Ensuring That Accessibility Compliance Equals Full Access
Posted on:
August 15, 2018
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Many people take things for granted. For example, a sighted person can see a red line on a site or an app, but may not think about the fact that a blind user cannot see that red line. When designing apps and services to be accessible, it is important to ensure that the complete service is accessible, not simply the digital properties that comprise this service.
In America and Europe, there are laws on the books that require websites to be accessible to people with disabilities. However, these are not the only places where there are users with disabilities. Disability occurs in all parts of the world, and all people with disabilities need services to assist them in living their everyday lives. Even if the government of a country does not require companies and organizations to make their websites accessible, it is still important that your website be accessible for all markets you serve.
In 2016, Facebook unveiled their AI (artificial intelligence) technology, which attempts to automatically describe images to benefit people who are blind or visually impaired. While we are pretty excited about its potential, it’s important to understand where this technology might be helpful, and what its limitations are.
One of the most fundamental tasks when making a website accessible is ensuring that all of your images are also accessible to people who can’t see them.
Accessible360 periodically showcases a digital superuser with personal insights into the digital landscape and assistive technology. By getting to know them, we learn more about the importance of digital accessibility, borrow their knowledge, and gain insights into important personal preferences.
Katherine Schneider, Disability Rights Activist Would you tell us a little about yourself? I am a retired clinical psychologist. I am also an activist and author. What are a couple of your favorite websites or mobile apps?
