Member-only story
Inclusion Means Big Bucks and Smart Business
As someone who’s been tirelessly advocating for the inclusion of people with disabilities in the digital space for over 20 years, I’ve lost track of how many times I’ve had to explain that accessibility is a lot more than just a business expense. As the old saying goes, if I’d been given a dollar every time that someone had justified their inactions towards accessible content and more inclusive by arguing that “people with disabilities have no money”, well, let’s just say I’d be much closer to financial independence than I am today.
“Blind people are not interested in computers”.
“People with disabilities are not part of our audience”.
“Seniors hate computers and can’t use technology”.
“Of course, everyone knows how to use the web”.
“I’ve been doing this a long time, I know what my audience wants”.
In fact, when it comes to people with disabilities, the elderly, or anyone marginalized by the way we create, share and communicate information, the very heterogeneous group of people with disabilities represents a much bigger market than any of us truly realize. If we collectively did, the digital landscape would look a hell of a lot different for those who currently struggle with what the rest of us takes for granted.
