Part of a Whole

My name is Nicolas Steenhout.
I speak, train, and consult about inclusion, accessibility and disability.

Listen to the A11y Rules Podcast.

Archives

2023

Airline negligence regarding disabled passengers – not really News to us 03 May 2023

Protected: Depth of pain 09 Feb 2023

2022

Accessibility work is hard and shouldn’t be treated as spec work 29 Jun 2022

Accessibility is everyone’s responsibility, yes, but! 19 May 2022

Ableism has a massive impact 21 Apr 2022

Open Letter to IAAP against overlay providers 17 Jan 2022

2021

incl.ca ranks as most accessible site for accessibility experts 23 Dec 2021

Flying on commercial airlines with a service dog 21 Mar 2021

Show/Hide password accessibility and password hints tutorial 10 Mar 2021

A11y Rules Podcast guests define web accessibility 12 Jan 2021

2020

Of alt text and cartoons 22 Dec 2020

Diversity and Inclusion podcasts found to be not accessible 20 Nov 2020

Disability language is a nuanced thing 09 Jul 2020

Machine transcription isn’t ready for prime time 27 Feb 2020

2019

Basic accessibility testing 19 Jun 2019

2018

People, transcripts, and money 17 Dec 2018

Pappadeaux condones abusive behaviour towards people with disabilities 18 May 2018

The costs of public speaking 14 May 2018

CAPTCHA question triggers PTSD events 09 May 2018

Patreon and accessibility 03 Apr 2018

2017

Excluded from Confoo speaker dinner – what happened and how it made me feel. 17 Dec 2017

Pet pigs aren’t service animals 13 Dec 2017

Role=”text” is (presently) kinda not a thing, sorta. 08 Dec 2017

Words have power 02 Nov 2017

Audio transcripts are important 31 Oct 2017

Heading headache 20 Oct 2017

When branding colours conflict with colour contrast requirements 20 Sep 2017

Conversation with Josh Simmons 31 Aug 2017

Conversation with Denis Boudreau 28 Aug 2017

Using Scrivener for podcasting 28 Aug 2017

Moving vans – an every day barrier 24 Aug 2017

Conversation with Robert Jolly 15 Aug 2017

Moving to the US for work, yes or no? 12 Aug 2017

Doored by a driver because of construction 10 Aug 2017

Justifying discrimination because of ignorance of the law 05 Aug 2017

My wheelchair, a precision crafted tool 24 Jul 2017

Comments on Canadian proposed Service dog team standards 11 Jul 2017

The most accessible self-driving bus, or is it? 04 Jul 2017

Overriding CSS to help with ADHD 22 Jun 2017

I am not cruel to my service dog 18 Jun 2017

Accessibility is about people, not standards 29 May 2017

Web accessibility – It’s good for everyone 22 Feb 2017

How to make your conference accessible – and why you should care! 07 Feb 2017

2016

Accessibility and Security 03 Feb 2016

2015

Disability’s biggest challenge 01 May 2015

BMW anti drink driving ad devalues disability 03 Apr 2015

Don’t use disability as the bogeyman 01 Apr 2015

A culture of inclusion 22 Mar 2015

2014

Of disabilities and bad attitudes 21 Oct 2014

The Problems With Ramps Blended Into Stairs 06 Mar 2014

3D-Printed Exoskeleton Allows Paralysed Woman to “Walk” 20 Feb 2014

2013

Montreal in the snow 15 Dec 2013

First Snow of the Season 27 Nov 2013

Copyright, Accessibility, and Ableism 11 Nov 2013

Follow Up Post About Lack of Accessibility of STL Busses. 08 Oct 2013

Wasting 90 Minutes Waiting To Get In 04 Oct 2013

Refused Boarding The Public Bus Because Of My Wheelchair 17 Sep 2013

Lung Transplants From People Who Were Euthanased 29 Aug 2013

High Elderly Suicide Rate 28 Aug 2013

Disabled People Should Be Killed Says Google 19 Jun 2013

What’s Wrong About Going On Stage In A Wheelchair? 15 May 2013

Digital Access to Tertiary Education – GAAD Day 09 May 2013

Our Homes, Not Nursing Homes 01 May 2013

Disability in Movies, Television and on the Stage 17 Apr 2013

Denis Boudreau Suggests A New Approach to Web Accessibility 08 Apr 2013

A Disappointing Evening at Confoo 01 Mar 2013

Accessibility: No Rights Without Responsibilities 27 Feb 2013

10 Lessons (re)Learned From Wheeling To Work 13 Feb 2013

Disability Simulations, Perceptions, etc 11 Jan 2013

2012

TIANZ Survey About Disability Misses The Mark 13 Dec 2012

Wit or Ignorance? 15 Nov 2012

Nicolas Steenhout to Present 2 Papers at Confoo 2013 30 Oct 2012

Stop Empowering Me! 08 Aug 2012

Advocating for Disability Assistance Dogs 25 May 2012

NZ Will Increase Online Service Delivery – Don’t Forget People With Disabilities 14 Feb 2012

Technology Used to Counter Abuse of Disability Parking 31 Jan 2012

2011

New Zealand Media Continues To Use Inappropriate Disability Language 13 Dec 2011

Taking Advantage Of Web Technologies To Increase Service Provision And Decrease Costs 29 Nov 2011

When Admiration Reflects Low Expectations 29 Oct 2011

Wheelchair Innovations and Designs 20 Oct 2011

Disappointing Level of Accessibility from Australian Web Industry 2011 Entries 16 Sep 2011

20 Years of ADA in the USA – Have Things Really Changed? 27 Jul 2011

Curb Cut To Nowhere 13 Jul 2011

Verizon Settles A Disability Discrimination Employment Suit For US$20 Million 07 Jul 2011

Air New Zealand’s Grabaseat Discriminate Against People With Disabilities 14 Jun 2011

Jack Kevorkian Dies at Age 83 04 Jun 2011

Disability Humour Is Part Of Disability Culture 01 Jun 2011

Poaching The Only Accessible Toilet 12 May 2011

NZ Labour Billboard Website Not Accessible 04 May 2011

The Ultimate Disability Discrimination 01 May 2011

Jetstar In Good Company Discriminating Against Passengers With Disabilities 19 Apr 2011

Jetstar Shows Pattern Of Discrimination Against People With Disabilities 14 Apr 2011

Jetstar Is Screwing Up For People With Disabilities, Again 12 Apr 2011

ADA Amendments Act – Changes to Definition of Disability 25 Mar 2011

Rebuilding Christchurch – An Opportunity For Accessibility 21 Mar 2011

NH State Rep Suggests People With Disabilities Should Be Sent To Siberia 14 Mar 2011

Everyday Devices As Assistive Technology 08 Mar 2011

Jetstar Continually Fails Passengers With Disabilities 03 Mar 2011

Lawsuit Against Disney For Lack Of Accessibility 19 Feb 2011

A Cartoon 15 Feb 2011

Laws and Henry, Peas of a Pod 15 Feb 2011

Screw Screen Readers 10 Feb 2011

I Was Not Begging 09 Feb 2011

Blind And In A Wheelchair 09 Feb 2011

Lowest Bid Policy Ensures Lack Of Accessibility? 02 Feb 2011

Defining Disability – Or Trying To Anyway 31 Jan 2011

No Wheelchair Division At Toronto Marathon 21 Jan 2011

Use The Disability Card – Get Out Of Jail Free 20 Jan 2011

Customer Service – Kudos to Countdown / Woolworths 07 Jan 2011

Mass Grave of Disabled People Found – They Were Murdered By Nazis 06 Jan 2011

2010

Humour, Irony, Disablism and Sexism – Haecksen T-Shirt LCA2011 20 Dec 2010

Difficult Sidewalks, Impossible Curb Cuts 16 Dec 2010

Copyright, Universities, Course Content 14 Dec 2010

Involuntary Euthanasia by Proxy 30 Oct 2010

Called For Jury Duty – Again – Better Luck Next Time 22 Oct 2010

Kindle, eBooks, Print Book, etc 14 Oct 2010

Should Sighted Developers Use Screenreaders To Test Accessibility? 23 Sep 2010

The Evolution of Assistive Technology into Everyday Products 16 Sep 2010

Thoughts on Physical vs. Web Accessibility 27 Aug 2010

UQAT Prefers To Pay for Soccer Field Than Disabled Student’s Safety 21 Aug 2010

Using A Wheelchair And Fueling Up At Petrol Station 26 Jul 2010

Rex, the Robotic Exoskeleton 22 Jul 2010

Camber on my Wheelchair 01 Jul 2010

Unintentional Discrimination – Custom Built Applications 14 Jun 2010

Wheelchair DUI 02 Jun 2010

Overheard Conversation Between 2 Supermarket Clerks 28 May 2010

wUnderGlow – Neat Gadget to Improve Wheelchair Safety 18 May 2010

Fatigue, Pain, Assumptions, And The Spoon Theory 17 May 2010

Presenting About “The Evolution of Assistive Technology into Everyday Products” 30 Apr 2010

I’m Not Cured Because I Don’t Believe In God 16 Apr 2010

Disability Theme Park 12 Apr 2010

Ada Lovelace Day 2010 – Elder Women 24 Mar 2010

Deafies, Exams, Accommodations 18 Mar 2010

International Women’s Day 08 Mar 2010

Awesome Ads Presenting "The Disabled" In A Different Light 05 Mar 2010

Slides for Accessibility Presentation At LCA2010 Business Miniconf 26 Feb 2010

Why I Do Not Like The Word ‘Lame’ 23 Feb 2010

Opposing The Legalisation Of Physician Assisted Suicide 02 Feb 2010

No Caption On Your Video? I Can’t Get Your Content! 01 Feb 2010

They Did Not Think Of Every Details 31 Jan 2010

A Rather Healthy Attitude Towards Wheelchairs 28 Jan 2010

Accessibility And The Business Of Open Source 16 Jan 2010

The Mentalist, Wheelchairs, And Scuffed Shoes 12 Jan 2010

Baen Books Offers Free eBooks For People With Disabilities 08 Jan 2010

Ten Years Ago, A Snow Storm 03 Jan 2010

2009

Complaint Upheld Against Paul Henry, So What? 21 Dec 2009

Is It Any Wonder I’m An Advocate At Heart? 02 Dec 2009

No, Mr. Henry, The Word ‘Retard’ Is Not Appropriate. 29 Nov 2009

How I Will Caption My Videos 28 Nov 2009

Google & YouTube to Offer Automatic Video Captioning 20 Nov 2009

I Nearly Killed Myself – Accessibility Hazards On Campus 10 Nov 2009

Why I Issued A DMCA Takedown Notice To Facebook 28 Oct 2009

Flash Photography A Barrier To Participation 25 Oct 2009

ACC Slashing Home And Vehicle Modification Funds – Unconscionable 19 Oct 2009

Wheelchair Users Are Good For Cake! 15 Oct 2009

People Are Asking For Universal Web Accessibility, And They Don’t Know It! 15 Sep 2009

A Story Of Wix – Coming Out Of Retirement For A Day 04 Sep 2009

The Holocaust Began With People With Disabilities 03 Sep 2009

To Get On The Public Busses 02 Sep 2009

And They Wonder Why People With Disabilities Feel Oppressed? 28 Aug 2009

Euthanasia 25 Aug 2009

You Did Not Lose Me As A Customer, You Pushed Me Away! 13 Aug 2009

Wheelchair-Bound? I Don’t Think So! 28 Jul 2009

Wheelchair User’s Car Clamped – An Outrage 26 Jul 2009

Paralympics NZ – When Web Professionals Don’t Do Their Job Right 20 Jul 2009

Five, count them, 5 photos of disability parking infractions in 1 hour 19 Jul 2009

Brush Off From NZ Minister of Transport 08 Jul 2009

Flying Chihuahua! 07 Jul 2009

All Wheelchair Users Look Alike, Don’t They? 02 Jul 2009

HTC Magic – First Impressions 25 Jun 2009

Stellar Customer Service From Vodafone NZ 20 Jun 2009

Wanting An iPhone Is Not Snobbery 18 Jun 2009

I Offer To Build An Accessible Website For The Nevada Blind Children Foundation 18 Jun 2009

Lack of Accessibility Symptomatic of Something Else? 14 Jun 2009

Beware The Special Forces 26 May 2009

Neither Lesson Nor Vengeance 20 May 2009

Last One Aboard The Plane 15 May 2009

Disabilities And Purchasing Power 13 May 2009

Out Of The Mouth Of Babes 12 May 2009

Memories Of Disability Rights Protests And Police Officers 08 May 2009

I Use A Wheelchair. Does That Make Me Wheelchair-Bound? 08 May 2009

Public’s Attitudes – Blogging Against Disablism Day 2009 01 May 2009

Twitter New Zealand Cookie Exchange 10 Apr 2009

Lynne Pope and Ada Lovelace Day 24 Mar 2009

S92a, Recording Industry and Hypocrisy Impacting on People With Disabilities 26 Feb 2009

2008

A Follow Up To My Accusation Post 22 Dec 2008

I Accuse – GPL Zealots are Killing Open Source 14 Dec 2008

Web Accessibility and Content Management Systems 28 Oct 2008

Nicolas Steenhout to Present at OSDC 2008 19 Sep 2008

Google Chrome Browser Released with No Thoughts of Accessibility 07 Sep 2008

Test-Driving Woopra 09 Jun 2008

Compliance badges 08 Jun 2008

To each their own job(s) 01 Jun 2008

Alt Attributes Can Be Tricky 25 May 2008

What About User Responsibility? 17 May 2008

Automated Testing Tools 05 Apr 2008

Outdated browsers 05 Apr 2008

When Usability and Accessibility Conflict 30 Mar 2008

Accessibility Costs Too Much 28 Mar 2008

He Ain’t Blind, but He’s Got no Vision 21 Mar 2008

The Accessibility Guidelines are Just a Starting Point 14 Mar 2008

Accessibility is not Just for Screenreader Users 07 Mar 2008

You Can’t Make a Site Work for Everyone 01 Mar 2008

Google, the Largest Blind User on the ‘Net 28 Feb 2008

Managed Solutions Suck 21 Feb 2008

Respecting WCAG does not Ensure Accessibility 14 Feb 2008

Consider the Ease of Reading, and the Language Level 21 Jan 2008

2003

Are independent living centers just glorified sheltered workshops? 16 Sep 2003

Accessibility: Build it, and They Will Come 10 Aug 2003

Disability community? What disability community? 16 May 2003

2002

I’m getting a service dog. So what? 16 May 2002