Disability
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Index    
     

    Background

  • Equal access for the disabled has been an issue since the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. This allowed equal rights for people with disabilities. It was further augmented by Section 508 which included equal access to technology in government agencies. It is a long standing ethical standard that everyone should be treated equally. Taking that ethical approach we should realize that disabled users have the right to have access to all technology.

    • Ethics in Disabled Accessability

  • The main ethical issue is that all people should have access to the technology around them. Someone should not be kept from being able to use this technology if they have access to it. The Web is no different and all those that would like to use it, disabled or not, should be able to.
  • There are many programs, policies, and guidelines for accessibility for the disabled. These have still not brought about a widespread standard to make the web accessible to all. Even countries with legal policies neglect their own websites.

    • Issues of Debate over Accessability

  • One study was found that debated the ability for the disabled to access Ebooks. On one side of the debate are the companies that believe that if Ebooks are readible by disability access technology that the books are subject to piracy. On the other hand, if purchased, the purchasee of the Ebook should have the ability to access this whether they are disabled or not.
  • Another issue in debate is how the Internet Community can make accessibility more prominent. As with the guidelines to program by, the disabled should also have a say in how the web can be more accessible overall.

    Solving the Problems of Accessibility

  • We have come a very long way in the solution to widespread accessibility for the disabled. Government initiatives and most large internet content providers have inacted accessible web pages and services. To completely solve the problem though, the people using this technology need to speak up when they find something unaccessible and do something to get it changed.