Web accessibility is crucial because it allows for a larger breadth of the population to effectively use the internet, as well as it increases a websites potential audience because the accessibility improvements make it easier for search engines to index it. And put very simply it is only fair. The UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (2006) recognizes Web accessibility as a basic human right. According to the U.S. Census brief, Disability Status: 2000 (.pdf):
- 49.7 million (19%) of people ages 5 and over have disabilities
- 5.2 million are between 5-20 years of age
- 30.6 million are between 21-64 years of age
- Of the total number, only 57% are employed (average income $33,109 vs. $43,269 for the general population)
- 7.7 million have difficulty seeing newspaper print (even with correction)
- 8.0 million have difficulty hearing conversation (even with correction
That is a considerable number of the population which also makes for a significant case for financial benefits for corporations to adopt accessibility. In the section on Examples of How Factors Differ Across Environments on the W3C Web Accessibility Initiative, the motivation and benefits for corporations are clearly highlighted. A corporation might emphasize:
- financial gains and cost savings from increased web use due to increased potential market share, search engine optimization (SEO), and increased usability
- reducing risk of legal action, high legal expenses, and negative image
- public relations benefits of demonstrating corporate social responsibility (CSR)
- benefits of an inclusive workplace that supports employees with disabilities
- increased productivity from supporting and retaining older employees and their experience
In short web accessibility is about becoming aware of how several parties can benefit from creating a “level playing field” by creating a website that is accessible by all people. The owners of websites benefit from the increased number traffic, which can convert into a increased number of subscribers, recurrent visitors and/or consumers. People with disabilities, which range from minor to major, benefit by being able to access pertinent information, make purchases easier and share their own expertise or opinions more efficiently. It increases the internet’s range and depth, which is one of the fundamental reasons why the internet originated or has become as successful as it is today.
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