Accessibility: The Web for All

Sight disability has long been a primary concern of Lions Clubs. Lions Clubs work and contribute towards research into correction, remedy, and prevention of sight loss; but just as important is the assimilation of sight-impaired into society. The world is moving online. The web is no longer for tech geeks and the young, or just big business. Almost no aspect of life escapes the convenience, if not necessity, of interacting with the information superhighway.

For too long, the World Wide Web has been inaccessible to not only vision-impaired, but others also. Some individuals are unable to maneuver input devices such as mice and keyboards adequately for an online experience. Even individuals who have the ability to see, but cannot properly discern colors, are disadvantaged when websites rely solely on color to impart information, such as using the color red to emphasize an item, instead of underline or italics.

Devices and standards are now in place to help correct many of these disadvantages. Unfortunately, web designers have been slow to adopt the practice of ensuring their sites are available and accessible to all individuals.

Sight and mobility-impaired individuals aren't just missing out on Amazon and eBay for cheap books and trinkets. They also don't receive the ability to pay bills online, make banking transactions online, and dozens of other conveniences that other people enjoy.

We at the Plant City Lions Club hope this soon changes, and are encouraged by judicial decisions that begin to place the web under the ADA umbrella, and laws that mandate such compliance. It will be some time, if ever, before the Internet is completely accessible; but we feel we need to step out, if just to make a statement.