My brother is differently abled. When we were young teachers noticed something different. My brother struggled with fine motor- skills and as he entered the phase of writing the tremor in his hands prevented him from keeping up with the rest of the class. I can never know the anxiety and fear he must have felt as he struggled, impeded, to gain access to what for others came with ease. Gratefully, he was one of the first students to benefit from progressive attitudes towards inclusion in the classroom and was given a computer as a learning aid to help him overcome his disability in school.
Reviewing the state of accessibility for students entering into a learning environment some 30 years later is no less than shocking. The gap between the legal obligations of institutions in Australia and the reality of the digital access provided to society’s most vulnerable is an issue that must be recognised. Flynn’s (2016) article on Australian web accessibility has truly opened my eyes to the neglect we as society have shown to the vulnerable in the digital sphere. To think that 98% of websites did not meet the guidelines of accessibility in 2001 was particularly shocking. The National Transition Strategy (NTS) while progressive in its aims, must be upheld and actively promoted by TLs not because it is law but because as Flynn states “it is the right thing to do”.
Palmer & Palmer’s (2018) comprehensive overview of recent litigation between the differently abled and multinational corporations, such as Target and Netflix, has exposed me to the extent to which ableism is the default setting of most of the private sector in the current climate the digital landscape. It is appalling to realise that companies would rather spend money on litigation expenses than proper information architecture design that allows access for all. Their research highlights the need for more robust policy that limits organisations ability to use ambiguity to exclude.
Perhaps the most transformative take away for me has been the extent to information architecture design is increasingly informed by UX data. I now am deeply concerned about a digital world that is designed and economically justified by a utilitarianism that neglects the information experiences of those whose lives may be most greatly benefited through the access digital technologies provide.
When resourcing the curriculum TLs can take the lead in enshrining policies that protect the rights of the differently abled by ensuring that their experience of information is respected and that they are able to access information equally. TLs can be champions who work with differently abled members of the community in consultation that in the end will result in collections that reflect inclusive society.