible. The Trump administration issued an executive order ending all federal DEIA programs, emboldening several...