Accessibility: It’s More than Just a Ramp
Most of us may think of a ramp at a building when we think of accessibility. And ramps are an important part of making our world accessible. Accessibility, however, is so much more. Did you know that in 2016, only 40% of people with disabilities felt comfortable using the internet?
We at Adelante work to improve internet accessibility through programs like DiverseIT, helping people with disabilities get training and good jobs in tech. Therefore, making our digital world accessible is important, and we want to set the example.
This is a concern considering 9 out of 10 Americans used the internet last year. When was the last day you didn’t use the internet? The internet is an integral part of our daily lives, especially during this time of COVID. Furthermore, 1 in 4 American adults lives with a disability, meaning if your website isn’t accessible, you’re leaving out many potential visitors.
Thanks to the wonderful people at AccessiBe, our digital world is becoming more accessible.
What is AccessiBe, and how does it make the internet more accessible?
So what is AccessiBe, and their solution?
To sum up, AccessiBe is an app that helps people with disabilities access and easily use the internet. It modifies websites for blindness, epilepsy, traumatic brain injuries, and many other disabilities–even ADHD!
This idea came about from entrepreneurs who owned a web development and marketing company. They had learned about a new law requiring websites to be more accessible to people with disabilities. Knowing how much time and money it took to make a website accessible, they created this affordable app that automatically modifies websites. Not only that, it makes adjustments for specific types of disability, which is really helpful. The AccessiBe seizure safe profile, for example, stops flashes and reduces color.
Over 18 months, they worked with lawyers, talked to accessibility experts, and visited people with disabilities. It was all an effort to find out what modifications websites need to be more accessible.
AccessiBe’s goal is to make the internet fully accessible to people with disabilities by 2025.
AccessiBe Generously Helped Adelante, too!
Rebecca, our Chief Administrative Officer, discovered this tool on a different website, and brought it to the attention of Adelante’s IT and marketing teams. One of our IT pros reached out to AccessiBe. When they heard about Adelante and our mission, they generously provided us with a free copy. Now, the app is on our website! Check it out.
