Building accessibility within
Disclaimer: Obviously any attempt to be inclusive is brilliant and should be celebrated. These are just some of my thoughts on it.
A couple of things have caused me to start thinking about how things go from being inaccessible to accessible to those with different needs.
The first:
At work I am taking on a lot of new stuff. And I’m struggling. I want to do it all, but there is no doubt I am struggling. It got me thinking how I am handed neurotypical jobs. They come fully packaged as a neurotypical task. I then have to do something, ask for something, change something myself, to make it suitable for my needs. I can give set times and routine where they were left open, I can email where I was told to tell. I take the first and I find a way to re-mould it into something I can access.
Over time society as moulded job roles into ones suitable for the majority’s needs. With technological, cultural and societal changes, the job role has evolved. There is no evolved job role for the neurodivergent. And my employers aren’t offering me one. They will help me take the first and break it down to re-mould, but everything takes that second stage.
The second:
The second thing that got me thinking about access was making these blogs accessible to those with dyslexia or those who just generally find listening more accessible than reading. I have wanted to do it for a while but didn’t like the idea of using a digital system to read it to people. And now I realise why. I had already subconsciously realised this annoying add on stage. I didn’t want people to listen to some robot reading my blogs to them (different if not such personal content). It was an add on to be accessible. It wasn’t the real thing. When I had the idea to record myself reading them this felt right. I wasn’t going oh and here is an add on for you guys. There is now a fully integrated audio option to listen to my content. Listeners can connect and engage just the same as readers. No clunky second stage.
Why does it matter?
I guess in practicality maybe it doesn’t. Maybe others reading this will say well a digital add on would have been fine. And, isn’t your employer great for taking that second step? Yes, to both. Both are making things accessible and that is great.
But isn’t there a difference between designing a building from the ground up to be accessible and designing one for the majority and then putting a ramp round back to tick the access box?
Maybe I’m asking for a lot. But it would be nice if people stopped to ask those questions a little earlier on. To not add on accessibility as a legal requirement after thought.
Not sure this blog even makes any sense. Just something I was thinking over today. Let me know your thoughts on this.
Found this blog helpful? You can support my writing and say thanks by buying me a coffee 🙂