What is Accessibility?
Accessibility is the state of public spaces, digital platforms, products and services, and any area that touches an individual being reachable, usable, understandable, and operable by all segments of society.
The concept of accessibility is directly linked to our connection with the world around us, the way we belong to it and our power to be included in this world. In daily life, accessibility, a concept that many of us don't even think about, can be challenging and limited for many when it comes to access to education, career opportunities, and participation in the community.
Disability, on the other hand, can be defined as a set of obstacles caused by the majority designing life based on their own truths. Let's think about the environment we live in; would disability be so salient if it was built around a fictional order where everyone could cross the street easily, everyone could easily see and read signs and directions, hear announcements easily, use mobile apps easily, open and close heavy doors easily, and everyone was always in a stable state of mind?
Throughout history, we have witnessed people with disabilities making landmark inventions for humanity; the inventors of the telephone, the typewriter and even the light bulb were people with disabilities. Former US presidents Franklin D. Roosevelt and Helen Keller, who left their mark on human history, were also disabled. We can never ignore accessibility in order not to hinder such great leaders and to prepare the environment for them to exist.
The only way to design an "accessible world for everyone" is to establish an "equal, accessible, barrier-free" order.
Author: Sadriye Görece / BlindLook Team
