Redefining accessibility

The word accessibility has long been a part of daily life. But efforts to create equal access have mostly focused on the needs of people with physical disabilities, like visual or motor challenges. Only recently has there been some movement to serve people who learn and think differently. But there’s still so much more work to do.

It’s not enough to simply comply with today’s accessibility standards. The goal shouldn’t just be equal access. It should be making products accessible to all and making them easy to understand and use. 

That’s why we’re building new standards that combine accessibility and usability. We believe:

• Everyone has the right to equal access to information. They also have the right to understand and use that information. Digital experiences should be engaging and easy to use for everyone.

• People who learn and think differently have specific needs. But many organizations do little to address them. These needs should be top of mind.

• Accessibility and usability are too often seen as separate. They may even seem to be at odds with each other. But bringing them together will benefit everyone — especially people who learn and think differently.

• Compliance with accessibility standards is just the starting point. Every organization should strive to be more inclusive. It should be part of their core values. We all need to keep improving.

Learn more about Understood’s commitment to accessibility and usability.