Paul Boag

Accessibility – A moral obligation

Author:
Paul Boag
Email the author
Published:
30 July 2004
Categories:
Inclusive Design
Reading time:
1 minutes

I often talk about the fact that we have a legal obligation to make our web sites accessibility. I also promote the financial benefits of making your website accessible to all. But I have come to believe we also have a moral obligation to improve access to our sites.

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At the end of the day, I believe making websites accessible to all is simply the right thing to do. This was really driven home to me last night as I was watching a documentary on Channel 4 called “Picking up the pieces.” It followed the experiences of a 24-year-old woman who lost sight due to diabetes.

I have to say that the program really moved me. Watching this young woman come to terms with her blindness and then learn to overcome it was incredible. Watching her struggle to deal with going out on her own, navigating curbs and roads, and being thrown by simple things like an object being moved was truly heart-wrenching at times.

As web designers and site managers, we so often moan about the constraints that website accessibility puts on us. We feel we have to compromise to cater to the minority. That designing with accessibility in mind is an “inconvenience.” I know I have certainly been guilty of this in the past. Last night’s TV documentary made me realize that this is nothing compared to the inconvenience partially sighted people live with daily. I got so frustrated on her behalf watching her deal with the everyday world that does not cater to those with disabilities.

On the internet, we have a unique opportunity. We can make the web accessible in ways impossible offline. Technology allows us to cater to all, whatever their circumstances, and as the people that build and run websites I believe we need to start taking that responsibility seriously.

I am just sorry it has taken me this long to realize it.

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