Sunday, 9th April 2006
Summary
Attitudes...
Author: Gez Lemon
- Consultant
- It's impossible to operate the widget using the keyboard, and the interface state is conveyed by colour alone.
- Company representative
- That's not an issue for this system. It's an internal system for our employees, and none of them are blind.
Category: Accessibility.
Comments
Comments are closed for this entry.
[active-discrimination-policy.php#comment1]
Consultant
What will happen if your company employs someone with a disability who needs to operate this widget, but cannot use a mouse or is blind or colour blind or has limited vision? Also what happens if one of your current empoloyees becomes temporarily or permanently disabled and they need to use this widget to do their job?
Posted by steve faulkner on Monday, 10th April 2006 at 07:34:03
[active-discrimination-policy.php#comment2]
Company Representative
Then we will have to do something won't we, but why waste money on sdomething we don't need. Bloody DDA's already made us spend out money on making alterations to the building just because wheelchairs can't climb steps.
Posted by Mike Abbott on Monday, 10th April 2006 at 09:57:05
[active-discrimination-policy.php#comment3]
Consultant
You have brought up a good point. The cost of altering the building to allow for wheelchair access, I am sure was quite considerable, but it would have cost significantly less if included within the original building design and construction. Likewise the cost of making the widget accessible during the development process will be modest compared to the cost needed to modify the widget at a later date.
Posted by steve faulkner on Monday, 10th April 2006 at 11:04:15
[active-discrimination-policy.php#comment4]
I agree with steves comment but if someone is temporarily blinded they would not go to work. I agree with accessibility but consultants must be reasonable if they want to be taken seriously.
Posted by Matthew on Monday, 10th April 2006 at 15:21:32
[active-discrimination-policy.php#comment5]
Matthew, could you expand on what you think is unreasonable. The title of this post might put the topic into perspective a bit. The company's representative jumped to the conclusion that accessibility is purely for people who are blind - do you think the scenario described only applies to people who are totally blind? What about people with visual impairments, or other disabilities? I'm encouraged that you're in favour of developers and designers considering accessibility, but would like to know more about what you consider to be unreasonable in what's been said so far.
Posted by Gez on Monday, 10th April 2006 at 23:15:40
[active-discrimination-policy.php#comment6]
Consultant
OK, but I only have ten users and they're all valid.
(and yes, this example was taken from real life)
Posted by Stephane Deschamps on Tuesday, 11th April 2006 at 14:44:23
[active-discrimination-policy.php#comment7]
A clear misunderstanding of Liveware diversity on behalf of the Company representative.
Posted by Robert Wellock on Tuesday, 11th April 2006 at 16:33:59
[active-discrimination-policy.php#comment8]
Robert,
You're right. And that's exactly what I replied to him: what happens when tomorrow some turnover happens, and a low-vision or blind salesman comes, and you can't use their competences because the software won't be accessible? You're just losing a talent because you didn't think accessibility was an issue.
And guess what? He agreed and asked his developers to integrate accessibility into some of the later developments.
How's that for a happy ending?
Posted by Stephane Deschamps on Tuesday, 11th April 2006 at 20:28:51
[active-discrimination-policy.php#comment9]
The above is just like the people at our company, as long as its not public facing the standards go out the window.
Real pain really as as much as i try i can't seam to change there way of thinking.
Posted by John on Thursday, 13th April 2006 at 12:37:04
[active-discrimination-policy.php#comment10]
Sorry, I don't have the links handy. I work at a lawfirm that does disability litigation.
Consultant: The courts have held that actively addressing disability and accomodation issues before the need arises goes a long way towards defending the company in an eventual discrimination suit, and the company may well hire a perosn with a vision disability in the future. Additionally, many power users prefer keyboard navigation anyway.
Posted by anonymous on Thursday, 13th April 2006 at 17:12:01