PROFESSIONAL SUMMARY

Digital Accessibility Specialist and Interaction Design graduate student with over three years of hands-on experience evaluating digital content for WCAG 2.1 AA and Section 508 compliance. Proven ability to apply accessibility best practices across learning platforms, digital interfaces, and enterprise content. Adept in user research, assistive technologies, usability testing, and stakeholder collaboration. Passionate about inclusive design and digital equity within higher education and public service contexts.

KEY COMPETENCIES
  • Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 2.1 AA)

  • Section 508 Compliance

  • Manual Accessibility Testing using assistive technologies, and keyboard-only navigation

  • Assistive Technologies: VoiceOver, NVDA, JAWS

  • Keyboard-only and Screen Reader Navigation

  • UX Design for Accessibility

  • Cross-functional/Multidisciplinary Team Collaboration

  • Qualitative Research Design

  • User-Centered Design (UCD)

  • Ethical Sensitivity and Reflexivity

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Digital Accessibility Specialist

University of North Texas – Center for Learning Experimentation, Application, and Research (CLEAR)
March 2022 – August 2023

Digital Accessibility Student Specialist

September 2023 – Present:

  • Evaluate online courses, instructional materials, multimedia, and third-party content for compliance with WCAG 2.1 AA and Section 508 standards.

  • Collaborate with faculty and instructional designers to remediate accessibility barriers in learning environments.

  • Recommend adaptive strategies and compatible formats for users of assistive technologies.

  • Use screen readers and keyboard-only navigation to simulate real-world usage scenarios.

  • Provide peer-training and support on best practices in digital accessibility.

Glidance Mobility Capstone Project – Accessibility Advisor Lead

University of North Texas – MA in Interaction Design
Aug 2024 – Dec 2024

Led a team of 21 students in designing the onboarding experience, packaging, and companion app for Glide, a navigation device for blind and low-vision users. As the only blind team member, I applied autoethnographic research, and accessibility principles in the development of usable prototypes and research tools.

Key contributions included:

  • Designing packaging with braille labels, haptic markers, and structural features for tactile guidance.

  • Developing an accessible app with customizable interfaces (voice navigation, scalable text, etc.).

  • Running "Wizard of Oz" usability tests to simulate screen reader interaction in real-world onboarding contexts.

  • Delivering accessible die-lines, annotated app flows, and comprehensive UX research documentation.

This project demonstrates the power of user-informed design, blending assistive technology integration with human-centered design, to support the BLV (blind/low vision) community.

Project Intern – Accessibility Research
Aperio Insights, Dallas, TX
May 2024 – August 2024

  • Upon Aperio/client meetings regarding hiring an intern, I was chosen specifically because of my ability to empathize with the client’s target audience.

  • Worked collaboratively with Aperio and their client in team meetings on all initial stages of an innovative auto manufacturing fact-finding questionnaire.

  • Personally developed the qualitative research questionnaire for the client ­– a major automotive company (NDA) – to assess accessibility needs of drivers and passengers with disabilities.

Graduate Student Committee Member – Innovation Advisory Board
University of North Texas
September 2023 – May 2025

  • Advise university leadership on digital learning policies, educational technology, and accessibility needs of online and residential students.

  • Provide feedback on innovation initiatives to the Office of the President and Division of Digital Strategy and Innovation (DSI).

  • Represent student concerns in the development of accessible learning systems.

Student Committee Member – ADA Advisory Committee
Office of Disability Accommodation, University of North Texas
2015 – 2021

  • Proposed and facilitated implementation of an audible floor indicator in university buildings to support blind and low-vision users.

  • Supported campus-wide initiatives to improve physical and digital accessibility compliance.

Project Intern - Office of Disability Accommodations

Office of Disability Accommodation, University of North Texas
Summers, 2013 – 2015

  • Participated in working on various projects, including creating instructional videos and materials for ODA.

  • Primarily responsible for electronically marking all UNT campus building entrances, including the outlying athletic village – only the second university in the US to have implemented GPS access.

  • Initial Interaction Design experiences for ODA.

EDUCATION

M.A. in Design: Interaction Design, Expected August 2025

College of Visual Arts and Design, University of North Texas

B.A. in Integrative Studies, May 2021

Primary Areas of Focus: Linguistics, Social Sciences, French.

College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences, University of North Texas

TECHNICAL PROFICIENCES

  • Platforms: Canvas, Blackboard, Microsoft 365, Google Workspace

  • OS Experience: Windows

  • Software: Adobe Acrobat Pro (Accessibility Checker), Microsoft PowerPoint (accessibility features), Microsoft Office Suite

ADDITIONAL SKILLS
  • Conversational in French and Spanish; basic verbal skills in Italian, German, Arabic, Mandarin, Turkish, and Portuguese.

  • Strong verbal and written communication tailored to both technical and non-technical audiences.

  • Excellent at adapting quickly to evolving technologies and team structures.

Blindness has taught me to see differently. Through the insight I've gained, I will be a valuable member of your design team.

Take a look.

You'll see.

ETHAN LIGON RESUME