Digital Accessibility Trends: 2022 Update

Date & Time

Friday, March 18, 2022 - 1:20 PM PST  

Location

Platinum 6 (LIVESTREAM)  

Description

COVID-19 Pushes the World Online – Ready or Not

The COVID-19 pandemic has profoundly impacted the world we live in. While some changes may influence society for the better, most have negative impact on the day-to-day lives of vulnerable populations worldwide which includes people with disabilities. COVID-19 and the resulting reliance on online self-service adds new challenges for people with disabilities.

Mainstream Trends Driving Accessibility

The global population is getting older and they are actively using technology more than ever before. The number of people worldwide age 80 and over will quadruple to 400 million by 2050. In the past five years alone, the percentage of seniors (65+) who own smartphones has risen from 18% to 42%. Since many seniors develop age-related disabilities like low vision, hearing loss, and arthritis, digital accessibility is what will enable them to keep living their everyday lives.

eCommerce is allowing people with disabilities to shop online and eliminates the need for transportation. Online schools allow students to attend classes in a way that is more flexible for their lives. Freelance and telework jobs are also great for people with disabilities, so they can choose their own hours and work in a space that is already comfortable and set up for their needs. These trends are also driving a need for digital accessibility.

Laws and Enforcement

The number of plaintiff firms filing lawsuits continues to expand and we expect growth with continue in 2022 and beyond. We’ll look at specific data on digital accessibility litigation, and explain how these lawsuits tend to work, including a typical timeline.

We’ll also look at other types of complaints such as OCR complaints to the Department of Education and complaints filed with the Federal Communications Commission under the 21st Century Communication and Video Accessibility Act (CVAA).

The Latest Technology

Virtual assistants like Siri and Alexa are useful for many people, but they can be an amazing asset to someone with a disability. The Internet of Things (IoT) can be used to facilitate independent living—a person can unlock their front door, adjust the thermostat, start the dishwasher, and order a pizza, all without needing to leave their comfy chair.

Virtual and augmented reality programs hold exciting developments for improving the lives of people with all sorts of disabilities. For people on the autism spectrum, AR can help them recognize emotions on people’s faces. For those who are blind, there are apps that can provide facial recognition. For those with cognitive disabilities, there are apps that overlay tutorials to guide them through completing tasks online. And for those with memory challenges, apps can provide cues to help them remember important things.

This Presentation Link is provided by the Presenter(s) and not hosted by the Center on Disabilities at CSUN. The Center on Disabilities has confirmed, as of April 1, 2022, content linked is relevant to the presentation, but has not been reviewed for accessibility nor will the Center on Disabilities attempt to remediate any accessibility issues in the linked content. Please contact the Presenter(s) with any accessibility concerns.

 

Audience

• Information & Communications Technology
• Finance & Banking
• Legal
• Marketing
• Retail & Wholesale

Audience Level

Beginning  

Session Summary (Abstract)

Explore key digital accessibility trends and developments related to laws and regulations, the market in general, and the ever-changing landscape of technology.  

Session Type

General Track  

Topics

• Design
• Digital Accessibility
• Information & Communications Technology (ICT)
• Law, Compliance, and Policy
• Research

Presenter

• Timothy Springer
  Level Access

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