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Shawn Thompson

Digital Accessibility Technical Advisor
Shared Services Canada


I am a Digital Accessibility Technical Advisor at Shared Services Canada, a Certified Web Accessibility Specialist, an invited member of the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) Accessibility Guidelines Working Group, and co-chair of the Disability Network within my department. I am the lead developer for the Government of Canada's Digital Accessibility Toolkit website.

I am passionate about raising awareness of the experiences of people with disabilities.

My career in the public service spans over 15 years. My previous roles have always supported digital accessibility, with a strong focus on web publishing, web development, and web accessibility testing.

After working in the civil service for 10 years with a hidden cognitive disability, I courageously chose to disclose my disability status. I began asking for the necessary aids and accommodations to help me overcome the memory retention obstacles I face every day due to a traumatic brain injury (TBI).

Sessions in which Shawn Thompson attends

Monday 27 May, 2024

Time Zone: (GMT-05:00) Eastern Time (US & Canada)
8:00 AM
8:00 AM - 9:00 AM | 1 hour

Continental Breakfast

8:00 AM - 9:00 AM | 1 hour

Participant Registration

8:50 AM
8:50 AM - 9:00 AM | 10 minutes
Session plénière

Dear Attendees, We cordially invite you to the esteemed Quilig Lighting Ceremony, a pivotal moment of our gathering. Whether joining us within the warmth of our venue or from the comfort of your digital screen, your presence is integral to the commencement of our shared experience.Please be seated or connected by 8:55 AM to ensure a seamless transition into the ceremony's tranquility. Please talk softly and relax while you wait. The illumination will commence at 9:00...

9:00 AM
9:00 AM - 10:00 AM | 1 hour
Plenary Session

Indigenous Welcome: Elder Mary-Lee Anayok Concordia Welcome: Sandra GabrieleOCAD U Welcome: Jutta TreveranusThe lighting of the quiliq will begin promptly at 9:00. Please arrive promptly. Late arrivals please go to room EFG or enter AB/CD quietly and wait at the back of the room until the end of the ceremony to find a spot at a table. 

10:00 AM
10:00 AM - 11:00 AM | 1 hour
Plenary Session

Panellists:   Philip RizcallahInmaculada Placencia-PorreroTim CreaganAndrew ArchModerator:Jutta Treviranus

11:00 AM
11:00 AM - 11:30 AM | 30 minutes
Breaks
11:30 AM
11:30 AM - 12:30 PM | 1 hour
Inclusive Decision-Making

How do people with disabilities navigate the risks and seize the opportunities of the future of work?  Provocateur: Josh ChristiansonFacilitator: Maureen HaanEnglish Captions: https://www.streamtext.net/player?event=ACAW-Monday-am-ConcurrentSession1-English

1:30 PM
1:30 PM - 2:30 PM | 1 hour
Innovation in Standards and Policy

Can we design a digital accessibility ethics code of conduct and what would it entail?  Provocateur: Lainey Feingold - ZoomFacilitator: Josh ChristiansonEnglish Captions: https://www.streamtext.net/player?event=ACAW-Monday-pm-ConcurrentSession3-EnglishFrench Captions: https://www.streamtext.net/player?event=ACAW-Monday-pm-ConcurrentSession3-FrenchSession Notebook: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1D7BfKY9VniPyoC4igEgrQQs-EIIGBWoJa_2-fna_Q-...

2:45 PM
2:45 PM - 3:45 PM | 1 hour
Inclusive Decision-Making

How can we shape generative AI to address accessibility barriers? Provocateur: Greg FieldFacilitator: Sambhavi ChandrashekarEnglish Captions: https://www.streamtext.net/player?event=ACAW-Monday-pm-ConcurrentSession2-EnglishFrench Captions: https://www.streamtext.net/player?event=ACAW-Monday-pm-ConcurrentSession2-FrenchSession Notebook: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1T2Eya_ZyN2I2VjZDtngXoAS66mjq58KiylV8p...

5:00 PM
5:00 PM - 7:00 PM | 2 hours
Breaks

light refreshments

Tuesday 28 May, 2024

Time Zone: (GMT-05:00) Eastern Time (US & Canada)
8:00 AM
8:00 AM - 9:00 AM | 1 hour

Continental breakfast.

8:00 AM - 9:00 AM | 1 hour

Participant Registration

9:00 AM
9:00 AM - 9:15 AM | 15 minutes
Plenary Session

Jutta TreviranusRaihana Hirji-KhalfanIngrid PalmerEnglish Captions: https://www.streamtext.net/player?event=ACAW-TuesdayOpeningPlenary-EnglishFrench Captions: https://www.streamtext.net/player?event=ACAW-TuesdayOpeningPlenary-French

9:15 AM
9:15 AM - 10:15 AM | 1 hour
Plenary Session

Panellists: Bianca Wylie, Abhishek Gupta, Heather WalkusEnglish Captions: https://www.streamtext.net/player?event=ACAW-TuesdayOpeningPlenary-EnglishFrench Captions: https://www.streamtext.net/player?event=ACAW-TuesdayOpeningPlenary-French

10:15 AM
10:15 AM - 11:00 AM | 45 minutes
Plenary Session

Panelists:   Stephanie CadieuxPhillip RizcallahMichael GottheilModerator: Pina D'IntinoEnglish Captions: https://www.streamtext.net/player?event=ACAW-TuesdayOpeningPlenary-EnglishFrench Captions: https://www.streamtext.net/player?event=ACAW-TuesdayOpening...

11:30 AM
11:30 AM - 12:30 PM | 1 hour
Who and What are We Missing?

How do we create infrastructure and platforms for mutual aid communities?  Provocateur: Alison Kemper - ZoomFacilitator: Dana Ayotte - ZoomEnglish Captions: https://www.streamtext.net/player?event=ACAW-Tuesday-am-ConcurrentSession2-EnglishFrench Captions: https://www.streamtext.net/player?event=ACAW-Tuesday-am-ConcurrentSession2-FrenchSession Notebook: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1u_10JUup8N9KRFMSIPFgTTyBk5DZFwQgXV3XkNP09r4/edit?usp=sharing

1:30 PM
1:30 PM - 2:30 PM | 1 hour
Who and What are We Missing?

Can we make one-size-fits-one interfaces available to people who need them?  Provocateur: Ian WhiteFacilitator: Bryce JohnsonEnglish Captions: https://www.streamtext.net/player?event=ACAW-Tuesday-pm-ConcurrentSession4-EnglishFrench Captions: https://www.streamtext.net/player?event=ACAW-Tuesday-pm-ConcurrentSession4-FrenchSession Notebook: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1W2I1dLBjEnXRHM8gq_D59oakXO4X5eUiiDOCqfgvbRs/edit?usp=sharing