FodnessMemo44

Speaking Subject: Me.

Statement: Cyberspace, as currently imagined, underserves individuals with disabilities. > Catalysts: The National Federation of the Blind had to sue Target because they refused to make their website accessible to the blind. > Corrosions: There are many elements of cyberspace that are enabling, rather than constraining, individuals with disabilities, and things are largely moving in the right direction, albeit slowly.

Statement: Existing regulatory frameworks do not serve the needs of disabled cyberspace users. > Catalysts: Current federal law only applies to physical buildings universally, and to federal websites in an IT context. > Corrosions: The government may not be the most appropriate force for solvency here.

Statement: Web browsers should enforce standards compliance and accessibility features. > Catalysts: When someone makes an error in their C++ program, the compiler refuses to let the code compile, but browsers are fault-tolerant and display the code anyway. If browsers didn't permit non-compliant and non-accessible code to display at all, it would force web developers to make their sites accessible in the same way that everyone who compiles a C++ program must meet certain standards. > Corrosions: Such a heavy-handed and authoritative approach would destroy websites built by amateurs, and would raise the bar for the level of required knowledge in order to be able to publish something on the web, which would increase the digital divide and exclude low-education / low-income users.

Statement: Disability advocacy groups have not done enough to promote accessibility legislation. > Catalysts: There is still a problem, so there is still work for them to do. > Corrosions: They have done a lot of good, and perhaps there is not anything more that they are capable of doing, given the current political climate.

Statement: Higher education does not include accessibility as a core component of good software design. > Catalysts: In my own IT education, it wasn't a core component, and from those I have talked to, wasn't in their education either. > Corrosions: Perhaps accessibility is better taught in industry rather than academia.

Statement: Web developers are not willing and/or able to overcome the barriers of time and budget to produce standards compliant and accessible websites. > Catalysts: In my own experience, this is true. > Corrosions: I may be overestimating the desire of web developers to create standards compliant and accessible sites. Perhaps they are just lazy.