Article - Is This the Right Time
by Jutta Treviranus
In November 2008, the provincial government released draft legislation that obligates all organizations and businesses in Ontario. The new Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) Standard proposes regulations for the accessibility of information and communication in Ontario. This has potential impact on all forms of communication with customers, clients, patients, employees, volunteers, and the public. Businesses, not-for-profit and public organizations operating in Ontario will need to seriously address the accessibility of their information and communication processes.
Among the existing accessibility problems addressed are interactive phone menus that don't give you enough time to respond or let you correct mistakes, important instructions in illegible type and Web sites that can't be controlled without using a mouse.
The regulation stresses proactive steps for technology and services moving forward. It attempts to be technology-neutral and allow leeway for finding creative ways to achieve the requirements. It also encourages organizations to do what is right and best for each individual rather than for a predetermined class of individuals (e.g., Mary who uses a talking computer to read text and does not read Braille - rather than "the blind"). It doesn't mandate that material be produced just in case someone might need it, rather it requires that organizations have the capacity to provide the needed material on request. If there is one principle the regulation promotes, it is greater flexibility in information and communication systems or services, to serve the needs of a larger group of customers or users.
Given the economic crisis, some people have asked "is this the best time to put additional demands on organizations, especially the struggling private sector?"
Is this the right time to release such sweeping legislation?
From a business prudence perspective this is clearly not a time to increase inventory or invest in non-essential capital. It is however time to diversify our market, increase our customer base and find new markets. Customers are less likely to invest in non-essentials, conveniences and luxuries. It has been pointed out that information and communication technology makes things more convenient for people without disabilities and possible for people with disabilities. The demand worldwide for accessible products and services is increasing exponentially. As we age, more and more of us are experiencing "disabilities" and require alternative access systems. Accessibility is not a luxury, convenience or non-essential. The demand for accessible products and services will not be dampened by this economic recession. Ontario can take this opportunity to become a world leader in innovating and supplying accessible products and services globally.
This is also a time to get our information systems' house in order. It is time to rid ourselves of inflexible, monolithic, legacy information and communication technology (ICT) systems that act as a continuous money sink, are hard to maintain, and nearly impossible to update. These systems pose barriers to collaboration and the flow of information. Accessible or inclusively designed information systems are more flexible by design to afford greater options for displaying and controlling information. Consequently they have been shown to have greater longevity, be less costly to update, be easily localized or internationalized and support greater interoperability, easier information exchange and compatibility with other information systems. By adopting more accessible ICT systems we are future-proofing our ICT infrastructure.
From a social perspective, is it time to batten down the hatches, protect our boundaries and preserve our privilege? Or is it time to pull together as a community, pool our resources and discover strengths we never knew we had? I would argue that it is time to be resourceful. Clearly what we have done so far has not worked, we need to try new approaches. This is not time to freeze, it is time to become more agile. The economic crisis has and will be used as an excuse for a host of evils, it can also be used as an excuse to be generous and inclusive. We need to rebuild prosperity and we have recently learned the hard way that the only lasting prosperity is prosperity that includes all members of the community. Our tendency is to ask what these measures will cost, we also need to consider what it has and will cost us as a society not to take these measures.
Even if as an organization we are motivated by self-preservation and the need to survive, this is the right time to take these accessibility measures. It is the responsible and prudent thing to do. For the increasing number of friends, family members, employees, and customers experiencing disabilities it is far overdue. If we take these steps now we will emerge from this crisis a more inclusive society, stronger, more agile and collectively more prosperous.
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