Approximately how many people in America have disabilities today? Does the AAPD expect that number to rise in the coming decade?
According to the U.S. Census Bureau there are over 55 million people with disabilities living in the United States today. It's no secret that as people age they tend to acquire disabilities. So with the general aging of the population in the United States, we expect that number to continue to rise. Another factor contributing the increase we are seeing in the number of people with disabilities is advances in medical care and technology. Today, more people than ever before are surviving injuries and illnesses than in the past.
What are the benefits to businesses of employing people with disabilities?
The general expectation in government and many other industries is that as the baby boomer generation ages, we will experience a shortage in the labor market. In the coming years businesses will need to be more creative about retaining and securing people with the necessary skills and talents. That means accommodating older people and people with disabilities. This segment of the workforce, if provided with the right tools and employment policies, can help with the labor shortage. And the government is looking for new ways to bring or keep people with disabilities in the workforce.
It's important to realize that disability is not a static concept. You can acquire a disability at any time. There is a significant advantage to employers to find ways to retain an employee that develops a disability, since they've already made a substantial investment in the worker in terms of training and knowledge.
What do you see as the essential first steps for private-sector companies that want to become accessible to serve and employ more people with disabilities?
A good starting point would be to create an affinity group within their workforce that is made up of people with disabilities or people that have an interest in the disability arena. Perhaps someone does volunteer work with people with disabilities or has a brother who is blind. They can use the affinity group to provide guidance and advice as to what will work best for this segment in terms of both prospective employees and customers.
Companies should also look at the degree to which they have included disability in their diversity strategy. Many companies have a diversity strategy but have not yet specifically integrated people with disabilities into their plan.
What do you think will be the motivating factor(s) for private-sector companies to embrace accessibility as an integral part of their business models?
From my perspective, accessibility is just one feature of good design. If a company's products and services are accessible they can acquire more market share. When companies are forced to think about accessibility, they may realize things about their products or services that can make them better for people with and without disabilities. A perfect example is a product that helps people with cognitive disabilities to better comprehend what they have read. While this product helps people with disabilities, it can also aid in comprehension for someone whose native language is not English.
What role do you think technology, like Home Page Reader, plays in supporting full inclusivity for people with disabilities?
In today's business environment, productivity is critical. From an employer's perspective, technology that meets the needs of individual workers improves productivity across the board-ultimately impacting the company's bottom line. Employers should view accessibility and ease of use design as a way to improve upon employee productivity and ultimately deliver more shareholder value. From a customer perspective, accessibility and products designed for ease of use can be a way to reach more people.
However, while technology can create a significant opportunity for people with disabilities, it can also be a barrier. For example, when computer interfaces moved from text based to graphical user interfaces, it made access to IT much harder for people who are blind. The key message here is that people need to think about accessibility in the onset of new technology. Our goal is to see accessibility and ease of use design concepts built in the beginning stages of new technology, where it's more affordable, rather than trying to retrofit it at the end.
How do you see Section 508 legislation evolving in the future?
Section 508 applies to the U.S. federal government and recipients of federal funds. A number of state governments are replicating Section 508 legislation on a state level. My hope is that more and more state and local governments will follow suit so that after a while making things 508 compliant is common-and just makes good business sense. Businesses that don't make their products and services compliant will miss out on significant revenue opportunities.
Ultimately, we need to build the demand for accessible design so that the people who stand to benefit most from accessibility know about the products that can best meet their needs. There's a key consumer education piece that's needs to be achieved. We need to bring consumers up to speed about what's possible and how to react when they encounter a barrier in their work or personal lives.
Do you see Section 508 expanding to cover other disabilities?
Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act as it has been interpreted does not provide consideration for people with intellectual disabilities. It may be more difficult to come up with standards, but my hope is that we will see this incorporated into updates to Section 508 in the future.
Do you anticipate that the US will enact legislation similar to ADA that affects private-sector businesses?
The ADA already has implications in the private sector. If you are an employer, you cannot discriminate against people with disabilities. We may see clarification or restoration of legislation around who qualifies as an individual with a disability and around the application of the ADA to the Internet. Although it's easy to describe, it will be difficult to get it passed.
Section 255 of the Telecommunications Act, which is up for reauthorization this year, presents another opportunity for clarification in terms of accessibility. This may be even more difficult as some of historic differences between what is considered telecommunications and IT start to get blurred. An example is a PDA that is also a telephone. This brings me back to the point that the ultimate goal of organizations should be to think about accessibility, and ease of use, no matter what form of communication.
What do you think are major drivers for accessibility?
Fear of litigation is a motivator, but not as strong of a motivator as the desire for greater market share. For example, when the federal government tells a company that they chose a competitor's bid primarily because that company did a better job of incorporating accessibility into their products and services, it has a bigger impact than any potential lawsuit. I want companies to understand this and consider accessibility and usability because they can reach more people and take advantage of more revenue-generating opportunities.