On the season premiere of HearSay, we were joined by Matthew Freeman, Director of EU Sales at AudioEye, and Susanna Laurin, Managing Director and Chair of Funka Foundation and a key player in the European Accessibility Act.
Together, Matt and Susanna dive deep into the European Accessibility Act (EAA) and unpack:

Who really needs to comply (spoiler: it’s not just EU-based companies)What digital products and services fall under the EAA (hint: it’s not just websites)Why the EAA is more than just a regulation but an opportunity to build a better, more accessible web for everyone.

Matt and Susanna also provide practical steps and best practices to help your organization meet EAA requirements and embrace digital accessibility.

HearSay is produced by Mike Barton, Sojin Rank, and Missy Jensen. Edited by Alex Dorrier.

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View Transcript: https://aeurl.xyz/hearsay-podcast-with-susanna-laurin

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See how accessible your digital content is — scan your digital content with AudioEye’s free Website Accessibility Scanner. Or schedule a demo to see AudioEye in action.

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Resources:

• European Accessibility Act: Ultimate Guide to Compliance
• The Cost of EAA Violations and Their Legal Consequences
• 5 Steps Businesses Should Take Now to Meet Europe’s New Accessibility Rules

HearSay is a podcast focusing on the advocates, heroes, and leaders making the web more accessible. We’re interviewing these change makers to hear what they have to say, to set the record straight, and offer their perspectives on how we can all work to make the web accessible to all.

In the season finale of HearSay, we’re joined by Don Torrez, Director of Partnerships at CivicPlus, discussed the upcoming ADA Title II compliance deadline and how government municipalities are proactively preparing. Mike and Don also discussed best practices for enhancing accessibility and how the partnership between AudioEye and CivicPlus simplifies the whole process.

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Below are links to the resources mentioned during the show:

1. ADA fact sheet on new rule for website and mobile apps provided by state and local governments: https://www.ada.gov/resources/2024-03-08-web-rule/
2. W3C’s WCAG Guidelines: https://www.w3.org/WAI/standards-guidelines/wcag/
3. AudioEye’s ADA Compliance Checklist: https://www.audioeye.com/post/ada-reasonable-accommodation-checklist

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View Transcript: https://aeurl.xyz/hearsay-podcast-with-done-torrez

HearSay is a podcast focusing on the advocates, heroes, and leaders making the web more accessible. We’re interviewing these change makers to hear what they have to say, to set the record straight, and offer their perspectives on how we can all work to make the web accessible to all.

Jeff Kline, the former Manager of Accessibility Consulting, Compliance, and Strategic Programs at IBM and the author of Strategic IT Accessibility: Enabling the Organization, joined us on the latest episode of HearSay. He discussed how digital accessibility is so much more than compliance and the need for organizations to recommit to prioritizing accessibility. Jeff also discussed best practices for getting started with accessibility and helping C-Suite executives realize the benefits of making products and services more accessible.

HearSay is produced by Sojin Rank, Mike Barton, Mariella Paulino, and Missy Jensen. Edited by Alex Dorrier.

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View transcript here: https://aeurl.xyz/hearsay-podcast-with-jeff-kline

HearSay is a podcast focusing on the advocates, heroes, and leaders making the web more accessible. We’re interviewing these change makers to hear what they have to say, to set the record straight, and offer their perspectives on how we can all work to make the web accessible to all.

Many businesses believe accessibility is a one-time fix — but that couldn’t be further from the truth. Janina Sajka, an active contributor at the W3C, Amazon, and the American Foundation for the Blind, explores common misconceptions around accessibility. She also discusses the importance of ongoing accessibility audits and how the new W3C Accessibility Maturity Model can help organizations better track their accessibility progress.

HearSay is produced by Sojin Rank, Mike Barton, Mariella Paulino, and Missy Jensen. Edited by Alex Dorrier.

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View Transcript: https://aeurl.xyz/hearsay-podcast-with-janina-sajka

HearSay is a podcast focusing on the advocates, heroes, and leaders making the web more accessible. We’re interviewing these change makers to hear what they have to say, to set the record straight, and offer their perspectives on how we can all work to make the web accessible to all.

Scott Trachtenberg, CEO of ADA Site Compliance, shares his journey from the food delivery industry to becoming a key player in the digital accessibility industry. He shares how a demand letter sparked his passion for creating inclusive online spaces, the challenges of scaling accessibility, and the critical role litigation plays in driving progress in the accessibility space. Scott also shares his thoughts on the future of accessibility in 2025, including the impact of AI, automation, and new government regulations.

HearSay is produced by Sojin Rank, Mike Barton, Mariella Paulino, and Missy Jensen. Edited by Alex Dorrier.

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View transcript: https://aeurl.xyz/hearsay-podcast-with-scott-trachtenberg

HearSay is a podcast focusing on the advocates, heroes, and leaders making the web more accessible. We’re interviewing these change makers to hear what they have to say, to set the record straight, and offer their perspectives on how we can all work to make the web accessible to all.

Devin Reed, Founder of the marketing consulting and media company the Reeder, shared with AudioEye’s Manuel Rietzsch, Vice President of Revenue Marketing, his first steps in getting started with digital accessibility in this episode of HearSay. Devin shared his top surprises since ‘pulling the accessibility lever’ as well as the benefits that have already come from making his digital content more accessible to individuals with disabilities. 

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View transcript: https://aeurl.xyz/hearsay-podcast-with-devin-reed

HearSay is a podcast focusing on the advocates, heroes, and leaders making the web more accessible. We’re interviewing these change makers to hear what they have to say, to set the record straight, and offer their perspectives on how we can all work to make the web accessible to all.

Join Mike Paciello, Chief Accessibility Officer at AudioEye, and Bryce Johnson, Principal Research Accessibility and Inclusive Design at Microsoft and Co-Inventor of the Xbox adaptive controller, in the latest episode of HearSay. Mike and Bryce discuss accessibility in online gaming and the incredible work that’s gone into making the industry more accessible to individuals with disabilities. They also discuss how organizations can make their designs more inclusive using data and involving the disability community as much as possible.

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View transcript: https://aeurl.xyz/hearsay-podcast-with-bryce-johnson

HearSay is produced by Sojin Rank, Mike Barton, Mariella Paulino, and Missy Jensen. Edited by Alex Dorrier.

HearSay is a podcast focusing on the advocates, heroes, and leaders making the web more accessible. We’re interviewing these change makers to hear what they have to say, to set the record straight, and offer their perspectives on how we can all work to make the web accessible to all.

In this episode of HearSay, Natalie House, Sr. Director, Content and Communications at Weave, talks about the advantages digital accessibility can bring to businesses. She discusses her personal experiences at brands like Traeger and Pluralsite and the benefits the organizations realized — both from a brand and customer perspective — by making their digital content more accessible.

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View transcript: https://aeurl.xyz/hearsay-podcast-with-natalie-house

HearSay is produced by Sojin Rank, Mike Barton, Mariella Paulino, and Missy Jensen. Edited by Alex Dorrier.

HearSay is a podcast focusing on the advocates, heroes, and leaders making the web more accessible. We’re interviewing these change makers to hear what they have to say, to set the record straight, and offer their perspectives on how we can all work to make the web accessible to all.

Niamh Kelly, CEO of Tigim, an interaction intelligence system, joined us in the latest episode of our HearSay podcast. Alongside starting and running Tigim, Niamh is also a consultant for Leaders for Accessibility. She discussed the power of going beyond user personas to consider someone’s social and cultural preferences and how this translates into more than 100% in sales. 

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View transcript: https://aeurl.xyz/hearsay-podcast-with-niamh-kelly

HearSay is produced by Sojin Rank, Mike Barton, Mariella Paulino, and Missy Jensen. Edited by Alex Dorrier.

HearSay is a podcast focusing on the advocates, heroes, and leaders making the web more accessible. We’re interviewing these change makers to hear what they have to say, to set the record straight, and offer their perspectives on how we can all work to make the web accessible to all.

Gerard Cohen, who drives the Atlassian Design System Accessibility Team, joined us in the latest episode of our HearSay podcast. Gerard has worked as a Digital Accessibility Leader and Team Builder for popular platforms like Jira and Trello and even Twitter. He discusses the catalyst accessibility can be when prioritized in business settings and the benefit the effort has for both businesses and the disability community alike.

HearSay is an AudioEye series dedicated to the heroes of accessibility who are paving the way, building an inclusive future, and making a difference in the lives of people with disabilities. 

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View transcript: https://aeurl.xyz/hearsay-podcast-with-gerard-cohen-transcript 

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HearSay is produced by Sojin Rank, Mike Barton, Mariella Paulino, and Missy Jensen. Edited by Alex Dorrier.

HearSay is a podcast focusing on the advocates, heroes, and leaders making the web more accessible. We’re interviewing these change makers to hear what they have to say, to set the record straight, and offer their perspectives on how we can all work to make the web accessible to all.