The Why Web Accessibility Compliance Is A Game-Changer (forbes.com) article draw many parallels between accessibility in the physical and digital world, including some I hadn't thought of. I have talked about how accessibility benefits everyone, with many common technologies (SMS, Remote Control, Closed Captions...) used today being born from the need for accessibility. However, I hadn't made the jump to the changes in the physical world that we all benefit from, like access ramps, dropped curbs automatic doors and many more.
Here is a snippet from the article:
In today’s business world, customer experience matters more than ever. As a result, people expect that compliance processes will focus more on improving their experiences. And this is where web accessibility compliance changes the playing field. How? Because it is intrinsically focused on meeting the users’ needs.
Web accessibility compliance aims to ensure that everyone has equal access to the web. This implies providing a more intuitive and streamlined experience for every web user. Web accessibility is essential for users with disabilities, but it is useful to everyone. For instance, everyone (not just people with disabilities) uses accessibility features in physical environments, such as ramps, automatic door openers, handrails and lower curbs.
Likewise, as the web grows, more people—with or without disabilities—actively use or at least would prefer having the option to use accessibility features while browsing the Internet. A quick look at the W3C’s Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) provides deeper insight into how web accessibility compliance focuses on the user rather than the organization.
Think of the web as a big public library that is open to every member of the community. Anyone should be able to easily and freely walk in. Some visitors may use the stairs; others may need alternative means of entry like an access ramp. If access ramps are available, then more people can enter the library. The more accessible the library, the more likely people will return, share their experiences and bring others too. In the same way, web accessibility is the access ramp to the Internet.
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