The American Disabilities Act was ground-breaking civil rights legislation that outlined the minimum requirements for treating all people equally. However, good ethics demand that the computer industry do more than just the minimum in providing access to technology. This page brings together many of the ideas presented elsewhere on the site in an attempt to motivate action for the benefit of the disabled.
Few can argue that computers are becoming a vital part of everyone's
daily life. Not only are computers behind most of the commerce and
information that affects us, but we are also forced to personally
interact with computers on a daily basis. Voice mail, ATMs, library
catalogs, even gas tanks are examples of this interaction. To deny
someone access to any of these systems is to deny them part of their
humanity.
Obviously, the ADA already requires that equal access be available. However, much needs to be done by the computer community to educate not only the disabled but also society about what technologies are available. The Center for Computer Assistance to the Disabled is one such group serving the need for education. They don't create the products, but they match those with disabilities to the products that will make it easier for them to interact with computers.
Another company recognizes the need for disabled people to be involved in shaping the computer industry itself. Project HIRED specializes in training and finding employment for the disabled right here in Silicon Valley. These companies are examples of doing more to bring the different worlds of computing and the disabled together.
Computers have already done so much to improve the standard of living for
many in society, and providing equal use of computers for all would be a
large victory. Many companies are successful by focusing on creating
better hardware, databases, networks, movies, or games. These advances
certainly do benefit society as a whole, but it is necessary that enough
attention is paid to areas where computers can solve problems for
specific groups that have been overlooked.
Computers have the potential to benefit the lives of people with disabilities in ways never before thought possible. Computers are being used to improve people's mobility, communication, education, and recreation to the point that handicaps resulting from disabilities disappear. These improvements are not required by the ADA, yet they are ethically sound. The companies and research groups mentioned in the technology section of these pages are great examples of going beyond the law to improve lives.
Still much more can be done to level the playing field for the disabled
with regards to computing. There is not a lot of money to be made
servicing the needs of the disabled, which goes against the grain of the
entrepreneurial spirit fueling much of computing. Therefore projects for
the disbled are scarce and mostly funded by charitable companies or
non-profit organizations. More time and resources need to be invested in
special needs computing so that more talented professionals will be
attracted to this area.
One example of such investment is the Employment Support Institute, who specialize in designing software to help the disabled and their employers deal with their unique circumstances. Another company is LiteracyPro Systems (web site may not be functioning due to lack of manpower...). They create applications specifically for non-profit organizations who work with people with special needs. Both of these companies show that businesses can succeed by servicing parts of the computing industry not accustomed to receiving attention.
There are many companies trying to make a difference. Some more good examples are Technology Aid to the Disabled, Equal Access to Software and Information, and Center for Accessible Technology.
There are other examples of companies who specialize in fulfilling the
computing needs of the disabled. A couple of companies, such as
ShortCorp and
Closing The Gap,
bring together and sell products to help the disabled take advantage of
technology. For example, in ShortCorp's catalog one can purchase a 100MHz
Pentium machine with scanner, screen reader, and speech input software to
help the blind. The system does allow a blind person to better use a
computer, but it only provides mediocre computing power while costing over $6,000.
Certainly the complexity of these products warrants an increased cost, but the cost can itself become a barrier to effective computer use. As more resources are put into this area of the industry, costs would come down by creating more competition, improving technology, and eliminating near-monopolies. It doesn't help the disabled to have great innovations that they can never use.
Whatever role computers play in our society now, that role is certain to
increase in the future. Because technology moves so quickly, we
can not afford to delay adapting computers to the needs of the disabled.
As computers increase in importance, not having access to the latest
technology may be the equivalent of not being able to use a telephone,
enter a bank, or browse through a library. The law at least requires
equal opportunity and access to the disabled, but the computer industry
should do more to ensure that their work benefits everyone.