Dispatches From The Internets

The ADA at 25: Disability rights and diversity

This is a beautiful piece from Microsoft’s General Counsel on the importance of considering special needs within the umbrella of diversity. I particularly loved this bit:

At its core the ADA is not about the dimensions of doorways, but the individuals who can now pass through them.

A vision for the ADA that focuses on people helps enfranchise so many who have been excluded for so long. It also enriches and opens our institutions to the very best and brightest talent our country has to offer. That is the power of diversity and why diversity efforts should include disability.

Building Accessible Windows Universal Apps

If you happen to be building a Windows Universal app (or know someone who is), I just stumbled on this awesome series of posts with invaluable advice for making it more accessible.

Winning technology with a social purpose

This is about tech for social good, which is awesome, but one of the most interesting bits is buried near the bottom and concerns us as web designers:

According to the Office for National Statistics, in May, 27% of disabled adults had never used the internet, compared with 7% of non-disabled adults. And last month’s report by the Extra Costs Commission found that part of the reason disabled people typically face £550 in extra living costs is due to the lack of ability of many of them to shop around online. Too many sites are not accessible to those with disabilities.

Thinking About Web Accessibility Differently

This is a fantastic piece and perfectly echoes what many of us have been saying:

Accessibility isn’t just a legal mandate or list of requirements. It’s really about people. You.