Who we are
Bim Egan – Senior Consultant
I’ve been working with computers since 1981 and using access technology since 1990.
I ‘discovered’ web accessibility when, as a mature student in 1999, I tried to use the web to supplement other accessible study materials during my degree IT course. It was incredibly frustrating to be unable to access information, despite having a computer running a full suite of access technology, to the extent that I changed the direction of my studies from training to web accessibility.
While I was still studying, in 2000, I started work as a web author for Salford University School of Construction, and developed an online information resource for environmentally friendly planning and building practices for the construction industry.
In 2001, after gaining my BSc in IT, I joined the BBC as a web producer and acted as an advisor to the BBC’s web accessibility workshop.
As someone who is entirely reliant on screen reader output to use my PC, I bring a wealth of personal knowledge and experience of using assistive technology to the team, in addition to my technical skills.
Marco Ranon - Senior Consultant
I started to be interested in Web Accessibility in 2000, at the end of my studies at university, when I wrote my final dissertation on standards for user interfaces. My first employment after my graduation was in a company developing tools for testing Web content against the W3C Web Content Accessibility Guidelines and Section 508 of the U.S. Rehabilitation Act.
Before joining RNIB, I worked for a software testing company, as a tester and project manager. I was constantly exposed to state-of the-art design trends, guidelines and technology and working with different web design companies.
After four years, in October 2007, I left the company and went travelling in Japan and South East Asia with my girlfriend, but I kept working as a freelance Web Accessibility consultant.
Once back in London, I’ve joined RNIB in June 2008, where besides having the opportunity to improve my knowledge in this field, I believe I can use my experience and capabilities in order to be actively part of a process aimed to improve the quality of life of blind and partially sighted people, as I strongly believe that Internet is a powerful media and it should be accessible to everybody.
In my free time, I enjoy relaxing with long bike rides around the northeast outskirts of London, eating Japanese food, cooking the best pasta (I’m Italian after all) and travelling as often as possible, but also watching sport on TV and dedicate some time to my passion in computing and especially Linux.
Andrew Ronksley – Consultant
I’ve been working and studying in computing and IT for 9 years with a particular focus on website accessibility and assistive technology for the last 4 of those years. During my final year at university, I specialised in website accessibility and user agents. Since then, I went on to work for another charity for just under 2 years specialising in assessing disabled children and adults for assistive technology and providing them with an installation and training service in their own homes. I also ran training courses to promote awareness of assistive technology and its applications.
Website accessibility has always been a passion of mine since leaving university however and is something I studied a lot outside of work. Working at the RNIB now gives me the opportunity to put this knowledge into practice. One of the main points about accessibility which I think often gets overlooked is that it’s not just about disabled users. It’s about all users and all the devices we’re using to browse the web etc. I also like to promote the many spin-off benefits that come from making accessibility and usability key factors in web development.
Now feels like a very exciting time to be working with the web as it becomes an increasingly interactive part of everyday life. There are new accessibility challenges to be faced as the web changes and evolves. I’m also an active member of the Web Accessibility Initiative - Authoring Tool Working Group (WAI-AUWG) which creates the ATAG (Authoring Tool Accessibility Guidelines). ATAG is likely to become an important set of guidelines now and in the future as the amount of User Generated Content (UGC) on the web increases.
Outside of work, I enjoy being as active as I can. I play football twice a week and completed my first marathon in April 2008. Fingers crossed I’ll be back next year to try and improve my time! There are a couple of things I’d like to do in 2009 including The Three Peaks Challenge and completing my solo skydiving course! All good fun in my book!
Since Marco has joined, I’ve also started picking his brains about Linux!
Adrian Linney - Consultant
The issues of poor website accessibility became apparent to me whilst working as a Rehabilitation Worker for a specialist college for people with sight problems. Alongside delivering mobility and living skills training, some of the visually impaired people I worked with needed to learn how to use the internet to maximise their independence, and it was at this time that I observed first hand many of the problems that people with disabilities have when trying to access information on-line.
I soon became interested in website accessibility issues, and particularly the use of assistive technologies to navigate around the web. I also soon realised the barriers that people can face when basic guidelines are ignored, and how producing an inclusive website can not only be beneficial for people with disabilities, but for all web users!
Since gaining a degree in graphic design many years ago, I have always had a keen interest in good visual layout and design, and believe that developing an accessible website should not mean making it unexciting to look at or use!
What I enjoy the most about web accessibility? It’s meeting the challenge of making visually stimulating yet fully accessible websites.
What we do
- We help companies and organisations make their websites accessible, in particular to blind and partially sighted people.
- We award the See it Right Accessible Website logo to websites which meet the required standard of accessibility.
- We provide free advice on all aspects of accessible web design.
- We publish the Web Access Centre – a complete online resource on accessible web design, from planning and testing to design and build.
- We carry out See it Right audits and provide consultancy and training.
- We publish the See it Right accessible website directory, which lists all the websites which currently display the See it Right accessible website logo.
- We carry out the accessibility testing of all local authority websites for the annual Socitm Insight “Better Connected” reports.
- We run technical and non-technical workshops and seminars on many aspects of accessible web design.
Contact us
Tel: +44 (0)20 7391 2178
Email: webaccess@rnib.org.uk
Post: RNIB Web Access Consultancy, 105 Judd Street, London WC1H 9NE
