Muppets and Accessibility
It's a little known fact that most Muppets are left handed. The reason for this? Most Muppeteers are right handed so they operate the head with their favoured hand!
As surprised as you are by that fact, there's something that may surprise you even more...
People with disabilities use the internet too. Perhaps you knew that already, but it surprises me how many people have simply never given it a thought. Why would they though? Afterall, using a computer and the internet is something we take for granted, something that just happens.
But how hard would it be if you were blind? If you turned off your monitor or covered your laptop screen, could you use the internet, search for things online or do your grocery shopping?
What about if you were deaf? Would you be able to view the news online, understand what was going on in videos or follow tutorials?
How about if you had limited mobility in your arms, or even no arms at all? Could you navigate through a website only using the keyboard or by using your feet?
There's a world that exists for 1 in 5 Australians which the rest of us rarely think about. However, if you own a business, it's a world you definitely should be thinking about.
Why? Well firstly it's a legal requirement. Admittedly one that is not yet well enforced but a legal requirement all the same.
AccessIQ explains, the cornerstone of the legal imperative for organisations to provide accessible websites is the Disability Discrimination Act 1992.
The key element of the Act, Section 5, has been interpreted as requiring organisations to make their websites and web content accessible. This is because not doing so would result in someone with a disability being treated “less favourably” than someone without a disability. Also, making a website and its content accessible to someone with a disability is viewed as constituting a “reasonable adjustment” so organisations are required to make this adjustment.
Secondly, it makes good business sense. Why would you intentionally exclude 20% of your target market? The assistive technology already exists to make your website accessible. It's not a "nice to have" or a "bells and whistles", it's a must have and an opportunity to reach a wider target market and separate your business from your competition.
We're so convinced that websites should be accessible that we've developed a way to include this assistive technology out of the box, at no extra cost for every website we develop from 2016 onwards. We're working on adding this to our Content Management System as well and we're also looking into ways that we can add this technology to popular eCommerce platforms too.
Got an existing website? We can add assistive technology to that too.
Ready to reach a wider target market, set your business apart from your competition and future proof your business against potential legal issues?