My Journey in IT Accessibility

By Muna Adan, Web Auditor | IT Accessibility Office

Hi, I’m Muna Adan, and I work as a Web Auditor with the ITAO. I began my career as a student through the Federal Student Work Experience Program (FSWEP), and in September 2024, I officially joined the ITAO team as an IT-01. When I first started, I honestly didn’t know much about accessibility. I had studied Cloud Development and Operations, and while I had a few years of coding under my belt, accessibility was not something that had ever really been brought up. That all changed when I took a course called Accessible by Design. It changed my perspective. Right away, I was intrigued especially with how we can use JavaScript to build more inclusive interfaces. It was fun, eye-opening, and made me realize just how much of the Internet isn’t built with everyone in mind. So, when the chance came up to join the ITAO team, I knew I had to go for it.

Accessible by Design

My first impression of the accessibility world? Surprise. I had five years of development experience and yet had barely scratched the surface when it came to building with inclusion in mind. I knew about alternative (alt) text but even that seemed optional. One of my first challenges was learning how to use a screen reader, and let me tell you, it’s humbling to realize just how different the web feels when you’re not using a mouse or relying on visuals. I also struggled to determine whether a site was inaccessible or just badly made, which turned out to be an important skill to develop.

Over time and through my learning path at ITAO, I began to realize just how many tools are available to developers to support building more inclusive web experiences. There are contrast checkers, spacing tools, device emulators built into browsers, accessibility extensions, and of course, screen readers. These tools are now a regular part of how I evaluate websites, and they’ve helped me understand that accessibility is more than just a checklist. Accessibility is about creating technology that works for everyone, regardless of how they interact with it.

One concept that really stood out to me is ARIA (Accessible Rich Internet Applications). ARIA is a set of “hints” added to HTML to make web content and apps more accessible, especially for people who use screen readers. It helps describe items like buttons and popups (among other things) that don’t behave like standard HTML elements. ARIA can tell assistive technologies what something is, what it does and its current state. For example, when there is an element that can be expanded or collapsed, even if it was developed using custom code, ARIA can explain it. I had no idea how powerful it was or how easy it was to use. Learning when to use ARIA completely changed the way I code. I now focus more on using descriptive HTML appropriately and building with accessibility in mind from the ground up. My understanding of accessibility has evolved from “I’ve never heard of this” to “this needs to be part of every step in the development process.”

Inclusive Design is More than a “Nice-to-Have”

Being part of the ITAO team has also changed how I think about inclusion in technology more broadly. The truth is many developers just aren’t taught to think about accessibility. I was one of them. But when you consider that we all likely belong to a marginalized group or know someone who does, it becomes clear that inclusive design is more than a “nice-to-have”, it’s a necessity. Technology has the power to bring people in or shut them out. I want to be someone who helps open the door. This work has inspired me to earn a bachelor’s degree in Disability Studies at Toronto Metropolitan University. I see a long career in disability advocacy, and it all started by working with this team.

One of the best parts of this journey has been the people I’ve worked with. Learning from my technical advisors has been incredible. They’ve been patient, generous with their knowledge, and always willing to help me grow. Both my team lead and my manager have also played huge roles in shaping how I think about accessibility. There were times when I felt overwhelmed by everything there was to learn, but my team always had my back and helped me build confidence, one step at a time.

So, here’s my advice: if you’re even a little bit curious about IT accessibility, take action. It’s a space where your work makes a real difference. The work is challenging, creative, and honestly a lot of fun. You’ll develop new skills, gain a deeper understanding of people, and contribute to making the web better for everyone.

Accessibility should never be an afterthought; it should be baked in from the beginning. If you’re someone who cares about ensuring technology includes everyone, then ITAO is where you belong.