- Print this page or save as PDF to mark progress offline
- Or keep a checklist in your preferred note-taking app
- Check off items as you complete them
- Return here to see your learning path and next steps
- Created GitHub account (free tier is fine)
- Installed Git (https://git-scm.com/download/)
- Installed/configured VS Code or preferred editor
- Installed GitHub CLI (
gh) - optional but recommended - Set up SSH key or HTTPS authentication
- Verified:
git --versionshows v2.20+ - Verified:
gh auth statusshows you're logged in
Status: Not started In progress Complete
Time: 30 minutes | What You'll Do: Get your computer ready
- Read
docs/00-pre-workshop-setup.md - Complete all prerequisite installations
- Verify all tools work (git, VS Code, GitHub)
- Set up SSH key (optional but recommended)
- Test: Can you clone a repository? (
git clone ...)
Status: Not started In progress Complete
Time: 1 hour | What You'll Do: Learn GitHub's layout and terminology
- Read
docs/01-understanding-github-web-structure.md - Understand: Repositories, Branches, Commits, PRs, Issues
- Identify on any GitHub repo: Code tab, Issues tab, PR tab, Settings
- Know the difference: Fork vs. Branch
- Can explain: What is a pull request?
Status: Not started In progress Complete
Time: 45 minutes | What You'll Do: Practice exploring real repositories
- Read
docs/02-navigating-repositories.md - Navigate to 3 different repos and identify key files
- Use keyboard navigation (accessibility focus)
- Found: README, CONTRIBUTING, License, Issues template
- Understand the code structure and file tree
Status: Not started In progress Complete
Time: 30 minutes | What You'll Do: Understand the shared practice environment
- Read
docs/03-the-learning-room.md - Understand: How the Learning Room automation works
- Know: Where to find your first contribution challenge
- Reviewed: Available practice challenges
- Understand: How bot feedback and peer review work
Status: Not started In progress Complete
Time: 1 hour | What You'll Do: Create, read, and comment on issues
- Read
docs/04-working-with-issues.md - Create an issue in a practice repo
- Comment on someone else's issue
- Add a label and assignment to an issue
- Know how to: Search issues, filter by label, use issue templates
- Understand: Issue lifecycle (Open → In Progress → Done)
Status: Not started In progress Complete
Time: 45 minutes | What You'll Do: Set up VS Code for accessible development
- Read
docs/05-vscode-accessibility.md - Installed: VS Code with accessibility settings configured
- Enabled: Screen reader mode and keyboard navigation
- Know how to: Use the Command Palette (
Ctrl+Shift+P) - Configured: Accessibility signals and editor preferences for your workflow
Status: Not started In progress Complete
Time: 1 hour | What You'll Do: Submit, review, and merge PRs
- Read
docs/06-working-with-pull-requests.md - Create a pull request
- Review a PR and add comments
- Respond to PR feedback
- Know how to: See diff, leave suggestions, approve
- Understand: PR merge strategies (Merge, Squash, Rebase)
Status: Not started In progress Complete
Time: 1 hour | What You'll Do: Resolve conflicts between branches
- Read
docs/07-merge-conflicts.md - Understand: Why conflicts happen
- Know how to: Identify conflict markers (<<<< ==== >>>>)
- Successfully resolved: 1+ real merge conflict
- Know the "abort" option:
git merge --abort
Status: Not started In progress Complete
Time: 30 minutes | What You'll Do: Learn collaborative best practices
- Read
docs/08-culture-etiquette.md - Understand: Respectful code review
- Know the difference: Suggestion vs. Requirement
- Can give constructive feedback on code
- Understand: Inclusive language in issues/PRs
Status: Not started In progress Complete
Time: 45 minutes | What You'll Do: Use GitHub's organizational tools
- Read
docs/09-labels-milestones-projects.md - Created: 3+ labels for a repo or issue
- Created: 1+ milestone (release or sprint)
- Used project board to organize work (optional: add columns and cards)
- Filtered issues using: Labels + Milestones
Status: Not started In progress Complete
Time: 30 minutes | What You'll Do: Master GitHub notifications
- Read
docs/10-notifications.md - Set up notifications: Email or in-app
- Understand: @mentions, subscriptions, digest settings
- Configured: Notifications for your projects
- Know how to: Unsubscribe from threads you don't need
Status: Not started In progress Complete
Time: 1 hour | What You'll Do: Master Git operations within VS Code
- Read
docs/11-git-source-control.md - Know how to: Clone, branch, commit, push from VS Code
- Used: Source Control panel (
Ctrl+Shift+G) - Understand: Staging, committing, and syncing changes
- Configured: Git credentials and remote tracking
Status: Not started In progress Complete
Time: 45 minutes | What You'll Do: Review and create PRs from VS Code
- Read
docs/12-github-pull-requests-extension.md - Installed: GitHub Pull Requests and Issues extension
- Know how to: View, review, and create PRs in VS Code
- Understand: Inline code review workflow
- Practice: Commented on a PR from within VS Code
Status: Not started In progress Complete
Time: 1 hour | What You'll Do: Use AI-assisted coding and chat
- Read
docs/13-github-copilot.md - Installed: GitHub Copilot and Copilot Chat extensions
- Verified: Copilot Chat works (
Ctrl+Shift+I) - Know how to: Use inline suggestions, chat, and custom instructions
- Understand: Chat participants, agents, and model selection
Status: Not started In progress Complete
Time: 1.5 hours + Exercises | What You'll Do: Review code accessibly
- Read
docs/14-accessible-code-review.md - Understand: Accessible code review principles
- Know the difference: Manual review vs. Copilot review
- Familiar with: VS Code Accessible Diff Viewer (F7)
- Exercise A: Review issue accessibility using web reader
- Exercise B: Use VS Code Accessible Diff Viewer
- Exercise C: Comment on PR accessibility
Status: Not started In progress Complete
Exercises Completed: A B C All
Time: 1.5 hours + Exercises | What You'll Do: Create accessible issue templates
- Read
docs/15-issue-templates.md - Understand: YAML syntax for templates
- Know how to: Create and test custom templates
- Understand: Form accessibility in templates
- Exercise A: Create template using GitHub web UI
- Exercise B: Create template locally in VS Code
- Exercise C: Create PR for accessibility template
- Exercise D: Design custom template for your project
Status: Not started In progress Complete
Exercises Completed: A B C D All
Time: 1.5 hours + Exercises | What You'll Do: Automate with Copilot agents
Browse the ecosystem and try agents that match your skills (read Chapter 16 for the full landscape):
- GitHub Workflow agents -
@daily-briefing,@issue-tracker,@pr-review,@analytics,@insiders-a11y-tracker,@template-builder - Accessibility agents -
@web-accessibility-wizard,@contrast-master,@keyboard-navigator,@markdown-a11y-assistant - Developer Tools agents -
@python-specialist,@desktop-a11y-specialist,@a11y-tool-builder
- Exercise 1: Generate a template with @template-builder
- Follow all 8 steps
- Ask Questions workflow guided tour
- Save generated template
- Test locally or on GitHub
- Exercise 2: Extend the @template-builder agent
- Follow all 6 steps
- Edit
.github/agents/template-builder.agent.md - Add new Pre-Built Workflow
- Test agent with new workflow
- Exercise 3: Iterative refinement with agents
- Follow all 4 steps
- Ask agent to modify/extend template
- Observe pattern of interaction
- Reflection: How does iteration work with agents?
Status: Not started In progress Complete
Exercises Completed: 1 2 3 All
- Appendix A: Glossary - Read as needed for term definitions
- Saved link or printed for reference
- Appendix B: Screen Reader Cheatsheet - Bookmark this!
- Appendix Y: Accessing Workshop Materials - How to download, read offline, and keep updated
- Appendix Z: GitHub Skills Catalog - All 36 modules organized into six learning paths
- NVDA commands bookmarked
- JAWS commands bookmarked
- VoiceOver commands bookmarked
The workshop includes structured exercises in the following chapters. Use this table to track your exercise completion separately from chapter reading:
| Chapter | Exercise | Description | Done? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ch 1 | 60-Second Orientation | Press 1, D, 2, H on a repo page - prove you can navigate by ear |
|
| Ch 2 | Five-Tab Tour | Visit Code, Issues, PRs, file finder, and README on a real repo | |
| Ch 3 | Individual Challenges | 12 progressive challenges in learning-room/docs/CHALLENGES.md |
|
| Ch 3 | Group Challenges | 7 collaborative exercises in learning-room/docs/GROUP_CHALLENGES.md |
|
| Ch 4 | File Your First Issue | Create an introduction issue in the Learning Room | |
| Ch 5 | Try It Right Now | Open a repo in github.dev, enable screen reader mode, explore the interface | |
| Ch 6 | Read a Real PR | Navigate a PR's description, conversation, and diff | |
| Ch 7 | Read a Conflict | Read merge conflict markers and identify both versions | |
| Ch 8 | Rewrite One Comment | Transform a dismissive review comment into constructive feedback | |
| Ch 9 | Label and Link | Add a label to an issue and create a cross-reference | |
| Ch 10 | Tame Your Inbox | Mark a notification as done and configure watch settings | |
| Ch 11 | Clone, Branch, Commit | Complete the full Git cycle: clone → branch → edit → stage → commit → push | |
| Ch 12 | Review a PR from VS Code | Open a diff, use Accessible Diff Viewer (F7), leave a comment |
|
| Ch 13 | First Copilot Conversation | Ask Copilot Chat a question about your repo and read the response | |
| Ch 14 | Exercise A | Complete a web-based PR review using screen reader navigation | |
| Ch 14 | Exercise B | Use the VS Code Accessible Diff Viewer on the same PR | |
| Ch 14 | Exercise C | Compare web vs. VS Code review and document findings | |
| Ch 15 | Exercise A | Use an existing issue template in Accessibility Agents | |
| Ch 15 | Exercise B | Create an accessibility bug report template locally | |
| Ch 15 | Exercise C | Submit your template upstream via a real PR | |
| Ch 15 | Exercise D | Design a custom template for your own project | |
| Ch 16 | Exercise 1 | Generate a template with the @template-builder agent | |
| Ch 16 | Exercise 2 | Extend the @template-builder agent with new workflows | |
| Ch 16 | Exercise 3 | Practice iterative refinement with agents |
- Chapters 0-10: Not started In progress Complete
- Time: ~8 hours (includes workshop time)
- Chapters 11-16: Not started In progress Complete
- Time: ~5 hours (includes exercises)
- All chapters + appendices: Not started In progress Complete
- Time: ~13 hours total
| Section | Time | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-Workshop | 30 min | |
| Day 1 Core (Ch 0-10) | 8 hrs | |
| Day 2 Advanced (Ch 11-16) | 5 hrs | |
| Reference/Appendices | As needed | |
| Total | ~13 hrs |
Recommended order:
- Ch 0 (Setup) - 30 min
- Ch 1 (Structure) - 1 hr
- Ch 4 (Issues) - 1 hr
- Ch 6 (PRs) - 1 hr
- Ch 14 (Accessible Review) - 1.5 hrs
- Ch 16 (Accessibility Agents) - 1.5 hrs
Total: ~6.5 hours
Recommended order:
- Ch 0 (Setup) - 30 min
- Ch 9 (Labels/Milestones) - 45 min
- Ch 15 (Issue Templates) - 1.5 hrs
- Ch 14 (Accessible Code Review) - 1.5 hrs
- Ch 16 (Accessibility Agents) - 1.5 hrs
Total: ~5.5 hours
Recommended order:
- Full curriculum (0-16) - 11+ hours
- Read FACILITATOR.md
- Practice all exercises before leading workshop
Total: ~15 hours
- Work on real open-source projects
- Practice code review on real PRs
- Create templates for your own repositories
- Experiment with agents on your own code
- Lead a workshop for your team
- Contribute improvements to this guide
- Help others in GitHub discussions/issues
- GitHub Advanced Security features
- Custom GitHub Actions
- Codespaces for efficient development
- GitHub Enterprise features
- Check:
TROUBLESHOOTING.md(common issues & fixes) - Search:
QUICK_REFERENCE.md(commands & shortcuts) - Look up:
docs/appendix-u-resources.md(external documentation) - Define:
docs/appendix-a-glossary.md(term definitions) - Ask: Open an issue or discussion on GitHub
Last updated: February 2026
Print or bookmark this progress tracker to chart your journey!