Let’s Start with Default Accessible
Picture a world where we choose to prioritize accessibility as a default. Having accessibility always on, built-in, turned on, working and integral to all of our products, services, systems, and interactions.
Why isn’t this our goal?
Inclusion, welcoming, equity, equality, justice… they all rest on a basic foundation of default accessibility.
When accessibility is an option or optional. Discrimination is the default
When we talk about accessibility today, we picture a small button somewhere to add subtitles or a special version of school curriculum… or even a secondary entrance to a building sometimes hidden around the corner…
– a special added curb cut, near major businesses zones and public areas… not along every street or at all street corners.
…when you have to ask for something to be made accessible – to change school or business operations or add a feature at a meeting or request that a business operate different.
… you always seem to have to ask.
The ASK is a burden on the disabled person.
It is a cost.
It changes the human dynamics. Power. Status. Asking makes you dependent. Asking makes you have an obligation.
The obligation to ask makes you an immediate second class citizen.
Why is it that you need to request a favor or change just to get to the same level of service (cough – maybe if you’re lucky) as everybody else?
Sometimes the accessibility feature isn’t there at all or no one’s bothered to check to see if it actually works or they decide to charge you extra for the privilege of having their product or service accessible
(“Hey… here’s our awesome product… thanks for buying it… oh, it doesn’t work for you… you can buy this just to have the same functionality… maybe.. as everybody else).
“Adding accessibility” seen as a cost burden, a time burden. an effort burden, an (ugh) obligation that is too often met with reluctance and surliness…
… and the people who need accessibility support are somehow inherently, regardless, as somewhat less than everyone else.
Let’s call it what it is:
Discrimination
Or flat out
unacceptable BS
If we truly believe in equality and the dignity of our fellow human beings, then it is our obligation to a bare minimum provide mechanical access to our society – our businesses, our governments, our communications, our lives.
We need to start from a basic core model of being Default Accessible.
Not an optional feature, not even a always available option, but is a standard and integral part of all of our experiences
I know that this is a non-trivial challenge, but it is at the heart of many of the values that we say have.
Respect. Justice. Equality.
How can those be true without accessibility?
Accessibility is HARD
And achieving true, default, universal accessibility is almost certainly an impossible Quixotic Quest.
Accessibility needs are potential mutually exclusive – or at least in potential conflict with those of some other people.
Let’s start with a simple basic at the obligation is on us every one of us to do the best we can.
In school let’s start with having all textbooks and all classroom materials accessible for all students – no secondary segregated curriculum for some of our disabled students – just a expanded tool kit to allow all students move through curriculum at their own pace
Instead of having a segregated system of certifying special education teachers, all teachers should have all be certified with the tools to educate all students or as close as possible
Similarly for doctors and dentist and nurses and other service providers
Default accessible becomes a unifying lens to look at all of our products and services and systems
Ask us to challenge some of our basic assumptions about everything.
But how can we talk about inclusion or equity or justice if we can if we don’t first have basic foundation accessibility?
