“An inaccessible website can exclude people just as much as steps at an entrance to a physical location.”

~ADA.gov

Yet, according to WebAIM, developers still aren’t doing enough:

And this is just for websites. If you’re building something a React web app, there are additional things to consider, like interactive elements. If you’re looking for a job or a promotion, accessibility knowledge can really set you apart.That’s why we’re excited accessibility expert Marcy Sutton Todd created two new courses: Web App Accessibility (featuring React) for developers and Enterprise Web App Accessibility for technical leaders, to help build a more inclusive web! 

Web App Accessiblity (feat. React)

Solve the most common accessibility issues in React apps using testing tools, semantic HTML, and ARIA attributes to make interactive elements accessible. You’ll get hands-on experience with screen readers, keyboard navigation, focus management, and visual accessibility techniques, including color contrast and motion reduction. Learn to test and build with accessibility in mind, making your web apps more compliant with standards like WCAG and, most importantly, inclusive to the broadest audience possible!

Some highlights from the course:

• Apply WCAG and ARIA standards in React for better accessibility.
• Use screen readers and alternative text to support accessibility.
• Improve navigation with semantic HTML and ARIA attributes.
• Identify and resolve accessibility issues using Axe and Lighthouse.
• Implement keyboard navigation and visual adjustments for inclusivity.

Web App Accessibility course → https://frontendmasters.com/courses/react-accessibility/

Enterprise Web App Accessibility (Feat. React)

Learn to bake accessibility into your development process and culture. Understand UI accessibility, ARIA, focus management, and how to test for accessible web apps. Through hands-on exercises, you’ll tackle optimizing components for screen readers and keyboards, utilizing semantic HTML, and understanding JavaScript’s impact on accessibility. Foster an accessibility-focused culture within your development teams, equipping you with the knowledge to build inclusive web applications!

Here’s some highlights of what you’ll learn from the course:

• Automate accessibility testing and build a culture of accessibility in your organization.
• Fix common accessibility issues with best practices.
• Craft accessible UIs that leverage visibility classes, accessible naming, and ARIA.
• Test accessibility using tools like axe and screen readers.
• Navigate JavaScript’s impact on web app accessibility.

Enterprise Accessibility Course → https://frontendmasters.com/courses/enterprise-accessibility/

Podcast Episode with Marcy Sutton Todd

We also recorded a podcast episode with Marcy and put it up on YouTube: Marcy Sutton Todd – A Dive into Web Accessibility | Frontend Masters Podcast Ep.13

The episode is up on Spotify and Apple Podcasts as well!

Today, we’re excited to release our second quiz-based course by Lydia Hallie with questions on JavaScript!

Test Your JavaScript Knowledge

Challenge your core knowledge of JavaScript with 50 interactive quiz questions covering topics like the event loop, scopes and closures, the this keyword, classes and prototypes, garbage collection, and more! After each question, you’ll get an in-depth visual explanation from Lydia.

I personally really enjoyed her visual explanations of the event loop and how JavaScript processes the microtask and macrotask queues. It’s difficult to wrap your head around asynchronous code – things like timers and async/await – and Lydia really challenged how much I thought I knew. (BTW, she recommends this classic talk on YouTube: What the heck is the event loop anyway? if you haven’t seen it or don’t know much about the event loop, go check it out)

Other highlights of the course include:

• Solidify your understanding of asynchronous programming and JavaScript’s event loop
• Grasp the “this” keyword and the nuances of scope and closures
• Test your knowledge of module loading, maps/sets, proxies, and template literals
• Utilize classes and prototypes for prototypal inheritance
• Explore modules and garbage collection for code optimization

We hope you enjoy Testing Your JavaScript Knowledge!

Podcast Interview with Lydia Hallie

We also did a podcast interview with Lydia and put it up on YouTube: From Self Taught Coder to Vercel Through Open Source | Frontend Masters Podcast Ep.12

Lydia Hallie takes us through her tech journey, from early coding experiments to becoming a prominent figure in the developer community as a Staff Developer Relations Engineer for Vercel. Lydia shares her unique approach to tech talks, emphasizing authenticity and leveraging visual storytelling to make complex concepts accessible. She discusses the challenges of public speaking, her collaboration with Addy Osmani on patterns.dev, and her strategies for engaging with her audience beyond conventional presentation styles. Lydia also opens up about her personal struggles with burnout, highlighting the critical need for balance between work intensity and self-care. Her story is not just about her technical achievements but also about her insights into maintaining passion and productivity in tech. Lydia’s reflections offer valuable lessons on the importance of self-awareness and the courage to prioritize well-being alongside professional growth.

The episode is up on Spotify and Apple Podcasts as well!

It’s important to understand that if you do decide to pursue management, that it’s a role change, not a promotion. It’s also not a career move that’s right for everyone. Luckily, Jem Young and Ryan Burgess, Engineering Managers at Netflix, have new courses to help you identify if management is right for you and will teach you the skills to thrive as an engineering manager if you choose this path!

Engineering Management Fundamentals 101

“The goal of this course is to help you understand Engineering Management. Even if you decided being a manager isn’t right for you, that’s fine. If you understand the lessons here, you will become a better software engineer.”

Jem Young, Software Engineer Manager at Netflix

Jem discusses motivations for transitioning into management and confronts hard truths about the position to discover what makes a good manager.You’ll learn to develop people leadership skills, learn the day-to-day responsibilities, effective meeting management, and the initial challenges of new managers. You’ll know if management is right for you and get the foundations for a successful career in software management!

Some highlights from the course:

• Transitioning to management requires a shift from coding to people management.
• Key skills include effective communication, conflict resolution, and team development.
• Balancing technical knowledge with business understanding is crucial for aligning team and organizational goals.
• Run meetings more effectively to respect your team’s time and still communicate the most essential information.
• Dispel common myths about management and find out if engineering management is right for you!

Enterprise Engineering Management 102

Learn the keys to leading high-performing technical teams from Ryan Burgess, Senior Software Engineering Manager at Netflix. Set up your teams for success by developing OKRs and KPIs, team charters, hiring processes, and fostering strong partnerships. You’ll discover the importance of giving and receiving feedback and navigating change management to improve your teams. See real-world examples, interactive exercises, and expert discussions that will enhance your leadership skills!

Here’s some highlights of what you’ll learn from the course:

• Create OKRs and KPIs to create team goals and performance metrics.
• Develop team charters for creating alignment around a shared mission.
• Refine your hiring processes to build diverse and skilled technical teams.
• Establish and nurture productive partnerships across teams.
• Improve through cultivating feedback and evolving in changing tech environments.

We hope you enjoy these new courses: Management Engineering Fundamentals and Enterprise Enterprise Management!