May 21, 2026 — Global Accessibility Awareness Day

The 15th annual day dedicated to digital access and inclusion. Here's what it is, why it exists, and how you can get involved.

What Is Global Accessibility Awareness Day?

Global Accessibility Awareness Day — GAAD — is observed on the third Thursday of May every year. Its purpose is simple: to get everyone talking, thinking, and learning about digital access and inclusion for the more than 1.3 billion people worldwide living with a significant disability.

GAAD is not a regulatory deadline or a corporate campaign. It's an open, community-organized day with one goal — to turn awareness into action.

A Blog Post That Became a Global Movement

In 2011, a Los Angeles-based web developer named Joe Devon wrote a single blog post calling for a community-led day to talk about digital accessibility. An accessibility professional from Toronto named Jennison Asuncion discovered it by chance on Twitter, reached out immediately, and the two joined forces.

By 2012 GAAD was a real event. By 2021 the GAAD Foundation was formally launched to centralize the growing global movement. In 2026 we're celebrating the 15th annual GAAD — and the web still has a long way to go.

"95.9% of the top one million websites have detectable accessibility failures. The six most common errors have been the same for seven years."

— WebAIM Million 2026 Report

Why This Day Matters

1.3 Billion

People worldwide living with a significant disability — 16% of the global population

Source: WHO, 2023

95.9%

Of the top one million websites have detectable WCAG failures

Source: WebAIM Million 2026

3,117

Federal ADA website accessibility lawsuits filed in 2025 alone — a 27% increase from 2024

Source: Seyfarth Shaw

Free Online GAAD 2026 Events

All free. All open to the public. All on May 21, 2026.

Design, Develop, Deliver

University of Minnesota, University of Illinois, University of Michigan

Keynote from Dr. Shanna Kattari plus breakout sessions on building accessible digital experiences, accessible content, and advancing accessibility practices.

Register Free

Accessibility in Action — Full Day Livestream

Accessible Web

An 8-hour marathon of live auditing, testing, and knowledge sharing. Submit your own components to be reviewed live on air.

Register Free

Deque Free Virtual Events

Deque Systems

A variety of free virtual sessions from one of the leading accessibility tools companies. Suitable for developers, designers, and business stakeholders.

View Events

Level Up: Creating an Experiential Accessibility Lab

Workday

Learn how Workday built an experiential accessibility lab from the ground up and how you can adapt these ideas for your own organization.

Register Free

Free Accessibility Resources