Technology is a Game Changer for Persons with Disabilities

This story originally appeared in our June 16th, 2011 e-magazine. Click here to subscribe.

By Shilpi Kapoor

The United Nations Convention of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in Article 9 refers to accessibility as providing equal access to information and communication technology including the internet to persons with disabilities.

There are 700 million people with disabilities in the world, 70 million in India alone. The number is staggering. But where are these people? Do they have access to education, employment, etc.?

Today, a person with disability can use technology to access all of these things. In a way, technology can empower people, but we also need to be cautious that we aren’t building a digital divide by not catering to the needs of a disabled person.

A visually impaired person surfing the net, sending emails, chatting with friends is suddenly not faced with the physical or societal barriers he or she might face in day-to-day life. A computer with a screen reader software like Dolphin Supernova Access Suite or NVDA that assist him in doing everything that I can do! From the comfort of their homes, they can now bank online, or see a movie or buy a book. That’s the power of technology!

A screen reader for the blind/visually impaired person is called an assistive technology. There is a vast range of assistive technology available to assist people with disabilities.

On the one hand, we need to ensure that assistive technology is available and accessible to the people; on the other, we need to ensure that the websites or softwares that we create are accessible so that these assistive technologies can communicate with them.

For example, the W3C has released the Web Content Accessibility Guideline 2.0 that covers a wide range of recommendations for making web content more accessible. Including accessibility into the design, development and testing of these web-based solutions can empower people with disabilities.

It’s time for us to look at the bigger picture when it comes to the inclusion of people with disabilities. It is time for organizations to understand that people with disabilities are a part of their target audience and ensure that they cater to their needs.

Accessibility can be the game changer and can ensure that we truly create an inclusive society.

Shilpi Kapoor is the founder director of Net Systems Informatics and BarrierBreak Technologies. She is also the recipient of “NCPEDP – Shell Helen Keller Award 2008″ for the role model category – Non-disabled role model supporter of increased employment opportunities for people with disabilities.