Web Site Accessibility Blog

Today, July 26 2005, marks the 15-year anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

This move had an impact on many Americans, as then President Bush stated that the “shameful wall of exclusion” would fall as a result of this action. Little did I think anyone realized that there would be two frontiers that would be affected by this act. The first frontier was the physical frontier - which required that buildings, public areas and workspaces be more accessible to people, allowing more freedom for those with disabilities to be more independent.

The second frontier has slowly been opening, as it was barely imagined when the first act was signed into law, the digital frontier. The Web ran far ahead of accessibility, although early design techniques allowed for a limited form of accessibility. Now, the frontier is taking shape in many forms, from creating accessible web sites to accessible devices, such as MP3 players, PDA’s and cell phones.

Having been a witness for many years to physical inaccessibility and the sometimes cruel comments of others, I am amazed to be in the time that we are. While I do not condone a government mandate or law to make businesses create accessible web sites, I am glad this Act affects the status quo. I believe business should be able to choose to ignore a large part of the population, and suffer the consequences of it. In my opinion, the work is in convincing businesses to be inclusive, fair and thoughtful, which in turn will help their businesses to grow.

I only hope to be able to be a small part of helping this far-reaching legislation that allows freedom of Americans to enjoy the same benefits as anyone else. Access to physical buildings, web sites and technology will continue to grow and develop, and this historic Act will have an impact on many lives for many years to come.

The bottom line: Even without legislation, it’s the right thing to do.