Michael "Spell" Spellacy Front-end developer, designer and accessibility specialist in Allentown, PA

A11y.Info Update

Hi all! I am faced with having to make a hard decision about a11y.info. The costs for it are rising and I am currently paying $30 dollars a month to keep it going. I was...

Re: Anchors

I never realized that about anchors. You learn something new everyday. Thanks Adrian!

PT - Cashier - Flexible at Brox BEM Site

This is a note, not an article. Notes are like Facebook wall posts…or something.

HTMSpell on HTMHell

Some bad HTML I discovered on Disney Plus' web app is featured here. This is a fun site, too. Lots to learn.

Pushing Buttons

Buttons vs. Links Understanding Roles Keyboard Benefits Hyperlink Suppression Solutions Example Support Buttons vs. Links Hopefully by now, most of us understand when we should be using button and a elements in our work. If...

This is great, Nic! Can you cite an example of disclosure menu that uses hover and click? Remarkably, I still have trouble with these! Thanks!

Oh, I like this. WCAG for the non-techs in the audience.

Wonderful overview of implmenting escape key functionality in your work. By Sarah Higley

Accessibility is an opportunity, not a burden

Good read on VentureBeat regarding the benefits of embracing a more inclusive process within your company. Not news to me, but may be for you.

Accessibility Testing Statistic

This is an amazing statistic: When testing a website for WCAG compliance, only 18% of criteria can be tested automatically, 31% auto+manual verification, and 47% manual only. via @KarlGroves #a11y #wcag #testing – @webaxe

Wasn't Aria the name of a character in Game of Thrones? Should have went with "Aria Bark". Oh well. #missedopportunities

Great job, Spell!

Well, I think that is very interesting. Yes sir.

Just testing to see if webmentions are working properly on the site now. I’d listen to Spell. He is a smart fellow. :-)

Cool. Trying to figure out webmentions myself. Lots to learn!

Testing webmentions. I think they are cool.

Hi! Came across your site in the IndieWeb ring. Just trying replies. Could you please reply back? Thanks! Glad you fixed your disposal!

“QA testers: you are incredibly important. You are the last stop before a product lands in front of the user. All users are different. As with dev and design, as the web evolves, so must...

Nice post here about “sticky” navigations and prefers-reduced-motion, which I have also been using more and more often. In addition to CSS, don’t forget that you can do it in JavaScript, too. const mediaQuery =...

The Last Word (Maybe) on Opening New Windows

From time to time, the question surrounding the opening of new windows (tabs) to external sites...pops up. (Sorry.) I thought I would share a few thoughts as to why we may want to think real...

Building A Better Video Banner

So I made this thing. Clients and colleagues often ask me for "video hero banners". I guess they are really sexy and engaging or something. While desktop is never usually an issue, I have often...

How To Host An Infographic

I have seen colleagues get a little confused while attempting to create infographics, so this is an effort to clear things up and also improve upon the accessibility of them, which is almost always forgotten....

How To Host An Infographic (HTML Fallback)

This is the text based fallback version of our infographic. Some infographics can be very design heavy, so fallbacks are meant to simply convey the same information locked within them, to assistive technology users and...

SSL 101: Understanding Asset Loading Within a Secure Environment

In my experience, I have found that there is generally a lot of confusion surrounding the loading of assets within a web page that exists within a secure environment. To help eliminate that confusion, here...

Linktravaganza: Cloaking Without the Cloak

Linktravaganza: The process of adding unnecessary links to your web page or application for the sole purpose of pleaseing search engines. Often also refred to as "Link Farms", these steps are often taken to legitimize...

Rethinking Social Media Plugins

In our endeavors on the web, it is easy, for those who have a hand in contributing to it, to reach for the low hanging fruit. Social plugins are a popular example of this. They...

Accessibility is a Constant

Congratulations on the launch of your awesome new site! Hearty handshakes and back slaps all around! You launched on time (and under budget) and have met all of your client's business requirements, one of which...

Pushing It Forward: The Web Turns 25

The World Wide Web turns 25 today. That is a long time, and yet, relatively speaking, it is but a drop in the bucket. The web is still in its infancy and yet it has...