The unemployment rate among people with disabilities stood at around 7.3% in 2019, down slightly from the 8% reported the previous year. Today, the arrival of the pandemic and the huge online work boom has proven to be a greater threat to employability for those living with disabilities, owing to accessibility gaps. Few channels, companies, and organizations are using features like real-time automatic captioning on live-streamed events, thus leaving out around 48 million deaf and hard-of-hearing Americans. Too many American websites are failing the accessibility test. As stated by the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation, around 86% of state government unemployment websites alone fail at least one test for accessibility, mobile friendliness, or page loading speed. To what extent is lack of digital accessibility affecting the disabled, and how can this problem be overcome?
There Is No One-Size-Fits-All Solution
Video conferencing has proven to be a crucial way for companies to meet, strategize, and plan key components of work during the current health crisis. As stated by The Cerebral Palsy Family Network ( CPFN), however, people with different needs require different types of accessible technology to understand others and express themselves. For instance, Zoom calls may be of great utility for those with visual issues, but the same cannot be said for people with sensory issues such as autism or those who have difficulty focusing for a long time – as might be the case for people with cerebral palsy. For the latter, this type of call can be overwhelming, and companies, organizations and learning institutions should be aware of and sensitive to this fact. Those who need to should be encouraged to watch conferences post-event and share comments or ideas post-meeting. Online solutions are also useless for students needing physical copies of exams – such as students who rely on Braille. All colleges should offer tactile options for students who require them.
People With Disabilities Are Less Likely To Use The Internet
A Pew Research survey indicates that people with disabilities are less likely to use the internet. In fact, 23% of those surveyed said that they “never” went online. One reason could be the fact that despite the Americans with Disabilities Act and other relevant legislation and amendments, accessibility remains a significant problem for everything from film streaming platforms to government websites. People with disabilities are also twice as likely to live in poverty and to be unemployed, and online devices can cost hundreds of dollars.
Crucial Aid
Government funding should go into making basic equipment such as computers and tablets available to those living with a disability, especially during times in history such as the pandemic, when online has literally become the only means of communication for so many. In some countries in Europe (e.g. Spain), older high school students and those completing a certificate of higher education have been given a free computer or tablet during the COVID-19 crisis. They have also been given SIM cards for free online access for at least three months.
Online work and education may be necessary for at least a year – or until the pandemic is no longer a global concern. Legal reform to enable greater access to the Internet and relevant devices is key. So, too, is encouraging learning institutions and businesses alike to boost accessibility, with a particularly strong focus on current employees with disabilities. From providing Braille documentation to encouraging post-event viewing of meetings or events, companies can go a long way towards reducing stress for those with disabilities during the pandemic.
