How Internet Access Has Affected People's Lives

Despite the fact that most people now use the expression “disability” to refer to someone who has fewer or no skills (in eyesight, speech, IQ, and so on) and that it is a more fitting phrase than “handicapped,” “disability” will be lumped in with “handicapped.” There has been a lot more achievement with digital accessibility in the recent two decades.

For instance, as more individuals grow aware of the challenges that persons face and the need for digital equity, their understanding of what it means to be disabled grows. Although most people are unaware of what digital accessibility entails, business leaders, elected officials, and legal teams are becoming increasingly aware of the need to support individuals who use assistive devices in making fair and effective use of technology.

The gap between disabled and non-disabled people is narrowing as technology becomes increasingly available, and globalization makes it less difficult for everyone to utilize. While we are not yet at the point where we can say that technological innovation has eradicated all of the problems that a disabled person may experience, it has made overcoming life’s obstacles much simpler. Although some individuals believe that technological developments and scientific discoveries will remove all or the great majority of diseases one day, they admit that this day will be many years from now.

In contrast, analyzing your website helps you get an advantage in serving visitors with these constraints right away. QualityLogic personnel may visit your site to study ways to improve the pages. Improved colors, easier-to-read wording, or more music and graphics will increase visitors immediately.

Issues From the Past

To comprehend how far technology has evolved in the last 50 years, imagine how a blind person communicated, traveled someplace, and purchased stuff in the mid-twentieth century. Telecommunications, keyboards, and Braille supplies were all in short supply.

We needed more access to books, periodicals, and newspapers because they were supplied to us by libraries for blind people. The labels on prescription bottles and soup cans were covered, and the buildings lacked Braille signage. It was possible to hear but not see what was on television.

It Was Challenging to Get Around

Taxis were rare to find unless you came from a big city like New York. Otherwise, transportation was rarely offered in your area. The ability of passengers to get anywhere by rail or airline was still being assessed. There must be something that can help us navigate or discover ourselves. Large indoor events took a lot of work to handle, necessitating the employment of orientation programs or government assistance.

Purchases Made In-Store

Even if you work and can travel around on your own, you will require supplies and amenities from your boss or the organization’s owner. This support was only provided in unusual cases. Some people shop alone, which may be a stressful experience.

A Simple Transition

Technology has changed a lot in the last five decades! The examples below show what good, accessible technology and a host of innovative ideas have done for us 50 years later, confirming our autonomy and propelling us up the equality ladder in some ways.

Technology That Improves Communication

Zoom allows us to collaborate on various devices, like mobile phones and PC desktops. We make reports from everywhere with Wi-Fi or mobile signals, using spreadsheet devices, email, and text messaging. We can read practically any magazine, book, or newspaper that interests us. Prescription bottles, along with canned, boxed, and packaged foods, are now widely available.

This has been made feasible by excellent assistive technology like screen readers, magnifiers, automated captioning systems, and instantly available digital information. We can now watch a range of television programs thanks to the advent of descriptive video services (DVS). The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires most buildings to provide Braille markings on room signs and elevator controls.

It’s Easy to Plan a Vacation

Rail and airplane travel is now regarded as safe in many areas of the world, and digital carpooling makes it simple to move around cities. GPS has increased our options and has made traveling and driving easier. Augmented reality programs such as AIRA and Be My Eyes feed live assistance from sighted individuals to our mobile devices, allowing us to navigate new environments such as enormous skyscrapers effortlessly.

Internet shopping has become ubiquitous.

In the last five years, the ability to have practically anything delivered directly to one’s door has made it much easier to get what one wants. Online shopping has not only allowed us to have items returned to us, but it has also provided us with access to items and services that we wouldn’t have been aware of if we had purchased them in a physical store. Grocery delivery will keep going irrespective of the COVID-19 outbreak, thanks to DoorDash and GrubHub.

Things have greatly improved, yet they are still far from flawless. Accessibility still needs a lot of work to improve and become the norm (expectation). PDFs and online forms are typically inaccessible to individuals with impairments due to a lack of key features that allow them to be utilized. We could make traveling easier if there were more locations to visit, but purchasing on many e-commerce sites still needs improvement. Life currently, on the other hand, is far better than life even twenty years ago.

QualityLogic and other software developers have helped businesses get back on track by improving the digital accessibility of their websites. Companies with an educated staff may create software strategy designs and plans that are open to anyone.

Technology Has Improved Accessibility

Technology improvements have aided us in doing basic tasks that many of us take for granted. Although technology has immensely benefited expansion, the majority of it was also designed to make the lives of the majority of people simpler. “One person’s comfort is another person’s accessibility,” as the phrase goes. Many people benefit from food delivery, but it is essential for those who are physically unable to get behind the wheel or maneuver a grocery store because of impaired vision.

As technology progresses, the gap between disabled people and those who are not impaired will narrow even further. Wearable technology, for example, will have the chance to see, hear, and interpret what is happening around us thanks to 5G networks and ultra-fast AI and ML systems. Despite the fact that some electronic information is still being scrutinized, access to websites, digital media, smartphone apps, and traditional office paperwork is expanding.

Technology has implemented itself into every part of our lives, from the touch displays on our cellphones and workout equipment to the thermostats in our homes. To achieve our goal of complete inclusion, we require unrestricted access to a wide range of digital information.

Even though advances in technology have made millions of people’s lives better, digital equality is still a long way off. Regardless of your point of view, digital access is here to stay. Accept it while working to improve it via education, training, and collaboration. It will no longer be regarded as a means of making our lives easier and more enjoyable. Stay away from specific skill sets. It will serve as a roadmap for effective digital marketing.

Enhance Your Website’s Usability

If you operate an organization and wish to make your online presence more digitally accessible, contact QualityLogic. We believe that everyone has the right to access, regardless of health or handicap. We will collaborate with you to educate and develop a strategy to allow everyone to view your website.

We also use Wi-SUN test tools to assist innovative energy companies in developing products that operate on mobile intelligent utility systems. This testing comprises assessing hardware and software compatibility and functionality to ensure that whoever uses the devices can provide dependable solutions and excellent customer support.

Please visit the QualityLogic website or contact us immediately to learn more about the companies and services we represent. Regardless of the type of software solution you want from us, we promise to provide cutting-edge work and prioritize you at all times.