UX Design

Access:Given 2026

Access:Given is a one-day digital accessibility conference dedicated to creating a space where accessibility is a given. Attendees will hear from industry and accessibility experts, thought leaders, and advocates on various aspects of accessibility, digital inclusion, and creating a more accessible world.

Visit the official site
15Speakers
5Sponsors
4Exhibitors
14On the bill · sessions
12Companies · in total
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Speakers

Programmed at Access:Given, in alphabetical order.
Carrie-Ann Lightley
Carrie-Ann Lightly
Keynote Speaker
Ellen Forster
Co-founder
Elza Parisa
Assistive Technology Consultant at CareScribe · CareScribe
Jane McFadyen
Senior Content Designer at DWP Digital, Author · DWP Digital
Jo Larby
Accessibility Community Lead at Leighton · Leighton
Katie Taylor-Thompson
Panel Host, Content Writer and Strategist
Kim Anderson
Service Design Specialist and Educator at Service Design Academy · Service Design Academy
Lisa Riemers
Communications Consultant, Author, Accessibility Advocate
Martin Underhill
Accessibility Consultant
Matisse Hamel-Nelis
Communications and Digital Accessibility Consultant, PR Professor at Durham College · Durham College
Michelle O’Connor
Co-founder
Nathan Rowland
Digital Adoption Specialist at Sunderland Software City · Sunderland Software City
Samantha Merrett
Senior Accessibility Specialist at Ministry of Justice · Ministry of Justice
Simon Ellis
Accessibility Lead at Atos · Atos
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Sponsors

The houses behind the program. Tiers as disclosed.
Affinity MediaMultimedia Partner
CareScribeCaptioning Partner
Eventua11ySensory Room Partner
LabradorPartner
Sunderland Software CityPartner
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Agenda

Selected from 14 sessions on the bill.
  • 10:00–10:10

    Opening remarks

  • 10:00–10:10

    Opening remarks with co-founders Michelle O’Connor and Ellen Forster.

  • 10:10–10:30

    Lightning talk #1: How to create accessible documents

  • 10:10–10:30

    Lightning talk #2: Designing for people who have dyscalculia or low numeracy

  • 10:30–11:10

    Working better, together: accessibility, inclusion and internal communications

  • 11:30–12:10

    Building accessibility into the software development lifecycle

  • 13:10–13:20

    Lightning talk #3: Accessibility Without Asking: Why Live Captioning Helps Everyone Listen, Learn, and Remember.

  • 13:20–14:20

    Panel discussion: Making the case: How to communicate the importance of accessibility to decision makers

  • 14:40–15:20

    Going beyond components and building accessible experiences

Intermission
Part the Second · For the Buyer

What does it mean when 12 companies show up — and 4 bet on three roles at once?

Twelve companies. four are betting more than once.

The numbers below are derived from the speakers, sponsors, and exhibitors on this page — cross-referenced into one ledger. They are the only thing here that 10times.com cannot tell you.

Who's in the room
4All threespeak · spons · exh
2Sponsoringsponsor only
1Exhibitingexhibitor only
5Companies Speakingspeaker only

The Triple-Threat

CareScribe·Labrador·Sunderland Software City·Service Design Academy

Speakers by seniority

13% of the speakers carry senior titles — C-suite, Founder, VP, or Director-level.

  • Founder / Owner213%
  • Manager / Lead213%
  • Engineer · IC640%
  • Marketing / Brand213%
  • Other roles320%

Of 15 on the bill · classified by free-text title

Most-represented companies
  1. 01CareScribeSp·CEx1V
  2. 02LabradorSp·PEx
  3. 03Sunderland Software CitySp·P1V
  4. 04Affinity MediaSp·M
  5. 05Eventua11ySp·S
  6. 06Service Design AcademyEx1V
  7. 07Slow ShoppingEx
  8. 08Atos1V
  9. 09Durham College1V
  10. 10DWP Digital1V
  11. 11Leighton1V
  12. 12Ministry of Justice1V
Sponsors by tier
captioning partner1
20% of 5
multimedia partner1
20% of 5
partner2
40% of 5
sensory room partner1
20% of 5