Robin Christopherson, Head of Accessibility Services, AbilityNet
After a degree in Engineering
at Cambridge and working as an IT instructor for the Royal National Institute
for the Blind (RNIB), Robin was a founding member of AbilityNet in 1998. Robin
now manages AbilityNet's Web Consultancy services heading a team that
is globally acclaimed as experts in accessibility auditing, disabled user testing
and designing attractive websites that are both accessible and easy to use by
all.
Despite being blind, Robin uses a computer very effectively by relying on speech
output to access the full range of mainstream software including email and the
internet. He has a first-hand appreciation of the importance of good web design
practice to accessibility.
A member of the Guild of Accessible Web Designers, Robin's current projects include managing AbilityNets on-going State of the eNation reports and the See it Right: UseAbility logo, combining the popular RNIB See it Right (SiR) accreditation with disabled user testing.
Robin also has courtroom
experience as an expert technical witness in the area of assistive technology
and in software, systems and website accessibility. He also advises companies
on their obligations under the DDA, SENDA and DED including the evaluation
of case specific reasonable adjustment.