IAAP certification: a tool for advancing your digital accessibility strategies

Abstract

One billion people, or 15% of the world's population, experience some form of disability. Organizations worldwide are recognizing that their digital infrastructure, both internal and external, must be made accessible to meet the needs of their customers and employees with disabilities. Inaccessible systems put them at risk for missing a significant percentage of the market, including the aging population, and at risk for non-compliance with legislation.During the past 25 years, a great number of advancements have been made toward the goal of more accessible information and communications technology (ICT). This includes advancements in operating systems, developer tools, technical industry standards and the growth of a rich ecosystem of assistive technology products. However, as we reflect on the current state of the industry and today's ICT solutions, websites and content, it is clear that many are still not accessible. Even organizations that have established development best practices are struggling to consistently deliver accessible content and solutions. Corporations, government agencies and educational institutions worldwide continue to work diligently to understand and respond to the needs of their employees and customers with disabilities, but significant obstacles continue to hinder their success. One of those obstacles is the lack of accessibility knowledge integrated across their existing employee base and a pipeline of skilled accessibility professionals to accomplish the work that needs to be done.