By R. Diane Graves
I grew up in an era wherein the technologies most of us take for granted today were unheard of. In some respects, life was much simpler. There were no menu-driven touch screens. Appliances and electronics were operated by individual buttons and controls easily identified by touch. At the opposite end of that spectrum, however, were some insurmountable barriers to the independence I longed for. As a person who is blind, there was no way to proofread my typewritten work, read my personal printed mail, or shop for groceries without assistance.
Fast forward 40 plus years, to a world in which technology and the ability to use it is a necessity. Most all of us use the internet and our smart phones on a daily basis without a second thought. We use these tools to communicate with one another, to pay our bills, track our banking information, do our shopping and fill out all manner of forms and applications; the list is endless. Though the overall convenience of 21st century technology is global, the freedom and independence these advancements have provided to the blind and others with disabilities is something I, in my youth, could have never imagined.
We are now able to proofread our own work via screen reading software, and identify our own printed materials. There are phone applications which will identify colors and currency and provide orientation and navigational information for independent travel. Clearly we have come a long way. We cannot afford to celebrate these advances, however, without also recognizing the potential dangers posed by their rapid evolution. While 21st century technology has opened many doors, it also has the power to lock us out if we are not careful. For example, it is extremely difficult today to find an appliance, be it a printer, a dishwasher, or thermostat just to name a few, with individual controls not hidden behind a touch screen. Sometimes you can create a “quick fix” by pasting a marker or a braille label on the screen. However, more and more of these designs are going to multifunction, menu driven controls.
It is not that the technology needed to make these devices accessible is not available. Companies such as Apple have proven that. Apple has built out of the box accessibility directly into its original devices. Sadly, most companies don’t stop to consider the needs of people with disabilities. They are just so far removed from our world that accessibility never crosses their minds and thus, is not a part of their proverbial game plan.
Still other companies would like to assure accessibility, but they just don’t have a clear understanding of what it means to be fully accessible. There are no published rules or guidelines as to how to implement such a design. It is this lack of direction which has prompted the National Federation of the Blind to promote the passage of the Websites and Software Accessibilities Act.
This proposed piece of legislation will direct the Department of Justice to set in place some clear cut rules for website and software design and provide technical assistance to companies as they implement these changes. How liberating it would be to access a website for the first time, and not have a question in the back of one’s mind as to how accessible it will or will not be! We need to get this piece of legislation passed, and we are well on our way to doing so .
This is just one example of the need for and power of advocacy within the disability community. Another might be the advocacy for an accessible absentee ballot for those unable to make it to the polls. There are many others which could be cited. We need to ban together and make our voices heard; advocating for a world in which there is truly “justice for all.”
So how do we do this? The most important and likely most obvious first step is to register and cast our votes. Voting for elected officials will give us the privilege to speak out against injustice. We then need to work together with all of our brothers and sisters in the disabled community to identify the barriers to our independence and join together to eliminate them.
It is so easy to become complacent; to feel that our voices won’t make a difference. We must remember however that there is power in numbers. A single voice might not be enough to bring about a fully accessible world, but if we join together in one mighty harmonious chorus, we will make a difference. It is time for us to stand up and be counted, continuing our quest for equity, and advocating as only we can.
For more information on the above referenced legislative effort see https://nfb.org/programs-services/advocacy/washington-seminar/websites-and-software-applications-accessibility-act .)
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Diane Graves.
Diane Graves entered the disability community at two years of age, after losing her vision to Retinoblastoma—a genetic cancer of the retina. Thus, it was at an early age that she became familiar with the obstacles posed solely by discrimination, and when civil rights became her passion.
When she was hired by the Indiana Civil Rights Commission in the spring of 1990, she felt privileged to have been chosen to represent the disability community, and other minorities, in their quest to ensure equality.
Since coming to the Commission as its front desk receptionist, she has advanced, and is now working as a mediator for the agency. She has also obtained a bachelor’s degree in Organizational Communication from Kaplan University and is currently working towards her Master’s Degree in Social Work. She has serves in various offices and leadership roles in the National Federation of the Blind of Indiana, and has served on the Governor’s Planning Council for People with Disabilities.