As devices like the iPhone take hold, our perception of the user’s environment is changing. As capable as these devices are, they still have small screens and slow data-entry mechanisms. They’re also used in stadiums and subways, where the user’s environment can limit how they can interact with web content.

The accessibility of the Web to people with disabilities has foreshadowed this modern-day challenge for the Web. And a common approach will help both causes: building toward universal design.

In this session, we will discuss the concept of situational disability, which is brought on by limited-capability devices on the Web, and has strong parallels to the problems of users with disabilities. We will explore today’s accessibility landscape, and produce concrete techniques designers and developers can use today to make their audience happy, whether they’re using phones, tablets, or bifocals.