We Shone the Spotlight on Accessibility; Now Let's Keep it in Permanent Focus

So while we may wrap up our month-long (with a few extra bonus days) blog focus on accessibility, that doesn't mean the issue shouldn't remain top of mind. Unfortunately, we're a society that's focused on "next" -- today's cause célèbre is soon yesterday's news.

We must make accessibility a cause permanent.

Accessibility is about fundamental rights and access. It's about treating all of us -- regardless of what challenges we have now or in the future -- in a way that ensures we have equitable access to the support and tools we need.

Note, I didn't say equal. It's equitable.

In a business environment, we make allowances for people's needs. Sometimes you have to leave early to take the kids to the doctor; sometimes you need a piece of adaptive technology to help you read text on a web page.

It's not about accommodation. If I can leave you with anything here, strike that term from your vocabulary. We are not accommodating anything; we are providing people with the tools and resources they need to ensure that their skills, talents, and abilities are allowed to come to the fore.

Some people need fewer tools, some need more. The point is, we want to ensure that everyone has access to the same information, resources, tools, and supports.

I'm not a New Year's Resolution kind of guy, but if you're so inclined, you could make a commitment to accessibility a part of your upcoming plans. Or you could just start now. What can you do?

Get involved at the municipal level

I currently sit on the City of London's Accessibility Advisory Committee (ACCAC) and I know, first hand, there are a few open resource spots. Chances are there's a committee or a sub-committee in your neck of the woods that would love to have you on it.

Reach out, see what's available, and if it's possible, dedicate a few hours of your year to helping make a difference at the local level. After all, all politics is local politics, so this is a great place to start.

To be fair, I'm extremely lucky in that I work for a company that values this involvement and supports my efforts. I know that not everyone has the opportunity to attend mid-day meetings due to work/life commitments. But if you're so inclined, reach out -- either to your boss to see if this is something he or she may be interested in, or to the board/committee in question. Maybe there are after-hours meetings, maybe there are tasks or events that need support.

Every little bit helps.

Find organizations that support the cause

I'm also on the board of the Ability First Coalition here in London and Digital Echidna has been a long-time supporter of this organization. Provincially, there are groups like the Ontario Disability Employment Network and various chapters of the AODA Alliance. And that's not even counting the provincial and national social agencies and networks out there that are supporting people with various disabilities (e.g. Canadian Mental Health Association, Goodwill, March of Dimes...)

Even if you can't be part of a board or invest in a lot of time, there are so many ways to support their efforts. Share their content on social media and attend events if you can. If you find an organization that aligns with your beliefs and merits your support, then do what you can to help them reach their goals.

Make personal commitments towards inclusivity

There's a lot of good work happening out there and there are a lot of great people doing a lot of great things with not enough resources and, often, not enough support. An hour or two a month, or every few months, may not seem like enough to you, but that time can mean the world to these organizations.

I see a lot of great volunteers out there who have no interest in the limelight and don't receive the recognition they deserve. They're not out for the media glory, but rather they believe in the cause and they work their fingers to the bone. An hour or two may not feel like a lot to you, but to these volunteers who pour hour upon hour of their own time into events and activities, that two-hour respite can make all the difference.

Lend your voice (on social networks or by contacting your elected representatives), support financially if it's at all possible (I know it's tough to support everyone -- my guideline is to pick a few charities that mean a lot to me and support them financially and with my time), and, if you so choose, tell other people about what you're supporting.

That last one is tough for me. Heck, writing a post like this is tough for me. I'm not involved in accessibility efforts because I'm looking for people to pat me on the back. There are enough people out there that do that and it doesn't sit well with me. But I've also learned that there are a lot of people who just don't know what's out there, or how they can get involved. So, if I can do anything, it's to demystify how difficult it is to be a part of these organizations.

I'm just a guy. And I've been embraced by these groups. I do my best and I believe in the cause. I have personal and professional reasons to support it, but, again, I'm just a guy.

Talk with your colleagues and help demystify accessibility

There are a lot of myths out there about accessibility. There are beliefs that people with disabilities are more prone to absenteeism (false), that they're a limited and less-valued demographic (false), and -- most importantly -- that they're not us (false).

The fact is we're all getting older and the basic tenets of accessibility will be welcomed by all of us as our eyesight fails, as our movements slow, and as our cognitive abilities decrease. And that's just the normal process of aging. How many of us may need supports after an illness or an accident? As someone with a permanent tear in my shoulder thanks to an auto accident over a decade ago, I know that it doesn't take long for the way you interact with the world to change.

We often take it for granted, but I guarantee you that you'll appreciate a focus on accessibility in the long term.

Lather, rinse, repeat

It's not a one-time thing. Accessibility requires repetition.

From a web context, accessibility should be core to all development. It should be core to the educational system, so that accessibility isn't seen as an "add-on" or a "nice-to-have," but rather it's a fundamental aspect of who we are as a society and what we want to be.

Don't just get motivated by a speaker or a blog post, or stress out because of an impending deadline, then let accessibility fall by the wayside once that date is in the rear-view mirror. Make it a priority each and every day.

It's not onerous. It's not "more" or "accommodating" -- it's just part of who we are and what we need to be.

It's not a treat-of-the-week, cause célèbre. It's a far more satisfying, long-term, cause permanent that makes us a better society that's supportive of and accessible to us all.