At the end of the day, the work of Access Ready is all about you, the consumer. The effects of inaccessible information and communications technology are personal and meet the person at the basic levels of life: consent, engagement, and freedom of action. The interference of inaccessible information and communications technology in the civic, economic and community lives of individual consumers is immoral, unethical and illegal in the commonsense intent of civil rights law. It is not about the law however, it is about the lives of people with disabilities. It is about the lives of people regardless of the level of their sophistication or abilities. It is about you, the consumer.
With information and communications technology serving as the lifeblood of civic, economic and community life today, its accessibility is paramount, and the rising level of inaccessibility is a clear and growing danger to the civic, economic and community lives of people with disabilities. Those are high minded words that mean it is about you, the consumer. Access Ready is working to connect with consumers across the global community. Because inaccessible information and communications technology has such a personal impact on the individual consumer it is necessary for us to bring to bear all the consumer opinion available. To that end, we are seeking individuals who represent the widest range of the consumer community. Advocates who represent the needs of the many and the few.
The needs of the visually impaired, blind, deaf and others with disabilities are at the core of Access Ready's culture, mission, vision, values, and purpose. Access Ready has sought out a leader who is respected and trusted for her calm approach to issues. A teacher of children with a wide array of disabilities who sees firsthand how inaccessibility can impact the future of her students and the adult consumers she works with professionally. A commonsense leader who sees the opportunities inherent inaccessible information and communications technology and how inaccessibility is punitive to the future of the people she works with and represents. Access Ready Inc. is honored to welcome the current President of the Florida Council of the Blind, Sheila Young to its Board of Directors to occupy the Consumer Affairs Chair. Through the “Access Ready Inclusion Can't Wait” listening sessions we are also finding support from consumers who want to assist. Soon other pathways for involvement that encourage more consumer advocates to get involved will open up. The Access Ready Execution Team is hoping for your involvement. Please contact us with your ideas through
As the galaxy of information and communications technology continues to grow exponentially the danger to the futures of people with disabilities is growing. To meet this challenge, we must band together to help guide information and communications technology developers, providers, buyers, and users into a fully accessible world through an Access Ready Policy. With millions of inaccessible websites, software's and devices in the market and millions more to follow it is up to each of us to do our part as an individual advocate. We are all consumers of goods and services from business, government, and nonprofits and working together we can make a difference. Some may choose to work from inside their employer and Access Ready will support you. Some may choose to work in their community shedding light on inaccessible information and communications technology where they find it and Access Ready will support you. It is all about you, the consumer.