We can all become advocates of change for better accessibility - it’s not always for rules and regulations to decide what is in society's best interest. People (irrespective of their condition) should take the initiative in making society work in the way they want it to.
Disability is often dismissed as a minority issue. While the number of people with disabilities since birth is relatively small, we should not forget that different types of disabilities which occur throughout a lifetime are much more frequent. Accidents, diseases and age can cause temporary or permanent damage. Furthermore, environmental circumstances, such as weather conditions can also limit the abilities of non-disabled people.
At the European Commission, we take accessibility seriously. We have set up the Accessibility Working Group. The group aims to raise awareness, collect and exchange the best practices. At DG Connect we are in particular focusing on digital accessibility.
What does this mean? Firstly, webpages need to be clearer. Secondly, pictures must be comprehensible - it must be clear what they illustrate so that vocal description is possible. Most importantly – we need to write better, clearer, in a more concise manner.
The most difficult part is to change habits. To achieve this, a constant effort over a long period of time is necessary.
Please let us know how we can make our efforts more effective and for the benefit of everyone.
Let's discuss how to make accessibility work in practice!