eQuality: Web Accessibility by People With Cognitive Disabilities

Abstract

eQuality: The Struggle for Web Accessibility by Persons With Cognitive Disabilities (Blanck, 2014a) examines the right under the Americans with Disabilities Act to web access for people with cognitive disabilities (intellectual and developmental disabilities, autism, traumatic brain injury, and other conditions). This article continues that line of study examining the full and equal enjoyment (accessibility and usability) of web content by people with cognitive disabilities. I consider definitions, legal challenges, and rights that are discussed more fully in eQuality, and I reflect on new disability law and policy developments in the United States (e.g., Section 508 refresh and web equality case law) and internationally (e.g., developments in CRPD Articles 9 and 12, and European standardization efforts) since eQuality was published.

ABLE Accounts: A Down Payment on Freedom

“…In the Findings and Purpose statement of the ADA, there is a clear objective that our nation's goals are to ensure ''equality of opportunity, full participation, independent living, and economic self-sufficiency'' for people with disabilities (ADA, 1990;Blanck, Hill, Siegal, & Waterstone, 2014). Although physical and communication barriers have been mitigated (Blanck, 2015b), there has been little change in employment and economic status for working-age adults with disabilities since 1990. The April 2015 Current Population Survey (CPS) data (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2015) indicated an unemployment rate of 10% for the civilian noninstitutional population of people with disabilities age 16 and older, as compared to an unemployment rate of people without disabil ity of half that proportion (4.9%).…”

“…As obvious as it may seem, allowing people with disabilities themselves the opportunity to save for their future is a transformative concept in U.S. disability policy and law (Blanck, 2008(Blanck, , 2014.…”

“…Twenty-five years after the passage of the ADA, the door has been opened to a new pathway toward independence and economic self-sufficien cy for individuals with disabilities (Blanck, 2014(Blanck, , 2015a. ABLE offers opportunities and choices both short term and longer term for individuals with disabilities to lead self-determined and selfdirected lives by setting financial savings goals and having friends and family contribute resources that serve as a ''down payment on freedom.…”

The Future Challenge of the ADA: Shaping Humanity's Transformation

“…To achieve meaningful impact we have a time-limited opportunity to trigger inclusive health, education, employment, prosperity and well-being for everyone, by helping to steer our society toward practices that sustain inclusion and self-determination by default (Blanck & Martinis, 2015). This is a tall order, but evidence is mounting that by promoting inclusive design and the conditions for inclusive participation we are doing just that (Blanck, 2014(Blanck, , 2015b. Accessibility may be equated with designing for diversity and respecting human difference (IDRC, 2013).…”

Using non-speech sounds to increase web image accessibility for screen-reader users

“…To effectively translate images into synthetic speech, Web developers must include textual descriptions for images. However, many images on the Web lack such a description [2].…”