Time: April 10, 9:45 am – 10:45 am
Speakers: Michael Harshbarger
Accessibility doesn’t thrive on checklists alone — it thrives when leaders create the conditions for inclusion. This session explores how accessibility leadership can transform organizations beyond compliance. Attendees will learn how to set strategy, influence culture, and support teams in driving sustainable accessibility practices. Through case examples, we’ll examine how leaders can foster accountability, navigate resistance, and secure resources to scale accessibility. Participants will leave with practical leadership techniques for guiding both technical and non-technical teams, ensuring accessibility becomes an embedded value rather than a side project.
Time: April 10, 2:45 pm – 3:45 pm
Speakers: Junaid Majaz
This presentation investigates existing disparities in online education by gaining a deeper understanding of how students interact with virtual spaces and how new tools can be designed to enhance learning experience by understanding the needs of the audience. By identifying these gaps, his research seeks to: Create frameworks that improve the sense of belonging and engagement for all students. Prepare the next generation of teachers to effectively utilize emerging technologies and utilize design and technology to make high-quality education more accessible to a global audience.
Speakers: Becky Barbour, Trey Frank, Mary Ditchen
As members of the IT community, we’re constantly tasked with solving problems and creating better digital experiences for people. No one should do this alone, but how often have you found yourself struggling with solutions to a messy problem, responding to a demanding customer, or mustering up the energy to do something you’re uncomfortable doing? In this session, you’ll hear from three members of Illinois State University’s digital experience team. Mary (front end developer), Becky (content strategist), and Trey (designer) used to work in silos. It was inefficient, lonely, and hard. Now they collaborate every day and lean on each other’s strengths, share the heavy cognitive load of project processes, and make decisions together. The natural project struggles remain, but no one struggles alone. The result has been wildly successful for their internal team and campus partners. This new approach to projects just might work for you and your team.