The View from Where I Sit

Tag: digital accessibility

  • Legislation surrounding Access Consultancy

    Access consultancy is a service that provides advice on how to make buildings and environments more accessible and inclusive for people with disabilities and other protected characteristics. Access Consultancy covers a wide range of areas like:

    • Wheelchair Accessibility
    • Digital Accessibility
    • Web Accessibility

    Welcome to The view from where I sit versus The view from where you sit!

    DISABILITY RIGHTS:

    There are different pieces of legislation that relate to access consultancy, such as: The Equality Act 2010, which requires service providers, employers, education providers and others to make reasonable adjustments for disabled people and to avoid discrimination based on protected characteristics.

    Article 54 of the Constitution of Kenya, 2010 requires that a person with a disability to have: access and facilitation in educational institutions, reasonable access to all places, and access to device material. Additionally, at least 5% of elective and appointive positions are to be for PWDs.

    I just recently found out that March 1st is International Wheelchair Day! International Wheelchair Day, is a global celebration of the profound impact wheelchairs have on the lives of millions around the world.

    International Wheelchair Day 2024 promotes mobility, access, and inclusion. This is very important for access consultancy.

    Key takeaways

    • International Wheelchair Day was celebrated on March 1, 2024, to raise awareness of the challenges faced by wheelchair users and promote inclusion.
    • The theme for this year’s celebration was ‘Mobility, access and inclusion: Empowering independence’.
    • United Spinal Association urged people to recognize the day and support disability inclusion.

    The National Register of Access Consultants (NRAC), which is an independent accreditation service for individuals who provide access consultancy and access auditor services in the UK. The Information and Consultation Regulations, which require employers to establish arrangements for informing and consulting their employees on certain matters.

    Kenya has not been able to meet the standards of this article due lack of political goodwill, ignorance of the law, and general and intentional overlook of the plight of PWD. Persons with Disabilities are still considered as people who should sit somewhere and wait for help and care.

    In the few employment opportunities, is the work environment disability friendly to enable PWD thrive? The answer is NO!

    1. What is the level of representation for PWD?
    2. What is the level of accessibility?
    3. What is the level of access to development and personal growth,
    4. Are PWD considered for promotional opportunities?
    5. What is the level of inclusivity in the organization or integration is the order of the day?

    We must seek to answer these insightful questions to help us in identifying the gaps.

    The Constitution under the Bill of Rights recognizes in Article 54 that persons with disabilities are entitled to be treated with dignity and respect and not to be referred to in a manner that is demeaning, to access educational institutions and facilities, to reasonable access to all places, public transport and information, to use sign language, Braille or other appropriate means of communication and to access materials and devices.

    You can find more information about these and other relevant legislation on the websites of the sources I have referenced.
    https://globaldisability.org/2016/04/01/review-kenya-persons-disabilities-act-2003-overdue#:~:text=The%20Constitution%20under%20the%20Bill%20of%20Rights%20recognizes,of%20communication%20and%20to%20access%20materials%20and%20devices.

    https://www.assurityconsulting.co.uk/assets/Guide-PDFs-2023/Equality-Act-and-Access-Audits-Guide-23.pdf

    https://www.evansjones.co.uk/services/access/access-audits.php

    https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=2010362#:~:text=Posted%20On%3A%2029%20FEB%202024%207%3A46PM%20by%20PIB,on%20the%20lives%20of%20millions%20around%20the%20world.https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=2010362

  • Wheelchair Privilege?

    “Privilege is not having to add the extra steps to make the recipe taste good.” – Jon Stewart

    Let’s think about that by looking at the concept of privilege. Privilege, from a sociological perspective is defined as: “Unearned access to resources only readily available to some people as a result of their advantaged social group membership.”

    What does this mean?

    Instead of taking it from a black/white paradigm, let’s look at it from a able/disabled paradigm.

    If you do not have to live life from a wheelchair, you normally don’t think about NOT having to be in a wheelchair. You don’t think about the access you get to have. You don’t think about how you will get from Point A to Point B on a daily basis. You don’t think about whether or not you will be able to get into Building One or Building Two. You don’t have to know how to evacuate the building in the case of a fire, as a wheelchair user.

    If you DO have a wheelchair, you can’t NOT think about these things. You always have to be aware of where you CAN and CANNOT go, the places you DO and DO NOT have access to.

    How am I privileged for being in a wheelchair when I was born unable to walk? I need it for mobility. These places aren’t wheelchair accessible!

    How am I privileged for getting extra help in class or exams? I have learning difficulties. Or if I apply for learning support, I have to pay for it?

    How am I privileged if I sign up to join a ministry team at church and the leader insist that I get supervised even after being trained?

    How am I privileged if my parents get asked to supervise me in class, because the Ministry of Education refuses to provide a Para-educator due to personal prejudices, preferences and opinions?

    You don’t have to walk up these hills. You don’t have to climb the stairs. You’re lucky.

    Attention both positive and negative

    Wheelchair users have to deal with dirty looks people through their way, especially when driving to a wheelchair parking space. Social stigmas are very evident as you’ll see frequent glares, discrimination in public transportation, public ridicule, and pinpointing as one drives to disabled parking spots.

    Even positive attention isn’t necessary as even well intended comments can get overwhelming.

    The race for getting into the elevator

    Wheelchair users find themselves competing with the rest to get to the elevator first. This is never fair since other people can climb the stairs fast and get into the elevator first.

    Some people are confident to ask wheelchair users to wait and go last as the wheelchair will take more space in the elevator. This is very hurtful.

    The struggle for parking the vehicle

    Nowadays, most places, especially public areas, have parking for the disabled. These parking spots are near the entrance/exits and are bigger than standard park spaces. This hurts some non-disabled people, and they think it’s a privilege that wheelchair users don’t deserve; sometimes, you’ll find them discussing this.

    Parking in accessible parking areas isn’t that easy as it sounds. Non-disabled people often park their vehicles in these spaces. Whereas they may find it enjoyable, it greatly inconveniences actual wheelchair users.

    The other challenge is people parking too close to cars parked in the accessible parking spaces. This limits the use of the wheelchair ramp, which is very inconvenient.

    The grass only looks greener on the other side. Sometimes the wheelchair makes it look ‘easy to get by.’ We’ve simply been misunderstood.

    These days, the term “privilege” might be used to explain at least some of these hugely varied outcomes. The term is often poorly understood and sometimes misused. But it’s also often based on a solid base of real-life experience. This is certainly true for people with disabilities. Disability is most often a social and financial disadvantage. But that doesn’t mean people with disabilities can’t have and enjoy what in current parlance we call “privilege.”

    https://exploreaccess.org/disability-as-diversity-postsecondary/ableism-and-non-disabled-privilege/,

    https://www.forbes.com/sites/andrewpulrang/2023/01/25/4-ways-people-with-disabilities-can-have-privilege-too/?sh=30d3aaad7f3a

    https://www.linkedin.com/posts/florabazie_linoratechinclusion-webaccessibilityexpertcoach-activity-7049376544066068481-Nf5c?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop

  • What is Accessibility?

    The International Symbol of Accessibility, that white stick figure in a wheel chair on a blue background, was developed in 1969. It was borne of a contest held by the International Commission on Technology and Accessibility, which was won by Susanne Kofoed of Copenhagen, Denmark. Kofoed’s original design didn’t include a head (probably because she was trying to keep the figure unisex) so it wasn’t used right away; but once the head was added, it became quite popular.

    The Commission chose the blue background simply because it provided a nice contrast with the white stick figure, making the symbol easily visible on all kinds of surfaces. That said, the little stick figure might change some time in the future, as some parties are arguing that not all disabled people use a wheel chair and the figure needs to be more representative of other disabilities.

    This is a good start for disability representation and wheelchair accessibility. I hope the little stick figure changes in the near future so that it can change our worldview on medical conditions and the general outlook on life for people with different exceptionalities.

    https://www.todayifoundout.com/index.php/2013/12/origin-word-handicap/

  • Web accessibility, what does it all mean?

    Web accessibility, or e-Accessibility, is the inclusive practice of ensuring there are no barriers that prevent interaction with, or access to, websites on the World Wide Web by people with physical disabilities, situational disabilities, and socio-economic restrictions on bandwidth and speed.

    Misconception #1: web accessibility is about disability.

    It’s not. Web accessibility is about universality. It’s about making something that can be used by as many people as possible. Different environments, different devices, elderly, different cultural backgrounds, non-English speakers and impaired abilities. 11.2 million people in the UK, are registered as having a disability. Eighty-three percent of disabled people acquire a disability during their working life.

    Disabled people in the UK are estimated to have the spending power of at least eighty billion per year. The majority of disabilities are not visible. Less than eight percent of disabled people use a wheelchair. We need to make our websites easy to use for everyone, including the hearing impaired, those with limited mobility, those with reading difficulties and anyone using hand-held devices.

    So why do we do it?

    By making your content more accessible more people in more locations can read your information and they will understand it more easily.

    After all, you want everyone to get your message, right?

    Accessibility is also a legal requirement under the Equality Act of 2010.

    Misconception #2: web accessibility is not my problem.

    It is. Web accessibility is everyone’s responsibility. We’re all in this together what you do makes a difference.

    So what do people need?

    People need information that is easy to read that works on different devices and that is easy to navigate. It also needs good design and colour contrast, images and graphs that are described well, has video captions or transcriptions, has documents and attachments in a format that can be used by everyone everywhere. Remember what you do at the start makes it easier at the end and your content gets published faster.

    Misconception #3: web accessibility is hard.

    It’s not. Web accessibility is easy to learn.

    For more information about accessibility visit http://www.abilitynet.org.uk.