Workshop on Accessibility at HAK/HAS Tulln
Accessibility Concerns Us All
How a school workshop in Tulln raised awareness for digital inclusion
By Thomas Renner, webshapers
Web accessibility is often misunderstood: seen as a niche topic for authorities or a convenience feature for seniors. But it’s much more than that — it’s about digital participation for everyone. That’s exactly what I wanted to convey to the students at HAK Tulln when I was invited to run a workshop on May 20, 2025.
From Website Relaunch to Educational Project
During our website relaunch project, I connected with Prof. Michael Reinl, MSc, who was already teaching accessibility in class. The goal was to deepen this knowledge and expand it with hands-on examples. This led to the idea of a practical workshop within the subject IMCM (Internet, Multimedia, and Content Management).
Awareness First, Then Technology
I deliberately started provocatively:
“Digital accessibility — good for grandma, and for everyone.”
Because disability is not a fringe issue. It affects young and old alike. Consider temporary impairments (like injuries), neurodivergent perception, color blindness, or motor impairments caused by illness or accidents.
My aim was to raise awareness before diving into tools. The students needed to understand that accessibility is not an add-on, but a fundamental prerequisite for digital justice.
Hands-On Accessibility Checks
After the introduction, we moved to practice:
Using automated tools like WAVE, Lighthouse, and axe-core, we tested common weak points.
We discussed color contrast, heading hierarchies, keyboard navigation, semantic HTML, and the use of screen readers.
We also critically examined the use of accessibility overlays, which often promise more than they deliver.
A particularly striking moment for many was trying out keyboard navigation and experiencing screen readers firsthand — for some, a real eye-opener: “It’s that hard to use if you can’t see?!”
Accessibility Starts in Education
The class was engaged, curious, and open. For me, this workshop proved that if we integrate digital accessibility early in education, we cultivate a new generation of web designers, developers, and content creators who think inclusion into their work from the very beginning.
A big thank you to HAK Tulln and Prof. Reinl for the invitation and trust. And to the students: thank you for your interest and openness. Accessibility begins with attitude — and you showed it.
Would you like to anchor digital accessibility in your school, organization, or agency?
We offer workshops, audits, and consulting — from raising awareness to technical implementation.
