The new GitHub provides a one-stop resource for developers to find accessibility code solutions.
Washington, D.C.- Today, the XR Association (XRA), the trade association representing the growing ecosystem of the XR technology companies powering virtual, augmented, and mixed reality, announced the launch of a new GitHub site, XRAccessability.github.io, in partnership with the XR Access Initiative. The site will serve as a central repository of accessibility solutions for developers working in XR.
“As we talked with XR developers it quickly became clear that we not only needed to provide recommendations for building XR technology for all but also provide a practical resource for developers to access and share tools to make those recommendations a reality,” said Liz Hyman, CEO, the XR Association. “We’re excited to continue our partnership with the XR Access Initiative in this ongoing effort to build and promote XR technology for all.”
This effort builds on XRA and the XR industry’s commitment to accessibility. Earlier this month XRA released a white paper in collaboration with the Partnership on Employment & Accessible Technology (PEAT), a U.S. Department of Labor funded initiative, and last year’s publication of the third chapter of the XRA Developers Guide which explored accessibility and inclusive design in immersive environments.
“Accessibility is not only a human right, it’s a smart investment,” said Dylan Fox, Coordination and Engagement Team lead for XR Access. “When you make something more accessible, you make it better for everyone, disabled or not. That said, it’s a big ask to go up to developers and say ‘Here’s what you need to do to make your XR app accessible, but you’re going to have to do it from scratch.’ This resource will be a huge help in making sure that developers don’t have to reinvent the wheel in order to make accessible XR applications.”
This GitHub is a free asset for software developers working on applications for AR, VR and MR to find resources and code snippets that support the use of XR technology by people with disabilities. The site is designed around the platforms on which developers write code such as Unity, WebXR, and ARCore. In addition to code snippets, the GitHub repository includes tutorials and links to other resources and best practices. Developers interested in having their XR accessibility solutions appear on this site are invited to submit their resources for review.
https://github.com/XRAccessibility/xraccessibility.github.io
ABOUT THE XR ASSOCIATION
The XR Association promotes the dynamic global growth of the XR industry, which includes virtual reality, augmented reality, mixed-reality, and future immersive technology. XRA is leading the way for the responsible development and adoption of XR by convening stakeholders, developing best practices and research, and advocating on behalf of our members and the greater XR industry.
The XR Association represents the broad ecosystem of the XR industry including headset manufacturers, technology platforms, component and peripheral companies, internet infrastructure companies, enterprise solution providers, and corporate end-users. The founders of XRA are Google, HTC Vive, Microsoft, Oculus from Facebook, and Sony Interactive Entertainment. To learn more about XRA membership, visit xra.org/joinus.
ABOUT THE XR ACCESS INITIATIVE
The XR Access Initiative is a research and education consortium based at Cornell Tech. XR Access is dedicated to ensuring that XR platforms, infrastructure, and content are accessible to people with disabilities. The Initiative is a community that engages, connects, and influences the field of XR, in order to build and share knowledge, skills, tools, user experiences, and leading practices to make XR more inclusive.
XR Access is a volunteer-driven organization, supported by people with disabilities, accessibility experts, and XR enthusiasts, and sustained by our organizational members. Learn more about XR Access at xraccess.org, and join a Workstream or become an organizational member at xraccess.org/membership.
Contact:
Bradford Williamson
bwilliamson@glenechogroup.com
(202) 870.3234
