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

  1. [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

  2. [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

  3. [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

  4. [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

  5. [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

  8. [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? *wink*

    Posted by Stephane Deschamps on

  9. [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

  10. [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

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