Hey there, friends! Things have been incredibly busy at Andromeda Galactic Solutions the past few months, so we really haven’t had the time to say hi to everyone via newsletter.
So, first things first, hi! We hope you’re doing well!
We’ve been getting a lot done. We’ll talk about client work in a bit, but some of the cool things happening “in shop” include both Martine Dowden and Michael Dowden being renewed as Google Developer Experts (GDE) for 2025. Martine is recognized as an expert in Web Technologies, Angular, and Firebase, while Michael is recognized as an expert in Firebase and Web Technologies, so keep this in mind if you need any assistance in those fields!
Martine and Michael have also been busy during their breaks, with Martine appearing on the .NET Rocks! Podcast (Link to Episode) and Michael appearing on the Innovantage Podcast (link to info). On the blog, Martine has added a post about manipulating text layout using CSS text-wrap, and Michael has given some simple tricks on how to backup and restore, or even migrate, Firebase data.
On the client side, we had a spotlight on Practice Orbit back in February, and today we want to give a spotlight to another group we’ve had the pleasure of working with, Project Lead the Way.
One of our core services at Andromeda is helping companies improve their web accessibility. This often starts with the creation of an accessibility action plan as described in Approachable Accessibility: Planning for Success, written by our founders, Martine & Michael Dowden. Our work includes testing and remediation of discovered issues for websites and web applications, writing an accessibility statement, and producing Voluntary Product Accessibility Templates (VPAT) and Accessibility Conformance Reports (ACR).
Just over a year ago, we started a relationship with Project Lead The Way (PLTW), located right here in Indianapolis, to help guide their ongoing accessibility journey across thousands of pages of course content.
PLTW is a mission-driven nonprofit organization that creates transformative learning experiences and empowers students to develop in-demand knowledge and skills. Through hands-on curriculum and learning, PLTW provides students and educators with the tools, resources, and support to confidently deliver high-quality education. These materials can be accessed directly by students in an online format, but are also often used by educators to guide their instruction of the material. Students in over 12,000 schools nationwide have had increased access to STEM learning and education in pathways such as computer science, engineering, and biomedical science with the support of PLTW.
This has been an exciting project for us because the core values of our organizations are well-aligned, and it’s an opportunity to improve access to critical educational materials for thousands of students across the country.
Over the past year, Andromeda has been able to help PLTW improve processes to ensure Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) are met consistently in the production of educational materials. We have worked together through challenging interactive content and have provided detailed and actionable feedback on 3rd-party resources, working directly with vendors to improve the accessibility of their interactive components.
We’re entering the last phase of the project, which is to prepare public-facing documentation of PLTW’s efforts and commitment to accessibility in the form of VPAT and ACR documents. This has been an exciting experience, and we’re thrilled to be a part of this journey.
All right, with that, I’m going to go ahead and cut everyone loose to enjoy the rest of your Wednesday, or whichever day you’re reading this. Please remember to take good care of yourselves. Stay hydrated, don’t work through meals, and get up from your desk to stretch every now and then. Most importantly, please be excellent to yourselves and each other.